Fake Watches -- Does it really matter?

[Flacht3]

Originally Posted by corn18

4) I want the real thing, I can afford it, but I don't know if I like it and can't find one to try out. Or I can't find one at all because they have been out of stock for 2 years and I have been on multiple waiting lists waiting for one. So I'll drop $400 on a fake one to enjoy until I get the call to pick up the real one.

I don't agree with this type of mentality at all but to each their own.

Personally I don't think anyone that truly appreciates watches AND has the means to afford them would feel enjoyment from having a fake one on their wrist, even if they're fed up with the long waiting lists.

[corn18]

Originally Posted by Flacht3

I don't agree with this type of mentality at all but to each their own.

Personally I don't think anyone that truly appreciates watches AND has the means to afford them would feel enjoyment from having a fake one on their wrist, even if they're fed up with the long waiting lists.

Ok. Whatever.

[MPOWER5266]

I have a pretty good fake Daytona. My dad brought it back from a business trip to Asia when I was younger. I like the for the sentimental value but I make sure to tell anyone that notices is that its fake and the story behind it.

[GenXer]

I don't understand the appeal behind a fake watch or a fake M BMW. Who are you trying to impress? There are inherent functions behind those items which are not replicated.

I have a GMT and I'm still amazed at how Rolex is able to add the complication of a 24 hours hand into the same dial using the same running mechanism. The cost to replicate an automatic mechanical watch with the same function would be at least $500-$1000. Why would anyone pay for that or why are they making these expensive fake watches?

Similarly, would why anyone fake an M car? A non-enthusiast wouldn't know what it was or even car about it. A car enthusiast would know right away when it doesn't perform like it should.

I get it when it comes to fashion. A fake Gucci or a fake Louis Vuitton bag are just bags with logos. You can only do so much with vinyl and leather. Sometimes they're even produced from the same material smuggled out of the factory

[TheWatchGuy]

Originally Posted by GenXer

I don't understand the appeal behind a fake watch or a fake M BMW. Who are you trying to impress? There are inherent functions behind those items which are not replicated.

I have a GMT and I'm still amazed at how Rolex is able to add the complication of a 24 hours hand into the same dial using the same running mechanism. The cost to replicate an automatic mechanical watch with the same function would be at least $500-$1000. Why would anyone pay for that or why are they making these expensive fake watches?

Similarly, would why anyone fake an M car? A non-enthusiast wouldn't know what it was or even car about it. A car enthusiast would know right away when it doesn't perform like it should.

I get it when it comes to fashion. A fake Gucci or a fake Louis Vuitton bag are just bags with logos. You can only do so much with vinyl and leather. Sometimes they're even produced from the same material smuggled out of the factory

there are replicated rolex movements that do the exact same thing as the rolex movements, that even take rolex parts, made for under $100. Their movements are not some engineering feat, most were developed in the 90s and have been tweaked since.

A lot of watches now a days come from parts made in china. To be classified as "Swiss Made" only 60% of the manufacturing costs need to be of swiss origin, it needs to be cased in switzerland, and final qc needs to be in switzerland. That leaves a lot of the components to be manufactured elsewhere. Watches like tag, omega, rolex, etc. all have parts made outside of switzerland.

As for costs, $500 fake is still only 5% of the cost of a 10k rolex.

[GenXer]

Who's assembling these watch parts under a microscope for $100 and still make a profit?

I'm lucky I bought my GMT Pepsi for $4k in 2003. The new pricing is rediculous.

[David70]

Originally Posted by GenXer

I don't understand the appeal behind a fake watch or a fake M BMW. Who are you trying to impress? There are inherent functions behind those items which are not replicated.

I have a GMT and I'm still amazed at how Rolex is able to add the complication of a 24 hours hand into the same dial using the same running mechanism. The cost to replicate an automatic mechanical watch with the same function would be at least $500-$1000. Why would anyone pay for that or why are they making these expensive fake watches?

Similarly, would why anyone fake an M car? A non-enthusiast wouldn't know what it was or even car about it. A car enthusiast would know right away when it doesn't perform like it should.

