Whats Your Rep Buying Philosophy?

[Mardo]

I was wondering the other night on what members use as their guide, if they have one, on what reps they buy? What I mean is, if your income allows you to theoretically purchase a gen of a certain type or price do you stick to that range when buying a rep?

I know that my situation allows me to buy gens in the 5-10k price range and I stick to looking at those types of reps. I can not afford a gen Patek, Jaeger, Vancheron etc... and would not represent that I could so I do not look at those reps. However, I can afford Rolex, PAM, Omega and do own gens of a few so I tend to stick to reps that are representative of the gens I can afford. This way I feel as though I am not grossly misrepresenting something I can't afford.

Does anyone else adhere to this thinking or is it , I buy the brand that I like no matter what?

It would be interesting to get peoples thoughts on this.

Mike

[Snowball]

I buy only the expensives pieces.

Impotant for me is quality, quality and quality.

Cheers,

Snowball

[kronos twin]

for me, the whole point of having a rep is enjoying something that is beautiful, but would otherwise be inaccessible to me. It's not about representing myself to others, it's about my enjoyment of a piece regardless of its price. I find that the broad majority of people here enjoy a piece for its intricacy and passion, and whether or not some j-hole would judge me for wearing a timepiece that is supposedly out of my range is irrelevant. Of course, discretion is a skill and a virtue, but so too is passion and joy for any timepiece, so I stick to one prime law: appreciate the intricacy and beauty of a thing first and foremost.

[b16a2]

For me the price/gen ratio doesn't really come into it, unless the ratio is very small.

For example, I have just purchased a Seawolf rep (thank you Watcher!!) and the genuine, in the larger pattern of things is very cheap. However, I love the look of it and thought I'd give it a try.

I never buy a watch because the gen is expensive, I only buy a rep if it catches my eye, and I could see myself buying the gen (if I had the funds to). Price doesn't really come into it until the gen becomes readily affordable. (eg, I have owned an SMP and Breitling Aerospace gen - they can be picked up for good prices)

Another factor I consider is the cost of the service. So if Im looking to buy a second hand genuine, and I need to get it serviced in 'x' amount of years, for the cost of the service I could probably get the rep of that watch.

One limit I never place on myself is buying reps of watches that I could afford the genuine of. To me that seems a little silly. This hobby allows us to get a watch that represents the real thing for a fraction of the price. I couldn't currently afford a Patek at the moment, yet I would quite easily spend the money on a rep. If I were to start limiting myself to ones that I could afford in the genuine form, I think I would be losing the reality that the watch is just a rep, and Im here to enjoy the variety that this hooby gives me. Back to my point above, if I like the watch, I buy it, no matter if the gen is 3000US, or 30,000US.

[Ronin]

Does anyone else adhere to this thinking or is it , I buy the brand that I like no matter what?

Mike

My thinking is almost identical to yours. I shop reps that are in the gen price range that I can actually go out and buy. But not consciously if that makes sense. I gravitate towards the "Sport/Dive" models. As it happens they naturally come together. Now if a Blancpain FF comes out, I will go for it even though its a higher $$$ watch.

I am starting to lean towards the super-reps and gens now. I have enough low-end stuff. The low end was fun to learn on.

-Ronin

Edited February 16, 2009 by RoninQ

[rogerthat]

I only buy a rep of something that it is a least conceivable that I might be able to afford.

I would buy a rep of a 10K watch, but would not a 40K watch for example.

Even though realistically/personally I do not think I would actually really ever spend more than $5K for a watch.

There is slight exception for some special editions of AP or PAM watches where the perceived value is that of the basic model and not the special edition.

I do not bother buying a rep of a watch under 3K new, I do not see the point. So the $4K - $10K gen range is my primary target for finding a good rep.

Cheers,

M

[DemonSlayer]

I buy what I like. I don't care what the gen costs.. These watches are for my own enjoyment, not for pure deception..

