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Ten Reasons to Reject the Idea of Buying a Replica Watch

Jul 21, 2008
If you still have hesitations whether to buy or not to buy a replica watch of your favorite brand, below you will find the most crucial reasons to help you make up your mind. The article is based on real opinions shared by simple customers as well as experienced watch experts.

1. A replica watch shows off what you really don't have: This is what many people actually think about wearing a replica watch. 'Fakes are worn to impress plastic minds,' as one customer said. 'If one buys a fake, he is fooling others,' 'A fake is and will always be a fake and so is the person who owns one' - these are some more opinions about replicas. All these statements reflect one and the same idea - people wearing replica watches are not taken seriously and their reputation may seriously suffer. If you care about what people think about you, especially in business circles, it is better to avoid wearing a replica watch.

2. Almost anyone can tell a replica watch from an authentic one: Many watch experts think that low quality replica watches will be spotted at more than 20 feet away ('they are so poorly made that even a blind chimp would not mistake one for the real thing'). Even if you are not a watch expert yourself, your attention will be caught, for example, by the gold plating of a fake that is too yellow in color or the glass or plastic crystal not reflecting light like sapphire crystal.

3. A replica watch will actually impress no one: Considering the two opinions mentioned above, if you want to impress others with a fake, you will hardly manage to do that. As a rule, people who purchase highly priced authentic timepieces find no reason to impress anyone as they already have at their disposal enough income to purchase many other expensive items and hardly feel the need to impress anyone with an over-expensive wristwatch.


4. A replica watch will never grow up in value: This reason needs no explanation. There is little or no sense to pay 500-1000 dollars for a fake watch as it is much better to save some more money until you have enough to buy a real nice authentic timepiece, probability a used one from a reputable dealer.

In comparison, an authentic watch becomes a thing to be inherited by the generations to follow, a true family relic and talisman the value of which grows over time.

5. Poor durability: Replica watches are produced from poor quality materials, so they are easily scratched or even broken. The mechanisms inside a replica watch will not last for a long time, so you will have to either take your watch to be repaired or, if it is seriously damaged, simply throw it away.

One can take an authentic watch to the authorized service center where it will be treated properly and last for many years to come.

6. Lack of precision: Cheap replica watches are equipped with poor quality mechanisms, usually, cheap quartz movements, so one shouldn't expect great precision from a fake watch.

The mechanisms of genuine watches are often hand-made and guarantee remarkable precision.

7. Lack of additional functions and complications: The majority of replica watches do not feature the functions they are meant to, as they simply imitate the design of an authentic watch but lack the corresponding functions. So, if you dream about a watch with a minute repeater or a tourbillon, you will never find a replica watch with such horological complications.

8. Lack of innovative features: Replica watches do not provide the innovations incorporated by the authentic ones. A great advantage of an original watch is that its producer spends much time working on innovations, applying new high-tech materials, improving the watch's design and technical features. Consequently, the quality and durability of branded watches gets significantly improved and owners of genuine timepieces can enjoy wearing their watches that guarantee precision timekeeping.

9. Replica watch buyers involuntarily support illegal activity of fake watch producers: Today, the widespread counterfeiting industry, violating intellectual property rights, is linked to major organised crime, drugs, prostitution and even people-smuggling. The producers of qenuine watches join efforts to fight counterfeiting and minimize its negative effects.

10. Inner feeling of dissatisfaction: Many customers who buy a replica watch quickly get disillusioned as it turns out to be not half a thing they so much wanted to own.

Authentic watches are true masterpieces of engineering and beauty. Many customers compare purchasing a genuine watch to purchasing pieces of art or diamonds as they hold a special value to their owner.

Purchasing a replica watch holds no value or meaning as it is a kind of self-deception - you long for a masterpiece but get an imitation that only looks like the thing you have been dreaming about.


P.S.: Wide choice of reasonably priced authentic watches: A replica watch may be successfully substituted by a reasonably priced timepiece produced by some other reputable brand. If, for example, you are crazy about Patek Philippe watches, the price of which often reaches dozens of thousands of dollars, try to discover another Swiss brand or a Japanese brand that produces high quality timepieces available at affordable price range. As a good alternative, Tissot watches are on the list of Swiss bestsellers attracting whole armies of avid fans.

