VSF Closed

[Tribefan]

They used to happen regularly (raids, not closures) but (from my indirect knowledge) it was basically for cops officers to get a "bonus"...
This time it has been the fashion word: unprecedented. Driven by Big R. Imo, they don't care (much) about reps. There will always be and consumers of gens and reps are different worlds. But it reached a point where they faked everything (warranty cards, receipts, etc.). The complete scammers kit. That can not only take a Big R's customer, it also makes someone angry with Big R. Imo, the (top) rep industry can survive if doesn't cross that red line.

Plausible theory, however, the Chinese have no issue telling Google, IBM and Facebook to F off, I don't think Rolex or Omega or any other Swiss brand has any real influence there. More likely is that the reps got so good party member and wealthy Chinese were getting ripped off and that brought it on. Chinese have no issue dumping counterfeit goods on foreign western markets, but internally is a whole different story.

 

[UrFasionista]

"...But it reached a point where they faked everything (warranty cards, receipts, etc.). The complete scammers kit. That can not only take a Big R's customer, it also makes someone angry with Big R. Imo, the (top) rep industry can survive if doesn't cross that red line.

I have owned 3 gens and now own 2 reps, precisely because #1, I can no longer tell the difference, and #2, the gens aren't even available.

 

[tommikeson]

Plausible theory, however, the Chinese have no issue telling Google, IBM and Facebook to F off, I don't think Rolex or Omega or any other Swiss brand has any real influence there. More likely is that the reps got so good party member and wealthy Chinese were getting ripped off and that brought it on. Chinese have no issue dumping counterfeit goods on foreign western markets, but internally is a whole different story.

I think you are on to something. That, or the police have some monetary incentive to do raids. China does not care about Rolex or their lawyers. They don't care about the much larger tech companies that they "borrow" from, nor do they care to "borrow" from the Soviets or US military. One would think they would want to maintain relations with countries, yet they don't care.

In summary, they don't care about watch companies. It just doesn't make any sense about the raids.

 

[weezkid]

I have owned 3 gens and now own 2 reps, precisely because #1, I can no longer tell the difference, and #2, the gens aren't even available.

So you sold your 3 gens in exchange for 2 reps? What gens did you own?

 

[Siesta Shrink]

It just doesn't make any sense about the raids.

World: Really, China? Human Rights, Climate Change, Fentanyl???

China: STFU. We're busy raiding watch factories.

 

[Rupert Fripp]

Does a fake of a fake become a gen? An interesting proposition…