Rare is a buzzword in watch collecting. Used far too often and with far too many accompanying adverbs in the annals of major auction house catalogs, I tend to err on the side of extreme caution when using the watch world’s favorite r-word. This week’s picks all exemplify what I mean by rare: perfect super clone watches that are actually rare to the point where you’d have to wait for years to see another one for sale.
Rare doesn’t necessitate expensive. Sure, rare 1:1 UK replica watches can command a premium, but that premium is only justified when a watch sits at the intersection of rare and desirable. Let’s get into the picks.
1976 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Ref. 1002 Super Clone Watches With Breguet Numeral Dial
The Swiss made fake Rolex Oyster Perpetual reference 1002 watches is not a rare watch. Yet, with this dial it certainly is. To be exact, there are three examples of this dial known to the market. When I first encountered one of the three while in Geneva for auctions back in May, I was floored. This is Rolex nerd heaven. With the simple change of applied hour markers to large printed Breguet numerals, a “standard” OP is really elevated.
The known top super clone watches have all come to market somewhat recently and scholarship on these has been evolving. On all three, the reverse of the dial is signed in a similar fashion by Beyeler, a Rolex dial supplier of the time, leading to the theory that they all belong to the same, presumably small, batch and were produced at the same time. This case, dating to 1976, is the earliest known so far but the others date to just a few years later.
Not only do the Breguet numerals create rarity, but they also do a lot for the overall look. In May, I wasn’t floored simply because it was a vintage Rolex I had never seen before. Sure, that was a factor. But adding to it was how well the design worked and how charming the simple luxury Rolex Oyster Perpetual copy watches was. It is no surprise, as my favorite Pateks feature Breguet numerals. But there is something even more charming about these rare OPs because the style is just very un-Rolex-like.
The seller, Wes at Collectors Corner NY, is offering this one of three Rolex for $29,900.
1960s Cartier London Decagon Replica Watches
With a similar number of known watches as our Rolex Oyster Perpetual, this high quality super clone Cartier London Decagon watches offered at a small auction house in Oakland popped up in my searches this week. I was shocked, to say the least. Just to be sure, I reached out to Clars Auctions, the seller, requesting a photo of the movement and inside caseback. Turns out, it’s real.
When a Cartier London watch like this comes up for sale, it can warrant a full-blown Hodinkee article on its own. The magic of London-made watches in this period has been covered over and over and backed up by the market time and time again, but it’s worth reiterating. What you get in Cartier London is a lot of the same charm as the earliest 1910s cheap China Cartier fake watches, in that they are handmade, one at a time, but with 1960s techniques and understanding – plus, these London watches are simply more wearable. Cartier London is more than just the original Crash, Pebble, and Maxi Oval; we see other odd-yet-true-to-the-Cartier-aesthetic shapes from London in the 1960s. The Decagon is one of these shapes.
The last Decagon to go to auction well exceeded estimates, selling for €55,900 all-in at Monaco Legends Group in October of 2021. I was lucky enough to handle two Decagons on a visit to Justin Gruenberg’s shop, The Keystone, and I can confirm the model is really special. It’s actually somewhat ugly, or as Malaika Crawford put it, “ugly beautiful.”
Bidder beware: If you haven’t clocked it by now, this Decagon at Clars is fitted with what appears to be a later Cartier service dial. It hurts the value but does not make it any less rare. Bid accordingly!
This 2024 wholesale super clone Cartier London Decagon watches is lot 5115 of the Exquisite Diamonds & Watches Auction at Clars Auctions. The estimate is $5,000-7,000.