My favourite watch is the MBK Nautilus, I don't think I will ever sell it. If someone who happens to recognise a Patek sees it on my wrist, and assumes its a fake because a 23 year old can't afford it.. I have no problem with that, but thats where it stops...

[Guest asim]

I just love watches. I might be able to afford like one gen at a time, but my obsession if translated into buying actual gens would be ridiculously expensive.

I like reps that can be modified in order to make it better and better. It's a hobby. I tend to go with a certain style of watch, which is understated but elegant. I wouldn't buy anything that doesn't represent me.

I saved hard to get an IWC 3717 with gen ETA 7750, double AR and ETA DW's. That to me is amazing because it is the bastard brother of the gen which similarly runs on an accepted IWC 7750 movement.

[fakemaster]

For collecting buy what you want. For daily waer buy what you can pull off otherwise it looks silly.

[siesta181]

I buy what I like.... and I almost never sell my reps. Ratio of rep price vs gen price never comes into the picture. I also buy a rep based on its modding potential. Afterall, modding is the exciting bit of this hobby isn't it?

My philosphy is simple I set aside about USD350.00 per month into this hobby. If it does not get spent, it gets carried over to the next month. If there's an expensive piece out there, I'll have to wait for 2 or 3 months to get it. Discipline is paramount. While you wait, an interesting piece might just come up for sale via the sales corner.

Honestly, reps are rather affordable but its the modding part. Gen dial, crowns, luming, servicing, AR coating etc etc that makes this hobby a bit pricey. However, that's also the exciting bit. A one of a kind rep.

Cheers

Seesta181

[lanikai]

If I can, I can.. if no can ... no can..

Works for me

[red]

The sales corner is a godsend. You get really qualified members that have done the QA for you. I just bought something from King. POS to say the least, and now I have to send it back.

[omni]

When buying a gen., it doesn't matter what income level you exude to the public, its a matter of passion, taste and knowledge. A sales clerk can have an expensive watch if that is their passion and can back it up with the WIS knowledge. It doesn't work that way for reps since you are at the threat of just being a poser although you have the same WIS passion, taste and knowledge.

But as you've pointed out for the reps., its a matter of what income level you are perceived in public. If you peruse the many threads here, you'll see that even professionals with big starting out incomes will just buy a lower level rep. to not seem conspicuous and uncomfortable around their other older same profession peers that have "made it" and sport the luxury high-end watches they can actually afford in their income strata. Its all a matter of your comfort level. With peers, it is a fine line on how you want to be perceived, when does your thriftyness rep. buying smartness boarder on a poser in your peers eyes. Age has a lot to do with it. The younger you are where its more important for the perception of success to get ahead, you are more in danger of looking like a poser, the older you are, no one questions the watch you are wearing, especially if its gold.

[TeeJay]

for me, the whole point of having a rep is enjoying something that is beautiful, but would otherwise be inaccessible to me. It's not about representing myself to others, it's about my enjoyment of a piece regardless of its price. I find that the broad majority of people here enjoy a piece for its intricacy and passion, and whether or not some j-hole would judge me for wearing a timepiece that is supposedly out of my range is irrelevant. Of course, discretion is a skill and a virtue, but so too is passion and joy for any timepiece, so I stick to one prime law: appreciate the intricacy and beauty of a thing first and foremost.

Exactly the same situation for me. Price is irrelevent to if I like a watch, and if I like a watch, I'll buy it. With regards daily wear, I don't think cost is the issue with what one can pull off, but their overall image, and if the watch is incongruous to that image, it is going to get unwanted attention. Not because it might be a rep, but because it would look out of place with the wardrobe. Eg: A really high-end dress watch is going to look out of place when worn with a T-shirt and combat trousers, simply because the style is wrong, not because of the cost of the gen...

[iceberg1459]

i.e. i love the APROO but 10k+ is too much for a watch so i buy the rep. never try to fool any1, nobody knows what AP stands for anyway, but i still want it to be as GEN and high quality as possible..

