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Replica Grading System


toygar

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Lately i have been shopping for an engagement ring and couldnt help but notice the 4"C" 's of a diamond.

How every C (cut,clarity,color,carat) adds or takes away from the value of a diamond.like a standart.

I know it is very very hard in replica watches world but , i think it would be great if there was such standart for replica watches too.Not that strict but something to go by.

Something official that everyone agrees to.So it would make it easier to figure out how well a replica is made.If the moderators of this board who do reviews.Or members Who do reviews would come up with some standart like that,it would make it easier for noobies like me or any other members to understand.

For example,if it was up to me to choose standarts I would pick

1)movement (swiss or clone eta or asian,quartz,faux chorono,how many beats) that i think is very important.I would always choose eta over asian if there isnt a huge price gap.Some do want quality and reliability .

2)Glass quality (sapphire or not) altough this is not the most important thing i think having sapphire is just plain beautiful

3)Luminosity (how good lume levels are and how long they last) . For me luminosity is very important.It seems to be an overlooked detail for some but i love the fact that i can read the time at night.(i work nights :) )

4)Water Resistance . I'd hate to have a divers watch replica and not be able to wear it while swimming or snorkel diving or diving for that matter.(not so deep though). Is it really really hard to have good water resistance in replica watches or any hand made watch?? I mean any replica watch with a rating below 50meters would scare me to take it in to water.I would like to do so if i spend $300 on a good replica.

5)how accurate is the watch made. Replica watch,of course it should look like what you intend it to look like after all :)(dials,bezels,bracelets, etc etc)

I believe that as end users of replica watches, if we were to demand these basic stuff from replica watchmakers they'd start making good reliable watches.(not that they dont now)

A rep. watchmaker comes with a case saying it is a 1:1 rep and claims case takes genuine parts and movement,that i think is awesome.I think a guy like me who can not shell out or can not justify to shell out $4,000 - $10,000 grand(submariner,luminor daylight chrono,daytona etc etc) could literally start off buying a 1:1 replica with water resistance and what not and go from there.Adding a genuine part slowly every now and then.That'd cost him fraction of the original watch and look exactly like it.How well is that?

Some do manage to do that , i read about it.frankens and not.I believe couple years back,, there were not a single replica watch made 1:1 that'd take genuine parts and movement.that i call progress.if we can demand more we should get more :)

Build a quality product and people will follow and maybe a grading system like above with a couple additions would help new guys like me :)

It would make it easier for replica watch noobs like me to understand how it goes .

Cheers

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I think the problem is that grading only works if there's consistency in product. Our problem is that there is too much variance in individually produced items...let a lone models. Water resistance is the perfect example. A watch's construction may allow water resistance to a certain pressure to exist...but QC may mean chrono pushers are made a little looser fitting, lack of greasing, forgotten gasket...and you're pooched.

Dials may be made well...but when you have no enforcement of quality control...you may get missing markers, mis-prints, dirty dials, etc...and these variances are on each item. I may get a good AP ROO RB...but the next person's may be totally different. Makers fix mistakes like spelling errors, etc...but they don't necessarily change the model...so sometimes you might not hear that a problem has been fixed unless somebody does ANOTHER detailed review.

This is the classic example of the GMT IIc. There are differences in the bezel insert printing, dials, hands...all for the same model...so trying to grade them only works if you can ensure getting the same product from the same collector consistently...which without quality control...ain't gonna happen!!

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When diamonds are graded you are comparing diamonds. If you want to compare diamonds with fake diamonds then you would be talking about zirconias or something similar and there is no comparison to a diamond.

It is the same with watches, IMO you can't grade a fake watch. They are all illegal and sent to try us.

Just my opinion and first post.

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RWG is our grading system. When watches are reviewed I pay close attention to what is being said. Most reviews go into much more detail then you recommended with your grading system. But maybe a mathematical, numerical grading system would be great. We would still need the Toads and Lani's of RWG to do the great reviews.

I do agree that water resistance would be a god send. I live in Florida and tend to make my way into the water quite often. I would love to not take my rep Oris CCLE professional divers watch off before I take the plunge. I have heard on many occasions, "A watch like that better be water proof!"

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As others have said, there is no grading system for reps, however, please note that some factories put stickers on the crystal marked either "A" or "AAA", apparently distiguishing a rep as having an ETA or Asian movement inside. I don't know if this method of identifying a rep at the factory is real or just a bunch of bunk, but do realize that some reps come from the factory with these stickers affixed, confusing matters more of course. Kenberg and Phoband have the best systems for grading reps, you either get a good one, or a bad one. Roll the dice.

Cheers B)

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Well I'd say don't underestimate this boards power in terms of influence.As far i know when you google replica watch or replica watch forums there are not many forums with this many active members showing up.

When i say active members i mean people like buy reps talk about them here all the time as a hobby.That alone makes a lot of customers to replica watch makers.Also lets not forget the people that we influence around us that are not on this board that end up buying reps just because of our experience and what they see on our wrists.

That being said.We do not need the grading system of the factories but we can create our own standarts and once a couple rep watch makers follow and make better build watches ( by the way i feel that most members here do not hesitate to pay a little extra for quality when buying a replica watch) ,then the other watch maker will follow.

I belive it can be done.

As others have said, there is no grading system for reps, however, please note that some factories put stickers on the crystal marked either "A" or "AAA", apparently distiguishing a rep as having an ETA or Asian movement inside. I don't know if this method of identifying a rep at the factory is real or just a bunch of bunk, but do realize that some reps come from the factory with these stickers affixed, confusing matters more of course. Kenberg and Phoband have the best systems for grading reps, you either get a good one, or a bad one. Roll the dice.

Cheers B)

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when i first came here i didn't know jack sh*t about replicas,

and i was a click away from odrering a PO from a scam sight, then i thought to myself, i should do some more research

so i stumbeled upon this forum, and found out that there are more than 4 models of the PO, and what are the differences between them

and i kept on reading to find out exactly what i need concerning the reps im interested in

reviews, pictures, tutorials and so on

so for me theres nowhere else i'd rather turn to, to make decisions about reps

God bless RWG!!

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If everyone had the exact same preferences & sensibilities, then you could produce an effective grading system. But since this is not the case, a grading system would be about as effective as me telling you what color or food you will like best based on what I like best. And who would be appointed to grade each rep? Me? You? Harry? The seller (yeah, right)? The last buyer? Do you see what I mean?

The only grading system that has any merit is the 1 I have used for nearly a quarter century - Visit an AD & try on the gen watch you are interested in. See how it looks & feels on your wrist. Try all of the functions to see how they feel when operated. Then, go online & archive as many pictures & as much information about the gen as you can find. Join a forum dedicated to the gen & learn it, feel it, live it. Then, after you are familiar with the look & function of the gen, begin your search for the best rep. Once you know how the real thing looks, feels & operates, you can better tell which rep is Grade AAA for YOU (all reps contain inaccuracies & the best rep for you is the 1 whose inaccuracies offend you the least).

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