I get a few PMs and mails asking for the best value replicas and have decided to start a thread to help n00bs see what replicas are the best value for money. This will help people fill gaps or start collections as most people have one or two watches on their must-have lists, but don't fancy straying into the unknown unless it's cheap.
I'm going to start with the under $120 watches that I reckon should feature in every collection and then ask people for their unbelievable value additions. Unsurprisingly, these watches all feature Asian movements, as they're bang-for-buck perfect in my opinion. My apologies for the 100% recycled photos, but I didn't realise I'd be writing this guide this morning.
The obvious choice, and inspiration for many a Pugwash post, is TTK's Asian 21j Rolex Submariner. He calls it 074, but it's possibly better known as the Noobmariner.
Mine has a replacement bezel insert as I knocked my pearl out desk-diving, aka getting used to a steel watch after years of swatches.
It also looks good in a NATO strap, itself a cheap bargain.
Unfortunately, I don't own the number two cheap watch yet, because of my being stupid and forgetting to take TTK's mobile number to Pattaya with me, but I still intend to pick one up through the normal postage method. It's TTK's 075 Rolex Submariner LV and there are loads of pictorials around. Anyone fancy posting a decent photo of this in this thread?
Next must-have bargain is the first of two must-have Panerais. The legend that is the Panerai 111h can be picked up cheap from places like Silix-Prime and River, I believe. While it comes with a crappy strap, that's not a problem as half the fun of owning a Panerai is the straps you need to buy. Nobody ever wears a 111h with the stock cheap replica strap. This watch takes 24mm straps.
Panerai 111h in stock strap:
The Legend on a Toscana strap
Number four on my list is, surprisingly, another Panerai. This time, it's the Panerai 183 that costs the same as the 111h from the same dealers. Once again, you'll need to be buying a selection of straps, but this model takes 26mm straps.
Detail on the Panerai 183
Panerai 183 on an aftermarket strap
The last watch in my under $120 guide is an Omega. I got this one from Trusty Time and it's the Omega SMP GMT. It's lacking the display caseback of the genuine, but it's a great replica. I'm not too keen on the strap, which means I don't wear it much, but that's a problem with the genuine as well. Omega straps seem too clunky to me, in rep and gen. Once I find a replacement strap I'm happy with, it'll get a lot more wrist-time.
Omega with stock bracelet.
Will this rubber diver's strap do?
I hope this has given you some inspiration of what can be had for cheap, and if nothing else, I hope you've enjoyed the photos, even if you've seen them all before.
Here are some group pics of some of the featured watches. The first is a 111h vs 183 shot.
A value-pack
A pile of straps and Panerais