Considering selling off my reps

[jeff g]

REP watch forums have proved to be the best avenue for an education on all watches.

After collecting reps for only 5 years, I have learned way more than if I had spent my time on Timezone.

As has been said here before....I love watches. As a result, I love researching all kinds and types of the genre.

I have settled for the most part on classic divers. Not the Daytona.

Used to be black dials and ss bracelets. Now diver cases and dials and rubber straps have become the desire.

That is the best deal on reps. Try it for a few hundred bucks, and figure out if you REALLY like it.

[Shundi]

I'm gonna echo Nanuq and others in this thread... I sold my last rep about 5 months ago and I'm now 100% gen... am I happier? It's one less variable to ponder but as other's have said (M above said it beautifully) you're still going to look for that "perfect" watch...rep or gen

[ash77]

I'm gonna echo Nanuq and others in this thread... I sold my last rep about 5 months ago and I'm now 100% gen... am I happier? It's one less variable to ponder but as other's have said (M above said it beautifully) you're still going to look for that "perfect" watch...rep or gen

+1

[Pre V]

JJ, I am feeling what you are contemplating right about now.

Have been venturing out to the gen forums and am in search of more gens (after my latest acquisition of my latest Tudor Snowy).

Your list of wants are seemingly so exact for you know which variations you are desiring --- that's where knowledge comes into the picture.

Indeed, the lume job you've posted blew me away --- just about the best I have witnessed thus far.

For me, it's always been keeping a good mix but in the past 5 months since I came back onto the rep scene, it's like a crazy rodeo when it comes to acquiring reps.

In the past week of so, I have been clearing out those reps which I do not wear anymore and in an effort to help out fellow collectors complete their projects, I feel that if the modded or unmodded reps will help them out in their quest, why not? What comes around goes around, keeping them in the circle perhaps will see the rise of rep-stories in the near future.

After all, it's almost always a hovering directional limbo that we all face, sometime in our collecting experience.

There are 3 facets to our realms (based on the comments posted here):

1) Gen collectors who have bought reps found that at a fraction of the price, they are satisfied. Subsequently, some have sold their gens, to put their money to better use (eg. investments, paying off debts etc)

2) Rep collectors who have bought gens, and found that the satisfaction that gens bring cannot be compared to reps. In turn, the reps are sold. Some have came back to the rep-world, others have crossed over permanently.

3) Gen and rep collectors who selectively keep their franken, modded timepieces as well as making gen purchases (as and when a good deal arises). The journey to them means more than buying a completed assurance off the shelves.

Whichever dimension one collector belongs to, it all boils down to the horological love that one embraces in accordance to his or her financial capabilities.

If you were to hit a 1st prize on a Lotto, Super7 or 6/49 tommorrow, and ended up with millions, will you change your collecting patterns? That's for sure a hard question, for there are many other interests in our lives that make up the mosiac-ness in us. I know that I will go crazy on Vintages Rolexes, Panerais, perhaps Patek too?

[Brightight]

Forgetting about the tags Reps, Frankens and Gens for a moment, I think you can reach this stage with any interest, the more keen and involved you are, the higher your standards rise, and of course the more it costs you. I have been through this a couple of times, firstly with Hi-Fi in the pre digital age, where I started off as a teenager with what was basically a music centre and was extremely happy. Through a series of years and upgrades to state of the art gear I found my old vinyl and tapes unplayable and I would not lend a record to anyone without a comparable system. I ended up more interested in the 'sound quality' and 'dynamics' than the music....... The law of diminishing returns kicks in as well, a small improvement costs one hell of a lot. As a musician I did the same with guitars and guitar related equipment. Eventually you have reached the end of the line and it's at that point you start questioning and maybe selling stuff off. It seems you have got to that stage with Frankens JJ.

I'm at an early stage with watches, I currently enjoy repairing, modding, vintagizing, on a relatively small budget, but as the knowledge increases the wish for better and more accurate parts creeps in and the costs increase. It's a little depressing to realise from your post that I'm on the slippery downwards slope leading to eventual genhood and bankruptcy!

[fakemaster]

I went through the same thing you did.As hard as this is to believe I was just like you.I was obsessed. It changed when I joined the fourms. I almost got sucked into the 1043 x 768 macro shots with louptetail assist. That is not the real world. The one day I realized that noone had ever noticed what watch I was wearing much less commented on it Thats becuase I was wearng it on my arm, to keep time...like a normal person.

All the flaws that could be seen could only be seen by me. Since no one else cared, why should I? So I let it go before it ruined the hobby for me.

[john7830]

Well I just got into reps myself and I enjoy it very much. I wear my 1680 rep everywhere and I had one woman notice it. Thats it. ONE person.

Most people wouldnt know a Rolex from a Timex or and Omega from a Seiko. The ones that DO notice are the ones that MIGHT spot a rep as a rep. But its not likely on the wrist. The fact is WE notice things, for the simple fact we KNOW they are there and we are LOOKING for them. 99.9% of people are simply not or just dont care in the first place.

I love all watches, and reps have their place. I want to get some gens, but the price point is not going to work out for me for a while. BUT the gens are not going anywhere, and when Im ready they will be there waiting. Until then Ill enjoy my reps.