I really like reps but sometimes i feel bad

[xxmanxx]

I really love the way the watches like the rolex submariner look, but sadley i cant afford one becuase im a poor college student. But i really appreciate the beauty and design of them, so i bought a pretty nice rep but sometimes i feel bad, i dont want to tell people its fake so i tell them its real. But if i walk in a rolex store i always feel a little demoralized and i would never even think of having my rep on when walking into a real rolex store. Do you guys ever feel bad when thinking about your reps compared to the real thing, and what do you do when people ask if its real because if its someone i dont care about asks i just wave it off and tell them its real but i dont want to tell people im close to that its fake but i dont want them to think its real and im a reall y rich in person.

[sgtguk]

You must be shaking that piece right in front of their noses mate to get asked often whether its real or not     if it's the No date Ceramic your talking about then it's perhaps the wrong choice for you and you should try something else instead, but above all don't put yourself in a position where your lying to your friends and feeling bad about it, be straight up and tell them it's a rep    

 

Either that or buy an Invicta.............      

[xxmanxx]

Yea it is the no date ceramic and i love it. But i dont really wave it in peoples faces but a pretty watch will get noticed. You know your sitting down eating or something and they notice and ask. I guess its my age that makes people more curious if its real or not though.

[simon05]

+1 what sgt said. Dude, sometimes the "if you've got it, flaunt it" expression doesn't apply. Don't get caught up trying to impress people with material possessions, that they know you can't afford. Just enjoy your piece for what it is - an inexpensive replica of something you desire, but can't afford............yet. If anyone asks if it's gen, be straight with them. What does it say about you, if you are lying to people, to try & impress them? I won't buy anything that is a rep of mega-expensive gens, that I would never be able to afford, on what I make. I opt for stuff that are reps of gens that I could afford, if I really wanted to. Just my opinion. :-)

[sgtguk]

Yea it is the no date ceramic and i love it. But i dont really wave it in peoples faces but a pretty watch will get noticed. You know your sitting down eating or something and they notice and ask. I guess its my age that makes people more curious if its real or not though.

 

I agree it's a nice piece mate, I must be looking old I reckon cause no one asks me about my watches     most of my friends know I collect watches and I also have a 'thing' for reps too but they wouldn't know which was Gen or Rep if I asked them tbh. I showed a mate my 029 a few weeks back and he was gobsmacked by the quality, he is/was going to drop 9k on a gen up to that point............don't over think your reps mate after all they are only watches   

[panerai153]

I do look old, because I am!!! I never had any problems with my watches, if someone asks me if it's real, I generally say it's one I made using gen parts. However, i believe I've been asked abiout twice in the past 15 years. If you are too young, and/or too poor to carry off a genuine Rolex, then you may have a credibility problem. If someone asks if it's "Real" my answer would be sure it's real. It may not be a "Real" Rolex, but it is a real watch.the second part of your answer is optional on your part.

[xpletiv]

Plus,think how you'll feel after being 'jumped' for that real fakey.

[StormTooper4]

The best bit of advice in circumstances like these I heard was " the people that care don't matter and the people that matter don't care ". I recently purchased another rep and it cost the 10th of the price of the gen. It's bonkers to place such value on the majority gen watches ,seriously worry not.

[SCM]

This can be a tough one. It's been discussed here before but a lot of it is where you are in life. Would you think something was "off" if one of your fellow broke college buddies was wearing a $7000 dollar watch yet can't afford good beer? It seems off because it is off.

With that being said..wear what you like. Tell them it's a nice piece you purchased from a watchmaker friend. You don't have to tell them it's real or fake..they'll stop listening after the first sentence of explaining it, especially if it's a franken. Wear a watch because you like it, not because it represents status.

A lot of it I think has to do with the poor college student theory. People inquire because something doesn't add up. I noticed a DSSD on the person who took my order at McDonald's the other day. I never questioned it or cared but it did pique my interest because of the scenario. I have a good job and make ok money and am in my 30s. Not once has anyone so much as mentioned my watch let alone asked a single question about it. This I think is for two reasons: first and foremost, they simply don't care about watches in general and especially don't care about my watch in particular. Lastly, I think my watch makes "sense". I only mean it makes sense in that the age:profession:income:watch ratio all seems to add up.

Bottom line, do what you like and be proud of your rep. Wear it well my friend.

[JKDDUDE]

I think that your being conflicted means you're a good person. Tell them what you like -- If you trust them, take it off, hand it to them. Then ask them if they think it's real or not. They will be impressed for sure if you tell them it's a good rep. Lying obviously is not for you, so be honest:)

[hansmeier]

I'm proud of wearing my reps, and all of my friends and colleagues are knowing that my watches are reps because I told them. And really, they admire me for my possibilities and knowledge for getting high quality reps from the other side of the planet, so many asked me to get them also a decent rep... The forum, the TDs, high quality reps, the whole procedure, this is a really fascinating shadow world, nearly nobody knows about these things - they only know about the cheap crap reps which you can buy at the beach or in Canal street. So you can tell interesting stories to your good friends, and for sure they will be fascinated about your rep know-how.