I get it when it comes to fashion. A fake Gucci or a fake Louis Vuitton bag are just bags with logos. You can only do so much with vinyl and leather. Sometimes they're even produced from the same material smuggled out of the factory

I would never buy a fake Gucci or Louis Vitton either. You either always wanted one (virtually all are lower quality and you still don't have it), or you always wanted people to think you had one (not sure what this says?). Then someone is profiting off their name while making copies or the plant sends them out the back door. Like the fake watch, highly unlikely someone that knows what they are looking at would call them equal, maybe good enough.

I spend about 40% of my time in Thailand (normally) and there is a huge market for fake goods. With watches the retailers will ask if you want the high or low quality fake as they have them both. Pass.

[TXSTYLE]

Interesting read... https://www.dmarge.com/2020/09/fake-richard-mille.html

[TheWatchGuy]

Originally Posted by GenXer

Who's assembling these watch parts under a microscope for $100 and still make a profit?

I'm lucky I bought my GMT Pepsi for $4k in 2003. The new pricing is rediculous.

have you never heard of chinese labor?

It takes me, an untrained hobbyist watchmaker, about 2 hours to fully assemble and lube a rolex 3135 (standard 3 hand movement in subs) or a rolex 3185/86 (rolex's GMT movement) and case it up.

With the technology out there, these chinese factories can easily scan and manufacture even the smallest of parts for these watches for fractions of a penny. They have little R&D costs, unlike an actual brand, have small labor costs, since they arent paying swiss certified watchmakers, and dont have the added brand value costs.

Hell, go on ebay and you can find the clone 3186 movements, which are exactly like the rolex 3186 movements, selling for $150 or less. This price is 2-3 times what the factory sells them wholesale for, and is significantly higher than they cost to produce.

[GenXer]

This is why I haven't bought any "Swiss" watch for over 17 years. I would rather buy a real Chinese made Apple watch that could perform its advertised functions. If any knockoff company can make a water proof, stainless steel, sapphire crystal watch that can function as a stand alone telephone, heart monitor, bluetooth MP3 player etc., etc., etc., for less than $400 with a warranty and could be serviced at any retail store, I'll buy it too.

[TonM3]

Originally Posted by Flacht3

I don't agree with this type of mentality at all but to each their own.

Personally I don't think anyone that truly appreciates watches AND has the means to afford them would feel enjoyment from having a fake one on their wrist, even if they're fed up with the long waiting lists.

I have a collection of nice watches, including Rolex's, Breitlings and Omegas, but I also have a few knockoffs that I really like wearing, sometimes so much I will buy the genuine one or wont care if it is fake.

While I love Rolexs, (my first nice watch was an old Pepsi GMT) and I have had maybe a half dozen since then, I hate their marketing. It is so difficult to buy a Rolex sports watch new that every time I walk into a dealer and they don't even have one on display, I get more and more pissed off and hope that fakes destroy their company.

Omega is heading the same way, but I will never not have a Seamaster.

[TheWatchGuy]

Originally Posted by Lady Jane

Fake says a lot about the wearer. Just like a fake orgasm says a lot about their prowess in bed.

i never fake my orgasms

[F10CPROG]

Something to consider... With Rolex being arguably the most "Faked" watch. When i am out and about with a group of friends if we see someone wearing a Rolex we almost automatically presume its a fake.
Also a friend of mine has a real and a fake 2010 Black Submariner, they are almost identical. He will wear the fake on a night out when maybe getting drunk or going to less salubrious parts of town, but day to day at work etc he wears the real one.
I think there is a place for fakes.

[David70]

Originally Posted by F10CPROG

Something to consider... With Rolex being arguably the most "Faked" watch. When i am out and about with a group of friends if we see someone wearing a Rolex we almost automatically presume its a fake.
Also a friend of mine has a real and a fake 2010 Black Submariner, they are almost identical. He will wear the fake on a night out when maybe getting drunk or going to less salubrious parts of town, but day to day at work etc he wears the real one.
I think there is a place for fakes.

