Ultimately, perhaps this discussion comes down to the question of "What is a fake?" and "What is a Heuer?".

To me this watch is not a "fake", but it is also not a "Heuer". According to my language, it becomes a "fake" when someone calls it a "Heuer". It appears that Heuer didn't make these watches -- they may have ordered the dials, but they did not produce the watches. People can use their own terminology and conventions; to me, we muddy the waters when we call this one either a "fake" or a "Heuer".

Jeff

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

: I have a lot of sympathy for the points raised by Bullitt:
: - I agree the tendency to cry "fake" is too fast on
: Internet forums (eg: the skipperra was thought to be a fake)
: - the dials do look good, the range of Portuguese colonies is sort
: of too random and obscure to be made up
: - it would be bizarre for a faker to create these dials 20-30 years
: ago when you could have bought a chronomatic siffert for $300,
: and these would have been worthless at the time, so the story of
: the "postiche" is relevant if it is correct.

: One aspect I disagree with you on is the all black bezel - I have
: seen this many times on A&F seafarers in this case, and also the
: Orvis badged 2446 model. But the fact that the all black bezel
: was used for Heuer special orders actually supports your
: conclusion, rather than disproves it.

: Having said that, the engraving on the back with the Fuercas
: misspelling which is not correct Portuguese is my main concern.
: This is the biggest doubt in my mind....