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Been too busy to with work lately but thought I'd do a quick share. Gen dial Gen insert Gen 3135 movement Gen bracelet Gen hands Gen crown and tube Gen crystal Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk One note, this build ended up costing more than a gen 116610ln Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

"I'm still amazed that the outdated or patent ended old Rolex or Tudor cases are not officially made by third parties. It sure would simplify things." They are being made...Yuki, Phong, MBK, cartel etc. They are illegal only because they have trademarks. Remove the trademarks and they are 100% legal. Otoh...if you send a 100% genuine 5513/1680 etc to RSC and it needs a mid case, they will sell you one for $2500+/-. What is the real world difference between this $2500 mid case and a Phong mid case for $900, both with genuine case backs? Nothing. If you had the original serial number engraved on the Phong case, the watch would be worth quite a bit more 'out in the wilds' than the same watch with a genuine RSC '444' case...until you tell the truth about it. A '444' case will probably never be worth as much as an original case...or a Phong etc case after the second or third owner. It's a fact of life. No telling how many aftmkt cased watches are out there being 'innocently' sold as genuine every day. Back 25 years ago when a 5513 or 1680 went for $1500 or so, I used to see 'dealers' buying them at watch shows by the dozen. They would take them home and make 'premium' watches using the 'best of the best' cases/dials/movements/bracelets, have them professionally detailed, and sell them as 'mint' or 'near mint' for a LOT of $$ to 'serious' collectors. Then they would put what was left together in ascending order and sell the best examples on mail order lists sent out to regular collectors. The worst examples usually ended up for sale back at watch shows or parted out. If you have a 'vintage' rolex and you did not buy it new...you might have a Frankenstein. If Ya can't get married to yer sweetheart cause there is a law against it...you might be a redneck.

That's better... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Wearing this military issued beast today...

I have always rather suspected this which is why I am happier to play here with honest reps and frankens than spend rather more money on what might turn out to be a franken anyway.

I like that case 6152 on Nero strap with Piotrs buckle

I just put this together. "Rolerio" with Rollie dial and new bronze/SS 6154 case from Athaya Vintage. Molina/ Rolex movement. Now to find the right strap...? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Wearing my little midsize Prince today. Thought I'd Class up the work boots... nope. Still look like work boots. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

