RobbieG Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Now, lets not get carried away here. Not inferior in any way? I certainly can't dive with my Breitling reps as I can with my gen Chronomat Evolution. LOL. I was trying to be polite. Yes, they are inferior in certain ways, but what I'm trying to do is not [censored] reps on a rep forum. They have their purpose and for the money they can't be beat - especially if someone isn't a nut for loupe level detail or doing any diving. I am no doubt a pragmatist in general and certainly so when considering this very issue. Clearly, being a guy that has spent nearly enough money to buy a house in some states on Swiss watches, I must be getting something out of it to justify such ongoing expenses. So for me there is a big difference - hence all the gens instead of reps. But like I said, that is really of no consequence as one only has to consider what is really important to him and his collection knowing what moves him and then the choice of gen or rep becomes instantly clear. Like your diving example as it related to the EVO for instance. If someone here doesn't dive and doesn't care about the little details as I do, and is trying to consider buying a gen EVO or a rep EVO, clearly the best choice for that person would be the rep. Because to him, it really isn't inferior in any way that effects him. Whereas you and I would buy the gen (you already did) probably almost without a second thought. That is what I meant to stress all along... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Robbie: You and TJ share a birth DATE but from memory you're justa few years older my friend. Col. Yeah, someone recently told me that I am literally the same age as Godzilla, which goes a long way to explain how I have been feeling lately... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Correction: Sloppiness in construction is sometimes an issue. I mean, if you're referring to mechanical problems. Of course, reps have occasional visual issues as well... like crooked markers. Amazingly, I've never gotten a rep like that... maybe the dealers double check before they send a copy to me. The only mechanical issues I've had... yes, they have been "complications". Correct hand stack GMT build is just terrible, and the Day-Date that I reviewed has a daywheel issue. And we all know the track record of A7750 seconds at '6. But with basic ETA/Asian 21J/A7750... I've never had even one mechanical problem... out of those 45-50 reps I've owned. Yeah, I think you must either be lucky or they are cherry picking for you, because literally EVERY single rep I have ever had has some sloppy issue with it. The movement has been the least of my worries. Always some alignment, dirt, fitting issue of some kind. Plus, I see things like glue spillover little chips in applied markers, etc. at macro which just makes Photoshop work for me. As I said, the little details - partly even for photo reasons - just mean everything to me and when you look at a perfectly constructed gen through the lens it is just breathtaking to me on a whole other level. Subtle for sure, but it is there. I think the bottom line is each individual either "sees it" or they don't - meaning that they may see it, but it hardly even registers with some, but with others it is like nails on a chalkboard... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuniorNA Posted January 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 (edited) Nowadays anything you buy that is not "authentic" supports the secondary hidden markets which in turn could fund a nuclear winter 20 years down the road. Don't worry, gasoline and ARMs dealing will the be the death of us all before buying REPS cause an issue. Edited January 19, 2009 by JuniorNA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Hey guys - not to beat a dead horse but while organizing some files I came across a great pic that would really benefit this discussion for clarification purposes. As you know, I have been saying that the details and precision are the things that really motivate my collecting and love for watches. I have also made it known that I like to buy reps to see what I think of a gen I have been pondering as a trial run. A while back I was thinking of getting a new Datejust with the new case style and although the reps at the time (maybe they still don't?) didn't have that case, I was undecided about what dial, bezel, bracelet combo to get when I got the gen. I bought three rep DJ's with a variety of combos, and gave them away after I got the gen as gifts. When the order came in it turned out that one of the dials was cracked and so I snapped a pic to send to my dealer to show him. He sent an advance replacement watch without the bracelet and I sent the head back to him... Anyway, all the DJ's were the best quality ETA versions available at the time - late 2007, which I determined through a lot of research to make sure I got the best that was out there. Pay no attention to the crack obviously, but the difference in these two photos of Datejust dials, from one of the reps and my current gen illustrates exactly why I find the details of reps to be lacking and why I have crossed over into buying and keeping gens in the permanent collection. At arms length you probably wouldn't notice, but up close, even without a loupe the difference in quality of the parts, workmanship, fit and finish is to me staggering. I will be interested to hear how many feel that what is shown here is unacceptable for the highest quality rep available for the line. Certainly a