Reddit and Reps and rwg.bz

[Ronin]

I stumbled upon the Reddit subform for reps.  Personally, I am not a fan of consuming watch content on Reddit.  Forums are way better suited.  However, I found this forums omission from their "links" section a bit odd.

 

As an old timer here who was gone for a few years, did I miss some kind of falling out between the reddit guys and us? 

 

Why isn't rwg.cc "featured/linked" over there?  Anyone? History lesson?

 

 

[freddy333]

I do not follow reddit for anything, so I cannot comment directly.

 

What I do know is that rwg.cc, like many of the gen watch sites, is like a ghost town today, which I think is due to a combination of watch burnout & poor management/misdirection of the sites/forums. Like some of the other mods, I lost interest in rwg after the site steered away from the more technical aspects of watches/collecting & into games/contests. There were other issues that some of us Mods took exception with, but that is not relevant here. Not looking to start a debate with anyone (that is for another thread), just expressing why some of us old-timers lost interest. Today, for better or worse, the games appear to have gone away, but, as was predicted, so has the membership.

 

On the other hand, RWI (forum.replica-watch.info/ -- which is where I 1st learned about the amazing 4130-based Daytona clones), is like Grand Central Station. RWI today is what rwg.cc was up to a dozen years ago -- active & breaking new ground with many knowledgeable members leading/running a very busy forum. Although I hate to add to the member leakage here, I would recommend checking RWI out if you have not yet done so. I think you will find it quite educational.

As to TDs, I think the concept of verifying rep sellers & applying clear rules for them to market to a large pool of eager buyers was more or less pioneered by us in the early 2000s. Others (like RWI) then copied our success because it was so effective for both buyers & sellers. Unfortunately, as the membership here dwindled, so did the TDs, as I see that some no longer list current/working contact & site addresses. I am guessing rwg.cc's mods are no longer actively overseeing or maintaining these TD relationships. However, based on what I am seeing, it looks like RWI is.

Not sure why rwg.cc is not referenced on reddit, but I suspect it has to do with simple lack of traffic draw. Rwg.cc just does not draw much traffic now, so reddit does not view us as a major player in the rep field. Not sure how or what rwg.cc can do to regain its prominence without restructuring in a way that provides something for watch collectors that cannot be found elsewhere, as was the case back in rwg.cc's early days. & lacking both Ziggy & Bob, I think it will be difficult (but not impossible) to attract  the kind of talent required to achieve that.

That is my 2 cents.

[Ronin]

Good points.  What attracted me here, to RWG.CC, was the technical knowledge and modding/Frankenstein friendly nature. Also, the FS/Trade area was hopping. This being Bytor’s home forum helped way back when. Todays “kids” on the replica Reddit probably have no idea who he was. LOL. 

I wonder if more specialization would help. Go back to being the premier modding, watchmaking, Frankenstein, homage forum. ???

 

RWG.BZ seems to be pretty active as well. Another 180 from a decade ago. 🤔

[automatico]

"Today, for better or worse, the games appear to have gone away, but as was predicted, so has the membership."

 

Agree.

It seems like 12 or 15 'hardcore' members are active and a few others hit the site maybe once a week or less.

This is the third replica watch forum I have been a regular on.

Number 1 was RWCC = Replica Watch Collector Club in the 1990s from the beginning until the end.  

Number 2 was TRC from the beginning until the end.  

Number 3 is this one 5-16-07 as Jimmythree and 7-16-08 as automatico after a server meltdown until... 

 

I was on a few genuine watch forums in the 1990s/early 2000s but many of the members seemed have a sense of humor deficit.  The word 'straitlaced' comes to mind.  They can own a 'pristine' vintage Porsche 356 with 60% aftmkt parts and be just fine with it, but a replica or F-stein watch is absolutely verboten!

 

I started out on genuine watches in the 1970s and staggered into replicas as a lower $$ alternative sometime in the 1980s.  Tripped and fell into 'better replicas' (classic misnomer) in the early 2000s when rlx parts started getting harder to get.  Then RWC cut our parts account off so I 'Buried the Crown'.

Back in the 1970s, many replica DJ, subs etc were quartz powered with pot metal cases, watch junque.  Still have a few replicas from the 1960s, a goldtone replica 'Longnines' and couple faux chronographs (names forgotten), plus a Seiko from the 1970s.  All have one jewel pin lever movements and pot metal cases. 

If I ever attend a watchsnobfest, I'll wear the Longnines on a crocodile strap.

 

Porsche 356 Replica Market - CLASSIC.COM

[madasboot]

RWG was the place to be during the early 2000s.

Market shape, services and internal dynamics changed a lot since then.

some of the old timers are gone (ones for better reasons than others) and the constant are the so called TDs, most of them still around because more or less crowded business is still business.

I come every once in a while to find the forum as a deserted warehouse, an echo of what it used to be.

I hope that it may change but I really doubt it; as an informative and technical platform it assisted the pioneering efforts in builds and mods when the info sources were scarce and part supplying centered in a couple of sources.

Today, one can find almost anything available so building became an IKEA like thing and modding less and less valued for three reasons:

- base material / parts have better quality and easy acessibility; anyone can assemble a watch.

- information became available but knowledge irrelevant so people still use pictures as reference and build according to what they see in a picture and not over what they feel / experience with a genuine. Like a beauty contest…

- Modding takes time and demanding (time, tools, finance and the capacity of accepting unsuccessful attempts and the fact that in trial and error, error usually takes advantage.

 

best

M.