7000 Fake Rolex Watches Crushed By US Law Enforcement

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed)
May 26th 2010 at 6:01PM

If there is anything that watch brands hate more than a bad economy, it is fake watches. Asia pumps out fake watches faster than ever, and Swiss watch brands have been lobbying lawmakers and law enforcement all over the world to help out. First of all, fake watches are illegal. As far as watch brands are concerned, they are as bad as hard drug trafficking. While replica watches (and other luxury goods) don't represent a violent crime, they are very damaging to the luxury goods economy, and are severe infringements of intellectual property rights. For a long time many Asian countries (especially China) have a bad reputation for utterly disregarding intellectual property rights. It is hard enough to enforce such laws in those countries, but when the goods travel here, the US is pissed off.

A major dealer of fake luxury goods including Rolex watches who was arrested last year had his good endure a unique public spectacle. The take down was operated by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE), who apparently worked closely with Rolex. The arrest last year was after years of investigation and gathering evidence. The culprit was one Binh Cam Tran of Pennsylvania. After importing the parts for the fake watches, the replica timepieces were assembled in his home outside of Philadelphia. Tran is currently serving 6 years in jail and has been ordered to pay over $2 million dollars to Rolex USA.

What you see above is a steamroller crushing 7000 confiscated fake Rolex watches that were seized as part of the Tran investigation and prosecution. The fakes were roller over again and again as a message to would-be importers or producers of fake watches. I would think that owning a fake and having it break soon after would be deterrent enough. Although, a major concern when it comes to replica watches are when they are passed-off as authentics. This harms the luxury economy as well as brands much more than when people knowingly purchase fake goods.

In the past luxury goods had a powerful weapon on their side - the mere fact that their goods were hard to make, used expensive materials, and hard to come by. Fakes have been a problem for as long as there was a luxury industry, but the distribution power of the Internet, as well as increasingly sophisticated techniques by replicators have compounded the problem. It calls into question the very definition of luxury, and whether something that can be reproduced so easily is still luxury. Rolex has a product that is very hard to fake well enough to trick educated watch lovers. Others... may be fooled.

My advice to anyone interested in purchasing luxury goods is to educate yourself before getting anything. Learn why a brand is considered luxurious, what makes their product special and why people like their products. A good design is easy to copy, but quality and construction is not. Know what the real thing is like before investing in one yourself. Through this education process you'll also learn if that item you are lusting for is even worth paying for in the first place (I am talking to you high margin luxury sunglasses makers!).

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: 7000, counterfeit, destroyed, fakes, ICE, replicas, Rolex, watch

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 4)

ERNEST KELLEY May 31st 2010 3:35PM

RIGHT ON BARRY. AT LAST SOMEONE WITH THE KNOW SPEAKS UP.

ERNEST KELLEY May 31st 2010 3:43PM

WELL SAID BY SOMEONE WHO IS OBVIOUSLY IN THE KNOW FOR YEARS.
HIS BLOG SAYS IT ALL

John M May 28th 2010 9:26PM

A few years ago in S Korea a guy tried to sell me a Rolex for $15. I said "why would I want a watch that'll stop working in a few months?" He instantly replied "Oh no! Seiko inside!" Seriously, though, people know they are fake by the price and people who buy fake Rolex's are very unlikely to even consider buying the real thing. The only loss I can imagine to Rolex is that rich people might not buy a real one because their friends might think it was fake.

gary May 29th 2010 7:09AM

I COULD AFFORD A ROLEX WITH NO PROBLEM BUT HAVING MONEY DOESNT MEAN YA HAVE TO SPEND IT ON EXPENSIVE CRAP THAT YA PROB ARENT GONNA WEAR THAT MUCH ANYWAY! I SAVE MY MONEY AND BUY TIMEX! THEY LAST FOR YEARS AND KEEP GREAT TIME, MY FRIEND IS ALLWAYS GETTING RAGGED ON BY ME WHEN WE COMPARE THE TIME WHEN MINE IS ALLWAYS RIGHT ON AND HIS ROLEX IS ALLWAYS OFF A BIT!