franken job with a gen dial solves the problem, but personally I couldn't sleep at night until I got that dial out of there or got rid of the watch. Incidentally, the recipient of the gift was an older family member with poor eyesight and he thinks the watch may as well be worth a million dollars as the rep Jubileee bracelet (new style clasp) is out of this world feel wise - I would put that bracelet on a gen watch in that case without a second thought. Still, I would love to hear your impressions of these photos and whether you would still be fine with owning the watch knowing the dial looked like this up close. Again, for me the issue isn't accuracy to the gen with reps. It is the marginal workmanship and sloppyness in the details that I always seem to encounter, like you see here with the finishing of the indices and the dial print as compared to the gen. I wish I had more photos as the same kind of slop was EVERYWHERE on the watch - crown, bezel fit, endlinks, etc. but I think from this one pic you can get the idea. Meanwhile, I get stars in my eyes and my heart melts everytime I look at the gen dial from any angle. And that is what moves me with watches. I only wish more reps held that line as it would save me a boatload of money. LOL. The funny thing is I know they could if they charged a bit more, but then all the people who don't care would say they were too expensive and never buy them. I have often said, I wish there was another quality level, which is the "perfect" gen quality fit/finish rep for like a grand or fifteen hundred or something that would pass the close up test... - 2007 DJ rep (based on "F" serial), MOP Roman dial: - 2008 DJ gen ("M" serial), Rhodium Roman Dial: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuniorNA Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 (edited) Robbie, all i can say is wow. I'm totally speechless. I know now what you mean about wanting to get the gen and wanting the best there is after seeing this. I'm not knocking the rep, u know that...and after all the research you did, and came back with this, its 100% understandable why you feel the way you did. I have seen bad reps before, SOSF, Avengers, Tags, but this is just shoddy craftsmanship and terrible motivation to make this a decent timepiece. i know exactly what you mean when you say its not the accuracy of the rep vs. gen, but the build of the rep. If that were not a rep R0llie...lets just say that was a $10 piece made in United States, it would still be overpriced at $10.00. Now i'm probably exaggerating as you have all seen worse i'm sure, especially a few years ago when the low low end stuff was coming out like hookers near a cocaine water fountain...but the fact remains the same. This watch should not have left the manufacturer, should not have been allowed to be marked as complete, and should not have been sold. Its completely unacceptable, and actually I think i've learned a lesson...YES it is important to me to have the REP be like the GEN, but its now just as important to notice the small details to see how these reps actually compare when shelling out $300 for a watch. Is it fair to pay 300$ for a weak rep just because it says rolex? no, i think not. Luckily I havent received anything like this, and let me also rehash that the picture might be really exposing this watch for what it is, and maybe its not that bad under normal lighting, when 5 inches away, but MACRO mode on a camera does speak more than words will ever say. Thanks robbie. hopefully this batch of rolexes has died and faded away Edited January 20, 2009 by JuniorNA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Thanks for the link, bro, that's certainly an eye opener, but I totally agree, the work on those markers is just garbage, and you'd certainly be right to say that I wouldn't wear something looking that bad. However, I would make this caveat: If the indice was 'shaped' as it is on the gen, and that was simply paint overspill, then I would be prepared to de-case the watch and scratch off the excess paint with a jeweler's screwdriver (I had to do that with my DIY Sub-on-a-Strap, as I accidentally touched the sharpie to an indice while obscuring the lower dial print, and hadn't realized how noticeable it was until I'd re-cased the watch, but it was the work of only a few minutes to do.) I admit, a watch shouldn't be coming out of a dealer's stock, as a fully-priced item in a condition like that, and if each of the indices need 're-touching', it would probably be an hour's work, which I shouldn't have to do, but I would probably be prepared to do it. On the other hand, if the indices weren't shaped, such touch up work would take much longer Again, I'd probably be prepared to do it, but I wouldn't expect to be paying top dollar for something in that condition... This was why I mentioned to By-Tor, how I thought that there should be a 'bargain bin' section on dealer's sites, where a watch like that could be sold at a really reduced price, on the understanding that it is flawed, and will require modding work. Crazy as it sounds, I actually like how the crack looks, and truth be told, I would probably have proceeded to crack the dial further, to give a really antiqued look to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemonvr6 Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 I tinkered with reps for quite a while, and eventually became dissatisfied with never-ending "new" versions, QC issues, inaccuracies and the general slimy feeling of wearing a fake watch. While the allure of getting a "deal" on something that is 99% or even 100% visually accurate to the original is tempting, it really isn't worth it. I didn't like wearing my reps, even the ones that were virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. *I* knew they were fake, and that was all that mattered. I get real satisfaction when I look at my gen Panerai and shudder when I look at the rep that I wisely dumped so long ago. The ~$35,000 of gens I own reward me every time I wear them. The old reps are wasted time. The same goes for my Louis Vuitton luggage. Its real, and whether or not people think its fake, I carry it with pride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Thanks for the link, bro, that's certainly an eye opener, but I totally agree, the work on those markers is just garbage, and you'd certainly be right to say that I wouldn't wear something looking that bad. However, I would make this caveat: If the indice was 'shaped' as it is on the gen, and that was simply paint overspill, then I would be prepared to de-case the watch and scratch off the excess paint with a jeweler's screwdriver (I had to do that with my DIY Sub-on-a-Strap, as I accidentally touched the sharpie to an indice while obscuring the lower dial print, and hadn't realized how noticeable it was until I'd re-cased the watch, but it was the work of only a few minutes to do.) I admit, a watch shouldn't be coming out of a dealer's stock, as a fully-priced item in a condition like that, and if each of the indices need 're-touching', it would probably be an hour's work, which I shouldn't have to do, but I would probably be prepared to do it. On the other hand, if the indices weren't shaped, such touch up work would take much longer Again, I'd probably be prepared to do it, but I wouldn't expect to be paying top dollar for something in that condition... This was why I mentioned to By-Tor, how I thought that there should be a 'bargain bin' section on dealer's sites, where a watch like that could be sold at a really reduced price, on the understanding that it is flawed, and will require modding work. Crazy as it sounds, I actually like how the crack looks, and truth be told, I would probably have proceeded to crack the dial further, to give a really antiqued look to it Yeah and that brings it to a close nicely in that even as you say many of these issues can be tinkered with and fixed. But I for one don't enjoy that process, so I would have to send it out and if it could never get fixed right I would just be bummed out. So then I would need a gen dial and so on. It just seems like modding of some kind is the only thing that offers even partial protection for a lot of models... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonthebhoy Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 ... the watch costs nothing... I plan to create a brand. Hope I am clear... Yep clear as ding-dong bell. Put me down for 10. JTB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Yeah and that brings it to a close nicely in that even as you say many of these issues can be tinkered with and fixed. But I for one don't enjoy that process, so I would have to send it out and if it could never get fixed right I would just be bummed out. So then I would need a gen dial and so on. It just seems like modding of some kind is the only thing that offers even partial protection for a lot of models... I know what you mean, bro. I should clarify, that while I enjoy tinkering with watches to build them as I want them, I don't enjoy tinkering with watches to fix shoddy workmanship which shouldn't've been sold at a full price. It's like with the Quartz watches I was messing with last week. I didn't mind having to tweak the movement contacts when I did a movement transplant, as I was having to make that movement work with that particular case, but if I had had to tweak the movement in its own case, that would have irritated me... So with that MOP dial, sure, I might've scraped off the excess paint, but I wouldn't've been happy doing it, and I would've written a suitable review about it. Although I'd've been quite happy to sit and snap the dial up more, just to get an interesting antique look to it It's one thing to modify a watch because I want to, and another to modify a watch because I have to. And of course, as you say, there are folks who don't enjoy that process at all, or, who might be prepared to do it, but lack the knowledge or skills to do it... For folks like that, indeed, it'd be a frustrating situation... I guess that's the risk of using dealers who drop-ship... Maybe they should hire a new minion at the warehouse to actually seperate stock into 'acceptable', and 'bargain bin' catagories, and then sell accordingly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tintin Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Discussing wether it`s worth it or not is pointless, the second hand market sets the value and shows us all the desirability. A rep sub, $300... gen second hand $4000 (ballpark)... that`s the difference, the democratic vote has told me and you what the counterparts are worth. It`s a + 90% difference, that`s pretty much. I love my pam reps, or my modded fiddy at least... i tell everyone about how overprised the damn Panerai brand is, standard ETA, stainless steel and a sapphire glass... $20.000???, get the hell outta here!... wish i was rich. I`ll have some fun with my gen DeepSea for a while longer, in the meantime i`ll dream about the 203, AP Barrichello, Patek... but the reps will take some of my longing away and make me forget that