The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Why? It's one thing if someone is bragging about their watch, but it's totally different if you just announce to the person and/or everyone in the room the watch is a fake. Do you announce to other people at the table that you can tell a guest's diamond earrings are fake? Or that you believe a man's ring is gold plated and not solid gold? It's not illegal to buy the fake watch either, so please.

If you get your jollies by embarrassing people pointing out that you know their watch is fake, you need to get a life.

Yeah, it actually is. Knowingly, at least it is. Very hard to prove, but technically illegal.

PS: Written by lawyer/wife. I do not know the first thing about copyright/pattent/trademark law and get glassy eyed when she starts talking about it

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Chronomat, Steel/Gold, MOP Dial, 2-tone band (2008)
Super Avenger Black Baton Dial (2009)
Bentley B04 GMT Silver Dial (2013)
Avenger Blacksteel Baton Dial (2014)

There is a MAJOR difference between faux jewelry, and counterfeit merchandise. When fake watches have "Breitling" on them, they are absolutely illegal; and there are with many laws prohibiting purchasing, trading, selling, manufacturing, etc. etc. etc. this type of counterfeit merchandise..........at least here in the U.S.
I personally would not go to any great lengths to embarrass, announce to everyone, or really care THAT much if someone has a fake Breitling. But, I am also not that sympathetic for someone who gets "called-out" on their fake watch, either.
Being a Breitling owner, I do believe that for the most part, owning a fake Breitling is "not good". I wouldn't want to see fake versions of my SOH become a very popular watch; I wouldn't even want that many REAL SOH's being sold. Part of the enjoyment from owning a Breitling is not having a very common watch.
This is how I feel. I'm sure some may agree, and other don't. But, counterfeit merchandise is definitely illegal. I personally saw 2 young men get arrested for selling Yankees hats at a yankee game, because they were not "officially licensed" products.

I guess my point is that most people here are watch nerds and probably the only people who really care whether or not someone is wearing a fake or a replica. I'll leave it up to Rolex, Breitling, etc. to crack down on the industry, but quite frankly, I think the manufacturers like that there is a fake market...it just perpetuates their brand.

To each his own, but to assume someone knows they have a fake and then call them out in public when you weren't asked for your opinion is just plain tacky. There are bigger things in life to worry about.

If you are asked for your opinion, then be polite about it. If you are not asked, then be polite and don't call them out.

Again, just my opinion.

I take issue with someone who sports a FAKE Breitling (or Rolex, Panerai, ect) because the presence of that "watch" is an insult to those of us who saved our pennies and purchased the real thing. I will continue to "call them out" for no other reason than to perpetuate the stigmata associated with wearing a counterfeit watch. If we make the purchase and wearing of these illegal watches acceptable than we demean the value of actually owning the real items.

Now there are always exceptions and a person that is completely unaware of the brand and just bought their "knock off" because it "looked cool" and only cost $25. I contend that anyone paying more than $100 US for a fake knows it is a fake. Stiffer sentences for distributors and manufacturers of these fakes are in order and I would support the stiffer sentences.

Just my .02

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Breitling Steelfish(black)
Breitling Steelfish(silver)
Panerai PAM 312
Bell & Ross BR03-92 Phantom
Steinhart BreitlingSource LE #5/15

I’m in the defence industry now, but I was an IP lawyer – yes, it is an area which can
cause the eyes to glaze over, but as I’m sure your wife has pointed out, there is only so much talk one can take of applying power tools to human tissue too…ha ha.

It varies from country to country, but as a general rule, it’s not unlawful to possess a fake watch. In any country with a decent legal system, it certainly does not constitute a criminal offence.

As I’ve written before, I’m sure the major brands have adopted a policy of accepting the phenomenon of fake watches. The costs of enforcing IP rights against Chinese manufacturers are exorbitant. Moreover, it’s almost to the point where a genuine brand hasn’t made it unless there are knock offs.

At the end of the day, it’s a bit like gold plated jewellery stuffed with diamontes, or whatever that crap is called. People can generally still pick it.

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Breitling Headwind SS Blue Dial (Current)
Breitling Colt Ocean Automatic (Sold)
Breitling Colt Quartz (Sold)

Actually, in Italy and Japan you can (and will) be fined in the region of €1000 if you're discovered with a fake watch (or bag, or clothes, or...). I've heard that other countries have followed this example but can't prove it. There are several stories every year of young people going to Italy on summer vacation, buying a fake watch on the beach or similar and then caught when leaving the country. More than one family have been forced to bail their son out.

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Collection: http://s540.photobucket.com/albums/gg32 ... mview=grid

This is one of those bizarre legal loopholes in many countries.

In many jurisdictions it is illegal to buy a fake, illegal to sell a fake, but not illegal to own a fake - go figure.

The other problem is that there is often no interest in enforcing the rules, especially against individuals rather than producers / distributors.

For all those who take NO issues with counterfeit Breitlings; maybe we can only wish that perhaps their particular model and color becomes the MOST popular of all counterfeit merchandise, and everyone just assumes that their real watch is a fake...........AND that some of the counterfeit owners may even riducule that Breitling owner for paying 20 times more for essentially the "same-looking" watch.
Maybe that's what some people deserve, in order to understand the viewpoint of those of us who are against this illegal industry?
Just a thought........

Sorry to reply to an old(er) thread, but I just joined the forum...

What about buying a fake for some kind of "extended trial" on the wrist?

I mean, it would be heartbreaking to plop down $4K for a SA just to realize after a few weeks that no matter how much u wish it, it's just really REALLY too big for comfortable daily wear on ur particular sized wrist?

I currently owned just the EM (which was a gift from my wife last Christmas, and have really been on my wrist 24/7 for almost an entire year), and having a hell of a time deciding which model to choose for my next B -- because no AD will let me try them on for a few days...

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a few Pams...

Interesting...........I could possibly see some kind of justification for that particular situation.....possibly.
And for the very few instances where a fake was purchased for that reason, and then a genuine Breitling purchase followed.....I would consider the genuine purchase to make-up for the counterfeit one.
But, you'd thow-away and/or destroy the counterfeit after you get the real one, right???

Interesting.

I mean I hate fakes too - I'm just lucky that even the "good" fake Bentley GT is still easy to spot because the inner bezel is too broad. BUT, no one should be subject to criminal sanction if they buy one. That's a nasty infringement of individual rights ostensibly to protect corporate rights. That sounds like fascism…ooops, don’t mention the war. Did I mention “decent legal systems”?

no offence to anyone.....but who cares. If I see a nice watch I'll say it to its wearer. I not about to scrutinize it, its not my place to. Most people who wear a replica will say they got it in Thailand, or elsewhere anyway. It doesn't bother me either way. I'll just give credit where its due for a nice looking piece. I'm not the watch police. Besides the more fakes there are, the more desirable it makes the watch. Makes the brand stronger. ie. you don't see a 'casio' replica now, do you(no offence to casio owners).

cheers