Studs99 May 28th 2010 11:29PM

Let those who cant buy real watch wear what they can afford... everyone cant afford the real thing, why does luxury watch makers worried about loosing money or a $15 dollar watch? LMAO look around you everything is not made in the USA.

Luxury watch makers should lower their prices on their products maybe everyone would be buying real one, the realy one and the fake one is same piece of shit....

randyfl24 May 29th 2010 1:17AM

Actually, if you ever entered the US with a Rolex on (especially coming back from the Caribbean or South America), you will notice the extra scrutiny by customs. In fact, I've been stopped at least 3 or 4 times and asked when I bought my watch and them asking to look at it (once they see a few scratches on the bottom of the band, they're usually satisfied that I've owned it for a bit).

MOOSENOSE May 30th 2010 5:14AM

WHEN I TRAVEL, I CARRY LOTS OF MONEY. WHY? BECAUSE I WANT MY ROBBERS TO BE HAPPY. HOWEVER, I DON'T WEAR ONE OF MY 5 ROLEXS, MUCH LESS A FAKE ONE. WHY? I DON'T WANT MY ARM CUT OFF BY SONEONE WHO WANTS TO TAKE IT.......MUCH LESS, IF ITS FAKE. A FAKE CAME IN HANDY ONE TIME, HOWEVER, MY DESPOSTION WAS BEING TAKEN BY A YOUNG ATTORNEY ON BEHALF OF HIS CLIENT WHO ALLEDGED I OWED HIM A LARGE SUM OF MONEY (I DID NOT). I NOTICED DURING THE MORNING SECTION THAT THE ATTORNEY WAS EYING MY $30k ROLEX. SO WHEN WE BROKE FOR LUNCH, I WENT TO MY APPARTMENT AND GOT MY FAKE. SURE ENOUGH, THAT AFTERNOON THE ATTORNEY ASKED IF HE COULD SEE MY "ROLEX" AND I GAVE IT TO HIM.
HE SUGGESTED HE BE ALLOWED TO HAVE IT APPRAISED. i TOLD HIM IT WAS FAKE, BUT IT DID NO GOOD. WE WAITED FOR HIM TO RETURN 3 HOURS LATER..... RED FACED.......THE DEPO ENDED AND I NEVER HEARD ABOUT THE MATTER AGAIN. THAT WAS FUN!..

Frank May 29th 2010 6:29AM

Just another dog and pony show by the goverment! Why bother when you can buy phony watches and more over the internet. Just go to any town that has a swap meet or sale in the square on Sat and Sundays you can buy knock off purses, handbags, watches clothes, videos and what ever. Where are the Police with the enforcement, they are just now there. If you are going to enforce these laws then enforce them!!

FatCatJRG May 29th 2010 6:49AM

The fact is, Rolex is a marginal watch at best. While their product is ok,
they have masterfully created an image and personna for their line. Rolex is a mass-produced watch that relies on the name and their sponsorship of yacht racing, downhill skiing, tennis and golf. FYI: Rolex
is a NON-PROFIT CORPORATION, (it's true!) held in a trust established by the brand's founder. Pretty sneaky racket, I'd say. REALLY fine watches are made by companies most people have never heard of. They include Patek Philippe, Breguet, Panerai, Gerald Genta, Corum and Vacheron Constantin; to name a few. Many luxury marques are held by The Swatch Group...right. The 29 dollar plastic junk that's about like the one you used to get "free with fill-up". Like Rolex, they are all knocked off with the fakes living on the wrists of those who could never reasonably afford a so-called "luxury" timepiece. "Tada"! Stop the presses. Call the networks. Wake up Larry King. Here's another superficial "dog and pony show" staged by the feds and political hacks to make it look like they're actually doing something worthwhile. In reality, it is MEANINGLESS. 2 million bucks to Rolex is like a kid's allowance.

