How I Was Scammed With A Fake Casio Edifice Honda Type R Watch (And How To Spot one) - Replica Watch Review

After seeing my Casio Edifice Honda Type R Edition Watch, my friend (who also owns a Civic Type R) started searching furiously on eBay for one for himself. I had warned him they were all over $1,000. "No," he said, "there is one on here for $380." This was under MSRP and in the ballpark of what I had paid for mine from a different, generous friend. "It can't be the same model!" I said.

A quick search on my own computer confirmed it. A seller out of Thailand had just listed it. "Are you buying it?" I asked him.

"No, it's probably fake," he said. I distinctly remember replying "I can't imagine anyone makes a fake one of these" a few seconds before hitting the Buy It Now button.

After that, I patiently waited. The seller quickly marked it as shipped, but didn't provide a tracking number. I sent him a message, and he replied that it would be updated in a few days, which it was. A few days later, a box did actually arrive at my door from FedEx.

I quickly ripped the box open and discovered a few bonus gifts! An FK8 Civic Type R Hot Wheels car and Type R lanyard and were in the box with the watch (it wasn't until later that I noticed the font being slightly incorrect on the lanyard).

Next to those was a plain white Casio box. The seller had said that the watch didn't include the original box, so I wasn't concerned. Then I took out the watch...

Discovering the Fake Casio Edifice Honda Type R Edition

The first clue that I got that something might be off was the strap. It doesn't have the Honda Type R model codes embossed in it. The photos throughout the article will feature the fake on the left or top, and the real one on the right or bottom.

Upon closer inspection, it is pure white rather than Championship White. It also has a cheap buckle rather than a deployant and lacks the metal keeper.

The leather is thicker and not as soft as the original. The inside liming has different information embossed as well.

 

Comparing The Real vs. Fake Casio Edifice Honda Type R Edition Details

Now that I knew that something was up, I started comparing to my real one, looking for fake tells with a fine-toothed comb. The caseback was the next obvious clue. Most of the other errors are subtle, but the bare metal caseback was not only the wrong color, but much thicker. It's closer to something you'd find on an entry-level G-Shock like a basic Casioak.

I turned the case over in my hand and noticed that the pushers were the wrong color (black rather than gray on the real one).

The start pusher also lacks color on the R logo.

Then I started to really analyze it. I noticed that the case is black plastic rather than forged carbon.

 The dial differences are harder to spot, but they are plentiful. First, it doesn't even appear to be solar-powered. The hex pattern is printed right on the dial rather than floating above a solar panel. Additionally, the hour markers look different, and the chapter ring is also pure white rather than Championship White.

The Type R signature red Honda logo is flat on the fake rather than raised. It is also slightly crooked on the fake! Notice the fonts are slightly different too.

The multi-indicator on the fake is also flatter. The hand was pointing in random directions at first, but I did figure out how to get it to point in the correct direction some of the time by following the instructions from the real model (the fake did some with faux instructions for some other Casio modules, but not this one).

Overall, the dial has less dimension to it, and the colors aren't as bright. It clearly looks like a lower-cost watch.

Wearing the Fake vs. Real Casio Edifice Honda Type R Watches

The extra thickness from the caseback and thicker bezel becomes obvious when you strap it on.

The crystal on the real one also has AR coating (and I'm sure the fake's isn't sapphire).

The fake does actually have lume, but it's not nearly as bright as the real one (which isn't that bright to begin with.

 Additionally, the fake lume glows a different color under a UV flashlight.

Casio Edifice Honda Type R Edition Movement

The fakers did a better job than I expected of cloning the operation of the module. Perform the steps to sync the Bluetooth to the Casio app, and the displays do the same thing as the real one. The app never recognized it, however, making me think that the watch doesn't even have Bluetooth. Probably for the best as I don't want it connected to my phone anyway.

The menus and timer operations seemed the same otherwise. It doesn't have the function to move the hands out of the way, and the hand movement is louder and not as smooth. It would be convincing, however, if I didn't have the real thing to compare to.

Conclusion

Immediately after discovering that it was fake, I studied the original listing more carefully. Most of the photos were Casio press photos, but a few did show the fake watch. I was in such a rush to get a good deal, that I didn't even notice.

I contacted the seller He first told me that the differences were because it was an Asian market model, but then offered a refund minus shipping costs. I demanded a full refund, and he quickly provided it. He didn't want the watch back (as it probably cost less than the shipping cost). As a result, I got a free (and possibly) fake Hot Wheels car that I gave to my son.

So I learned some valuable lessons and lost a bit of my time, but luckily no money. Now what should I do with this fake watch?