Maybe1day

Earlier this year a man went to state auction of goods that had been seized from criminals or state debtors. He sees a Rolex, bids on it and wins it for 1600 Euros. After picking it up he takes it to a rolex agency to get it serviced.
They tell him it is a fake and issue a document to that effect. Armed with the document he goes back to the auction house who refer him to the local government official that was responsible for the auction. He or she refuse to see him so he consults a lawyer who sends a letter to the appropriate local government department. A month or 2 goes by without any response.
He goes to the police to denounce the sale of the fake watch and the police open a case against persons unknown even though the statement made by the guy names the Gov officials involved. The police then seize the fake watch because it is a crime to have a fake watch and are considering proceedings against the guy for buying and possessing it.
To sum up the guy is 1600 Euros out of pocket plus legal costs which may yet run into many thousands and has nothing to show for it. He is facing criminal proceedings and a criminal record to boot. This has been reported at least twice on national TV too but all to no avail.
Just an afterthought, will it be put up for auction yet again?

InVinoVeritas

Can you please post a link to this story?

Maybe1day

I will try and find one. My wife reminded me of the case last night, I know it sounds incredible!
I have found some links...... Try a google on "aste giudiziarie falso rolex" Even the TV reporters
From a very popular reportage program got nowhere. The Officials involved blamed the watch
expert's valuation and would not be drawn on anything else. The final comment went something like-
Tough!
You would probably have to find a replay of the original program (Le Iene) to get all of it, It was about 20 mins
long and has since been followed up by other Mediaset channels without any change in the outcome. The last time I
saw it mentioned was near the end of the national news on C5 at 13:00 about 5 weeks ago. The sale of false items
in bankruptcy or other state run auctions appears to have happened in other places too, (this was Perugia) but I don't know what the outcomes were.

InVinoVeritas

I hope this is in the category "it could only happen in Spain"

Dick Dasterdly

I presume it was clearly listed in the auction as a genuine Rolex, though obviously the auctioneers would be breaking the law if it wasn't ?

I watched rip of Britain last week and many of the goods were such perfect copies that only experts in that line of business could ever tell the difference.

I knowingly bought a fake Rolex in Turkey over twenty years ago, perfect replica, sweep second hand and all.
It still looks the part and works well even now.

Maybe1day

I don't know how it was listed but the point is that basically a Government ripped someone off at silly buggers level and doesn't want to make amends or worse.
If I see anymore on this case whichever way it goes, I will post it.

I was in Istanbul in 1999 and still have a few souvenirs. The movements then were very good Seiko and Miyota, they were normally let down by the quality of the winders. Today they have some chinese crap movements. I met some Italians that bought Rolex watches and mixed and matched the cases and movements to make 2 "Originals". Boxes and docs from Naples.

big wheels

I bought one off a Moroccan guy 20yrs ago in Torremolinos for 2,000 pesetas (approx £10 )

It still keeps perfect time & looks as good today as it did then.