SuperReps: an observation

[Jumbie]

That's unfortunately true.

Though it only applies to either newbies or infrecuent buyers.

If you are in to reps 3+ years (veterans) and you own more than 10+ reps then sooner or later you discover that:

1. Control your impulse when and how buying

2. Wise buyers read a lot and wait a lot

3. Not worth spending money (any kind of money) on something that has 50% chances to be defective.

4. Not worth spending anything more than 300 USD on a rep (add 300x2 and you have a very nice tag, an Oris , Hamilton . etc..)

... I guess rep veterans are only an insignificant % on ther rep market .... so even if we refuse to buy these super reps ( ... ) .... this will have a zero impact in to the rep market.

Yup, there will always be a constant flow of new people to the market. People such as myself who just came across the idea of buying a rep watch about a month ago.

The thing is that I consider myself an educated consumer. I try to extensively research anything before I buy it. But I know a lot of people aren't like that - they will see the watch they want, read for 5 minutes about a dealer and maybe one review and then buy the watch.

[KB]

I think that regardless of if we accept the Super rep prices or not what we really need to be on guard about is that all the base reps don't start creeping up in price.

I have always looked at the rep market as a two tiered system, a seller can sell here in a nice cosy, safe atmosphere or they can go outside and make big money but take the risks that come with it, I really hate to say this but could the Super Reps be an attempt to start generating outside revenue at inside conditions?

Ken

[MAHLER]

I really hate to say this but could the Super Reps be an attempt to start generating outside revenue at inside conditions?

[luisik]

These super reps prices are absolutely super mad.

Mechanical quality and fittings keep exaclty as those reps we bought 5-6 years ago.

what are the $400 extra improvements? My 196 from 6 years ago is as well done (if not better) as any of these super HBB, and I payd $250, wich was very expensive for that time, but not as crazy as the $720 asked now.

We can even find crazy deals as the so admired Cousteau Divers, wich has wrong blue color in dial and bracelet, but here you find people paying $400 for something that can be spotted as fake from 25 feets.

The positive of this is with this prices I already aproached to used genuines market. yes, I can have maybe only 2 watches per year and not 7.. but boy, the quality difference is really worth for the every time smaller price difference.

[P4GTR]

Theres only a certain amount of money im willing to pay for a certain amount of satisfaction. Face it, it is not the real thing. The pricepoint gets too high, I'm shopping used gen, or giving up on reps and buying a seiko like everyone else. I will not spend more then ~$300 for a replica watch mostly because of the current QC issues. How much can you really expect someone to pay for a watch that could fall apart in your hands, leaving you SOL?

Theres only a certain amount of bullsh!t i'm willing to deal with for a certain amount of savings. The amount of patience required to deal with rep's is a testimate to the fact that I must be getting old. Waiting to dignify the price enough so that I take the plunge on the purchase. Waiting to hear from the collector, waiting for the package to arrive, then something even minor is wrong, and the waiting to and from has just begun. How much money can you really expect someone to fork out, for a product that only a mother could love in terms of patience, research, and dedication.

[Guest lcdr2007]

Having only recently gotten into reps two months ago, I was bitten hard by the bug. But after four purchases, I've calmed down and refuse to jump on the latest 'it' watch (SFSO?) without waiting and doing alot of homework. I've never never paid 'early adopter' prices for anything else so why do it for a rep? From now on it's strictly $300 or less for a rep and even that starting to seem steep to me. I'd rather drop $400-$500 on a kick-ass Seiko Sportura Kinetic than $300+ on a fake watch. After all, thats all they are, aren't they?

[archibald]

I've always said that trying to figure out the mind of a repmaker is a fools game. But in this case it ain't that hard. Why do they make $600 reps of $1800 watches? Because they know they can sell them. They know that a lot of people will be familiar with the Breitlings more so than, say, a Muller Curvex Chrono, or a Fifty Fathoms, or whatever equally doable yet much more expensive gen we want repped. They know that the Breitling reps are good enough that their average consumer will regard it as "identical" to the real thing and thus represent a savings of $1300 or so. They know that more people lust after a Breitlings and Tags and Rolexes than lust after Brueguets because Breitlings, Rolexes, and Tags what they see in mainstream magazine ads.

Personally, I think an expensive rep of a watch they sell at costco is no bargain at all, but as Pug pointed out, the Dealers' stock numbers don't lie and I don't have a CNC machine.

