To: rep veterans

[Malkovich]

Hi all,

I I'm fairly new to reps, so hoping you might have some words of wisdom for a new guy.

What would you do over again in terms of your rep hobby, with the lessons you've learned now.

For me (at least with gen watches). I'd trust the buyer before the watch. I'd find my "niche" to narrow down my search and what would otherwise likely end in a direction-less collection.

Thanks in advance.

[pcardoza]

While I'm not really a "veteran", I've bought some 20 watches since discovering this hobby back around the first of this year.    I jumped in after a little research and bought a half dozen watches in the first 2 months.   I was so concerned about receiving junk, that I went for the highest price swiss version of whatever watch I was buying.    Probably a bit of a waste of money.   Got a blue dial, half gold sub from Andrew and paid $500.   Probably ended up wearing it 6 or 7 times when I finally came to the conclusion that subs are just too small for my personal taste.   Sold it recently for $300.   :-(

 

My most recent purchases have been Asian movements @ 28800, and I have been just as impressed with those as with my older swiss pieces.   The savings has been substantial.

 

Find the type/size/style of watch you like, then research the heck out of it here and ask questions.   If you post questions, but have obviously done your homework up front, members will gladly share the amazing amount of knowledge they have with you.    Remember, if you make a mistake and end up with something you don't like, there's plenty of opportunity for a M2M sale to recoup a good portion of your money.

 

Lastly, I would suggest you pick a TD or two to deal with and stick with them.   Once you build a history and rapport with a TD, you will be much more likely to receive special service when something goes wrong.    Personally, I have stuck with Andrew and Toro.   They have both treated me very well and I have no desire to go elsewhere at this point.   

 

And lastly......  Become a VIP member if you aren't already.

[freddy333]

Avoid reps with "gold" (it fades or rubs off), "jewels" (always look fake) or alot of complications (features that do not quite 'look' right).

The more details on a rep, the more likely it looks like a rep; the simpler (fewer features), the more likely it will pass as genuine (gen). & read Toad's guide.

[tomhorn]

I would not have started.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seriously.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I came to the rep boards because I really wanted a Rolex 16710, but couldn't justify the price. Found out that there really wasn't a good rep of it, so bought several others that were always at the top of the 'best rep lists'. Then I decided those weren't good enough, and started building frankens. I now have enough money wrapped up in projects in various states of completion that I could probably have paid for a 16710 and have just been done with it. I frequently question whether or not I will finish everything I am working on, sell off the lot, and buy the 16710.

[dbane883]

I too have been at this long enough that I could have (and I have anyways) purchased several gens given all the tools, parts etc that I have purchased over the years.

 

If I had to do it all over again, knowing that I know now,  I would save up and buy used gen watches only.  Sure you may not be able to afford a gen 5517 milsub or 666 Comex, but at least a gen 5513 sub or 16600 is within grasp for most guys that have a stable job.   And if those are not within your grasp, then I think trying to carry off a vintage Paul Newman Daytona rep is a bit of a stretch and you wont be fooling anyone who knows what to look for.

[ceejay]

Vintage is where it's at.

When you first touch down here you go for a 'quick fix' nice modern rep that's very gen like. Then you pick up maybe one or two more, then you start looking at the incredible vintage builds that go on around here...the adventure begins.

This is when you really begin to learn, start acquiring 'bits' start hunting the internet for that missing piece(s) learn the history of the watch and the subtle differences that change over time. Begin to acquire tools, start experimenting on ageing techniques, collect reference photo's, start sending PM's & e-mails to cross reference theories.

Sell your first watches to pay for a gen insert or similar begin emptying the wallet, start robbing banks...

 

And then before you know it (as has been said) you could have bought a couple of nice gen watches...but that's boring!

Edited September 17, 2014 by ceejay

[droptopman]

Not been here long, but have purchased over 20+ pieces in 9 months and spent well over 10K on watches and builds.  Similar to others, I found the forum doing research on a modern gen Rolex.  Had a nice budget set aside for a new Ceramic Submariner to replace my existing model.  I have been wearing gen Rolex's since the 80's but generally buy one and wear it daily, then trade it in on a new one every few years.  I have always loved Rolex's but really cannot justify having more than 1 watch of that value at a time.

 

There are so many models I have always liked but have not had on the wrist.  Initially, I thought this hobby would provide me the opportunity to try out different models and see how I like them at a much reduced cost.  I never really know if I love a piece until I wear it around a bit.  I had no idea I would spend as much time here as I do.  I really enjoy the hobby and the community.  I have really learned a lot about time pieces and especially Rolex history and I have met some really great and knowledgeable people.

 

Through this process my tastes change back and forth and I want different models.  I am pretty torn between the vintage and modern pieces, seem to like them both.  I agree with what others have said, I could easily have bought a gen or two in the time here, but would not have learned what I have.  I am shopping for another gen currently and I will sell off some of my reps, but I do not think I will leave here or the hobby.  Some of the reps I will never sell as I have too much time and money in them.  

Main problem now is deciding what gen......

 

Don't know that I would have done anything different, cannot learn without experiencing things some times. 

[Nightwatch]

++ on vintages. Start straight away with vintages and vintage builds on the one hand,

care less about minor details and buy more of the cheaper 6497 and 21j ones

to try out and have nice beaters on the other hand.

Get 3 Seikos and a Steinhart first. Give more importance to sourcing good straps.

Maybe get 1 or 2 used gens instead of super-reps. Definitely if living in Conus, less so in the EU.

