As a WatchFreak you might have seen this already, but I had to share it with you. Not only is it funny, but I want to pay respect to our fellow WatchFreak who cares… This summer the Australian Watchmaker Nicholas Hacko had an interesting chat with a website selling watches:
Source: Authentics Foundation
“- Hi, my name is Nicholas Hacko. I am a watch dealer. I’ve just visited your website and wonder if you also wholesale watches?
- Hi. Well I am just a watch dispatch person you need to talk to my boss.
- That’s fine. However, it is important that before we enter into any business transaction, I want to make sure I am not breaking any laws…
- What do you mean?
- Well you guys do sell fake watches, right?
- No, not fakes. We sell replicas.
- Replicas, fakes, same thing…
- No, no. Our replicas are NOT fakes!
- Oh sorry, my misunderstanding. So you actually do sell genuine Rolex watches?
- No, no. You don’t understand the difference with fake and replica…
- Huh?
- … not genuine Rolex, just Rolex replica. But definitely not the FAKE Rolex.
- OK I see. You sell REPLICA Rolex!
- That’s exactly right. Genuine replicas which look identical to real Rolexes.
- Very good. So would you be able to accept payments in replica money?
- What do you mean, I don’t understand???
- You know, the replica money. Money which looks identical to real money but it is just replica. Like the stuff I can print on my printer…
- [laughter...] I don’t know, I am just a dispatch worker. You really need to talk to my boss [more laughter...]
- OK – let’s say that I do come into agreement with your boss and he does accept my replica money for his replica watches – which sounds like a perfectly fair deal to me – would you accept that replica money as your wages?
- [upset voice] Are you serious??? I don’t work for fake money!!
- No, no, no – it is not FAKE money, it is just REPLICA money, mate …
- Sir, I am busy, if you have any more questions please send us an email.”
The full article is available on Hacko’s blog: “Aussie website cashes in on counterfeits“.
Although this is a quite funny conversation, the subject is very serious. For additional information about the fake AND replica problem, please visit:
- Authentics Foundation – “Fakes cost more“
- FakesAreNeverInFashion.com – “Innovation in brand protection“
- My Authentics – “Is it fake“
Please share you opinion about fakes, replicas, counterfeits, etc.
Tags: authentics foundation, fake watches, nicholas hacko, replica watches
October 22, 2010 at 3:42 pm |
Hi,i’m from italy and i love to browse in search of new sites in this niche. Thank you very much for your work. To your success.
October 24, 2010 at 3:29 pm |
Hi,
it amazes me that some “high profile” people take Authentics Foundation serious, when one of their founders, a “lady” born as Corinna Larsen, is using the name “Princess Corinna Sayn Wittgenstein” without being a member of the “high aristocracy”. It says much about the foundation. Biggest joke ever and everyone seems to fall for it.
October 24, 2010 at 7:03 pm |
@Max: Ciao. You are welcome, thank you for your feedback.
@Mercer: Thank you for your feedback. I haven’t met her personally, so I can’t really comment. This is what’s written on the Facebook Page of The Authentics Foundation:
“The Authentics Foundation was started by Frederick Mostert, Princess Corinna Sayn Wittgenstein, Tim Trainer and Chen Xuemin, who are also involved in the Confucius Foundation—a charity that helps kids beat the sweatshop cycle and return to school. The Foundation’s goal is to raise awareness about the often ignored issue of counterfeit goods—including the potential political and economic implications of this ever-expanding illegitimate market.”
And, as all the founders have a noble aim, I personally do not care if someone is a member of the “high aristocracy”, as you write, or not. We are all only human and I don’t really care about titles… In my humble opinion it is great that people invest time and funds to promote charity. That is what matters. In case you don’t agree with the existence of The Authentic Foundation… Well, that’s a total different discussion
October 24, 2010 at 8:07 pm |
alonbj,
i agree about the cause. just confused that a foundation fighting fakes was co-founded by someone that uses a “title” to appear to the public as someone she is not, no matter what the cause. if it says rolex on an item i expect it being a rolex and nothing less. if someone calls themselves “princess” i expect the same especially if their purpose is to fight “fakes”.
its a discredit to the whole foundation, no matter how nobel the cause.
October 24, 2010 at 8:19 pm |
Dear Mercer,
I have no idea how monarchies & royalties ‘exactly work’… Maybe you should consider communicating your thoughts directly to the organisation.
October 29, 2010 at 11:14 am |
Nice Article!! but would also like to share a link of similar website for vintage watches with easy to navigate and user friendly GUI. http://www.ashton-blakey-antiques.com/
October 31, 2010 at 8:43 am |
Thank you Paul. Please come back to visit and share you opinion. Also, here at WFB we hope you will link back to us.
October 30, 2010 at 10:00 pm |
Very nice post! I’m too from Italy as @Max… In our country we can find this behaviour with guards: “left hand never knows what right hand does…” Ok, now seriously: unfortunately the guy in the shop was right, watches replica are even more dangerous then fake watches. Their negative impact is less negative in terms of damage for brands but slightly more individually. It’s very unsafe to buy certain types of watches and sadly not only Rolex. I would like to translate this post in italian of course mentionig this source. Bye
October 31, 2010 at 8:44 am |
Thank you for your feedback. Please do translate it in Italian. You have a very nice website and we hope you will indeed link back here: http://www.WatchFreaksBlog.com
October 31, 2010 at 9:44 am |
Thanks Alon couldn’t find your email to directly contact you. I’ve just linked you in http://www.orologidiclasse.com/blogroll/ session. Would like you’ll do the same under your label “Watch Portals” as Orologi di Classe. During next week will publish the translated version of this post
November 4, 2010 at 9:27 am |
@Contaminuti: Thank you. We added your wonderful site to our Watch Portal section. We hope you will add our URL: http://www.WatchFreaksBlog.com also on your blogroll. Thank you in advance.
November 5, 2010 at 12:27 pm |
Dear all… the post is online! http://www.orologidiclasse.com/2010/orologi-falsi-vs-copie-repliche/ waiting you to come in and comment! THX, Ciao
November 10, 2010 at 7:49 pm |
[...] “Fake vs. Replica” on [...]
November 10, 2010 at 7:51 pm |
[...] “Fake vs. Replica” on [...]
January 30, 2011 at 11:46 am |
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November 20, 2011 at 1:44 am |
Very nice post! it is great that people invest time and funds to promote charity. That is what matters.unfortunately the guy in the shop was right, watches replica are even more dangerous then fake watches. Their negative impact is less negative in terms of damage for brands but slightly more individually. It’s very unsafe to buy certain types of watches and sadly not only Rolex.
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