Yeah I used to have a Rolex. Manufactured at Rolex's Hong Kong facility, so said the sticker.

Did alright till the battery ran out. The gold was flaking off too. Wanted to take to Rolex's shop in Tijuana, just never found the time.

I've discussed several times in the watch forum how good the fakes are. My firm's attorney is also the general counsel for a large Rolex AD and they get some fakes in from unknowing owners and we have done side by sides. Frightening!

This.
Accepting fake anything demonstrates a willingness to self-deceive that speaks to one's character. I am specifically referring to counterfeit "knockoff" products that pretend to be something they're not.

Worthless? I get the same admiration you do at a fraction of the price. Sure - great investment. LOL

Nothing I own says "Rolex", but I have several Amazon bought Homage watches in various Rolex designs (Watchdive, Addiesdives, Pagani).  And the one time I was asked when I had one on if it was a Rolex, the answer was no.  Like having a variety of guns to carry, I like a variety of watches to wear.

I can't spend $10K+ on one watch but can spend $1-$2k on several watches.

Speaking of douchebags, judging people by their watch?

Yeah, the guy wearing a gold Rolex, who is sitting in coach, probably has a fake one.  

I actually had a stainless Submariner for a while.  I bought it in 1986 or 1987 for $1200 because a lot of guys where I worked had them and I thought they looked cool.

It kept horrible time, the crystal scratched easier than any watch I ever owned, and I was constantly worried about losing it.  I finally sold it in 1994, I don't remember what for, when I was getting a divorce and having to give my wife half of everything..

I now wear a $50 Casio Duro dive watch that actually looks a lot like my old Submariner.  The main thing I like about dive watches, is One, their pretty waterproof, and Two, I use the bezel dial timer constantly, usually while I am cooking and grilling, and want to keep reminded of my cooking times.

If a buyer can achieve the same peacock effect with a Fake, as he can with a real xxxmarqueebaublexxx, then it would be illogical for him to pay 20-50X the price for authenticity.

I wore a diver watch similar to a Rolex but a different brand. Everyone thought I was wearing a Rolex. I received comments that I'm spending too much on a watch.

I noticed that those who hated my watch were Rolex owners concerned with their investment. There are so many good watches out there. Nobody needs to wear a Rolex unless they want that word on their wrist.

Other riders have the same opinion on my Harley. Yes, the tank says Harley Davidson and I paid more than a Japanese cruiser. Parts are abound everywhere and it's one of the easiest bikes to wrench. That's the difference between a Rolex and a Harley.

What makes wrenching on a Harley a PITA is EPA and CARB rules. It's not the actually wrenching but the overhanded forcing of manufacturers and retailers with penalties. I feel sorry for the other 15 states that adopted CARB rules. Particularly those states with less desirable weather.

ABQ. We all know how they made that money. (Doubt it's real)

I’m of the opposing opinion.

I think that it demonstrates that some people are willing to pay a significant amount of money to display their wealth in a “Humble brag” sort of way.

Sporting a good fake spits in the eye of that philosophy and subtly shows these pedestrian emperors have no clothes.

Considering that address doesn't exist.....

I like to wear mine to see who the pretentious watch snobs are.

Then again, some of them are tough as nails and serve a great purpose for the price. This one has 20 years of flying fighters and airliners on the wrist and has been spectacular.

Attached File

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Noob is fantastic if you don’t wear them almost impossible to distinguish without magnification.
That said, they fall apart and the movements break after a short while.
If you don’t daily wear them, they’re amazing but definitely not a reliable timepiece.

I could always get great deals on Rolex watches from the guy that hung out around the car wash.

That'll get 'em going!

If it still tells time, one has to wonder what is actually being bought….

This...

I lost so many of my pictures in Katrina, that I think this is the only photo of me wearing my Rolex Submariner.

I guess although I'm dressed kind of crappy, the 300 Kilos of cocaine I'm in the picture with, make it look real!

I'm in this boat. I don't care if it's modern Tiffany's, Rolex, LV, etc.  If they can be convincingly faked by the tens of thousands (millions maybe?), then people are absolute morons for buying a name with zero difference in quality. It's literally the Emperor's Clothes on a mass scale. That said, it's their money, so who cares in the end?

