Fake Watches -- Does it really matter?

[TheWatchGuy]

Originally Posted by Z K

The question is, who can service a 3135 clone? Most of these movements are in high end replicas and most watchmakers won't touch them.

I've had to service my 2836 ETA clones and they've been easy to service as parts and knowledge is common for the movement.

anyone who can service a rolex 3135 can service the 3135 clone. ive had one come across my workshop and even a majority of the rolex parts fit on the clone movement.

Its no different from the ETAs vs the Chinese ETA clones. Same movement designs, same parts used. just the chinese version has worse qc.

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by TheWatchGuy

anyone who can service a rolex 3135 can service the 3135 clone. ive had one come across my workshop and even a majority of the rolex parts fit on the clone movement.

Its no different from the ETAs vs the Chinese ETA clones. Same movement designs, same parts used. just the chinese version has worse qc.

yeah cause nowadays the cloners can tear apart and 3D model every component, movement an all, so what you're getting is an exact replica ... with the caveat that the tolerances, materials, assembly, workmanship, etc is not the same.

[ComasF15]

That Breitling was in my future for a lot of years, Aviator, Aero-Engineer started on a slide rule. It stayed there for a long time till one day it wasn't. It was after all, just a watch. My wife bought me a Seiko Chronograph with circular slide rule. It means far more to me than a bauble I've bought my self.

The whole problem with fake things is China has made it a policy to steal innovation as if it was their right. Its nothing less than theft. What someone else chooses to wear is their decision.

I mind my own business as much as is possible regarding others choices.

I have a China made watch, a gift, but it's a China brand at a China price. It will be more expensive to have serviced than what it cost, I imagine. Another opportunity to find out how things tick....

[openwheelracing]

Wasn't the old ETA tooling purchased by Asian countries? They have.ability to make ETA clones essentially.

[openwheelracing]

Nomos is a brand worth looking at, if Bauhaus does not steer you away. The movements are excellent.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by openwheelracing

Nomos is a brand worth looking at, if Bauhaus does not steer you away. The movements are excellent.

Stowa as well

[TheWatchGuy]

Originally Posted by openwheelracing

Wasn't the old ETA tooling purchased by Asian countries? They have.ability to make ETA clones essentially.

they do make eta clones. for some time now.

when it comes to watch movements, the standard etas are nothing fancy. its a 50year old design and easy to replicate if you have the equipment.

[TheYoungConnoisseur]

if I HAD to decided id rather have a...
10k watch & 10k car than a 20k car
20k watch & 20k car than a 40k car
30k watch & 40k car than a 70k car
after the 25-30k price point you drop to outrageously diminishing rate of return on watch quality and material/complication where as the 40-50k car price point is the tipping zone from upper mediocre used stuff to excellent 65k+ price point cars.

[PoorLurker]

Originally Posted by TheYoungConnoisseur

if I HAD to decided id rather have a...
10k watch & 10k car than a 20k car
20k watch & 20k car than a 40k car
30k watch & 40k car than a 70k car
after the 25-30k price point you drop to outrageously diminishing rate of return on watch quality and material/complication where as the 40-50k car price point is the tipping zone from upper mediocre used stuff to excellent 65k+ price point cars.

Very interesting perspective.

Funny thing too is that when you buy a new car, you pretty much lose a nice watch in depreciation very quickly.

Even if I bought a Honda civic, drove it for 5 years, I lost a rolex worth of depreciation. But if I bought a 5 year old civic and a rolex, and "lost" about the same over X years, people would think I have poor priorities hahaha.

[TXSTYLE]

This is a interesting topic and subject matter.

I believe I commented several pages prior. But I will chime in again...

This truly comes down to personal preference if ever there was one! So I like watches and have @ 16. The most expensive being @ $2500. Ironically, I got it over 20yrs ago. A RADO: Tungsten Carbide with 14k Gold accents. I haven't worn that watch in over a decade. But it's still a very nice watch. My go to these days are 1 of the 5 NIXON 51-30 I own. They are totally my style! Big and Bold and Heavy! I also have a couple of Invictas (none are replicas of other brands) and a nice Casio solar and then some others. They are all between $100 - $700.
There is only one expensive IMO watch I've been interested in over the years: Breitling Navitimer Chrono that costs @ $5-$7k. I could have bought it and still can. But probably never will. Why? Watches don't have the type of value (not to be confused with bargain) that say, nice Furniture, my Home Theater equipment, or even Wheels on my cars hold for me.
Example: we've been in our new house now for about 1.5yrs. One of my first purchases was a $5k full leather cigar sofa and matching chair $2k.
I then bought a Italian leather modular sectional for our Home Theater for another $5k.
Heck, the furniture and decor in my Lounge is another $10k. Of course my master bedroom is pretty lavish as well. So it really is all about how and where you choose to spend your $$$$.
I feel like if I were to get that Breitling or some other high dollar watch, it simply would not give me the value or usage I want personally.
On the subject of replica watches. I personally would not think any less of anyone choosing to buy and wear them. I haven't and wouldn't. But that's only because I'm really not a fan of expensive watches in general. Hopefully I explained this in the way I attempted.

[1MOREMOD]

You crazy. I'd buy target furniture before wearing invicta or Nixon watches. Surely there is a happy medium. For me I feel good about strapping on a nice watch and that goes with me all day, while the couch is at home. I have 20 watches or so from 1-7k and have a vintage 806 navitimer you mentioned. Outstanding piece.

