My take on wearing a replica watches

[Legend]

Depending on which side of the camp you approach, you may get two very distinct, biased views on the donning of replica watches.

If you approach a website that promotes and protects the purchase of authentic watches, you get messages like "Fake watches are for fake people" and "No matter how real it looks, it is still a fake." If you visit replica sites, you get told tales that are sprung from the other extreme of the spectrum. 'Facts' like "Why spend thousands more on an item that looks and feel 99.9% like the real deal?", "Impress by spending so much less" and "Nobody will ever tell the difference!"

The truth of the matter, based on real world experience, in my opinion, is something that lies in the middle. I will come to that later, but I want to just digress a little to share my core belief on watches, either genuine or replica.

For the record, i own both genuine and replica watches, and I do not advocate either the "gen-snob" or "reps only thank you" theory. What I believe sincerely is this: Wear what you like. A watch is like a companion, and the company you keep is your own affair entirely. Given the premium pricing that luxury timepieces command, the market for replica watches thrives, based on the fundamental fact that each of us has unlimited wants, and limited resources. The opportunity cost of a genuine AP ROO, for example, could be secondhand car or the deposit on a house. Comparatively, a replica AP ROO costs a mere fraction of the price the genuine commands, is visually similar, and in most cases, is able to satisfy the owner that he or she is wearing a dream. The comparisons of these watches with their authentic counterparts and discussions regarding such details, from my experience, takes place among a niche of afficionados and in our own minds most of the time. The vast majority of people we meet wearing the watches would go "Hey nice watch" and then go on perhaps to discuss the superficial aspects of the timepiece. I have never met someone who demanded I remove the watch so that he could inspect it and determine its authenticity. In short, my opinion is that if you wear a rep watch, and stay away from pawn shops, you will do just fine.

I am listing my own beliefs about replica watches, feel free to engage me in a debate or discussion if you feel compelled to do so.

1.Most people wear replica watches because they like the design of it, and find the price of the genuine version unjustified or beyond their reach.

2. They do not care if someone else likes the watch or finds it fake looking. Serious collectors of replica watches take more pride in their collection than anyone else anyway, and are their own best judge.

3. An aesthically pleasing and accurate looking replica is important to most of us, not because we want to fool anyone else, but because we want to look and feel good everytime we check the time.

4. Most people we meet cannot give two hoots about whether the watch we wear are real, fake, cost $50 or $10,000,000. The watch forms part of the visual impression people form about us superficially in most cases.

5. In my experience, sales staff who work at watch boutiques care more about what you wish to buy, than the watch you wear to the shop.

6. You will hear "nice watch" more than anything else each time you wear your favorite replica out. Hey, if you find it good-looking, chances are, someone else would too.

7. A quality replica watch, if properly cared for, would function well and serve you faithfully for many years.

8. Genuine watches are not always problem free. I have a broken genuine omega constellation one genuine cartier that refuses to move sitting in my drawer. I would have to concede that genuine watches are generally more reliable, though the more high-end replicas are often underrated in terms of accuracy and precision too..

9. The person that cares most about the accuracy of a replica watch, is the wearer himself/herself.

10. The worth of any watch, genuine or replica, is determined by the wearer and the wearer alone. A watch with $50 monetary market value may be priceless to someone in terms of sentimental worth.

Replicas are getting better, more sophiscated, and more expensive. Replicas are also attracting more interest among collectors, and the possibilities of aftermarketing modding are really nothing to be scoffed at. Who says its a cheap hobby at all? Lol

This, is a rambling post by someone who got time on his hands (literally and figuratively)

There is no point I am trying to make, and nobody I am trying to convince. Thank you for your time in reading this random entry of mine.

I just hope to reconcile the realities of wearing replicas as opposed to the claims put up by both the genuine and replica camps.

[frankt]

I became seriously interested in reps when I discovered that it would cost $400.00+ to get an Omega watchsmith to clean and adjust my gen Dynamic Chrono...I still own the Dynamic, but I learned enough playing with reps to get it running well again!!.....

Meanwhile, I spent WAAAAY more than that $400., but I've had a lot of fun, and have a bunch of nice(to my standards!!)rep watches on the shelf... :thumbsupsmileyanim:

[Nanuq]

Nice discussion, LK.

Here's a question, for the sake of argument: Say I have a gen vintage watch and it's missing the pearl. So I find a nice aftermarket pearl, vintagize it, and glue it on.

Is my watch still a gen?

Now let's say my insert with the new pearl is really nasty. So I find a good PMWF insert, age it slightly, glue in that custom aftermarket pearl, and snap it on.

Is my watch still a gen?

Now, I'm tired of the boring caseback, so I go looking and shazzam, there's a gorgeous COMEX caseback for sale. I snatch it and put it on my watch.

Is my watch still a gen?

I'm sure you see where I'm going with this. At what point does it stop being gen and start being fake?

Is a '66 GT Mustang without the Hipo small block still a GT?

[ninjagaiden]

Mmm - I feel a Philosopher's axe argument coming along.

When the first replica bodykit came out for a VW Beetle, word was that the folks at Porsche quite liked it, imitation being the highest form of flattery.

The *only* people I don't like are the guys who dress up Gens in Rep boxes looking to fleece ebayers of several thousand dollars of their cash. It is nice to see that RWG members regularly flag these up on the site.

My 2 pennies worth ...

[maxman]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts LK,good stuff. This Is my favorite replica of all time,pretty girls and fast cars?

@ Nanuq Here ...PS..The camera guy is actually her father..lol

[Nanuq]

Mmm - I feel a Philosopher's axe argument coming along.

