The luxury watch manufacturer,, Omega, admitted that it had been subjected to a fraud, after it purchased a rare, expensive watch through a public auction in November 2021, and it was later found to be a fake.
According to the American “CNN” news network, the worst thing is that the Swiss company bought the watch, which is supposed to be of its own production, and from the “Speedmaster” model that was launched in 1957.
Omega bought the brown watch for 3.1 million Swiss francs (equivalent to $3.4 million in today’s money), in a record deal for the company’s watches, to place it in its museum as a “rare piece” .
This is about 25 times the estimated price rate.
But Omega discovered that the watch was fake and that its former employees were involved in the fraud.
And the “Speedmaster” is among the most famous and most expensive watches in the world due to the limited number available, and it was an amazing watch when it was first introduced thanks to its high accuracy, components and attractive shape, so that the two “NASA” astronauts used it during the first landing on the moon in 2008. 1969.
The watch was offered by the “Philip” auction house in 2021, amid estimates that its price is about $ 87,000, but the auction went much further until it was sold for $ 3.4 million.
After the “Omega” trick was revealed, the watch specialists examined it piece by piece, and then it was a surprise, as they found that it was not a “Speedmaster” model.
It was found out to the specialists that the fake watch included pieces of several models issued by “Omega”, then the company found that 3 former employees had been involved in the forgery in cooperation with external parties.
Those accused of forgery have already admitted, while Omega said its next step is to resort to the judiciary to pursue its three former employees, along with a partner who offered the watch at auction and then shared with them the record sale amount.