Other things that truly are quality are very difficult to replicate. Whether that's performance based (a car, knife, gun, guitar, etc.) or artistic, the copies of those are either impossible for practical purposes, or the copies are on par with the quality of the original, and often become exceptionally valuable in and of themselves (like Maxx Les Paul copies, old Stradivarious copies, etc.) even if they're not authentic / original.

i dont have one nor do i want one (real or fake) but I get it.
maybe b/c someone who does want one is likely to get screwed over paying well over and end up with a fake?
and with the quality of the fakes, may as well go that route, that way you know what you're getting...
just my take.  FYI I stopped on watches about 20 years ago.

In this thread we appreciate copy right theft and discuss how to buy fake goods sold by criminals.



The best ones are in Hong Kong - technically Tsim Sha Tsui over on the Kowloon side.

Metal as fuck, but are you sure you want to post that?

This was in 1992.   Everyone I got that cocaine from is dead and buried, or at Supermax.

Besides, I actually met them undercover.  They knew what I looked like.  I think they would have got me by now!

I have a slightly different take.  

Ive always wanted the Rolex Polar Explorer II as its the only Rolex that I am interested in.  However, I have better uses for the 6-8k that they go for.

I bought a Steeldive Copy.  Its not a fake as it does not say Rolex anywhere on it and yet, I truly love the watch.  It offers me what I wanted, that look of a watch in a $130 watch.  I wear it quite often even though I have so many others, but there is something about it I just enjoy.  I never claim its a Rolex and honestly, no one ever asks about it.  It keeps great time and wears well, so meh, i like it

lol.  Screw Rolex and their shady business practices.

Because you got it 20yrs ago. I should have said “modern/current Omegas.”

Before Rolex’s marketing blitz (it’s actually taught in the first Market course) and Omega’s digital watch (lol), Omega was always considered a better and higher end watch than Rolex.

Most of the old money geezers I know all have old Omegas, they outnumber the old Rolex. Obviously some have switched to modern Rolex and many have switch to Apple Watches.

Old Omega, great watches. New Omega aren’t anything special.

Fake watches are douchey and show lack or character and insecurity. They are the kind of person who buys an aftermarket Glock mag to save $5. Their character is 40% off retail.

The only people equally as douchey and the people who own a Rolex (typically a Sub) and do something to get your attention, point at yours, point at theirs, etc… Fucking losers.

I think it's a different mindset. Again, not trying to shit on any one here but I don't wear a nice watch to impress any one or "humble brag" to people. I wear a nice watch because I feel that I am worth it. I do it for me. Even if no one else would ever see my watch I would still wear it because it is not for them, it is for me.    I don't think people who wear fake watches and stuff can fully understand this because it is a different way of thinking.    It's more of a self worth kind of thing and has nothing to do with bragging.
I bolded the parts I believe highlight the different in mindset between someone who wears a fake watch to flex and someone who wears a watch because they highly value themselves.

If your mind set is "I want to get a nice watch to show off to strangers" then I suppose a fake Rolex would fit the bill.

Let's not pretend that the QUALITY of a high end fake is anywhere close to a genuine. They simply aren't. The aesthetics may be close but the construction is not on par in the case, bracelet, or movement.

Most replicas will not last out of the box for more than a year or so of daily wear UNLESS they were built with a decent movement like a SW200. The Asian clones of movements are crap by and large. Many people who buy quality reps send them out for a service to one of the modders who frequent the replica forums. The movement is torn down, milling imperfections on gears are cleaned up, proper lubrication is applied, new gaskets and silicone grease are applied to actually make it water resistant (never believe claims from the factory that they are), and other cosmetic issues are often addresses such as bezel insert alignment. They might even install a better quality crystal with superior AR coating. When all is said and done you might end up with a watch that is as reliable as a Seiko and looks close to a genuine premium brand that it is repping, but you will never have the quality of the real deal. However, even with a service you are still into it for a fraction of the cost of a gen and if you enjoy it, who cares.

I have a couple of personal caveats when it comes to replicas.

