Am I hanging out on the wrong fora these days..??>>>

[frankt8242]

I've been around the "watch scene" since the early days at TZ...I got into reps in in '05, and have been around the several boards fairly regularly since then.
I have bought and sold literally dozens of reps, (maybe 100+), and I still own @25 or so..
The most I ever paid for a replica watch was one of my earliest purchases, a Rolex 5517 military sub, for IIRC, $217.+shipping...
Over the past year, I have acquired 4 new watches, a Ploprof V1.5 from Josh for $148., A Silix special PO for $30., A Big Pilot from Reg for $118., and a used old style Pam 212 from a fellow collector for $85.
I'm awaiting a Pam 024 From Toro for $89., that arrived in CONUS yesterday..

Now, I'm seeing otherwise rational folks here, and on the other boards, not even blinking when a SOSF just a tad nicer than my 5 yr old $80. model is costing $368.00, and a 217, very similar to the one I got 4 yrs ago for $75. is listed for @$300.....WTF...????

The most expensive watch I ever bought was a genuine BNIB Omega Dynamic Chrono for $435.00 on ebay in 2002....Now there are folks trying to sell REPLICA watches for
$1500.-2000!!!...Once again...WTF...????

Have the replica boards outgrown my eclectic but stingy tastes, or are there still a few
of us left hanging around and "bottomfeeding" the FS boards...??:conga::conga:

 

[ShiroTenshi]

Well, SOSF is advertised as swiss movement... but I rather have the clone and have the price goes down by $100. Clones are better anyway.

Always wanted a SOSF but the prices are keeping me at bay..

 

[QinetiQ]

Pardon me, I don't mean to be rude but you're a stingy guy. Nothing wrong with this but when you go and say that the new Noob factory PAM217 is just a little nicer than your 4yr old $75 version the same model, it's kind of hard for your message to come across in a different way. You're right though, it is very similar to your watch but so is Mazda MR2 to a Porsche Cayman but they're not the same thing, are they now? Just sayin'...

 

[lionheart]

I'm with the OP on that. Reading the boards and various forums it almost seems like there's certain posters who are getting really anal and pedantic about making their rep indishingual from the gen at ( to me) ridiculous prices. I've seen used reps for as high as 500 pounds. Each to their own but you can get a lot of reps for that money. Some may not be the best but I guess I'm a quantity rather than quality guy, to a certain extent, as long as the watch isn't a complete POS LOL. I just got one of my new favorites yesterday for $90. I have no idea what the gen looks like and don't really care, but I know it's probably upwards of $5000. The other thing I don't get is the current obsession with PAM's?!?! Each to thier own I guess

 

[Spboudart]

Everyone is different I guess.
I've seen people happy with 25$ rep bought in Canal street, Turkey or Marocco...
But the more money you put the more you get...
I use to have a Chopard Mille Miglia (not the chrono version) the 21j for 80$, sold it because it was too noisy, bought it again because I loved it, sold it because of the blue AR, bought it again, sold it because it didn't have sapphire, finally bought the Valgranes version and been loving it for the last 2 years.
25$ rep are amazing when you've never seen the 80$ ones, which are incredible if you never hold in your hands a 250$ version.......

 

[ShiroTenshi]

500pound watches are modded/franken already i believe.

 

[Q5?]

Maybe you can start a couple of threads. One with a poll on how much you would spend on/for a rep. (set your limit and see who is just like you) Second start one where it will be a club of those guys who only pay $xx amount for their reps.

For the record, my limit for a new rep from a dealer would be $400. I'd never buy an already built Franken again. It's too much fun getting them built.....

 

[Rick914]

Gotta agree with you Boudart, somethings you never know how good they are until you have had the luxury of having it.

 

[Q5?]

Gotta agree with you Boudart, somethings you never know how good they are until you have had the luxury of having it.

A perfect example...... I'll never own a car unless it has leather seats with seat warmers. :lol:

 

[DA2EASY]

I've had few cheapo reps in my time but they just don't cut it for me so I'm happy to pay for the best quality available.

 

[lionheart]

I've had few cheapo reps in my time but they just don't cut it for me so I'm happy to pay for the best quality available.

That's called a gen :biglaugh:

 

[KBH]

I don't think I have a rep left that I don't have less than $300 invested in. And most all have over $500 in them. But I have almost all ETA movements, other than a couple of A7750's, and the chrono's have been serviced so they'll last more than 6 months.

The cheapest one I have left is an "original" TTK LV Noob Sub that's modded with a DG4813 high beat and a WM9 Insert and modded CG's and pearl. I mostly keep it for sentimental value.

I no longer have any interest in <$100 reps. Wouldn't wear one. I guess I'm a "replica snob" now.

 

[cybee]

Have the replica boards outgrown my eclectic but stingy tastes, or are there still a few
of us left hanging around and "bottomfeeding" the FS boards...??:conga::conga:

Yep, still a few of us tightwads around, I'm a bit of a garbage man myself having purchased several broken watches from members. I think the most I ever paid for a rep was $275.00 for a Davidson Fiddy. Then some of us started buying from China Mike who was selling to various members, his watches were good prices. I bought a few nice reps for $60 and they are still running great. I think the used sales section is a great way to go now for the bargain hunter.

