[Por_sha911]

masraum: I think we agree and most things but we have gotten off course.
I said

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

Possible answers:
-Some folks just can't afford the real thing but genuinely like the look and they do it for themselves.
-Some just don't want to spend outrageous amounts of money for a watch when they can get one that pleases them for a fraction of the cost. They consider the cost a stupid waste of money. They feel that those who 'need' to have expensive things are trying to impress others and they have no need for validation from anyone except themselves. (go research Warren Buffet).
-Some are posers. I knew someone who 'had it all': multi-million dollar house in a place where a nice home was $2-300K, expensive cars, the latest fashions. It was all financed and their net equity was zero. They were impressive but just as fake as knockoff watches (maybe more so).

You asked if I am talking about fakes or counterfeits

Originally Posted by masraum

So are you talking about $20 or $50 fake/counterfeit Rolexes or are you talking about folks that buy watches that look similar to a Rolex but are just a less expensive brand. Because those are two VERY different things.

My answer was to the original question of why people buy the fakes or look-a-likes

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

It can be both but does it matter?
Should we judge people who buy the really thing? Should we look down on people who don't? Who are we to decide if someone is sincere, a braggart, or a poser?

I also replied to Vash's quote that stealing is stealing:

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

That is the most honorable thing I've seen in this thread so far.

I agree with you that knockoffs are stealing and not honorable but that wasn't the context of my replies.

Originally Posted by masraum

I'm not deciding anything.

I'm just saying that there's a HUGE difference between "counterfeit" products and similar/mimic products.

If Rolex thought that someone like Seiko or Invicta or was making copies/counterfeits, I'm sure they would/could go after the other manufacturer in court for trademark/copyright/IP issues.

And I'm not judging anyone for what they want to do. I know/knew someone once that was concerned with appearance and used to wash and iron their money (when they were young before I knew them) for appearance's sake.

Counterfeit goods are a HUGE business these days of just about anything that you can imagine. I have to think that it's a billions or maybe trillion dollar business for China these days.

Lastly, I was not suggesting that you judge anyone. My replies were to Hardrive who stated "I have never understood the desire to buy a fake....anything. What are you saying about yourself?"