i`m not where i wan`t to be, i wan`t to be better, smarter, smaller, bigger, so successful that i could buy every watch i loved... all the things i`m not. In the meantime, i`ll use reps instead of prozac... and they work pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dani Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Discussing wether it`s worth it or not is pointless, the second hand market sets the value and shows us all the desirability. A rep sub, $300... gen second hand $4000 (ballpark)... that`s the difference, the democratic vote has told me and you what the counterparts are worth. It`s a + 90% difference, that`s pretty much. I love my pam reps, or my modded fiddy at least... i tell everyone about how overprised the damn Panerai brand is, standard ETA, stainless steel and a sapphire glass... $20.000???, get the hell outta here!... wish i was rich. I`ll have some fun with my gen DeepSea for a while longer, in the meantime i`ll dream about the 203, AP Barrichello, Patek... but the reps will take some of my longing away and make me forget that i`m not where i wan`t to be, i wan`t to be better, smarter, smaller, bigger, so successful that i could buy every watch i loved... all the things i`m not. In the meantime, i`ll use reps instead of prozac... and they work pretty good. gets my vote for best respons in this thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trailboss Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Oh crap! I gotta agree with Dani +1 Actualy the whole thread has been great. Alltime greatest first post? Col. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 gets my vote for best respons in this thread I'll second that. At the end of the day I buy the gens because I have decided that I can afford them. Maybe I can't, but even that is relative right? If I ever decided that I couldn't afford them I would buy only reps as it isn't like I would just go without. I would say though that if I could only afford one gen or ten reps, I would be the guy who just had the one gen... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Alltime greatest first post? Col. He's got my vote Boss. Sounds like he's got yours too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 I worked on a lady size watch with a cracked shiny white dial and the dial was really a thin fake plastic top glued over the brass dial plate...the crack was in the plastic. It was probably easier to make the dial with white plastic than getting a super shiny white paint job on a brass plate. Wonder if yours was made this way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 This continues to be a great discussion. And I found another pic to discuss. This one is much more subjective. The fact that the "Swiss Made" font is off-center would immediately make the watch un keepable for me. But I wonder how many here would completely overlook it if that were the only sloppyness issue with the watch. I'm betting quite a few could live with that, although I couldn't... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuniorNA Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 (edited) This continues to be a great discussion. And I found another pic to discuss. This one is much more subjective. The fact that the "Swiss Made" font is off-center would immediately make the watch un keepable for me. But I wonder how many here would completely overlook it if that were the only sloppyness issue with the watch. I'm betting quite a few could live with that, although I couldn't... Robbie, you have GREAT pictures, and examples...lol. Few things. A. that would be completely unacceptable to me, even if I paid $50.00 U.S. That is low grade craftsmanship and another example of a watch that should not have left, and another reason why drop shipping scares me. B. Many will tell you this exact phrase and I'm sure you already know this "a rep is a rep, what do you expect"...well to answer that question...I expect a watch that is still made properly. Whether it replicates 90%, or 95% or 98%, I expect the easier details to be accurate. I'm still paying a certain amount for a watch, regardless if it is a rep or not, and that off center font brought the watch price (in my eyes) to less than $4. Sure you can fix it, but do you really want to after seeing that? IF that is wrong, what else could be wrong? Could that be a quartz inside for example? I'm not just talking about your watch, but i'm talking about how a piece of detail that should be easy to accomplish is off, it makes me wonder what else is off. Could watches truly not be asian 7750's? Maybe they are marking them as such, and hoping that we never open the casebacks, and if we do...what do they care? Should we file a complaint with the better business bereau ? I think not Im just playing the devil's advocate on my ( point, but you see what i mean. It almost makes you doubt the rest of the watch. My question to you robbie, are these watches all from the 06/07 years? Are all of these issues fixed, or are we still seeing this type of wreckless detail on pieces from 08/09 ? I'd love to see an example of a $300 R0LLie from one of our AD's here and see if these types of issues still exist. Can anyone post some R0llies purchased in the end of 08 possibly so we can see if there has been a dramatic change in quality since the watches from these examples? I never thought when I created this thread that it would be so VAST in terms of opinion, discussions, points of view, and side topics. This thread is great because of ALL of us, and because of our knowledge and