How long do the Reps last?

[Milan8161]

Hi,

I'm a complete noob, who just landed up in the rep world after getting utterly frustrated dealing with authorised dealers (of Rolex). At first glance, this seemed to be an irresistible proposition - owning my dream watch which I've lusted quite a lot for, at a fraction of it's price.. which for all practical purposes is indistinguishable from the genuine! I ordered a Noob Explorer1 the very first day I landed up in the rep time Reddit page.

Then I started reading.. and I see that one aspect is conspicuously missing in the discussions. Nobody seems to mention how long these watches last.

Is it because they are "cheap" compared to their genuine counterparts to bother about.. or because it's taken for granted that the reps only has a fraction of longevity of the gens.. or because newer and better models/versions appear time to time making the older ones obsolete? Or, finally, could it be because they're all generally running well without major issues.

As someone planning to invest heavily in reps, I dearly hope it's the latter. Could some seasoned buyers comment on the longevity of reps in general, from their past experience?

Many thanks

 

[p0pperini]

Is it because they are "cheap" compared to their genuine counterparts to bother about..

Partly, yes. And many of these watches are fitted with movements that are pretty cheap to replace if/when they go wrong - so it's no real tragedy if one breaks... Just bung a new movement in.

or because it's taken for granted that the reps only has a fraction of longevity of the gens..

See above. And in the case of the more expensive, complicated movements, if they're serviced (like you'd do with any watch) then they can potentially go for years.

or because newer and better models/versions appear time to time making the older ones obsolete?

This is also a thing.

Or, finally, could it be because they're all generally running well without major issues.

They're watches - machines full of tiny moving parts. And these machines are assembled in converted chicken sheds in China by workers who may be earning $5 a day. Tremendous pride in doing the best job they possibly can, to make Noob Factory a shining beacon of horological excellence, may not be their prime motivator. All this being taken into consideration, it amazes me how generally excellent the quality of rep watches is. But I try not to be too disappointed or surprised when one of them goes wrong.

 

[mrsullivan]

Yeah well, it's mainly the finishings and details (and of course movements) that make rep watches tin cans. As Popperini said up here, they're built up in unknown (or too well known!) conditions so don't expect gen quality with a rep, unless you're ready to spend money on upgrading it to get a bit closer.
But in the end, Chinese or not, a watch is still a watch. A metal box, gaskets, glass, and assembled moving parts. Some rep models are actually quite good for their price, some others not (that's where all the debates here come from).

If you know what to look for and what a watch needs, it can last for years. Even a replica. Look at the rare legendary rep models still showing around here and there. Some good real horology can come out from the dark replica side too ;-).

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[Thrasher]

I have heard this question before and seems to imply that a REP WATCH is not a real watch. This annoys me no end. How long will any watch lasts depends on a million variables.

 

[Crabber]

I’ve got several reps going on 9 years now with no service whatsoever. The keep perfect time still and no issues.

I don’t wear them everyday, just a couple times a month to be fair.


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[kavorca1]

As mentioned already.. You can buy a gen Casio that last less time than a rep. if you get serviced, take care of it, they can last as long as any watch for the price range. And in some cases you can swap out the movement for a gen Swiss movement that should prolong the life of the rep. I have a noob v3 that's still going strong after 7 yrs (without ever being serviced)

 

[Thrasher]

I have a BK Sub C no date from 2014 that came with a swiss eta and it runs perfect and looks gen with no service...

 

[tribal]

I have a MBW SD 1665 that runs since 17 years like a champ.????

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[mech500]

Gets asked a lot. 50 blokes all say something like their 10 year old reps are running strong. No sure what you’re gonna ascertain from that.

Your watch ain’t gonna fall apart. We’re not talking about £10 holidays reps. When it needs a service, pay £60 and get it fixed and replace wear components as and when required. No need to stress about it now mate, reps are very well made in 2021.


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[Retina]

They last as long as 3 days to over 10 years. I have watches that I bought in 2014 which still work perfectly without servicing. And I'm rather rough with my watches. The ones which break often are Franken watches - they cost a pretty penny to maintain - just like most passion projects.

The ones which last 3 days - luck of the draw, if it happens, you either sell it at M2M at a loss or ship it to your TD who may or may not fix it properly for you.

 

[Wesker]

This question can not be answered on a general basis. However, the likelihood that a rep will last less than a gen is quite high. Understandably, the Rep movements can't keep up with the Gens in most cases. Also, there is no huge quality control. However, we are talking about huge price differences. Absolutely unrealistic to expect a Rep to last as long as the gen, when the gen costs 100x more.
I would say: for the price, the lifetime of reps is in most cases more than satisfiying.

 

[Hkf_123]

Have a Rolex Replica that I bought 18 years ago with a automatic movement inside. Still keeping excellent time and it has never been serviced since receiving it

 

[P..DR..D]

General consensus is that it probably depends on a multitude of factors
where its worn, abuse it takes, where it was produced, list goes on.

I'm not expecting it to last a generation, bonus if it did of course.

But as one member said, ignoring wear and tear, the parts to replace are relatively cheap, and worst case scenario, a few years down the line you replace the whole watch with a newer version.

 

[Liquid Snake]

It really depends. In the old days. 15 years ago. I had a few during my middle school years and they all broke in about 3 months. The quality now is much much better. The new high end superclone movements should last you a few years. However I don't know this first hand. I just started getting back into reps. I love my guns but rolex prices are stupid now. My 2k air king is 4k+ now and my 1500 oysterquartz is 5k. So yeah lol I can't afford Gens now :lol: 2k is my limit. Maybe another Tag Heuer. But honestly these new movements look quite good and should last a long time.

 

[sukwonee]

Bought this in Summer of 2006. Still going strong. No movement service.