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I spent 23 months in SE Asia ...

-XXXX-

Known Member
12/7/10
127
0
0
Hey, great collection!

I'm heading out to Singapore for a work assignment for 3-4 months beginning 3/1... Am I likely to find any good reps out there? If not, I'm planning some weekend trips... Anywhere I can head to inexpensively to try and get some?

Nothing in Singapore. Your best option is to go to KL or JB in Malaysia.
 

mick0005

You're Saying I Can Sell?
4/6/11
85
2
8
Kuala Lumpur I suppose that means... What is JB? Are flights between there inexpensive? If I set up a trip, I'd love for your advice on where to go to find some reps in KL...
 

-XXXX-

Known Member
12/7/10
127
0
0
6674114199_c4f0eabdf4_z.jpg
 

-XXXX-

Known Member
12/7/10
127
0
0
Kuala Lumpur I suppose that means... What is JB? Are flights between there inexpensive? If I set up a trip, I'd love for your advice on where to go to find some reps in KL...

JB is Johor Bharu

KL is definitely better and an ideal weekend location. Flts are pretty cheap especially if you go with the Low Cost carriers.
 

mick0005

You're Saying I Can Sell?
4/6/11
85
2
8
Outstanding! I had planned on trying to do a weekend in KL anyways so that is ideal! I'll reach out to you on PM soon to see about getting some info on where to go there for reps.
 

shandroid

Put Some Respect On My Name
13/9/10
3,555
34
0
Awesome collection... Just wondering though, we're these hard to find? They all look to be of excellent quality!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

TheBattler

Active Member
26/7/10
408
0
0
A truly epic collection; I think you need to calculate the combined retail cost of all pieces if they were Gen :)


P.S. How did you get 20+ watches through Customs?!
 

-XXXX-

Known Member
12/7/10
127
0
0
Awesome collection... Just wondering though, we're these hard to find? They all look to be of excellent quality!

Thanks! Yes, almost all the watches were of the best available quality at the time of purchase. In most cases, they were readily available from the seller (he gets stock from China multiple times per month). I bought the watches over a 2 year period... so whenever the guy had new stock I usually had a preview to pick what I liked. Very few were ordered (3717 rose gold, vintage PAM, ROO Safari), and usually when I asked for a specific piece, all I had to do was wait was for the next delivery. Some I never got for some reason.. For example I am still waiting for a SINN ad a Chronopassion :)

P.S. How did you get 20+ watches through Customs?!

... You mean 60+ (what you see in the pics plus the ones we brought back as presents for friends & family). Well, I cannot talk abt the specifics but let's say that it was relatively easy. :)
 

shandroid

Put Some Respect On My Name
13/9/10
3,555
34
0
It's interesting (and sort of relieving) to know that you weren't sourcing these on your own...

There's a widely held belief that 'our' reps aren't easy to come by for the 'Average Joe' off the street.... Seeing your collection, I was like - WTF.... This guy has the equivalent of most peoples wish list in his collection....

Makes sense now :)

Thanks again for sharing....
 

-XXXX-

Known Member
12/7/10
127
0
0
It's interesting (and sort of relieving) to know that you weren't sourcing these on your own...

There's a widely held belief that 'our' reps aren't easy to come by for the 'Average Joe' off the street.... Seeing your collection, I was like - WTF.... This guy has the equivalent of most peoples wish list in his collection....

Makes sense now :)

Thanks again for sharing....

Hi, not sure I fully understand your point on reps availability...

The average Joe that strolls along the Market unless he uses his initiative and:

1) Asks the right questions
2) Knows what he is looking for/wants
3) Understand the prices

and more than anything else

4) Knows what he is talking about and makes his/her point respectfully

He will never find the good quality reps.

I mean, if you go to Chinatown Market in KL (Petaling Street basically), on a mile long (I don't even think it will add up to a mile) stretch of interconnecting roads you can find at least 15-20 stalls selling reps. 99% of these have on display only low end reps for a very simple reason... that is what the average Tourist Joe wants to buy. Hardly ever, they have stock of the high end stuff on display at the stalls ( I guess it is an issue of stock turnover and risk associated with the occasional police raid).

However, if you ask the right questions and you make the right connections there is plenty of quality reps available. I mean the guy I bought from runs 2 showrooms (and several stalls). Stock levels vary, but there is always plenty to choose from. He has also a facebook showroom...

In my case, I was after an IWC Slevin at the time and all I had to do was to ask at every stall if they had swiss quality stuff (this is how they call it). Many said yes but they only produced low end stuff... until I found the right guy that immediately told me I had to spend north of $300 for that and took me to the container :)!

From that point onwards I only did business at the showroom
 

shandroid

Put Some Respect On My Name
13/9/10
3,555
34
0
http://www.repgeek.com/showthread.php?t=161441

Apologies for the RG link, but maybe this post illustrates what I'm talking about... Just one guys experience trying to track down a decent rep. You've got SH1TLOADS, which seems to be a rarity for the 'average joe' trying to buy them off the street over there and not through our trusted dealers... I didn't mean you're average :p Just a figure of speech!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

-XXXX-

Known Member
12/7/10
127
0
0
Yes, i've read that post on RG. However, I don't think you can compare the 2 experiences.

For the average Joe like me KL is a lot better than China. The guys at the market all speak decent/understandable english and most know abt rep watches. They also all know each other and in most cases work for the same boss. Therefore, if you approach them correctly they are usually very helpful and can refer you to the right people pretty quickly. The secret is to visit as many stalls as possible and speak to as many people as you can.
 

mattcops

Active Member
26/10/11
373
0
0
Could I ask where you got the first dark wooden watch box from in your first picture?!

I can't get over the amount of beautiful reps you have!!!


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P4GTR

Banned member, the goat does not approve
Banned
9/9/07
3,462
3
0
Thats a dream collection you have. Thanks for sharing. Hearing about rep ground zero is always fun. :)
 

StarsBoysfan

Horology Curious
3/1/12
16
0
0
Well, I am new on here, been doing my reading and learning, no rep yet.
But, I had to say what an incredible collection you have, very impressive!
Thanks for sharing, not only the pics but also the experience. Great thread!
 

-XXXX-

Known Member
12/7/10
127
0
0
I am slowly upgrading most of the straps on my watches. So far, I have (from pics above):

- Orloff black croco on my IWC BP
- Mesh on Ploprof
- AP bands on Barrichello II

I also have a TWB honey croco + deployant on a IWC 3717-13

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A WWII dark brown hornback on my Glashutte Senator Sixty

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And a WWII honey hornback on my JLC Tourby

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I have also recently acquired a Gen brown buffalo leather for my IWC BP and plenty of new shoes for my PAMs, IWC, APs, Etc.

6684705705_f31701f652_b.jpg
 

-XXXX-

Known Member
12/7/10
127
0
0
AP ROO safari back from service with a new incabloc...

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on AP bands brown Hornback with gold stitching

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