*Yawn ~ Let's Stir Up Some Controversy ! Question For Vet's...

[Chino]

It was all honey for me until customs started pissing in my soup... after I lost 6 to 8 watches in the mail and customs (many were stolen from the mail while sent back to sender, other were returned and I never knew back of the watches) I realised I just couldn't afford to buy the most expensive reps to see them dissapear. That's why I've been mostly buying asian reps from dealers and 2nd hand watches.

Lately it's been almost all loss for me. I'm already known in customs but they tell me that there may be a way for me to have them released when caught, so I'll try this "new- illegal/ legal" method when I have all figured out with those suckers at customs. Can't hate'em they're just doing a good job.

So I've been satisfying my watch cravings with low price- medium end originals such as Tissots. Ebay will provide my next watches probably.

I'm one big unlucky bastard.

best regards.

Chino.

[baltic]

I've always steered towards quality rather than quantity and kept my reps to around half a dozen. I've purchased reps in the past that I've liked so much I've bought for the gen. Financially I've kept pretty sensible, selling on the ones I don't wear/ can release funds for other purchases; been into the rep game since RWG1.

I'm rationalising my collection for a big project but the ones I'm keeping have been modded as much as possible and had trips to a well know Canadian 'spa'

I think I've nearly got pretty much my ideal collection, just one to go....

[_brian_]

"My reasoning is that these big companies (Richemeont, LVMH, etc...) are scandalous ripoff artists--and that NONE of their produced items deserve the price point(s) bracket(s) in which they are placed. Is it childish to take on such a rebellious stance? Who cares is what I say."

That

[capice]

Still buying on impulse...but more carefull.

Started out with 5 pieces in 1 order, I know do my reading and comparisons before I buy

waiting for my Discovery 1911 Chronograph from PT, should arrive any day now

Not one second of regrets, but paid a lot of learning money...........

[omni]

Not one second of regrets, but paid a lot of learning money...........

No regrets either, good term "learning money" as the "should'a-could'a-would'a" hindsight is useless here. Its a learning experience, what the lesson is can be regret in some cases. Richard Tracy, you just have to admit to yourself that you and some other collectors are just impulse shopaholics. We are all different and we all disagree for a reason that only makes sense to oneself. Personally, I've learned so well on years of reps. that the quality-accuracy-anal mindset that filtered into my brain finally resulted in giving up rep. collecting as a hobby, the ol' double-edged sword thingie. Even as exciting as the more expensive super-reps are (and I do get tempted as got the HBB rep. last year), my own logic is they are never a gen., the rep. will never be perfect and the new price point is getting on par with lower-tier genuines. I'm very grateful for the horological knowledge gained by rep. collecting, but the knowledge/appreciation made me move on. There will always be a rep. purchase in my future since evolving from this habit doesn't preclude a cheap way of trying a particular brand/model, but collecting them is over. If I had the patience & inclination like Ubi and some others to build my own genuines, then yes, I'd probably still be in the hobby.

[AMK000]

For my there is no doubt about it.

One is spending more money with Reps than with genuines for sure.

I (as an example) I am buying 4 reps a years (at $ 350 each average).

Thats: 1400 USD a year. Plus about 100 usd for sending watches back and forth (QA things). Plus $ 300 (anual) for mods. Plus $ 200 for some repairs.

So that makes a total 1800 to 2000 USD a year.

I dont buy trhough 2 gens a year for 1000 USD each (stupid me).

If you have the "bug" ..... one or two watches a year is not enough.

With Gens (assuming complete absence of reps from the market) one will learn to control trhe "bug".

[Raijor]

Reps have been good to me .... I receive a lot of enjoyment from owning facsimiles of some of the most interesting and beautiful watches made. The money I spend on reps is the portion of my income known as "my money for me". I have always had a "my money for me fund" as has my wife. We each are free to use as we please without having to justify how it is spent. Before I was a fiend for gens especially Rolex Datejusts and spent far more than I do today on watches. So in my case the rep world has been good to me.