Having been around the boards for several years now, I’d like to think that I have learned a little bit about all things watch related. However, the watch that got me hooked on this crazy hobby, and the one that remains closest to my heart is, and will always been the Breitling Navitimer. I often receive PMs from new members asking countless questions about the pros and cons of the various available models. So, I thought it was time to put together a detailed guide on all current and past Navitimer models. Forget about perfection Common Flaws As of writing this guide, there is no perfect Navitimer replica. Some are better than others, but all of them share at least some imperfections. Although each model has its strong points and weaknesses, some flaws are common to all Navitimer reps. Most notably of these common flaws is the slide rule insert. You will notice that the numbers on the rep insert do not come close enough to the crystal. This is the first thing that I look for when trying to determine if a Navitimer is genuine. On the most recent batch of Navi reps the insert markings do not align properly with the dial markings. This is a problem with the insert as the previous generation’s insert aligns perfectly with the newer rep dials or genuine dials. Also, the genuine insert has a silvery tint to it while the rep inserts are whiter in appearance. Another flaw with all the Navitimer reps is the obvious lack of AR coating. The previous versions did have a light coating on the inside of the crystal, but nowhere near the deep blue tint of the genuine. A genuine Navitimer crystal will be invisible from almost any angle. All of the current lineup of Navitimer reps are cursed with and incorrect date font. Although Breitling bases all modern Navitimers on the Valjoux 7750 or 7753, they use their own datewheels, so not even the Swiss 7750 datewheel is correct. Bracelets The Navitimer bracelet is actually quite good. Although the markings, like most reps, are not as deep and defined as the genuine. One obvious clue to a rep bracelet is that the screw heads for the removable links are on different sides on either side of the bracelet. The gen bracelet has all screw heads on the same side. The other obvious tell is that the end link at the buckle is one piece on the rep while the gen is made of individual pieces. The stamping on the buckle extension is also very light with the word “Breitling” being noticeably smaller. Now that we are aware of the common flaws of all Navitimer models, lets look at each model for their unique flaws. Navitimer 50th Anniversary Edition This is one of the more rare reps out there. It is by far the least accurate Navitimer rep available, so there are not a lot of examples of it in our community. This one features a manual wind Seagull movement, which leads to its poor subdial spacing, incorrect subdial function as well as improperly aligned crown and pushers. Also, the see through caseback on this one is pure fantasy as the gen has a solid back. Also, the case on this model is polished while the genuine is brushed. A newer 7750 based version of the 50th Anniversary Navitimer has been recently released on King’s site. Again, this version is incorrectly polished. Also, the subdial spacing and function as well as the pusher/crown alignment is inaccurate because of the incorrect movement. This one also uses the wrong caseback (from the tricompax A23322 model). The most obvious flaw on the 1st generation is its lack of a date window at the 4:00 position. The new model does have a date window, but the date wheel is the wrong color for some inexplicable reason. Date font, window size and position are all well off the mark. Also, the word “Date” should be on the outside of the window, not on the inside. This model only comes with a white dial, but the subdials on this one should be black, not white, according to all my references. The slide rule doesn’t align, and the numbers are too small. The red “60” on the insert is also printed too high. The incorrect caseback is from the Modern Navitimer 23322. Quick summary • Polished case incorrectly finished • Incorrect subdial spacing and function • Incorrect crown/pusher alignment • Wrong caseback • No AR • No date window (Seagull version) • Wrong date font, window size, position (7750 version) Bottom line This one is verging on fantasy isn’t it?. The Navitimer Serie Speciale (Fighters Edition) Although a member favorite, the Serie Speciale is IMO not the most accurate of all the available Navitimer reps. The most obvious “tell” on this one is that the rep case and bracelet are polished, while the genuine comes with a very cool looking brushed finish. The crystal on the rep is another obvious giveaway, as it uses the same slightly domed crystal as all other Navitimer reps. The genuine model uses a domed crystal, similar in shape to that of the speedmaster, with a very heavy lip. The current model is the second generation of the