[panerai153]

" Lastly, I think my watch makes "sense". I only mean it makes sense in that the age:profession:income:watch ratio all seems to add up"

 

I believe that this is a very succinct way of putting it. plug in the values and if they add up, then you are going to be fine, otherwise you are suspect. Just like the counter guy at McDonalds, no way that kid is going to be able to afford a DSSD, unless his parents/grandparents gave it to him as a present, his father owns the McDonalds and he's making the kid work at the store.So even though it may be genuine, without knowing the facts, your automatic conclusion is "That guy can't afford a 7k watch, thus it's a fake. On the flip side, they see and old guy like me who has a very good job, good income, nice house, etc. I'm wearing a Rolex 1665, or 1680, or whatever, because of the equation above that folks run through their heads in a nano second, the conclusion is the watch is genuine because the guy can afford It. Now were I wearing a Richard Mille like Nadal's watch that cost 600K, more than likely folks would say, even though he's doing OK, he ain't doing that OK, thus it's fake!!

 

My last response to this is, no one cares!! most people are too busy with their own life, their own problems to notice. this is something you will come to realize as you get older. Trying to impress others is a lesson in futility, best left to the wannabees who flock to all the "latest and greatest clubs, fads, you name it. Wear what you want, drive what you want, because it's what you want, not what you think others want or others think you want.  
 

[sgtguk]

'My last response to this is, no one cares!! most people are too busy with their own life, their own problems to notice. this is something you will come to realize as you get older. Trying to impress others is a lesson in futility, best left to the wannabees who flock to all   the "latest and greatest clubs, fads, you name it. Wear what you want, drive what you want, because it's what you want, not what you think others want or others think you want.'  

 

Well I couldn't have put it better myself    

[freddy333]

To begin with, you should not be wearing a rep into a Rolex store (AD). Have you read RWG's Rules in the Introduction forum? In some areas, you may be risking legal trouble by doing so since reps are considered illegal contraband in most countries &, if the staff or another customer IDs your rep, you come off as a poser.

That said, we have all been there, so I get it. I would tell friends/family the truth. Never good to lie to people who matter to you. For everyone else, why not purchase a good, ETA-powered rep & then learn about who ETA is & how they rank, performance-wise, versus Rolex's movement (hint - they are pretty close). Then, when a stranger asks about your watch, instead of lying or telling them it is just a replica (which most will interpret as a 'fake Rolex'), you can dazzle them with details about ETA being a venerable, old Swiss ebauch manufacture & how your watch's case is made of the same type of steel that Rolex used to use in the 60s (as are most of the better reps), etc. That way, instead of coming off as just another know-nothing poser, you appear to be a knowledgeable & discriminating watch collector of limited means.

Of course, you could always just start saving a few dollars/week to put toward the purchase of a used gen Rolex later this year or next & your problem is solved.

[hansmeier]

The best answer for anybody questioning if the watch if fake or real I read on the forums: "it is ticking , it tells the time, so yeah, it's a real watch"...

[Bidle]

It is fake and nothing more,.... How to deal with it is entirely up to you!! If you feel better showing it off as a gen; go ahead! If not; don't!

[fraggle42]

Telling people a fake is a gen says something about you. What it says really depends how old you are, young people like to try to impress others in their peer group and will do lots of daft things to do so, older people have grown out of that and just do things to satisfy themselves.

 

I'm middle aged, and have never really tried to influence what others think about me, I come as I am and that's it! I love reps because I love them, not because I think they make me look good. I know I can't polish a turd (those of you who have seen that episode of Mythbusters, shutup!!)

 

I tell people they're fakes, show them the watches, chat about how the rep market has vastly changed from 20 years ago, chat about the good points (exterior, looks, price) and the bad points (un-serviced movements, stopwatches that you have to remember never to reset when running, never change the date between 10pm and 2am, customs, etc), it's all good. I've only just got my first few reps in the past couple of months but I've always found the people have been interested in what we chat about.

[zackyh]

I think it really depends on how you want to present yourself.

 

For me I would tell my really close friends those are a Rep 

[browngo1]

If someone asks if my rep is a gen, I tell them the truth. If they don't ask they can think what they like.

[automatico]

A young guy wearing a 'high grade' replica may be able to pull it off. Probably need to stay with models under $10k retail.

A middle aged/older guy with a 'high grade' replica can get by just about every time...unless he looks like a bum and drives a $500 car.

 

A young guy with a blatant fake may be tagged as a poser...especially if they claim it is genuine.

A middle aged/older guy with a blatant fake may be seen as not caring about watches, having a sense of humor, or got screwed on the watch.

 

Replica watch rule #1:

Tell the truth or be quiet, never claim a replica is genuine.

 

Q..."Is that watch real?"

A..."It must be if you can see it."  

All my replicas are fake.

Edited March 17, 2013 by automatico

[indywatchguy]

I'm proud of wearing my reps, and all of my friends and colleagues are knowing that my watches are reps because I told them. And really, they admire me for my possibilities and knowledge for getting high quality reps from the other side of the planet, so many asked me to get them also a decent rep... The forum, the TDs, high quality reps, the whole procedure, this is a really fascinating shadow world, nearly nobody knows about these things - they only know about the cheap crap reps which you can buy at the beach or in Canal street. So you can tell interesting stories to your good friends, and for sure they will be fascinated about your rep know-how.

Well put hans! I totally agree!