I came across this site that sells replica watches, i.e. high-spec (I presume) counterfeits, eg a Rolex is 200 quid. Anyway, to start with that’s illegal right? Furthermore, it could be a scam. Even furthermore, the watch itself might be so obviously fake and wearing it you just stink out the place anyway.
Hi! Any sort of opinions etc are appreciated.
Replica brand articles are illegal in Switzerland (as everywhere else) and you'll face a huge fine if you get caught wearing one by the customs for example. They'll confiscate it and charge you for destroying it if you receive it Switzerland. In the range of few thousands CHF plus.
A girl I know bought a Louis Vuitton handbag on her travels, and then "just for fun" bought a replica L/V purse, to go with it ....... and on arriving here got the replica confiscated and was fined a terrible amount! She was so upset, because she could have bought the original with the amount she paid for the fine! (Ignorance of the law is no excuse)
Think about buying a Mercedes E-Class, made with a fake body on a Lada chassis and with a Yugo engine. It just doesn't make sense.
Info sent to Rolex for perusal.
And the main point of this thread was...? Seems like you answered all your own questions anyway.
i guess you're right about that! i suppose i was just looking for confirmation or clarity.
that's really interesting about the customs brand-police. i'd never heard that at all and think it's pretty excellent.
You do not want to get stopped by customs and be caught with contraband. If you do EVERYTIME you fly, you will be stopped!
Wearing replica merchandise is surely illegal in CH.
I do know, for example, in Japan that some hobby-collectors actually collect these replicas instead of the real one for cost reasons and also for the rarity of a good "fake".
Personally, I would be interested to get one, but then the penalty of getting caught for owning one (in CH) outweighs my interest.
PS: Same like the fake iPhone which runs Android...
Wow. They are blatantly stating they are making fakes and selling them. That's gutsy.
The other thing about fakes is - even at 200 chfs - they're pretty easy to spot...especially by the kind of people who you're trying to fool.
I'd recommend a brand like this..
http://www.steinhartwatches.de/en/GM...1-BLACK,2.html
Costs a bit more than a fake.. but top quality build quality (at least as good as Tudor) and looks the business
Excellent advise. Steinhart is very well respected among watch enthusiast!
These sites obtain a brand's picture of whatever model they wish to copy and that is then put on their webpage - the watch when it arrives bears no resemblance to the watch advertised at all.
In US, its possible to buy original from most of the designs from luxury brands (rolex, baume&mercier, longines, rado, Raymond weil, Tag hewer etc ....)at 20 to 80% lower price than here in Switzerland. Its called as grey market. But one does not get guarantee (but who cares the watches seldom gets damaged before the gurantee expires) and sometime the serial number is also removed.
In Switzerland Ignorance of the Law is a defence, I guess your friend just paid up & did not go to court.
I believe the grey market also has another name - "receiving stolen merchandise."
If the serial no is missing yes! however most of Media Markt stock is Grey Market as they imported it to Switzerland rather than the official importer.
Not stolen but they are not authorised dealers. There is a big difference in buying stolen goods and grey markets.
Hmmm, so what happens when a fake is actually an improvement on the original?
From the link a couple of posts up.
"The most alarming part of the way these laws are written is that, once you become aware that the serial number has been removed, you effectively become an accomplice to the crime! Here is an example of such laws from the State of Georgia, in The United States:
A person commits the offense of criminal use of an article
with an altered identification mark when he buys, sells,
receives, disposes of, conceals, or has in his possession
a ... watch, watch movement, watch case ... from which
he knows the manufacturer's name plate, serial number,
or any other distinguishing number or identification mark
has been removed for the purpose of concealing or
destroying the identity of such article.
A person convicted of the offense of criminal use of an
article with an altered identification mark shall be
punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor
more than five years."
I guess that I understand that there are items that are sold through second tier organizations, but there is a big difference between somebody who legitimately obtains and resell factory seconds, over-runs, and unsold new old stock vs. somebody who is sneaking around to cheat on their dealer agreements and trying to cover their tracks. If you are not an authorized dealer, then you just become another used watch outlet, but it seems to me that if the serial number has been removed, it's not legit on a number of levels.