Case quality

[canoehead]

My biggest interest in replica watches is how the case looks compared to the gen. Im talking mostly the build and finish, and not so much the tiny details (as seen in many posts: "WTF?!?! Everything is perfect, but the molecular structure of the bottom of the minute hand is not congruent to the gens firmness and texture!! WHY CANT THEY JUST REP IT FREAKIN EXACTLY?!?!").
The last time I was excited about buying a rep was about 5 years ago, and the case was nowhere near where it needed to be. Then I bought a rep Bvlgari just by chance a year ago in Hong Kong (its basically impossible to not buy a watch on the streets of Hong Kong..."Ekuze me Sah! You wan watch?! How bou powno?!"), and the case quality was MUCH much better... So now, before Ive received my noob-virginity breaking watches (3 on the way!), Im wondering if there is such a thing as the case and case finish lasting as long as its gen counterpart. For example, I have a friend who has gen Cartier Roadster. This has been his beater watch for the past 5 years...he wears it every single day without taking much care of it...and its still incredibly gorgeous! I have another friend who has a lower end gen Maurice LaCroix (for about 2-3 years), and I constantly find myself staring at the case's shine! Its dazzling!

For some reason, I just can't fathom a reps case finish lasting that long...or is it possible? And is there a difference in the case quality of a 100$ rep and 200$ rep?

Thanks for everything guys.

 

[aneki]

Most reps today use "close to" 316L grade steel, I think someone here did a test and it wasn't 316, but not extremely bad either. I've bought reps that has been in the hands of other members for several years and still look dazzling. Don't underestimate the power of the Chinese, even if they try to rip us off most of the time

And with the new ceramic Hublot cases I think we'll see better and better cases.

 

[guru]

I think, the cheap $40 watches have different cases then the high end cases. For sure, even the high end reps do not have the material which is used in Gen watches, so if your wear them every day, they look kind of beaten up after some time. If the so called new 316F steal is much better, time will tell. I agree on the HBB ceramics, these are close to gen HBB's.

 

[trailboss99]

Well, basicly the case on most watches is a solid lump of Stainless steel so it should in thery last just about for ever. A polish and a brushing (in the case of a brushed finish) every year or two should keep 'em looking just jim dandy.

Gold is another story entirly. Unless you are loaded and can afford a solid gold case set like a WM9 DD/DJ or a J&W Daytona it's gunna wear sooner or later. In most cases it will be sooner.

Some such as a WM9 TT (two tone) are gold wraped but most are reasonably crappy plating and not suited to every day wear. You can of cause pull it down and send off the bits to be plated properly but that is gunna set you back at least 100 for the plating and more to pull it down and reasemble if you can't do those yourself.

The newer ceramic watches are indeed genuine solid ceramic and once again should last for ever, just don't drop 'em on a hard surface from a great hight, not the treatment recomended for ay watch but usualy fatal for ceramic anything, gens included.


Hope that helps, Col.

 

[canoehead]

That Bvlgari that I bought last year was very good ss quality. I wore it for a good 5 or 6 months straight and it was always shining bright. I was thinking of taking the gold plated rep I got and having it professionally plated around 20 microns. Is that thickness possible? Any good platers that the board uses?

 

[Anopsis]

Really low-end stuff can chrome-plated instead of polished stainless steel, too.