thatkidavid Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 So some background.. I work as as supervisor at a theater and go to school. Obviously I cannot afford a Panerai or Rolex. I just got my first watch (Panerai 111) which I love, and today I decided to wear it to work. I haven't had anyone recognize the brand and my sleeve tends to cover it well. Today though I had a customer recognize the watch on my wrist and ask about it. I instantly froze up when he asked me how long I had owned the Panerai and how I got it. Has anyone had this happen to them? How did you deal with it? What was your response? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwatch Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 Hi, just act natural or talk about the watch. Normally people don´t care/notice at all except for Rolexes. Ask questions, get to know the person better and see where it´s going. Always nice, if You do know about the brand/model You´re just wearing. Anyone can save up for 1 gen, it gets difficult/strange if people/strangers You repeatedly meet, start seeing You with a different, brand new, expensive, shiny one each time. Sooner or later try vintages and retro-looking, those are nice and fine, have history and may always have been given to You. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aflop Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 "Oh this? It's a knock off! I envy you guys being able to afford a gen piece! But this is all I can afford for now.." That should choke them up abit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martijnp Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 Hi, just act natural or talk about the watch. Normally people don´t care/notice at all except for Rolexes. Ask questions, get to know the person better and see where it´s going. Always nice, if You do know about the brand/model You´re just wearing. Anyone can save up for 1 gen, it gets difficult/strange if people/strangers You repeatedly meet, start seeing You with a different, brand new, expensive, shiny one each time. Sooner or later try vintages and retro-looking, those are nice and fine, have history and may always have been given to You. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatkidavid Posted October 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 Hi, just act natural or talk about the watch. Normally people don´t care/notice at all except for Rolexes. Ask questions, get to know the person better and see where it´s going. Always nice, if You do know about the brand/model You´re just wearing. Anyone can save up for 1 gen, it gets difficult/strange if people/strangers You repeatedly meet, start seeing You with a different, brand new, expensive, shiny one each time. Sooner or later try vintages and retro-looking, those are nice and fine, have history and may always have been given to You. Most definitely, the guy seemed chill and wasn't familiar but recognized Panerai as a brand and it's value. We chatted a bit about what makes the watch so nice and cool. I was just curious as to everyone reaction, because im sure it happens to everyone at least once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceejay Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 It's funny but the only time anyone ever noticed what watch I was wearing was in a dingy amusement arcade at the seaside here in the UK. I was waiting for my daughter to finish feeding coppers into a machine and I had my hand up on the machine just resting it there. A total stranger walked over with a complete at utter look of disbelief on he's face, mouth open muttering... "That's a Paul Newman, that's a Paul Newman"! I looked at him, put my finger to my lips and whispered "Shhhhhh" and winked at him. He smiled at me, slowly nodded his head and off he went. Absolute truth. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmpaHimself Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 Once at a car dealership the sales manager asked me about my 177. He said he had a 111 and wondered why I don't have mine on the rubber strap. I then had him pull up the Heroic18 website on his computer and he ordered a strap. We had a good time. It's funny but the only time anyone ever noticed what watch I was wearing was in a dingy amusement arcade at the seaside here in the UK. I was waiting for my daughter to finish feeding coppers into a machine and I had my hand up on the machine just resting it there. A total stranger walked over with a complete at utter look of disbelief on he's face, mouth open muttering... "That's a Paul Newman, that's a Paul Newman"! I looked at him, put my finger to my lips and whispered "Shhhhhh" and winked at him. He smiled at me, slowly nodded his head and off he went. Absolute truth. Hahahahaha! That's a good reaction on your part. That guy probably wet himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 Lie inconsistently and elaborately. Much more fun that way. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
netniet Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 My CEO spotted my Franken Sub on my wrist, and he could see that it was not a genuine Rollie (he has a 1680 and 16610). He didn't care mine was not original, he was really interested how I sourced the parts, and that I build it myself. Just another watch addict. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
