for the same price, gen or replica?

[totalwise]

I've bought my first ever rep for

[b16a2]

It's an interesting question. Many people get into this hobby for different reasons.

I for instance love the look of some of the gens For example Breilting, Glashutte, Omega, Ulysse Nardin, and of course IWC. However in my current position I can't afford all of the watches that I would like to own. Buying reps therefore gives me variety, and allows me to buy one or two gens when I can....so its more of an aesthetical factor for me.

I don't flaunt replicas as genuine to heighten my status. To be honest, most genuine brands are readily affordable by most. If you really want a particular genuine then you can save for it, it's only the high end Pateks etc... that truly 'raise' status....if such a thing exists.

Furthermore, if I am approached I will quite happily admit that it is a rep and provoke discussion that way (unless I feel that they wouldn't respond to it well , or I'm in a situation where it wouldn't be advisable to admit to it being a Chinese replica)

In relation to your Tissot/rep decision, don't compare the Tissot to the rep as if the rep were gen. Try to look at them both objectively, and judge which watch you prefer. Of course the factors you consider will vary from the ones that I would consider.....and they would continually vary from member to member. For example, I would always take a gen SOSF over a Seiko, but currently, I have a real desire to buy a Seiko as a daily beater...instead of buying a SOSF replica.

I would openly admit that if my financial situation changed to the point where I could afford two watches from each of the brands above (unlikely), I would no longer buy reps. However, the one thing that will always keep me a part of the replica hobby is this community.

The two main things that KEEP me in this hobby are;

1) This community

2) The varety it gives me

and yes...that is in order of relevance.

Edited February 19, 2009 by b16a2

[KB]

I will say this, not long before I found RWG I bought a Pulsar TT from an Aussie dept. store (Myer's), it cost $350 AUD and was by far the best watch they had.

For all of 3 or 4 months it was my pride and joy then I bought my first rep and I haven't worn the Pulsar since, quite simply the rep's in the same price range just put the Pulsar in the shade, and then, of course, there was the acquired embarrassment of seeing the second hand (yes it was quartz) going tic tic tic.....

Ken

[Ronin]

I base everything on what I am doing and where I am going.

• If I am climbing a 14'er (14,000 ft mountain), I am either wearing a Tissot T-Touch or a Sunto 'wrist instrument'.
  
• If I am going Scuba Diving or Surfing, I stick with my Seiko Dive watch.
  
• If I am skiing/snowboarding, I usually wear a beater Swiss Army, Sector quartz, or Russian Vostok Auto.
  
• If I am going to a race event, any of my rep chrono's. (Daytona, Navi, Skyland) maybe my gen Sector.
  
• If I am bumming around town, dinner, party, clubs, any of my reps are free game. <this is the fun of reps for me>
  
• If I am going to something upscale, business trip a super-rep or gen.
  

Buy what you like! There are days when a grab-n-go, dependable quartz makes sense.

-Ronin

Edited February 19, 2009 by RoninQ

[spider87]

I base everything about what I am doing and where I am going.

• If I am climbing a 14'er (14,000 ft mountain), I am either wearing a Tissot T-Touch or a Sunto 'wrist instrument'.
  
• If I am going Scuba Diving or Surfing, I stick with my Seiko Dive watch.
  
• If I am skiing/snowboarding, I usually wear a beater Swiss Army, Sector quartz, or Russian Vostok Auto.
  
• If I am going to a race event, any of my rep chrono's. (Daytona, Navi, Skyland) maybe my gen Sector.
  
• If I am bumming around town, dinner, party, clubs, any of my reps are free game. <this is the fun of reps for me>
  
• If I am going to something upscale, business trip a super-rep or gen.
  

Buy what you like! There are days when a grab-n-go, dependable quartz makes sense.

-Ronin

My god, you really get around don't you? lol

[tmeister]

I base everything about what I am doing and where I am going.

• If I am climbing a 14'er (14,000 ft mountain), I am either wearing a Tissot T-Touch or a Sunto 'wrist instrument'.
  
• If I am going Scuba Diving or Surfing, I stick with my Seiko Dive watch.
  
• If I am skiing/snowboarding, I usually wear a beater Swiss Army, Sector quartz, or Russian Vostok Auto.
  
• If I am going to a race event, any of my rep chrono's. (Daytona, Navi, Skyland) maybe my gen Sector.
  
• If I am bumming around town, dinner, party, clubs, any of my reps are free game. <this is the fun of reps for me>
  
• If I am going to something upscale, business trip a super-rep or gen.
  

Buy what you like! There are days when a grab-n-go, dependable quartz makes sense.

-Ronin

Have to agree with all you guys....

Ronin's reasons are similar to mine....depends on mood and what is required for the occasion....I have 30 watches, mostly vintage Seikos, a 1989 gen Omega quartz, etc.

Now my 2 Omega PO reps are center stage and loving them! (for the price point and quality of course! haha!)

[TeeJay]

Personally, it's all about the aesthetics of the watch, and the fact that I don't consider gens (in the Omega/Rolex bracket) as worthy of their price tags, so reps let me get a look (and functionality) I like, at a price I consider reasonable.

This:

...the desire to own a watch that conveys higher worth and status than it really is,

Couldn't be further from my mind or intentions.

[Cyfer]

All about the aesthetics of the watch for me. The style, the look, it's characteristics. Part of what led me to eventually drop the load of money on my Gen. RS2. But after finding out about reps, never again. :-) Yes, the name sets a status for you, but really, what does status mean when all that matters is what you think. What you like, etc... I always like to tell people, anyone can be a $30K a year millionaire.

I bought the gen RS2 cause it just exuded pure secksiness to me. It was my style, my look, my personality. (I'm not trying to say i'm all secksy or anything, but it's what I liked). I don't regret dropping the $6K+ on it, but it opened up the doors for me to appreciate these timepieces and open my eyes to the rep world. Their craftmanship, the quality, and the chance to own watches I only dreamt about owning at the same time. I've only purchased my first rep on Tuesday (LV Tambour) cause I needed a brown tone watch and I liked the look of it, but will definitely not try to flash it all out their or try to come off as a genuine to set some sort of status for myself.