Calling all the olde timers(get it) :-).........check in

[Birdman]

Wow, just did a drive by, haven't been here forever.  Still selling watch and jewelry tools.  
Don't look down on me as I have been rocking an Iwatch.  Still have some reps.

 

Birdman

[frankt]

Just made it to 80 yrs old...Dug out my old Ploprov....Can't even remember what was wrong with it....Still seems to run ok though..Still got my box of junk(reps) on the shelf...prices have gone crazy again...

[By-Tor]

I'm still around sometimes. 

 

I miss the old days of RWG. People were satisfied with very shitty reps and they were cheap.

 

We bought $100 stuff from Paul's "CARZY SALE" (sic) and were happy. It didn't have to be a $2000 franken build back then.

 

Then there was TTK and the flame wars. I don't even remember all those regular names anymore, it's been so long.

 

I still have two reps left. Just traded one to Mirkoray. That was a pleasant experience.

 

I have all the gens I ever wanted. I could buy one or two new reps though... just for fun and the old times' sake. But I don't know if there are dealers in Europe. Eurotimez was my regular guy to supply them back in the day.

 

 

[Pugwash]

 

2 hours ago, By-Tor said:

I have all the gens I ever wanted. I could buy one or two new reps though... just for fun and the old times' sake. But I don't know if there are dealers in Europe. Eurotimez was my regular guy to supply them back in the day.

 

That's how I feel. I'd like to get a few more reps, but these days, I've got a winder with a brace of Omegas on it and a few other gens (Tissot Visodate - the Rep priced Gen, Fortis, eta2892 Steinhart, Seikos, etc.) so if I wanted a new watch, I'd likely just get a cheap Swiss chrono.

 

However, if there's a good EU rep dealer, I'd likely get one for old time's sake.

[Watchmeister]

Still have a few reps to go with an equal number of gens and even occasionally wear my “RWG watch”. It’s a nice reminder.


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[By-Tor]

Pugwash,

 

amazing. Blast from the past.

 

[Pugwash]

Same to you  

[andreww]

Good to see both you guys. Been a long time!


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[By-Tor]

Hey andreww, long time no see. Still a Breitling fan?

 

What are you having in your collection these days? Still buying reps? 

[robertk]

Nice to see some old "faces"showing up. I still have a lot of reps left and they all still run. I think one of my last ones came from TTK. What an interesting Gent.

[By-Tor]

I heard he passed away and it's been a while. 

 

Narikaa was his friend. I guess he's still around, huh?

 

[robertk]

Yes, he did. He shared with me several months before that he was having health issues but didn't define them. Always enjoyed his conversations. Yes, narikaa is still around.

Edited June 14, 2021 by robertk

[By-Tor]

I was 20-something when I first came to TRC (I thing). Was it TRC? Oh man how time flies.

 

Thomas was the admin. 

 

bklm was a good community friend. So was "watcher" (UK). Demsey, TwoTone (Mike), Ken, Lanikai...

 

I remember some names, yeah. I'm not that old yet haha.

 

[jcagara08]

I was 20-something when I first came to TRC (I thing). Was it TRC? Oh man how time flies.
 
Thomas was the admin. 
 
bklm was a good community friend. So was "watcher" (UK). Demsey, TwoTone (Mike), Ken, Lanikai...
 
I remember some names, yeah. I'm not that old yet haha.
 

@By-Tor

Mr Legend what is your opinion on the current rep pricing level where daytonas are now at 600 bucks a pop?

What do you consider as a breaking point of collecting when the replica pricing is going towards the moon?

For me it's the $500 mark, anything above that is just a waste of money IMHO

BR,

Jes

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[By-Tor]

Yeah I don't understand the pricing, either. I don't want to pay such crazy prices for knockoffs myself, either. I got the gens I always wanted.

 

But of course when the quality got so much better I'm sure the production costs increased too. Something like the TC Submariner and the Noob Daytona (or whatever it was called) were light years better than the stuff that we had back in the day. Remember "TW Best Sub"? It was awful and full of flaws by today's standards but we still were happy with it and we considered it to be a "good rep". Or the MBW Red Sub. The dial and case were pure crap to be honest... but moddable, yes.

 

But on the other hand the gen Rolex prices have skyrocketed too. 1675 was a 4000-5000$ watch 10 years ago. Now it's a $14000 watch. I don't want to pay such prices for the gens, either.  I could pay maybe €700 for a great franken 1675/16750 but my limit is there.

 

$600 for a bulk Omega rep makes no sense. You can buy vintage gen Omegas for less.

 

Cheers.

 

[automatico]

"But on the other hand the gen Rolex prices have skyrocketed too. 1675 was a 4000-5000$ watch 10 years ago. Now it's a $14000 watch."

 

A 1675 was $450 in 1975 (!!).  Otoh $450 was a lot of $$ back then.  

