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Help please: I'm finding it impossible to choose a Rep or Dealer

Russell66

You're Saying I Can Sell?
26/3/19
32
8
8
Hi

I am finding it very difficult to work out which watch and which dealer to buy from.

There is not enough information from the sights to understand the difference.

DHgate looks great for pricing in the lower end but then in the upper end they go passed the TD's on this site.

Its also complicated by the fact that i don't place value on the watch being an exact replica.

I like it to feel nice, look the part and to function correctly, but for example i tend to prefer a battery quartz movement from a maintenance and accuracy point of view.

But then those movements also very in quality and seem to be in the cheaper watches with lower quality other parts.

It seems almost impossible to compare apples with apples.

The question is general but if being more specific of my current needs would help lets say

I'm looking for my my first Panerai, not sure which design yet.

I guess a good quality quartz movement ( that means battery right?) would be the go. Perhaps manual wind at a push.

The cheaper ones seem to lack the removable pins but given I wouldn't be changing straps everyday but would still be able to if needed, Is that a problem?

Anyway i'll leave it at that and look forward to any advice.

Thanks Russell
 

leo6929

I'm Pretty Popular
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I hardly understood what you wrote, but from what I gather, you would be better off buying from DHgate or Aliexpress mate. Don’t waste your time here. May not be your cup of tea.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 

Russell66

You're Saying I Can Sell?
26/3/19
32
8
8
I hardly understood what you wrote, but from what I gather, you would be better off buying from DHgate or Aliexpress mate. Don’t waste your time here. May not be your cup of tea.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Why is that please explain. Or perhaps you could let me know which part you didn't understand then i may be able to explain myself better.
 

freediver

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Why is that, if you could explain that would be great. Thanks

You are new to the world of reps
You like quartz movements more
The only reason you want to buy higher end is because of the removable pins
You don't want a specific Pam, just any model
I could think of other reasons too, but these are enough for me to tell you to buy your first rep from Dhgate and if you like the hobby more, get a better one from TD later
 

Russell66

You're Saying I Can Sell?
26/3/19
32
8
8
You are new to the world of reps
You like quartz movements more
The only reason you want to buy higher end is because of the removable pins
You don't want a specific Pam, just any model
I could think of other reasons too, but these are enough for me to tell you to buy your first rep from Dhgate and if you like the hobby more, get a better one from TD later

Not new to the world of Reps, i have been buying reps for about 5 years. All are in store purchases though. So i am new to buying online. I had no idea you could buy online and the extent and variation of the quality.

I was also surprised when i stumbled across this and other similar forums, to find a world of people with what appears to be a huge amount of experience in the world of Reps.

I thought i had been buying fake watches. Kinda felt nice to find out different.

I simply prefer quartz at this time because of what i have read about the other movements. Quartz movements are cheaper and run accurately. If you like variety as i do, they are also good because when i put on a Rep that i haven't worn for a while it is already set and running.

Then there is the cost of the mechanical movement, my price range would seem to put me at the lower end on the asian movement scale, and on this forum they seem largely unreliable. I would even know where to go to get them serviced, and then there is the cost of that service.

I had not seen Panerai till i saw this site and i really like the brand. There are several designs I like and any one of them would be good to begin with. It's not that i don't know which one, it's that there are a few i would be happy with.

The comment about the Pan and the pins though, i get what your saying but just coz im not stressed about whats behind the watch shouldn't really deter me from wanting a particular quality. I wear my Richard Mille a lot and i love it. However it was cheap and has a printed face. It's quartz, it's heavy enough, but at some point it will need upgrading to satisfy me. Look feel and functionality are important. So then you get into higher prices on DHgate which then puts me in the lower priced TD's but it's hard to know if what you get is better. Thats what i mean about comparing apples with apples.

Anyway to find gold you have to start digging somewhere. This is where i started.

