I'm essentially new to this forum, having initially spent most of my time at rwg2 which was the first place I stumbled into. I'm also a relative noob to the rep world as well, yet in a rather short time I've come to a certain realization that most noobs perhaps haven't yet discovered: you have no idea how lucky you are to have found rwi or one of the other good rep fora. before i bumbled into this place, i was independently doing my own research into reps & rep dealers, and i almost pulled the trigger a couple of times due to various "neutral review boards" and the innumerable slick and polished websites out there. but something just never felt right, so i'd wait. And then my research started turning up consumer board after consumer board of screwed buyers who've lost hundreds, if not thousands, of $$$'s buying and randomly testing the market, hoping to get lucky. There were nightmare buyer stories of months wasted fruitlessly chasing shadow numbers and downed websites, and subsequent credit card fraud and phishing (some of those poor victims find their way here, and they sure as s**t know the value of this place ever after). i myself just about walked away entirely from reps until a buyer i PM'd on youtube wrote me back and said "GO HERE". i signed up, skeptical as s**t now, and started reading and reading...and reading. well, actually, first i stomped in and on my first post basically said, "hello, i'm new, who's the best dealer?, cuz i'd like a swiss grade A+++++ 1:1 rep tomorrow please", like practically every other noob. then i started reading dealer reviews and rep reviews and movement reviews, and all the 'intro to the rep world for noobs' threads, until i finally caught on that all of this is well-travelled territory: everyone once was and understands what it's like to be a noob and skeptical and anxious about what to buy and from whom and is it safe and when will i get my watch?!
you just gotta take your time, read the reference resources, use the 'search' function first (it's staggering just how many answers you'll find for just about every question) and then, if no luck, ask. i, and every similar thread i've ever read, have never gotten anything less than the most courteous, helpful, and thorough answers from some of the most ridiculously knowledgeable watch people, regardless of how obscure or cherry my question was. and all that knowledge, expertise, and experience is found here, in one place.
and what's even more ridiculous is that this forum n others have their very own list of long-tested, reputable dealers, with volumes of buyer history to review and rely on. all of which means you can buy with confidence in an illegal trade. UNREAL. will there be some shipping issues?, possibly. will there be some customs issues?, maybe. will there be some eventual product issues?, almost certainly (i own some gens and it's not like those issues don't happen on that side either). but do you have to worry about being scammed out of your money and wasting months chasing down ghosts and worry about your identity being stolen?, nope. no. nuh uh. So step back, breathe, and take that peace of mind to the bank. every dealer here is accountable, very publicly, with many past, present, and future clients watching intently. Even if you don't believe they're good people, then believe that they're not going to risk their overall business just so that they can screw you out of a couple of watches. take note: ALL the reps come from the same factories; it's themselves they're selling to us as dealers.
Now I've personally taken my time and purchased only a small number of reps thus far. Each time, it's a little less nerve-racking, you're more sure of the process, and it gets more and more to just be that great anticipation you rarely get as an adult - like a kid waiting for Xmas to come. The anticipation, I believe, is just damn good for you and should be sort of enjoyed and savored in our world of immediate gratification and expectations.
and my fellow noobs, try to remember who/what you're dealing with on the other side. these are not corporations with customer service personnel routed throughout the world 24/7. it's just some dude, 15 timezones away, who eats and sleeps and plays sometimes, trying to lead his/her own life, usually working 7 days a weeks most of the year (or at least, way way harder than i work!). they're fielding dozens upon dozens of emails each day, many of them frantic and increasingly unpleasant, often regarding issues they have absolutely no control over. if you want the quicker and more polished operation, then buy from one of the dropshippers here. but if you want them to handle YOUR rep, or source something different or less common, making sure you approve prior to shipping, then that requires time and attention, and you're not the only guy in the world buying, brother.
i got the following quote from an old post from Eddie Lee, a legendary dealer now retired, who was very respected for his client service, his product, and his integrity. i wish i'd gotten the chance to know him and buy from him. from what i read about him, it would've been fun to be his friend and a client...
Eddie Lee:
you just gotta take your time, read the reference resources, use the 'search' function first (it's staggering just how many answers you'll find for just about every question) and then, if no luck, ask. i, and every similar thread i've ever read, have never gotten anything less than the most courteous, helpful, and thorough answers from some of the most ridiculously knowledgeable watch people, regardless of how obscure or cherry my question was. and all that knowledge, expertise, and experience is found here, in one place.
and what's even more ridiculous is that this forum n others have their very own list of long-tested, reputable dealers, with volumes of buyer history to review and rely on. all of which means you can buy with confidence in an illegal trade. UNREAL. will there be some shipping issues?, possibly. will there be some customs issues?, maybe. will there be some eventual product issues?, almost certainly (i own some gens and it's not like those issues don't happen on that side either). but do you have to worry about being scammed out of your money and wasting months chasing down ghosts and worry about your identity being stolen?, nope. no. nuh uh. So step back, breathe, and take that peace of mind to the bank. every dealer here is accountable, very publicly, with many past, present, and future clients watching intently. Even if you don't believe they're good people, then believe that they're not going to risk their overall business just so that they can screw you out of a couple of watches. take note: ALL the reps come from the same factories; it's themselves they're selling to us as dealers.
Now I've personally taken my time and purchased only a small number of reps thus far. Each time, it's a little less nerve-racking, you're more sure of the process, and it gets more and more to just be that great anticipation you rarely get as an adult - like a kid waiting for Xmas to come. The anticipation, I believe, is just damn good for you and should be sort of enjoyed and savored in our world of immediate gratification and expectations.
and my fellow noobs, try to remember who/what you're dealing with on the other side. these are not corporations with customer service personnel routed throughout the world 24/7. it's just some dude, 15 timezones away, who eats and sleeps and plays sometimes, trying to lead his/her own life, usually working 7 days a weeks most of the year (or at least, way way harder than i work!). they're fielding dozens upon dozens of emails each day, many of them frantic and increasingly unpleasant, often regarding issues they have absolutely no control over. if you want the quicker and more polished operation, then buy from one of the dropshippers here. but if you want them to handle YOUR rep, or source something different or less common, making sure you approve prior to shipping, then that requires time and attention, and you're not the only guy in the world buying, brother.
i got the following quote from an old post from Eddie Lee, a legendary dealer now retired, who was very respected for his client service, his product, and his integrity. i wish i'd gotten the chance to know him and buy from him. from what i read about him, it would've been fun to be his friend and a client...
Eddie Lee:
