Hi all,
I write this post because I need some inputs from the members of this awesome forum.
As the title say its about modding and servicing of replica watches, include franken watches and all other watches that not are 100% genuine. And prices and about sales.
This hobby is very big for some of us and when looking on the sales in the replica sales thread I often see that watches are serviced and modded from some of the famous forum modders. Therefore are the price of those watches of course higher or much higher than the "out of the box" reps directly from our TD's
But I have sold a few really interesting pieces the last years since I joined the forum. And I had almost every time set a low asking price for my builds and even in the end lowering it up to 200€ to be able to sell the watch.
For example what I think was the first known Omega PO with a genuine 2500c co-axial movement.
I read many long time members that said it won't work, sorry to disappoint you. And similar things.
I did the project and succeed.
And after that I have seen a lot of Franken POs with 2892-2 movements (same size as the omega 2500)
But I only now 3 franken watches with a gen 2500 untill now. My second one and one in UK the first one that I sold to France.
I did all the research and worked a lot with the movement ring and installed the standard gen parts for a Franken PO,
Gen:
Crown/tube
HE valve
Hands
Bezel insert
Bracelet clasp
Movement and custom ring
Custom anti magnetic cover
Modded end links to gen spec.
ect.
Total time spend 10-15 hours work
+ 6-8 month finding the parts.
I sold the watch for 800€ (long time ago) it was exactly what the build cost to build in first place. Then I had extremely luck to get a few of the parts way cheaper than the market value. Because I have good connections to a watch workshop. So basically all my work done was free of charge to the buyer.
Second example is a highly modded Omega Ploprof V2 that I sold for 850€ (also long time ago)
It had a gen mesh that cost about 800€ at ADs today.
The base watch with Swiss movement cost over 500$ today and are almost out of stock everywhere.
Further it was:
It was relumed
Movement was swiss and serviced
Case was professionally polished and brushed by an AD
So in this case it's like I sold the gen mesh and gave away work and a highly modded watch for free.
In other words a big economical loss.
Have the time changed, because today I see people to seem to sell exceptional pieces with a profit then work from some of the famous modders already calculated in the total price.
Now today also the rep priced raised a lot the last 2-3 years and gen parts getting harder to find and the gen parts have an even more raised price level.
THIS IS IMPORTANT:
Always when I decide to let one of my watches go to a new member here to be able to jump on other projects its very important for me that the buyer is pleased and happy after the transaction. I guess I made at least 25-30 here at RWI and all of them went very smooth.
Now I haven't sold anything for a while but I may do in the coming month. So how do I justify the price? I don't have the famous name to put on my builds and I don't want it because I do it mainly for myself and later the ones that buy a watch from me it's indirectly work done for them.
But I not want to make loss on my projects as I mostly done before, and I'm tired of doing free working hours in my spare time and putting in my gained expertise in watchmaking also for free.
Last example: a Service on a gen omega co-axial is about 450-500€ where I live. If I as a certified watchmaker do the service with the same tools with the same oils and clean it in the same machines but with the difference that I do it on my spare time. Just to maintain my hobby putting it in a franken watch because i cant afford most gen i want. Should I then give away the work for free, share my great deals on genuine parts way lower than the markets ordinary prices and give it all away for free just to cover the actual costs I had in pure$$$ just to get it sold?
Or should I ask a much higher price and risk getting bombed with posts in the sales thread? Trust me this happen when some members see high asking prices.
Ok lot of writing and I'm actually on my IPhone so sorry for possible autocorrect typos and a bit discontinuous text. Maybe a constructive discussion will follow as I know other members that have done big projects and offered them to the RWI members and ended up doing a economical loss. Please share your thoughts.
Best regards
Santre
I write this post because I need some inputs from the members of this awesome forum.
As the title say its about modding and servicing of replica watches, include franken watches and all other watches that not are 100% genuine. And prices and about sales.
This hobby is very big for some of us and when looking on the sales in the replica sales thread I often see that watches are serviced and modded from some of the famous forum modders. Therefore are the price of those watches of course higher or much higher than the "out of the box" reps directly from our TD's
But I have sold a few really interesting pieces the last years since I joined the forum. And I had almost every time set a low asking price for my builds and even in the end lowering it up to 200€ to be able to sell the watch.
For example what I think was the first known Omega PO with a genuine 2500c co-axial movement.
I read many long time members that said it won't work, sorry to disappoint you. And similar things.
I did the project and succeed.
And after that I have seen a lot of Franken POs with 2892-2 movements (same size as the omega 2500)
But I only now 3 franken watches with a gen 2500 untill now. My second one and one in UK the first one that I sold to France.
I did all the research and worked a lot with the movement ring and installed the standard gen parts for a Franken PO,
Gen:
Crown/tube
HE valve
Hands
Bezel insert
Bracelet clasp
Movement and custom ring
Custom anti magnetic cover
Modded end links to gen spec.
ect.
Total time spend 10-15 hours work
+ 6-8 month finding the parts.
I sold the watch for 800€ (long time ago) it was exactly what the build cost to build in first place. Then I had extremely luck to get a few of the parts way cheaper than the market value. Because I have good connections to a watch workshop. So basically all my work done was free of charge to the buyer.
Second example is a highly modded Omega Ploprof V2 that I sold for 850€ (also long time ago)
It had a gen mesh that cost about 800€ at ADs today.
The base watch with Swiss movement cost over 500$ today and are almost out of stock everywhere.
Further it was:
It was relumed
Movement was swiss and serviced
Case was professionally polished and brushed by an AD
So in this case it's like I sold the gen mesh and gave away work and a highly modded watch for free.
In other words a big economical loss.
Have the time changed, because today I see people to seem to sell exceptional pieces with a profit then work from some of the famous modders already calculated in the total price.
Now today also the rep priced raised a lot the last 2-3 years and gen parts getting harder to find and the gen parts have an even more raised price level.
THIS IS IMPORTANT:
Always when I decide to let one of my watches go to a new member here to be able to jump on other projects its very important for me that the buyer is pleased and happy after the transaction. I guess I made at least 25-30 here at RWI and all of them went very smooth.
Now I haven't sold anything for a while but I may do in the coming month. So how do I justify the price? I don't have the famous name to put on my builds and I don't want it because I do it mainly for myself and later the ones that buy a watch from me it's indirectly work done for them.
But I not want to make loss on my projects as I mostly done before, and I'm tired of doing free working hours in my spare time and putting in my gained expertise in watchmaking also for free.
Last example: a Service on a gen omega co-axial is about 450-500€ where I live. If I as a certified watchmaker do the service with the same tools with the same oils and clean it in the same machines but with the difference that I do it on my spare time. Just to maintain my hobby putting it in a franken watch because i cant afford most gen i want. Should I then give away the work for free, share my great deals on genuine parts way lower than the markets ordinary prices and give it all away for free just to cover the actual costs I had in pure$$$ just to get it sold?
Or should I ask a much higher price and risk getting bombed with posts in the sales thread? Trust me this happen when some members see high asking prices.
Ok lot of writing and I'm actually on my IPhone so sorry for possible autocorrect typos and a bit discontinuous text. Maybe a constructive discussion will follow as I know other members that have done big projects and offered them to the RWI members and ended up doing a economical loss. Please share your thoughts.
Best regards
Santre