If you can assist further that will be great and thanks for taking the time.
 

freediver

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24/3/17
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Ok, i might have been a bit harsh, so i will try to explain to you a bit more
My first rep 2 years ago was a BP 114060 because i was reading a thread from a very popular user at that time saying it was the best.
For the first 6 months i was proudly wearing my rep and was very happy.
I was also reading stuff here in rwi and started noticing details about mine, that were different to gen.
Slowly this was eating me, and terms like recessed lugs,insert,rehaut,pinion that were a joke for me,changed and troubled me everytime i saw my watch.
I didn't know what to expect, nor was i planning to franken my watches but here i am 2 years later, having invested a lot of money in gen parts to make me feel better.
So, i cannot speak on your behalf, but only if you buy your first you can judge. ( i know that you were buying from the streets but these are usually the worst ones)
About Pam's i can't help you enough,more of a Rolex fan, but i had a noob 111 which was excellent, very close to gen.
Hope i am helping :)
 

Nanook65

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I think your post for a first post is so unusual that most of us just don't even know where to start......

You say that you have been buying reps in a store somewhere for 5+ yrs. I have been around reps now for almost 10 yrs and as far as I know there are no stores anywhere that sell reps. Maybe I am wrong. Do tell....

Usually when someone new starts out & says something about DHGate we all go into the "Do not buy from anyone that is not a TD" thing, but it seems as though you know about TD's & the likes of DHGate so hmmm not sure what to say here.

You say you don't place any value on the watch being an exact replica. This is pretty contradictory to what most everyone here is after so again not exactly sure what to say about that...

You say you like quartz & Panerai. Well as far as I know I have never seen a quartz Panerai so once again this is just really strange & I have a hard time coming up with an answer.

Addressing quartz by itself without the whole Panerai thing: it is sometimes hard to figure out which watches the makers are going to make, but two things that do seem to be consistent are that the watch needs to be somewhat popular and somewhere around a minimum of $1500 or so for the real deal otherwise ther rep makers will pass. Expensive watches have become jewelry & art every bit as for function. With that said most genuine watches above $1500 are mechanical as there is nothing artsy or fancy about a quartz watch. For this reason your choices for a nice quartz watch are extremely limited. I am not into quartz watches at all so I won't venture a guess. It seems like I keep repeating this, but once again I am having a hard time coming up with a good answer that seems suitable for you.

Idk
 

hm11esh

Active Member
4/9/18
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I remember a few years back on Ali Express that you could buy quartz Panerais. These were dirt cheap at like 40 usd so there is no way the quality will be like the ones you can get from TD's.

Having said that, if you are after a cheap watch and not fussed about how accurate it looks compared tot he gen then DH Gate is your best option.
If you want something that resembles the gen and want better quality then a TD from here is the best way to go.

I have bought a few cheapies from Ali Express and DH Gate when I was only after a watch with a specific brand name and didn't care about how accurate its dimensions, colour and movement was. Since then I have learnt from this forum when I got my first gen datejust that cheapies stand out like a sore thumb and wont ever buy anything unless its from my preferred TD

Hope this helps you decide what you want.
 
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pfargo

You're Saying I Can Sell?
25/1/19
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I did a test and bought a Rolex YM from both a TD here and from dhgate. As far as the second hand moving, and the dial the real difference you can feel is the band. TD watch was heavier, set smoother, and looks more like a gen. Is it worth the extra $200? Depends on you. I find myself wearing the TD much more than the cheap dhgate.
 
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Martycus

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all TDs have access to the same manufacturers and watches, if you can't find it on one move onto the next. If there's a dealer you eventually favor and they dont carry the watch, ask them to get it for you
 
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Russell66

You're Saying I Can Sell?
26/3/19
32
8
8
all TDs have access to the same manufacturers and watches, if you can't find it on one move onto the next. If there's a dealer you eventually favor and they dont carry the watch, ask them to get it for you

But don't the TD prices vary quite a lot? There seems to be TD with better marketing charging more for what looks like the same product? Also aren't all these products coming out of the same factories in China?

I mean people that have been working with TD's for some time, isn't there a few that are offering better prices?

Also when i go to the TD threads there is not always a direct link to the TD site, am I missing something?

Do the TD's have a person running the company that has become known to this site and therefore they have formed a relationship?

And just to check because i have been assuming... TD's are companies that have a history of supplying good watches to the people on the forum and the people on the forum have stated them as being honest sellers... Thats correct right?

And finally not wanting to upset anyone but a short story...

