It is a such a great thread that this community needs more of.
Things that I have learned since I have watched the rep watch game (no pun intended) from 2011 are:
#1. Chinese watch manufacturing technologies are far more advanced than what average Joe thinks.
China has joined the only four nations that produce fine watches: Switzerland, Germany, Japan, and China. It is scary how quickly China learned to make watches by replicating the real deals.
The fine details you find in the decorated clone ETAs found in Patek Phillippe Nautilus and Aquanut are -- to be honest -- extraordinary for the fact that they are built by the Chinese.
The recently released replicated Rolex movements are scarily identical, but they have big reliability issues.
#2. Genuine luxury watches are very meticulously crafted with great attention to details.
I have spent thousands of dollars on rep watches since 2011 and held more than fifteen rep watches so far with different factories, Noob, KW, HF, ZF, and etc., and different brands, Panerai,
Rolex, Breitling. They are very well-made for $200-500 watches, yet the attention to detail is not on the same level as the genuine. Genuine Rolexes, IWC, Patek Phillippe I have had my hands on
genuine counterparts that were crafted with a full attention to detail.
#3. I am condoning the counterfeit business by purchasing fake watches.
I did not care about politics behind fake watches until my friend mentioned that, by purchasing fake watches, I am supporting the Chinese counterfeit business that is... not a very good thing.
I kind of feel bad when I think of this, but I at this moment, I just don't want to care about politics behind fake Chinese watches, but rather enjoy the products.
#4. There is a lot of money in the rep watch business.
Yup. I bet O.G. TD's on rep watch forums, makers, and the actual watch factories make a ton of money, at least 6-digits, annually. As a consumer, I wish there are more factories and makers in this
game so that the watch prices go down.
#5. Panerai was ripping people off until they developed in-house movements.
They make bunch of same dials, hands, cases, and other parts and mix-match them to design a new watch. Their profit margins must have been very high.
Now their range of watches only come with in-house movements. (Thanks for doing the right thing, Panerai.)
#6. The rep watch hobby is as addictive as drugs.
I am certainly positive that many other guys here can relate to this.
These watches aren't necessary cheap ($300+), yet I am buying multiple every year.
But I get a great deal of satisfaction, so I guess the spending is worth it. haha
#7. Gold plated watches are going to eventually fade away the gold plate.
Too bad that I cannot buy gold plated reps, because I know what's going to happen to the case after a couple years.
#8. Replica watches are still easily accessible on the Internet today, because the Chinese government protects them from the back.
The biggest reason that the Chinese government is letting this game being played within their territory is to bring more (foreign) money in to the country.
However, as China is getting more civilized and developed, I am afraid that that China might get rid of this illegal business in order to improve its reputation and overall quality
of the country.
Which leads us to #9. We have no idea when this game will be down.
If China performs any action on this game, rep watches will be as inaccessible as finding weed in illegal states in the US. Now, we have no problem ordering watches on their online stores. But if China
shuts down all the rep factories, we might have only a handful of TDs who have deeper connections with the makers who can source the products.
Putting the political matters behind the rep watch industry aside, I have been really enjoying playing with this rep watch game. I got to learn a lot about horology and some parts about Chinese politics.
I am hoping that the king makers of Panerais -- Noob, KW, HF, and ZF -- pay attention to older Panerai models from the 2000's and produce them again. I really want to get my hands on the PAM 113 and 177!
Alex