borz

$700 for that when you can get a real 7750-based Alpina for $400? Are they on crack?

$1200 would have bought you a lot of beer.  Or OCD meds, for that matter.

Orbis Morgan Aegis looks pretty damn incredible for only $280 - cheaper than most of the non-canal street reps.

I don't know about prices - a Christopher Ward Trident is cheaper than a TC sub, yet the quality is light years ahead.

http://www.amazon.com/Invicta-0741-Collection-Automatic-Chronograph/dp/B004PAN2CO - here's one, ironically a Tag Aquaracer ripoff.  Listed at $440 but normally found for around $350.

On a planet where that same column wheel/vertical clutch chrono movement with Seiko logo is found in $350 Invictas, I suppose?

http://www.evine.com/Product/635-294
 

Use NEWCUST coupon code for 15% off.

Ashford has a bunch of dirt-cheap Hamiltons, Edoxes and Davidoffs right now.

Like you, I try to stay out of political discussion, as my views are not in line with the majority and I'm not well versed enough to argue. I don't see any viable options for fixing our government, as long as money and power are the only things that matter. The entire system needs flushed, but the replacement will last for only 100-200yrs before the same shiz creeps right back in.

One side promises more handouts, the other side promises more jeebus, nothing gets done, everyone gets screwed - that's how it works nowadays.

Umm, $400 (with shipping) for non-functional chrono? What kind of drugs are they on?

They forgot to put the rep third in the comparison Less than half the price of the CW with a 2824 (which could be replaced with the swiss and still be far under the price).

Correct, but how much would it cost once you replace the insert with a gen one so the pearl doesn't scream fake from a mile away, get a gen strap that doesn't feel like a piece of plastic (or a gen bracelet that doesn't lose its "balls",) service the movement, and waterproof it properly so it doesn't leak like a sieve?

Well.....   If your only goal is to "fool" people into thinking you have a gen watch on your wrist, today's $400 reps will accomplish that for 99.9% of the people who look at it.   You'll find that few of us in here have that as our primary goal in owning/wearing reps.

 

There are really two groups ---

 

Builders/Modders who accept the technical challenge of investing time, money and incredible skill in the quest to make the most gen-like watch possible.   Often times, the cost outweighs the end value of the piece, but the satisfaction these folks get has it's own value to them.   If you hang around here for a while, you'll come to appreciate the level of knowledge and incredible skills these guys have!   Personally, I envy them as I don't (and will never) have the patience and skills to do what they do.

 

Then there are people like me who simply appreciate the look, quality and mechanical intricacies of a nicely put together piece.    I could afford a few gen's, but would never spend 5 figures for a watch that is priced that way for the sole purpose of creating exclusivity and status.   My favorite piece is my Rep PAM382 Bronzo.   IMO, there is nothing in the gen version to justify a price of $20,000+, except for the fact that only a thousand or so were made.   I wanted a Bronzo, so I bought and proudly own a rep of it.    What does a gen sub have that a TC sub does not, to justify 10x the cost?

 

If approached by someone who recognizes what I'm wearing, I don't try to pass any of my reps off as gens.   If they say nice watch, I simply thank them.   If they ask about it, I don't hesitate to tell them its a rep.   Everyone in my office knows I'm into reps.   If they didn't and saw that I rotate ~~20 of them through on a regular basis, I'd probably be under investigation!   LOL!

 

I do currently own a gen Breitling Chronomat Evo and am on the hunt for either a gen Super Avenger or Blue Dial Seawolf.

