I agree completely with speedy1969 and panerai153!
Owning several gens (2 Rolex, 2 Breitling and 1 Tag, and going for a speedmaster ) and several reps (Rolex, IWC, Audemars, Bvlgari), I completely understand the reason to acquire either a rep or a gen.
I do not have all the money in the world to spend on watches, so why wait until I gather several hundred/thousand dollars to have a watch I like if I can spend a couple of hundred?
People who criticize the use/purchase of reps are those who wear their watches to show off, not because they like watches. They want people to notice they are wearing an expensive watch, and they are afraid of wearing a rep because someone might notice and their top-notch-executive image goes to the trash.
I like to wear watches for my own joy, and I found that a rep gives me almost the same 'thrill' that a gen. Obviously, as a watch collector/enthusiast I only buy well built replicas.
One must enjoy owning and wearing a watch, and what it's great about reps that you can wear them anywhere and anytime.
I live in Argentina, where security is cause for concern, so I do not fancy walking around with an USD8.000 watch on my wrist on every occasion.
If security weren't an issue, I also limit the times I wear my gens, because I really don't like them to be scratched or anything.
So, where I most enjoy my genuine watches is at home, where I clean them and admire their craftsmanship, precision, and all that stuff that make them worth so much (apart from marketing and R&D).
This forum is awesome, because it's full of members who really love watches and share my passion.
Thank you all!