Faker Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 I feel the end is imminent. The High-end replica community has grown exponentially in the past few years. We have our hobbyists, and we have the others who are just looking for a cheap rolex. The rapid growth of this community is not necessarily a good thing. At this rate everyone will own a Rolex (Polex) eventually. I feel this takes away from the charm of the original article. Our beloved Rolex, Panerai and Breitlings will not be so special anymore. I honestly wish we could have a smaller more private community then this. What do others think? Any insight comments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalcranium Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 (edited) I feel the end is imminent. The High-end replica community has grown exponentially in the past few years. We have our hobbyists, and we have the others who are just looking for a cheap rolex. The rapid growth of this community is not necessarily a good thing. At this rate everyone will own a Rolex (Polex) eventually. I feel this takes away from the charm of the original article. Our beloved Rolex, Panerai and Breitlings will not be so special anymore. I honestly wish we could have a smaller more private community then this. What do others think? Any insight comments? Maybe I'm deluding myself into thinking I'm still special, it wouldn't be the first time, but I still think the higher end of the market is rare air. The world has been awash with Canal Street replicas for 25-30 years and I still believe this constitutes the bulk of what is sold. I think it takes a certain special brand of mental illness to rationalize spending $300 on a replica watch and I'm a proud member of that elite class. Edited August 24, 2006 by crystalcranium Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubiquitous Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 I feel this takes away from the charm of the original article. Our beloved Rolex, Panerai and Breitlings will not be so special anymore. I honestly wish we could have a smaller more private community then this. What do others think? Any insight comments? I'm sure owners of the genuines feel the same way... About our reps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faker Posted August 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 Maybe I'm deluding myself into thinking I'm still special, it wouldn't be the first time, but I still think the higher end of the market is rare air. The world has been awash with Canal Street replicas for 25-30 years and I still believe this constitutes the bulk of what is sold. I think it takes a certain special brand of mental illness to rationalize spending $300 on a replica watch and I'm a proud member of that elite class. Yes most people think it's absurd to spend that amount of money on a fake. Keep in mind the fakes they are thinking of are the cheapo Canal fakes. Now with these new fakes that are virtually identical to genuine, people will be less hesitant to purchase. A friend of mine that owns several gens always scoffed at owning fakes. When he saw my breitling GT he immediately requested I order him one. He is waiting on a gen and there is a wait for this particular model and color. I kinda feel immoral if I do this because he was a potential customer turned away, I was not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vlaletom Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 @crystalcranium i totaly agree, reps have been in mass production for decade. and for most "normal" people the price we pay for it is madness It olso take a lot of interest in watch to make those watch last (servicing, understandding basic problems etc ...) Still if you dont whant to fell as average jhon doe, with the growing of fakes, dont buy a Sub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotoman Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 one thing you must remember is that there are ALOT of people in the world. The number of people that are in the world - your not able to comprehend, so don't try - our brains aren't capable. everytime i think, Ok, what idiot would pay that for this - or how can there be so many people would want pickle flavored potato chips. But there are. or how can they keep building HUGE cruise ships year after year - cause there are that many more people that will fill them. yes, the hi end rep community is growin - that is GOOD for us - when you have demand you will have supply. Even on top of that - there is probably less then 1/2 of 1 percent of the world population that can afford to spend $300 on a watch - and a fake one at that, that may die in a year with an asian movement. In the state of Florida - only 60% of the population has a high school diploma. Only 20% has a college Degree and less than 2% have post bach degrees. 90% of hte people i know have college degree. makes it difficult to really understand the "real" and "large" world Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertk Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 You're right, there are too many of us. You should leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalcranium Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 Yes most people think it's absurd to spend that amount of money on a fake. Keep in mind the fakes they are thinking of are the cheapo Canal fakes. Now with these new fakes that are virtually identical to genuine, people will be less hesitant to purchase. A friend of mine that owns several gens always scoffed at owning fakes. When he saw my breitling GT he immediately requested I order him one. He is waiting on a gen and there is a wait for this particular model and color. I kinda feel immoral if I do this because he was a potential customer turned away, I was not. I wouldn't worry about the market being threatened with a flood of "as good as the genuine article" replicas spoiling everyone's good time here. This is first and foremost, an illegal business. The genuine companies consider the $30 quartz reps a flattering annoyance and they are produced in large numbers but are no threat to their market. Some here have commented one of the biggest street dealers in New York does business right around the corner from Rolex USA's corporate offices. They dont look like the real thing and are not being bought by any potential buyers. Our watches are another story. Other than the subs, reps like the GT and the Tag chrono are produced in runs of 1000-2000 pieces, not exactly a flooding of the market, but they are good enough, and demand a high enough price, that the dealers have to be careful and discreet. I still think we are small potatos. Yes your friend's reaction to the GT rep is a common one among the very few who have been exposed to one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jraines87 Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 or how can there be so many people would want pickle flavored potato chips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 I really do doubt the growth of rep owners to keep pace with the growth of the population in general.. In otherwords sure more and more people a buying reps, but not only are they a minute fraction of the people out there, the population growth at this stage is far to big for the rep factories to keep up with. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linder Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 True. I would even guess the portion of the world population with the disposable income to purchase reps is in the slower gaining population group, too. If that makes any sense.