Got called out today...

[kazushi]

The guy just sized you up, and made you the fall guy to make himself look important !

I'm not sure how I would react because I haven't really been call out yet, I keep everyone
confused by wearing gens and reps, I never wear my high end reps with jeans, suit is a must
for a Breit !!

In anycase the guy was a prick... Was he wearing a watch ? what kind ? I bet you it was a rep !!

guys I totally understnad that I have a rep. But I am 99% sure that it is impossible to call it out on the wrist. Especially since I dont ever recall standing next to this guy. The only way it can be called out from a distance is that AR (which Im taking care of on the next AR run so I thought I would get called out on that and I figured he wants to hold the watch to show me the lac of AR in direct sunlight! But he didnt... That's why I'm pissed.

Also once he started to change the hour hand he said one thing the chinese could not replicate is when you hold the watch looking at it and turn the crown forawrd the hour hand is supposed to go clockwise not counter as on my watch...

But how the f*ck could he tell that by looking at it???

I can aford the gen if I really wanted to but I dont believe in spending so much $$ for a watch especially since the rep is this good. I figured no way I would get called out while on wrist especially once I get AR done. I was really ready to have a fun convo about reps with this guy once he called me out on the AR font, 't' but damn...

 

[pugwash]

Yes, the guy is an asshole, but he could most likely tell it was a rep through experience. I can spot a rep of some watches without being able to tell exactly what's up. He probably subconsciously spotted the AR, but couldn't figure out the tell.

 

[piratedzeus]

Yes, the guy is an asshole, but he could most likely tell it was a rep through experience. I can spot a rep of some watches without being able to tell exactly what's up. He probably subconsciously spotted the AR, but couldn't figure out the tell.

I don't think that happened... if he was so clever he wouldn't then come up with the bezel or whatever...

 

[The Chap In The Boot]

To call someone out is always a plebeian behaviour. Excepting ghe case of clear boorish people calling someone out for envy only, I guess the doubts about one's watch comes often when one's not dressed accordingly, or if one's a notorious broke guy. If you see a guy with an Agnona cashmire overcoat, a Brioni suit, church's or Cavalli shoes, everybody thinks your watch is gen. The same goes for your job, etc.
If you see a waiter with a rolex you think it is fake. If a physician has it no one doubts. In fact only rich guys have interest to buy reps

 

[pugwash]

I don't think that happened... if he was so clever he wouldn't then come up with the bezel or whatever...

Really? He was trying to work out what made him realise it was a rep. Once it's in his hands, the build quality will let him know it's a rep.

 

[jdavis]

Max, I think that you handled this situation perfectly. Without a doubt, the "jeweler" was out of line here and was stroking his ego by his comments. By keeping the encounter non confrontational, you were able to save face and keep the situation under control. I'm certain that others at the party realized that this person was being rude and inconsiderate.
A few years ago, I was wearing an older Datejust ('80's gen) in a jewelry store and the owner(not a Rolex AD) questioned the authenticity of my watch! I thanked him for his observations and assured him that it was genuine and offered to let him open the case. He declined but offered that I must have installed aftermarket parts on the watch! Proof positive that all jewelers aren't experts about watches.

 

[pugwash]

So yea. I went to this party today for a barbecue wearing my Bentley GT.

Like I said, the guy was an asshole, but you've neglected to tell us how you were dressed and how old you are. If you're a young guy or a kid and you were dressed on an Eminem tour t-shirt and cheap jeans, like a regular student, then sure, he could spot it from a mile away.

People who get called out while not wearing Rolexes generally get themselves called out.

 

[seanf]

Just to play devil's advocate. I certainly think the jeweler guy could have handled it better and was an ass, but is it possible that he thought he was really helping you out and doing you a favor? That may be what the guy was thinking to himself. In other words, he spots what he thinks is a fake, assumes someone got ripped off and doesn't know it, and, out of the goodness of his little jeweler heart, offers to share the wisdom of his seven years. Alternatively, he could just be an ass.

On a side note, I've read several stories along these same lines. Some ass calls you out, tells you you're wearing a fake, and then reveals him or herself to know next to nothing about watches. My favorite is when someone calls you out for wearing a fake Rolex Sub because "the bracelet is way too light." If you've ever tried on a real (modern) Sub, I've found that the rep bracelets, if anything, feel a lot more sturdy.

