Let's Talk About The Lings Scam "Fake" Chronograph Watch
Lings Telemetre "Chronograph" - Manual OC 120 - 38mm - 18kt Gold-plated base metal - Black Leather strap - 35hrs
For less than $200 I just couldn't resist this mid-century European scam watch - so here's the story I pieced together from several forums.
So what is the deal with this watch that looks like a $1K plus watch but was only $180? There is a great story of the con here.
Best to let others tell the story...I found these stories from the watch forums...got me interested in buying one if I could get it really cheap... and I did! Though in truth it really should have been even less expensive.
From the WUS Forums:
"Don't worry ... there isn't much to be worked out in fact, as this watch is a "faux chronographe", a cheap pin-pallet watch mimicking the operation of a chronograph by means of a center sweep second and this strange fake 'register' in the 9-o'clock-position, which is, usually, hooked up to the movement and runs permanently. I should be surprised if any operation on this watch actually stops, let alone resets this register. As far as I know, the two buttons start and stop the second hand, but don't reset it.
They were cheap watches in their days and they are so today, so I hope you didn't spend too much on it ;-) Nice, to see one in this rather good condition. :-!"
And from the Ranfft Watches website:
619: Gents Lings Fake-Chronograph, Manual Wind, ca. 1965
Accessories: none
Case: OC, Cal. 120, Trade Mark, forged gold hallmark (Fig.4)- gold plated, plastic crystal, push back, D=37.5mm
Band: leather
Dial: Ling, 21 Prix, Antimagnetic, System (where else "Swiss Made" is written) - silvered, sunk sub dials, raised digits and markers
Movement: Co (o in C) 120 - calibre OC 120 (based on Rego 153), 0 jewels, pin-lever escapement, indirect minute, hand friction clutch on barrel (Roskopf type)
Chronograph: 60s, only start/stop second (i.e. the balance, thus the whole watch), no reset feature, two senseless counters moved by the hour wheel
Highway-Gold + Fake-Chrono
Both together surely a low point of watch history, but nevertheless history. Such watches were sold e.g. on highway fuel stations to innocent tourists, with arguments like this: I lost my wallet and need money for fuel to visit my ill grandma. The obvious gold hallmark and a low price were then often sufficient to switch the buyer's brain to standby mode.
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If you want one of these - make sure to pay less than $200 for one that's in really good condition. I wouldn't recommend buying one though. Good conversation piece with a humorous story.
I really like chronographs especially vintage ones.
It's a better story than a watch.
I’ve seen a lot of these recently, but yes, avoiding like the plague. 0 jewels and pin-lever is all I need though to set off alarm bells, and the fact it’s an old chrono doubly so.
That's hilarious! Thanks for sharing.
A bunch of the Real cheap Ali watches are fake chronos. Some have decoration sub dials. others the pushers change day of week and date. they have working chronos for as little as $35.00.
A bunch of the Real cheap Ali watches are fake chronos. Some have decoration sub dials. others the pushers change day of week and date. they have working chronos for as little as $35.00.
Yes! I got suckered into buying one from a German dealer...looked like a real chrono, but nope...lesson learned. They even masked it by using a classic little known Swiss brand name.
Here is the real deal...
Hilarious
I "inherited" one of these, plus a host of other non and semi working watches, when my grandfather died. He used to pick them up from flea markets for practically nothing. My "highway gold" Lings has a metal bracelet. Was thinking of resto-modding this one with a Seagull 3600, so that the "chronograph" (HA!) becomes a small second hand. Hard to find movements with a second hand at the 9:00 and I don't want to splurge on a genuine ETA. The watch is simply not worth the expense. More a learning exercise, than anything else. Just not sure it will fit the dial.