First off, Arnold & Son, right? We’re talking legit high-end stuff. Like, prices *start* at $3,200 on Chrono24, and that’s for, like, the *older* models. I mean, you wanna get into the really cool stuff, like that Double Tourbillon (which, btw, is kinda their namesake, being that John Arnold was a big deal in the whole marine chronometer thing back in the 1700s), or the Perpetual Moon, you’re lookin’ at some serious cash.
And that’s where the problem comes in, innit? When you got watches that are basically tiny pieces of art, people are gonna try and rip ’em off. It’s just the way of the world, sadly. I mean, think about it, a Perpetual Moon 41.5 Red Gold “Year of the Snake” – seriously, who *wouldn’t* want that on their wrist? It’s got that “diaphaneous presence,” whatever that even *means* (marketing speak, amirite?), but it sounds fancy.
But back to the fakes. The thing about Arnold & Son is their movements are just… insane. Look at the Time Pyramid, for instance. They arrange the movement vertically! Who *does* that? It’s not just a watch; it’s like a architectural statement. And that Ultrathin Tourbillon? One of the slimmest *in the world*! You ain’t fakin’ *that* easily.
So, like, how do you spot a fake? Well, I’m no expert, and I’m probably gonna get some stuff wrong, but a few things jump to mind. First, the *price*. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. You’re not gonna find a genuine Arnold & Son for a few hundred bucks, unless it’s been through a washing machine and run over by a bus. Second, the *details*. Arnold & Son is all about the details. Look at the finishing, the movement – is it even attempting to be like the real thing? Does the moon phase display look kinda wonky? Does the “diaphaneous presence” actually look like cheap plastic? These are red flags, dude.
And don’t even get me started on the True Beat seconds hand from the DSTB collection…trying to replicate that is like trying to build the Eiffel Tower out of popsicle sticks.
Frankly, I think the whole fake watch thing is kinda sad. It’s disrespectful to the craftsmanship and the history of brands like Arnold & Son. I mean, they were founded in London in 1764! That’s a lotta history. Why would you want a cheap knockoff of that?
