jomama Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 I thought I would start this by askin a few of questions. 1.When did the reps "turn the corner" and get to where they are are today? I mean, until a year ago I always assumed a rolex rep was to be purchased in mexico or on canal street and you did good if you did not have a quartz movement. BTW, who ever heard of a Chopard rep as well?? I think this is why most people believe rolexs are reps (it is the only rep made in their mind) 2. Do you think the gen manufactures and dealers are aware of how good the reps have become? Sound like when a dealer is told its a rep they are surprised. 3. Have they gotten too good and thus getting on the "radar" of the Gens who may try to shut our boys down? There is part of me that is buying a bunch or reps now because I fear the window can't last forever. In otherwords. I believe the reps have gotten to this excellent level just in the last couple of years with China opening up for trade. But at this level the officials will try to shut them down. 4. Can we keep these babies our secret? The top end reps our dealers are putting out will fool the general public 99% of the time and I don't want anyone else in on our secret. 5. Finally, are we at any risk buying these things? Has anyone had any issue in any way? 6. what the best deal on a watch case that will hold up to 20?? Thanks! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugwash Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 4. Can we keep these babies our secret? The top end reps our dealers are putting out will fool the general public 99% of the time and I don't want anyone else in on our secret. You're new here. You're exhibiting typical "Pull the ladder up behind you" mentality. Reps were a year ago. MBWs were easier to get, for instance. Moon watches and GST Chronos were du jour and the Noobmariner was fresh. Panerais were coming into their own and the Chinese finally got the 7750 right. And people were wanting to keep our site secret. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillorin Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 I think we're definitely in the "golden age" of replicas, myself. Yes there were good replicas a year ago, but there weren't as many options if you wanted one as far as dealers and models were concerned. It's been interesting, I have been buying reps for about the last 8 years now, and have been a member of the rep forums for about 4 or so. The price of the watches has gone down quite a bit, and the quality of the newer ones is pretty amazing. I started looking for a new modern Submariner again after a hiatus about 4 years ago and then the price of ETA Sub's was approaching $300 from most dealers. Just have fun, buy some nice watches, and enjoy it for as long as you can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWP Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 Reps were a year ago. MBWs were easier to get, for instance. Moon watches and GST Chronos were du jour and the Noobmariner was fresh. Panerais were coming into their own and the Chinese finally got the 7750 right. Pugwash is right again. Many exciting things happened last year and the momentum from last carried over into our current year. The Hublot Big Band, Tag Carrera, Breitling Superocean, are just a few examples of the superior quality that our dealers are offering. We need to be hush hush and establish a better way to shelter this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b16a2 Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 Over the past 6 months, the quality of the replicas being produced has increased from having reps that look very good, to being almost indistiguishable. Unfortunately we will never be the niche market, because dealers are going to sell them to the wider public too, as it's their business. We are all but of a small segment of their market, so closing these 'super rep' sales to us would be financial suicide. I do believe, and it has been said before, that this forum has become much more open to the wider public, with more new people coming and going than I ever remember before. I don't want to get onto this topic though as it will distract from the post. As mentioned we are definitley in the golden age! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rxus Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 Comming up on my 3rd month anniversary as an RWG member I can safely say a part of me is still astonished by the reps that are being produced, and with that aside i'm very glad I found this palce and the people that belong to these boards are amazing, it almost does make you want to keep it closed for others to see but at the same time i think about how I would have never found it if things were sooo hush hush. Maybe some sort of balance between discretion and obscurity would assure this entire movement to remain an underground thing. Sort of like..I want to tell all my buddies but at the same time, I'm better off keeping this to myself.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raijor Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 This is not "our secret" - money talks and the INTERNET exposes the rep dealers to millions of people worldwide who have the inclination to search for replica items. The reason the reps have become so good is because the market has grown to bring in millions of more dollars to the industry. If you want to see improvements stop watch the money. If people stop buying reps innovation will stop. The replica business in China is like any other business. In China there is not the history and attachment to intellectual property rights that there is in the west. Consequently, the replica manufactures are able to act in the same manner as western manufactures do and give consumers what they want. occasionally, the Chinese government pretends to crack down to appease the Americans and Europeans but if one looks into Chinese history you can see the pattern that these crackdown will follow. the Middle Kingdom will always do what is best for itself. The replica industry will not go away unless China itself determines it must. And since the EU and America are puckering up to kiss whatever Imperial butt they must to gain entry to the world's largest consumer market the replica manufacturing part of the rep business looks very safe. Most if not all real contraband enforcement will take place on the importation side, with various customs forces interdicting merchandise in the country where it was imported to. There have been some very sad stories of EU forum members being called up on the carpet to explain themselves when rep watches were seized en route to