It’s that time of the week again and you’re in luck as it’s one of the best vintage fake watch hunting weeks in recent memory. There are a number of unconventional clocks in this week’s roundup, including a rare Rolex pocket watch, a large “Cornavin” with a date, and a jaeger-LeCoultre. The Jaeger-LeCoultre watch is not really a replica watch at all, but a camera. To make sure we’re grounded in reality, there’s a rare golden permanent oyster that was one of the unsuccessful competitors in NASA’s moon observation. Let’s get started. 
Our next watch this week is different from most of the fake watches you’ve seen in this column because it’s not a wristwatch. While it goes without saying that watches no longer enjoy the widespread prestige they once did, I have always believed that replica watches were the ultimate choice for collectors looking for real precision machinery. If your only interest as a collector is acquiring and appreciating fine and complex things, and you don’t necessarily feel the need to bend something from your wrist every day, there are some very good deals. No kidding, there are perpetual calendars and minute hands available for less than 10,000 marks. As I said, these are very good deals.
The watch we are talking about today, however, is not as complicated as you might think, although one might say it was designed by Rolex, who was not known for making complicated things. When its movement shows time alone, complexity enters the equation through a unique “broken table” mechanism that hides and displays the dial. Simply press the pusher found in the crown and watch the two blades retract to show the current time.
If you’ve never seen a Rolex replica watch like this before, that’s because this particular reference is very rare. So far, I’ve only encountered one other example, which is quite attractive to finish with a monogram blade, and an ouroboros carving around the dial open. While this fake watch is not the example we discussed, you can see a picture of how it works, showing this fascinating complex feature. I can only guess where the watch ended up, though I would love to see it in a major Rolex collection or in the hands of pocket watch collectors who understand its unique meaning.
If you’re reading this site, or if you’ve ever set foot in an omega retailer, you probably know how the super became the moon watch we know today. If you’re reading this column, you may also realize that speed isn’t the only competitor in the race, and NASA has tested several other timers. Of all the works in this collection, it is fair to say that the next one is the most impressive, perhaps more so than the superpowers themselves — though that is just my opinion.
