tag

Yes, you [censored] me off. I understand your point of view 100%. But there is a way to say it, and your way is just wrong. What if I say: 'If I bother you with my avatar, too bad'???? This topic was interesting, everybody was sharing his/her view peacefully, until you intervened.

Do you guys know how to organize a vote...??!

<------ How's my new avatar? Don't know if you remember the old one though... Well I did not mean to shock anybody with a naked woman avatar. Actually I never received complaints, only compliments! But I understnd it bothers some. Sorry about this.

Planet Ocean 2201.51.00 - Modern design - Co-axial Speedmaster Day-Date 3523.30.00 - Classic and sport - Unreplicated Aqua Terra 2502.33.00 - Classic - Co-axial What would you get???

Why dealing only with EU dealers? Did you have problems with customs? And who else than Narikaa is based inthe UK?

Have you tried Seiko center? They should have it.

Seiko has little place in watches forums. Its watches are functional and reliable. They are a favorite of divers and of the layman for daily use. Most use quartz movement - nothing very fancy nor romantic... But still, Seiko deserves recognition and has a significant place in watch history. It is older than many swiss firms, including Rolex. Before pioneering quartz watches in the 50's, it beated many swiss watchmakers in their own turf, at the Observatoire de Genève's competitions. Then, developing in 1969 (a few monthes after Neil Armstrong brought omega's Moonwatch to the moon) the first quartz watch, Astron, it almost destroyed the swiss watch industry. We can add to Seiko's successes Kinetic movements, thermic movements... and the most recent, Spring Drive. Detractors say spring drive is a hybrid watch. Actually I'd rather call it a genuine mechanical watch with a quartz component. For a detailed technical review, check out this article: http://www.timezone.com/library/rdnotebook/200509073623 Swatch's research company ASULAB has developed a similar (if not even identical) movement called the High Precision Mechanics calibre. No watches using this calibre are for sale. Facing chinese competition, Seiko is seeking to move upmarket. The Spring Drive's design is epurated and classy. The movement is also used in the new MarineMaster: ... and in its luxury Credor range: But who's going to pay 3,200€ for a Seiko?!

Lately I have been (re-)discovering some very original designs or some out-of-the-mainstream watchmakers. I decided to gather these wonders into one post dedicated to concept watches and other original designs. Please share your own discoveries & favorite watches here ! Watchmaking has always been driven by technology and by precision. The challenge was to create a device able to keep time as precisely as possible, in more and more extreme conditions (in a pocket; on a wrist; underwater, etc.). During religious wars in the XVIth century (that is, very early in the watchmaking history), prostestants (and with them, French watchmakers) emigrated to Switzerland, the center of reformation. In Geneva at the time there were no watch industry to speak of; Geneva was mostly known for its jewelry. But Calvin had imposed strict laws banning elaborate clothing and jewelry. Initially this seemed like doom for Geneva's many fine jewelers, but one loophole in Calvin's laws gave them opportunity. Calvin considered watches an item of practical use, therefore allowed. Geneva's jewelers then collaborated with the watchmakers who had recently fled there to make watches with jewels, enamels, and engravings. This collaboration spawned the beginning of Geneva's luxury watch industry. Much later appeared quartz technology. Keeping time became suddenly very accurate, reliable and... cheap. To survive, Swiss watchmakers, who lost the race for quartz against Seiko in 1969, focused on complications. The luxury watch industry was in dire straits. Enters Nicolas Hayek. His marketing genius revived Swiss watchmakers fortune through the swatch fashion. Interest in more romantic mechanical movement of luxury watches grew until today's glorious years of luxury watches. Big names (Rolex, Omega, Panerai, IWC, JL, etc.) have created a market for "mass luxury". Their designs are mostly classic. Branding has slowly took over creativity & technology. Today a Rolex does not represent a technological prouesse anymore but merely status and financial success. But real watch enthusiasts are not looking for status but they are looking for technology, design and legend: the art of timekeeping. On top of that watchmakers are facing a new challenge: copy and replica. The answer? Renewed designs & technological advances. I believe that when Nicolas Hayek threatened to stop the production of ebauches, threatening at the same time the business of his subsidiary ETA, he had in mind the renewal of technological creativity in companies that have been relying on movement producers. This is supplemented by a new trend: concept watches. Pioneered by Richard Mille and championed by small exclusive producers, it is reaching major brands who want to communicate a new image through a daring product line (Zenith's Defy), without sacrifycing their classical watches. The beauty is: concept watches, unlike concept cars, actually come into production... Here are some examples: Richard Mille is leading the way... Harry Winston's Opus serie... - Opus 1 (with the help of FP. Journe) - Opus 2 (Antoine Preziuso) - Opus 3 (my favorite), a venture with Vianney Halter - Opus 4 - Opus V (Felix Baumgartner), a pure marvel - Opus 6 (2006) with Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey - The project Z3 Tag Heuer is not bad at all in this exercice with for example the Monaco V4: Kronotype: Azimuth: Eterna's KonTiki The following are not concept watches but their design are really authentic: Gérald Genta's style is very original: - Mickey Fantasy Racing - Mickey Fantasy Golf - The colorful Octo Repetition... - ... and Octo Incontro - Sport Biretro - Arena - Arena Chrono Quattro Retro Corum's interesting Bubble serie: my favorite is the casino: Audemars Piguet's Millenary Watch for Maserati De Grisogono's Grande Open Date... ... Occhio... ... and Instrumento Doppio Tre BRM Freak from Ulysse Nardin ... and sisters: Vogard TimeZone and its original bezel: Gorgeous DeWitt's Academia Arnold & Son True North Perpetual and yellow Longitude II And to finish a chinese touch! Most of these watches are not affordable: some are around $50,000 and Opus serie start at $300,000... Most are not replicated, although I was surprised to find a Richard Mille at Joshua. Has anybody got a rep of RM, Corum, DeWitt? How's the quality? Do you have any outstanding, daring affordable watch to share?

