Will Jensen Dinh Ever Repent!

Jensen Dinh goes by the seller name jdm_k20(private) on eBay. Currently he is selling so-called mint Constellation case, dial and hand ensembles when he knows that they're not mint. He knows the dials are inauthentic and do not match Constellation specifications (see other posts on this matter) and there are serious questions about the authenticity of the cases as well. He has sold quite a number of these cases, so get ready for a wave of Frankenwatches to appear on eBay and other outlets

So as not to confuse this Jensen Dinh with any honourable person who is called Jensen Dinh, the person about whom we are referring lives at 5214 E Nicholas Place, Scottsdale, Arizona, 85254.

I believe rocks in Scottsdale are plentiful because Jenson Dinh, like so many other insects, prefers to hide under one. And what many subterranean species who live under rocks fear most of all - is the light. So we're going to shine a little light on Jensen in the hope that he will adopt commercial practices that are honest, open and not designed to conceal and dissemble; that he will somehow find in his black soul a little compassion for those whom he has ripped off thousands of dollars, and that he will mend his ways. Tall order, you may agree, but let's face it, other sons and daughters of Beelzibub have had conversion experiences so why not Jensen Dinh?

Here are some recent examples of Jensen's merchantile mayhem:

I made an inquiry to him not so long ago about a Blancpain 50 fathoms he was selling suggesting it was not authentic...you could tell by the laser etching that was then 'antiqued' to make it look old...and he wrote me back saying "maybe not genuine"...but he still let someone pay well over a thousand dollars for it without modifying his listing or caring a fig about the poor 'patsy' who had the misfortune to cross his commercial path.

Jensen Dinh has also engaged in other on-and-off eBay 'stings' with a variety of brands including Patek Philippe. His most recent outrage (see this listing) was to fit a tired, worn calibre 7-70 - a movement that powered a ladies ref 2295 line of Patek Phillipe watches (see pic above of the case and style of watch this movement should have graced) - into what he calls a 'unisex' case.

The movement was made in about 1953, but the case could have been made yesterday. The case has no case number, but does have a fake Patek case stamp. The reason why it has no number is that Jensen could get caught out if the buyer was to quote the movement number and case number to Patek Phillipe and ask for an extract from Patek files. You see, if the movement and case number don't match, it is PP policy not to comment on the watch at all - and therefore no evidence can be obtained by the inquirer as to its inauthenticity. Clever eh? Well, diabolical you could say.

In some parts of China and Vietnam, movement and case stamping on non-genuine cases and movements is rife, particularly so in Ho Chi Minh City. And there is evidence that nationals from those countries import such handiwork from their homelands and propagate countless frauds in their host countries. The happless winning bidder in the example above doesnt know it yet, but s/he has a piece of junk that is worth a fraction of what was paid for it.

The former pic in this post is a shot of the house in Scottsdale that Jensen supports through wreaking misery on gormless or trusting eBay buyers. A few grand here and there

squeezed from the pockets of trusting individuals can make a real dent in the mortgage eh Jensen? As one contributor suggested, Jensen's modest adobe should rightly be named the "Dinh of Iniquity'.

In another case involving a Patek, Jensen Dinh ripped off a buyer to the tune of 15 thousand dollars. In that case, a badly worn Patek movement was matched to another case and when the buyer sought information from Patek, lo!, they would not provide it because the numbers didnt match and the watch was a Frankenwatch. The watch movement required around two thousand dollars worth of repairs and an unspecified amount of money to find the right case in which to match the movement. Watch out for a law suit on this one Jensen, old chap, unless you make good your disreputable behaviour.

The above stories are not hearsay: they are backed up with evidence.

WHY OUT JENSEN DINH WHEN THE ARE CROOKS APLENTY ON EBAY?

I receive numerous emails each week from collectors who have bought what we can term 'lemons'. Sometimes the seller is simply a merchant who doesnt know about watches and who hypes up a watch in order to get a good price. These types will usually come to the party if the hype doesnt fit the product and they're confronted about it.

But of all the rip-offs Ive seen, I never seen such consistency of bad behaviour and naked deceit by any individual seller. EBay-world is big; it's not like a small town where everyone will ultimately get to know who the insects are, and Dinh is emboldened by the size of the market - this endless stream of enthusiastic but naive customers, whom he can easily dodge if theyre not from the same town or city.

And hence the Jensen Dinh story begins - an horological Days of Your Lives - in which the 3000 plus monthly readers of this blog will get regular updates on the latest shennanigans of our leading character. Jensen could end this saga now by simply repenting. What would you imagine are the chances of that?

Jensen Dinh is the 'American' name of our principle character. Should we reveal his other name?

To those horological sages and experts in a variety of brands

including Patek, Vacheron and Rolex, please have a look at

his current listings and let me know if you see other

outrages.