Codammanus-2014 Posted August 31, 2008 Report Share Posted August 31, 2008 (edited) Hello (again), I wanted to know if anyone has purchased or had dealings with Cyber Times Zone (Singapore). They offer quite a few watches that look like Rolex watches, but don't seem to be sold in this country. I had to remove links, so Here is a photo of a few. Would buying a rep that I could guarantee was correctly QC'd, or an "Ultimate" version rival the quality? (That's an opinion question, I know, but...) Any comments? I actually wondered if these were even real Bulova's or whether they just couldn't release them in the US due to their likeness to the Rolex brand. I don't mind that the dial says "Chronoprecision Day-Date" and "Official Certificate" "Sapphire Crystal" (although it is kind of lame) Thanks, Coda. Edited August 31, 2008 by Codammanus-2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted August 31, 2008 Report Share Posted August 31, 2008 Ok first up I believe these are as much replica watches as what you would buy off our collectors, certainly they are not models of Bulova that I have seen before and I have been right through the inventory (for a friend) on their home site. I think you will find they have simply been labeled Bulova to make them semi legal. That said if they were Bulova you would want to give them a wide berth as 99% of their watches are quartz. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codammanus-2014 Posted August 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2008 (edited) Ken, I know that these watches are not sold in the US, have you gone through the inventory in Singapore, or just US? (Acutally, it might be Europe and not Asia). I should have mentioned that is not my first time hearing about these style Bulova Watches. I should have said that I initially questioned their legitimacy, which was actually at least 3 years ago when I first saw a website detailing watches sold in other countries. (I am not going to name the forum that researched the Rolex-Style Bulovas). My purpose for posting was to see if (1)Any HERE were familiar/ have purchased. (2) To see what your assessment vs. Reps would be. I don't think they are replicas, because the likelihood of choosing BULOVA versus whatever else is slim. The dial is noteworthy also. (Terms don't exactly make sense: "CHRONOPRECISION" "OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE" etc). You nailed #2, and your opinion as a collector is much appreciated. Thanks. Edited August 31, 2008 by Codammanus-2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
By-Tor Posted August 31, 2008 Report Share Posted August 31, 2008 Bulova is an old American-based watch brand (originally). But just like Sandoz and Gruen (which are old Swiss brands), they might have Asian-based production as well. "Swiss" Sandoz is Singapore-based and produces blatant Rolex design ripoffs (just like Invicta) and uses ETA movements. I wouldn't be surprised if these watches were "genuine"... if you can call Asian-produced Rolex ripoff watches "genuine". Interesting anyway (not for me personally, but trivially). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 I stand corrected...yes it is in fact the US site that I researched. Although as BT states above they are an American firm so I figured I had seen all they had. I think being Bulova means they would not be any good to us even if the cases were good as they would be priced to high to start with. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codammanus-2014 Posted September 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 (edited) Well, I found one that was actually white gold plated, actually stamped "wg plated" on the case back. This is interesting because I have always wanted to see, but not yet have seen a replica plated white gold. It would be nice to have that "frosty" white gold look as opposed to the "liquid metal" look of the steel. However, if this is the quality, then I would rather buy the Day-Date rep. The crown is eaten away as you can see, exposing some brass or whatever. It also appears (from photo 3) that these may have been around for some time. The gold seems to have held on this one. Edited September 1, 2008 by Codammanus-2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chronoluvvv Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 LoL, i can't over that massive date window on the 3rd model Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 @ Codammanus-2014 My cousin bought exactly the watch on the third pic for 790,-DM in 2001 from Blome (AD) in D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codammanus-2014 Posted September 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 (edited) @ Codammanus-2014 My cousin bought exactly the watch on the third pic for 790,-DM in 2001 from Blome (AD) in D Edited September 1, 2008 by Codammanus-2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 All I can is that my friend who got me to research these Bulovas for him has a TT Bulova that he has worn for about a year and it is in a shocking state, indeed if it was one of my reps it would be in the bin by now. Maybe the one you have in your pic is old but just not had the amount of use one would expect. