Tudor 76100 - Go Gen or Build a Rep?

[hanski]

I’ve become really interested in the Tudor 76100 Submariner. There’s something about the triangular indexes and a lollipop hour hand that really catches my eye. 

 

 

So my question to the group at large, is it worth it in gen or should I build a rep? 

 

It seems a gen can be found for $4k - $6k, some with diver bracelet, some without. 

 

On the other hand, I could build a pretty nice rep for $1400: 

- Vietnam case, crystal, case back, bezel, insert, bracelet, and crown

- Yuki dial and Tudor rotor

- Gen ETA 2824-2

- Yuki hands, modified to be lollipop 

 

I could probably even shave off some cost by using a JKF Snowflake case and case back. 

 

I’m keen on making sure it’s a good looking watch, durable, reliable, and water resistant. I don’t doubt I could build it to be that way. 

 

All that said, I waver between gen and rep. I like saving money. But I also like the idea of having a gen if it’s worth the extra money. A gen has the potential of a lifetime of value (and I think the 76100 is an overlooked reference in the Tudor collection). 

 

Anyways, look forward to your thoughts. 

 

[Sbybbuser]

I will go with gen in this case.
With the rep, you will definitely lose money when selling. Anything above USD1000 is a slow mover. Plus, the rule is to sell at a loss.
With gen, i believe that the price will keep increasing. And there is always the feeling of you are wearing gen.


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[hanski]

10 hours ago, Sbybbuser said:

I will go with gen in this case.
With the rep, you will definitely lose money when selling. Anything above USD1000 is a slow mover. Plus, the rule is to sell at a loss.
With gen, i believe that the price will keep increasing. And there is always the feeling of you are wearing gen.


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Thanks! I should  consider resale - I wasn’t. I kind of hoped I could hold this one for a loooong time. 

I have been thinking about these two statements when I pass the watch on to my son: 

“It a genuine...” 

or

”I built this...” 

I suppose the second statement will need a qualifier, “it’s a replica.” 

 

[Lo']

My 2ç on the subject as the proud owner of a few gens and a couple of replicas:

1) Gen is gen. Preservation of worth is obviously much better and, in some cases, your piece value will increase with time.

2) On the other hand building your own watch has got a somewhat romantic flavour. That piece might be the replica of a production model, but it will nonetheless be special because your work, passion, time, attention to detail, study, patience and whatnot will be in there. Some builds have litterally taken years to complete and, during all that time, the owner has gone through countless hours of enjoyment, elation, frustration etc. There's not an ounce of that in the gen you pay and carry away.

3) Often times a gen piece will have its own story, which might not be relevant or worth mentioning in any way, but it will have been loved by someone, passed on, sold, bought, re-sold until it landed on your wrist. Patina does not only come from time.

I could go on and on but the short story is that in my opinion it does not matter whether the piece on your wrist is genuine or a replica, it all boils down to what it represents for you. If you are all for the practical aspects of owning a vintage watch you will be able to resell to, at least, get back what you paid for it go gen you can't get wrong. If like me, you also consider the "hidden value" of something which is unique because you had a part in creating it, gen paradoxically won't be enough to satisfy you.

 

[hanski]

1 minute ago, Lo' said:

My 2ç on the subject as the proud owner of a few gens and a couple of replicas:

1) Gen is gen. Preservation of worth is obviously much better and, in some cases, your piece value will increase with time.

2) On the other hand building your own watch has got a somewhat romantic flavour. That piece might be the replica of a production model, but it will nonetheless be special because your work, passion, time, attention to detail, study, patience and whatnot will be in there. Some builds have litterally taken years to complete and, during all that time, the owner has gone through countless hours of enjoyment, elation, frustration etc. There's not an ounce of that in the gen you pay and carry away.

3) Often times a gen piece will have its own story, which might not be relevant or worth mentioning in any way, but it will have been loved by someone, passed on, sold, bought, re-sold until it landed on your wrist. Patina does not only come from time.

I could go on and on but the short story is that in my opinion it does not matter whether the piece on your wrist is genuine or a replica, it all boils down to what it represents for you. If you are all for the practical aspects of owning a vintage watch you will be able to resell to, at least, get back what you paid for it go gen you can't get wrong. If like me, you also consider the "hidden value" of something which is unique because you had a part in creating it, gen paradoxically won't be enough to satisfy you.

 

Thanks Lo', I appreciate your sentiments.

 

1. A gen's worth seems fairly consistent - agreed. I also appreciate the prospect of the precision in a gen compared with the lack thereof in rep parts. 

 

2. I really relate to the enjoyment of building, modding, tweaking, and servicing my own builds. Sure, they aren't perfect but it sure is fun to push them towards perfection and enjoy the process along the way. I'm also super-enthusiastic about modding the affordable parts to be as good as they can be. I suspect it's a lot like building a Shelby kit vs buying a vintage Shelby - the process of building is very fun. 

 

3. I like the story of, "I built this." And, actually, my family gets a kick out of it too. They're impressed I'm able to work on movements, build watches, and have them work/look good. My son wants me to build him a watch now - a square one with green, blue, and gold...not sure what that is yet. 

 

Anyways, I only own affordable vintage gens (Junghans Max Bill, Waltham FSSC-88-W-800, 1940's Wittnauer Military) and I will say that they satisfy the desire to own a piece of history. They were built with design ideology or to commanding specifications. They represent a snapshot in horological history and craft. Would I like to own some of the other snapshots (Blancpain Mil-Spec 1, Tudor 7928, Rolex 5512, etc), yes. Can I afford those? No. I'm trying to sort through the 76100 will scratch some of that itch to own a genuine piece of history (is it significant enough to scratch that itch, I'm not sure) or if simply building an interesting iteration in the evolution of Tudor's is what I'm really looking for. 

 

Thanks again for the thoughts! 

[DVNE]

I totally forgot i built one of these. Its been sitting in my drawer ever since i got my 94010 franken built. This is in a 94110 case. It has a swiss eta 2824 with the correct hard to find serif font date wheel.

 

[jimcon11]

How much do you plan to wear it? Do you want something worth $4-6k on your wrist most of the time, liable to be damaged, lost, or stolen? Would the stress of keeping it safe overpower the satisfaction that it's an original? The great thing about good reps is they can be built to the same ruggedness and durability as gen, and can be worn hard, as intended, without the feeling that you're tearing up a piece of history. 

 

On the other hand, if you intend it more as a family heirloom to pass on to your son, then nothing beats the real thing. I think it's hard to perceive something as valuable and meaningful when it might also be considered "fake" to many people.

 

I love the really early Tudor subs, 7922, 7923, 7924, 7928, so my decision here would obviously be to build a rep, as gen-like as possible.

Edited September 6, 2018 by jimcon11