- 14/6/18
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Hi Angus,
I was just thinking about whether it would be possible to get one of the rep factories into making replica dials for gen watches.
I do quite a bit of dial/handset modding for genuine speedmasters (mitsukoshi, Gemini is, snoopy gen1, etc) and in the past year or so the genuine service dial market has gone way up as omega/swatch group is restricting supply.
Genuine mitsukoshi dials use to sell for 400gbp a piece and now go for 1000gbp a piece.
I know a replica speedmaster pro will never happen because the economics just don’t make sense but I don’t believe the same is true for replica dials. Replicating the 1861 movement will be a tall order, as difficult as the 4130 was to make, but replicating a dial should be super easy comparatively speaking. I have the replica silver snoopy and the replica 45th anniversary Apollo 11 which are both great other than the sub dial spacing issue.
If a rep factory can create the same dial in genuine 1861 specifications, I can easily see modders snap them up for >200usd a set. For the factory it’s like almost receiving the same amount they would receive if they sold a ST19 speedy rep but without the trouble of sourcing/manufacturing the case/movement/band/strap/crystal/assembly etc. I’ve also purchased rep dials alone from ARF at 50 USD a dial so it seems to me that for a rep factory this would be an amazingly profitable job to take on.
This wouldn’t only be feasible for speedmasters but many other watches which feature a strong modding community.
If we can get a silver snoopy dial and/or new 50th Apollo13 Snoopy Anniv dial in 1861 gen spec (I’m willing to donate a base speedmaster dial for the cause for measurements) I’m willing to commit to a 100 piece MOQ to start things off.
I was just thinking about whether it would be possible to get one of the rep factories into making replica dials for gen watches.
I do quite a bit of dial/handset modding for genuine speedmasters (mitsukoshi, Gemini is, snoopy gen1, etc) and in the past year or so the genuine service dial market has gone way up as omega/swatch group is restricting supply.
Genuine mitsukoshi dials use to sell for 400gbp a piece and now go for 1000gbp a piece.
I know a replica speedmaster pro will never happen because the economics just don’t make sense but I don’t believe the same is true for replica dials. Replicating the 1861 movement will be a tall order, as difficult as the 4130 was to make, but replicating a dial should be super easy comparatively speaking. I have the replica silver snoopy and the replica 45th anniversary Apollo 11 which are both great other than the sub dial spacing issue.
If a rep factory can create the same dial in genuine 1861 specifications, I can easily see modders snap them up for >200usd a set. For the factory it’s like almost receiving the same amount they would receive if they sold a ST19 speedy rep but without the trouble of sourcing/manufacturing the case/movement/band/strap/crystal/assembly etc. I’ve also purchased rep dials alone from ARF at 50 USD a dial so it seems to me that for a rep factory this would be an amazingly profitable job to take on.
This wouldn’t only be feasible for speedmasters but many other watches which feature a strong modding community.
If we can get a silver snoopy dial and/or new 50th Apollo13 Snoopy Anniv dial in 1861 gen spec (I’m willing to donate a base speedmaster dial for the cause for measurements) I’m willing to commit to a 100 piece MOQ to start things off.
I will get back to you ASAP
