• Tired of adverts on RWI? - Subscribe by clicking HERE and PMing Trailboss for instructions and they will magically go away!

travel to china

mrboo

You're Saying I Can Sell?
27/5/18
37
1
8
hello people, where can i find quality watches in china? for example noob v9 arf 904l ... I would be very grateful for any information.
 

Art Tic

Time Machine Collector
26/2/17
948
237
43
California
Shenzhen. And if you are new to Shenzhen, you will need a guide. Also, you will pay more for the rep watch than if you buy from the TD.
But, the experience of seeing tables and tables of replica watches... It is truly extraordinary.
 

Gordo0220

You're Saying I Can Sell?
16/2/19
29
6
0
Having just come back from Shanghai two months ago I can comment that it is possible but 99% of the reps are "DHgate" quality. I bought one that they originally wanted $750 USD for, after thirty minutes of haggling I got it for $75 still too much but I liked the watch even though it had an A2813 movement. I will be going back in a month and will seek out a higher quality rep now that I own a noob. I will admit I don't think I will save much if anything and the hours of looking and haggling may not be worth it for the money but the experience is fun!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: sketchAG

Art Tic

Time Machine Collector
26/2/17
948
237
43
California
I agreed with above regarding Shanghai's dearth of good rep watches. I was consulting there for 3 weeks last year, and while shopping I found nothing nice. Haggling over price is expected in China.
 

sketchAG

You're Saying I Can Sell?
19/1/19
76
23
0
Canada, eh
That is some serious haggling skill. Good to know as well, I'm not much of a haggler, but definitely a good wake up call to me, great to know in case I ever wander to Shanghai.

Having just come back from Shanghai two months ago I can comment that it is possible but 99% of the reps are "DHgate" quality. I bought one that they originally wanted $750 USD for, after thirty minutes of haggling I got it for $75 still too much but I liked the watch even though it had an A2813 movement. I will be going back in a month and will seek out a higher quality rep now that I own a noob. I will admit I don't think I will save much if anything and the hours of looking and haggling may not be worth it for the money but the experience is fun!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Gordo0220

You're Saying I Can Sell?
16/2/19
29
6
0
That is some serious haggling skill. Good to know as well, I'm not much of a haggler, but definitely a good wake up call to me, great to know in case I ever wander to Shanghai.

It's a lot of patience and persistence. I hope to find a decent one next month when I go again. Another thing to remember is to have plenty of change, it sucks haggling down from 200rmb to 40rmb for something to only to pay with a 100rmb bill. ????


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

mrboo

You're Saying I Can Sell?
27/5/18
37
1
8
thanks for information.I hope there are people here the secret tips on stores: D I really thought that the prices would be cheaper locally than here in the forum.
 

Porsche930

Horology Curious
22/6/17
17
1
3
Denmark
I will be in Shanghai in 2 weeks and it has been 5 years since my last visit. Any recommendations on location for some quality watches? I remember the a shopping mall at the Tec museum.
 

Automotiveromance

Known Member
8/3/18
106
54
28
It’s very difficult to get something good if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking at though. The TD’s take out the guesswork. For the experience, it would be fantastic to try and get to a dealer’s stockroom. Going to be quite difficult probably if you don’t know someone locally that the dealers know and trust.
 

