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Never bring a rep into an Authorized Dealer


mick92627

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I've heard the more senior guys here repeatedly advise folks not to bring a rep into an AD. I respect their experience, so that advice is good enough for me.

But I am curious as to why it's a bad idea. I'd like to hear what the informed consensus is from the more experience members.

Gentlemen?

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There are many reasons not to bring a Rep to an AD. ADs could see it as a possible thief attempt (swap the Gen with the Rep). It's also insulting to the sales rep to flaunt the watch to someone who makes their living selling gens. It's also embarrassing getting called out and asked to leave ;)

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Not here in the US. Trying to take someone's watch off their wrist will get you a punch in the forehead and a kick in the b*lls.

Wearing a rep into an AD is just absolute bad form. It is insulting to all parties involved. Plus, that AD may be handy some day for a franken project, you never know.

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A customer from my watch smith once brought a fake Cartier to him. He told him what the problem was. my watch smith could not solve that, so he sent it off to Cartier.

the customer 'forgot' to tell that it was a replica. Cartier destroyed the watch. Hahaha

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It's all about profile.. we like to keep our hobby at least slightly below the radar, AD's have the most direct channel back to the manufacturer, and the manufacturer's and their lawyers are our hobbies biggest threat.

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Well said.

Why would anyone wear a replica into an authorized dealer?

for the obvious reason: to see if their rep is good enought to fool an AD.

The problem with most people who were reps (not meaning most RWG members) is that they don't know the obvious flaws of a rep. Just because a lack of knowledge. A lot of people go to ADs with a rep. And even how much we try to prevent that here on RWG, it won't change.

So the best is 'if you do, we don't want to know, don't write about it because we have totally no interest in it to know'.

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Flaunting a rep anywhere to anyone is in bad form, and absolutely moronic to try and fool an AD. I would hope that every AD would call out the fool and embarrass them in public, because they deserve to but put in their place.

Wear your reps discreetly. It's really for your own satisfaction anyway. I think it's really embarassing when I see people seeking attention with their fake watch by waving it around to get eye contact from strangers.

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Flaunting a rep anywhere to anyone is in bad form, and absolutely moronic to try and fool an AD. I would hope that every AD would call out the fool and embarrass them in public, because they deserve to but put in their place.

Wear your reps discreetly. It's really for your own satisfaction anyway. I think it's really embarassing when I see people seeking attention with their fake watch by waving it around to get eye contact from strangers.

haha Alany, you are right on! My father once showed of his rep as a gen to a journalist one day, couple of days later it was in a newspaper about his new 'hobby'. Talking about embarrassing.

Same my watch smith once did to a guy on a party who showed off his fake full gold Rolex as a genuine. The poor guy did not know that my friend was a watch smith who worked also on the expensive watches. After too many showing off you can imagine what happened. :yeah:

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I would imagine if the AD asked to look at it and you were stupid enough to hand it to him, he could confiscate it.

Nope, they have no powers of confiscation at all. While it is bad form to wear a rep into an AD, they have absolutely no powers to do anything to the watch. It is not illegal to own reps. A rep watch is as much your personal property as the shoes on your feet or the shirt on your back. Any attempt on the part of an AD to take/keep/destroy a rep, is quite simply, theft. They would get in more trouble for seizing it than you would for owning it. Okay, in the case of the Cartier which was then sent 'back to base', they mght have some power of destruction, but I would not be too sure, and while it might be hard to claim damages for the loss, it might be possible if the owner was to claim ignorance that it was a rep by claiming it was a gift, but of course, it's much better to avoid any situations by simply not taking reps into that brand's AD :)

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I disagree with all of you. With a little common sense I see no problem wearing a rep to an AD. In fact, I do it all the time. If it's a good rep, you don't flaunt it, and it's a brand not stocked by the AD, then there is no problem at all. I find that a decent rep opens a lot of doors, ensures that you get top service, and many times will get you free swag like the big catalogues without having to beg.

I think this unwritten rule is a trowback to the days when reps were far from perfect and easily spotable. Times have changed and IMO this rule should change as well.

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Well the the UK, conterfeit products are treated almost like stolen property, and if the copywrite owners get a hold of the watch they will "take care of it", potentially even sue you for it. The AD I would imagine is a different case because he is an independant who doesn't own the copyright, he doesnt want to deal with the hassle so will most likely turn you away after embarassing you.

I'd still like to browse through a Graham dealers collection though to see how well my rep fares against the gens.

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I've heard the more senior guys here repeatedly advise folks not to bring a rep into an AD. I respect their experience, so that advice is good enough for me.

But I am curious as to why it's a bad idea. I'd like to hear what the informed consensus is from the more experience members.

Gentlemen?

no 25 of this Forum rules:

[25] - Do not visit an AD (Authentic Dealer) with your replica watch and show it of as the real thing. If you do so, we are not interested in hearing about it. Such post will be deleted.

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Well the the UK, conterfeit products are treated almost like stolen property, and if the copywrite owners get a hold of the watch they will "take care of it",

Key word there, being 'if'. As was mentioned above with the Cartier, that was destroyed because it was sent from the AD to Cartier. In order for that to happen, the AD has to take possession of the watch somehow, and, also as mentioned above, any attempts to confiscate a rep will open an AD up to theft charges.

potentially even sue you for it.

Are there any instances of this actually happening? I remember once reading about a tourist who got caught with a bag full of reps, and being given a customs tax on them as if they were genuine, but I haven't heard about a manufacturer suing a rep owner... To be honest, I can't even see what they would hope to gain from such action. Suing the rep manufacturers, sure, but the owner, it seems pretty far fetched...

The AD I would imagine is a different case because he is an independant who doesn't own the copyright, he doesnt want to deal with the hassle so will most likely turn you away after embarassing you.

I'd still like to browse through a Graham dealers collection though to see how well my rep fares against the gens.

And also has no legal power to ;) If you want to look at a collection, all you have to do is put your watch in your pocket before going in ;):good:

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I'm with andreww on this one. if your discreet and take your rep off in front of the sales person and put it into your pocket then that's cool.

i think if some, non watch wearing, bloke walks into a AD wanting to try on a very expensive watches then that just looks strange.

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