First off, I stumbled across this dude online who got a Baume & Mercier from his uncle, like, way back. He’s got numbers on the back – 3187 and 298100 – and even a letter from Baume & Mercier from freakin’ 1971! That’s pretty cool, and if *he’s* worried about it being fake, it shows you can never be too sure. I mean, a letter from the company? That’s gotta be pretty legit, right? Unless… *DUN DUN DUN*… the letter is fake too! (Okay, probably not, but hey, we’re talking worst-case scenarios here).
Then I saw something about Baume & Mercier “replica” watches. Big red flag right there. No legit company is gonna call their *own* watches “replicas.” That’s just code for “fake,” plain and simple. Steer clear of anything that uses that word. Seriously. It seems obvious, but I’ve seen people get duped by way more subtle scams.
And then there’s the whole “is this Baume & Mercier Geneve fake??” question. I saw an image of a Riviera M0A10661, which, honestly, looks pretty sharp. It’s got a stainless steel case and bracelet, a decent size at 36mm. But again, the *question* itself implies doubt. People don’t usually question the authenticity of something they bought directly from the jeweler, right?
Now, here’s my take, and this is just my opinion, okay? Baume & Mercier, while nice, can be a bit… overpriced? I mean, I saw a review where the dude said the Riviera is “a bit on the pricey side” starting at almost two grand for a *quartz* model. For that kinda cash, you could get a seriously sweet Seiko or even start looking at some entry-level Omegas. Just sayin’.
So, what do you do if you’re worried your Baume & Mercier is a fake? Well, first, compare it to legit models online. Check the details – the font, the placement of the logo, the way the hands are shaped. Look for inconsistencies. If you can, get it looked at by a reputable watchmaker. They’ll be able to tell you for sure.