participation. Great job guys. Here is an example of a newer R0L taken from an AD's page, I cut out the source tag to keep opinions as straight as can be. But this one clearly looks like its been overhauled and upgraded in terms of "external accuracy", but by looking at the numbers....do we see any inaccuracies there ? Have a look and see for yourself. Edited January 20, 2009 by JuniorNA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 This continues to be a great discussion. And I found another pic to discuss. This one is much more subjective. The fact that the "Swiss Made" font is off-center would immediately make the watch un keepable for me. But I wonder how many here would completely overlook it if that were the only sloppyness issue with the watch. I'm betting quite a few could live with that, although I couldn't... I don't think I could. Not when it's that off center. Even I have limits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Josh told me yesterday that the new DD's and DJ's with updates won't be ready until spring/summer. So everything is still the same with these for now - although I'm sure it depends on the dial choice. As it turns out these are a great matter of interest for me right now as I ma considering taking a great financial plunge and getting one of my grail watches - upgrading the gen DJ to a gen platinum Day Date with the glacier/ice blue dial. I had asked Josh if there was an upgraded dial in the offing because like usual, I would like to spend some time with a fairly accurate rep of it as a way of cementing the need. I know being steel it will never feel right, but I just wanted to try out the dial color and President bracelet for a while before spending $30K + on it. If there is an accurate glacier blue dial and it turns out I don't love that color as much as I think I do now I can save myself ten grand plus by getting another dial in WG as the glacier is only available in 950PT. So I am waiting for the next run of 08 DD reps because the current glacier dials are totally innaccurate. The look like turquoise instead of the subtle paleness of the gen. It is just AMAZING in person. Stop your heart for sure... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trailboss Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 A lovley watch mate. Not entirly shure I like the smooth bezel tho. As for the Swiss made, It's a nasty error but with my old eyes I'd need a loupe to tell and I buy for me, not some WIS down the high street. Having said that, it would prob bug me to the point of having to fit a new dial just because I knew it was there. The markers are more of an issue tho, appaling. This (the Swiss Made markings) may indeed be restricted to one or two dial styles since the rep dials come in almost as many variaents as the gen. Someone posted the revelent pages of the AD catalog in the RWI versionof BTs review of this 'un and the gens go on for pages and pages. I have seen simerlar listings for the rep. BTW, Junior, we don't have ADs here. AD stands for Authorised Dealer ie:a retailer of gens. Ours are trusted, not authorised. Col. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuniorNA Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 (edited) Josh told me yesterday that the new DD's and DJ's with updates won't be ready until spring/summer. So everything is still the same with these for now - although I'm sure it depends on the dial choice. As it turns out these are a great matter of interest for me right now as I ma considering taking a great financial plunge and getting one of my grail watches - upgrading the gen DJ to a gen platinum Day Date with the glacier/ice blue dial. I had asked Josh if there was an upgraded dial in the offing because like usual, I would like to spend some time with a fairly accurate rep of it as a way of cementing the need. I know being steel it will never feel right, but I just wanted to try out the dial color and President bracelet for a while before spending $30K + on it. If there is an accurate glacier blue dial and it turns out I don't love that color as much as I think I do now I can save myself ten grand plus by getting another dial in WG as the glacier is only available in 950PT. So I am waiting for the next run of 08 DD reps because the current glacier dials are totally innaccurate. The look like turquoise instead of the subtle paleness of the gen. It is just AMAZING in person. Stop your heart for sure... Yeah, Then i agree 100%, if the quality of the R0LLies have not gotten better since 07, then purchasing the rep is just step 1 as a handful of adjustments and mods have to be made. That is why I stick with the Skylands, SOSF, SeaWolfs, Pan, and even Chopard...the quality seems to be getting better all the time because of the demand in the rep market. I dont have a lot of history in terms of REPS compared to you guys, but I find a decent quality time piece when purchasing the swiss movements (if they ARE even swiss, lol), and 1:1 reps from highly reviewed trusted dealers. Luckily for me, I'm not a R0LLex type, so the concern of me spending A LOT of money on the GEN is very minimal...but the concern for me purchasing 1 or 2 gen b-lings or PAN's is high, lol. So one way or another, we all go GEN eventually, just depends on the taste of the individual. I like PAM 111, and PAM112 because they are simple pieces, easily rep'd, and so far from what i've seen, all seem to be about 95 to 98% accurate, with the exception of the Asian unitas vs. swiss unitas. I'm fine with modifying the lever, or cleaning the dial, or dealing