Here is a partial price list from 1973:

 

 

Image from:

https://www.bing.com/images/blob?bcid=Tm-zrNoCG90CEA

 

Prices 1957 to 2020:

Rolex Price Evolution (minus4plus6.com)

[andreww]

Hey andreww, long time no see. Still a Breitling fan?
 
What are you having in your collection these days? Still buying reps? 

Still love Breitling, not a fan of what they’ve done recently. I really stopped participating in reps about six years ago, then switched to an Apple Watch two years ago. It wasn’t until this past Christmas that I got my first rep in many years, a Ti Hublot Diver 4000. So my collection is pretty much the same as when we last spoke lol.


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[dluddy]

Great to see some old faces return  @andreww @By-Tor @Pugwash

[SSTEEL]

I'm still alive

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[Ronin]

Similar situation here. Got the Gen’s I wanted. Was gone for about 5 years.
 

In 2019 I became frustrated and put off my what was/is happening in the Gen and Grey markets. Not to mention I have owned Gen’s from all the major brands and actually had many issues requiring warranty work that usually came back botched (Tudor).  When paying >$5k for a “Swiss” watch that has QC issues it sent me running back here. 
 

I think the price hikes are relative and generally worth it. A Seiko Turtle will run you the same as a NOOB, VS/VR, GM, BP; Rolex, PAM, Omega rep that is damn close. Get an ETA base run it till dies and swap in a Gen ETA/Sellita.  
 

If you haven’t handled the VSF 216610 Sub, it is worth every penny. The VS3235 movement is a true custom clone 3235 movement with an astonishing 72± hours power reserve.  Takes Gen Rolex calendar parts. If you can service ETA, you can service this. 
 

I go back and forth. I am fortunate and grateful I can walk in to a Rolex dealer and get what I want. At the same time the lure of Reps is equally, and at times more fun and satisfying. 

[freddy333]

Aw, shucks. When I pop in, there is little to do & none of the old faces. It looks like I missed the big reunion on the 14th.

 

Picking up on By-Tor's comments (good to cross paths again!), I think most of the old-timers have been in the game long enough to have gotten most, if not all, of what they wanted. I think most are now enjoying the spoils of long-time searching, learning & collecting.
 

With a couple of notable exceptions, that goes for me, too. Because my collection is more or less complete, I am more often left with confusion (about which to wear) rather than simple, daily style coordinating. But, one day, I may finally pull the trigger on a Grand Seiko Soko Special Edition or an original Doxa Black Lung (I wish I had grabbed the one Nanuq alerted me to all those many years ago now -- it is true what they say: you snooze & you lose).

 

Actually, I do have 1 remaining unfinished project -- I am still trying to locate a suitable simple steel case (with display caseback) for my gen Patek 23-300 caliber, hands, crown & dial --

[By-Tor]

Someone in Europe (not in UK as they get stuck into customs) could sell me a decent 1675/16750 franken. I have the gen 16710 but to be honest I don't like it that much. 1675 is much nicer.

 

I went to Trustytime site and checked out the vintage GMT reps and my God how bloody awful they still are. Why can't they make them even remotely right? The cases look like pieces of dog turd. 

 

[fraggle42]

I've worn my iThing watch for years now, if I wear anything.

I desperately need to find someone to do servicing on everything I have (the Omega rep still sort of works OK, inaccurately) and then do a bulk service on all my reps and gens - probably half the reps are beyond saving.

But life throws other things at you...

 

Now married, living in Houston, and life's latest trick is colon stage 4 cancer (typing this from hospital bed).

 

Living in rented houses with all my work bench kit packed up in boxes kinda took the shine off this hobby. But in process of buying home that'll have plenty of space for multiple work benches should get me back into the half dozen hobbies i used to pursue.

 

Enjoying reading this thread guys - keep it up!!

[davethecat]

Aw, shucks. When I pop in, there is little to do & none of the old faces. It looks like I missed the big reunion on the 14th.
 
Picking up on By-Tor's comments (good to cross paths again!), I think most of the old-timers have been in the game long enough to have gotten most, if not all, of what they wanted. I think most are now enjoying the spoils of long-time searching, learning & collecting.
 
With a couple of notable exceptions, that goes for me, too. Because my collection is more or less complete, I am more often left with confusion (about which to wear) rather than simple, daily style coordinating. But, one day, I may finally pull the trigger on a Grand Seiko Soko Special Edition or an original Doxa Black Lung (I wish I had grabbed the one Nanuq alerted me to all those many years ago now -- it is true what they say: you snooze & you lose).
 
Actually, I do have 1 remaining unfinished project -- I am still trying to locate a suitable simple steel case (with display caseback) for my gen Patek 23-300 caliber, hands, crown & dial --

Good to hear from you, Freddy. I’ll always appreciate your referral to Ben over in Sharpstown. He saved two of my V72 projects


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[Nanuq]

@Fraggle42 it sucks to hear the Big C caught up to you, but you sound in great spirits. Let us know if we can do anything for you. If you need a bulk service for lots o’ watches try MyManMatt, he does great work.

Get better soon, buddy! You’ve been officially warned!