I found this on another watch forum and thought I would pass it along to you guys.
I just wanted to alert everyone in Georgia, Florida (and other areas as well) of a scam working in the area. A local (Tampa Bay) Jeweler I do business with called me to come to his store and help him inspect/authenticate an "M" serial Deep Sea. The whole story sounded bogus from the beginning...
The watch turned out to be a fake, but I have to tell you it looks GOOD!! You must remove the bracelet and inspect the numbers -- Of course there is no Serial Number at the 6 (which is normal since the serial is inside the bezel), but the wording "STAINLESS STEEL" (As well as the Ref # info at the 12) has a very PIXELATED engraving (but VERY GOOD), instead of the usual smooth (diamond cut edge) look. The serial number is M646829 and they use the same number on all the watches. However, the reference number is INCORRECT "116117", but I never even noticed at first.
The rubber gasket in the TripLock crown looks very convincing. The SELs have a little bit of a roughness to the edges and the numbers inside the face of the SEL look "burned" into the metal, with a lot of bleed. I was able to open the caseback (with an LG adjustable 3-pin wrench), it really wasn't very tight, and the movement is a cheap Chinese type.
I frequently lecture a local Florida Pawn shop chain on counterfeits and I called to alert them of the scam. I quickly got a call back a few minutes later saying they were burned my the same guy selling a Deep Sea in Jacksonville.
Here are the particulars...
The guy's name is THOMAS ADAM POLLOCK, (born in 1985), he has a Missouri (Springfield) driver's license (pic attached), and also used an Indiana license selling one in Georgia. He drives a Black Ford (full size) Pickup, with a small "V" shaped dent in the front bumper (looks like he hit a pole), and he has a dog in the truck.
He claims that he is from out of town and his truck needs repairs so he is selling the watch to pay for it. He says he bought the watch at a Casino in Vegas after winning big, and will ship you the box/papers when he gets home (they are in a safe at home and he has the only key). He claims to work for Rolls Royce company (builds engines) in Missouri.
I have reason to believe that he has been driving (from Missouri) selling the fakes along the way across the Southwest... Georgia, Florida, etc...
After opening the watch (and confirming it was a fake) he acted like he was upset about being duped in Vegas and picked up the "pieces" (didn't even give me a chance to put it back together) and walked out of the store. He then "backed" his pickup truck all the way out of the parking lot (so we couldn't see his tag).
After making several phone calls and alerting dealers I know if the area, we have discovered this same guy sold one in Orlando and Georgia in the last month. If you have recently purchased a Deep Sea from this person please check the serial number, and please contact me asap.
John E. Brozek
[email protected]
727.204.1184
I just wanted to alert everyone in Georgia, Florida (and other areas as well) of a scam working in the area. A local (Tampa Bay) Jeweler I do business with called me to come to his store and help him inspect/authenticate an "M" serial Deep Sea. The whole story sounded bogus from the beginning...
The watch turned out to be a fake, but I have to tell you it looks GOOD!! You must remove the bracelet and inspect the numbers -- Of course there is no Serial Number at the 6 (which is normal since the serial is inside the bezel), but the wording "STAINLESS STEEL" (As well as the Ref # info at the 12) has a very PIXELATED engraving (but VERY GOOD), instead of the usual smooth (diamond cut edge) look. The serial number is M646829 and they use the same number on all the watches. However, the reference number is INCORRECT "116117", but I never even noticed at first.
The rubber gasket in the TripLock crown looks very convincing. The SELs have a little bit of a roughness to the edges and the numbers inside the face of the SEL look "burned" into the metal, with a lot of bleed. I was able to open the caseback (with an LG adjustable 3-pin wrench), it really wasn't very tight, and the movement is a cheap Chinese type.
I frequently lecture a local Florida Pawn shop chain on counterfeits and I called to alert them of the scam. I quickly got a call back a few minutes later saying they were burned my the same guy selling a Deep Sea in Jacksonville.
Here are the particulars...
The guy's name is THOMAS ADAM POLLOCK, (born in 1985), he has a Missouri (Springfield) driver's license (pic attached), and also used an Indiana license selling one in Georgia. He drives a Black Ford (full size) Pickup, with a small "V" shaped dent in the front bumper (looks like he hit a pole), and he has a dog in the truck.
He claims that he is from out of town and his truck needs repairs so he is selling the watch to pay for it. He says he bought the watch at a Casino in Vegas after winning big, and will ship you the box/papers when he gets home (they are in a safe at home and he has the only key). He claims to work for Rolls Royce company (builds engines) in Missouri.
I have reason to believe that he has been driving (from Missouri) selling the fakes along the way across the Southwest... Georgia, Florida, etc...
After opening the watch (and confirming it was a fake) he acted like he was upset about being duped in Vegas and picked up the "pieces" (didn't even give me a chance to put it back together) and walked out of the store. He then "backed" his pickup truck all the way out of the parking lot (so we couldn't see his tag).
After making several phone calls and alerting dealers I know if the area, we have discovered this same guy sold one in Orlando and Georgia in the last month. If you have recently purchased a Deep Sea from this person please check the serial number, and please contact me asap.
John E. Brozek
[email protected]
727.204.1184
Comment