musikwi

Looking Around
22/12/18
4
4
3
It is possible in Shanghai if you have a fair bit of time. In the AP Plaza mall walk around some of the stalls on the KFC side (J / I / R). It is easy to get lost in there as the layout is confusing so a top tip is to find a service area and take a photo of the maps on the walls as they have all the store numbers on them. You will find mostly shops selling $30 (max) stuff but there are a few people there selling other goods that do also have decent watch businesses off site with stuff from the good factories (they are selling these on line in China via TD like sites). Its not that hard to find them if you ask around in some shops, they all seem to know each other and are pretty relaxed about foreigners. Or just look closely at some of the vendors wrists - you will see some younger well dressed chaps wearing JF AP ROO and the like, still with the holograms/904L stickers on them. The reason it takes time is you have to strike up a decent conversation with them, then they have to make calls find out if they have what you want. Mostly they will be able to put their hands on some of the newer JF/Noob/ARF models there and then and they are very knowledgeable about the different versions. They might offer to bring some other pieces to you later or offer you a visit to their stockroom. They also have some variations I haven't seen on TD sites. If you want something specific that they don't have, you need to give them 3 days to get it. Then there is the price negotiation - also takes a lot of time to get close to a TD price as their local prices tend to be a bit higher and it is fair to expect to add a % for their time looking after you face to face - not risk free for them presumably. You also need to have time to be able go back and see them to refund/exchange if there is an issue with the watch. Really nice to do once or twice for the experience but I definitely agree with others that TDs are a far more efficient route.
 

tkingjr

Watches & woodworking
Gold Patron
Certified
7/4/16
2,848
1,607
113
Northeast USA and Shenzhen, China
If you are in Shenzhen go to Commercial City. You will see very low end up to $100 range. I only saw 1 GF because the store owner figured out I new more than most of his customers. It was worth the fun. But lower your expectations. Our TD’s are the place to buy a Noob.


Sent from my iPhone using RWI
 

2many2choose

Known Member
17/8/16
187
66
28
Honestly it's better to buy from a TD listed on RWI, the only benefit buying direct in China is you don't have to worry about custom and you get to try before you buy. I used to buy from Luohu, if you go you really need to know what you want to buy, the stickers on the watches are interchangeable so what you thought was a Noob/JF/ARF could be anything. Then there's the haggling...the whole walking out of the shop and them chasing you saying “okay okay.” I discovered RWI and haven't looked back.
 

Gordo0220

You're Saying I Can Sell?
16/2/19
29
6
0
Having just come back from Shanghai two months ago I can comment that it is possible but 99% of the reps are "DHgate" quality. I bought one that they originally wanted $750 USD for, after thirty minutes of haggling I got it for $75 still too much but I liked the watch even though it had an A2813 movement. I will be going back in a month and will seek out a higher quality rep now that I own a noob. I will admit I don't think I will save much if anything and the hours of looking and haggling may not be worth it for the money but the experience is fun!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Forgot I posted this. I came back empty handed on my last trip in April. The watch/purse shop I went to in December had been seized by the government. I went to the shop twice with my local colleagues and they were able to translate the government writing on the store.

When I was there everyone was spooked when asked about certain brands such as LV Rolex Gucci etc. My coworker asked for a Rolex for his son and they took us outside the plaza and this lady had three bags in a stroller. The first bag was garbage as several watches had pieces floating around in them. The next bag was not much better but my colleague just wanted a cheapie. I struck up a conversation with a local who was getting a watch repaired and had lived in the states and he said the high quality reps sell for a lot at the plaza because of the risk they take. I had two ladies try to sell me hard that they could get me an AR or noob but I didn't want to deal with the headache of haggling down as I told them I only wanted to spend 2000 RMB (they didn't like that).

I ended up getting a very nice quality Tumi carry on and matching amenity bag.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: mrboo

gabro

Renowned Member
DO NOT TRADE WITH ME
17/3/18
866
177
0
I was there in April and i was quite lucky when it came to leather items but not lucky at all when it came to watches. the most i found were DH quality , unlike a friend of mine who did manage to get both Noob and ARF subs from the exact market for around 350$ each
 
  • Like
Reactions: mrboo

tkingjr

Watches & woodworking
Gold Patron
Certified
7/4/16
2,848
1,607
113
Northeast USA and Shenzhen, China
I spend a lot of time in the Shenzhen area of China. Last month my wife and I visited the Terracotta Warrior burial site. It was well done considering they have 30,000 visitors every day. It was amazing. In general, I lean toward the nerdy interests.