Spoooooonz Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 Not so long ago $200 got you an rep with a genuine ETA movement. Now you can pay $250+ and get a rep with a copy movement that cannot readily be repaired and that are of poor quality. Given the way the pricing curve is heading it is likely that we'll see prices jump into the $300+ zone for basic reps (asian movement/sapphire crystal/some AR if appropriate) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
By-Tor Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 Yeah, but there's not much we can do... except stop buying. And you know... it doesn't work. Personally, I'm not going to pay more than $350 for ANY unmodified replica watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dluddy Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 I more concerned about the markup people are trying to get on Used rep's.....There is an occasional rarity or fully modded model that warrants an uplift but some folks are asking for over original buy price for some models Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonSlayer Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 Rep prices have always been stupid from day one. What we are seeing now is some dealers are getting greedier by increasing mark-up further, and also being cheap and deceptive at the same time by passing of cheap mock eta movements as genuine ETA's. I also have to agree with dluddy's comment above. If a rep is used, it should absolutely no way cost the same or more than what it was originally purchased for UNLESS it is a rare model/it has a rare movement/it has mods done to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchmeister Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 I am never in favor of price increases but the realization that rep buyers would pay $400 and up has actually led to some wonderful new reps. Only now are we seeing manufacturers buying $10,000 + gens to reproduce them. The downside is you now have to take an almost gen approach to buying. The issue of outrageous mark-ups and misleading advertising is another thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chronus Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 Yeah, but there's not much we can do... except stop buying. And you know... it doesn't work. It's definitely gonna stop me, I'm not paying $400 for an unreliable asian copy movement of the ETA 2836. I'm still wary of the Asian 7750s! Personally, I'm not going to pay more than $350 for ANY unmodified replica watch. That's probably a good stance to take! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omegaunit Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 My limit is $300. Anything over that is just silly. It looks like everytime a new model is introduced they push the limit even further. As long as there are people willing to pay those prices this will never stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoooooonz Posted April 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 It won't be long before some reps cost more than a slightly used gen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 I see things a bit differently. Ever since I purchased my 1st ETA-powered Rolex rep (25 years ago), I have always felt that these watches -- those that are reasonably accurate in their design execution -- were under-priced by at least 100%. Even at $500, look what you get -- a watch that for all-intents-and-purposes IS the real thing to the vast majority of the general population. A watch that is powered by a highly reliable Swiss-made movement which, with proper servicing, should provide a lifetime of accuracy in terms of both timekeeping consistency & functional appearance relative to the gen watch it is based on. And, while not perfect, many of today's rep watches are actually quite well made. How many times have you looked down at your wrist not because you need to know the time, but just to marvel at the sheer beauty or construction quality of your latest Pan, Rolex or Patek rep acquisition? If you are like me, 'frequently' is probably the answer. Do you think to yourself, 'Not bad for a POS', or do you wonder, in amazement, why anyone would pay 10, 20 or an even larger multiplier more for a gen when your rep is so bedazzling in its display & deportment? Is a $500 price tag for a basic Sub or Luminor rep that cost no more than $50 to manufacture a 'rip off'? Well, maybe, but maybe not. Certainly, if quality is your primary benchmark, then yes. Any $200 Seiko, Timex or Bulova will exceed the overall fit-and-finish of the best rep watch. But if you compare the manufacturing cost of the average ETA-powered Bell, Breitling or Porsche Design to the price tag hanging off its typically multi-thousand dollar bracelet in an AD's case (& the gen sellers do not even have to apportion their profit margins to account for the illegal aspects of the rep business), the answer is alot less clear & I think that that seemingly extortionate $500 price starts to look alot more reasonable in that context. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam_tgg Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 It will good to now, if there is an increase or decrease in the number of reps been sold, in the last times, and if this affect different in EU or USA (because of weak dollard). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir-Lancelot Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 It won't be long before some reps cost more than a slightly used gen. Wont be long? Hell it's already happened. Big Bang. I will say that the quality (fit/finish) of the new reps have taken a HUGE leap in the right direction. There are some reps out that are amazing quality and that don't come cheap. All the cheap reps are still out there, but everyone want the good chit. Me included. If you buy something and like it, then it was worth what you pay for it. I usually just wait until the feeding frenzy with the new items calm down then make my purchase. Once everyone has bought the newest item and sales slow for the dealers, the prices always come down. It's hard to wait sometimes, but being married w 4 children, I do not have a choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capice Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 whatever people are willing to pay..... Look at the Graham, pricerange between the 325-450 US, I rather spend that cash on a different watch more gen lookalike with mods if I can find one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pix Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 Don't forget there are other places to buy, and if indeed some reps prices have increased, you still have a bunch of honest reps with Asian movements far under 100 dollars. One of the problem is probably that most of the "very high end" reps come from the same factory, and that this factory (or maybe 2, or 3 ?) want more cash. For some reason. Look at what happens with the HBB, it's IMO the best example that the same watch can cost between 250 and 800 dollars : the only real difference being the metal used for plating, a movement that is different but still Asian in both cases, and recently the fact that a second manufacturer popped up. I vote for competition !! As far as Swiss movements are concerned, this is sure : they will never be cheap again. At least ETA ones... But personally