Where's Your Head At?: I'm Calling You Out

[thetechnocrat]

+1 to that.

[Posh]

After being a part of this community and knowing what I know now I would not spend the $$$ for the real thing... well maybe if I was a multi-millionaire. Also, taking a replica and modifying it into a distinctive piece of art is also pretty rewarding. That B&R sneed did awhile back was awesome!

Quite frankly, watch brands like Diesel, Invicta, or Timex just don't do it for me. All the really awesome watches are the high end expensive ones. I was wearing a Seiko when I found the watch forums... Now I'm hooked on replicas.

I mean come on... How could you say no to this?

That's a handsome timepiece! Thanks for the perspective.

posh, are you going therapist on us now?

It is kinda like that. I always like to know where people are coming from and why they do what they do. Trust me, I get this same question at home when I start asking questions and wondering why. I want some insight, dammit!

I can understand the pursuit of perfection as an artistic goal

But doubt that it has a strong a following as some would have you believe

I'm more in favour of OCD, anal retentiveness/trainspotterism, or the 'Jeremy from accounts syndrome' as a more realistic diagnosis.

For some strange reason, I immediately thought of Elliot Smith. And I thought it did have something to do with some of the folks having some OCD qualities.

I love making reps as close to gen as possible. It's more of a game and, particularly with Rolexes, I don't see it as being a money losing hobby. There is a great resale market for either the completed watch or reselling the parts, such as bracelets, dials, cases, etc. In fact, I just bought another vintage Rolex bracelet off the Bay yesterday.

I'm not really a fan of the idea of spending thousands on a Yuki or Jewelry and Watch type build either, but to each his own.

I don't think for me, it's ever been so much to fool other people on the street as it is to impress forum members. I like the forums, forum members, and the fact that they appreciate a nice quality build. It's nice to get compliments from other watch enthusiasts, particularly collectors of reps. Plus, I don't think of the really good ones as reps. I think of them more as gens with some aftermarket parts.

In the real world, I learned long ago that almost no one ever pays any attention to what watch you're wearing.

Impress other forum members? That's a new one. Okay, Kbh. I hadn't really thought that would be a motivation. It is the high fives and accolades after showing off the finished piece for you then. Hmmm . . .

I have had a franken built for me by BK so it wasnt a labor of love as most franken builders seem to do it as a hobby for themselves. For me it was to try and get the most accurate rep possible that I can look at it and be proud how much like its Genuine brother it can be at only 20% of the cost. I dont have to look at it and see how different the pearl is or how bad the rep crystals are etc... I can just wear it and enjoy it and not see any flaws at all.

With the other reps ive had, in the begining its the honeymoon period but after awhile the first things you see when you look down at your watch (besides the time ) are the flaws. These highly modded frankens ensure as few flaws to look at as possible. I have no problem telling anyone its a replica/franken if they ask but the work done on it was purely for myself. Not to try and make it harder to be called out or whatever.

So for you it's to fix nagging flaws that you can't ignore. This probably dovetails a little with what Narikaa was saying.

Rep are like this 90% of the quality for 10% of the price. That is why the super reps exist. I wouldn't mind paying 20-30% of the original for 90+%

I somewhat agree. But for 30%, it better perform very, very closely to the original. That's getting suspiciously close to pre-owned gen territory for some watches, don't you think?

At the end of the day, if I get called out it's no sweat, but there's cherries on it if I get to say "yeah it's fake but it's a pretty darn good one."

Thanks for giving us a peek into the recesses of your mind! For you, it's all about being able to say: "Look what I did for $600!" You like being able to say I got nearly the same watch as this other person and spent only X dollars. And maybe you relish the chance to point out that it's a rep because then you get to pull a Nelson Muntz and say: "Ha HA!"

And folks can't give me the crap of they don't care about the brand and publicly acknowledging they buy fake watches. Virtually every watch is available in an unbranded Chinese version complete with warranty. So if you are wearing a branded rep you are trying to fool someone. Get over it.

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This is what I thought as well. There are unbranded ones that are essentially the same but without the logos. But that's no fun, is it? One may not want to give out the impression that they are wearing a gen but if it gets them a slightly better table at L'Avenue in the Waasland Shopping Center, then they wouldn't turn it down. But everyone is different.

I hate posting financial stuff online but this post calls for some perspective...and I was inspired by the few posts directly above mine. Below is some serious "food for thought":

Hopefully I don't come off as an a**hole here, but here goes. I am in the rep game personally because of ...priorities and saving money. I was lucky enough to start and sell a few businesses in my 20's, so I can comfortably buy a couple gens each year without feeling it. Regardless, you literally can't put a price on cash in the bank. Life, and the need for cash down the road always comes to bite you in the a** without fail. I have turned my last 4 gen purchases into $93k in six years by buying reps and investing those saved gen funds. I would be a hipocrit if I didn't cop to the fact that I spend big money on properties, vehicles, and wear an expensive Spring Drive. But at some point priorities have to come to mind, even when you have money.

I'm never content and my bad habit of constantly buying and selling gens was wasting a ton of cash, especially considering reps today are 95% accurate. I passed on buying 4 gens six years ago, bought the reps and invested that $20k in gold. I bought 44 ounces of gold at roughly $452/ounce, for a total of 44 ounces. I have not touched the account in 6 years, and as of last week, that account (solely funded by that gen money years ago) topped $93,175. Put in perspective, when gold went up a measly $8/ounce the other day that account made me $350 while I sat on my couch...food for thought.

I can't help but shake my head when I read about people who buy a gen (or spends thousands on some reps), yet have no real cash in the bank and are living month to month. Don't get me wrong, I'm a firm believer in doing what makes you happy and if it's watches-go for it. But if you can live without that next rep or gen purchase, invest it in gold via ebay tonight. That small investment will either buy that actual gen in a short amount of time, or help secure your future possibly...both good. As Posh says...save money whenever possible on anything you can. My feeling on that motto goes one step further because if that saved money is invested...you never know where it will take you! Hopefully this post didn't come off as me preaching or offend anyone-just my reasoning of why I'm here which may benefit someone.

This is great. You took that same money and turned it into gold, literally! You can afford to buy the gen of the watch you didn't several times over. I'm thoroughly impressed. Cash will always be king.