For all of our complaining about Super-Reps...

[mezzanine]

They really are damn impressive.

My Cousteau Divers finally arrived today, after a couple of weeks of waiting, and it has only served to confirm what I had already realized- that the 'super-reps' are on a whole other level.

This, in itself, isn't that much of a revelation. But the reason I bring it up is that a lot of the flack that these watches get due to their high prices don't really pay homage to the fact that they *really are* much better replicas. We're not simply being price-gouged, with no regard for the quality of the watches. It's more complicated than that.

Are the watches commanding a higher margin over previous reps? Yes. I have no doubt that the cartel have been able to control the pricing, along with the factory, to try to maximize profits. But when that's all you hear about, it fails to capture the reality that we are getting something more with these watches. It's sorta like the MBW's. Are they over-priced, relative to other Rolex reps? Yes. But that's not the whole story.

Even the watches like the Ultimate PO, which is regarded as the first 'super-rep', doesn't hold a candle to the real ones...the HBB, Evo, Cousteau and SFSO. Nor does the Tag Link Chrono or the Ingy or whatever other previous generation reps that used to define the standard.

The point I'm slowly trying to make is that those reps (the previous generation of high-end rep watches) had a lot more in common with their predecessors than the newer 'super-reps' have with the old high-end reps of a year ago.

I believe that the reason is because the factory that makes the super-reps is capable of repping more expensive watches. The Planet Ocean, the Tag Link Chrono, etc... are all available for around a couple of grand. Now, the Steelfish SuperOcean is obviously a watch that falls into this category, but I believe the rule still stands.

Angus put forward a Porsche watch as a candidate for the next super-rep. This watch was vetoed because it would've cost around $1000 by the time it hit the market- and people told him that it would be too expensive (which was true). But I believe it reinforces the notion I'm getting at. The Porsche watch (gen) goes for around $100,000.

What is truly impressive about the super-reps is not that they're so much better than the Tag Link Chrono, uPO, etc...

It's that they're accurate replicas of watches that are three or four times as expensive. If you're going to charge $10000 vs. $2000 for a watch, as a retailer, there needs to be something in the $10000 watch that compels the buyer to want the more expensive one. Basically, it needs to look more complex, more finished, more impressive a design, etc...

The same applies in our own grey little world. What impresses me about the HBB and the Cousteau is that they could pass for their gen counterparts. That's no different than the Tag, which could also pass for it's gen counterpart. The difference is that the HBB and the Cousteau look every bit the $8000 watches that they're crafted to mimick.

[Guest chronomat123]

Agreed. 'Nuff said.

Though Nanuq brings up a good point. But I'll be honest. My new HBB is getting way more wrist time than any of my gens, and I have some really nice gens.

But I suspect in 20 years time, my HBB will be a paperweight (albeit beautiful) and my gen Rolex GMT will be running spot on.

[ryyannon]

Which would you rather have 10 years from now?

That's precisely the question that some people should be asking concerning their wife and Miss Understood....

[dosanim]

I would agree with Nanuq and Chronomat123. DEspite of our rationalization of collecting reps and spending $$ for mod, in the end, it is rep. My watchsmith acknowledges that reps are becoming so accurate that without opening the back, can't tell the difference that easily. However, once back is opened, it's different story. Rep is still a poser, no more than that.

Nanuq, now you are making me tempted!

[Pugwash]

This cost me the same as a Super-rep. The same as my SFSO, in fact. ETA inside and all the rest, but I wear it less than the SFSO.

Super-reps are good.

[fotoman]

i cant keep my watches for 10 months let alone 10 yrs

i gotta say with my skeleton and tourby they are super rep priced and they look like 100,000 watches but i can afford them for real. maybe it doesnt give the brand at a glance but in conversation its much more interesting i can just explain i collect mechanical watches. i get the oohs and dont have to deal witjh the "rep" issue

the rolex isnt valuable cause it will work in 10 yrs. its valuable cause people think it is

[Watchmeister]

IMHO, the super reps are an outgrowth of why reps originally came into existence. For the majority of the buying population, they simply want to wear an accurate rep of a watch they could not otherwise afford. Since there is no warranty the manufacturers focus on how it looks out of the box - not how long it lasts or the quality of the movement. So the good news is that there are ever improving (aesthetically speaking) copies of very expensive watches. The bad news is that without any ongoing obligation to the consumer (since it is an illegal item) there is no obvious incentive on the part of the manufacturers to similarly improve the movements or the general QC. In theory, the person who pays the price for the shortcomings is the dealer. But most people just simply keep buying. How else are you going to have a $6,000 watch on your wrist. Recognizing these shortfalls my approach has been to identify those which I really like and then actually service them, swap movements, tighten screws whatever to make them longer lasting. So I am also grateful for the improved aesthetics but do wish (of course) they were less expensive and/or better quality.

[Victoria]

That's precisely the question that some people should be asking concerning their wife and Miss Understood....

Since Miss Understood has been offed, or has disappeared with Admin for a naughty weekend in Brighton and was never heard of again, I propose I take over the agony aunt column.

My moniker: Miss Take.

[ryyannon]

Since Miss Understood has been offed, or has disappeared with Admin for a naughty weekend in Brighton and was never heard of again, I propose I take over the agony aunt column.

My moniker: Miss Take.

AKA Miss Givings...?