As a hobbyist who builds fantasy models, in some regards I am not so concerned about gen accuracy as others. What matters more is a well-built watch. What irks me is to see factories make mistakes that could have been avoided very easily. For me these watches are only 40-45% accurate, because the movement counts 50%, and no rep yet in the entire world has a correct movement. I cannot really follow the logic of saying: "It is as good as it is going to get for 5% the price." First, because gen AP is vastly over-priced, with, like 60% margin, from an independent company that wastes alot of money. Second, there are plenty of great Swiss watches that cost less than these $750 reps. Look at Tissot or Oris.
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AP MICHAEL SCHUMACHER 44MM By J12
- Thread starter sharrkey
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TheDonSL
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- 28/12/13
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True true true! I was only emphasizing the look not the movement. The movement stinks and I couldn't agree more. You are right also that you can get a great Tag Heur for 800.00 with a Swiss movement that will last a lifetime! I know I had a tag that I had for 14 years and recently sold it in mint condition and perfect working order.
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There is only one question. would you buy a 700$ gen with some off-axis dial parts? I think no. So why we should buy a rep in the same price range with this flaw? Because its a rep? Because its from china??
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Nobody really wants to buy a defective watch, gen or rep, unless 1.) you get a sizeable discount and 2.) there is a clear method to repair it. The two conditions go together. But: Gens are easier to repair than reps--that is for sure. So 2.) is always uncertain for reps. And I do not see TDs give sizeable discounts unless they sell wholesale or want to liquidate stock of unsold watches.
Yes because it is a rep. Yes you can buy good original watches for the same price as reps but thats all they are... watches. An AP or Hublot is more than a watch. People will have different standards but if you want a gen shell out the USD 40k or whatever it is. All my 14 AP and Hublot reps so far imo are super quality. I think this Schumi rep is very good too. USD620 is probably the top end what I would pay for reps though so introducing more expensive ones for essentially small improvements will probably not work. I personally don't know how you folks spend USD 200+ on straps etc. I would hate to pay over USD 50 for a gen strap let alone a third party strap.
rolexwatchfan
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- 17/8/13
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Its a hobby like any other. Some of us enjoying it more than the others, with that being said you have to understand that some of us spend big money to make our reps as close to gen as possible. And I'm talking about tens of thousands of dolars. Of course it would be easier to stop at AD and get gen but where's the thrill of building one? Most replicas I had build cannot be even bought because they so unique, vintage or just odd. Did I hesitate to pay big buck for modding? No. And I would be willing to pay for better quality reps over what we have right now any given day.
Since RWI has the best AP section bar none - can I ask you guys who have both the Schumi coming, and the J12 44 FC to post some size comparisons on the wrist? I did an overlay with the graphics from the AP site and the Schumi doesn't look that much bigger, but on the wrist everything changes obviously.
TheDonSL
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Remind me next week and I will post them for you [emoji6]
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Too bad I've already rejected mine, otherwise it should already on my wrist now and can side by side with the FC to take a comparison photo.
I really agree with this statement. The profits on gens are enormous (though I have a few high end gens myself). Much is marketing and hype.
I hear common arguments defending flaws on the reps:
1) "it's a rep for christs sake, get a gen if you want perfection!" This is one statement I hear sellers resort to often.
Many flaws are just avoidable through conscientious choice. For instance, I see J12 now selling old style AP ROO Black Themes for $120+ more than the noob and they couldn't paint the hands correctly. A speck more paint would have corrected the problem, and doesn't cost. JF also has a new Rolex Daytona 116520 out which sells for $380, when the noob one sells for $210. 81% markup, with the same sec@6 7750 movement with no movement improvements, and same thick case.
2) "People won't notice". Gen or rep, people buy them for two reasons. To be noticed or because they like the watch. I happen to like watches. I also enjoy collecting model cars. To me, accuracy to gen is not just about people not noticing, but about a certain accuracy in aesthetics to the real thing that gives enjoyment.
The pricing is getting pretty wonky imho, and at these levels, i think it is not unfair to expect a little more...
When I bought my first HBB for $378 I thought it was expensive for a rep and that it would probably be my only rep. The rep then arrived and I was gobsmacked by the quality. I was expecting just a slight improvement on canal street level stuff but was so impressed with what I saw that I ordered many more watches.
I never thought I would even contemplate paying anywhere near $700 for a rep but here I am waiting for my Schumi and also looking to buy the LeBron which is likely to be the same price.
I think everyone will want better quality when they pay over $500 for a rep but I also think that people forget about the current quality. Yes the date wheel is different but overall the Schumi looks like an excellent product providing you get one with good tachy alignment. I think because different people have different priorities for acceptability every rep will always get moaned at.
As for the price, the Schumi is $700 because the gen is $45k. It is just business sense on the part of the maker to charge higher prices for such a product regardless of whether it costs the same to produce as a PAM rep selling for one third of the price.
Back on the Schumi, anyone recieved good QC pics? Wont probably get my pics till the weekend as ordered late.
I never thought I would even contemplate paying anywhere near $700 for a rep but here I am waiting for my Schumi and also looking to buy the LeBron which is likely to be the same price.
I think everyone will want better quality when they pay over $500 for a rep but I also think that people forget about the current quality. Yes the date wheel is different but overall the Schumi looks like an excellent product providing you get one with good tachy alignment. I think because different people have different priorities for acceptability every rep will always get moaned at.
As for the price, the Schumi is $700 because the gen is $45k. It is just business sense on the part of the maker to charge higher prices for such a product regardless of whether it costs the same to produce as a PAM rep selling for one third of the price.
Back on the Schumi, anyone recieved good QC pics? Wont probably get my pics till the weekend as ordered late.
TheDonSL
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Mine is over the water right now with the wind blowing at its tiny chronos lol ok on a serious note, I def understand what everyone is saying and I don't disagree... I too expect perfection, but never 100% because of where and how it's made... The labor that the poor watch smith is paid to assemble these pieces, does anyone really think they care? The factories or makers are pulling in the dough right now... To up quality control requires a huge investment in better factories, not to mention greater risks, better talent ie labor for a better watchsmith etc... And if they have to charge higher prices for this and lose a good chunk of their market segment because most can't afford a 1500.00 rep why do so? A big chunk of the market are the crappy canal street and tourist trap destinations with people that purchase and don't care about flaws because they like what they see and have a story to tell when they get home. The 200.00 spent on a crappy Quartz rep that cost 5.00 to make still makes the tourist or amateur happy at that point... Now I know what someone is thinking, what about all the rappers that wear reps or celebrities? Well that market is the super rich and they have the money to keep on buying so they don't care if the movement breaks or not... I think we, the experienced hobbyists, are the lowest percentage point in the marketplace to the makers, so it's not on their priority list to do so until such times as old equipment begins to go or phases out then a new investment is made in new machinery, production, movements, etc... But if sourcing from 12 diff factories to make one watch, not all factories will move at the same pace or depreciate their old assets so that is why we have a 7750 prob still lol Although I don't have the statistics I could be wrong of course. Just my two cents...
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