Serie Speciale rep. The only difference between the two is the dial and the use of the 28k 7750 movement in the newer version. The dial on the original version apparently featured odd looking stickers on the subdials. Although the subdial stickers disappeared on the 2nd gen Fighters the “pie pan” effect and subdial look is not as accurate on this model. The sharp lip on the edge of the subdials is not accurate and the piepan effect is not as pronounced as on the gen. The caseback has all the correct markinks, but it is spoiled by the misspelling of the name “Messerschmitt”. Also, the overall shape of the caseback is off as the genuine has a more conical shape to it. The Navitimer rep manufacturer seems to have used one case for all models. The Serie Speciale case and bezel are different however. The gen bezel seems to be deeper with a more pronounced shape to the ground out half circles. (The following images feature Importr’s modded (Brushed) rep, as well as his genuine Fighters Edition) The shape of the case where the lugs meet the bezel also differs to accommodate the deeper bezel. Quick summary • Polished case incorrectly finished • Incorrect bezel shape • Incorrect case shape • Wrong crystal shape • Misspelling on caseback • Incorrectly recessed subdials • No AR • Inaccurate slide rule (2nd Gen) • Wrong date font Bottom line This one is not the most accurate, but with some modding can be a very nice piece. Two Tone Old Navitimer II For those that are looking for a more accurate version of a 6-9-12 Navitimer, I suggest you look at the Two Tone Navitimer II. Some dealers mistakingly advertise this watch as a “Serie Speciale”, when in fact this is a replica of a Navitimer II that was produced by Breitling prior to 2003, when the 7750 (6-9-12) was replaced by the tricompax 7753. The case and bezel on this one is very accurate. The dial markings are somewhat accurate, but the inner set of numbers on the slide rule are too small making them a little hard to read. The slide rule markings on the black dialed version are mistakenly printed in white, not in gold as they should be. The subdials should not be recessed. Recessed subdials seem to be a feature of the more modern Navitimers. Also, the piepan effect is not as pronounced on the rep. From what I can tell, the subdial hands on this model are incorrectly colored. They should have black hands, not silver, although this could have been a variation that Breitling incorporated at some point The caseback is incorrect. The shape of the genuine is more conical , and the rep is marked incorrectly as it is actually the caseback from the 23322 tricompax Navitimer. The proper model for this model is 13322. Quick summary • Wrong caseback • Incorrectly recessed subdials • Wrongly colored hands • No AR • Inaccurate slide rule • Wrong date font Bottom line Why don’t they make this one in SS? This model would be great for adding a genuine dial and ETA movement. Some inaccuracies, but there are so many variations of this model, only a Breitling WIS would be able to spot them. Tricompax Modern Navitimer In 2003 Breitling returned the Navitimer to its original tricompax (3-6-9) layout. The genuine is powered by a Valjoux 7753, while the rep uses a reconfigured Asian 7750. Because of this, the datewheel is lowered to make room for the extra gears needed to move the 30 minute totalizer to the 3:00 position. This is commonly referred to as a “recessed datewheel”. This is probably the biggest glaring flaw on this watch, as the datewheel sits well below the dial, creating shadows and a noticeable gap. The date font is not only wrong on this model (as discussed in “common flaws”), but the single digits on this model (1-9) should be rotated 90º toward the center of the dial. The current Modern Navitimer rep is the second version of this model. The first generation used a 21k Asian 7750, had an accurate slide rule ring, and a slightly better piepan shape on the subdials, but lacked the recessed subdial lip. The 1st generation Navi also had an incorrect matte finish to the dial. The newer version has the correct lip around the subdials, correct glossy finish on the dial, and a slightly bigger and better defined date window. The caseback on this model is correctly marked, but the shape is incorrect. The genuine caseback has a conical shape to it, rising up to the wings medallion in the center. Quick summary • Recessed date window (too small) • Wrong date font * Incorrectly positioned single digit dates • Incorrectly shaped caseback • No AR • Inaccurate slide rule (2nd Gen only) Bottom line Some people despise the recessed datewheel, but in my opinion it is the most accurate of the current batch of Navi reps. After all, the factory created the case set based on this model, then used it for all the other models. Slide rule usage guide Anton has posted an in depth instruction manual for slide rule usage on the Navitimer. You can view that post here... Anton's Guide