droptopman Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 People rarely ask questions about my watches. Generally I just respond honestly. Every once and a while I will run into a fellow watch enthusiast and that is always fun. Most of the people I have had discussions regarding doing builds are amazed. Only ever ran into one snob type and he basically said I was on front street...I could care less, I have owned my share of gens over the years. No shame here. One of my best friends is pretty well off and has a handful of gen Rolex's but is absolutely clueless about watches. He knows I have collected Rolex's most of my life and also knows that I joined a forum of crazy watch builder guys. So he will always ask, did you buy that one or build it? I can hand him one and he still could not tell if its gen or not, even if he had the gen on his wrist. My belief is that he is more like most people who buy high end watches. We are definitely a sub culture of all those who buy watches. Most have no idea even if you hand it to them. Was at a leadership conference this spring and most everyone there was sporting high end pieces. Got into a discussion with a guy wearing a really nice vintage DJ at my lunch table about 16610's and took off my TC and handed it to him. He would not believe me that is was not a gen and he calls himself a watch guy... Quite honestly before I joined the forum I was just like that. I have always loved watches, since I was little kid, but never really knew that much about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bc1221 Posted October 21, 2014 Report Share Posted October 21, 2014 Just emotionally yell "ITS THE BEST I CAN DO ALRIGHT?!?" and storm out 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aero_Dave Posted October 21, 2014 Report Share Posted October 21, 2014 So far, I only had 1 person say something. I was sitting in the waiting room at the eye doctors. I had my arm up on the back of the chair. This guy was sitting there waiting for his wife. He must have noticed my watch from 20 feet away. Because when his wife come out, he got up and as he was leaving and passing me, he just said "Nice Omega". I was wearing my Ploprof. I just said Thanks. Dave... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resistor Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 No. Nobody ever asks me about my watches. The only other enthusiast I know is a coworker but he's new to watches and asks about each different watch I wear out of curiosity. I don't really wear reps outside of the house all that often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chango Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 YES!! It's funny. In my world as a firefighter and a paramedic, I didn't think I would have to worry as long as I wasn't wearing a watch that said ROLEX. As far as I was concerned, it was just a goodlooking watch on my wrist. But then one night we had a get-together and I wore a Panerai. Another medic saw it and totally spazzed out. Turns out he's a watch geek and had been thinking about buying a luxury watch for the longest time. Since then he's been asking me a thousand questions about where to buy Panerais, Rolex watches, what I think about AP's Omegas etc. I have NEVER had to lie about my watches. However, I have not been asked the ultimate question either. I don't think the majority of people really care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billyfras Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 I don't think the majority of people really care. This.^^ The vast majority of people do not have a clue about luxury watches. They may know a Rolex and maybe one or two other brands, but they have no idea how vast the watch world is. Anyway, I haven't been asked, but I've been complimented. Most people wouldn't doubt my reps as they are either on the lower end of the luxury scale or they are unfamiliar brands to most people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chronoluvvv Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 the one time someone asked me about my Rolex was because of the cheap NATO band it was mounted on, LoL i've had people go full retard and try to wrench my wrist off over a blue Navi, an AP Rubens as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GenTLe Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 Once. I was in a bar where I go sometimes, and the owner, who had seen me with many different ones, told me " you know... In case you want to sell one... Let me wear it for some evenings and surely someone will want it". Now, you need to know that I'm really gelous of my tools and stuff. Rarely I accept to borrow even normal hex keys to others unless I really trust them (because my experience told me that too often they disappear or come back damaged). Moreover this guy isn't a proper trusted one, for what I have heard about him. So I opened chrono24 on my phone and showed him the valuation of the gen version of piece I had on my wrist (a super rep Hublot v6.5 Rose gold ceramic bezel, fibre dial), telling him "now you know why I don't permit anyone to wear my watches ". Funnily the rest of the eve he treated me like a kind of superhero 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk14 Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 no they dont ask but when i go to mc donalds with my AP Diver,some people are looking really scared to me, its funny because i am young:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sul Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 (edited) I work in area where lot of my clients have more or less high or higher end watch on wrist`s. I usually wear at work PAM( 44mm) or Cartier Roadster or some other nice looking rep`s of entry level gen watches. Only one client did ask during last 7 y "from where I did got it-" that time on my wrist was BB 6.75. I did notice that some of client will look at my wrist, but then there is no action from my side, I will be/ act as I am usually. If somebody would ask about watch, probably I would tell that its is nice watch, but rep. Don`t like to lie. I had situatuon, somewere else, not in my office, one person was just tapping to may