Original vs Replica? What is the difference really?

[gasebah]

I am missing one important aspect in the discussion. Of course if you pay for a gen you do not only pay for the production of the watch itself. You buy into much more. You buy into the marketing, the design, the invention of the movement, the whole building up of he brand. This is actually work and intellectual property that has inflicted a lot cost in the past and is still today you have to pay as well. It also feeds a lot of people in the western world. The rep makers have to steal all this in order to even do business in the first place. There has to be a Rolex or Audemars first before you can copy it. Keeping that out of the equation and than make a rep to gen comparision is pretty unfair to the rep makers. They are hard working people as well and not some Gurus living off the confusion of some misguided disciples. I find it pretty hypocrit to buy reps and at the same time pretend that one is not attracted by the prestige and live style message of the gen brands. After all one could buy orginal chinese brands. There are some out there you know. Of course I am not the right person to preach moral here as I have my share of reps myself. But at least we should be aware of that and be fair enough to accept reality.

-Alex

Edited for typos only....

Edited May 13, 2012 by gasebah

[TeeJay]

Gens aren't worth the inflated pricetag. Yes, there is a dfference in build quality between reps and gens, but not enough IMHO to justify the difference in price. I'd bet shit to gold that if someone was to stop someone randomly on the street, show them a rep and a gen, they would not be able to tell which was which other than the 50:50 luck of the draw guess, and probably wouldn't notice the differences until they were pointed out to them. As for leaving a rep to a child... If it was a franken, it is still a watch which dad build, or even if just an OOTB rep, it is still dad's watch... That's the same sentimental value as a gen would have, just not the same resale value (and I think people who only consider resale value on anything are just wankers) How about OJ Simpson's Rolex? So what if it was a replica?It was still OJ Simpson's watch, and got it's value simply from that memorabelia aspect, but simply couldn't be sold due to the laws against selling counterfeit items... Not that I'm a fan of The Juice (I cheered when he got the shit kicked out of him by some punk in prison) I'm simply using that as an example of attached or perceived value transcending the cost price or even nature of the item... As I've said before, I was raised poor, and don't deny that I have a huge dislike of people who excessively flash their money about (I wouldn't call it a chip on my shoulder, I would describe myself more as a reverse snob who dislikes ostentatious and vulgar behaviour) but if I was to have the funds available for gens, I would still buy reps to get better value for money. Wearing a Submariner (or any other rep I've owned over the years) doesn't make me feel like a Big Man, it makes me quite rightly feel like I am wearing 'a nice watch'. When I want to 'dress down', I wear my 1655 on a leather fatstrap, which if gen, would be worth way more than the Submariner, and the DateJust, which I wear if I'm wearing smarter clothes, yet it doesn't scream for attention... It's all about perception and personal opinions

[TonyUK]

iv'e had a Rado on my wrist for 23 yrs... i love it more than i do my wife....which isn't that hard.................. however.... it's had more parts replaced over the years than Maddona.....

which means........... after a real close look............it looks a little bit dodgy....