Question about wearing a rep to AD

[d4m.test]

I think it's bad form to wear your rep to an AD for the same brand. However, for different brands it should be ok, regardless of whether the salespeople would still recognize it or not.

The watchsmith I go to for my reps is an AD for several brands, as are many other watchsmiths. Sure, it's "lower" end brands like Movado and Bulova, but they're still an AD for watches that have some expensive models. My watchsmith is trying to get certification for some higher end brands, and may also become an AD for that brand when that happens. I guess I'll be hooped at that point.

 

[sumiter7]

This reason resonates most with me. Kind of a dick move to go in there and try to fool the AD, or brag about it after, or even have it so other customers can see and maybe even try to compare to the gens. It's not some magic anti-rep force field, just common courtesy.

The reason I have asked this question is not because I want to wear one to an AD, but it's because of this:

For some reason, I have been feeling that wearing any rep to any AD is somehow wrong; and I couldn't reason where that feeling was coming from.
Because the thing is, if you thought fooling an AD and showing the others with your reps is wrong, wearing reps to anywhere should be wrong, too; because basically, you can possibly be fooling non-suspecting people and showing it to some.

But I think you have answered my question: common courtesy. I think it's not about being rude but about having some courtesy and paying respect to the brand.

Thanks guys for the answers!

 

[jamesfl]

Do you think, say a Rolex AD spotted a rep on his/her customer's wrist--and let's say it was a Hublot--would notify Hublot on the matter; and in the end make our lives harder?
No matter what the answer is, I don't plan on doing so, but I just got curious.

I doubt any phone calls are made as most sales associates are fairly down the corporate ladder, but what do I know. The important thing to remember is that most of the major luxury brands are owned by corporate conglomerations. So unless you have memorized who owns whom in the watch industry, you might think walking into a Cartier AD wearing a rep PAM would be fine, but Richemont for example owns A Lange & Sohne, Baume & Mercier, Cartier, Dunhill, Van Cleef, Piaget, Vacheron Constantin, JLC, IWC, Panerai, and Mont Blanc. Then you have Swatch, Movado, & LVMH all which also own multiple brands.

 

[sumiter7]

It's an opinion shared by some members here that we should simply be discreet and considerate when we are in a place of business devoted to the promotion/preservation of a watch brand.

There are numerous threads where this is discussed in detail. Including those where Col states his position on this.

I take it even further: I don't wear reps outside my home.

I doubt any phone calls are made as most sales associates are fairly down the corporate ladder, but what do I know. The important thing to remember is that most of the major luxury brands are owned by corporate conglomerations. So unless you have memorized who owns whom in the watch industry, you might think walking into a Cartier AD wearing a rep PAM would be fine, but Richemont for example owns A Lange & Sohne, Baume & Mercier, Cartier, Dunhill, Van Cleef, Piaget, Vacheron Constantin, JLC, IWC, Panerai, and Mont Blanc. Then you have Swatch, Movado, & LVMH all which also own multiple brands.

Yeah, I think you're right as well.
The risk is too great to even think of wearing the watch, even when all the moral issues are put aside. But man, I knew Richemont owned a lot of brands, but I never knew it was that many.. Wow..

Thanks!

 

[jamesfl]

I had to look up all the brands as they tend to change from time to time, but there is one that shocked me and that I did not include in the list above. Richmont owns Minerva!! I always thought Minerva's were cheap Chinese watches.

Edit- just searched ebay and the cheap Chinese watches I was think of are Minorva not Minerva.

 

[jrodshibuya]

I take it even further: I don't wear reps outside my home.

Wow! That's an abundance of respect.

 

[Devedander]

I doubt an ad would do more than discreetly let you know its a rep in case you were ripped off.

I doubt most can spot the good reps without holding them or at least eying them intently and most are probably just sales people and no wis who are barely aware fake rolexes exist that don't tick.

Really their job is to try and sell you something and however small the chance might be of a rep owner buying a Gen its almost certainly decreased by making an enemy of them.

That said its tacky.

The brand is how they make their living and you are rubbing the rep in their faces.

No reason to do so, so don't unless you have a relationship with that ad and know they are cool with it.

 

[davylloyd]

I love my reps, but I never forget who is responsible for the original designs.

IMO, to go into an AD wearing a rep is tasteless and completely lacking class, not to mention pointless.

 

[Bomba]

Any forum member that admits to wearing a rep into an AD should be banned. And I go further to say, any rep into any AD.

Sorry, but when you do this, you jeopardize the hobby for all of us.

