Work in progress, improvements/suggestions welcome

[Sogeha]

Okay, we are trying to make it easier for new members to get the hang of the forum and the rep world and are looking to send a welcome message to all new sign ups with links to useful information. I am intending this to be a 101 on rep buying. Any improvements or suggestions from members would be greatly appreciated. Let's make this guide the best one out there

 

 

So you are new or relatively new to replica watches. It seemed so simple, you just fancied a nice replica, but then you quickly came across terms and descriptions you didn't understand. Here is a short introduction to help you decide what you want.

 

Lets start with a little myth busting

 

1) There are no AAAAA plus replicas. The term is a marketing ploy and has no real meaning 

2) No replica watches are made in Switzerland and any site that claims so is lying and therefore not a good place to consider purchasing from. If they lie about that, what else are they deceiving you on?

3) There are no 1:1 copies. There are some very, very good replicas that take an expert and serious magnification to tell, but there are always tells. Always.

4) We do not recommend our TDs because we get a kick back on purchases. We get nothing from our TDs

 

So where does that leave us. Well a site you found on an internet search that has no TD status on any of the replica watch fora, may or may not send you a watch. Some are scam sites pure and simple. Many use pictures of genuine watches, then send you a low quality copy. Often they are more expensive than our TDs anyway. Dealers all source their watches from the same place, so if a site claims to be able to get a watch that is unavailable anywhere else alarm bells should start ringing. We insist our TDs use photographs of the replicas they are selling, not genuine. We expect certain standards of business and can help to some extent if something goes wrong. 

 

Replica watches are for the most part made made in China, with a few high end parts and watches being made elsewhere, notably Vietman.

 

We talk about factories to distinguish different makers, but don't get too hung up on what the na,es mean. These are not factories as we tend to think of them. These are counterfeit goods and the factories are more like small and secret workshops. So no all those sites claiming to be the Noob factory have no affiliation with the Noob factory, which keeps a very low profile and the dealer who works most closely with them is a TD right here.

 

A good place to start is to read something about the genuine watch you are interested in. Often their are production changes and variations in the genuine, study a few pictures and save them on your hard drive to compare with the rep. Remember you may need to know the exact model or reference number. The Submariner has been marketed in many different forms over the years. The current one for example is 116610 in stainless steel

 

Then learn about the replicas available. For popular watches there may be a few versions, each with plus and minus points. Our search engine isn't great, but if you use google and add RWG.cc to the search parameters it will do a grand job of searching our forum for you. 

 

Movement reference numbers in replicas, seem designed to confuse. A3135, SH3135, SA3135 and so on. Let's start with a common misconception about Swiss movements. The Chinese copies of ETA movements are very good. All things being equal a Swiss ETA, would still be better, so should you pay extra for a watch with a Swiss eta? Well unfortunately all things are not equal. For some years the Swatch group has seriously limited the availability of new ETA movements. Although they are somewhat easier to buy now, it is extremely likely that a replica watch with a Swiss movement will have a used unit pulled from an old watch and repaired with a mix of secondhand are Chinese parts. If a Swiss movement is really something you want, buy from the dealer with the Chinese copy and upgrade with a Swiss movement from a reputable supplier. They are a direct swap, because apart from the finish of the parts and quality of materials used, they are basically identical. On Rolex models the movements used are the 2824 and 2836, the Chinese clones are usually A2824 and A2836. An A3135 is a Chinese ETA copy with decoration to make it look a little similar to the Rolex 3136 calibre.

 

That leaves SA3135 which is physically the same size as the Rolex movement in all dimensions including the hand sizes. This means, if you wish and have the money, you can fit a genuine Rolex movement in the case. However this movement gained a reputation for unreliability and although now much improved, there are no spare parts available.

 

The SH3135 is much more interesting in that it is a clone of the Rolex movement. There are only a couple of parts that are not directly interchangeable with Rolex parts or indeed aftermarket Swiss made Rolex parts.