My Chinese contact Ming lives in Guangzhou he specialises in name brand copy handbags. If you order a container from him you can get discount, set up your own web site and sell them at a mark up. If you find his own direct web site you can buy the bag a little cheaper because he has less overheads, and gets better deals because he is Chinese and knows how the system works. He also sells the bag cheaper on DHgate and Aliexpress because of competition. i know the Chinese system as I have worked in it in other areas.

The point is no matter where you buy the bag from as an end product, it still came from Ming who went to the same factory in Gaungzchou and sold the same bag. The only thing that changes is the marketing.

This is a Forum to support its members who are into replica watches... I'm not really understanding why there is not a more clear path laid out that shows what people are purchasing, where they are getting it from and how much it cost.

So lets say i want a Rolex Explorer and i have $150 to spend. Is there somewhere i could find out the best place to purchase the best value watch? Because I have not found anywhere yet on this site.

I feel like one of those people who has enough knowledge to be dangerous, but not enough to actually understand. Although it is become clearer with each reply i get.

Thanks
 

efajri

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I think you should spend a little more time here to learn which hot items among members, how the rep world works, the factories, and how the trusted dealers operates.


Sent from my iPhone using RWI
 
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Russell66

You're Saying I Can Sell?
26/3/19
32
8
8
I think your post for a first post is so unusual that most of us just don't even know where to start......

You say that you have been buying reps in a store somewhere for 5+ yrs. I have been around reps now for almost 10 yrs and as far as I know there are no stores anywhere that sell reps. Maybe I am wrong. Do tell....

BALI has heaps and i go there at least once a year and up till i found this world of replica's it was my once a year treat. You can spend between $90 and $300 AUD and the quality would appear to be in about the 30% of final retail value bracket. But it's nice to have a large selection in front of you that you can try on. I would guess this would also be the same in most asian tourist resorts. Thailand, Vietnam etc.

Usually when someone new starts out & says something about DHGate we all go into the "Do not buy from anyone that is not a TD" thing, but it seems as though you know about TD's & the likes of DHGate so hmmm not sure what to say here.

I don't fully understand the TD thing yet, i know enough to know of them but thats about it. There is a sense of that they care about the members on the site but i find that hard to believe, nearly all that i have met who deal with China are business and marketing only. Not saying that a bad thing, just that the feeling here is different. And I have to be careful because i am new and I don't want to burst anyones bubble.

You say you don't place any value on the watch being an exact replica. This is pretty contradictory to what most everyone here is after so again not exactly sure what to say about that...

Is it? I have found a thread that is showing people DHgate purchases, I have read post stating some of the myths in the replica watch world. I am sure there are others like me. However that being said, someone else refered to it as a hobby and i thought what are you talking about, buying a watch is not a hobby. But as i read more I totally understood where they were coming from. And i am definitely not in the hobby category. I wear the watch coz I like the look and the feel and thats it. Somehow a Seiko just wont do it for me. So as someone else stated perhaps this is not the site for me. But everyone here perhaps didn't realise how much of a hobby this would become when they started. And they started with a smaller interest that grew.

You say you like quartz & Panerai. Well as far as I know I have never seen a quartz Panerai so once again this is just really strange & I have a hard time coming up with an answer.

Do you mean a Gen or Rep because there are plenty of Rep quartz Pans on DHgate.

Addressing quartz by itself without the whole Panerai thing: it is sometimes hard to figure out which watches the makers are going to make, but two things that do seem to be consistent are that the watch needs to be somewhat popular and somewhere around a minimum of $1500 or so for the real deal otherwise ther rep makers will pass. Expensive watches have become jewelry & art every bit as for function. With that said most genuine watches above $1500 are mechanical as there is nothing artsy or fancy about a quartz watch. For this reason your choices for a nice quartz watch are extremely limited. I am not into quartz watches at all so I won't venture a guess. It seems like I keep repeating this, but once again I am having a hard time coming up with a good answer that seems suitable for you.

Do you have any experience with the cheaper mechanical movements? Am i wrong to steer away form them in favour of quartz. Even on this site i have read that they are noisy unreliable and can come broken and need servicing. It would appear to me that there are some cheap and poorly made cases out there with Quartz in them. Move up to the basic Mechanical movement and the quality of the cases get better. Would i perhaps be better of getting into the lower end mechanical movement with the idea of upgrading the movement at a future date?