 

All put together it´s a journey and You don´t get to one without the other,

"watch-wise" have never been so happy and definitely better off with all the

knowledge and the rep-collection than stuck with 1 or 2 gens bought 

overpriced from the AD in my country instead.

 

At least now I know exactly the gens I would go for and be happy with.

[automatico]

Take a few weeks or months to decide what you really like.

Brand.

Style...sporty or dressy.

Modern or vintage.

China, japan, or swiss movement, original or clone.

Quartz, manual wind, or automatic.

Bracelet or strap.

Plastic, MG, or sapphire crystal.

Etc, etc.

 

Narrow it down to about three, do not go on a buying spree.

Hope for the best but prepare for disappointment.

Maintain a sense of humor about watches in general and replicas in particular.  

[Mike on a bike]

Vintage buy M2M or as Tom says don't start!!

[droptopman]

+1 on what Nightwated stated. It certainly has narrowed down my thought process on what I really like and what gens I will buy. Always liked simple dials and prefer no date on sport models.

One mistake I made is buying reps of gens I never considered before. There was a reason I had not thought of buying the gen, generally because I don't like something on it. Bought 3 or 4 just to see and of course sold them quickly at a loss.

Sent from my droptop using telepathy.

[Malkovich]

One mistake I made is buying reps of gens I never considered before. There was a reason I had not thought of buying the gen, generally because I don't like something on it. Bought 3 or 4 just to see and of course sold them quickly at a loss.

Thanks. I'm going through the same thing now. I'd been looking at rep Cartiers, but the gens don't do one bit for me.

[coffindodger]

Heres my 2p,s worth.

ok you have in mind what you like but then over a short time you will see others on the forum and on sales that you like. Put aside a budget like £1000 buy a couple then maybe another or 2 then you will see something else, then 1 of your watches will not look so nice so you sell it on M2M and put the money towards another watch but of better quality.

Thats how we all start

go for it and have fun if your not stupid with money you can have a lot of good times buying and selling.OK you get a stinker now or then but don't you in any bobby?

[hiker01]

I won't changed a bit. It was hell of a joyride......learned so much! This place is a "WatchPedia" or "WatchWiki"?

 

Your taste would change....before I discovered REPs, I was in GEN Tags and Rollie Subs and GMT, some Guccis, Seikos, Citizens, got into Invictas and Swiss Legends to stretch the budget.....

 

......and then I discovered this mine field. Damn, it's a black hole if you love watches (it sucks your $$$$)......and then I discovered PAMs and APs...and the whole freaken line of Luxury brands.

 

And then your taste starts to dial back and you get into Vintages.....Daytonas, very early PAMs/Rolex.....and now I'm stuck with the early year purchase that I don't know what to do with them....

 

I'm not so active here anymore, but I'm here lurking every time I get a chance....

 

Hell of a ride and missing some of the old members (not in age ).

[panerai153]

It's been a fun ride for me. I've been buying, selling and trading watches since way back before most of you were born, late 60's. couldn't afford but one at a time, so I started with a no date Airking, then a DJ, then a 1680. By that time I had a pretty good job, school was done, and I started buying here and there, did some "horse trading" for a couple of Day/dates a S/S Daytona (boy do I wish I had that one back!!) got into reps, of a roundabout, one of my friends wanted a Rolex, but couldn't afford a genuine. Back then, if you lived outside of the big cities, your only source was ads in the back of magazines. I found one, ordered the watch, got it and it was a pretty crappy rep, but he loved it! Didn't buy another one for around 10 years, by then the internet was in it's infancy,of course the scam sites were right behind the grand opening of the internet. I came across the old TRC, joined and pretty soon, I was into reps in a big way. Still am! Right now I have around 40 watches, about evenly balanced between reps and gens. Almost every rep watch I own has been modded.To me that's the fun of the whole deal. I love the hunt, finding parts, getting everything together and then enjoying the finished product.i will say reps

have come a looooong way from the first rep Rolex I bought way back years ago. The biggest positive with those older reps, was the movement. If you ordered an ETA movement, you got an ETA movement. It may have been dirty and dry, but you got what you paid for.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Malkovich]

It's been a fun ride for me. I've been buying, selling and trading watches since way back before most of you were born, late 60's. couldn't afford but one at a time, so I started with a no date Airking, then a DJ, then a 1680. By that time I had a pretty good job, school was done, and I started buying here and there, did some "horse trading" for a couple of Day/dates a S/S Daytona (boy do I wish I had that one back!!) got into reps, of a roundabout, one of my friends wanted a Rolex, but couldn't afford a genuine. Back then, if you lived outside of the big cities, your only source was ads in the back of magazines. I found one, ordered the watch, got it and it was a pretty crappy rep, but he loved it! Didn't buy another one for around 10 years, by then the internet was in it's infancy,of course the scam sites were right behind the grand opening of the internet. I came across the old TRC, joined and pretty soon, I was into reps in a big way. Still am! Right now I have around 40 watches, about evenly balanced between reps and gens. Almost every rep watch I own has been modded.To me that's the fun of the whole deal. I love the hunt, finding parts, getting everything together and then enjoying the finished product.i will say reps

have come a looooong way from the first rep Rolex I bought way back years ago. The biggest positive with those older reps, was the movement. If you ordered an ETA movement, you got an ETA movement. It may have been dirty and dry, but you got what you paid for.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Wow, hell of a ride. Noticed you also dive. Just got my done with my OWC.

[Malkovich]

Just want to say thanks for your replies.