dabom Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 Obvious statement: people wear reps for all sorts of reasons. Some wear reps because they can't afford the real thing. Some wear them because they are posers and need it for their low self esteems. For me, I only buy reps of brands I like from a distance. I like their designs, but I don't "appreciate" them. When I truly appreciate a brand, nothing less than a genuine will do. For example, I primarily buy reps of Rolexes and Panerais. I like their designs, but I don't like genuine Rolex movements and bracelets, and Panerai's size is a little too big for me to buy a genuine even though they look good on my wrist in photographs. In a week, I will receive a SSD from Trusty. The reason why I am getting this watch, is because sometimes I go to vacation to watch havens like Hong Kong or Singapore, where it is mandatory to wear a good watch. I may not necessarily want to bring my gen, and it's nice to have an alternative. Why does it matter? Because sales people in those countries are very judgemental about what you put on your wrist, so shallow judgement deserves a shallow response! As for the other reps in my collection, they are more or less "nice watches that I wear to places where they might get stolen or wrecked", and watches that spruce up my collection of gens. I love my gens, but it's nice to have a bit of variety and change it up a little with reps. I take a long time to buy a gen - I have to make sure that I will not get tired of it and will always love it. Buying a gen is a long and thoughtful process. Reps on the other hand are good "tester" watches and fun watches that I don't need to think about so much. I think it's important to have both types. I'll finish off by saying that I really think that if you truly appreciate a brand, you really ought to buy the genuine thing. Although I have pirated movies, I will always go out and buy the legal copy if I appreciate the movie. I think we should be decent enough to pay people for their work if we appreciate it. I know there are many of you who don't have the same morals, and perhaps to you you think that any free ride is a good ride - well consider if you yourself were an artist and someone was enjoying your work but ripping you off. Or perhaps you aren't an artist and you're just an employee - how would you feel if someone got credit for the work you did, and got a raise ahead of you because of it? Perhaps some may think it's hypocritical of me to pontificate since I own reps myself. Well, balance is the key. There are some brands I will never buy reps of, because I truly appreciate their quality and the brand - therefore I reciprocate by buying the real thing. There are some brands which I don't appreciate, but they might have one or two models that are kinda nice, and I wonder what the fuss is all about. I think there's room for both and still be fair. My 2 c. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabom Posted June 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 (moderators, kindly remove the other thread. It's been so hijacked that the meaning has been lost. I'd like to start another, just so we can discuss why we love to wear reps and other random thoughts on the subject. Many thanks!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 You know this would also be a good reply in Richards post, I do agree with you about reciprocating and buying the gen of something that realy clicks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P4GTR Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 I would love to buy more gens, and will when more important things are sorted. I wear reps because I have to, but I would still want them even if I could easily afford the gens. I like both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CGJ Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 I wear reps because I am a good business-man. If I can buy a fake for 400 dollars and have it pass for the real thing, and invest money saved into other interests, then theres no point in having the gen. Seriously, Even if I was filthy stinking rich, I probably would still wear reps. Can I afford a $6,000 watch? Sure. But do I have things I'd rather do with 6K? I'm sure we all do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiker01 Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 I wear reps because I am a good business-man. If I can buy a fake for 400 dollars and have it pass for the real thing, and invest money saved into other interests, then theres no point in having the gen. Seriously, Even if I was filthy stinking rich, I probably would still wear reps. Can I afford a $6,000 watch? Sure. But do I have things I'd rather do with 6K? I'm sure we all do. For a new member, you're very smart! Amen to that! @dabom said: "For example, I primarily buy reps of Rolexes and Panerais. I like their designs, but I don't like genuine Rolex movements and bracelets, and Panerai's size is a little too big for me to buy a genuine even though they look good on my wrist in photographs." "I know there are many of you who don't have the same morals, and perhaps to you you think that any free ride is a good ride - well consider if you yourself were an artist and someone was enjoying your work but ripping you off. Or perhaps you aren't an artist and you're just an employee - how would you feel if someone got credit for the work you did, and got a raise ahead of you because of it?" @dabom: How do you think Rolex and Panerai feels that you're buying their Rep'ed product and not buying the GEN? