Faker Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 I always see people stating "Just remember it's a cheap rep." I have a rep Planet Ocean and this thing is a tank! I feel as if I took a hammer to it, it would probably outlast my Genuine Rolex Submariner with equal punishment. Is there really a difference in quality from a genuine to a good replica? Yes there is a lack of quality control, but if it is done right I believe the reps have achieved equal quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waxon Waxoff Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 I'm curious to see what the experts have to say. The two reps I've picked up so far feel every bit as substantial as my gen Rolex and Omegas though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
By-Tor Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Trust me, these little buggers are amazingly tough. http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showtopic=2412 Ahh... this is a classic. I once asked Nanuq to perform this same test with his genuine Bond Sub but he chickened out. Now THAT would have been interesting... is Rolex really as tough as they say...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionsandtigers Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 next test nanuq: how it holds up on a womans wrist when she's having pms!!!! would disintegrate in no time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionsandtigers Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 hahaha, i'm tellin ya, i keep all of my timepieces far away........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubiquitous Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 I gave my wife an EL DateJust earlier this year to see how well she'd do with it before I got her a gen... It's been through the wringer, but still running strong. Ladies are far tougher on watches than us guys... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbj69 Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 reps r nice and tough and to me only lack time spent on assembly , if they were careful and spent time on insuring everything fit properly they would be of exact quality to most gens. other than some cosmetic flaws and some useing lesser metals , this is my opinion joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalcranium Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 I have not had the inclination to treat my replicas with anything other than gentle kindness. I had too awful an experience with the generation of replicas I purchased 5 years ago and wore like they were daily beaters. Crowns snapping off, hour markers falling off, bezels popping, screws coming out and watches flying off at the worst "concrete under my feet" times,...all have contributed to my paranoia about my replicas, and my expensive genuines in general. I rub these things with a diaper and display their pristine state proudly on display pillows under glass! Yes, this generation of replica feels very substantial but I'm not taking any chances. I treat them like classic cars. Garaged and rubbed most of the time and taken out for a ride only on warm dry days. My daily banger is a Bulova Marine Star that's about 12 years old. Looks like [censored] and runs +-5 sec/month. I confess, I recently bought the exact same model (I was surprised as hell to learn Bulova was still making it) and it's under glass as well. Yes...a sicko. I've got a place on a pillow for the FA Jones that's coming all fluffed up and ready. Rest well my new beauty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Tracy Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 I gave my wife an EL DateJust earlier this year to see how well she'd do with it before I got her a gen... It's been through the wringer, but still running strong. Ladies are far tougher on watches than us guys... So True,...my wife throws her watch from a standing postion, face down onto marble tabletops,.. allows it to fall into the washing machine without care,...and shows zero respect for the things... That is why I know I will Never purchase a gen for her.... Speaking of material metals.. My daily beater is a Thick, Dense metal Memovox from Narikaa,.. I dremeled and re-polished the lugs to fit a 24mm band, and it's still thick & heavy as ever... Come to think of it,.. I have had only maybe three cheap metal reps... two reversos.. and just received another memovox from a member here, because it was the first that I've seen with a date..{no alarm though}... but the metal was low quality,. nothing like the one from Narikaa...so to the kids it goes....and we will see how well the mechanics hold up.. So far they have tested quite a few over the years, through some amazing abuse, from sports to mountain hiking, swimming, wrestling, stick fighting, kendo, and the Asian movts. have come through,.. Suprisingly strong engines.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchmeister Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Same with my wife. And to make matters worse she only wears gens so when they break she is off to the Madison Avenue main store. 2 months and a $1,000 later... Then again she never bitches about the ridiculous amount of money I spend on reps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomasng Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Cheap Reps? Yeah right. The chrono hand fell off on my Patek 5960 Chrono a few days ago. A $60,000 watch I wore for the first time, and used the chrono, the hand just falls out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanerich Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 To quote The Zigmeister verbatim: "all replica’s have quality and problematic parts that rarely show up on genuine watches." Anecdotes aside (and my personal experience from owning gens and reps is that reps go wrong at a highly disproportionate, albeit still acceptably low, rate), I'd go with Rob's conclusion on this subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonio Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 So far they have tested quite a few over the years, through some amazing abuse, from sports to mountain hiking, swimming, wrestling, stick fighting, kendo, and the Asian movts. have come through,.. Suprisingly strong engines.... You wear yours during Kendo? Even with the cushiest kotes that hurts my wrists. I'd figure it'd smash a watch. Who knew? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waxon Waxoff Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 To quote The Zigmeister verbatim: "all replica’s have quality and problematic parts that rarely show up on genuine watches." Anecdotes aside (and my personal experience from owning gens and reps is that reps go wrong at a highly disproportionate, albeit still acceptably low, rate), I'd go with Rob's conclusion on this subject. Probably true, but the anecdotes are still out there. I was talking with a gentleman whose son had the dial pop out of place on his Rolex, and that formed the impression of the marque. I hold Rolex in much higher regard than he does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dosanim Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 For some, it becomes mantra to justify shortcomings of the rep watches. For some, it reminds that Gen watches may give you the little more piece of mind. For some, it becomes excuse for throwing away then buy another one. For some, it becomes excuse for quality problem. For some, it becomes partial reminder that you are the one who bought it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanerich Posted October 22, 2006 Report Share Posted October 22, 2006 (edited) Probably true, but the anecdotes are still out there. I was talking with a gentleman whose son had the dial pop out of place on his Rolex, and that formed the impression of the marque. I hold Rolex in much higher regard than he does. We all have stories. I have my dad's datejust from 1971, it still runs like a top. I have an Explorer II that's five years old and will no doubt run another 50. I'm not talking up Rolex, it's a fact that they are tough. Yeah, so somebody's Rolex was a lemon. What company makes perfect products every time? None of them. . . last time I checked God wasn't running any company. But you (I don't mean YOU, I mean people) can't extrapolate that into "some gens break down, some reps break down, therefore reps are just as reliable as gens." That's seriously fallacious thinking, although if it makes people feel better about their reps then I'm not going to convince anyone otherwise. Reps are great for the price. They provide a lot of pleasure for not so much money. But they're still just reps. Convincing yourself that reps are anywhere near 1:1 equivalents of gens is like convincing yourself that the stripper who's giving a lap dance really likes you. Yeah, you'd like to think that. Yeah, it could be true. But most likely you're just kidding yourself. Edited October 22, 2006 by kanerich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubiquitous Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 I see no reason why a watch equipped with a Swiss ETA, regularly serviced, can't or won't last for many, many years. The Swiss ETA 2671/2824/2836/2846/2892 are all fairly simple time and date... No real complications, and fairly common to see in many of the pricey brands as well. Oddball movements like the modified Asian 7750's (i.e. the ones with sec @ 6:00) are, of course a different story... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waxon Waxoff Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 Reps are great for the price. They provide a lot of pleasure for not so much money. But they're still just reps. Convincing yourself that reps are anywhere near 1:1 equivalents of gens is like convincing yourself that the stripper who's giving a lap dance really likes you. Yeah, you'd like to think that. Yeah, it could be true. But most likely you're just kidding yourself. Come on. That stripper really did like me! I agree with everything you said here, even the paragraph I snipped. Reps provide a lot of pleasure for the money, and with the properly serviced ETA movements, I don't see why they shouldn't be able to do so for a long time. And that's more than I can say for a stripper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsons Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 Many of these watches are are not cheap reps. They ones that I am fortunate to have in my collection, are darn good quality watches, period. The best aspect of clones & this hobby IMO, is the ability to collect long discontinued watches that one could only source second hand, most at astronomical prices. Used gen watches have their perils as well specially those that are sought after by collectors. After market parts, franken, poorly serviced and many other factors come to mind. I know as I collect and search vintage watches on a regular basis. My smallish clone collection consists mainly on MBW sport vintage rollies and 2893-2 movement Pams. All of these are exceptional vintage model time pieces in their own right. I have no doubt that if well cared for (as a gen should also be) they will provide many years of reliable service. Some I've had for over two years and thus far, they have proven me correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanerich Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 (edited) I see no reason why a watch equipped with a Swiss ETA, regularly serviced, can't or won't last for many, many years. The Swiss ETA 2671/2824/2836/2846/2892 are all fairly simple time and date... No real complications, and fairly common to see in many of the pricey brands as well. Ubi, most of my problems have not been movement-related -- it's been the little things, like number markers falling off the dial, crown tube stripping, crystal popping out, dial developing a scratch because of crooked hand installment, paint flaking off the inside bezel. For non-watchsmiths these aren't necessarily simple fixes even though they are very simple problems. I'm talking about very popular watches (Sub, 183, Navitimer, etc.) from our trusted dealers. Many members have had the identical problems so I know these are problems inherent in the design. Reps seem to be improving all the time, and I love the hobby, so I don't mind the occasional problem watch that needs a trip to Rob. A majority of my reps have been fine. However, at the moment I can't agree that eta movements are the be all end all in terms of reliability and durability for many, many years. Quite probably, but not more than that. Being a rep collector requires more commitment and a willingness to fix problems as they come along, and the ability to eat the very occasional $300 watch due to stupid cosmetic defects. It's not a huge thing, but in my opinion it's definitely a thing. Edited October 23, 2006 by kanerich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanerich Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 Come on. That stripper really did like me! I agree with everything you said here, even the paragraph I snipped. Reps provide a lot of pleasure for the money, and with the properly serviced ETA movements, I don't see why they shouldn't be able to do so for a long time. And that's more than I can say for a stripper. I don't mean to knock strippers. Economically they're a better deal than wives or girlfriends and they're a lot better at pole dancing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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