 

[tt88]

ADs will not only know about the watches they are selling, they will learn about other watches too(multi and mono brands), cause 80% of the time they are very free and will discuss anything from nano particles to elephant poop.

ADs will not call you out. But just a phone call and the whole street of ADs will notice you, trying to spot your watch. Maybe at most try to ask more 'info' about your watch. Most of them know each other, and like it's mentioned, they jump around the different brands based on each other recommendations.

Based on a true story.
:lol:

 

[Craig88]

Haha this topic is always amusing.

"never wear the rep outside the house to be respectful" is the perfect analogy.

Everytime you wear a rep anywhere you are being disrespectful to the gen owners that paid thousands to achieve the same image. You are essentially fooling everyone that see's you into thinking something different about you. Unless you walk around screaming "i'm wearing a rep" people will automatically assume it's real and you are essentially fooling everyone around you.

I find this whole holier than thou attitude to be amusing at best.

I'm not condoning walking into ad's and trying to test if your rep is flawless enough to be assumed gen, but just do what you want. If I'm wearing a rep and end up passing some watch shop I'll walk in, look around and then leave.

 

[tommy_boy]

Wow! That's an abundance of respect.

Part respect, part professional discretion. No more to it than that.

Hell, I have only one rep now, a Hanhart, so it's not much of a burden either.

 

[Arancini]

Interesting thread.

Gen. and Rep owner myself.

All for personal freedom to do as one chooses when it comes to wearing a Rep.

As long as you're not telling everyone it's a Gen, who cares, seriously.

 

[Rogerthat]

I agree with Craig88's point that by wearing a rep out in any setting you are disrespecting the gen.
What it comes to is the rep forum community's stance that it is better to preach to all members to not draw unwanted attention upon the hobby and your rep specifically.

Walking around a watch store is the one time all eyes are on your wrist and unfortunately there will always be those who will flaunt reps in this environment becuase of this attention paid upon them. Who doesn't like a compliment paid to them or preferencial treatment from a cute clerk BUT
We as members agree that we frawn upon this behavior and consider ourselves the gentlemen side of the rep hobby.
Same way in which we do not sell them or parts on ebay pretending they are gen or post rep images on gen forums.

I don't want to read a forum post about how you got a free espresso or free hard cover catalogue from your AD becuase he/she thought your rep was a gen anymore than I want to read about how you sold your rep strap on Ebay for gen pricing.


Personally if I am walking through a jewerly store that sells watches but not the brand of rep I may be wearing I don't put my watch in my pocket but I don't flaunt it either.
If I was going to try on watches, I would wear a gen or put the rep in my pocket before I entered the store regardless of brand.
Same if I was going to an AD for the brand, I would put the rep in my pocket before I enter the store and walk around with no watch on my wrist even if I intended to browse only and not try anything on.

 

[amptor]

The same thing happened to me. One time I was near a store wearing Omega SMP bond and just looked through the glass but didn't want to go inside. The other time, I wore the SMP near another gen Omega dealer and I took the watch off before going inside and looked around then put it back on after I got out.

The SMP in question doesn't have the He at the correct location although it is difficult to spot that in real life from my experience. I have looked at people's wrist wearing the SMP and couldn't quite make out whether or not the He was properly placed. You pretty much have to stare at someone's wrist for a long time to find out and it isn't worth the effort or trouble.

I used to keep a watch box in the car in case I wanted to browse gens at high end shopping malls but that wasn't for very long. I rarely ever have a need to visit an AD since a few years back.

There are other occasions, too, that I pretty much wear gen seiko rather than rep watch. Primarily for personal reasons which are beyond this fora to explain. The reps are just for me, not out there trying to show people that I can afford an overpriced luxury watch (nobody will care).

I had that rule even before joining this forum. I went to check out some AP's and I was wearing my cheap priceangels Submariner. I knew the store didn't sell any Rolexes so I kept it on. I was treated very well at the store, and nobody commented on my watch.

However, I walked by another watch store a few days layer. I saw that they had a bunch of Tags, Montblancs and Omegas in their window. I wanted to go into the store but since I was wearing a rep Omega Seamaster, I decided not to.

For me personally, I feel uncomfortable walking into a store when I know the staff is very likely to see that I'm wearing a rep. I want to be treated nicely etc, and not have to worry about anything when being in the store. So my personal rule is this; If the store sells what I'm currently wearing, I'll either take the watch off and put it in my pocket or I'll simply not walk into the store. However, if I know for a fact that they don't sell the brand I'm wearing at that time, I have no problems walking in and being in the store for a long time.