As one customer said, 'I would prefer a real Casio over a fake Rolex.'




Related:




posted by: Tom Myers / Aug 11, 2008 11:11 AM
- First I must confess that i prefer to buy watches I like, not the brand name. I don't really care too much if a gen TAG HEUER costs $$$$ or $$$.
- If I really want a watch and I consider it special for a reason then I think about if I am willing to accept the price tag. If that's fine with me then why not? I don't really care if they are made by a prestigous brand. But it is more often the case that the prestige brands turn me off with their often unadequate pricing.
- Next thing: Would I tell everybody if my watch was a replica? Why should I do that? I am in the fortunate position that I don't have to impress business partners by wearing expensive watches. Do I care if others consider my watch cool? Simple answer is: No!
- If asked, would I tell that any of my watches is a replica? First I must say that the unsolicited question if a watch is gen is really bad style. That's rude and offending behaviour, no matter if the watch is gen or not. Can you imagine how many Rolex owners had to face this question more than once?
You never should ask if you're not talking about watches with a fellow you know personally! That's just as inacceptable as wearing a Panerai rep when meeting Signore Bonati.
- What is that illegal thing about? Is it illegal because the manufacturers are a part of organized crime or are they organized crime because they uninvitedly play in the garden of wealthy international investment groups who own the gen brands? Are these guys bad criminals, even terrorists or are they just working to make a living, unfortunatelly offending brand rights because there's a market?
Is it more immoral to build watch for 100$ and sell it for 300$ (reps) or to build a watch for 500$ and sell it for 5000$? One of this is really a scam!
And yes, I have allready seen a working tourbillon for considerably less than 50.000$
posted by: involt / Aug 09, 2008 11:11 AM
1. A replica watch shows off what you really don't have

Obviously, it's a replica! By definition it shows what it really isn't. This statement is a tautology


2. Almost anyone can tell a replica watch from an authentic one

I own a couple of replicas that cannot be distinguished from gens unless you test them or remove the caseback

3. A replica watch will actually impress no one

What do you mean? So, if you can't afford a gen, and someone give you a genuine watch as a present, will anybody believe that you're wearing a rep? This statement conflicts with the former

4. A replica watch will never grow up in value

Really? I wouldn't be so sure...

5. Poor durability

I own a cheap Submariner copy, bought in 2001. I swimmed, dived (20 meters or so) keeping it on my wrist, and it still works flawlessy. Trying to swim wearing a genuine Breitling Chronomat cost me about 250 euros

6. Lack of precision
Many replicas use swiss ETA movements, that are COSC certificated. Just like a Rolex, a Breitling, an Omega...

7. Lack of additional functions and complications
It depends on the accuracy of the reproduction, as well as on the movement used

8. Lack of innovative features
Maybe. But you should mention the cost of aforesaid features. The presence of "innovative features" (that I'll probably never use) means "lack" of thousands of euros in my wallet

9. Replica watch buyers involuntarily support illegal activity of fake watch producers

So what? "Illegal" doesn't mean "wrong", "unfair" or "unjust". Violating intellectual property is definitely a crime, not an injustice. The concept of "intellectual property", when applied to a brandname, is an injustice. On the other hand, if there are so many differences between reps and gens (in terms of appearance - statemnt no. 2 - or features - statement no. 8) there is no need to worry about the intellectual property, don't you think?
The fake watch producers prove that they aren't be able to make watches as good as the original ones: this is free advertisement. The producers of qenuine watches should be very happy

10. Inner feeling of dissatisfaction
Speak for yourself. I'm very happy when I wear a replica.


"you long for a masterpiece but get an imitation that only looks like the thing you have been dreaming about"

