replica watches?

[Mags]

I recently saw a watch that I desperately want. Its an audemar piguet royal oak. I love the design of APs and really want to own one. The only problem is that it costs about 80,000. Ive seen many ads for replica watches and I would just like to know if at least any of them are worth buying. Does anyone have any experience with replicas?

 

[RA40]

One of the other forums I'm on there was a thread about rep's. The guys who have the genuine watches or who are well versed can spot them. Then they view that person as a poseur who supports the black market, don't do it. It also speaks of the mismatch typically. If it is worth doing, do the whole package right. There are time pieces for almost any budget and you'll be proud to have a real one opposed to a knock-off.

We came across a guy at a knife show many years back. Through the weekend, he passed by our table and I made note of his time pieces. Pretty $$$ but then when I heard him haggle over a $200 knife...it was obvious something was off. I asked a fellow maker about that collector...he was known for wanting to look like he had $$ but he didn't. His watches were fakes and that rep had spread behind the tables. LOL.

There was one collector who had his Panerai on...I stopped him to compliment his watch. I then asked about his catch of knives for the weekend. When he pulled out several folders in the $2-$4K range...it was obvious beneath the Levis and T-shirt he could play. On Sunday when I caught up with him, he'd spent like $14,000 and had orders in for more. He drove off in an newish MB E-55.

We know a fitter/seamstress and she's seen many suits before retiring from a major dept. store. Walking down the mall, she could tell 25'+ away which were well made, designer or cheap suits. In same along with how poor a fit some were for the wearer. She won't say anything but because she knows the industry, it didn't fool her.

Bottom line, do it right for your level. :)

 

[Hitthespot]

I recently saw a watch that I desperately want. Its an audemar piguet royal oak. I love the design of APs and really want to own one. The only problem is that it costs about 80,000. Ive seen many ads for replica watches and I would just like to know if at least any of them are worth buying. Does anyone have any experience with replicas?

I would do some research. I'm not going to get into most of the rights and wrongs of what you could be suggesting, and I will refrain from opinion, but the counterfeit market costs millions in legal action. It also more than likely rasies the prices for the consumer on the real item. Plus think of the those who have bought Conterfeit items not knowing, thinking they paid for the real thing. Supporting this market only fuels the deception. It is not something many would appreciate. Doesn't matter if it's a light, watch, or a pair of jeans.

Now if your talking about a watch that is clearly marked with a different name but looks familiar to the original item. That is a horse of a different color.


Bill

 

[Lee1959]

Most replicas use junk Chinese movements that do not last. Would you buy knockoff Surefires? Why do threads about flashight knockoffs draw outrage and nothing about "replica" watches. Same thing...

Better off buying a cheaper Swiss made watch and leaving the "replicas" alone. Just my opinion.

There are off course those who skirt the issue and walk on the edge of copying by calling their watches "homages" and use a different name. At some point it becomes almost accepted, the Rolex Submariner is perhaps the most copied/homaged watch design in history. Almost every watch company has a "Sub" model, some like Invicta make millions of them.

 

[DM51]

I have temporarily removed a post from this thread. Members are asked not to post links to sources of counterfeit items.

 

[Empath]

As long as they're billed as replicas, they're not counterfeit. Replicas and clones, unless we know there's a court issued restraint against them, are a civil matter between the original manufacturer and the clone maker. Unless there is something we can recognize as a fraudulent claim of authenticity, or an obvious trademark infringement, it can become quite complicated.

Trademark infringement is usually fairly straight forward. Patent infringements have so many twists, turns, time limits, licensing and whatever, that only the patent holders, their attorneys, and the courts that try their cases can untangle the issues.

While loyalty to a brand or original manufacturer can be admirable, we may be exceeding our abilities to know when a line has been crossed, or if there even is a line. Unless there is an obvious effort to appear as a trademarked production of the original, it would likely be best to avoid any accusations.

 

[Lee1959]

.

 

[Mags]

Well after hearing everything, I guess its pretty obvious buying one of those clones isnt very smart. So can anyone tell me if there are any reputable brands that sell watches that look similar at a more affordable price range? and by price range anywhere between 300-500$.

 

[tsask]

there are a few reputable replica sellers who offer different grades of replica from Lower grade crap to actual SWISSS ETA movements.
Italian, Zenith and Japanese are other grades.

find a seller who's been around few years and start there, good luck!

 

[Hitthespot]

Well after hearing everything, I guess its pretty obvious buying one of those clones isnt very smart. So can anyone tell me if there are any reputable brands that sell watches that look similar at a more affordable price range? and by price range anywhere between 300-500$.

Invicta makes some nice dive watches that look like the Rolex submariner. I'm not sure about the model you want though.

For those more interested in learning about "Replicas" I offer this infomation.
http://www.replicacenter.com/index.php?p=legal

Bill

 

[purezero]

I have not been around the Replica Watch market in years. But I know in 2001, there was several diffrent grades of replicas. Most of the replicas where china made and very cheap. Wholesellers buy them for $5 and sell them for $100+ on the net. These are the same ones you can buy for $20 on the street in any major city.

Then there are the high quality fakes that are impossible to tell from the real thing unless you open the watch up. I only have experience with the "Rolex" version of these fakes. They are hand made using very good materials and use real swiss internals. And they are prefect, all the way down to the screw in dials. they really are not much cheaper than the real thing though. you are still taking $500 to $1000.

Bottom line is you can find good fakes. But I wouldnt do it on the internet. Who knows what you will get. I mean, can you trust someone selling fakes? It is 100% illegal.

 

[jusval]

As long as they're billed as replicas, they're not counterfeit. Replicas and clones, unless we know there's a court issued restraint against them, are a civil matter between the original manufacturer and the clone maker. Unless there is something we can recognize as a fraudulent claim of authenticity, or an obvious trademark infringement, it can become quite complicated.

Trademark infringement is usually fairly straight forward. Patent infringements have so many twists, turns, time limits, licensing and whatever, that only the patent holders, their attorneys, and the courts that try their cases can untangle the issues.

While loyalty to a brand or original manufacturer can be admirable, we may be exceeding our abilities to know when a line has been crossed, or if there even is a line. Unless there is an obvious effort to appear as a trademarked production of the original, it would likely be best to avoid any accusations.

+1 Great Post!

 

[paulr]

The Royal Oak has very distinctive styling and doesn't look at all like a Submariner. Yes there are fake ones around. There may also be "homages". Timezone.com might be a good place to ask for brands and models of similar styling to a Royal Oak. They are very opposed to replicas over there so it's probably wisest not to ask about a replica directly.

There is a saying among Rolex owners, that you should never wear a fake Rolex to impress another person into thinking it's a real one, because they can always tell.

That said, I have a fake Submariner (quartz movement, bought for $10 from a street vendor) and am rather pleased with it, especially with the way you can tell all the way across the room that it is fake, because of the jumping second hand.