# How to tell a Fake Ulysse Nardin?



## HuliganRS

This applies to other watches as well but I'm primarily concerned about Ulysse Nardin Maxi Marine watches...

I see a ton of sites selling fake watches. They only show the front view so it's hard to tell what could be off. Is there a tell tale sign that the watch is fake?

Thanks!

Rusty.


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## kiwidj

Asks the pros, PuristsPros to be more specific...

http://ulyssenardin.watchprosite.com/?fi=13

:-!


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## mikemargolis

If you buy it at an AD, it's not a fake. 

Aside from sending the watch back to UN for verification, that is the ONLY way to be sure.


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## HuliganRS

mikemargolis said:


> If you buy it at an AD, it's not a fake.
> 
> Aside from sending the watch back to UN for verification, that is the ONLY way to be sure.


That's a really scary comment right there!

I collect coins and military medals/uniforms and there are always ways to tell a fake from the real deal.

I understand that buying from an AD is "the ONLY way to be sure" but what if I walk into AD's store and sell him a fake that he re-sells to you. Does that make it real? A fake is a fake!

I see this mentality on several watch forums and it bugs me, I guess.

I did post this exact question on another forum and got a decent response... I guess there are ways but to protect the masses everyone's first comment is to buy from AD.

Why not educate???


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## crc32

mikemargolis said:


> If you buy it at an AD, it's not a fake.
> 
> Aside from sending the watch back to UN for verification, that is the ONLY way to be sure.


of course this is just ONE answer, not the definite answer, and not everybody has the funds or the wish to buy from an AD, and that is what the thread is about.

Sending to UN will only be possible AFTER you bought the watch and not in advance as they won't make an official statement based upon pictures.

And from what I have learned from this book:










there are replicas of UNBELIEVABLE quality available, for example where every part of the box and the case are 100% authentic but only the movement is a replica, so called FRANKEN-watches. They even sell for some hundred dollars...

They are really hard to identify in person let alone from a picture.

I am always interested in tips, tricks and hints how to indentify fakes of certain brands. :-!

christian


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## Guest

HuliganRS said:


> That's a really scary comment right there!
> 
> I collect coins and military medals/uniforms and there are always ways to tell a fake from the real deal.
> 
> I understand that buying from an AD is "the ONLY way to be sure" but what if I walk into AD's store and sell him a fake that he re-sells to you. Does that make it real? A fake is a fake!
> 
> I see this mentality on several watch forums and it bugs me, I guess.
> 
> I did post this exact question on another forum and got a decent response... I guess there are ways but to protect the masses everyone's first comment is to buy from AD.
> 
> Why not educate???


You are right, there are always ways to tell a fake from the real thing.

But you need a minimum of knowledge, so let me ask first what do you know about watches, especially movements. For example: Do you know how an ETA 2824-2 and a Sellita 200 would look like? Would you know the difference between a 2824-2 and a 2892-2. Would you see it in a glance ?

If not an advice as given (go to an AD) is not a bad advice at all.

Some web sites (Glashütte Original http://www.glashuette-original.com/neuigkeiten/faelschungen/popup/default_de.aspx) do educate their customers


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## HuliganRS

Mike,

I understand what you are saying and my knowledge is basic regarding the movements. 

Here's a scenario: I walk into a jewelry shop and see a used/pre-owned Ulysse Nardin watch in the display. The price is right and it comes with some papers and box. The sales guy took it in on a trade for another high-end watch (according to him). The back is not exhibition so I can't see the movement. 

How can I tell if it's a fake or genuine watch? 

Thanks!


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## Guest

Well, my answer sounds trivial and somehow it is trivial. I am not familiar with UN watches however I am "expert" enough to recognize angled edges, I would realize if Geneva Stripes are handmade or product of some machinery. How´s that ? Experience, experience, knowledge, knowledge. I am into watches for more than 20 years now. I think I woudl recognize a fake Lange & Söhne or Glashütte Original because I fiddle with German watches, not sure I would identify a Seiko to be a fake. 
It is a lot of reading and learning though. I would rely on ADs anyway.


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## Hartmut Richter

As previously stated or at least hinted at, it gets down to just two points:

1. Know the movement that should be in the watch.

2. Make sure you see the movement.

If you can't do that, you are down to trusting people, at least partly. If you don't want to trust people, forget about the watch! There is no substitute for knowledge.....

Hartmut Richter


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## ulackfocus

Hartmut Richter said:


> 1. Know the movement that should be in the watch.
> 
> 2. Make sure you see the movement.


There it is - the _only_ way to be sure. I've seen fakes, especially Rolex, that look identical to the real deal on the outside. However, none of them look nearly similar on the inside. There is no magical fake detector or anything like that marker you rub on US currency to detect counterfeits. As previously stated, you just have to do your own homework.


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## Watchbreath

An easy way to tell right away, feel for sharp edges and on the edge of
the bracelet. #3 level fakes have a schlock look about them, #1, have to
be opened and may have real movement, but not for that watch. Even the "feel" has been faked to some extent, like lead lining in a Gold watch.
It can be a mine field.


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## freeboy

the reps , the good ones, fail in the decoration of the movements.. the a7750 if its a high beat chrono has the crown and pushers in line.. and the bezel waves are off..
..


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## heuerolexomega

Listen to this, I have said so many times and its a rule for any WIS: "YOU BUY THE SELLER NOT THE WATCH " Amen


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## tony20009

With pre-owned watches, unless one is of a mind to read up on and be able to recognize what distinguishes all the variations a maker may have offered for a given watch, it's quite difficult to be 100% sure. That goes not just for somewhat less commonly bought pieces such as UN's but even for Rolexes, Cartiers, and so on. The best solution I'm aware of to overcoming that is to buy from a seller who will guarantee the authenticity of any pre-owned piece they sell. Of course, that's not a 100% guarantee, but short of getting a "proper" certification from the maker or an experienced appraiser, it's about the best one can do and not invest the time and effort needed to become a true expert on a given maker's wares.

You may have already read this -- Is John Mayer's Over $650,000 Lawsuit A Reason To Avoid Buying Vintage Watches? - Forbes -- but if you haven't, do so. I seriously doubt Mr. Mayer is enough of a geek to take apart a movement and attest to whether it's authentic or not, but he's surely as watch savvy as a great many folks who are casually "into" watches.

I'm sure, OP, what you are looking for are a set of shortcut clues about how to tell. What you want to consider is this: if you can discover any given shortcuts, the fake-makers can too and they can accommodate for them in the build of their pieces. The simple fact is there is the right way to evaluate the authenticity of a watch, and there all the other ways to do so. It comes down to what level of risk you can accept that whichever "other way" you opt for instead of the "right way" may not serve you as well as you'd hoped. I don't know about you, but for myself, the more money I'm spending on the watch, the less I'm willing to expose myself to risk re: authenticity.

All the best.


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## Me116

Has noone noticed that this thread is almost 6 years old? I mean, really...


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## heuerolexomega

Me116 said:


> Has noone noticed that this thread is almost 6 years old? I mean, really...


LOL that's show our commitment to watches :-d


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