RAIDS happening - message from reddit dealer

[watchchris]

I am looking at a SeeStar dive watch, which has a Doxa 300 Sub homage.
If these people who are left and not in jail, just come up with their own brands and sell nice Homage watches, I would buy them.

Say instead of making an IWC, they make a CWI instead ( China Watch International ), or instead of Rolex, they make a ROYAL Submariner, I think it would sell.
Then legally they could give the Swiss a run for their money!

 

[Mark1937]

Can we have a moment of silence for this man, who has died for our sins.

Died???

 

[jcagara08]

I imagine it being like in the Narcos series, when one cartel group/boss goes down, someone new always comes up...

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[bertieng]

I imagine it being like in the Narcos series, when one cartel group/boss goes down, someone new always comes up...

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I think not this time in the Chinese rep watch issue.
You can see the rep factories are closing down one after another. This indicates the latest raids were not just roadshows.

 

[trailboss99]

Can we have a moment of silence for this man, who has died for our sins.

The only person here who apparently realizes how serious this shit can get. You lot need a harsh dose of reality!

 

[diamant]

Mail from Trusty:

*Do note that VSF and XF factory are still closed, and there will not be aftersales support or parts avaliable until they return to work.
SO VSF ROMOUR IS TRUE.

Good news tho.

 

[LebronXiJames]

Can we have a moment of silence for this man, who has died for our sins.

Died??? Chairman Jinping had him whacked???

 

[ssouthall6]

These news confirms what we already knew in one form or another, in brief: China is trying to clean up his name as a counterfeit nation, the reasons for this involve a long talk about politics; which I will spare you of here.

I have been in this rep "hobby" for 10+ years and a watch enthusiast for 20+ years, and my view of the future is not too exciting.

I foresee a decline in the interest of all mechanical luxury watches, those that will still be sold will be just because of status, not because of history or design. And as we have started to see in the past years, all mayor players will play the "limited edition" or "hard to get" game to keep the -wealthy- buyers interested. This will eventually end up in having many variations of the same design with different brand names at a price set just "because". To backup this claim, just see how this is the same thing happening to all other luxury items, not only watches.

As far as the replica industry goes: the demise of these top factories will scare the not-so-glamorous factories, dealers, e-money merchants, parts manufacturers and ecommerce sites as well. This does not mean that they will not be sold anymore, but that most likely the quality will not be the same and that many newer models will not be replicated. So yes, the "golden age" of replicas is a phrase that may catch up as we look back through some kind of sepia tone filter at the past 10 years with nostalgia.

Both scenes, the genuine Swiss watch industry and the replica Chinese industry are changing, and to my eyes not for the better. This can only be translated into a slow decay of interest in mechanical watches and their collecting (whether real or rep).

Then again, I am just another guy with an opinion, and I truly hope to be wrong.

I think you're probably right, although I'd say it's more diverting attention than cleaning up it's act. A lot of stuff that goes on like this in China is window dressing. Sometimes it's government flex - this is what we can do when we do or don't get our own way.

With the two Michaels and Meng Wangzhou stand off finally over, how far does the quid pro quo extend?

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[watchchris]

I find it strange that I support an industry where some poor Chinese guy just went to jail after making a watch for me!
Collecting counterfeit watches feel more like Blood Diamonds now.
At least some nice Chinese Homage watches are becoming available and new Brands are coming to the market

 

[Diplomatico]

I asked Jtime: "Seems like VS factory are slowly starting to produce new watches again"

Li answered: "Nope, they are just clearing stock out and will be gone forever after this time."

---

Do what you want with this information, there's been a lot of back and forth regarding VSF but as we know Li has proven time and time again to have good insight.

 

[Ylijumala]

they are just clearing stock out and will be gone forever after this time

... until Clean releases a new batch of "NoS" "VSF"...

 

[Björn_Ironside]

I asked Jtime: "Seems like VS factory are slowly starting to produce new watches again"

Li answered: "Nope, they are just clearing stock out and will be gone forever after this time."

---

Do what you want with this information, there's been a lot of back and forth regarding VSF but as we know Li has proven time and time again to have good insight.

as well as a good intuition, I would appreciate that Li has always been honest on this subject. let's face it, if it is true that Li from Jtime is the closest and most loyal TD to Clean Factory, it is all extremely true, ... as it is explained that Li himself is one of the few TDs to have remained one of the last (if not even stopped at zero availability) on the latter unexpected vsf stocks?

what does this mean? for me, which is not really true that behind these vsf NOS there is Clean Factory, in addition to mere assembly (perhaps)

 

[locvs]

The situtation around VSF is super weird. They're gone, but new releases are popping up... With the VS3135 and VS3235 movements... No one knows whats happening, but probably Clean and JVS will pick it up. Seems like the demand for Rolex is huge, so many people are aeger to fill the gap. And the prices have exploded...

NOt much in terms of Omega and Panerai though. So i do think all the rolex releases are old parts assembled by Clean or JVS and sold as VSF, as VSF is pretty much a myth now...

 

[derjenigewelcher]

Clean will take the VS Movement for their watches in future, so VSF is history.....Sad to hear.

 

[jkrw247]

Clean will take the VS Movement for their watches in future, so VSF is history.....Sad to hear.

Now the picture is very clear.

Some powerful people within the China government recognized the large revenue from the rep industry and decided to slay stalwarts like Noob and VSF to monopolize almost the entire industry through Clean Factory.

I think a Clean submariner with the VS movement is an awesome build. I also believe they will get the CGs right on a later release. And down the road, VS3185 for GMT watches will emerge.

If anything, ROLEX will be more fucked than ever by the 2021 raids that in a way, seem to have kickstarted the integration of the finest products and methodologies of rep production in China into a single organized entity.

 

[Björn_Ironside]

it is understood here that ... CF has super powerful knowledge. all competitors closed. Untouched CF starts taking 4130 and moves vs. well...

 

[diamant]

CF must have sick good and safe location with guards.
crazy they never get hit due to amazing parts / watches.

 

[kalbotron]

Forum seems to be much quieter since.

Yep, a bad timing to have this happen to your PAM

 

[FourthLetter]

Went gen earlier this year, seems like it was the right time to do so.

Unfortunate I never got a Noob Daytona

 

[watchchris]

Unfortunately I only managed to get two 2021 NOOB Daytona's. Would like one more as a beater or daily wearer.
It looks like CF will really clean up in the newly formed market place.