I never "dreamed" about owning an (exaggeratedly) expensive watch; my dreams concern quite another matter. The human society presses us in order to make us buy things of all sorts, posing them as "status symbols". And the reps give us the possibility to grasp some status symbols at a fraction of the price; should we reject such a possibility?
posted by: Ol4 / Aug 08, 2008 11:11 AM
In reply to Tom Myers: Yes, I agree with you to some degree - there are some good quality replica watches that do not match the points in the article and may even compete with mid-range consumer class watches. Still, why to pay some 200-300 $ for a replica when you can choose from a variety of genuine middle-priced watches with cool look and functionality? For example there are Tag Heuer watches priced in a range of 500-1000 $ - so, no great difference in price.
I can't quite agree that a watch that isn't worth being copied isn't worth buying - there are a lot of Swiss and Japanese producers offering reasonably priced pieces of great look and functionality.
- Yes, I agree - even watch experts will not be able to detect a replica from a genuine one at a glance if it is extremely well-made. Still, a qualitative replica watch might look nice, but not so nice as a genuine one produced from top quality materials and hand-assembled by experienced watchmakers.
- Probably it will impress people around by its cool look - by the way do you tell your acquaintances or business partners it's just a replica?
- As for the durability and precision - I strongly doubt these characteristics are the same as in case of authentic pieces that are developed to last for generations.
-What about such complications as a tourbillon and perpetual calendar? Have you ever seen a replica with these properly working features?
- As for the issue of supporting organized crime - I think this point is beyond any doubt. No matter how well your replica is made - the activity of its producers is not legal and it's discouraging to think it has been produced by people working as almost slaves. Switzerland has already prohibited the import of any counterfeits as the economy of the country strongly suffers because of counterfeiting.
As for the moral side of the issue, you are right these are just watches, the same as counterfeit sneakers or handbags. But authentic watches of such brands as Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Corum, etc. are real masterpieces the same as original paintings or other pieces of art - they have their own connoisseurs and collectors.
I understand why replica watches have their supporters, yet I would think twice before buying a replica watch ))))
posted by: Thor / Aug 08, 2008 03:53 AM
Wrong on almost every count. That takes talent. Congratulations!
posted by: Tom Myers / Aug 08, 2008 01:40 AM
Well, thereīs a lot of low-quality stuff around and thatīs one point I agree with. But you kown exactly what to expect of a 20$ watch, no matter what brand name is on it.

Talking about the gens: Many manufacturers are still producing exceptional quality watches, others do rather ordinary stuff not worth 30% of their retail price. I guess you would have to agree that some greedy companies owned by international investment groups could not survive in competition if they did not have their prestiguous rich peoplesītoy image. While better replicas will never reach the level of the real high-end watches they might be well compareable to mid-range consumer class watches. Even though it is offending to the fellows who developed the gens it doesnīt really harm them, but the companies that mostly sell them heavily overpriced. And then a watch that isnīt worth beeing copied isnīt worth buying, right?

After all theyīre all just watches so letīs enjoy them...
posted by: Ol4 / Aug 05, 2008 11:11 AM
These are not old prejudices at all - just compare the amount of expensive good quality replica watches to the amount of cheap fakes available - and you will understand you are wrong. If you are happy to own a good quality replica, good for you. But you can't deny there are tons of replicas that justify all the reasons mentioned in the article.

Why do you feel people wearing replica watches have the legal and moral right to support their producers, thereby impairing the interests and intellectual property rights of the producers of authentic watches? You are supporting the law-breakers! If you have enough money to buy a quality replica watch, why don't you buy an authentic watch, a masterpiece of the art of Watchmaking based on many years of research and improvement?

Replica watches are all about making easy money - they have nothing to do with the Art at all!
posted by: Tom Myers / Aug 04, 2008 11:11 AM
This article is rather useless as it only repeats old prejudices.
- Replicas can be quality timepieces, they are availeable with good quality movements.
- The statement that a replica owners just wants to impress others by wearing an expensive looking watch is not even close to the truth.
- Calling a rep owner cheap for that reason is pretty arogant.
- Good quality reps can be had for the costs of a full service of an expensive gen, even with swiss ETA movements.
- You can easily find a good watchsmith who will service a rep.
- I won't expect the author of this text to be able to tell the rep even in a side-by-side comparison if it is a quality piece.

Sorry, this article was not worth the time to write it, just old prejudice, but no real info.
posted by: Gordan Simmons / Jul 26, 2008 05:55 PM
I think you are a little behind times. My Rolex replica fooled the biggest Rolex dealer in New Orleans. It keeps perfect time, weighs, looks, feels like the real one.
The replicas these days are almost perfect.

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