 

[Goodgood]

I am new to reps and have always owned gens. I have 3 reps on order and I can't wait to get my hands on them. I have no desire to walk around making believe that the reps are real. I buy the reps because I love watches and I know they will not get much wrist time. Even the gens don't get any wrist time. I don't even wear a watch. The only watch that gets any wrist time at all is my golf GPS watch and I wear that on the golf course and keep it on for the day. It is truly a hobby for me, I have always wondered how a PAM or a DSSD feel around my puny wrist and the reps allow me to do that without breaking the bank. I know most people from this forum are watch lovers --- gens or reps --- and their passion shows when they describe their first or second, or Nth watch the first time they look at them. This is a funny topic and most here feel awkward addressing it and I for one, am grateful that it is out. Everyone has a different outlook. Screw everyone and wear it wherever you feel comfortable.

 

[sumiter7]

I am new to reps and have always owned gens. I have 3 reps on order and I can't wait to get my hands on them. I have no desire to walk around making believe that the reps are real. I buy the reps because I love watches and I know they will not get much wrist time. Even the gens don't get any wrist time. I don't even wear a watch. The only watch that gets any wrist time at all is my golf GPS watch and I wear that on the golf course and keep it on for the day. It is truly a hobby for me, I have always wondered how a PAM or a DSSD feel around my puny wrist and the reps allow me to do that without breaking the bank. I know most people from this forum are watch lovers --- gens or reps --- and their passion shows when they describe their first or second, or Nth watch the first time they look at them. This is a funny topic and most here feel awkward addressing it and I for one, am grateful that it is out. Everyone has a different outlook. Screw everyone and wear it wherever you feel comfortable.

As a new member, I'm not sure if you've read why wearing a rep to an AD can bring about negative consequences for other rep buyers and the existence of such fora like this one.

What bothers me from your post is the fact that you said "screw everyone...", because that's exactly what we don't want happening to us or the fora.

I can't really care less if a person posted a pic of his fake Rolex on instagram with hash tags like #swag #condo on my wrist, etc.
However, if someone takes a rep to a place that can in whole put us in a sh*t hole, I'd get pissed. Not only does it make it harder for us to get reps, but it also brings the prices of reps.

 

[rideough]

The only preferential treatment I got was a Rolex AD. I got a free espresso and a number of catalogues. I was dressed very casually and was just visiting on a whim. When the salesman commented on my watch I had a moment of anxiety...had I forgot I was wearing any number of my reps? Nope....I looked down at my wrist and I was wearing my Citizen Panda Bullhead chronograph! I was nervous at first as all I could think of was this forum!


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[Rogerthat]

The only preferential treatment I got was a Rolex AD. I got a free espresso and a number of catalogues. I was dressed very casually and was just visiting on a whim. When the salesman commented on my watch I had a moment of anxiety...had I forgot I was wearing any number of my reps? Nope....I looked down at my wrist and I was wearing my Citizen Panda Bullhead chronograph! I was nervous at first as all I could think of was this forum!

lol,
Paranoia has set in!!!

When I am in a watch store or in most stores in general I want as little attention drawn to me as possible. I hate it when a sales person is all up in my business I would rather be left free to roam around and try on a watch in my own space.
I remember what it was like when I would be at a club 10+ years ago when you had to flash a $20 at the bartender to ever get served otherwise the pretty girls would get service over you, and that is honestly how I feel wearing a nice watch into a watch store. You are waiving your cash, saying look at me ; I have money and am here to buy a watch and every clerk is all up in your grill.

 

[Goodgood]

As a new member, I'm not sure if you've read why wearing a rep to an AD can bring about negative consequences for other rep buyers and the existence of such fora like this one.

What bothers me from your post is the fact that you said "screw everyone...", because that's exactly what we don't want happening to us or the fora.

I can't really care less if a person posted a pic of his fake Rolex on instagram with hash tags like #swag #condo on my wrist, etc.
However, if someone takes a rep to a place that can in whole put us in a sh*t hole, I'd get pissed. Not only does it make it harder for us to get reps, but it also brings the prices of reps.

I understand what you are saying, however, to carry that to an extreme, it is like saying to bong smokers, don't do it in public, if you get caught, it makes it harder for us to buy...people are going to do what they want, the risk is theirs, no matter what you do. I agree with you that there is absolutely no need to wear a rep to an AD or most places but some will do that regardless...it is their watch and it is their reputation...