I don't care (any more), as you never know how damaged the one that came in your Triple A Swiss grade replica is... Look at the Oris Carlos Coste replica : whereas all "super reps" cost now over 300, this one is sold for the "older usual price" : 265 USD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkerouac Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 As long as prices are quoted in dollars and the dollar remains weak or continues to weaken, dealers will raise their prices somewhat just to stay even with the margins that they were earning just a year or two ago -- add to that the higher prices charged for newer models, and you get many of the pricing pain that we are experiencing now. This is probably OK for veteran collectors who already have a sizable number of reps and don't necessarily feel like they need many (or any) more, but more difficult for people still building their collections. As for reliability, if you really value a rep, particularly an Asian 7750, you should get it serviced early. So a $300 rep quickly becomes a $500 rep, albeit one that should be as reliable as a gen for many years to come. Used prices are a different story. There is so much hype about "modded this" and "modded that" that I think a number of people are buying watches and performing some level of modification just so they can charge an inflated price and make a nice profit off of fellow members. I'm not sure I would buy a modded watch from a fellow member right now unless I really felt that comfortable with that member and his reputation. If it is a watch I really desired, I would probably lean toward buying it new from a dealer and having the mods done myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 "Beauty is in the eye's of the beholder" ... simple but true..."worth" is relative to the enjoyment and satisfaction I get out of whatever it is I'm purchasing.. Quality is important .. not just the "look" of the replication.. I believe Honpo was selling high Quality reps for 1000 usd for a while now..you still can get very low cost .. cheap fakes with Jananese movements for very little..but I think it's unrealistic to think that a rep such as the Chopard will sell low..but we do have choices with different makers on the same model at times.. so it's up to us to decide .. less cost more flaws .. or the alternative But .....freddy333 and jerouach said it all ... thank you for both for your eloquence.. very well said ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blade007 Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 i think my upcoming purchases are going to be mid priced gens instead of a rep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piratedzeus Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 Well... you get more for what you pay. Omega SMP ETA.... blabla was 190$ some time ago... now that SFSO is like 320$? Insane pricing? maybe.But you get more. Replicaed from Gen....AR...waterproofness etc... my purchases 95$, 110$, 180$, 180$, 300$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 all goods will be more expensive... nothing will be less. This is the real life! US DOLLAR worth 30% less than 2 years ago and also ETA movements are today 200 - 300% more expensive as 2 years ago. belive me friends... old prices will not come back... it will goes only higher. and the prices for ETA copy movements will goes also higher. I know suppliers here in germany offer now asian 2824 and 2892 copy movements for prices like genuine ETA movements as the genuine ETA movements aren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raw6464 Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 (edited) If your just looking for a gen look and not concerned with gen markings you might want to look here: www.alpha-watch.com. Their watches are not junk. They are water resistant and all stainless steel, with a one year warranty. The sub below is less than $46 US including shipping. I have both of these watches. The TT GMT was $55 including shipping. Agreed they are NOT GFR (Genuine Fake Rolexs) but they are NOT Canal Street junk either. However it's a hint to what these watches are worth without all the Rolex markings. ALPHA BLACK BEZEL/DIAL SUBMARINER AUTOMATIC MAN'S WATCH ( THE WHOLE WATCH IS IN STAINLESS STEEL ) MOVEMENT : 21 JEWELS AUTOMATIC MOVEMENT CASE : STAINLESS STEEL BLACK BEZEL SCREW BACK CASE CROWN : ORIGINAL SCREW CROWN 3 ATM WATER RESISTANT (APPROX 100 FEET) DIAL : BLACK DIAL BRACELET : 20MM STAINLESS STEEL SOLID BRACELET WITH DOUBLE LOCK BUCKLE SIZE : 44MM INCLUDING THE CROWN, LUGS TO LUGS 48MM THE WHOLE WATCH IS IN STAINLESS STEEL MOVEMENT : 23 JEWELS AUTOMATIC GMT FUNCTION MOVEMENT (THE GOLD GMT FUNCTION HAND CAN ADJUST INDEPENDENTLY ) CASE : BLUE BEZEL STAINLESS STEEL SCREW TWO TONE CASE, See-through back with Synthetic crystal CROWN : ORIGINAL SCREW CROWN 10 ATM WATER RESISTANT (APPROX 300 FEET) DIAL : CERAMIC BLUE DIAL BRACELET : 20MM STAINLESS STEEL SOLID TWO TONE BRACELET WITH DOUBLE LOCK BUCKLE SIZE : 44MM INCLUDING THE CROWN, LUGS TO LUGS 48MM LENGTH : 9.5 INCHS WEIGHT : 132g Edited April 20, 2008 by raw6464 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P4GTR Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 Personally, I'm not going to pay more than $350 for ANY unmodified replica watch. Thats my cap too, captain. HBB seems to be the example used so far. Nice watch, glad those that yearned for it got it. But! $800 on a rep? ahahahaha no sir, thats a $800 downpayment on a genuine. Almost 1/5 of the way to a genuine submariner guys. I got an almost new (3-4 months old) Tag link for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Tracy Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 Another sound reason to go with pure Asian movements,... The $130 SOH is a perfect example of a fine piece that's priced for what it is, and always will be,.. A replica. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 I get concerned when I see members make excuses for these high prices, we need to understand that the guys selling us these watches are not the same ones who make them, it is the factories that are turning out a better product and even if this is at the beck of dealers close to them it doesn't warrant the obscene price we are paying. I know for a fact one of our biggest dealers sold one of my customers a HBB fast beat with AR and ceramic for under $350 when they were still extremely popular. Ok this customer was a big purchaser of watches but we all know that the dealers would never sell at a loss, so look at the profit margin on that one watch alone and equate that to the hundreds of watches these guys sell a Month......greed is a terrible thing. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugwash Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 Why pay $800 for an ugly rep when you can get a genuine handwind tourbillon with power reserve for $500? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 Why pay $800 for an ugly rep when you can get a genuine handwind tourbillon with power reserve for $500? exactly. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pix Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 Let's say a "no name" rep With the same possible issues as a rep equipped with the same Chinese movement. And the same distribution channel... I love it however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now