U-boot Kriegsabzeichen mit Brillanten..............

[Lowboy]

A friend called me because he knows someone with this badge.... it was in his hand today.. I was working and couldnt come see it... I asked him to take pictures...here is the only pic (for now) ... Im sure these are highly faked... my friend checked the diamonds with a loup and they are real... I will get a chance to see it and have it inspected Saturday... anyone know much about these? (I know what they sell for ..I was looking for info on spotting fakes etc)
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U-boat Badge with Diamonds
The U-boat Badge with Diamonds was a special issue award given to U-boat commanders who had received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. This award was not given based on certain merits and was not an official war decoration, but instead it was given as an additional token of regard to Oak Leaves recipients. It was usually presented together when the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves was awarded. U-boat Badge with Diamonds

Instituted in 1941, this badge was similar in design to the U-boat War Badge but was made of gilding silver and had nine small diamonds inlaid on the swastika with the medal. Approximately 30 were awarded with Admiral Donitz being one of the recipients. He wore a special version in which the wreath as well as the swastika was inlaid with diamonds.

[davejb]

The only problem i see with this is the amount of diamonds, you say it was issued with nine diamonds on the swastika yet there are 16 in the photo, which is it 9 or 16

[Lowboy]

Good catch... I checked a known original and it has 9.... but I also read that there were 2 different sizes of swastika'.... does that means there were more diamonds ??? I'll keep searching.

[Greenhorn]

Lowboy

Not sure about authenticity but the jeweler was sipping Jager! The diamonds are set off-center by a large margin.

Green

[davejb]

From what ive read the swastika was in the form of an indented type which had raised edges, two diamonds on each arm and one in the centre, the u-boat was also depicted facing the opposite way, the one you show has none of those features, also the diamonds were held in
with small claws, i dont see this on the photo, im thinking its a fake
sorry my mistake the imperial badge had a reverse u-boat not the TR version

[Lowboy]

I just read an article about how easy it is to fake these.... So probably just anoth scammer.... I will see Saturday... maybe a Bit@h slap is in order Or maybe I should buy it with fake money...

Thank you gents for all the comments.

[Adrian]

That is not an original U-Boot Kriegsabzeichen mit Brillanten and I very much doubt the diamonds are real too. There were two sizes of swastika but the number of diamonds remained the same. You will also find that some original badges had a seperate swastika with diamonds placed on top of the original swastika.
Here is the best pic I could find of an original (as far as I can tell) badge.....
If you do see the badge, please take and post some more photos for reference.

[Lowboy]

I will take pics of it Saturday if he shows up ... He allegedly has the award document as well ... This should be fun.

[Adrian]

An award document? Do documents for these awards exist? I don't think so. As far as I know these badges were not 'awarded' but given as a gift by Raeder to successful U-Boot Captains on the award of the Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz, therefore no official document exists. There might be a congratulatory letter to accompany the badge but certainly no award document.
I hope your friend can take a knock because of the thirty or so awarded, the chances of finding an original are extremely rare and the prices of originals are 40K or more.

[don_kihotis7]

the chances of finding an original are extremely rare and the prices of originals are 40K or more.

I was only going to comment on this fact. What are the odds? IMO impossible to find such original thing.