True, true. Some of the uberfrankens we have here are gen right down to the case... which is a true 1:1 copy of the real deal, made from the same steel. Does being machined on Rolex CNC machines qualify it for being a gen case?

Sooooooooooooooooo how about the Doxa cases being made in China? And if some of those cases happened to pop up as Doxa reps... would that "rep" in fact BE a gen Doxa?

Is my gen 1665 in fact a replica... of the original prototype?

Philospher's Axe, indeed. Shades of grey. I think it's all in the intent.

[asf]

I honestly LK hit the nail on the head. I wear it because I like the designs and that watches in the same $ range as what I spend on are usually either an expensive quartz or just plain ugly! A few exceptions come to mind

[frankt]

Nice discussion, LK.

Here's a question, for the sake of argument: Say I have a gen vintage watch and it's missing the pearl. So I find a nice aftermarket pearl, vintagize it, and glue it on.

Is my watch still a gen?

Now let's say my insert with the new pearl is really nasty. So I find a good PMWF insert, age it slightly, glue in that custom aftermarket pearl, and snap it on.

Is my watch still a gen?

Now, I'm tired of the boring caseback, so I go looking and shazzam, there's a gorgeous COMEX caseback for sale. I snatch it and put it on my watch.

Is my watch still a gen?

I'm sure you see where I'm going with this. At what point does it stop being gen and start being fake?

Is a '66 GT Mustang without the Hipo small block still a GT?

In the "real"(non rep) watch world, you'd have what's called a "frankenwatch"....And we know that "over there", that's not a "good thing" like it is here!!..

[praetor]

well, there's grade A reps and grade AAA reps and so on. Our forum has grade A x 10 ^ infinity reps =D.

I've seen some frankens being sold on antiquorum before. Some with 16800 inserts in 5513 rolex cases. But the best franken ever being sold has to be this one: (sold for $30k sans crystal)

http://catalog.antiquorum.com/catalog.html?action=load&lotid=194&auctionid=148

Edited September 12, 2011 by praetor

[adamo99]

The *only* people I don't like are the guys who dress up Gens in Rep boxes looking to fleece ebayers of several thousand dollars of their cash. It is nice to see that RWG members regularly flag these up on the site.

My 2 pennies worth ...

Don't you mean 'reps in gen boxes'?

[upland]

Mmm..Webster Definition of REPLICA:

- an exact reproduction

- a copy exact in all details

I don't mind to wear Gen Omega "Moony" which is technically Rep of watch worn by Buzz Aldrin

[Ronin]

Nice discussion, LK.

Here's a question, for the sake of argument: Say I have a gen vintage watch and it's missing the pearl. So I find a nice aftermarket pearl, vintagize it, and glue it on.

Is my watch still a gen?

Now let's say my insert with the new pearl is really nasty. So I find a good PMWF insert, age it slightly, glue in that custom aftermarket pearl, and snap it on.

Is my watch still a gen?

Now, I'm tired of the boring caseback, so I go looking and shazzam, there's a gorgeous COMEX caseback for sale. I snatch it and put it on my watch.

Is my watch still a gen?

I'm sure you see where I'm going with this. At what point does it stop being gen and start being fake?

Is a '66 GT Mustang without the Hipo small block still a GT?

Is it still GEN, ABSOLUTELY. Is it the same watch? Read this: http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/theseus.html

Anything mechanical, or with parts that wear out will inevitably require replacement parts. "Cosmetic" items like inserts, bracelets, (even crowns), crystals, DO NOT "disqualify" a GEN watch. Is a Porsche still GEN because you put different rims on it? Is a human no longer human because they have a prosthetic leg?

The funny thing, the ONLY place I notice this absurd behavior is in the "Rolex" world of parts and fan(atic)s. Would anyone question your Doxa if you had an Ofrei crown on it? As long as the watch case and movement have verifiable serial numbers, it should be free game. Dial's get into gray area. Hands SHOULD NOT. If Rolex stops supplying hands for a 15xx movement, aftermarket is your only option.

Fun...

[TeeJay]

1.Most people wear replica watches because they like the design of it, and find the price of the genuine version unjustified or beyond their reach.

2. They do not care if someone else likes the watch or finds it fake looking. Serious collectors of replica watches take more pride in their collection than anyone else anyway, and are their own best judge.

3. An aesthically pleasing and accurate looking replica is important to most of us, not because we want to fool anyone else, but because we want to look and feel good everytime we check the time.

4. Most people we meet cannot give two hoots about whether the watch we wear are real, fake, cost $50 or $10,000,000. The watch forms part of the visual impression people form about us superficially in most cases.

5. In my experience, sales staff who work at watch boutiques care more about what you wish to buy, than the watch you wear to the shop.

6. You will hear "nice watch" more than anything else each time you wear your favorite replica out. Hey, if you find it good-looking, chances are, someone else would too.

7. A quality replica watch, if properly cared for, would function well and serve you faithfully for many years.

8. Genuine watches are not always problem free. I have a broken genuine omega constellation one genuine cartier that refuses to move sitting in my drawer. I would have to concede that genuine watches are generally more reliable, though the more high-end replicas are often underrated in terms of accuracy and precision too..

9. The person that cares most about the accuracy of a replica watch, is the wearer himself/herself.

10. The worth of any watch, genuine or replica, is determined by the wearer and the wearer alone. A watch with $50 monetary market value may be priceless to someone in terms of sentimental worth.

Awesome post, and excellent points of view, I certainly agree with them If I like the look of a [rep] watch, I'll wear it, regardless of how accurate it actually is to the original