"Replica Watches"

[javadog]

"Watches seem primarily like overpriced jewelry to me. I once read how much a Rolex costs to make, and how much it it marked up along the line (manufacturer, to distributor to wholesaler, to retailer, etc., each of who puts something like a 400% markup on it), and it was crazy."


Well, to each, his own. Some watches are priced pretty high. Those that cost several hundred thousand bucks don't seem like much of a deal to me, either.

I think your figures on Rolex pricing aren't very accurate. First, there aren't that many steps from Rolex in Switzerland to a US dealer. Second, Rolex doesn't even disclose production numbers, let alone their costs. Given that they now own most of their suppliers, you'd have to be Carnac the Magnificent to figure out what their costs were. Dealer mark-ups are more well known and in line with other manufacturers.

If you like Porsches, contemplate for a minute that they are generally considered to be the most profitable car manufacturer in the world, adjusted for their size....

JR

[javadog]

Originally posted by Joeaksa
I paid about $275 for my first Rolex way back in the '70's. Considering that its worth around $6000 now, guess that I have done fairly well with it.

If you buy a good quality watch and take care of it, its an INVESTIMENT guys! On the other hand, if you do not want to make money on things, thats your choice...

I bought a new stainless Cosmograph (Daytona) in the mid-eighties for about $1,750. I didn't wear the watch much and sold it a few years later, when the prices went up on those. I thought I did well at the time to double my money. If I'd kept it I could sell it for $15,000 today. Bummer.

JR

[Joeaksa]

JR,

Waiting time for a stainless Daytona is in the 3-5 YEAR's time frame at list price, so the price goes up if someone wants one now. Its still almost $10,000 if you can find one, and the list price is around $2000. now.

I wanted one years ago and was not going to pay what they wanted for one to bypass the waiting time when a my jeweler showed me a used 18k Daytona he had gotten in on a trade for a President. Ended up taking it home for what less than what my original steel and gold GMT Master was worth at the time and its done nothing in the meantime but go up in value due to the value of gold in the last few years.

If I can buy a nice watch, wear it and have it keep its value, or even go up in value, then thats hard to beat in my eyes.

Still I have a couple of replica watches that I wear when in parts of the world where its not safe to wear a nice watch on your arm.

[fingpilot]

Another funny watch story. Landed in Saigon early 90's for a night or two. The other pilot was very short, but had a big mustache and big watch (need I say more?)....

We were westerners in a city that didn't have many. The pickpockets were rampant as were the girls on mopeds selling rides.

I had told him when we checked in to the hotel to leave any and all jewelry in the hotel safe, and lets meet in the lobby for dinner in an hour.

In South Vietnam (oops, pardon me, Vietnam), anyone that was a collaborator in the 'great war with the west', was branded and tortured as soon as the people's forces took over after we bailed out of their new democracy (sound familiar...?).... Anyway, anyone with a tatoo on their forearm usually speaks perfect english and is mangled in some way, and end up as street vendors or 'guides' to us westerners. One of these had 'picked' us as we entered the hotel, and was waiting for us there when we came back out for dinner. He assured us he could make arrangements for anything we wanted (dinner or dessert), and he was 'our man'.

He noticed that the other pilot was still wearing his Rolex, and he blanched, and told him fairly forcefully that REALLY needed to take that watch off, and put it in the hotel safe. Ken shrugged, and told him that the watch was a fake, and there was no need to remove it. Ever told a short guy that he needs protection? Yeah, me neither.

The 'guide' says, with a very serious face.... "No, no, you not understand. They take arm, get watch later....."

Ken went to the room and peeled the watch.

[Craig 930 RS]

"I know several douche bags who own nice watches, and nice possessions in general. I never understood the watch fetish thing. Guns, cars, and women, I completely understand.

Prestige, such as it exists, has to be earned through accomplishment, not by trinkets that anyone with money can buy."
----------
Most guys who possess these things are total dicks anyway.
But I'm a dick in my own way.....

[javadog]

Originally posted by Joeaksa
JR,

Waiting time for a stainless Daytona is in the 3-5 YEAR's time frame at list price, so the price goes up if someone wants one now. Its still almost $10,000 if you can find one, and the list price is around $2000. now.

If I can buy a nice watch, wear it and have it keep its value, or even go up in value, then thats hard to beat in my eyes.

Still I have a couple of replica watches that I wear when in parts of the world where its not safe to wear a nice watch on your arm.

Yeah, I know, I'm on a list. Isn't current list price between 6 and 7 thou?

I don't travel to such places but I do go places where a good watch might get damaged. When I do, I just wear a cheap digital though, not a replica of anything...


JR

[Bumper]

I am actually surprised at the strong feelings and responses that this thread created. I own many "real" watches such as Breitlings, Baume and Mercier, Ebel and Tissot but I rarely feel like a "douche bag" when I wear them. I enjoy them for their quality and mechanics.

If one can get a replica watch at 10% the price of the original that is 99% authentic then why would you want to shell out the additional cash to line some company's pocket? I don't own a 911 but if I could get a replica for $10K that looked and performed 99% as good as the original, you bet that I would buy that car quickly. Does this make me a big loser or just very smart??? Well the jury is still out but as long as it makes me happy why should it matter?

[Craig 930 RS]

People with a good attitude that appreciate the art that a nice watch can be......respectable IMB & FWTW. Such as yourself, bumper.

But too often people succumb to the 'Porsche Prick' syndrome.....

[Craig 930 RS]

What are thoughts on this place?
http://www.trustytime.com/

[layzee]

I bought my Monza rep from TrustyTime. I was wary about the whole thing but it was trouble-free.