photoshoot time been mostly off the forums for a second, life has gotten busy, but had some time to snap some pics of most recent acquisitions i had sold everything off during the summer, slowly gathering some pieces, trying not to hoard, but y'all know how that goes. all love, hate, criticism, corrections are welcome. the 16800 is my baby she was just finished in the fall, and she is the culmination of about 2 years of parts gathering all in all cost me about half the price of the gen but getting to pick the parts piece by piece and to my wishes is priceless all the credit goes to @dbane883 and @misiekped. those dudes are awesome, none of us know how lucky we really are to have them. old TC case with chamfers, lug holes, and casework per the master dbane gen bezel assembly unknown crystal gen matte dial gen hands gen insert gen open 6/9 datewheel gen crown and tube yuki 3135 serviced and upgraded with miskipied's magic need to get NZ to do some engravings and i may call her done. want an alternative dark blue/grey faded insert as well but haven't found the perfect one yet. the 6542 is a @Dlf build and is just breathtaking in person. that dudes work is absolutely insane, he is about as nice as his work is incredible, and he is really pushing the levels with his laser welding. the seadweller is the one i won on the raffle here but in august. i never win anything. contribute guys, it pays off without further ado.... the three kings 16800 the 6542 the sea dweller

Hey guys. Thought I'd drop in to say hello. Also wanted to share some analysis of 20mm spring bars I've "discovered". For the past couple of years, I've sworn by ST (Startime) spring bars. Unlike most rep and aftermarket bars, the springs don't crumple, the ends are nicely rounded, and they are made in Switzerland. They really are terrific. But I have an account at a part supply company called Beco-technic in Germany. I've ordered stuff from them a few times, but never thought of trying their spring bars until my most recent order. To my surprise, they are superior to ST bars and I suspect genuine Rolex bars are made by the same factory. Side by side, the ST bars are nearly identical to the Beco-Technic (BT) bars. The ST bar ends are rounded, and the BT bar ends are conically tapered: Now here is a comparison of the BT bars (on the left) and gen bars (on the right). Both ends are conical: Keep in mind, that these observations are based on a random and very small sample size and no two spring bars are identical . Now here is a shot of all three together (ST on left, BT in middle, Gen on right: Conical or rounded, I don't think anyone will care. But a more important contrast is the strength of the internal springs. I've always found the ST springs are "noisy" when compressed. The BT and gen are much quieter. Further here is some VERY unscientific measurements of the force required for full compression (using a kitchen scale). The gen bars, are not new, but measured 506 grams on the scale; equivalent to 4.96 Newtons (if my math is correct. I have a Physics degree but I don't remember jack [censored]): The brand new BT bars measured a whopping 580 grams (5.68 N): And finally, brand new ST bars averaged 380 g (3.72 N): Had the gen bars been brand new, I imagine the springs would be slightly stronger. At any rate, I think my go-to bars from now on will definitely be the Beco bars. If you try to order from them, keep in mind you will need to be approved. Also, I had a lot of trouble accessing their website recently (www.beco-technic.com). I'm in Canada and could not load the page for unknown reasons. So I changed my IP address to Germany and it worked fine. Odd. Frankly, I think 20mm ST bars (or equivalent) are just superb for any watch that accepts them. But the BT's are as close as I have ever seen to what you would get from RSC.

^^ That's a stunner!

Both of course. Funnily enough it works just as well in Polish.

AH! so are we talking bread or tits!

it was the hardest part of the build to source, my understanding is that the window for the open with the 3135 as opposed to the 3035 was just very small and limited. i got it from a guy off one of the gen forums, he had snatched it in a part out from either a 16234 or 15200, he said he couldnt recall exactly. i paid nearly an arm and a leg for it but I'm very happy with it thanks dude. i love taking the macro shots if nothing more I'm always amazed what i find in them that i missed from afar with the naked eye. nothing fancy, just an iphone6 and an olloclip. thanks man, they are all 100% a credit to the awesome guys around here, an amazing group of gentlemen and artists and i was hesitant about the 16800 build at points, but just something about the sapphire with the matte that is tough to beat. the most under appreciated sub IMO. cheers mate! I'm telling you, thats the second watch I've had from DLF's bench and both were just fantastic.

It's been down since yesterday for me...about 17 hours. Been in the wars lately Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I see. Thanks for the advice.

Well hardware can be fixed/replaced it was the other problems they had which were a bitch. And welcome guys sure we will be getting some visitors from our fellow RWI based rep enthusiasts, while your here take a shot at one of our legendary raffles! Three winners worth a shot!

No, it's down. TB said it is hardware faiure and need reboot from host Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

Hello and welcome. I hope you enjoy your time here, and feel free to join the mayhem. Plenty of Brits in our little community including @SSTEEL @QueTipand myself in the expat department.

Thanks brothers! Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

Hey 508, it's good to see you again. Stick around buddy, you're missed. I apologize for what happened to you. Sometimes we get it wrong.

Here's a rare one...

