The Evolution of your Collection

[mezzanine]

This is a theme that has been discussed before, but I've been trying to observe the various stages that a person goes through when they're either starting or changing the composition of their rep collection.

I think that the 'start' of a collection is probably influenced heavily by what preferences a person brings with them to the hobby. People come to collecting reps through different channels. Some are already watch enthusiasts, who turn to reps as a less expensive way of being able to explore their fascination for a particular brand. It seems like I've noticed this happen quite a bit with fans of Rolex, specifically, although I doubt it's exclusive to that brand. Reps offer a way to explore that already-established interest.

For this category of collectors, I imagine that their evolution begins with acquiring all of the rollies that they've liked previous to the discovery of this community. I doubt it takes long for them to jump into the vintage pieces that require modification. Perhaps only then would they be likely to explore some of the other brands...

Others likely create a collection based more on the reviews of what watches have been replicated well, with brand association being secondary. I think I fall into this category. I realized that there is a relatively wide range of quality of replica watches, and that it isn't simply a question of finding your favourite genuine watches replica counterpart. In another thread, I wondered about the 'theme' of various collections, and observed that 'sports chronograph' would probably best characterize my own tastes.

But this thread is intended to be more about asking how your tastes have changed. Everyone comes to the hobby with a different set of interests that influences how their collection starts....but rarely does it stay the same as it was initially. Evidence for this can be seen easily with the pam enthusiasts, many of whom never were even aware of the watches prior to stumbling onto the forums.

If I was going to try to chart the changes in my own collection and tastes, I'd have to describe it in terms of changing rationales for wanting a particular type of watch. As we become more educated in the choices we have, I think we evolve in sophistication. We're more likely to look to 'balance' our collection...whereas initially we may have been quite happy to indulge in our 'particular' favourite style or brand- which I think is probably in part due to the gradual un-doing of the programming many of us were used to, where the mentality of being able to own more than one or two luxury watches was not realistic.

I had been mostly motivated by not wanting to telegraph the idea that I was wearing a rep when I first started. This kept me from buying rolex, and instead got me interested in Tags and Omegas. I figured that a lot of people were aware of fake Rolex watches, but that the likelihood of the average person being aware of rep Tags was probably less. What's ironic, is that from where I'm at now, I wouldn't buy a replica Tag.

Then I would say that my interests moved in the direction of sports chronographs as a 'pet' style of choice. I think partially because the newer releases of watches were being done with the new 7750 movement, and the resulting discussion here spurring on my interest. Also, I think that I have always had a preference for chronographs.

But what I think I found was that, if I have 4 watches that fit the same 'niche', what motivation do I have wear one over the other? I'm sure the Panerai fans are laughing behind their screens right now, perhaps their faces are also a little bit red with their own admission of having multiple watches that are nearly identical, but for me it has been a dilemma. From focusing on a particular stylistic preference, I think that when the "super reps" came out- with all the debate about their relative value, etc- I shifted towards simply going with the latest watch to come out of the factories.

Instead of having either brand or style allegiances, my motivation towards forming my collection was dictated more by "what's the best rep out this month?". This had the broadening effect of exposing me to watches that I might not have otherwise bought. The Breitlings being a good example of this- the SFSO and the Evo. I began to look at reps as I would look at a technology based industry- you're better off with the latest and greatest.

But now...and part of me wonders whether this is typical of the 'life cycle' of all longer-term collectors...I am starting to place higher value on having a watch that represents a distinct 'niche' within the watch world. I'm also more interested in blurring the lines between 'reps' and genuine watches. I would rather have the best of each niche, then two or three really good watches of a similar type. In terms of the comment about blurring the line between reps and gens...I don't necessarily mean that in terms of modding reps with gen parts, although that can be part of it- but rather, I believe it's possible with some watches to actually have a replica that is so close to the genuine that owning the gen wouldn't be worth it for me.

So instead of having a bunch of sports chronographs, I'm looking to have a really nice Pam, and a really nice vintage rollie, to go with a few 'super reps'. I've come full circle...I don't think when I started out I really believed it was possible to have worthwhile reproductions of a rolex. Now...I do think it's possible...but only really if it's a modded one that takes me on a journey in achieving it's creation. I think the more popular brands are like an old girlfriend, who you sort of have a love/hate thing going on with.

With the more popular brands, which I find myself becoming more interested in now, I think that for me to achieve a sense of satisfaction with them, it will take different things than simply a 'high fidelity' copy. This goes to an interesting discussion that I had with By-Tor a while back, where the question of why the MBW's are still the best game in town for vintage rollies, when it would be so *easy* for a rep maker to do a perfect copy of those watches, came up. Why would the most popular, and potentially lucrative watch for the rep makers be so thoroughly neglected? Perhaps they have an insight into the psychology of rep collectors at our level that we have underestimated. There's no question that the MBW's are not very accurate stock...and require a great deal of investment on the part of the owner to get them to the point of looking genuine.

