So the moral that most of you seem to be saying is it doesn't matter if a TD or there staff are being deceptive. Keep it to yourself let them make it right AFTER you catch them doing it. Because making it right in the end is what makes them a trusted TD. And don't tell fellow forum members of it happening and how it happened. That way they know what and who to watch.
I call bullshit on this I say if you catch them out on something like this make it public. So we all know to watch for it. I never thought to look at time stamps on photos. But you can bet I will be looking now thanks to this great post. From another forum member looking out for my best interests.
It doesn't matter if Ryan knew or not it was happening. Now I along with everyone else on this forum are better educated to checking time stamps. And furthermore I would say every time someone catches this happening they should post it. No matter who the TD is. This is how we protect each other.
We are quick to trash anyone posting QC pics for stupid reasons protecting the TD. We are also quick to attack anyone that makes unwarranted PayPal claims, again protecting the TD. And both rightfully so, but what is wrong with posting something to protect us.
Well said...again....
Just as our input has helped to make the end rep product better, threads like this will tend to help make the service better. There should be no reason we as end users should have to accept blemished items and/or put up with any seller [un]knowingly or willingly being deceptive.
It is true that in the Asian culture, it is acceptable to foster these kind of practices, not stereotyping, it a known fact. Much of the world is that way, sad fact but also true...Still it doesn't mean that it is or should be acceptable.
Makers/Dealers wanting hard earned honest dollars, should at least provide honest good product and at least a modicum of good service before and after sales or they have no business calling themselves "trusted" in any form and we should all just go and take our chances on the myriad of other sites on the interwebs. After all this forum is here not only to benefit us by giving us a place to talk about these things and find the better dealers that won't take your money and run. It is their place to find honest buyers that will give them repeated business without the hassles of getting turned into PP and other authorities.
IMHO, things are getting a little out of hand with this game. Prices keep going up, not because of people outing deceptive practices or because of QC pics. Prices are going up because of the labor costs to make the "perfect" replica so many of you seem to so desperately want/need. Prices are going up because of the many deceptive sellers on Auction sites selling a shit-ton of replica watches on auction sites and getting paid a shit-ton of money for them due to too many people having more money than brains. Watch the auction site long enough and you will see that the vast majority of Rolex's sold there are reps at gen prices, right along with rep dials, bracelets and other parts at exorbitant prices. You know why? Because people are willing to pay and not question.
That's why i'm perfectly happy with my "economy" model reps and are happy that they are reasonable reps, that work, that tell time and are reasonably priced for what you get. After all i'm not trying to fool anyone into believing that I have a real deal watch on my wrist.... well maybe the truly stupid and gullible ones that have nice big gazongas.....
Soon enough someone in asia will make tooling to produce highly accurate watches with modified movements that will even take an experienced AD a hair pulling amount of work to distinguish from the real deal. That's where this is headed. The end result will be that the real deal will be pushed even farther out of reach for most of the population, if it survives at all.
Also true that we are all, from maker to end user engaging in an illegal trade and are all criminals before and/or after the fact. Put whatever spin on it that makes you feel better about yourself, but that's the truth. By our purchases we are all fostering and engaging in an illegal counterfeit culture. The fact that it is acceptable more so or less so in different parts of the world has no bearing on that fact. We all know the risks and roll the dice.