Idk


Again i know it may seem like a lot of dumb questions to you, but thanks for any help
 

Russell66

You're Saying I Can Sell?
26/3/19
32
8
8
I did a test and bought a Rolex YM from both a TD here and from dhgate. As far as the second hand moving, and the dial the real difference you can feel is the band. TD watch was heavier, set smoother, and looks more like a gen. Is it worth the extra $200? Depends on you. I find myself wearing the TD much more than the cheap dhgate.

Thats great advice...

It does sound like the DHgate watch was cheaper than the TD watch. I have seen more expensive watches on DHgate, i wonder how they would compare. I guess the real question is who is offering the better deal? But i also think thats why there is the TD at least you know what your getting. Spending more on DHgate may be a risk.

Did you buy Quartz or Mechanical on DHgate? Is it still working? Do you think it is worth upgrading the band, it sounds like the actual watch is not too bad? Also if you don't mind how much did you spend at the Gate?

Thanks
 

Russell66

You're Saying I Can Sell?
26/3/19
32
8
8
I remember a few years back on Ali Express that you could buy quartz Panerais. These were dirt cheap at like 40 usd so there is no way the quality will be like the ones you can get from TD's.

Having said that, if you are after a cheap watch and not fussed about how accurate it looks compared tot he gen then DH Gate is your best option.
If you want something that resembles the gen and want better quality then a TD from here is the best way to go.

I have bought a few cheapies from Ali Express and DH Gate when I was only after a watch with a specific brand name and didn't care about how accurate its dimensions, colour and movement was. Since then I have learnt from this forum when I got my first gen datejust that cheapies stand out like a sore thumb and wont ever buy anything unless its from my preferred TD

Hope this helps you decide what you want.

Is it ok to ask you who your trusted TD is so I can check them out, or is that frowned upon on the site? Maybe PM me if it's best not to post.

Thanks
 

Martycus

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But don't the TD prices vary quite a lot? There seems to be TD with better marketing charging more for what looks like the same product? Also aren't all these products coming out of the same factories in China?

I mean people that have been working with TD's for some time, isn't there a few that are offering better prices?

Also when i go to the TD threads there is not always a direct link to the TD site, am I missing something?

Do the TD's have a person running the company that has become known to this site and therefore they have formed a relationship?

And just to check because i have been assuming... TD's are companies that have a history of supplying good watches to the people on the forum and the people on the forum have stated them as being honest sellers... Thats correct right?

And finally not wanting to upset anyone but a short story...

My Chinese contact Ming lives in Guangzhou he specialises in name brand copy handbags. If you order a container from him you can get discount, set up your own web site and sell them at a mark up. If you find his own direct web site you can buy the bag a little cheaper because he has less overheads, and gets better deals because he is Chinese and knows how the system works. He also sells the bag cheaper on DHgate and Aliexpress because of competition. i know the Chinese system as I have worked in it in other areas.

The point is no matter where you buy the bag from as an end product, it still came from Ming who went to the same factory in Gaungzchou and sold the same bag. The only thing that changes is the marketing.

This is a Forum to support its members who are into replica watches... I'm not really understanding why there is not a more clear path laid out that shows what people are purchasing, where they are getting it from and how much it cost.

So lets say i want a Rolex Explorer and i have $150 to spend. Is there somewhere i could find out the best place to purchase the best value watch? Because I have not found anywhere yet on this site.

I feel like one of those people who has enough knowledge to be dangerous, but not enough to actually understand. Although it is become clearer with each reply i get.

Thanks

re: Vary quite a lot - what is quite a lot? If you look at the TD's carrying the same watch, you'll find the price to be close and not vary by $50 to $100; which to me is quite a lot. Keep in mind the comparison needs to be of the same watch from the same maker.

True there may be the same model watch but from different makers and you'll find a price range that varies greatly based on quality of the watch. If you want something as close to gen based on weight, material and workmanship, expect to pay more than a similar model that's made from lesser quality materials and workmanship.

Your quest for a $150 Explorer will fall into the latter example. Best value is relative based on your tolerance of material quality, workmanship and perhaps availability.
 
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