[GrantR]

I buy rep's based on my personal taste, however what i can reasonably pull off does come into it.

Imo my daily wearer needs to be something i could have gone and purchased from a AD last weekend, however that doesn't mean i wouldn't wear something out of my price range if there was an appropriate time to ware it.

What I've come to notice is 95% of occasions I can wear what i want, as nobody in my current circle of acquaintances has enough knowledge of watches to call me out or even appreciate the piece.

[jn1975]

Just to add my 2 cents:

I buy a watch not for the public to see but for my own passion and enjoyment.

Most of the time people in general never even heard about Patek, Vacheron Constantine, DeWit, Franck Muller, Concord etc. and they also wouldn't know how much a watch would cost.

In my case people tend to think that everything I own or buy, is expensive. For example: on a trip to Asia I picked up a cheap Timex Indiglo, I liked the look of it and it had the indiglo functionality. When I came home to Europe I just wore the watch and the people around me never even heard of Timex. I told them it was a cheap watch and they didn't believe me.

But to get back on topic, if it is that you want to 'deceive' people by wearing reps than yes you should probably buy reps that are derived from gens that would be affordable for you. If you don't care about what other people think and you buy and wear watches (either reps or gens) for yourself you don't think about the price of the genuine.

For me: I buy the watch I like no matter what the price tag of the 'real deal'

[PAMman]

I tend to buy only 'supereps' of brands that I am sufficiently interested in to already have gens. For example I have a couple of genuine PAMs and 2 or 3 really nice frankens. I also have a genuine Omega black SMP and Speedy Pro, together with a rep SMP Bond chrono. I have a gen chrono Avenger together with a rep Swiss SOSF. These are all really good reps and I don't think that any of my contacts would recognise the reps when they appear in rotation with the gens. It helps when the SOSF and Bond chrono are on genuine OEM straps as they really feel the same as the gens.

[nasosn]

for me, the whole point of having a rep is enjoying something that is beautiful, but would otherwise be inaccessible to me. It's not about representing myself to others, it's about my enjoyment of a piece regardless of its price. I find that the broad majority of people here enjoy a piece for its intricacy and passion, and whether or not some j-hole would judge me for wearing a timepiece that is supposedly out of my range is irrelevant. Of course, discretion is a skill and a virtue, but so too is passion and joy for any timepiece, so I stick to one prime law: appreciate the intricacy and beauty of a thing first and foremost.

Could not be said in a better way!! +1 for me and it was taken from my mouth

[By-Tor]

I'm wearing a gen Rolex and driving a '06 Mercedes E-klasse (the watch in the pictures is just a rep though).

But I don't own the car I'm driving (it has been in my possession since it was brand new, because my stepfather's company has all kinds of complicated tax arrangements). I don't even care about cars much at all... and my yearly income is above average at best. The only real expensive possession is my apartment in a suburban area, which I have paid off 100%... started working when I was 15.

Wearing a Rolex and driving an expensive car doesn't necessarily mean you're rich (or even wealthy), just as my case proves. Maybe some people think that I'm a "poser" too... I don't know. I couldn't care less. What someone makes a year (or what watch he's wearing) doesn't have any significance to me. Bill Gates has all the money in the world but when he wakes up in the morning and looks at the mirror, he must realize that he's still a pathetic geek.

Real watch people buy expensive watches because they're high in their priority list, and they might not put money to other expensive things... is a $4K Rolex really that expensive if you really, really love watches? Every working adult in EU and the US can afford that if they want.

Real WIS also buy the watches for themselves... for their own, personal enjoyement. At least I do... rep or gen, doesn't make any difference to me. They're all just beautiful toys that I enjoy. I couldn't care less if people don't even notice them (they rarely do).

But yeah, I would feel a bit stupid to wear a rep of Patek Philippe Tourbillon. Not because it's ultra expensive, but it'd just feel stupid. I'm not some French lord living in a castle, just an average 36-year old working man.