The only reason I can see that he wears the fake Rolex out instead of a reasonably priced other brand is to impress people? When people ask if it is real does he tell them it is fake but he has a real one at home? I would love to be part of this conversation.

I go to Thailand a lot and there are grades of fakes and tons of places selling them so there is absolutely a market, definitely not for me. Only reason I see to buy a fake is you want people to think you have a real one but don't want to spend the money. Like any other fake item I am fine with people doing it and hope it accomplishes their goal. I have seen some Fiero's that people tried to make look like Ferrari's, good for them, same with the vinyl Gucci bags sold all over Thailand.

[longm1985]

Yeah, I see fakes being used only to fool people into a certain impression of wealth or power. I can't stand fake anything. I passed on a car because it had the fake leather. And I don't buy for status symbols either. Don't care what anyone else things. I buy stuff for me and know people assume the ones with the things I happen to like are douchebags. I don't fit the douche profile for the reasons that are generally associated with them. I'm a douche for other reasons

[TonM3]

Originally Posted by longm1985

Yeah, I see fakes being used only to fool people into a certain impression of wealth or power. I can't stand fake anything. I passed on a car because it had the fake leather. And I don't buy for status symbols either. Don't care what anyone else things. I buy stuff for me and know people assume the ones with the things I happen to like are douchebags. I don't fit the douche profile for the reasons that are generally associated with them. I'm a douche for other reasons

I think you may be taking things a little too far, almost every german car has fake leather as standard.
Would you pass on a BMW 340 because it does not actually have a 4 liter engine or a Taycan Turbo because it doesn't actually have a turbo?

Like I said before I have lots of real Swiss and lots of fake watches, I like them all as much as I like my BMW M car

[flybigjet]

I don't get it. What's the point of wearing a fake?

Yes, I have a Rolex. My wife got it for me as a combination "Ten-year anniversary/50th birthday/Captain's upgrade" present-- so it has a lot of personal meaning to me. Not because it's a Rolex, but because she cared enough about me to spend (literally) years saving, planning and figuring out which one I'd like to present me with something at a momentous time in my life. I'll treasure for as long as I'm above room temperature.

I don't wear it for the "Look at me" value-- I wear it because it represents how much I mean to her.

And, I wear it on an Everest strap, so it *doesn't* look like a Rolex unless you're really paying close attention.

I guess I look at wearing a fake like putting a Ferrari sticker on a Honda-- you can, but where's the value and what's the point?

[corn18]

I love that prima donna assholes get pissed off at a fake badge.

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by corn18

I love that prima donna assholes get pissed off at a fake badge.

It's not being "pissed off", it's being puzzled.

Seeing someone wearing a fake (or having a fake badge) doesn't raise my ire-- it just raises my bafflement.

What's the point?

R.

[corn18]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

It's not being "pissed off", it's being puzzled.

Seeing someone wearing a fake (or having a fake badge) doesn't raise my ire-- it just raises my bafflement.

What's the point?

R.

Good for you. I have no point.

[longm1985]

Originally Posted by TonM3

I think you may be taking things a little too far, almost every german car has fake leather as standard.
Would you pass on a BMW 340 because it does not actually have a 4 liter engine or a Taycan Turbo because it doesn't actually have a turbo?

Like I said before I have lots of real Swiss and lots of fake watches, I like them all as much as I like my BMW M car

The 340i isn't claiming to have a 4 liter engine. BMW did away with tying displacement to badging a long time back... Turbo is more of a branding with the Taycan, even though I'm not a fan of that.

I know they have fake leather as standard. I don't care what base models come with... I care about what the one I want comes with.

I wouldn't call an M sport an actual M car, but that's me.

[GenXer]

Does it really matter?

Real hair
Real breast
Real teeth
Real wood
Real leather

Personally, I like things to be what they actually are.

I don't care for female impersonator either no matter how convincing they look.

If you're going to make a watch, just name it with your own brand. Don't usurp someone else's name and call it your own.

In contrast, a Porsche Taycan "Turbo" isn't fake. It's an unfortunate misnomer similar to putting "Turbo" on a computer and everything in the 80's. Turbo just meant it was good. It's still a Porsche after all.