[ecalzo]

thanks a lot.....:-!

 

[Nalu]

Another

Ploprof with a fake case and genuined dial/hands/bezel on eBay. This frankenprof is being sold be a NAWCC seller, so there should be some recourse for the buyer. Note that only the case is fake - the dial, hands and bezel are genuine.

This one is very hard to spot - the most difficult I've seen yet. The case has been expertly refinished, probably by Omega or an Omega SC, and many of the telltale signs of a fake case have been eliminated.

The easiest to spot is the back. The cast-iron look to the grooves is a sure sign of a fake case:

The bevel has been restored to the top deck edges, but they are seen to be not quite correct if you are familiar with Ploprof cases. A lot of metal has been removed from this case in the attempt to make it look real.

The reversed layout is a warning signal, as is the C-front crown recess. However, close inspection reveals that the crown recess is incorrect in that it looks slightly splayed and the crown sits very proud. In some older cases that have been heavily polished/refinished, the crown can sit slightly proud, but never this much.

 

[Nalu]

If the movement SN in this watch is checked, I guarantee you that it did not start life as a Ploprof. Since a different date wheel is required to restore a non-Ploprof cal. 1002 to the correct configuration, many frankenprofs built up in a fake case will be reversed.

Here are two photos of how a crown should fit into a case:

Here is a case that has been very worn and polished - I'm not even sure it would pass Omega's criteria for metal thickness. Note that the crown barely stands proud:

The case is so polished, you can see how many fingers I'm holding up!

Yet the crown doesn't stand noticeably proud of the case like the one in the eBay auction above. Moreover, each of the crowns shown above actually fit the case, without any gap like the watch in the eBay auction has.

 

[DaBaeker]

I also notice that (and i'm NO expert on ploprofs in any way) that the case looks so new and almost with pristine edges. Edges that should have SOME sign of even slight wavering and nicking or denting even it it was over polished. Just look at the examples that follow. All the edges of the cases look great-but still show some evidence of long ago wear and tear.

Interesting spot. I am suspecting that a factory in China can churn these cases out and....well we all know the rest of the story.

I am curious to know why the lay-out has to be reversed to accommodate a new date wheel?

 

[Nalu]

As I mentioned above, the watch has just returned from an Omega SC and had been refinished by them and that's why it looks new.

No one knows where these cases are made, but when the full-on fakes arrived on the scene they seemed to surface most often in Germany. The frankens are popping up all over, which is to be expected after 5-6 years of internet trading.

The reversed Ploprof is complicated. In short, a cal. 1002 that starts life as some non-Ploprof Omega has one type of date wheel whilst the cal. 1002 installed in a Ploprof (with the crown on the left) has a different date wheel. When the fakes are built, they generally have a cal. 1002 salvaged from a non-Ploprof, and so the person assembling the watch either has to source and install a Ploprof date wheel or assemble the watch "inversee", with the crown on the right. They generally take the easy way out, though not always. I find it interesting that the Omega SC did not restore the normal alignment of the above FrankenProf when it was in for a service. Perhaps they recommended it, but the seller deferred due to the extra expense and his plans to sell it on. Please see the articles on ploprof.com for a more complete discussion of Ploprof variants and fakes.

Another franken has surfaced on eBay, well-spotted by DeskDivers.com webmaster AndyF :-!

350321194884

Again we see genuine components installed into a fake case with the splayed U-front and typical cast appearance of the back:

The crown fits a bit better on this one, but still doesn't look right being that proud:

 

[Darkman]

The case angle on the bottom right (under the red pusher's housing) also looks wrong on this one... cuts all the way under the bezel making the angle look odd, unlike Nalu's real pics.

 

[Nalu]

True, but hard to rely on that as a tell since it's not the case on all fake cases and even seeing it depends on camera angle, lens, focal distance and decent photos.

My recommendation is to always ask for a good quality photo of the back with strap removed so you can see the lug recesses.

