Can watch expert really differentiate rep from gen at wrist shot distance?

[ChampZA]

I saw many self proclaimed gen experts commented that they can easily spot right away whether it is rep or gen even just looking at it from a distance. In my experiences, I think most gen owners are not even aware that high end rep exist.

Reps are improving in term of quality these days. I doubt it is still true that experts can differentiate rep and gen without carefully/closely looking at it. I personally know a lot about submariner noob v5, bp factory and etc but I still can't tell rep submariner from gen if I look at it on somebody wrist.

For example, Is it possible to differentiate sub noob v5 from gen at wrist shot distance?

Please share your experiences on this. Thanks.

 

[Logan86]

Personally, I call BS on that. Sure, if the watch in question is a horrible replica maybe but something from Noob? Come on, I still have trouble seeing the brand on some peoe's wrist. I don't buy it.

 

[rankiba]

lmao I still have trouble seeing the brand on people's wrist is so true, I saw lots of people with rolex diver style watch and I couldn't even confirm if it's a homage, rep or real deal

 

[If you see Kay]

If you hone in in particular parts of the watch like the crown guards or the lugs size you can probably make a pretty good guess instead of looking at the watch as a whole.

 

[Capt. Obvious]

If I'm standing at talking distance or less I think I can spot a rep.
Anything more than that and it becomes pretty damn hard!!!

 

[Retina]

it depends on how long they have been in the rep game. a newbie? unlikely. established members in the rep scene with a particular expertise on certain brands like AP, rolex and Panerai would.
similar to Capt, i could tell if its a rep from talking distance, the tells are easy if you know what to look out for.

only the super reps arent possible, like ap divers and a franken tc sub.

having said that, not many even notice what watch you would be wearing let alone wonder if its a rep.

 

[adamweby]

well its all circumstantial. Its not like there is a scarlet A on each one that if you can just get close enough you will notice. some you would never tell from close distance. other models have bigger tells. I saw a client of mine with a hublot black magic, I saw the super blue AR on the crystal as it moved about. no doubt it was a rep. (I think its awesome he had one).

I don't think anyone would have a clue if my AP diver or Rollie DJII were reps if we were in the same room together...

 

[Logan86]

I don't think the 95th percentile can tell the difference between a quality rep and a gen without being in the rep game. Sure, the guys here are in the know but the average person wouldn't know and certainly not the average gen owner. I have had a couple of compliments on my EXP II and most recently my Sub-C but they were simple "nice watch" type exchanges and one was from a guy wearing a Sub-C as well that, for what I know, could have been gen or a Noob piece just like mine. Either way, I don't worry about it. If someone ever legitimately asks "is that watch fake?" I will be honest and tell them my opinions on buying something at 20 times the cost of mine for a few minor details.

 

[Retina]

its all in the details... i had a friendly conversation with a panerai dealer and he pointed out that the easy tells lies in the crown guards, but those could be easily modded by a decent modder.

i wouldnt bother much tbh, most watch experts are watch lovers as well.... i have been able to pin point fakes at arms length just because it was a canal street type rep.

as for your question, unlikely. the small details need a little observation to notice them, even for date wheels on the AP's, not many would look out for it at a distance.

 

[JAFO]

All one has to do is look at the Rolex Sky Dweller - Gen or Rep? thread and see that it's not always as easy as people think to spot the difference. I believe one comment was something like the crown looks like it came out of a barn hahahaha. Turns out it was gen.

I think it depends on the watch, whether it's easy to spot. Or one's area of expertise. If you've studied X watch enough, you can spot a rep. Oddly enough my daughter and I were talking about a similar topic last night. She showed me an instagram pic from one of the chicks she follows on youtube (some make up/hair/fashion girl that parlayed her youtube videos on those topics into a real career). And it's the girl's left arm and she's showing off her Cartier Love and Nail bracelets. And my kid says "Are those real?" And I take one look - half a sec - and said "Nope, they're all fake." And she says "How do you know from just glancing at them??" So I enlarged the pic (she'd texted it to me) and showed her the differences between the gens (straight from Cartier's site) and the rather shitty 12 buck AliExpress reps this chick was wearing.

Oh, and the fact that solid gold doesn't flake off was a pretty quick tell too, lol.