sholder and he did mention something like this: "I have same watch" etc. Then I just nod and that`s it. He did not ask more and he did probably not understod that I did wear a rep. I can today buy a gen entry level high end watch if wanted, ok maybe upper level 10k + is still too much, but price level ~1000-6000 usd is very fine, but I will not buy, becouse WHY?! I love my rep Pam`s and other good quality reps, for me there is no big difference any more is this watch what I wear, gen or good rep. Example-today`s 44mm PAM`s ( my favorite rep) quality is already very good from rep factory`s, I dont see a point to buy a gen any more. I like it as watch, as" designed item x" not as "status symbol". That`s why not interes about gen higer end watch from my side ( and not interest in future also, I am sure), will invest my money in different(hopefully better) way;) I have one "rule" ,when I buy rep`s, I will never buy more expensive watch rep that I could buy in real life... no AP`s no Patek`s, no reps that as gen will cost more that 10k, that is my own "rule":) Edited October 24, 2014 by sul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alterego Posted October 25, 2014 Report Share Posted October 25, 2014 I don't know why should we lie about owning a rep. When talaking to someone about the watch I wear (being this a rep) I tell them right away it's a replica of the famous watch. Generally people are be very kind and tell me they like the watch and eventually they'll say thing a replica than no watch at all. ey love to have one just like it. That's the end of the conversation. In other ocasions the one asking the question will show surprise at my open confession that I'm wearing a rep. These are the people who will never understand the fact that for many people t's more rewarding having a high end replica than no watch at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted October 25, 2014 Report Share Posted October 25, 2014 Just emotionally yell "ITS THE BEST I CAN DO ALRIGHT?!?" and storm out Or, being in New Jersey for a few weeks, a reply "Dunno, I got it off a dead guy" seems appropriate too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemonpark Posted November 22, 2014 Report Share Posted November 22, 2014 I work at a Casino here in Australia and I work in the VIP and VVIP sections. I never used to wear my rep AP ROO Diver (super rep) because most of the people that are in the salons that I deal in would know that it's an expensive watch or even my super rep Panerai 299 which are the only 2 rep watches I have. I normally only wear my ceramic armani watch that my mum bough for me as a birthday present. That being said, I see ALOT of people at my work wearing rep watches, I'm walking about the players here, people betting 1k-10k per hand (on baccarat). That is when I am in the VIP main floor area and Ive seen Quartz Hublot's and rollies. but by far the worst I saw was one woman that was wearing a rep Nautilus (it was Quartz) and she was betting 50k-100k per hand. That being said, I've seen my share of gen watches too, lots of rolex's a few AP's Hublot's, PP's and even saw a Richard Mille once. and see a lot of Tourbillon's but don't know what brand they are. I think the nicest watch I've seen is a Hublot Big Bang Classic. just had hours, mins, seconds. black dial face with silver hour marking, the bezel was rose gold and the case was silver with a black rubber strap, I really want to find a super rep of that. my favourite watch so far, I see that patron often and he's always wearing it, it goes with a suit nicely but can also be worn casually, I love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redroom Posted November 23, 2014 Report Share Posted November 23, 2014 I get asked about my watches all the time. I live in NYC/Manhattan and work for a bank so I would expect it. Nobody has ever asked me where I got it or if it's real so I just go along with it. One guy at work asked me quite a bit about my tudor black bay. I was surprised he knew the watch. He asked if the crystal was sapphire and seemed really impressed when I said that it was haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canybo Posted January 4, 2015 Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 I once had to sell a gen Patek Philippe which was owned by my mom's aunt who had passed away. I went into one of the most well known jewlers in the country to have it appraised. At the time I was wearing a rep Chopard 1000 miglia. I sat down with the appraiser for a good 15min while he examined the Patek and gave me the quote. When I left he complemented me for the Chopard which he always liked and even pointed to a gen on sale in the shop. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kingfrog Posted January 4, 2015 Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 Which is why when it comes to Rolex and Breitling I will wear the gen. They are the most obvious watches people know about and they WILL ask about them.I tell them i bought a rep before buying the real thing to see if I liked it. Which is true however I bought a date SUB with the glide lock clasp. Did not like the Cyclops but loved the clasp so I bought a gen 2014 ND Sub. I don't wear the rep. In fact I am likely going to throw it away. It is illegal to sell and I don't want to give to to someone who could get hurt if they flash it around in the wrong places. No one would know if I wore a Rep because they see what I drive and know me. But I WOULD KNOW and that makes it uncomfortable for me to wear a $30,000 rep of a watch I would never buy. There really isn't a replica of the feeling one has wearing the real thing. Even if people thinks it's fake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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