 

Something like a Bronzo (i.e. hard to make bronze case, heavily modified movement) would make sense for around $300, but all those simple three-hand steel case watches with cheap stock movements going for $400+ are a complete rip-off.  It doesn't matter if the gen costs $10,000 (or $20,000, or $50,000) - you're still getting a cheap chinese watch that would have sold for well under $100 had it not been the name on the dial.  Cheap swiss gens like tissot, hamilton or edox should be used as a pricing benchmark, not the gens those reps are trying to approximate, as the quality of the reps is still light years behind even the cheapest "real" swiss brand.  There's absolutely no reason for a three-hand rep with clone movement to cost more than a 2824-based $300 gen, and a chrono rep with a7750 that breaks if you look at it the wrong way to cost more than a 7750-based $600 gen, both of which are readily available in that price range.

http://slickdeals.net/f/7639602-edox-grand-ocean-officially-certified-chronometer-watch-590-free-shipping- gen swiss watch with chrnonometer-grade 2893 for $590

http://slickdeals.net/f/7637520-edox-men-s-les-vauberts-day-date-automatic-watch-w-leather-strap-318-free-shipping- gen swiss watch with 2824 for $318

Now, find me reps with those movements (obviously, 20+ year old, refurbished in some dirty basement workshop using chinese parts) that are cheaper.

Yes the price has gone up a lot on softgoods too but these prices are going up at the point of supply.

 

But like I said above.... 

 

Ken

So, would you please be so kind to explains as to why a fake three-hand IWC costs as much, or sometimes more than a similar gen Edox or Hamilton? Cheap Chinese labor, cheap clone movements, cheap materials - sounds like greed to me, plain and simple. Heck, all the APs and Hublots that are in $700 range nowadays (don't tell me they're hard to make, some of the hideous huge invictas or other fashion brands out there are much more intricate, yet they still cost $100) - same price as a gen 7750-based Hamilton or other lower-end brand.

Wait a sec, so are you actually admitting that there is in fact a 200-300% markup on the watches sold by the board dealers, and the prices seen on aliexpress are in fact accurate?  That's some pretty sweet profit right there - maybe 1 in 20 watches gets grabbed by customs and 1 in 10 is faulty, which the dealer has to make up for, but they are selling every single watch at a 200-300% markup.  Not too shabby, if you ask me.

But, are all those alleged services (i.e. questionable QC pics, warranty no one takes advantage of since no one wants to wait 6 months to send the watch to china and back, etc) really worth an extra 200%, assuming the guy above gets the same explorer dealers here have for $300+?

I wouldn't be surprised if that explorer turns out to be the same thing everyone's favorite ripoff crew is selling for $400+. Prices have gotten absolutely ridiculous lately, a simple three-hand Chinese fake with clone movement costs more than a gen Hamilton. Heck, a modded one with some gen parts often costs more than a used gen, especially for some lower-end models. As for the "but a gen costs 10x, 20x, 30x, etc" argument, it makes no difference whatsoever - you're still getting a Chinese fake that's no better than a cheap Invicta, regardless of the name on the dial. $250 or so for a functional rep is fine, since that's what a fancy-looking Chinese auto invicta or something along those lines would cost, but over $400 is just plain ridiculous.

PS: is anyone really naive enough to think our "dealers" buy $50,000 watches and destroy them during replication process?

Just get a gen Edox WRC Classic or something along those lines. Vast majority of the dress watch reps like like a cheap timex.

$338 for a low-quality quartz rep? What in the world are they smoking?

Just buy a used Breitling Colt II if you're so worried about being called out - nice watch light years ahead of any rep in quality at a price of a slightly modded rep, plenty of them out there selling for less than a grand if you look around.

Over $200 for a21j? Ouch!

Ocean Time watchstand in Prudential Mall in Boston - those guys work on everything, including reps.

Barney's Outlet, Saks Off Fifth, Nordtsrom Rack, etc - why pay what's in many cases 70-80% of gen cost for an item that looks nothing like the real thing?

Better pop the case backs on those "Swiss" rolexes when you get them, chances are you'll find an Asian movement or a 30 year old rusty ETA lubed with a mix of pubes and saliva.

Yep, the usual dealer crap - AP RB II or some other $40K+ watch - "1:1 made form five genuine samples fully dissected, etc."  That DG2813 sold as ETA clone fiasco  should have been enough to get  the dealer kicked off the forum - do you really believe they don't check the watches they get from the factory?  We're getting screwed by the alleged "trusted" dealers left and right, but instead of saying something we just bend over and ask for more.