Spotted my first rep! (passed off as gen)

[whitestripes]

So I was at a friend's college graduation today, and I was with another friend who had come along. He is probably not a WIS, because he is not wearing a watch 95% of the time, with the last 5% when he's dressed up and it's an accessory. Usually, it's a quartz fashion watch, so you wouldn't believe my surprise when I spot a black bezel Omega Planet Ocean on his wrist! We are in our early twenties, and still in school, so no one's got a well-paying job yet, and I'm pretty sure he's not a WIS so he probably hasn't been scrimping and saving for it. (I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but I've known him for a few years now).

I say, "Nice watch. Omega?" And he replies, "Yes, it's the James Bond watch." He mentioned he received it from his sister's boyfriend, who apparently was a "baller" and had five of them. That was a bit suspicious... someone having five $2500 watches and giving them away... not even to an in-law, but to a girlfriend's brother. I mentioned it was a very nice watch, and he told me it was worth two grand. Since I know him well, I asked him to see it, which he did without hesitation.

Before I write more, if you were the one with the watch and are a member of RWG, that would be awesome, and we share a common interest!

In hand, I noticed it was the wrong time and that the applied Omega logo was missing. The logo had fallen off and was floating around--it had gotten tangled with the hands and it was all stuck around 3:15. He said he was going to get it fixed. Anyway, my rep WIS-ness was now in full gear as I tried to examine it without looking too WIS, because I keep my WISness to myself (I think it's a bit weird for a young person to be so into watches).

Anyway, this was in a dim apartment, so lighting was poor. It was a fairly large watch, and had the bezel of the 45.5. However, he's roughly the same size as me, and the 42 looks pretty big on the wrist, but not so big such that the lugs hang off. I'm pretty sure it was a 42mm size, so that was part of the tell. I shook it--automatic movement, but couldn't see it move because of the logo locking the hands in place. I should have unscrewed the crown to see if it had the internal crown threads (like gen) instead of outer threads, but I didn't think of it until afterward.

In addition, the bezel teeth went from the insert to the rest of the case, instead of just having the bezel with a gap between it and the case for easier grip. The He escape valve was oversized.

Last, the clasp had the slightly crooked "Seamaster" engraving and, the next day, I had a chance to see it in the sunlight. No double sided AR.

If anything, the last few paragraphs just confirm that I am a WIS. I was pretty excited to see a peer with a nice watch, and I was hoping to examine a gen PO, which I have not yet done. However, I'm happy with the information I've learned here to be able to tell some common, pretty good reps apart from gens. I guess he was just unlucky to have run into a RWG member.

I currently don't have any reps, and a big reason is that I'd feel weird passing it off as gen (in case I ran into a WIS) and equally as weird telling them I am into replicas. I've had a few reps, and I love the way they look and function, but I have yet to put one in daily rotation. I guess I'm just waiting a few years til I finish professional school and can believably afford a few gens. I'll stick to my Seikos for now.

Just a little description of my first run-in with a rep in the wild. Never let on that I knew, though. It would be awkward, especially in front of the other guys.

[john7830]

Thats pretty nuts for sure. Some people... I mean reps have gotten so good these days unless your a watch nut and KNOW what your looking for, most people would never spot them anyway.

Its funny cause I know people who have the money to buy 10 Rolex's and wont do so, their first reaction is "everyone will think its a fake anyway, whats the point?" Maybe so, but I dont care. MOST people dont even notice your watch to begin with. I have worn my old and battered looking 1680 sub, and it LOOKS old too. Its a rep with a bit of nice little work done to it. But I wear other watches too. I have had TWO people actually notice it was a sub on my wrist. Thats it.

Im saving up for a Gen sub no date, or a Sea Dweller. I want it for ME. MOST people that know me would think its real cause I love watches, I mean my watches are worth more than my car at this point. I have a sickness it seems.

At any rate, I wear my watches for ME. If I am asked directly I will say it is a rep. Cause why lie? But as a general rule, no one really notices anyway.

[deltatahoe]

In hand, I noticed [...] that the applied Omega logo was missing. The logo had fallen off and was floating around--it had gotten tangled with the hands and it was all stuck around 3:15. He said he was going to get it fixed.

to be honest, i can't believe you kept on writing after this sentence

congrats on your first rep spotting in the wild

deltatahoe

[Shundi]

Congrats on spotting a rep! Always a good feeling to know that you've learned a bunch on the forum!

[chronoluvvv]

quite interesting to read

if anyone asks me where i got a particular watch from, i always beam my 100 watt smile and tell them "TTK Jewelers on the Eastside" ... that is usually enough for them to know if its a rep or not

Edited June 14, 2009 by chronoluvvv

[Ronin]

It is amazing the knowledge we gain here for spotting reps.

The (passed off as gen) bit, I am not sure what to think, be it the subtitle/context of this post or the kid doing it.

In some ways, are we becoming rep-snobs? I have caught myself numerous times, turning to my wife at a restaurant and whispering-- "that guys [insert brand] is a rep/fake". All the while, I AM wearing a rep. This is kind of a mind-f*ck.

There is a sense of pleasure is being able to spot a rep, but who are we to judge. If a person wishes to carry on the charade, so be it. We are such a small percent of the population, odds are in the persons favor to play the game.

I mean lets face it, by wearing a rep, we are automatically passing it off as gen to the uninformed, uneducated watch crowd. It is only when challenged that the debate occurs. Many walk the grey line with the 'yes it is a real watch' line. Quite frankly, if you are never going to see the stranger from the airplane, or party again-- who cares.

[whitestripes]

In some ways, are we becoming rep-snobs? I have caught myself numerous times, turning to my wife at a restaurant and whispering-- "that guys [insert brand] is a rep/fake". All the while, I AM wearing a rep. This is kind of a mind-f*ck.

There is a sense of pleasure is being able to spot a rep, but who are we to judge. If a person wishes to carry on the charade, so be it. We are such a small percent of the population, odds are in the persons favor to play the game.

I mean lets face it, by wearing a rep, we are automatically passing it off as gen to the uninformed, uneducated watch crowd. It is only when challenged that the debate occurs. Many walk the grey line with the 'yes it is a real watch' line. Quite frankly, if you are never going to see the stranger from the airplane, or party again-- who cares.

That's an interesting point you brought up. I don't think I'm a rep-snob, having owned exactly the same watch that I spotted on my friend's wrist. If I had been a snob, I probably would have pointed it out, but I certainly didn't. I just found it incredibly interesting (and frankly, a bit exciting as it was my first confirmed rep in the wild).