1.  If anybody asks, admit it is fake.
2.  Never try to sell it as real. Very scary article I read that 1 out of 5 Rolex/luxury watch owners in NYC are wearing a fake and don't even know it.

I have friends who have genuine watches and also own a rep. The genuine sits in their safe as an investment or heirloom for their children and the rep is worn daily. If it is stolen or damaged they don't care. A good friend had a vintage Rolex no date that he banged on a door knob, one in a million shot and it destroyed the crystal. Didn't hit it hard, I was there, but hit it just right and the service ended up being more than a $1,000. The watch was insured so he didn't sweat it too much, but it was gone for a couple months. He joked that he wished he had a good rep because it would have been half the cost of the service and if it had gotten damaged he would have tossed it. He recently acquired a James Cameron Deepsea and is considering getting a high end rep so that he can enjoy it daily and not fear having it stolen or getting damaged. It too is insured, but the trouble of acquiring another even if you have the insurance payout is daunting.

I've owned a couple of reps over the years. I purchased them to see if I liked them enough to get the genuine. By and large I acquired the genuine versions after assuring myself that I truly felt the watch was worth the investment.

My $100 Samsung watch does way more than a fake $100 Rolex.

I doubt knockoffs are keeping time and taking abuse as well as a real one.

It’s a pretty sad human who seeks validation from others due to the value of the watch on their wrist.

One thing the fakes do well is eliminate any impression a Rolex might have made. I just assume they are all fake if I meet someone I don’t know wearing one.

I suppose you could make the case that one holds it’s value and the other does not

I've been wanting a basic sub date for years. I finally got ready to buy one two years ago and there were none. I've been on my AD's "list" since then, and no calls other than "still looking". I want to buy one new and from a dealer for MSRP. I was building a "relationship" with our other AD...and they lost their dealer status during the purge.

I bought a Tag quartz and then a Tag auto and it keeps the worst time of any watch I own, despite being on a winder. Multiple different pieces for my wife and daughter as well. All from the second AD trying to get a watch. Kind of frustrating.

It’s even more sad that some people assume others do something to impress others, rather than doing something for oneself.  I can’t imagine living such an empty life where the only way you can do or buy things is for the purpose of impressing others.  Is that really how that guy  views life?

If so, l oh fucking l.  Jesus that’s pathetic.

Come on, we’re both watch guys. We both do!

Nobody fucking cares.  

What if someone just likes the look of a particular model, but doesn’t want to drop five figures on it?  How about someone that has gens and reps?  They must be bi-polar.

See, that’s where you’re wrong.  Mine will end up with my kids still in working condition and worth some tax fee money, with lots of stories of being all over the world.  The knockoff will end up in the garbage.  

To each his own.

There was another poster/thread on here who recently had his inherited speed master moon phase serviced/reconditioned, incredible watch and great history.  It still works, and still has value, both sentimental and monetary.  You might not care, but many of us do.

@couch-commando
Do you buy direct or do you have a recommendation on a vendor for steinhart?

Even worse than people who buy store brand ketchup.

Rolex owners are the vegan crossfitters of the watch world.

It's catsup sir!

I don't really give a shit if a Rolex is fake or not, and as long as you're not trying to sell a fake as a genuine and rip someone off I don't think it "speaks to one's character" or anything like that. Watches are neat. Buy what you want.

I recently got into watch modding though, and for me I'd just build a Sub homage. In fact my next build will probably be a Seamaster homage since I sold my real one (kept my '91 Speedy though).

Don't you fuckin' start

I never met anyone that seeks validation by buying a watch.

Most bought it for themselves as a gift of making a certain income.

In the 70s I knew a guy in the Navy that had one and he gave me the reasons why.

I looked into the watch, the maker and the story.

I thought it was pretty cool

I like my watch and bought it for me. I dont care if people look at it or not.

This



Not necessarily true. Most of the wealthiest people that I know don't really give a shit about cars. They dress nice, have nice homes and drive a standard Chevy or Ford truck. Hell, my parents can buy any car in the world and my mom drives a 20 year old Exploder and dad has a 10 year old Tacoma.

so ya'll two gonna pass up sum fake tiddies? HA...I think not!