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I am not sure that any of Rolex's aims/goals have changed, but I think it is safe to say that they have refocused their marketing towards the east with less reliance on sales from the US & EU, which, traditionally, have been their target markets. And Rolex is not alone.

You'd rather be ripped off of your hard-earned cash? You think that marketing isn't mind manipulation? Okay then Pretty much. Why is Brand X viewed as better than Brand Y? Marketing... You're joking? Have you not heard of them before? They're a company who rips off designs from the Big Names like Breitling, Omega and Rolex, tweaks a couple of minor details (such as a Planet Ocean with no HEV) and then slaps their own label on it, and sells them for the same prices as budget reps... I'm not saying that companies like Alpha are successful (because people like the brand names, not the homages) just that they are an example of manufacturing process and price point As for why do they rely on the popularity of the gen brands, well, that's pretty obvious, and that it's a way of making money Same reason as above... They know better than to try competing directly with the Big Dogs, so go about it in a different way... I don't think they all necessarily buy the watch to brag about it, but there're certainly those who do brag about them once they own them. Same with rep owners, I guess Exactly. Yeah, no one else on this dead forum for me to talk to Now that, I agree, is taking it too far, and comes across as the desire to (be able to) pass the watch off as genuine. I can appreciate the artistic skills required to achieve such levels of forgery in a project, but I do wonder why the builder feels the need to go to such lengths... Maybe it is just the appreciation for the hobby and the desire to use the correct parts, but personally, I do often feel that such watches would be passed off as genuine if questioned in person (even if there is no intention of selling them as thus...) Yup, so why pay more?

A bit late to the Friday show:

Keeping it simple. This thing wears well for any occasion.

Thanks for the nice comments gents, greatly appreciated!!! Cheers and all the best!