 

[Retina]

funnily enough, its those guys who dress in flip flops who really rock the gens....
i had a similar situation as JAFO, a girl was wearing a hublot v6, was probably 18 or 19. i called bs just because of her age....
the funny thing about people wearing gens, the more money they have, the more they seem to want to appear humble....

 

[d4m.test]

Unless it´s a very specific flaw that model has and You know exactly about it, You can´t tell. (like when the gen has colourless a/r and the rep one is purplish and it´s a bright sunny day.)
To specify, if there is good overhead lighting and You hand me over the Noob V5 or TC with gen insert - if I can turn the watch in my hand, look at specific angles etc. at 50 cm distance I can tell for sure, at 70cm with difficulty and at 80 cm I can´t say. But than I would also "feel" it from the way the movement goes etc. if holding it, if setting the time or winding.
This is completely different if the watch is on Your moving wrist at 60cm distance, because I cannot turn and hold it to specific angles, so either by chance I catch a specific glance or something in the overall look "doesn´t feel right". If that happens You can follow up on it. It´s what happens with videos that You can repeat or stop.

Otherwise it has to be a very specific situation with You holding Your wrist very still for me to have some repeated good looks.
In real life and most occasions on a good rep, maybe I could have a slight doubt but never be sure.

 

[JAFO]

It's funny, I make a point of looking at watches on peoples' wrists if they catch my eye. And in real life, some other person is wearing the watch and standing next to me - I can hardly make out the dial, much less catch the seconds hand or specifics. It's kinda like seeing the buckle of their Hermes belt. Is there a scratch on it? Did they scratch it? Or did the factory not polish it enough before they plated it? Is the engraving/stamp on that buckle perfect? Cause I'd have to take it off of you to see it, and then I'd need to hold it just right. What about the stitching? Well, you can pay double for "hand stitching" but is there really some rep factory in China employing little old ladies who stitch belts by hand? Yeah, not likely.

I think what the OP is talking about is IF someone walks up next to you, say at work, and he/she is wearing a watch - can you tell if it's a rep or not? I was recently at a restaurant and this 60 year old dude was wearing a Sub. And I'm trying to get a good look at it and I'm surprised he didn't whack me over the head for trying to see it lol. At a foot or so, in the real world? It's kinda hard to tell.

 

[rvb69]

I was wearing a rep Panerai Ferrari and a watch enthusiast wanted to take a closer look . He checked that it was not a quartz movement and was convinced it was a gen.

 

[nlnlnlnene]

I think it's hard to tell for most models.
But some models have easy tells.
Most APs would be super easy within certain distance.

 

[peterpl]

If you are talking to a person normal conversation there is no way you are telling if its gen or rep. When someone talks usually the arms are moving as well which makes it 100000% harder. You might be able to make out the brand (i.e) the hex screws on the bezel for AP/Hublot or the Crown Guard on a Panerai but thats pretty much it.

Your not going to see the date wheel alignment/SEL fitment etc etc at arms length - no way

 

[Flashbolt987]

High end rep, no. Un-educated buyer, yes. I see APs that don't even exist on people's wrists...easy tell at a glance.

 

[Hooper]

I was in a well known jewellers the other week browsing the Omegas when the manager started chatting to me and commented on my DSSD and not seeing many around, making a change from seeing subs. He even had a closer inspection and said 'can do you a good deal if you are interested in exchanging for something else'.

I didn't bat an eyelid and just politely declined, saying i wouldn't part with it. I was wearing jeans, t-shirt and trainers.

I think its in the persons reaction sometimes. I was curious to see if he would spot it's a rep so carried on as normal when he chatted.

 

[peterpl]

High end rep, no. Un-educated buyer, yes. I see APs that don't even exist on people's wrists...easy tell at a glance.

if its a rep of something thats fantasy then yes thats easy to spot but thats because your wearing a pink dialled DSSD. LOL

In all seriousness a high end rep like the ones you find here you wont get called out I think ever........unless you meet someone on here.

 

[Capt. Obvious]

You will never get called out, but unless it's a modded franken, someone who is well educated CAN tell the difference. The tells usually come from the general shine of the piece and mainly from the CRYSTAL. That's from "conversation" distance.
When (or if) you then get up closer it's a whole different story.

But I do agree, it's all about how well you know that particular piece. For example, if someone showed me a GEN BP FF vs a Rep, I would have NO CLUE!!!!