Are they genuine?

Who sells it ???

Panerais look great on girls. IMO super sized watches look greater on a girl wrists than on a guy's thin wrists. I have thin wrists and wouldn't get something bigger than 42mm. I notice big watches look clumsy on guys thin wrists. That's a shame.. there're so many nice big watches around...

I don't think the debate should be "1 gen or a bunch of reps" but "which gen(s)". If you can afford it, buy a gen, in some cases it is worth it ! Of course you can get something very close to the real at 1/10 of the price but you are not going to wear all of them often so... Instead of getting reps that will sit in your drawer get a gen that you'll cherish more than the others, something exclusive with a real history or a lot of creativity in it, something genuine. Buying a gen is worth it, I'm sure you'll cherish your gen more than any of you reps, but choose it carefully. Only some famous watches attract attention from replica makers. Others like JL are not so well replicated (otherwise tell me who's your dealer!!!). On top of it, how do you service your reps? I haven't found in my city a watchmaker that would service mine. So it will last... many 1 year, maybe 10. At this price it doesn't matter. I may prefer other watches in a few years. But a gen could last generations so you should choose it carefully. Instead of buying a Rolex which is, it's true, over-replicated, why not targeting Jaeger-LeCoultre, a classy and exclusive brand that produce 100% of their watches parts (from raw materials)? JL is badly replicated anyhow; or Frank Mueller, Omega, Hermès, Louis Vuitton's gorgeous watches? or Corum Bubble Casino + Gerald Genta Fantasy Mickey, very creative & fun watches? To me, Rolex is a bit overrated. But still, will people around you think it is a rep??? Everybody owning a Rolex around me is wearing a real Rolex. When I see one on the street I think "Lucky guy" but not "Rep or gen?". Unless some flaw give you a hint, I'm not course you'll think of reps everytime you see a Rolex. And Rolex is still a great, high quality classic looking watch... but as you said you already have a modded rep of it ! I have a few reps but I'm going to buy a gen PO. Why? 1. Omega has a great image to me and I'd prefer not to buy a rep from them (although I'm tented, seeing the quality of the latest PO!); 2. The co-axial escapement is the major break-through in watchmaking in decades and I would like to have it on my wrist...

Has anyone seen a rep of DeVille X2 Big Date?

Hi all, Do you have some feddback or comments (reputation) on the following internet genuine sellers : - Silvermagic (http://www.smwatches.com/en/) based in switzerland - Prestige Time (http://www.prestigetime.com/about.html) - Other web site to recommend? Thanks ! tag

@TTK : do you plan to sell 42.5mm orange bezel steel bracelet PO soon?