 

[andreww]

I agree with Pug here. My guess is that from a distance he could not tell it was a fake, but only that the expensive watch didn't match the guy that was wearing it. That is likely why his first action when it was in his hand was to push the chrono button, as most fakes have faux chronos. I'm sure he was surprised to see that they actually worked, but likely your body language and behavior was still telling him it was fake. At this point he was grasping at straws. If he didn't notice the AR or the oversize slide rule ring, he knew nothing about Breits. As far as the hands turning in the wrong direction? I would really doubt that he was correct on that.

Having said that, trying to fool people is the biggest mistake you can make as a rep owner. I am always upfront when I tell people that my watches are reps, although very high quality reps. I explain about the movement, the sapphire crystal, etc., and also the fact that they are in no way "cheap". In most cases people are enquiring where they can get one too, rather than turning up their noses at me.

 

[Panama]

He`s an a**hole - no doubt. But no reason to be sad, just enjoy your watch:

My friend told me about a guy he met on a similar party a few days ago. He was wearing a Breitling too, showing it to everybody. And although he could definetely afford a gen, he himself turned out and told everybody how satisfied he is with his brand new 10$ Breitling (including the faux chrono :lol: ) he bought in China where he`s working now...

Cheers
Panama

Edit: I agree with andrew, the gen Bentley is around 100K and produced in very limited quanities. So you should really be able to afford it, even second hand. A Navitimer could have been the better choice... :wink:

 

[andreww]

but is it possible that he thought he was really helping you out and doing you a favor?

Not likely. I have seen people try and pass off the cheapest pieces of shit as gens. I would never publicly call them out. If someone told me they spent a large amount of money on ebay for a watch, I may have taken them aside and quietly point out that they had been taken. But this guy was just showing off, probably compensating for his own shortcomings :roll:

 

[evilgenius88]

You can always spin his bullshit.

I would just admit it is fake. "Yeah, it's not genuine. But it's a high quality watch that's gonna last for years and I love the design, so what's the difference between this and a genuine Breitling? The price?"

I never tell people how much my watches cost when they ask me. If they persist in questioning, I just say: "If you're so curious, Google it and find out". This way, I haven't told anyone that it's a 5,000 dollar watch and if someone calls me out, I just admit. Who's smarter? Someone buying one watch for 5,000$ or 20 reps that are almost exact. As I can't afford 20 $ 5,000 watches, I'd rather be smart and have the reps. No shame in that unless you show you are ashamed.

Of course, this guy is a total A.S.S.H.O.L.E. Why call someone out this way? Especially before asking / confronting him? I'd just ask him if he owns a Breitling. If yes, tell him he pays too much. If not, ask him if he's jealous.

The bottom line is: There are people (a lot actually), who aren't satisfied with themselves and therefore look to screw over people who they think are. He tried to embarrass you, but it ONLY works if you actually get embarrassed. And if someone came around telling me that some guy's Breitling was fake, I'd think he was a sneaky bastard more than I'd think the guy with the Breitling was a poseur.

 

[robmpulse]

I never pass my watch off as a Gen. It's just isn't my style. I don't wear rep's to look cool, or appear rich. I wear them simply because I LOVE the design of the watch. I ALWAYS tell people they are reps. Granted, I talk them up and like andrew said, I explain about the watch, and explain that even as a rep it still cost more than any other watch in the room, provided no Gen watches are in the crowd.

The guy from the OP's thread is an ass by the way he handled it. That said, I will screw with a stranger. And that goes two ways.

1. someone dos is discreetly and appreciates the rep

2. someone is being an ass

99% of the time, when someone is being an ass, they have no clue what so ever that your watch is a rep. They are simply trying to call you out for the sake of calling you out. this has only happened once or twice. Both times the person couldn't explain to me how they knew my watch is a rep, and both times the withdrew their statement. Once they said they were sorry, I then fessed up and xplained it was in fact a rep, but a really good one.

The other couple times I got called out, were people with Gens that pulled me off tot he side and asked if it was a rep. Once I stated yes, they explained that they were pretty sure it was, but that it's an awesome rep and that they never owuld have known had they not owned a gen and really be into watches. and were completely cool about it.

p.s. - never show your watch off. This guy could have ben promted to act the way he did simply by seeing you showin it off to the unsuspecting crowd.