Sometimes people get it wrong - including the staff here - we're only human (most of us anyway) after all. Sorry to hear you were on the wrong end of it. I think you'll find that he had many people fooled. Comeback and spend sometime, rejoin our little comunity. You've got knowledge to add here.

This is like one of the most beautiful builds I've ever seen. Remarkable how you're pushing the boundaries of watch building Sachal. I wouldn't even see this as a franken any way [emoji85][emoji85]

I think it depends on what you want. I'm sure it matters what model you want but generally speaking.... I see nothing wrong with using Cartel cases and paying gifted and experienced people to hand shape them. It's way more economical to me. But someone has a lot of cash and want a case that takes gen. Specific movements then I can see why the Phongs and other crazy expensive cases are worth it too. I'm still amazed that the outdated or patent ended old Rolex or Tudor cases are not officially made by third parties. It sure would simplify things.

A strong plus one on that.

Probably the watch that I paid the least for in my collection, but one of my favorites. That Mickey watch cracked me up, love it!

Mmmmmmmmmmm, threes.

Ok, I admit I've been holding back. But it's worth the effort to make the trek to the watch fortress high in the cliffs above the house to retrieve my crown jewel for this thread. She rarely sees the light of day, but.... some things are worth it. This was a long time coming, and it was pure luck that landed this all-gen beauty on the shores of Chez Nanuq. So without further ado, I give you... .....the Miguel

Sometimes I forget which day it is

Being one of the oldest folks on this forum, I am going to chime in on my take about "fakes are for fakes". I totally disagree with that premise, unless you are some guy who is overtly showing your "fake" AP,Rolex Hublot, etc. to others with the sole intention of deceiving them into something that you aren't. I would hope that there are none like those people on this forum. Most likely not, because for the most part they are not interested in watches as a marvelous miniature, intricate machine that allows us at a glance to see the time, date, phase of the moon, time in other time zones, etc. They are only interested in a watch as a symbol of their ostentatious lifestyle. I would suspect that the vast, vast majority of people who are here are proud of their watches, marvel at their design, but are as inconspicuous in their watch wearing. These are not fake people, they are not trying to deceive anyone, they wear replicas because they represent an opportunity to wear watches that they for whatever their reasons are not desirable to them in their genuine form. Possible they cannot afford the genuine, maybe it's because they have had genuine watches and are turned off by the incredible costs of repair and parts. Possibly they feel that their money can best be put to better uses than buying a 6-10K watch. Everyone has his reasons, and all are valid. Here is my experience. I have ben collecting (Accumulating) watches for probably 40+ years. I'm old enough that I bought new Rolex 1680's,1665's and Daytonas for less than 1000.00 USD each, in fact all of those were around the 500.00 USD range. Wish I had a couple of those back by the way!! Over the years, I ventured out into other brands, Breitling, IWC, Chronoswiss, Omega,Maurice Lacroix.,Ulysse Nardin are the ones I remember and can recall the exact watches. During that time, I ventured into Replicas, first joining a rep forum way back during the days of the old TRC. One thing that put me off gens at that time was the cost of repair and the lengthy time involved. I remember A Breitling Chronomat that every time I sent it in for repairs (twice) they wanted to change things that didn't need changing and the repair bill was in excess of 300.00 USD. That was a lot in 1988! Another was a Chronoswiss that required a trip back to Germany and was gone for 3 months. All in all I could see that the costs of maintenance on some of these somewhat finicky watches was not where I wanted to go. I eventually sold almost all my genuine watches and replaced them with replicas. Way cheaper and just as accurate and dependable. A few years later, I had a bit of a falling out with reps, primarily because at the time I was mostly dealing with Rolex and after purchasing them, I spent a good bit on making them nice frankens, the usual genuine crystal, insert, crown, reluming, replacing the rep bracelet with gen bracelets/endlinks. I was really happy with the results, however when it came time to sell one, no one wanted to pay much over the price of the original watch, so usually when one sold, I took a beating. this is still the same today, however I feel like folks today are more willing to pay for what was done as well as the original price of the watch. Over the years, I have totally enjoyed my reps. I never try to hide that they are reps, although I find that the vast number of folks are totally disinterested in watches in general. Most cannot tell a Rolex from a Timex!! Maybe that's a good thing as it probably prevents undue watch scrutiny. I still have a good many genuine watches, which alas, get very little wrist time. I have a gen Rolex 16610 that has not been on my wrist for probably 2 years. Why do I keep it? Probably to pass on to my son or grandson who both like watches. A few others get a little wrist time. Probably my Rolex 16750 gets the most, primarily because of it's GMT function. And finally, if you are worried about wearing replicas, then I have two pieces of advice. First, don't try to pull off something that is a well known expensive piece. Even though there have been lots of threads here about folks who don't look the part actually being able to afford a expensive genuine watch, in real life there are not that many young guys who are going to be able to afford a 100K watch at age 20. Certainly there are some, but by and large their numbers are pretty small. So if you are going to college and delivering Pizzas part time, unless your family owns the Pizza chain, don't try to pull off the unpulloffable. Second if you truly want to fly under the radar, wear "unknown" brands, or at least models of brands that look like a lot of other watches. My AP FC diver looks like about a thousand other "Black" watches that you see everywhere from drug store watch displays, mall stores to chain jewelry stores. Also, watches from those "unknown" brands. There are so many genuine boutique brands and even larger more recognized brands that are to the general population, unknowns. If you want to see how popular and widespread a brand is, go to the genuine website and click on dealers. Some of the genuine brands have almost no dealers in the USA. Watches like Linde Werdelin for instance have a grand total of five dealers in the USA!! and of these five two are in the Phoenix area and one in Florida. What do you think your chances are of seeing someone with a genuine LW are? Pretty slim. Same with others that some of us would consider pretty popular. A good example is Blancpain. And old brand with a pretty established history especially with their vintage dive watches from the 60's and 70's. Blancpain has about 36 retail establishments over the entire USA, about half of those a Tourneau, which to me is sort of a watch supermarket. So again, pretty slim chance that you are going to see your Fifty Fathoms walking down the street or in a restaurant/bar. So, finally to all you fine forum members out there, wear your replicas in good health, and for whatever your reasons, I feel certain that you are as comfortable wearing them as I am.

