Ethical thoughts on buying reps

[Owl1789]

My collection consists of gens. Recently I have registered to this forum because it was fascinating to see so many watch enthusiasts exchanging ideas from all around the globe. Not having ordered a rep yet but having spent some time looking through sellers and seriously considering pulling the trigger (due to the fact that you can't always walk around with a gen) but I'm having thoughts on under what circumstances these reps are produced. I have read in one of the posts (can't remember the author) that sometimes the rep watches are put together under unacceptable circumstances. I'm not naive thinking that for the price tag of couple of hundred dollars the workers will have acceptable working conditions. Just something that crossed my mind and I figured I'd share...

 

[Vineetd23]

Do you have an iPhone? Wear Nikes? Ever bought a t shirt from a retail store in the mall? Unfortunately it’s a fact of life, goods are mass produced in poorer countries so people in more affluent countries can buy them. My guess is the rep industry is exactly the same …

 

[p0pperini]

What else do you own that was made in China?

I doubt the rep industry operates very differently to many other areas of Chinese manufacturing business. Most of the parts probably get made in factories that are producing a whole range of other things,

There's a simple reason that products coming out of China tend to be cheap. They pay workers peanuts, and aren't really big on workers rights and ethical business practices generally, so we either accept that's the sad case, and choose to ignore it, or... severely limit the range of things we buy.

 

[Vineetd23]

Also you live in a country whose entire economy basically consists of helping wealthy people avoid paying taxes in their countries, so they can afford gen watches, so you know, ethics

 

[Owl1789]

so we either accept that's the sad case, and choose to ignore it, or... severely limit the range of things we buy.

This

 

[Owl1789]

Wearing nikes or buying iphones is one thing. These companies altough not often could in theory be held accountable if there is a massive violation but a underground factory is hard to regulate (if at all) I guess...

 

[mclarendude]

You would be surprised the type of hightech conditions these watches are made nowadays.

I honestly believe that the whole idea of the watches being made in sweat shops or, dare I say it, through child labor and other extremist methods or thoughts could had been true at an early point of the industry. But, that was a narrative that was pushed to the extremes by the genuine makers and other countries that rallied really hard against it. Nowadays, they care less and less and has become less and less true.

 

[Owl1789]

Also you live in a country whose entire economy basically consists of helping wealthy people avoid paying taxes in their countries, so they can afford gen watches, so you know, ethics

Nowadays there is no tax evasion (since 2008 the bank secrecy has been gradually disappearing) leading to the status quo where no illegitimate activities are being tolerated. Quite strict oversight actually.

 

[Owl1789]

You would be surprised the type of hightech conditions these watches are made nowadays.

I honestly believe that the whole idea of the watches being made in sweat shops or, dare I say it, through child labor and other extremist methods or thoughts could had been true at an early point of the industry. But, that was a narrative that was pushed to the extremes by the genuine makers and other countries that rallied really hard against it. Nowadays, they care less and less and has become less and less true.

That would be great news. Wasn't aware of the improvements...

 

[Vineetd23]

Wearing nikes or buying iphones is one thing. These companies altough not often could in theory be held accountable if there is a massive violation but a underground factory is hard to regulate (if at all) I guess...

If anything these companies can get away with things easier, thanks to the billions of dollars they have.

 

[Vineetd23]

Nowadays there is no tax evasion (since 2008 the bank secrecy has been gradually disappearing) leading to the status quo where no illegitimate activities are being tolerated. Quite strict oversight actually.

Yes Credit Suisse has been on the up and up for years apparently…

 

[Owl1789]

Yes Credit Suisse has been on the up and up for years apparently…

Not CS but the brands whose watches you wear are doing quite good Kinda funny claiming in a watch forum that switzerland's economy consists solely of helping wealthy people to evade tax.

 

[Vineetd23]

I will give you that your country is also known for and produces the best watches in the world, but come on, dating back to WW2, banking and helping extremely wealthy people store their money has been the lifeblood of Switzerland right?

 

[Vineetd23]

I think I’ve been clumsy in trying to make my point, in my opinion more ethically dubious things happen at higher levels with the wealthy, than a normal guy buying a rep watch. Obviously the world is connected and we can get into it all more, but generally if you’re buying goods, someone has been exploited along the way, and that’s just the sad truth of it.

 

[Owl1789]

in my opinion more ethically dubious things happen at higher levels with the wealthy, than a normal guy buying a rep watch

I don't think a guy buying a rep watch is something morally or ethically dubious.

Also in my opinion the level of unethical activity is not in any way correlating with the level of wealth one has. I think it ultimately comes down to everyones own moral compass.

And I have to say they are tempting

 

[Vineetd23]

Yeah dive in man, the water is warm and clear

 

[mclarendude]

Dare I become a political philosopher for a second, as this theme has lingered for a bit in my head.

Not only has the industry evolved , there is a new World Order. I don't think there was every solid proof for the sweatshop or child labor allegations. Lest we forget that China was not as powerful as it is now, so it really was a mix of political propaganda to manipulate China to get serious about these things. I think they've gotten good at faking their efforts. "Yeah yeah, raid them! But let them go in the morning and resume their job." Raids still happen, yet no serious consequence occur to the factories. They just take it as a week's vacation. They'll regroup and continue manufacturing elsewhere.

As @Vineetd23 says, dive in. This place in particular is just grand.

 

[Owl1789]

Dare I become a political philosopher for a second, as this theme has lingered for a bit in my head.

Not only has the industry evolved , there is a new World Order. I don't think there was every solid proof for the sweatshop or child labor allegations. Lest we forget that China was not as powerful as it is now, so it really was a mix of political propaganda to manipulate China to get serious about these things. I think they've gotten good at faking their efforts. "Yeah yeah, raid them! But let them go in the morning and resume their job." Raids still happen, yet no serious consequence occur to the factories. They just take it as a week's vacation. They'll regroup and continue manufacturing elsewhere.

As @Vineetd23 says, dive in. This place in particular is just grand.

Amazing theme, made me smile

 

[julius11]

Also thought about this for a while. Certainly possible, especially the North Korea connection (look up Dandong). Still, I believe that working conditions for watch manufacturing are always better compared to let's say textiles. Attention to detail, QC (at least to some extent) and generally some form of general craftsmanship can not be achieved in your average sweatshop.

 

[muiramas]

Compared with T-shirts, trainers, iPhones and everything else I think replica watches are pretty average on the scale of things. Also anyone who is happy to drop $30k on a second hand Daytona would have to have a lot of nerve to question anyone else on morality.