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FRIDAY WIND DOWN: How to avoid getting scammed when you sell your watch and Grand Seiko blue snow FRIDAY WIND DOWN: How to avoid getting scammed when you sell your watch and Grand Seiko blue snow

FRIDAY WIND DOWN: How to avoid getting scammed when you sell your watch and Grand Seiko blue snow

Nick Kenyon

You don’t hear about watch scams very often. So when the inside story of a fiendish attempt recently emerged, we interviewed the gentleman who almost became the victim. Gautaman Senivasan is a Singapore watch collector and trader who invited a prospective buyer into his home to inspect some watches he was selling. What happened next will make anyone who’s ever bought or sold a watch squirm with horror. While Gau had his back momentarily turned, the conman tried to swap his Patek Philippe Nautilus for a counterfeit model.

If you’re keen on reading the tale of the fake Patek Philippe Nautilus in a crime that almost cost Gau $140,000, make sure you head to the article here. But the social media storm around the story did raise one interesting ethical dilemma. If you catch a con-artist in the act, should you involve the police?

Gau, being the kind-hearted fellow that he is, opted not to. In his own words: “If the kid was arrested, he’d have been jailed and deported. His life would have been pretty much over. I was also a kid once and I’ve also done silly things – although obviously not to this fucking level. I wanted to make sure that he did not try this on anyone else ever again. But I don’t think I could live with ruining a kid’s life.”

These are all extremely reasonable points (perhaps more reasonable than many of us would’ve been in the same situation). But is there something else owed to the wider watch community? Should you let others know the person’s identity so they can avoid dealing with a known scammer down the track? It’s an enormously difficult question to answer, with many competing factors that could swing the answer in either direction. Why did they need the money? Did they appear remorseful? How likely are they to try and scam someone else again?

I’ll leave you to ponder this real-life moral conundrum over the weekend, and if you’re a Professor of Philosophy who’d like to throw your hat in the ring, make sure you get in touch and let us know your thoughts on the problem.

Have a great weekend,

Nick

HANDS-ON: The Grand Seiko SBGY007 may just be the pared back Snowflake you’ve been waiting for

Grand Seiko SBGY007

Anyone who loves Grand Seiko will probably agree the snowflake is one of the more attractive dials that the brand has ever produced, but this new light blue variation in the SBGY007 is a strong competitor. Read Zach’s full review here.

Fake charity muggers steal Rolex watches using David Blaine trick

charity muggers steal multiple Rolex watches

Signing a petition on the street can be a very costly exercise, especially when you lose your Rolex as a result of it. How does the scam work though? Check out the full article here.

INTRODUCING: The Longines Heritage Classic sector dial, now available with black dial on bracelet

Longines Heritage Classic sector dial

In 2019, the Longines Heritage Classic with a sector dial was one of the most universally praised watches of the year. Now, nearly two years later, we have the sequel in a variant with a black dial that is now available on bracelet. Check out our review here.