All
I felt I needed to bring your attention to a a deal I have had with an individual called Robert 'Bob' Long based in Bungay Norfolk. I purchased a Rolex Tudor Monte Carlo from him six weeks ago through ebay, he seemed genuine as did the watch.
Long story short I got the watch after a couple of weeks (he insisted on collection in person so my niece who lives nearby collected it)
When I had it in hand something seemed off, the giveaway initially was that the serial was out of range, I then found a watch with the same case and serial numbers (I originally thought not the same watch BUT it clearly is) on the rolex forum identified clearly as a fake watch. (A reason I stick to Omega as a rule of thumb). I contact a Rolex expert and good friend I known who's also a fellow forum member who confirmed it was fake. I hadn't told Jason (964RS) of the owner or their location, simply showed him pictures of the watch.
I contacted the seller who initially gave me a lot of grief saying it wasn't fake, making many accusations such as I had let someone tamper with it and I was dishonest etc etc.
After much deliberation and dropping Jasons name he agreed to refund me IF I drove to Norfolk to be there at 9:00am for a refund, his condition was that his Rolex expert would be there to verify it was the watch he sold. Right the way through he made out as if it was completely genuine and that I was some dealer trying to scam him or rip him off, playing the 'innocent old man' card.
I took the 7 hours round trip to meet him, arriving at 9:00am prompt but apparently his 'rolex expert' had been and gone! He was very amicable, protesting he knew nothing about it and was selling it in good faith and that he was going to get a Rolex expert to verify the watch etc etc. He spent over an hour showing me the 'research' he had done on the internet alongside proudly showing me his collection of very valuable vintage cars, including the first ever mini cooper S he'd found, clearly a wealthy man.
He absolutely suckered me in and I genuinely felt for him, I genuinely felt he knew nothing about what he had sold me and having received my refund drove home. I went home and told my wife about the 'poor old guy', I even followed up with later text explaining I was sorry it had panned out as it did.
All ended well until Jason contacted me tonight asking if I had managed to sort it? I said I had but not without having to drive to Norfolk and back to get my money back. Jason then messaged back informing me that he had acted as an expert witness in a court case a few years back where a buyer in Norfolk had unwittingly bought a Tudor Monte Carlo (identical to mine) which transpired to be fake and the buyer had to take the seller to court....... who was the seller......Bob Long of Bungay, Norfolk............. the watch: the Tudor Monte Carlo.
I really had been duped by him, firstly that he convinced me he was an unsuspecting old man who knew nothing about his fake watch and secondly making me jump through hoop after hoop to get my money back! All I would say is buyer beware.....
Here is the relisted watch and a little about the seller..............................
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-R...waSx:rk:1:pf:0
Name: Robert Victor Long (aka) Bob Long
Watch: Rolex Tudor Monte Carlo, serial 860976 reference 7032/0
ebay: littlegems121
Bob takes clear pride in his public image, being know as the discovery of the oldest mini copper in existence alongside having numerous other classic cars, he clearly doesn't need the money so all I can think is that he proactively and knowingly tried to pass on this fake watch to me as an unsuspecting punter then adopted a confrontational stance accusing me the buyer of been an unscrupulous dealer and tampering with the watch (both in my case) and also playing 'innocent old man' who had no idea the watch he was selling was incorrect.
Here is a little more about 'Bob'
https://www.metro.news/earliest-know...-barn/1212767/
I was really disappointed by my experience and I hope he doesn't dupe anyone else....... I am definitely sticking to what I know from now on
I wanted the community to be aware of this situation. He knew he was selling me a fake watch and lied through his teeth from start to finish, ultimately refunding me but not without a lot of stress, hassle and accusation on his part.
Cheers Tom
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