If you forked over $50,000 for a fancy Swiss watch, it would be pretty annoying to see your neighbor Vinny flashing around a knock off version that he bought at the flea market for $50. Here in New York City you'll find plenty of places in Midtown or down around Canal Street, where you can get a "Rotex" that looks kind of like the real thing as long as you don't get too close. For those willing to spend a little more for their phony bling, you can even get replicas that require an expert's eye to reveal their deception.

To separate these fakes from the genuine article, top Swiss luxury watch maker Vacheron Constantin has created the supposedly counterfeit proof Quai de L'Ile. Using security features borrowed from the printers of Swiss currency and passports, the Quai de L'Ile has secret markings using high security polymer papers and inks, and special hidden images that can been seen only by using a UV lamp. In the picture you can see a tiny UV sensitive sun image between the 1 and 2 on the dial.

Available in a variety of different versions for between $29,000 and $60,000, the Quai de L'Ile will be launched on October 22nd in New York. I'm sure the guys from Canal Street will be watching closely.

Via, Wall Street Journal