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codammanus-2014 Posted September 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 (edited) All I can is that my friend who got me to research these Bulovas for him has a TT Bulova that he has worn for about a year and it is in a shocking state, indeed if it was one of my reps it would be in the bin by now. Maybe the one you have in your pic is old but just not had the amount of use one would expect. I think you're right. The plating is "oozing" off on the edges, which indicates to me that it would not have done well if worn regularly. The website where the all gold version dd and the other two in that set are from advertised them as new models. I think they stepped it up since 2001. I would hate to buy that gold version and have it peel like the wg. One of the reasons this interests me is that a friend of mine has a Day-Date that he was "financially assaulted" (yes, I said "Financially Assaulted")for during purchase and I never told him he got beat silly. The day and date font shows that it is not a genuine Rolex, but it is 18k, and the dial is a Rolex diamond dial (real), and the bezel was recently upgraded to diamond. The watch felt VERY LIGHT compared to what I expected. He paid over $15,000 for that watch and I could not break his heart. I know the gold is real (I know where he bought it), but he got beat up 15,000 times. He knows little about watches. I wanted to purchase a day-date style watch for the longest, but he beat me to it and showed it off proudly. I wanted to buy something of quality, less than $1K that would be the conversation piece leading into the discussion that ends with.... YOU WERE ASSAULTED. PLEASE GO TO THE ER WITH YOUR WALLET. Edited September 2, 2008 by Codammanus-2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 Whyt buy a good Day date off one of our collectors (for a lot less than the Bulova's) and take that around to him? Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codammanus-2014 Posted September 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 (edited) Whyt buy a good Day date off one of our collectors (for a lot less than the Bulova's) and take that around to him? That was my idea, and I even did my research and narrowed it down to a certain "gem" of a dealer, but we are friends and I didn't want to insult him, but every time I see him with it (and it is pretty) it makes me feel a little guilty that I didn't speak up. It would actually be an even worse embarrassment to him for my watch to look better than his and be a rep, because I will certainly tell him. It might sound like it's simple, but that watch is his little piece of pride and joy (as far as toys go). The Bulova I was hoping would soften the blow. Oh, I forgot to mention that he has no rep knowledge either. Maybe I could school him, tell him what I'm about to do, address his waste, then sport the DD rep. I seriously would not give it this much consideration if he hadn't told me how much he spent. He saved a few months for that piece and If my purchase is going to break him up, then I'd rather just let it be. Especially because he thinks its a REAL Rolex. Thanks Ken. Edited September 2, 2008 by Codammanus-2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulova Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Hi, twenty Years ago "Bulova" was a fine Watchmaker. It was an US Firm but bought the movements in swiss and let them assemble in swiss, so they could write "Swiss Made" on these Watches. The Watches have had High Quality for the Price. In the middle of the 1990's the Original Bulova Company was closed because of finacial Problems. The Brand Name "Bulova" was buyed from a Investor Group. That's it with the Quality. Since this Time Bulova Watches are almost Quartz Watches with Movements from Miyota etc.. The Quality of the Watches is not to compare with the Original "Bulova" The Original Bulova Watches (I own 4 of them, a Trident, witch looks like a Submariner, a Super-Seville, witch looks like a Day-Date, a Paragon, witch looks like a Tudor Chrono and a Accutron with own Design) have massive Braclets, when they with Gold plated, then it has thikness of 20 micron 18 or 24 K Gold. My Trident is now over 20 Years old, about 10 Years it was my daily wearer, the Gold on the Case is still perfect, the Gold on the Braclett last for 15 Years, then i have to change it. I love my Bulova's, but the Watches today produced under the Label "Bulova" are cheap in Quality and ,IMHO , not worth buying it. Greetings from Germany Bulova Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Hi and welcome to RWG That's an interesting bit of history there thanks, so strictly speaking the Bulova was once a fine watch in itself. