How can I confirm a watch is genuine?

[Don1]

I've finally found a B&R 01-92 Phantom (unworn), and have the S/N from the seller (who lives in Denmark).

He knows I'm willing to fly over with cash and buy the thing, but I'm trying to find out for sure if the watch is kosher. B&R are being silent on the issue, and the AD's are refusing to help me, as the watch is being bought privately.

The pics etc prove it is genuine (box, papers, reciept, tools etc), but for final piece of mind....

Any ideas?

Ta!

[TheEnd]

I assume the best thing to do is get decent pics of it, or try to check the serial number.

Have you got any pics of it?

[tertius]

You could ask on the German Brands forum on Timezone - someone there may be able to help. Your best bet is obviously an AD but if they aren't willing to help ... (bit churlish of them one feels).

[Stuart]

Not that it would be enough of a reason to persuade me to buy, but is there a big problem with counterfeit B&R? I mean, it isn't a volume watch, surely?

[tertius]

Stuart said:

Not that it would be enough of a reason to persuade me to buy, but is there a big problem with counterfeit B&R? I mean, it isn't a volume watch, surely?

Replica Bell & Ross

[TheEnd]

There are loads of copied B&R's these days, they are quite a simple design, but they often have a number of flaws, the most common one being missing screws on the back of the BR01 and engravings instead, but so far no one else has managed to make black lume.

An original phantom will look like it's lumed in tar or treacle, and will glow, the replicas are just painted dark grey

[Don1]

So in other words, this looks good?

[Stuart]

Don1 said:

So in other words, this looks good?

Haven't seen the back of one before. Surely "do not unscrew" next to a screw is a positive inducement to meddle?!

[Don1]

It looks good! This is a shot of one from watches.co.uk

[tertius]

This thread is worth a read.

[Don1]

Cheers for that Mr T - still looks good here!

[lowdrag]

Nothing to do with the actual post but an amusing anecdote some years back when we were seriously in our cups. The discussion between a farm hand and the landlord was about whether the Rolex was better than my mates Seiko. In their befuddled state they decided the only way to test the watches was to throw them the length of the bar against the chimney and as the independent adjudicator I got to throw them. The Seiko ticked on, the Rolex went back...............

Maybe it was a fake Rolex?

Edited by lowdrag on Wednesday 28th January 08:26