Tom May 29th 2010 7:12AM

Im going to sleep better tonite knowing that there are less fake watches on the streets. I wonder how many millions of dollars and thousands of man hours this took?? All the while, our southern borders are wide open. And if we do catch illegals, this administration wont prosecute them. Insanity, pure and simple. Then why check anywhere? Why have passports? For what? I am applled and sickened by the liberalism and left wing nuts and what they have done to this country. Illegal immigration had destroyed California, or dont you people get it? $17 BILLION has gone towards eduating their kids, providing healthcare, and the like over the past 5 years in Calif alone. Thats why they are BROKE! We might as well do away with our borders, and just see what country wants to come in and take over. Why have a military if we are just gona let everyone in anyway? Its pure and simple INSANITY!

Terry May 29th 2010 8:10AM

This is ridiculous, the "Corporate World" using law enforcement to add to thier bottem line. Anybody smart enough to make the money to afford a Rolex, will not be stupid enough to buy a fake. They would do the world a far better thing if they donated some of thier exorbatant profits to the poor.

ttrexxx May 29th 2010 8:31AM

While they were crushing the watches my two mules made it safely across the border

Daniel May 29th 2010 8:41AM

Well said, In ole times. Our government would of taken the assets of BP and

got them rigs out of the way and handled that mess. Today-- We'll pay at the

pumps and food chains. Daniel

l1705 May 29th 2010 1:10PM

Daniel, Your friend is full of crap. Read the lastest issue of Watch Time magazine. There is an entire article on making the movement of a Rolex Daytona. They make all there own materials. They even have their own foundry to process their own gold. Every movement is assembled by hand.
Its all done in Switzerland. A long way from China.

Franklin May 29th 2010 9:10AM

Rolex is just an expensive crap. Take for example, do you all really think Rolex is made in Switzerland? If so, think again. These watches are actually made in Hong Kong. I have a friend who was working in the states and took a position in HongKong. He was a master watch marker in Manhattan. Well, he had informed me many years ago that Rolex was really being made in Hongkong with the parts there and then shipped to Switzerland. So, what you are really paying for is not what you would believe to be but something actually made in Hong Kong. In other words, in my opinion, if the fake ones are made in China and other countries, so is the so called real ones. Greed is what this is all about. The American made Timex is superior to too many Rolex and these Timex are very reasonable priced. Go figure

roy May 29th 2010 9:36AM

Why most people are accusing the replication of these items? These original companies have to sell these products at ernomus profits so the ceos can make millions in bonuses and we the lower class have to pay for their style of life. hooray to the countifiters.

judiandsteveg May 29th 2010 9:48AM

Wasteful government spending AGAIN!!! Why not just give someone a $7 hammer and tell them to smash the watches instead of having some guy that is probably in a union making $30 an hour use a piece of equipment that probably cost a hundred thousand dollars. Of course if the goverment did that they would probably use 7000 $15,000 hammers, so I should probably just keep paying my taxes and shut up.

hop341 May 29th 2010 10:24AM

My "fake" Rolex, bought in 1995, for $35, in N.J., is still ticking, keeping great time. What's the big deal?? It's free advertising for the really over-priced stuff, which 99% of Americans can't buy...........I'm looking for my next "fake", as I write.......

Cindy May 29th 2010 11:34AM

I have a fake Rolex, given to me by a former boyfriend. It is self-winding and the secong hand has a very good sweep. However, the "gold" part of the band wore off after a while. It still works and is very reliable. I rarely wear it. I prefer to wear a watch that doesn't sit so high and flop so much. My favorite watches have been from the Brighton brand, purchased on Ebay. I think they are made by Citizen.

James Marshall May 29th 2010 11:40AM

I purchased a Brietling copy watch 10 years ago with a battery powered movement. Awsome copy, still works and keeps perfect time. Let the rich buy their $10000.00 watches and $112500.00 Porche sedans and leave us average stiffs alone.

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