Thanks for the pics, it's an amazing rep! Thanks for spotting the flaws, it's good to know what we buy! But I'm amazed by the arrogance of so many dealers or buyers in this thread... Pretending to have a 10 years experience in reps... !!! Braguing about one's products' & service's quality as if it were above the real one... !!! Come on... You all (either buyers or sellers) can't reach genuine's quality, so why pretend ! Buy what you can, sell what you can, and get a life ! These watches are an illusion and it lools like many are so scared of being found. But even if you wear the most expensive watch on your wrist, you won't become a better person ! Berlusconi has a $540,000 VC, Putin a $60,000 PP and G.W. Bush wears... a $50 Timex ! There are many cheap and gorgeous watches around. Seiko is a very honourable brand. Tag Heuer as well. Omega has some cheap models (around 1500 € for a quartz SMP, some speedmasters also are in this price range). So why looking for a rep which has so many flaws? Actually I do own a rep... A Panerai... I don't care about this brand but I just like it's design. But I won't buy an omega rep...

Looks great... Does TTK have a website? How to order? Do you guys know how much is this PO?

I need to fix a rep but wonder where I should go. Authorized dealers? Of course not Independent dealers? Don't they just send watches to a larger workshop or to the watchmaker for repair? Small repair shops? Will they be able to fix an ETA? They usually change batteries and fix bracelet Any advice? If you have a good address in Paris...

JL Master Minute Repeater

Well actually I don't mind they spending millions with celebrities... That's part of the dream... What I do mind is the 50% of the retailer who who less about the product than me !!!!!

Here and there I read some saying that luxury watches are overpriced. And I've been wondering sometimes... whether luxury watches are a rip-off or not. So I want to share some thoughts on this topic. Is the market competitive enough? 8 groups are controlling 90% of the world market. First of all, what are luxury firms' profits? Richemont's operational profit represents in 2005 about 14% of its sales (Richemont includes brands such as Baume & Mercier, Cartier, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, A. Lange & Söhne, Piaget, Vacheron Constantin, Panerai, Montblanc). Swatch, which is not only producing luxury watches, also has a near-14% margin. I read somewhere that Rolex's margin was about 25% but could not confirm this information since it's a private company. A 10-15% margin is healthy but not exaggerated. So can we agree with these brands' spokesmen, that a genuine watch's prices are justified? Watchmakers invest in advertising, sponsoring, engineering & research; they use pricy materials and have tight quality controls. Sometimes manual work is involved. Sometimes production series are limited. In the end the product and its brand deliver the dream, design, social status and technical prouesse that could justify its price. But the retail price hides huge margins taken by retailers. 20 to 25% goes to the wholesaler, 50% to the retailer ; that leaves only 25-30% to the watchmaker. So when you buy a $3000 PO, its factory price may be around $800... $800 for the design, marketing, materials & work force does not seem exaggerated but $1500 that goes to the retailer definitely is... So why can't we find PO on the internet for, say, $1500? On the internet you'll get only 15 to 20% off. Because watchmakers control final prices. And they can keep prices up because of the demand. Demand is so strong that Omega for exemple raised its prices by an average of 7% for the past 5 years : a $3000 watch would have cost $2150 in 2001. That's more than cost of quality... In some case, they'll even sell better if they set a higher price. That's pure speculation : rich customers want exclusivity; price and limited editions provide it... I find often that $400 watches look crappy but only a handful of luxury watches look gorgeous to me. I would rather buy gens than reps but don't have the budget to. So what? If I'm buying replica will it weaken the watchmakers I admire? Anyway I won't buy more genuine than I already do... On the other side could brands lessen their prices without weakening their image? tag.

Hi all, I'm about to order from TT. I'd like to check with you all if anybody has had any issue with the shipping. I'm located in Europe : will the local post office deliver the box to me or is it EMS company? How about customs, have anybody had problems with customs? Thanks in advance for your feedback Tag

EXACTLY ! When I think of buying a rep, I think of Rolex or Panerai. But Omega... never. First, they are much more worth their value than many other brands. For example, a PO with co-axial & 600m is significantly cheaper than a steel luminor base. How come... Second, I wouldn't like to do that to Omega - copy.

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What s PMWF ? What are your reasons of stearing clear of Rolex? Are there too much replicated? It is true that other genuine have a greater price/quality ratio than the overpraised Rolex. Omega for ex. is significantly cheaper, although it's comparable to Rolex on quality.