On Edit: But I will buy an overpriced super rep before I buy a Seiko. If all we wanted were vanilla, reliable, mass produced watches, why are we here? Shouldn't we be over at Time Zone at the mall, strapping on our brand new Hamiltons?

[Watchmeister]

Pug-

You have finally given in to market forces.

Super reps are here to stay and I for one am ecstatic. Sometimes prices are good and sometimes bad. But at least ou have multiple interesting choices. The VC Overseas, irrespective of which version you buy, is a fabulous rep of a $7,000 watch priced at around $300. The Pilot Chrono priced under $400 is an excellent rep of a $4,000 watch. The HBB at $400-$700, qc issues and all, is a fairly good rep of $7-12,000 watches. Anyone who has been around and struggled to buy their first MBW or DW for $400-500 and then dumped in hundreds more knows that better reps have never been more accessible. You just have to pick what you want more carefully.

On the price increases, of course we don't like them but don't forget that the dollar has devalued by 30-40% depending on the currency over the last two years. Although prices have risen in all currencies for whatever reason the most common currency is dollars. Ultimately, if demand falls so will the prices. In the meantime we just have to be more intelligent about our purchases.

[fotoman]

That's unfortunately true.

Though it only applies to either newbies or infrecuent buyers.

If you are in to reps 3+ years (veterans) and you own more than 10+ reps then sooner or later you discover that:

1. Control your impulse when and how buying

2. Wise buyers read a lot and wait a lot

3. Not worth spending money (any kind of money) on something that has 50% chances to be defective.

4. Not worth spending anything more than 300 USD on a rep (add 300x2 and you have a very nice tag, an Oris , Hamilton . etc..)

... I guess rep veterans are only an insignificant % on ther rep market .... so even if we refuse to buy these super reps ( ... ) .... this will have a zero impact in to the rep market.

frankly i have found several post 300 that are worth it - post 400 though is hard to justify.

frankly with all the mods i have done most of my reps have value over 300

[KB]

but don't forget that the dollar has devalued by 30-40% depending on the currency over the last two years.

Oh I love it......the USD speaks for everyone.............The Aussie dollar has recently hit a five year high

Ken

[Jumbie]

don't forget that the dollar has devalued by 30-40% depending on the currency over the last two years.

The first thing I thought when looking at reps is that since the prices are all pretty much in US dollars that it works out great for those who are paying in GBP or Euros, etc.

[4fun]

Just thinking about many versions of sub I have collected and still pursuing a better one.

Super rep actually save me some money and hassle.

[MAHLER]

On Edit: But I will buy an overpriced super rep before I buy a Seiko. If all we wanted were vanilla, reliable, mass produced watches, why are we here? Shouldn't we be over at Time Zone at the mall, strapping on our brand new Hamiltons?

Replica Watches group is a website dedicated to provide you with the most reliable information available about replica watches. We provide information on every aspect of replica watches, from detailed analysis of the movements inside the replicas to the best info available on the websites and dealers that provide replica watches. To make sure we provide unbiased info, all the info you will get is provided from the good and bad experiences by our 4000+ members forum. Our forum is divided into subsections that will give you all the info you will ever need about replica watches. So if you are looking to buy a replica watch, you NEED to join our forum. It can save you from spending thousands of dollars on a watch that is worth maybe $100-$150!

[Pix]

Till now I have never bought a rep over 250 dollars (my Vacheron Overseas), and that was some kind of "ultimate" step.

I definitely won't spend more than this, maybe 300 if I really get something extraordinary.

But 4, 5, 6 or now 700, never. Not only for "philosopical" reasons, but, and I'm not ashamed by typing this, also for money...

How many amongst us are able to spend that much on a watch ?

I don't feel I'm living in a very poor country and decently earn my money. But, no, whatever it is, I won't spend that much for a rep, even if I'm the one admiring these new superreps.

I remember of a poll showing how much the members were earning... And I doubt most of them will spend more than 25% of their wages for their hobby.

[MAHLER]

Ultimately, if demand falls so will the prices. In the meantime we just have to be more intelligent about our purchases.

Correct ... but if increases the quality of the steel ... goes down the other ...

[pubus]

Just thinking about many versions of sub I have collected and still pursuing a better one.

Super rep actually save me some money and hassle.

so what are you doing with all those subs? are they gathering dust in yer drawer? why just dont wait for the right rep to come?