[TheWatchGuy]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

You crazy. I'd buy target furniture before wearing invicta or Nixon watches. Surely there is a happy medium. For me I feel good about strapping on a nice watch and that goes with me all day, while the couch is at home. I have 20 watches or so from 1-7k and have a vintage 806 navitimer you mentioned. Outstanding piece.

exactly. cant wear a couch on my wrist

but wearing something that costs a cheap car on my wrist ensures i get to bang on couches

[1MOREMOD]

I think bigger watch people are generally jewelry people and wear chains and bracelets and stuff which is different category of watch person.

[TXSTYLE]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

I think bigger watch people are generally jewelry people and wear chains and bracelets and stuff which is different category of watch person.

May have a point. I also wear a nice custom link chain that cost way more than my watches. I also wear and own several bracelets.

But you're my boy Blue. I'd never knock your lifestyle choices.

Haha! On not wearing the couch.

True. But I enjoy that fine, supple ass leather DAILY sitting and laying.
Again, it's all a matter of preference.

[TXSTYLE]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

You crazy. I'd buy target furniture before wearing invicta or Nixon watches. Surely there is a happy medium. For me I feel good about strapping on a nice watch and that goes with me all day, while the couch is at home. I have 20 watches or so from 1-7k and have a vintage 806 navitimer you mentioned. Outstanding piece.

See... I would never Dream of having cheap furniture! So we get each other. Albeit enjoying and appreciating different stuff.
Now then... Time for a nice glass of Plantation.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by TXSTYLE

May have a point. I also wear a nice custom link chain that cost way more than my watches. I also wear and own several bracelets.

But you're my boy Blue. I'd never knock your lifestyle choices.

Haha! On not wearing the couch.

True. But I enjoy that fine, supple ass leather DAILY sitting and laying.
Again, it's all a matter of preference.

Yep personal choice. I also have smaller wrists than you.

[NorthCountryGuy]

No fake(s).
Even if no one else knew, I’d be humiliated albeit quietly.

[ASAP]

Again, this has been said time and time again... I have far more respect for someone wearing a nice $900 Tag that they appreciate than someone with a fake Rolex. It's a great budget brand with a nice selection of quality watches... if you can't afford something like a Rolex, then wait for the real thing in due time. I find it hard to trust people with fake stuff, what else are they really trying to pull off?

[xander_g]

I don't understand people that wear fake anything - watches, belts, etc. I mean what's the point? If the item is supposed to be for me, and I know that it's fake then that means I don't have what I truly want. I'd rather wear a real seiko than a fake patek.

On the other hand I've met people who will wear a fake ulysse or something for fun and when matched with a real brioni suit and some ferragamo shoes, they get a kick out of it, despite having a some genuine pieces like yachtmasters and royal oaks at home

And then you have a taxi driver that is weaving in and out of traffic in a car that smells like some foreign kitchen while yelling profanities in a foreign language, flipping people off with a fake rolex on his wrist - is he a poser or does this simply speak to his aspirations to own one someday?

[corn18]

I have bought and sold a lot of watches. I love them. But man, was it getting expensive to try out something I thought I would like, especially the $50k stuff. So I buy the high end fake and see if I like it and if I do, then I buy the real thing. Although sometimes the waiting list is years for the real thing, so I wear the fake until I can get the real thing. I don't pass it off as real.

I bought a fake PP Nautilus that I had been drooling over. With a 5+ year waiting list and $50k on the grey market, they are expensive, so I thought I'd check it out. I tried to fall in love with it, but never did. My wife said it looked like a Seiko. So it's off the list.

I bought a fake Panarei that I am quite smitten with now, so I will buy the real thing at some point (used if I can find one, Panarei depreciates a LOT).

I have a couple of fake Rollies, but haven't decided if I love them. I am on the waiting list for both and will buy them if I get the call, but may resell them if I don't fall in love.

A good to great fake runs about $400 and some of them are nearly exact replicas, including the movement. Makes it easy to figure out if I like the watch.

These are all the genuine watches I have bought and sold (that's about $275k):



Here's what I own now (the ones labeled in red are fake):



As you can tell, I love Casios. I am also collecting some of the new Timex stuff as they are very cool with their new offerings.

Bottom line for me, watches are jewelry and I buy what I like. I wouldn't buy a fake unless I intended to buy the real thing.

[kunzjob]

I bought a fake Rolex Submariner maybe 4 years ago. It was about $200. It served its purpose and broke within a year. I wasn't sure if I could tolerate the date "bubble" on a Submariner and get a new one or if I wanted to get a used Seadweller and get the date without a "bubble". I decided I HATED the bubble. Lucky for me, they reintroduced the Seadweller date without the bubble so I grabbed it! Scored it for $8,300 brand new from an AD. I absolutely LOVE the Seadweller.

[decibeljoe]

Regardless of cost, value, perceived value and status symbol, bottom-line is these watches are illegal to produce and to be sold. They infringe on IP and trademark laws. On top of that, these counterfeit enterprises are tied to other criminal enterprises that are admittedly way worse that IP law violations, ie human trafficking, arms dealing. Are Swiss, Japanese and German watch companies beyond reproach? Probably not, but they are legitimate businesses trying to make an honest buck.