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5 very best reps currently on the market?

Senecus

Getting To Know The Place
30/4/24
17
16
3
First of all, hello to everyone. I'm new on forum and relatively new in the world of replicas, but not in the world of watches. I'm a passionate watch lover, I follow everything that's happening, the latest news on the market, and I'm generally well-informed and quite knowledgeable about the subject. I own or have owned a number of original watches from the high segment, such as Omega, Tudor, Breitling, TAG, Oris, Longines, etc. However, when it comes to replicas, I can't say that I'm a top expert on the subject, but in general I like to do a lot of research on my own. However, when it comes to replicas, I still need some direction.

Why did I decide to enter the world of replicas? Because I no longer want to wait on the "phantom waiting lists" related to Rolex (and recently even Tudor), nor to pay high commissions to gray sellers who are selling the same watches at considerably higher prices.

About a year ago, I decided to buy my first rep - Rolex GMT Master Pepsi Clean V3, and I still have that watch, although I am less and less impressed with it. Simply, every passionate watch lover is immediately clear in the obvious details at first glance, that it is not an original. Recently, I had the opportunity to see the same watch model from a much less hyped factory ARF, which looks far more serious and credible than Clean, even though Clean Pepsi is hailed as the best GMT Master replica on the market. That's exactly what prompted me to write this post as my first post on the forum.

Question for the Community - Which 5 rep´s do you think are currently the best on the market? It means in the original stock condition without any modifications, which is the best and most authentic copy of the original, without immediately being able to identify it as a replica after a few seconds. I know that the topic is very wide and that opinions differ from individual to individual, but I would still like to see the opinion of the forum community on this topic.

So far, it is clear to me that the VSF Submariner No Date absolutely belongs to that group of best replicas, and one of the first 5 places should be reserved for that model, and I have already ordered it as my next replica.


Well, I think that's enough for the first post, and I hope that experienced experts on the replica market can answer it well.
 

Feefo

CEO, Vaselume (TM) Corporation
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Hi and welcome to RWI! Glad you found your way here.

Please take some time to read the sticky threads in the new members area (all subsections), learn the basic forum rules and get some very good advice in the process. A number of questions has already been answered there, this is just an example:


As a new subscriber, you've already been directed to this thread, please read carefully and look through the linked additional threads:


Another good thread to read to understand where RWI comes from and some fundamentals is this:


Most of the information you need to know to start is there. If you're preparing to buy, read the stickies before ordering. When you're finished, you can continue learning by reading the stickies in all remaining sections. If it's stickied, it's important information.

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Enjoy the forum.
 

Feefo

CEO, Vaselume (TM) Corporation
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Simply, every passionate watch lover is immediately clear in the obvious details at first glance, that it is not an original.

without immediately being able to identify it as a replica after a few seconds.
I beg to differ with those 2 statements, or better, parts thereof. "Immediately clear", "obvious details", "first glance", "immediately being identifiable". Pardon my French, but that's bull's crap, unless we're talking about low-tier reps.
 

Reaps

Learning something new everyday....
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Ordering a watch because it's a good replica is a terrible strategy. Buy watches you like, not because some list told you it's the best. Or you'll end up with a box of 20 rolex replicas that you may not love

Find a watch you like. See if the replica is good enough for you. If it is then buy kt.

Regarding ARF vs Clean. Congratulations. You learnt something most experienced members know already. That there are subtle nuances to replicas past whatever reddit or some excel document tells you. And that "best rep of X" doesn't exist for most high end replicas. That's why we all do research.
 
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Senecus

Getting To Know The Place
30/4/24
17
16
3
I beg to differ with those 2 statements, or better, parts thereof. "Immediately clear", "obvious details", "first glance", "immediately being identifiable". Pardon my French, but that's bull's crap, unless we're talking about low-tier reps.

I have the original and confirmed Clean V3 rep, I don't have any low tier rep and I have not seem them at all. To anyone who has ever seen an original Rolex GMT Master Pepsi is clear that the Clean replica is, because the date magnifier is so poorly made that it is impossible not to notice the difference right away. Crystal is also quite bad, the dial in most conditions looks more dark gray than black. So it's not about small differences or details, but really big differences in relation to the gen. Bezel action is also a disaster, but it is not a visual deviation as the date magnifier and the crystal, and this deviation can only be determined when you take the watch in your hands.

Mate, the goal of my post is not to devalue something, but to find out what is the best possible thing on the market. And yes, its is clear that with some mods that watch can seem quite more realistic to gen, but my question here was related to originally stock models.
 

Reaps

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Most of us already knew that. And the consensus generally is Clean with a few mods and crystal swap/gasket swap to get the crystal nice and magnification, alongside cleaning up the bezel makes the rep much better. ARF is better stock but the SH3285 is worse than DD3285.
 

Senecus

Getting To Know The Place
30/4/24
17
16
3
Why don't you tell us, passionate watch lover?
Because im not enough deep in reps thematic. I wrote that in my initial post... But I believe this here ist the right place to find out some good opinions and expiriences...
 