them. I expect that more and more of this will take place in the future and with harsher penalties on the importing side rather than the exporting side. JMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWP Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 @Raijor, many good point my friend. Yes the web has allowed for millions to access the world of replicas. However, we still must find ways to protect our dealers and limit the traffic through these doors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomama Posted March 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 There have been some very sad stories of EU forum members being called up on the carpet to explain themselves when rep watches were seized en route to them. I expect that more and more of this will take place in the future and with harsher penalties on the importing side rather than the exporting side. JMO Woa: please expand. i have yet to hear a story of someone getting "busted" buying one of these through the net. Please tell me what the stories are? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pubus Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 (edited) 2. Do you think the gen manufactures and dealers are aware of how good the reps have become? Sound like when a dealer is told its a rep they are surprised. Imo manufacturers dont give a real [censored] about replicas, as many rep ownes actually buy gens of the reps they have within time of owning and this whole custom seizing is more about particular countries tax politics, not due to manufacturers request btw and being busted due to reps even if does exist we wont be able to know for a couple of next years until some one will come up on rwg with a thread "Hey I spent 5yrs in jail for buying my Breitling Navitimer, just got out, where can I get the best Sub?" Edited March 26, 2007 by pubus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugwash Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 Imo manufacturers dont give a real [censored] about replicas Um, huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pubus Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 Pug, please, read until the end of my post, there is an explanation to what you've quotted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugwash Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 Pug, please, read until the end of my post, there is an explanation to what you've quotted Sure, but it makes no sense. We've got so much evidence to the contrary. If Cartier don't care, why do they sent people to China to hunt factories? Why do Rolex pay GAF for all the tireless letter-writing and lobbying? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davey Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 Why try and keep the forum a secret? The only reason the Replica market is improving in product quality is because of the high demand for highend replicas, if it wasn't for the majority of members on sites like this who seek out high end, high quality replicas most people would still be happy paying $800 for a badly built replica with a cheapo automatic movement. The factories in China are there to make a money, they either cater for a few at a high price or cater for a mass market at a low price, volume is what its all about in CN, the replicas will get better as the runs get longer and more punters line up to buy them. Simple as really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davey Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 btw and being busted due to reps even if does exist we wont be able to know for a couple of next years until some one will come up on rwg with a thread "Hey I spent 5yrs in jail for buying my Breitling Navitimer, just got out, where can I get the best Sub?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melvin johnson Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 I've been to China, Hong Kong, and Thailand, and have seen thousands of replica watches on display in markets, along with handbags and dozens of other replica items. Want the latest movies? They're $2US in most places. Software? $2US per CD. Same goes with music CD's. In some places you pay for the software or movie, and a courier delivers the goods 30 minutes later. In some places only laminated pages of watch ads are on display, and you must ask to see a particular model as they are kept hidden in case of a raid. Every so often the cops confiscate watches or CD's, pretending to enforce laws. The bottom line is Bill Gates can't even stop them. The rep trade is alive and well and flourishing. Tourists crowd around the watch sellers like mad. Business is good. On a recent trip to Thailand I decided to buy my son a rep rolex just for laughs. I owned a GMT Master for many years, so I'm pretty familiar with how a genuine rolex looks and feels. When I saw the rep rolex sub I couldn't believe my eyes. While I'm not the experienced replica expert many of you are, I was holding in my hand a fake rolex that could fool anyone. I bought two of these watches and still couldn't believe how fantastic they looked and felt. I can't compare my recent purchase to what was available previously, but because of the quality of the rep, I now find myself fascinated with the subject, and have ordered one with a swiss movement from Josh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r11co Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 .......and have ordered one with a swiss movement from Josh. Why do I find that funny?!?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalcranium Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 The principal of IP infringement is what keeps the genuine companies interested in stopping this, not the quality of the replicas. As great a reproduction as some of these watches are of the genuine article, as Pugwash has said here before, they are not forgeries. You might see a few more unfortunate souls duped on ebay by the better quality of replicas, but the market price for the genuines are not going to be diluted by indistinguishable counterfeits. An inspection with a loupe, an open caseback etc is all your local pawn shop owner has to do to make sure he's not taken to the cleaners. I guess my point is that if there's more heat on dealers, or if you're afraid the reps are getting so good the ride can't possibly last....relax. When the replica market comes crashing down, it's going to be for reasons other than the genuine manufacturers being [censored] their buyer base is being siphoned off by cheap watches from Asia that are equal in quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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