 

[Natron]

hit em over the head with an empty beer bottle, kneed him in the knut sack and pissed on his slumped over crumpled poor excuse for a human being body and then kindly say .......ohhh excuse me i thought you were somebody else :lol:

sexybeast, I about pissed myself reading this. I couldnt even explain it to my son.

Natron

 

[efnstefn]

Yes, the guy who called you out sounds like a cunt. My procedure for dealing with the guy:

1) ask why he called you out?

2a) if it is some asshole answer, start quizzing him on movements or some other aspects that a true hobbyist knows about. you may just have something in common, and things could smooth out. share a beer and talk watches.

2a.1) if he gets stumped by the quiz, and he's still being an asshole, go around to the people he told you were wearing a rep. tell them he is a moron and should be ashamed for the lack of knowledge that he utilizes in his job. laugh and say you'd be fired for being such a simpleton.

2b) if he were really trying to help you out, like oh my god this guy may have gotten ripped off. say thanks, and maybe share a beer and talk watches.

3) now that you've talked, see comments by sexybeast.........and stick that piece of metal up his ass after you stomp on his nads

 

[sub4me]

Well it is a rep right?? So who cares?? Thats the way it goes sometimes. Embarrasing I bet but you decided to wear it and wearing it is pretending its a gen is it not?? I'm not saying the guy isn't an asshole he obviously is for being such a loud mouth but I guess this is the risk we run when wearing a rep or even a gen, the fact that there will always be someone who thinks its a rep no matter what. Forget about the fact it a rep or a gen what f'ing prick this guy is for not minding his own business.

 

[Ferrariman]

IMHO I think you handled the situation well. I have thought about this happening to me and I would deal with it as I deal with many @ssholes...make them feel important, blind them with the complement that they are telling you something you do not know. This does two things: You avoid being the guy who buys fake watches (sorta like buying porn, allot of folks do it but no one wants to run into their neighbor at the porn store) and you look like a better man to others at the party.

The other plays for me might be:

"Hell yeah it's fake, I liked the styling but I sure didn't want to pay $5k (or what ever it costs)for it".
Since I have gens as well..."I wanted to see if I liked it without spending $$$"

All in all for me you played it well.

 

[skitoolong]

I would have never handed over the watch. You don't know this guy, right?

Tell him "Nice try, buy go steal a watch from someone else". I wouldn't give up my watch to a stranger. Would you hand your wallet to a stranger?

I think not.

 

[drfcfighter]

gen bentley can be had for around mid5K.

http://www.essentialwatches.com/listing ... emID=16774

Having said that, it's totally do-able if you only had a CK tshirt instead of a wifebeater. I think the overall look threw this asshole off and thought to blab his mouth. Whether he thought he was trying to help you out from an unfortunate "scam of being ripped off" or just to show that he has a small penis and was jealous, he was overall was being a numbnut as he could have just come up to you and said in private, "hey buddy, nice watch there, can I see?" Then proceed to say "wow, did you know that this might be a high end replica? If you paid $5K for it, check with your dealer." so on and so forth.

Especially given that he needed to inspect your watch to prove his point, I really think it was the wifebeater that mismatched with your Bentley watch. :wink: Quick solution: just wear a t-shirt next time :lol: When I was a public grant writer, NOBODY questioned even my noob cartier tank, simply because it went with my job title and the suit I wore. I look back now and think, 'damn, what the fcuk was I thinking with the whole cartier tank thing? Soooo 90's' :lol:

P.S. as for hk mentioning his neighbors wearing a DD with overalls and working blue collar, um... I see that no one would call him out in his neighborhood, but out of his neighborhood, he may get called out even WITH his gen; people are superficial that way, and most people have no f'n clue what they're talking about... especially about watches.

Put up the wifebeater and the watch pics! Let's see if we can call it out! :lol:

 

[caravaggio]

well.

OK.

The man is an asshole.


Risk is: when you wear a fake, make sure it is the best one.

99% of fakes will be called on the minute they are handled by someone who has some kind of experience with watches.

Always refuse to let shitheads like that handle your watches. Tell them it is too expensive "for just anybody to handle" , make them feel like dirt then walkaway with a smile.

Let them wonder all day and all nite.