 

[Nalu]

The frankenprof shown at the bottom of page 1 of this thread (if you're using the forum linear display option) is on eBay again, here :rodekaart

It still has the incorrect seconds and still is a fake case. I have emailed the seller and reported the watch to eBay, but I'm pretty sure the seller won't pull the watch and eBay will require more reports before they will take action.

 

[ces]

This one is very hard to spot - the most difficult I've seen yet. The case has been expertly refinished, probably by Omega or an Omega SC, and many of the telltale signs of a fake case have been eliminated.


i agree its a fake but wouldnt omega sc refuse to refinish the watch knowing its a fake

 

[Nalu]

Since the cases have no SN, there is no easy way to ID a fake. Even Bienne have been fooled by fake Ploprof cases, so I wouldn't expect a SC to know the difference. It may seem that the companies put a lot of effort into combating fake watches, but recognise that there are only a few dozen or so fake Ploprofs (that I've seen over the years) and that they are a minute percentage of Omega After Sales business and none of their new watch business, so I'm sure it gets no attention whatsoever -as seen during Omegamania in 2007.

I am attempting to inform Omega After Sales and the SCs I do business with, but no one as yet has even acknowledged the existence of fake Ploprofs, which of course would be the first step.

 

[Nalu]

Another eBay fake has popped up, this time in Hungary:

#120555887122

This one has a fake bezel and a fake case, making it very easy to spot. C-front, prominent crown, no lume in bezel, incorrect ridges on side of bezel, sharp case edges, etc.

All pics are pretty good, except this one of the back. This makes me think the seller knows he's got a bogus watch.

 

[Nalu]

Mea culpa: seller ended the auction in response to my message about the bogus parts. I was wrong to suspect his intentions, good on 'im for doing the right thing! Not many sellers do, unfortunately.

 

[Nalu]

Another fake Ploprof has surfaced on eBay, this time from a reputable seller. This one is not a Frankenprof either, it's a full-on fake with all the hallmarks clearly demonstrated :rodekaartI've bought from Yvonne Gez previously and am surprised to see this. I've sent Yvonne a message about the watch and hopefully she'll pull the auction.

eBay auction #370419410230

 

[Nalu]

As with many sellers - all too many - Yvonne is insisting that the watch is genuine because it was worked on by Omega (not sure if she means an SC or Bienne, but either way :roll. I am continuing to try to convince the SCs and Bienne of the problem and would appreciate it if fellow collectors would help by reporting the item to eBay.

 

[Johnh1265]

I had a watch from her that she insisted was new old stock,it wasn't and didn't even work properly.I for one won't deal with that company ever again.

 

[kpaxsg]

How about the omega 1000m she now has on the bay?:-s

 

[Nalu]

Another fake Ploprof has surfaced on eBay, this time in the UK. I'm sorry that I did not see it before the auction ended, but I've been mostly offline the past few weeks.

230526538145

This one shows all the hallmarks of a fake: hands, dial, bezel and case are all wrong, see the posts above for details.

Thanks to my BFAM Jase for pointing this one out! :-!

 

[Nalu]

Well-spotted by WUS member "Sulaco" is this frankenprof on eBay Spain for sale in the EU only.

Fake bezel and case, genuine dial and hands. Bezel shows the classic bad font of the fakes, along with the cast appearance and irregular ridges:

The seller was kind enough to include a lume shot which shows that there is no luminous material in the bezel:

Note also in the photos that the C-front case has sharp edges where they should be bevelled:

 

[Nalu]

Another Ploprof with a fake dial has surfaced, this one being auctioned off by Antiquorum!

The rest of the watch looks OK (but I've only seen this one photo), but not only has this dial never appeared on a Ploprof, it's never appeared on an Omega of any type AFAIK. Note the lack of "Swiss Made" at the 6 o'clock position. Thanks to Malyel for the good eye!

 

[sulaco]

Not a fake, but a great package with original box and papers but
unfortunately a reprinted dial :-(
Font of Seamaster is totally off and also the Omega Logo is way wrong.
Else this is really a perfect package with all papers and even an original blue Isofrane strap.

Omega Seamaster PloProf 1976 Box, Papiere + Zubehör | eBay