with dust under the crystal, these are all things that wont be 100%, but its also fun to fix and learn, but that interest level will wear away, and eventually you just want a time piece that is 100%, and eventually will be willing to pay top dollar for it. This is truly a "to each his own" type of collection/hobby and everyone is VERY VERY different in terms of opinions, which is what makes topics like this even better. Also, i've seen a DJ with a glacier dial in person, "jesus christ" were the first 2 words out of my mouth Edited January 20, 2009 by JuniorNA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nferr Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 I certainly don't expect a $300 watch to be equivilant to a $6000 watch. Even in appearance. Looking at a rep through a magnifier next to a $6000 gen you're going to see the difference. But the super reps look 95% there to the naked eye and to 99.9% of the populace there is no difference. My Breitling Chronomat has never been questioned when I wear it. I've had people tell me it's their dream watch after looking at it close. I usually tell them it's a rep. I've had my Omega SMP rep for a few years, wear it all the time, bang it around and it still keeps perfect time. No I wouldn't wear it swimming, but I don't take my gens swimming either. Are the reps worth the money. It's up to the individual. Certainly the quality control sucks. There's no guarantee. you have to find parts on this forum basically. For the price of a super rep I just ordered an Invicta Reserve Pro Diver. 500m water resistance, Swiss Sw-200 movement, COSC, sapphire crystal, swiss made, 5 year warranty, etc. It's a big, beautiful watch. But I doubt many people will say to me that it's their dream watch. I could afford it but it's not worth it to me to pay $5000 for a watch. Then I would be afraid to wear it often. And certainly I wouldn't have a collection of them. I have a couple of motorcycles and an older Corvette that's really my hobby. I just can't see spending the equivilant of a motorcycle or an older Corvette on a watch. But I certainly can understand others doing so. We all have different priorities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuniorNA Posted January 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 I certainly don't expect a $300 watch to be equivilant to a $6000 watch. Even in appearance. Looking at a rep through a magnifier next to a $6000 gen you're going to see the difference. But the super reps look 95% there to the naked eye and to 99.9% of the populace there is no difference. My Breitling Chronomat has never been questioned when I wear it. I've had people tell me it's their dream watch after looking at it close. I usually tell them it's a rep. I've had my Omega SMP rep for a few years, wear it all the time, bang it around and it still keeps perfect time. No I wouldn't wear it swimming, but I don't take my gens swimming either. Are the reps worth the money. It's up to the individual. Certainly the quality control sucks. There's no guarantee. you have to find parts on this forum basically. For the price of a super rep I just ordered an Invicta Reserve Pro Diver. 500m water resistance, Swiss Sw-200 movement, COSC, sapphire crystal, swiss made, 5 year warranty, etc. It's a big, beautiful watch. But I doubt many people will say to me that it's their dream watch. I could afford it but it's not worth it to me to pay $5000 for a watch. Then I would be afraid to wear it often. And certainly I wouldn't have a collection of them. I have a couple of motorcycles and an older Corvette that's really my hobby. I just can't see spending the equivilant of a motorcycle or an older Corvette on a watch. But I certainly can understand others doing so. We all have different priorities. I think its all about the people you are with, the people you surround yourself with, on purpose, or inadvertently, whether it be at work, or with friends, at a bar, or at home. If you're at work, and you've never seen anyone wear anything nicer than a tag , then I would imagine they would never be able to spot the fake, even if it was only 90% accurate. If you are on wall street and into stocks, and you're dealing with millionaires, sure...a closer look at your watch can cause some water to get boiled if your watch is being handed around the room and compared with a gen. I also agree with you in terms of buying gens, it certainly wouldnt be a hobby because i wouldnt want to spend tens of thousands on gens, because of exactly what you said, i'd be afraid to wear them all the time, and most importantly, id change my mind about the watch in about 3 weeks, and of course i can sell it, or trade it in, but the value would not remain the same, just as any other commodity that is purchased anywhere in the world... The watch has to be great for you, and only for you, not you directly but "you in general"...a lot of people have explainations of where they got their watch, online, trade shows, friends house, and have excuses for why the crystal is AR (i cracked it, and didnt want to pay for sapphire, so i got mineral) and a lot of people focus on things that WILL NEVER be brought up in conversation. I'd venture to say that ableast 95% of the people you encounter in daily life dont even look at your watch, they are too busy on the phone, texting, or looking at their own gen and enjoying it, or looking at their rep, hoping someone will point it out and say its lovely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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