I think the answer is because we 'need' them to need so much work. We couldn't be happy with them if they came to us perfect, as the type of attention and resources that is required to get them up to snuff couldn't really be substituted as easily as we might think. There's no rep maker that's likely to be able to get the aged-dial effect, and tritium marker effect on a vintage rollie that I will require to feel comfortable with wearing a replica rolex.

It begs the question, how much of the modification of brands like Rolex and Panerai are a result of our own need to 'work' them enough so that we achieve the feeling that they are good enough? It's not a question that I'm sure most collectors face, but it's one that I find myself discovering for the first time...

One of my first jobs was selling gym memberships. We would do promotional offers where you could get a couple of months free. What I eventually observed was that if people didn't feel as though they had 'invested' in a membership by paying for it, they were unlikely to come to the gym. What I take from that is that, I think with the rollies and the Pams, sometimes we placate our feeling of dischord with the fact those brands are so widely replicated by 'investing' in them to diffuse that feeling, when in reality there's no difference (outside of our own neurotic minds) between our highly modded MBW and a canal street fake, in terms of how others may perceive it...

[BobM]

This is a theme that has been discussed before, but I've been trying to observe the various stages that a person goes through when they're either starting or changing the composition of their rep collection.

Interesting. And, as you say, this is regularly discussed, with each discussion suggesting there is some kind of standard pattern of maturing replica collection tastes. I think there is not. I think it starts with and always remains a uniquely individual set of choices.

When I started about six months ago, I had scrounged the gen sites ... visited the ADs ... crawled all over the internet to identify the watches I wanted. And ... "I have to have one of those ... and that one ... and, oh yes, I must have one of those." I included two rolexes among my selection of a dozen watches I wanted to own. Most were Omegas. I learned by listening to the discussions on the forum about some other watches that I had not earlier known about or selected. I found I really am not very interested in the "standard" super reps that the forum buzzes about. I have not one among my selections ... no SFSO ... not one Panerai.

As to the watches with subdials and complications, using the A7750, I now have two of them and find I am not as enthused about them as earlier. I have them because I thought the watch was a beautiful thing. I do have two more A7750-based watches on my list yet to get - because there is something about the way the watch looks or will fit into my wardrobe - but most remaining are of lesser complication. and each remaining does something for me in the mix of my wardrobe ... a nice gold dress watch ... a titanium case and bracelet that will be a change of pace from time to time. The two original rolexes remain my targets to be my daily regular wear ... well, one daily and one is a companion watch with a little bling in it for more elegant occassions.

At this point I find myself eliminating watches from my list of target watches. "I already have one very close to that one ... Why, I wont wear that enough to keep it exercised. Why have a watch if you are not going to wear it?" In one case I have found there is no replica of one of the watches I wanted ... very frustrating!

So ... yes, our collection targets change with time but, for me, not much ... and the basis of my choices has not really changed much. Maybe after I have been collecting for a year ... or two ... my views will change. Actually, I think after i get the watches on my list I will back away from aquiring watches. I want to be able to maintenace the watches i will have and maybe buy one watch a yea, more likely a vintage gen ... something I truly "can't do without" in the context of what I will wear.

Oh, yes. I have no interest in modifying my watches in any significant way.

Strange collector, eh?

[freddy333]

When I began watch collecting many years ago, I acquired gens through auction houses in NYC & London and reps via mail order (this was the only way to purchase them prior to the web). Early on, I collected a number of antique gold watches (the gens) or any rep that either caught my eye or appeared to be 'cutting edge' in its design or functions/implementation. So to say that my collection, at that time, was eclectic would be like saying Britney Spears enjoys a beer now and then -- a bit of an understatement.

Then, in early 2000, I discovered Timezone and, after perusing all of the existing brand forums, settled into the Rolex forums. At the time, the moderators & several of the more knowledgeable members' collecting habits seemed to be centered around an all-steel theme. One member, who had a quite outstanding collection of vintage Rolexes, posted two pictures that immediately changed the direction of my collection. The first was a (quite well attired) wrist shot of a rare steel DD with silver dial & bar markers. I had never liked the DD before because most of the DD's I have seen were either in yellow/rose gold (too obvious/gaudy) or fitted with gems (which, in my opinion, have no place on a well-dressed man's watch). But this one was just right. If a watch could have a personality, this one was Miles Davis -- quiet, cool sophistication. The other picture was a group shot of his vintage Rolex collection -- all steel, with everything from a mint DRSD to a handful of Newmans to Explorers to Air Kings. It was brilliant & stunning at the same time and made me reshift my thinking about watch collecting, which has remained steel-centric since that day.