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcrooz Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 It's an interesting question. However I think that our hobby may come to an end because of other factors to do with the Chinese tightening of laws and their ever growing economy. They may become less dependent on their manufacturing industry in the years to come whilst other, currently stronger economies may see a reverse switch. So, in years from now for 34th generation Omega PO may be manufactured in Colorado, or Surrey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcrooz Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 It's an interesting question. However I think that our hobby may come to an end because of other factors to do with the Chinese tightening of laws and their ever growing economy. They may become less dependent on their manufacturing industry in the years to come whilst other, currently stronger economies may see a reverse switch. So, in years from now for 34th generation Omega PO may be manufactured in Colorado, or Surrey! Sorry, I didn't answer your question at all... I went off on my own train of thought... Which I rather enjoyed actually...! I don't really think that our community is growing too much. I agree that once introduced to our high end replicas people tend to want to get involved, whether for one Rolex or more is up to them. At this stage I don't think it has harmed our community. As some one else said the increased demand should see better choice, models and prices. Ultimately that's good for the serious rep collector IMHO. 2 pesetas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linder Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 On the other side of the coin, the increased growth has hurt the community in that several dealers no longer offer Paypal. Is this true or am I oversimplifying the situation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkerouac Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 People will always desire affordable copies of expensive, luxury items. People will be even more drawn to higher quality copies of expensive luxury items-- and someone will always pop up to meet that demand. A separate, related question is whether the replica boards have become too popular, with too many boards and too many short term visitors who dilute the community and clarity of discussions. I have nothing against newbies -- I like to think of myself as a perpetual newbie. But I also value the continuity and experience that extended participation provides. At times these aspects of the rep community become a bit harder to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archibald Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 It's an interesting question. However I think that our hobby may come to an end because of other factors to do with the Chinese tightening of laws and their ever growing economy. Very true, but as long as there is a huge gap between manufacturing costs and sale prices of luxury goods (which there will always be) there will always be a market for fakes. As long as there is a market for fakes there wil be makers of fakes. As china's economy becomes less "wild west" rep making will move to some other developing economy...Hell, maybe a future version of subs will be called Baghdad Best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hu12 Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 However I think that our hobby may come to an end because of other factors to do with the Chinese tightening of laws and their ever growing economy. This will be the bellweather, not before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonthebhoy Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 I thought it would be at least Post 40 before we got a graph.........but hey.........good Ol Ken slammed me down there. Sheesh......shows what I know! JTB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugwash Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 I feel the end is imminent. [...] Any insight comments? Lots, but I'll keep it short. There's nothing to gain by trying to pull the ladder up behind is. So what if everyone gets into it? It's like saying "Oh, they're so commercialised now, I only like early Sisters of Mercy" or "I remember when all this was fields". The true collectors (whatever that means) will always be there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchmeister Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 No worries. More customers lends itself to better product. Reps have existed for quite awhile. It is only in recent years that the market for high end reps has bloomed. It is still tiny though relative to other luxury reps (handbags, etc.). IMHO, the only downside is when idiots manage to kill Paypal accounts for better dealers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalcranium Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 No worries. More customers lends itself to better product. Reps have existed for quite awhile. It is only in recent years that the market for high end reps has bloomed. It is still tiny though relative to other luxury reps (handbags, etc.). IMHO, the only downside is when idiots manage to kill Paypal accounts for better dealers. I agree whole heartedly. One of my replica fantasies is to get a Chinese Tourbillon powered watch some day. I'm willing to put out $600-$900 for one of these babies when they have passed the muster of reliability. This will allow me the opportunity to own a tourbillon watch for about 1/50th of the cost of a "haute horologie" tourbie. Just how many watch lunitics like myself, number one, know what a tourbillon is and desire one, two, know a Sea-gul watch company tourbillon movement is available and that it is now in its' second generation of production, and three, would be willing to plunk down enough scratch to obtain one? I think if I ran the numbers and honestly evaluated them, I would be in VERY rare company. I do agree that some of this good fortune does feel too good to be true. Both my GT and Tag Chrono leave me feeling somewhat paranoid that I have gotten one over big time. I think the true end of the show will come when China slams the door (and the jail cell door) on counterfeits but this isn't happening any time soon. When they do though, it will all be over and in short order. As someone posted in a similar thread on this subject before, no one gets it done like the Chinese when they decide "game over". I believe IT copyright infringements, ie: $10 copies of Windows OS's, are going to be the dealbreaker for the counterfeit businesses in China, not the watch guys. It is a FAR bigger illegal trade and much more of an afront to the legit companies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribal Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 (edited) I think there is enough place for everyone here.... The one who is really interested in reps will stay,other count in take a look and than they are gone... I collecting reps for many years,but i've learned a lot more since i found the Forum...(modding etc...) Thats great and many thanks for that... It's a great community and i love to read and write here... Thats my opinion... RG tribal Edited August 25, 2006 by Tribal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuDro Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 I think the more the merrier! With a larger market for "high end reps" I would assume that the variety and quality would improve. I'm looking forward to what's ahead for the "high end rep collector! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linder Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 I'm looking forward to what's ahead for the "high end rep collector! More PAMs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faker Posted August 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 No worries. More customers lends itself to better product. Reps have existed for quite awhile. It is only in recent years that the market for high end reps has bloomed. It is still tiny though relative to other luxury reps (handbags, etc.). IMHO, the only downside is when idiots manage to kill Paypal accounts for better dealers. That was kind of my point. THe High end replica market is new, and it has grown enormously in it's infancy. LOL, a chart! Everybody in the world doesn't have to own a rep to make an impact, even if it was every 1 in 100 it would still make a dent. People will be more willing to the wearing of high end replica's rather then a cheap novelty canal street replica's. Will a company such as Rolex continue to do business? Yes, people will always buy a gen, but we will soon approach a point that the market will be flooded with high quality reps. Will a prospective buyer be willing to shell out the cash for something that is not so exclusive anymore? This is kina like a good [censored] house or drug spot! When too many people find out it disappears! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.