Are we ripping the big watch companies off?

[i_like_shiney_things]

There are definitely positives and negatives for the manufacturers... most have been extensively covered already in this thread.

The positives do include the simple fact that some people will buy a rep to wear for a month or so to see if they like the look and feel of it before investing a large chunk of cash on the genuine. I have bought two genuine watches in recent years and on both occasions I bought a good quality replica before hand to give it a test drive.

On the negative side I have also bought several replicas that I like but not quite enough to buy the genuine... if there weren't good replicas out there I would have been more inclined to buy the genuine one even though I was on the fence regarding to do or not to do.

So in short... we're not really doing them any harm that they can't easily absorb, we're sometimes helping them and... WHO THE HELL KNOWS

 

[rj999]

That is an amazing bit of information...
Point of diminishing returns really.



I've seen a pommy doco on superbrands, and if I recall correctly Burberry lost its 'edge' or luxurious uniqueness when the young hooligans started wearing them? I was not aware that it was counterfeited

Yes, the original Burberry tartan became widely available on UK street market stalls for a time.

 

[mydnytrydr]

Close to twenty years ago, I bought my first "replica" ...I lived in New Jersey at the time, and spent $100.00 on a true Canal St Rolex....The case started to rust, the minute hand fell off while setting the time ... this was a classic cheap piece of crap. That BS was NOT for me! I then bought Movado, nice and affordable, then Rado and so on..Now that the "QUALITY" is here in the rep world, there's no turning back ... and the quality keeps getting better and better. It would be nice if the Gen makers would price their products more reasonably, but I doubt that will ever happen...so, as long as there are good reps out there, I'm a customer..

 

[Luthier]

Seriously?
What about this - you can do to the AD of Mercedes Benz and buy a new S class OR buy the same car half price from a car thieves gang being aware that it's been stolen. Is your choice still so obvious?
Bottom line - we are buying illegal goods. We got different reasons for that. We have no idea where our money goes and who uses them for what. It's a grey market with the whole dark side of it.
Saying that you buy illegal goods because the legal ones are crazy expensive is a poor explenation IMO.

Well... First - you don't buy STOLEN watches, you buy MANUFACTURED watches.
When somebody buy reprint of the famous Van Gogh painting absolutely legally, he don't complain, that grand-grand-grand daughter of Vincent didn't get her fair share, right?
I think the term "Illegal goods" is kinda overrated. See above.

 

[newblahblah]

well most of the points have already been covered. but i must say that we should accept that what we are doing is illegal. it does not matter whether a law is stupid or not, its the law and if you break it, you are doing something illegal. these ARE counterfeit goods. they do harm the watch companies. luxury goods by virtue are meant to be exclusive.

the arguments above that watch companies can "absorb" the harm were doing is beside the point. yes, most gens are extremely and stupendously overpriced, but again, that is beside the point. the point is that we ARE doing something illegal and we should at least accept it instead of trying to justify it.

now excuse me while i go look for my next rep.

 

[Luthier]

We, at least we, americans, don't do ANYTHING illegal, mate. Buying and owning counterfeits is NOT a crime in US.

 

[cybee]

Yep. All my reps are completely legal :thumbsup:

Now on the other hand Bernie Madoff's gens were illegal and they were all confiscated :cheer:

It's all a matter of perspective :cheers:

 

[Taze00]

Yep. All my reps are completely legal :thumbsup:

Now on the other hand Bernie Madoff's gens were illegal and they were all confiscated :cheer:

It's all a matter of perspective :cheers:

Straight from Rick Astleys mouth folks.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2

 

[cybee]

Straight from Rick Astleys mouth folks.

You asked for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

 

[rj999]

Owning counterfeit goods OK, says the EU:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/7969335/Fake-goods-are-fine-says-EU-study

 

[ThinkBachs]

Owning counterfeit goods OK, says the EU:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/7969335/Fake-goods-are-fine-says-EU-study

"It's not about how much you spend. It's about the gorgeousness."

 

[s3g0y]

AFAIK in many EU countries buying stolen or illegaly produced goods is against law. In FR you can go to jail for 3 years for buying fakes.
Fakes are voilating the intelectual property and trademarks so they are illegal goods. No doubt.
Luth, is it really legal in the US? I mean producing, selling, buying stuff that violates trademarks?

 

[kilowattore]

You asked for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

Oh my! Rick Astley? Really?
:rofl:

 

[newblahblah]

We, at least we, americans, don't do ANYTHING illegal, mate. Buying and owning counterfeits is NOT a crime in US.

well im not an american so i cant comment on that, but i do think the many instances of people getting letters from customs would suggest otherwise, no?

EDIT: on second thought, i dont believe it man. how can blatantly violating IP and trademarks be legal?

 

[Capt. Obvious]

It's the MANUFACTURER who violates intellectual property rights by recreating a design and profiting from it. NOT the consumer. Hence SELLING is illegal, but buying/owning ISN'T.

Sent from my IWC 3777 using a gappy SEL

 

[s3g0y]

But things may change soon for the new yorkers http://skift.com/2013/06/13/nyc-tou...r-buying-fake-luxury-fashions/?app=noRedirect

 

[rj999]

well im not an american so i cant comment on that, but i do think the many instances of people getting letters from customs would suggest otherwise, no?

EDIT: on second thought, i dont believe it man. how can blatantly violating IP and trademarks be legal?

It is the manufacturer or seller who is allegedly violating IP and trademarks, not the buyer. It is not illegal to own replica goods in the EU with the exception of France. But then, while nominally a member of the EU, they've always gone their own way. And of course LVMH and others are French companies, so they do have a bit of influence on French lawmakers!

And quite how the courts would treat a buyer who claimed they just thought they were buying a bargain, I believe remains untested. Especially when it's widely known that the expensive original was most probably made in China too and just subject to extremely high markups.

I was in Italy earlier this year and talking to an Italian lady courier. She'd taken Chinese tourists round Italy, and at other times, Italian tourists round China.
To quote her: 'The Chinese come here to buy originals, the Italians go to China to buy fakes'...

 

[mydnytrydr]

Basically, it is illegal to SELL counterfeit goods, not illegal to BUY or OWN them, with the exception of France and Italy, where it it illegal to Buy them as well...France is the toughest - Fines and Jail...Italy - Fines...

 

[Luthier]

+1M.
"A new EU-funded report has declared that it is OK to buy fake designer goods. The study, co-written by a Home Office adviser, says consumers benefit from the market for knock-off designer clothes at knock-down prices.

It also rejects the complaints of designer companies, claiming that losses to the industry as a result of counterfeiting are vastly exaggerated – because most of those who buy fakes would never pay for the real thing – and finding that the rip-off goods can actually promote their brands."
^
^
^
THIS.

 

[justudor]

We, at least we, americans, don't do ANYTHING illegal, mate. Buying and owning counterfeits is NOT a crime in US.

Really? Why did fbi shut down toro few months back though? Or even fear of the monkeys at customs?