Pic of my Monza:


Check out this forum - plenty of recommendations for TT
http://www.replica-watches-guide.com/forum/index.php

[JavaBrewer]

When I was a student/bartender I used to love the Tag watch line. Always said someday...

Well I'm finally in the appropriate earning braket to buy have since lost interest in man jewelry. I totally appreciate the quality but don't like the image.

[Cornpanzer]

Personally, I dont desire a Rolex for the same reason that I dont desire Corvettes....too many gold chainers miixed in with the true enthusiasts

That being said, I still admire a some of the more simple Rolex's.

Personally, I like wearing a nice watch that is somewhat unique. When I bought my Speedmaster, I decided that it had to be at least as old as I was. Hence, I bought a 1969......manufactured the same year that the Speedmaster became the first watch on the moon. I dig esoteric details like that. My next watch was a black Porsche Design made by Orfina - 1974. When people look at the watch they say, "hey, that looks just like the gauges in your 911". Yup...and thats why I like it. Besides, how many of you are wearing a 37 year old Timex every day??????

I dont wear the watches as status symbols. I appreciate them as unique mechanical items that will appreciate in value. They are not chainsaws or washing machines - those are commodities similar to a Timex. A wisely purchased timepiece can be an investment. Mens jewelry, perhaps.....but why is this neccesarily bad Mr. Porsche Driver?

I have to laugh at you guys who are talking down to the "watch guys". Im sorry, but anyone who drives a Porsche hardly has any authority to stereotype thier peers who own nice watches as egomaniacs or status seekers. For Gods sake man, you drive a PORSCHE.....the most common ststus stereotype on the planet.

Reverse snobbery is still snobbery.

[Wickd89]

I agree, simple Rolexes are nice, the rest are not for me.

I have a simple Stainless steel one with a perpetual band. Nice and looks good with a pair jeans and as it does with a tux. Old examples with leather bands are nice as well.

I don't like gold, don't like two tone (although it seems a lot of people like it), and diamonds are just a joke for a man's watch.

[the]

Those that wear fakes, what do you do when people ask about your "nice Rolex" etc. ?

Do you fess up, or are you dishonest?

I've always wondered that about fakes, like the Fiero/Ferraris, etc. Seems to put people in an uncomfortable box. That would be absolutely humiliating to tell an acquaintance that the item is "real," only to have him find out from someone else it isn't. That seems like a loss of credibility that could never be gained back.

[pwd72s]

How about the fake RS's and S's?

[nota]

Originally posted by pwd72s
How about the fake RS's and S's?

and turbo ''looks''

btw I picked up a fake gold rolex for $5
watch was broken
but the gold band is real gold

[VaSteve]

Originally posted by pwd72s
How about the fake RS's and S's?

They still started life as Porsches. I think if you're driving a fake RS that you built, then you have something to talk about. Most people won't care about the hours you put into the littlest details, but the Porsche guys will. I wouldn't buy someone else's built RS anymore than I would buy one of those hot rods at Barret Jackson.

I have a cool old watch. It's from the 1960's or earlier. It belonged to my grandfather who died in 1968 before I was born. I found it in a drawer in 1986 when my grandmother passed away and we were cleaning out her house. I don't know much about it, but it's really thick and has a stopwatch and some other interesting details. My grandfather wrote a couple of books on flying. This watch is depicted in one of the diagrams.

[svandamme]

few people will try and present an RS clone, as the real thing
fake S'es i've yet to see anywhere , people list T's with S options
they might stuff up an ebay auction claiming their car is cherry , mint , concours, when it isn't, or that it goes 167 miles/hour with it's stock engine

wild claims, overexagerations maybe, but i've never seen anyone tell me his car is an S, when it is not, same for RS clones, most if not all owners aren't hiding the fact that theirs is a clone...they are usually to proud about their car, and how they built it (or had it built for them) and in most cases will consider theirs better then the S or RS ,because it offers improved drivability, raceability without having to worry about ruining an exclusive , rare chassis...

and like mentioned earlier, the chassis is still made by Porsche, in Stuttgart, and structurally there is no difference in the T E S or even RS tubs... just the little number 1 2 3 or the lovely number 6

if you want to talk fake Porsches, they exist
fake 356's, fake 550's ,fake 904's, fake 917's and even fake 911's

those, never left the factory as a Porsche chassis, and as such are imposters, fakes and replicrap, no matter how nicely built they are.

[Shuie]

Originally posted by pwd72s
How about the fake RS's and S's?

Im a total hypocrite with my personal opinions on replicas in general and I can't make sense of it. Replica cars like 550s, 904s are totally acceptable in my book. Replicas of '50s and '60s guitars are less cool, but still totally acceptable. However, Im a total snob when it comes to replica watches. The real cars and some of the guitars are unobtainable to me, but I would never consider buying a replica watch like a Breguet Torbillon that was also unobtainable to me.

However, any replica of anything that gets misrepresented as the real thing is absolutely unacceptable and should be destroyed. I have no desire to fool anyone with a replica car or guitar or to impress anyone with the authenticity of a watch.

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by VaSteve
They still started life as Porsches. I think if you're driving a fake RS that you built, then you have something to talk about. Most people won't care about the hours you put into the littlest details, but the Porsche guys will. I wouldn't buy someone else's built RS anymore than I would buy one of those hot rods at Barret Jackson.

I have a cool old watch. It's from the 1960's or earlier. It belonged to my grandfather who died in 1968 before I was born. I found it in a drawer in 1986 when my grandmother passed away and we were cleaning out her house. I don't know much about it, but it's really thick and has a stopwatch and some other interesting details. My grandfather wrote a couple of books on flying. This watch is depicted in one of the diagrams.

Steve,

Pls post a photo or more info of the watch. Might be worth saving for yourself or kids.

Joe