Why did you join a rep watch forum?

Here's an old story from awhile back... repeated just for fun. This happened on one of those harbor tours out of Seward, Alaska. This is what reps are for! I was with my brother on one of those glacier cruises where the boat takes you right up to the face of a glacier and toots the horn so the thing calves off big chunks of ice and scares the hell out of the tourists. I was wearing a newer model Sea Dweller from Andrew, and we were all up on top of the boat, there were lots of tourists milling around in gore-tex and down parkas. I had already noticed a few times that the watch would leak and fog up, and I hate that. So I nudged me baby brudder and whispered "watch this". I held my arm up to ostentatiously check the time, and Rolex Stainless Steel glistened and glittered in the sun like God's Own Bling. I then sucked in my breath in alarm and said "IT STOPPED! Look, this thing stopped again!" and showed it to my brother. He clucked his tongue, shook his head, and said something about "as expensive as that thing was, you'd think it would work!" and I agreed loudly. A couple of heads turned toward us. So I shook my wrist a few times, and held it up to my ear. Shaking my head in disgust, I took it off and waved my hand around wildly to "wind it" and got lots more people glancing at me nervously. Then I unscrewed the crown and wound it up madly with exaggerated motions, elbows flying, and listened again. "It's STILL dead!!!" I said to him, and I could see him suppressing a laugh. More people looked, so I tapped it a couple times on the railing, and held it to my ear again. DING DING DINGGGG!! He was dying by now, trying not to laugh. When I tapped the railing the metal pipe sort of rang a little, and more people looked. I listened to the watch again and said "This bloody piece of @#!*$%" and hit it harder on the railing. He was biting his lip and people were starting to stare. I held it up to my ear again and said loudly "YOU MISERABLE LOUSY CHEAP ROLEX!!!" and I turned and bashed it really really hard on the railing 5 or 6 times, WHANG WHANG WHANG WHANG!!! and the pipe was ringing and people were stepping back. Everyone was staring, and I held it up to my ear for a moment, the pipe was still ringing, and I shouted "YOU LOUSY PIECE OF SWISS CRAP!!!!" and I drew my arm back, big pause for effect, and threw that watch as far as I could out into the ocean. It made a really nice high arc, glittering in the sun, and landed with a nice big splash. My brother was nearly wetting himself, tears were rolling down his cheeks, and I stormed down the steps to the lower deck as people parted and let me through, their mouths gaping in astonishment. It was glorious.