Feefo

CEO, Vaselume (TM) Corporation
Staff member
Moderator Sales
Certified
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Mate, the goal of my post is not to devalue something,
It isn't, "mate"? It surely does look that way. We're used to see this kind of hyperbole from those who are desperately trying to tell the world they own the gen and lots of disposable income. I know loads of people here who own several gens and don't bitch about the reps being imperfect. On the contrary, they either just enjoy them or praise the ones that are better.
Given your initial statements, I doubt you'll find what you're after in the rep world. Mate.
 

muiramas

Aristocrat
18/1/17
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Because im not enough deep in reps thematic. I wrote that in my initial post... But I believe this here ist the right place to find out some good opinions and expiriences...
Well Clean and VSF are a good start. The caveat is Clean reps always need a crystal swap. (lots of chatter that they have improved them - but I'm not buying it - they are still crap) I have no idea why after nearly 5 years - 7 if you include them as ZZF they continue to use that cloudy, included garbage on what are otherwise near perfect reps.
 

Senecus

Getting To Know The Place
30/4/24
17
16
3
Well Clean and VSF are a good start. The caveat is Clean reps always need a crystal swap. (lots of chatter that they have improved them - but I'm not buying it - they are still crap) I have no idea why after nearly 5 years - 7 if you include them as ZZF they continue to use that cloudy, included garbage on what are otherwise near perfect reps.

Yes, it is absolutely unclear that they make 90% of details almost perfectly, but persistently continue to screw up on such an obvious and essential component as the crystal. I mean, it's incomprehensible to me that they weren't able to improve it (drastically improve it) over the time. The only explanation is that for some reason they don't really want to. At least that's how it looks.
 

Speedy D

Getting To Know The Place
19/2/25
69
106
33
A list of reps, with the better versions in order has been posted previously in another thread. I've linked it below which may be a good started for you.

You'll obviously need to scrutinise the particular reps vs the real versions, just because a particular factory rep is listed as the best it does not mean it is 100% accurate.

There are plenty of threads on RWI comparing genuine watches with their reps but not every rep made is covered, use the search box.

As others have mentioned buy a rep watch because you like it.

Good first choice with the VSF 124060 Sub, I have the same version. (y)

Who Makes The Best? Guide
 

p0pperini

Uses Too Many Big Words
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29/1/19
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The only explanation is that for some reason they don't really want to.
Okay, I admit it… I am that reason.

Because like pretty much the entire rest of the human race, I can’t tell a “pretty good” copy of a Rolex crystal from a “very good” copy of a Rolex crystal. Mainly because I don’t really care all that much if a fake Rolex is 95% or 95.8% indistinguishable from a genuine.

And it’s people like me - and the innumerable other people who care even less - who Clean are catering for.
 

Senecus

Getting To Know The Place
30/4/24
17
16
3
A list of reps, with the better versions in order has been posted previously in another thread. I've linked it below which may be a good started for you.

You'll obviously need to scrutinise the particular reps vs the real versions, just because a particular factory rep is listed as the best it does not mean it is 100% accurate.

There are plenty of threads on RWI comparing genuine watches with their reps but not every rep made is covered, use the search box.

As others have mentioned buy a rep watch because you like it.

Good first choice with the VSF 124060 Sub, I have the same version. (y)

Who Makes The Best? Guide

Thanks a lot mate, that is exactly something that I was looking for. Even more ... Many thanks 🍻
 
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Art Vandelay

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moopsy

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About a year ago, I decided to buy my first rep - Rolex GMT Master Pepsi Clean V3, and I still have that watch, although I am less and less impressed with it. Simply, every passionate watch lover is immediately clear in the obvious details at first glance, that it is not an original. Recently, I had the opportunity to see the same watch model from a much less hyped factory ARF, which looks far more serious and credible than Clean, even though Clean Pepsi is hailed as the best GMT Master replica on the market. That's exactly what prompted me to write this post as my first post on the forum.
Welcome to the community. I appreciate your passion to find gen-like perfection in the reps, sincerely.

Apologies but allow me to digress from your original question and unpack your analysis of the Clean GMT MII V3 Pepsi, and the origin story you’ve kindly described in your journey to buying it.

I find some level of irony that you’ve had in your hands the consensus best version of the GMT MII Pepsi, have been registered to RWI for the last year, presumably found the recommendation to buy the Clean Factory GMT Master II Pepsi V3 from RWI… and yet your search for knowledge stopped at finding which rep to buy as the “best”, when a quick search could have turned up two ways to pretty easily elevate your Clean Pepsi to the level you seemingly desire (above the ARF?) instead of suffering through an “inferior” and unsatisfied experience for an entire year of ownership and leaving you pining for an ARF.

The two items:

1) this DIY fix for from venerable members @derjenigewelcher and @KJ2020 that would have solved the bezel action that’s bothered you for a year, without any additional cost:


2) Many threads that discuss the benefit of a $50 Deep Crystal upgrade with proper gasket height, or a prof crystal upgrade, which would definitely solved your “immediate tell” issue of date window magnification at minimum and possibly (?) solved the greyer dial issue vs. ARF you mentioned in a cost effective method. If you had done a bit more research before ordering, your TD could easily have installed the deep crystal for you before you received it.

So I would kindly push back that the Clean V3 is not the best version of the GMT MII 12671 BLRO, and I seriously mourn the one year you’ve spent not appreciating the rep you’ve had if you had spent a little more timing diving into the unbelievable wealth of knowledge in this forum. Good luck on your journey.