@ Pix: somebody could post a linkt to this thread with that wages poll you are talking about? I missed that, and Im so curious of that

[Pix]

@ Pix: somebody could post a linkt to this thread with that wages poll you are talking about? I missed that, and Im so curious of that

that was on RWI.

LINK

The majority declares to earn between 75000 and 150000 dollars per year. Don't know if that concerns the singles or the couples' revenue.

Not sure if that reflects reality, at least not mine.

[Watchmeister]

Actually it wouldn't surprise me if those numbers were fairly accurate although I would guess that some portion of the $75-150k would be closer to the 75. In that income bracket you may well know what you like but don't have the discretionary income to swing more than one gen. I think we would all be very surprised at the number of folks who have put $10,000 or more into this "hobby". I long since figured out that I could have bought a number of gens for all the money I put into this hobby. But where is the fun in that. Tally ho!

[Pix]

For me, the fun is to hunt the watch I like for a decent price.

The watch I like is the one with a great looking and not too much flaws. Not necessarily the perfect one, which anyway does not exist.

The game is the "good bargain" or "good value for money". "Is that version from Sillix better than this one from Saswatch or Trusty ?"

For 700 dollars, I won't neither hunt anything nor have fun. All the same models at the same price. No surprise, no thrill (except the one of getting a broken 700 dollars watch).

And I'm the one who prefers having 15 reps than 1 gen. I like discussing about what I bought, making pictures of these, buy a new strap etc... If I do this only once every 6 monthes, I'm frustrated and sad. If I had enough money to buy several superreps for answering my need for this hobby, I would probably earn enough money not to be on these boards...

I would be missing a lot !

[sssurfer]

I'd rather drop $400-$500 on a kick-ass Seiko Sportura Kinetic than $300+ on a fake watch.

KEEP OUT FROM KINETICS!

I loved them, I got 4 of them, they all died after 4 years.

Then I discovered that the kinetic accumulator is supposed to get replaced every 4 years (3 yrs on lady models).

At about 1/5 of the original price of the whole watch.

So, as also quartz batteries (a few dollars) last 4 years as well, what's the point in getting a kinetic?

[Pix]

Interesting...

Just bought one :-(

Typical example of useless marketing ! Big black lie !

[robertk]

I'm not sure that quality is any better than it was three years ago. What is different is that the ability to copy designs have improved a lot. And, as you all have already mentioned, we have not hit the price point ceiling yet. I am much more cautious about purchases now, where as I used to just jump. I was the Impulse buy champion.

...............Not any more!

[baltic]

Quality over quantity every time for me. If I like a watch and I'm going to keep it I'll get it with the 'best' movement available and get it modded and/or serviced. I've got rid of those I wasn't going to keep. It'd take something exceptional to make me jump on a watch now.

[luisik]

Quality over quantity every time for me. If I like a watch and I'm going to keep it I'll get it with the 'best' movement available and get it modded and/or serviced. I've got rid of those I wasn't going to keep. It'd take something exceptional to make me jump on a watch now.

Have to agree with you.. so.. uhmm.. let me think:

- $720 + 30 (chinese movement HBB)

- $388 + 30 (chinese movement IWC CD)

(both very beautiful pieces of junk and forthcoming paperweights)

TOTAL-- $1168

(The money I need to spend for a genuine swiss made Steelfish or a genuine swiss made Seamaster, or a genuine Cartier Santos... wich are perfect and will last for a lifetime).

Let me think it twice:

- $720 + 30 (chinese movement HBB)

- $1,058 + 30 (swiss movement IWC CD)

(One beautiful piece of junk and one good but easy spotting fake)

TOTAL-- $1,838

(The money I need to spend for a genuine swiss Chopard Mille Miglia Chrono or a genuine swiss made Tag Heuer link Chrono.... )

P.S. I would like to thank Andrew (from Trusty watch) and Joshua (from perfect clones) for their generous help, which made me able to have these thoughts.

[FWATCH]

I didn't mind paying over $300 for my steelfish, but I doubt I'll go for a big bang. I'd like to get the IWC CD, but with all the issues about quality, I'll probably buy a gen. I know what I like, and what I'm willing to spend. I still think it's pretty amazing that you get anything at all, considering what can go wrong with the entire process. If I like it, and it is worth $nnn. to me I buy it. Rep or gen, doesn't matter. I won't spend a dime on a rep with a lot of issues, however. Been pretty lucky so far, I guess.