I'll see your "real men" Sea Dweller and raise you.

Wow...that is hard...really really hard. I guess you already contacted the mods with what you found out just to make sure your accusation is approved and backed up by them!

I start to love these vintage Daytona mate ! I'm not sure I have to thank you [emoji3] [emoji632]

Are people that drive replica vintage Porsche Speedsters and Shelby Cobras fake too? What about the reproduction paintings of Monet's hanging in millions of homes? Are those people fake? What about the replica bronze horses outside Saint Marks Basilica in Venice? Is the Catholic Church fake? Hmmm. Maybe the author has a point

Interesting that this pops up now because I have done some soul searching as to why I buy reps recently. I can see how somebody comes tot he conclusion that fake watches are bought to gain social prestige without being an unconscious bloke. I assume that the majority of reps are bought for exactly that reason. Just look at the fake watch buster posts with kids flashing their canal street reps and brag about the money they allegedly coughed up to buy them. At the same time I have learned that there are other motivations to buy reps, and I have learned that this is true for most of the members of this forum. I definitely do not buy reps to gain social prestige or flash them in public as gens. I also buy a lot of micro brands that would only be recognized by some real watch enthusiasts. Plus I own many gens, not in the 5-10000 USD area but the likes of Anonimo or vintage Omega. The net worth of my watch collection could easily buy me a nice Patek. So if I was out for prestige I would buy a Nautilus and end of story. But what I really enjoy about this hobby is diversity and the process of building a collection. Like to have a watch for every shirt color and every occasion. Having said this there are a lot of smaller and affordable brands out there that are even technically innovative and have better and more reliable movements. I am talking Anonimo, MKII and others. Just yesterday I stumbled over a UK brand that uses Tritium tubes instead of lume. So diversity is no valid reason to buy into reps as well. So why don’t we all buy micro brands or sterile homage watches instead? Obviously the famous watch brands have a lot of appeal. I often read the argument that the genuine brands are overpriced. But the price for something is made by the market and all luxury items are decoupled from the material and manufacturing cost. Why should the brands sell at a price below the market? The brand itself has a value and it was build by real people that earn their living from doing so and pay real taxes. It took decades of work, a lot if ingenuity and billions of dollars to get there. If you feel the brands are overpriced why buy them? It is not like food or medical supplies. Nobody needs a Rolex or a Patek. Another motivator: The hobby takes over and the obsession to correct the small flaws that still distinguish the reps from their gen counterpart. The hobby itself can be very fulfilling. So there are lots of reasons other then being fake or gain social prestige. Ultimately I came to the conclusion that I indulge myself into the thought of owning something I crave for and could not or would not afford otherwise. At the end of the day there IS some hypocrisy involved in this hobby. Face it! Probably not the kind of post guys want to read in a rep forum, but at least my "genuine" thoughts.

Wow! .......Just wow!

Mmmmmmm, does it get any better than this?

The 3rd it is