My modding skills are limited to bezel, dial and movements swaps, other than that I can't in good conscience put a ton of money on a rep. I understand and appreciate the skills it takes to super-mod a watch and maybe if I had all the knowhow my views would be different, but I have to draw the line between being reasonable and anal. Everyone is different in this hobby and the diversity of it is quite unique. Franken for me is just another word for overpriced rep.

I splurge on many things, just not replica's. :lol:

 

[lionheart]

I bought a few nice reps for $60 and they are still running great. I think the used sales section is a great way to go now for the bargain hunter.


I splurge on many things, just not replica's. :lol:

Totally agree. I still have reps that are running and tell accurate time that I purchased in China and S. Korea 8 years ago for $60 - $80. To me it's more about having 4 or 5 different watches on any given day rather than that $500 rep that I think in my mind is fooling everyone and no-one will front me. Nobody cares but you. Last week I walked into a store, first time in a long time anyone's commented 'Nice watch!!!' I was wearing my $99 gen Bulova Adventurer

 

[phillycheez]

We all have different priorities...

There's no comparison to a $100 rep to a $500 rep. You get what you pay for.

I like the feel of a smooth winding crown that screws back in without effort. That feeling in itself is worth the premium.

Now the $500-2k is a whole notha level... Having owned a few I would say they actually surpass the quality you get of a gen worth the same amount.

 

[Phil G]

I'd never buy an already built Franken again. It's too much fun getting them built.....

Some of us on here keep watching your posts for when your UPO comes up for sale

The other thing I don't get is the current obsession with PAM's?!?! Each to thier own I guess

I don't get it but, a few months ago I bought a Pam, 002 I think. Very plane watch, does what it's purposed to do, tells me the time. No date, no day, no second hand, no world clock. Somehow strangely attractive.

Good luck, Phil

ps, in response to OP, I think $300+ for a factory watch of good build quality is acceptable to me.

 

[thedoover]

Ill say this...

Like a lot of people I started with cheaper versions, and now Im picking up the more expensive (but still reasonable not over $320 or so) versions. I think it all has to do with expectations.

I can respect someone wanting to create a rep masterpiece for 700-1000 or more, but its just not for me. I prefer the hunt of finding a bargain that I really like. When I start thinking about reps that cost 500 and up, I start thinking about saving up for a gen.

Its all about what level of nearness to perfection you want, and its a thread that shows up all of the time. I dont need to be inside the 98% mark. And Ive been looking at that same Pam 024 from Toro, so let us know how it is.

Signed,
thedoover - a fellow bottomfeeder

I've been around the "watch scene" since the early days at TZ...I got into reps in in '05, and have been around the several boards fairly regularly since then.
I have bought and sold literally dozens of reps, (maybe 100+), and I still own @25 or so..
The most I ever paid for a replica watch was one of my earliest purchases, a Rolex 5517 military sub, for IIRC, $217.+shipping...
Over the past year, I have acquired 4 new watches, a Ploprof V1.5 from Josh for $148., A Silix special PO for $30., A Big Pilot from Reg for $118., and a used old style Pam 212 from a fellow collector for $85.
I'm awaiting a Pam 024 From Toro for $89., that arrived in CONUS yesterday..

Now, I'm seeing otherwise rational folks here, and on the other boards, not even blinking when a SOSF just a tad nicer than my 5 yr old $80. model is costing $368.00, and a 217, very similar to the one I got 4 yrs ago for $75. is listed for @$300.....WTF...????

The most expensive watch I ever bought was a genuine BNIB Omega Dynamic Chrono for $435.00 on ebay in 2002....Now there are folks trying to sell REPLICA watches for
$1500.-2000!!!...Once again...WTF...????

Have the replica boards outgrown my eclectic but stingy tastes, or are there still a few
of us left hanging around and "bottomfeeding" the FS boards...??:conga::conga:

 

[P4GTR]

There is a limit, but it's not $80 anymore. Things have dramatically improved since those days. Many of us that have been around have learned some lessons. For instance, I don't want 21j or unserviceable movements. And,. I like the new superlume trend. I'm willing to pay high $300's for a good watch that is serviceable (movement replaceable with gen, accessible parts) and well built.

That said, once you get into $400+ for a rep, i'll fold... Fold and tuck that money away towards a gen that is.

BTW, for $80 or less your wearing dodgy 21j's with glaring imperfections. Just saying.

 

[d4m.test]

I think OP has a good, basic point: some rep prices DO seem to be increasing & this was the topic of another post -- either here or somewhere else. I'm not certain of the answer to that except perhaps quality IS improving (see the post on an expert getting too good). Still, I understand those who want higher quality & if they're willing to pay a high price for it to be happy, then more power to them. For myself, I'm a bottom feeder like some other members for several reasons -- among which my financial circumstances and (2). I'm not willing to pay such very high prices for REPS. I guess I'm not finicky about details and "perfection;" if it looks good and I LIKE it, I'll BUY it and be very happy. Bottom line? To each his own: be happy and share it wiith the rest of us.

dave

 

[ShiroTenshi]

My most expensive rep is the JLC tourbillon at $500, but thats tourbillon.
For the other reps I doubt I would folk out anything over $300, but thats just me.

Last edited by KBH; 03-03-2012 at 01:25 AM. Reason: bad speeling

I was laughing at this :lol: