Rep Rule # 116

[dmastah12]

I Just finished reading "Rep rules for Dummies" and had to ask about rule 116

" The wearer of a Rep Will Under any circumstances NOT wear his watch to an AD.!!"

Would Any of the oldtimers please explain this rule.

Thanks

[fotoman]

don't go flaunting your rep to authorized dealers - they will not say anything to your face, but they will be [censored] off - you unnecessarily call attention to our hobby.

no one will call you out on the fake - they will just say, oh, very nice piece - but they will know - so its a useless adventure, if you want to fool them - well, they are fooling you - you don't insult someone who may buy something from you

[Toadtorrent]

To add, the more ADs are in tune to the quality of high end reps, the more feedback they provide to the gen manufacturers about the prevalence and risk reps pose to AD sales, and this in turn leads to reps increasing pressure on governments to crack down on counterfeit laws...putting the hobby at risk.

[dmastah12]

Both of ya make sense, thanks guys!!

Now how about rule 176 :p

[alphakazi]

type "replica watch forums" in Google

do you really think the gen manufacturers need any kind of "tipping"?

I'd be more concerned with them taking your watch and smashing it in front of your face - then getting into a fist fight with the shop owner that ends up putting you in jail

[dmastah12]

I'd be more concerned with them taking your watch and smashing it in front of your face - then getting into a fist fight with the shop owner that ends up putting you in jail

Hope they never try that [censored] with me, as far as i am aware owning a rep is not a crime

[Toadtorrent]

Depending on the country...some aspects are very illegal.

Legality of Replicas

As to tipping off ADs...true, finding fakes is easy...very easy. I would imagine most people who know watches reasonably well (not a WIS) think reps are all CRAP.

The problem is, that the more and more ADs start to understand the true quality of some of the reps that are around and can see the impact on their bottom line, the more and more ADs will complain about the threat. Reps for the most part are probably not a HUGE threat to ADs as most people who buy them are probably NOT in the market for a gen. It's when it becomes very apparent through frequency of spotting them, or frequency of seeing high quality product that an AD will start to question how much they might be losing and push for change.

[gillorin]

Always been long debated, but at first people were talking about having your watch get seized by the AD for it being counterfeit. That's illegal, but it definitely could have happened, and the patron was just too scared/embarrassed to do anything about it. My thought on the subject is that they see so many, and really aren't 'impressed' by anyone wearing one, that if it looks good from a couple feet (likely as close as they will get) then they wouldn't doubt it. If anything it makes you look like more of a potential buyer as you already have a nice watch. But as far as servicing or anything along those lines, I would always suggest sticking to a trusted local watch smith. No real reason to tempt fate, right?

[dmastah12]

In all Honesty I think it would be really stupid to wear a rep to an AD. What are we gonna achieve by doing that?

I think its wise to follow Rule # 116!! :p

[RLudlowe]

I'd be more concerned with them taking your watch and smashing it in front of your face -

I think the likelihood of this happening is nearly nil - after all there are many people out there wearing reps who don't even know they are reps, they think they just got a real good deal on a watch on Ebay or in a little watch shop in some third world country. These people are good potential customers for gens.

You'd also have to be pretty confident that the watch owner isn't going to pull out a gun and shoot you for destroying their property. Most people don't take very kindly to that sort of thing.

Much easier to just say "Nice watch" and hope they buy something. Let the manufacturers go after the rep dealers.