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chronoluvvv Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 LoL, i wish i had read this thread before i bought that Marine Star chrono last month Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulova Posted September 4, 2008 Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 LoL, i wish i had read this thread before i bought that Marine Star chrono last month Hi, the Marine Star is made by Citizen with Miyota Movement (Miyota is the Movement Factory in the Citizen Imperium) for the Price it is OK. It's one of the leading Modells in the Produkt-Line of American Bulova. (The Brand Name Bulova for the Swiss Section in Biel is sold 1983 to Egana/Goldpfeil witch make Dugena too, the American Bulova Corporation was sold from Loews Corporation to Citizen !) The Bulovas in the Topic of this Thread are Chinese-Fakes ! At a Time Bulova (and the Rolex look-a-like Produktion in Biel/Swiss) was so Famos that in China Bulova-Fakes where produced ! Greetings from Germany Bulova Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codammanus-2014 Posted September 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 (edited) So they are bogies? The seller Cyber Tiimes Zone introduced them RECENTLY as new releases. Singapore based co. So they are either fakes from an old era, when Bulova fell on hard times, or not fakes. Which one? I'm referring to THESE: Keep in mind the ACCUTRON logo. Edited September 4, 2008 by Codammanus-2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulova Posted September 4, 2008 Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 So they are bogies? The seller Cyber Tiimes Zone introduced them RECENTLY as new releases. Singapore based co. So they are either fakes from an old era, when Bulova fell on hard times, or not fakes. Which one? I'm referring to THESE: Keep in mind the ACCUTRON logo. I'm not 100% shure if these Bulovas Fakes, but the Watches on this Page, over and over with Glas-"Diamonds", are looking like they were produced in and for the Oriental/Asia Market. The Fact that these Watches can only be found on this Page is a Indiz too. The writing on the Dial let's me shiver, what a [censored] ! Why should an original Bulova have these Words on the Dial, when they have Good-Old Names like Super-Seville Day & Date or Trident Diver. This Names are known by Collectors. The Last thing, the movement : If the watches have a Swiss ETA movement (like the Original one's or the NOS), they would write it doen on their Page. But nothing, Movement = Automatik, thats all. It smells like cheap Chinese production. Look at the chinese GMT-Movements in the Rolex replicas, they are all crapy. I think you can get a better Watch for the money ! Greetings form Germany Bulova P.S.: You Wrote "Keep in mind the ACCUTRON logo". Remember on witch Forum we are writing here, then Keep in mind the Rolex Crown on my Seadweller i just ordered at Eurotimez ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codammanus-2014 Posted September 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 (edited) I follow you. The only way to tell is to buy one and open it up. In any case, P.S.: You Wrote "Keep in mind the ACCUTRON logo". Remember on witch Forum we are writing here, then Keep in mind the Rolex Crown on my Seadweller i just ordered at Eurotimez ! I'm lost. this is "Other Brands" right? I dont get it. Edited September 4, 2008 by Codammanus-2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chronoluvvv Posted September 4, 2008 Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 Hi, the Marine Star is made by Citizen with Miyota Movement (Miyota is the Movement Factory in the Citizen Imperium) for the Price it is OK. It's one of the leading Modells in the Produkt-Line of American Bulova. (The Brand Name Bulova for the Swiss Section in Biel is sold 1983 to Egana/Goldpfeil witch make Dugena too, the American Bulova Corporation was sold from Loews Corporation to Citizen !) The Bulovas in the Topic of this Thread are Chinese-Fakes ! At a Time Bulova (and the Rolex look-a-like Produktion in Biel/Swiss) was so Famos that in China Bulova-Fakes where produced ! Greetings from Germany Bulova very interesting facts especially about the Bulova reps, mr.B Thank you for your time ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codammanus-2014 Posted September 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 very interesting facts especially about the Bulova reps, mr.B Thank you for your time ! And thank you for clearing that up for me. If you can't verify the source, and it looks a bit fishy.....It's a rep. (Until I can confirm otherwise). So, It's either the "Bulova Reps" (I'm embracing the expression) that I posted, or the quality Day-Date from someone here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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