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 (moderators, kindly remove the other thread. It's been so hijacked that the meaning has been lost. I'd like to start another, just so we can discuss why we love to wear reps and other random thoughts on the subject. Many thanks!) i dont think the other thread should be closed just because you got some negative responces, it has created discussion and that is what this place is about, you also have people agreeing with some of the generalisations you have made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 I never aim to pass my watches off as gens. If someone assumes it's real, that's up to them. If they think it's a fake, then good for them. If they actually bother to ask me, I'll tell them I wear reps because I don't think they (gens)(as a brand name product) are worth the price tag. I'm simply not prepared to pay it, as I have more important things to spend money on. Reps give me a watch I like, for a fraction of the cost of the gen, meaning I can have a larger collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jot9011 Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 I personally buy SOME replicas to "test drive" the watch as you said. The reps I really like, are the ones I consider buying the GEN. Some watches are fads whose design concepts are certainly not going to last (ie Hublot). I would much rather spend $500 on a watch like that, than $12K for a watch thats going to go the way of bell bottom pants. I don't, however, feel the need to pay hommage to the GEN watchmakers, by purchasing one of their watches b/c I have a replica of it. That's just silly! @ dabom: Just to comment on the guy you saw wearing the bad replica TAG (other thread)....I don't think it's fair to call him a POSER. We are all posers in one way or another. He just doen't know any better. The couple of replicas I bought before finding RWG were pretty sad. Maybe you should have turned him onto our forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabom Posted June 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 @ dabom: Just to comment on the guy you saw wearing the bad replica TAG (other thread)....I don't think it's fair to call him a POSER. We are all posers in one way or another. He just doen't know any better. The couple of replicas I bought before finding RWG were pretty sad. Maybe you should have turned him onto our forum. yeah I totally agree it's unfair and hypocritical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabom Posted June 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 @dabom: How do you think Rolex and Panerai feels that you're buying their Rep'ed product and not buying the GEN? I've genuines of both, and I sold both because I didn't love them enough to keep them and I owned them before I owned reps. So my actions now will not change their bottom line since I am not going to buy gens now, and buying reps did not influence my decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbc Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 I never aim to pass my watches off as gens. If someone assumes it's real, that's up to them. If they think it's a fake, then good for them. If they actually bother to ask me, I'll tell them I wear reps because I don't think they (gens)(as a brand name product) are worth the price tag. I'm simply not prepared to pay it, as I have more important things to spend money on. Reps give me a watch I like, for a fraction of the cost of the gen, meaning I can have a larger collection. You hit the nail TJ. I do take a glee in beating the system so to speak. I started out collecting Swatches & remember seeing an interview where Nicholas Hayek (Chairman of Swatch) stated matter of factly that Omegas were mark uped 1000%. This was back in the day when Swatch had just acquired Omega ... so the markup is probably way higher now. So while we complain about clone ETAs ... we miss the fact that we get totally ripped-off when we buy gens. Lets face it, most big name watches under 10 grand will use an ETA that probably costs less than 10 bucks off the line. Many deep pocket guys I know are into super reps in a big way. Super reps are work of art & have sparked an interest in horology in a way no one expected. I'm sure most forumers here have at least some basic watch tools & will pick up some horogical skills eventually. Love of watches ... I don't know! I think its down more to a fear of our reps failing at the most inappropriate of times & we get called out. Those darn Asian 7750s! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironmarshal Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 I agree that it's nice to own a gen of the brand you really appreciate. Having said that, if you are a true watch enthusiast, it's likely that you could never afford all the gens you'd like to own and buying reps allows you to expand your collection. That being said, I highly support buying a few gens of the brands you really love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgegrasser Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 dabom: Well I was having fun with this until you made me realize I'm a poser with low self esteem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabom Posted June 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 dabom: Well I was having fun with this until you made me realize I'm a poser with low self esteem. nah.. I think people who buy high-end reps are a different breed altogether. You'd only be a poser with low self-esteem if you used your Rollex to pick up chicks! ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assasi9 Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 i wear reps for the same reason people buy generic medicine and store brand products. you basically get the same [censored] without taking it up the ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgegrasser Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 (edited) nah.. I think people who buy high-end reps are a different breed altogether. You'd only be a poser with low self-esteem if you used your Rollex to pick up chicks! ;-) Well actually I do, do that. I even wear a polo shirt with the Rolex Crest. One day a chick asked me if I had a Rolex. I almost hit her when I raised my arm to show her my TT Sub. I remember thinking "You want to have sex with me now"? I would like to sell reps as I have plenty of time thanks to the Bush economic policy. But to-date whenever a guy has mentioned my watch, I have tried to sell it right off my wrist with no takers so far. Edited June 26, 2008 by georgegrasser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 (edited) Replicas actually allow me to work at my watches by myself which is a major part of the fun for me. Doing some mods really can be done for fun, not just for making it look more like the gen so you can make people believe you Edited June 26, 2008 by Fish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fakemaster Posted June 29, 2008 Report Share Posted June 29, 2008 I wear reps because I know how much it costs to make a gen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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