Managing Expectations

[djf1]

First of all a big thanks to everyone for the info that I have been able to learn that helped me make my choices for the watches I ended up purchasing... So a few months ago I purchased from a TD 6 watches all together. 1 Omega Snoopy, 1 Daytona Lemania, 1 Bentley Breitling, 1 GMT, 1 Ladies Oyster and my favorite so far the IWC Pilot.

The watches mostly met my expectations, the IWC, GMT and my wifes Tiffany Blue wrapped half and half Rolex really are outstanding, the Daytona, Omega and Breitling so and so...

So one can say that overall Im happy, the process with that TD was easy, timely shipping etc. What Im trying to wrap my head around is the overall expectations. The Omega upon receipt was not working, my wifes watch ( unfortunately LOL) looks amazing but was loosing heaps of time daily, the GMT although gorgeous it was getting fogged on humid days. The Daytona, feels cheap but overall is "ok" and the Breitling looses a bit of time. The IWC is a champ, amazing watch, built like tank, finished beautifully.

So I had problems. The TD was offering either 25 bucks for the repair or a return at my own cost in shipping. the 25 bucks, really may been good money elsewhere, but not in NA to engage a repair on a watch that in my view should have been working in the first place as advertised. Then sending a replica back and factoring costs as well as the risk of loosing the watch all together is not a risk that is reasonable.

I dropped it. No point of arguing with the dealer that clearly has no appetite to do more that he thought was fair, certainly continued to communicate etc. Sure i repaired all the watches, not for 25 bucks, but repaired them. The snoopy had a broken crown, my wifes had a broken piece as well, the GMT needed a new gasket. I have not bothered with the Breitling, and knock on wood the IWC is great.

So would a reasonable expectation buying a replica that its almost a 50 50 chance you get a good one? I guess the repair/warranty/ return policies are the same across the board? Im asking as Im getting ready to order another batch or watches and I dont think I will be going back to the TD that i bought my first 6...

Thank you all for your thoughts, I just want to be fair and manage my expectations moving forward.

 

[Pinion Minion]

The most significant factor in quality is going to be the factory that manufactured your watches- not the TD. The TDs are just middlemen.

What factories made your watches? The step up in quality and reliability is significant from a $200 watch to a $500 watch in most models.

 

[Nono92]

Only 25$ to repair them, you didn't choose the good TD... Even if the quality depends on the factory, they should all work a few years before having problems !

 

[Art Tic]

Sorry to hear some of your new reps aren't working well or aren't working at all. It happens to all of us buyers of rep watches. I would definitely let the TD know, but I really don't like shipping anything back to China (they get lost). Hopefully, the TD will give you credits. I recommend browsing the forum to see which factory produces the best model you want to buy. Reps from these factory are usually higher quality, bit more expensive than the competition of course, but they typically will not be DOA.

These day I seem to have decent luck, 8/10 work out of the box. And of those, no matter which factory I got them from, the rep could be heralded "most accurate ever", I will eventually find big and small flaws. Can I live with it (the rep)...? I guess that is why I have dozens of reps and only regularly wear 2 or 3.

 

[Teamjlf]

The main to factor in here with all reps is they can’t be treated like gen watches. You have to be more mondful sold everything you do with them. Avoid using chrono , avoid too much manual winding, avoid swimming with them, acoid too many mechanical type interactions with them ( bezel use , screw crown in and out too often etc ). Avoid severe shocks / dropping and over use on watch winders etc.

These things are designed as a placebo feel good trinket on your wrist and are definitely not built to last like a gen. They are also built to a price point with scant quality control checks ( if any at all ) so the watch you end up receiving is likely to have some small issues from the get go. ( loose bezels , noisy rotors , rattle bracelets , loose tolerances on keyless - sloppy time changing and gritty winding. ). All of these things also come standard on most Seiko purchases as well…..

Many alignment issues can be verified via QC prior to GL but almost all mechanical issues are pot luck. End of the day you’re buying a watch that cost less than a service on most gen so the price pretty much sets the expectation on what you’re getting. 10% of the cost 80% of the look and feel and 10% reliability.

They are reps, we live dangerously….. enjoy.

 

[BlossomboofyBoofystewie2]

I've never had the problems you have had with my purchases BUT BEFORE I buy anything, I thoroughly research on here which MANUFACTURER I want and then go to a trusted dealer. The idea of buying so many watches at once is not the way I'de "play the game" unless you are not going to go "into the hobby" and spend a lot of time on research.
You will find the guys on here are geniuses in this game and by following them you won't be disappointed.
The other way I do it is this: For example, I wanted a Patek 5712, blue dial in SS (something I would never pay the Gen price for) so i contacted a well known modder on here called "legend" (AND the name really suits him!) and I sent the money to him for him to buy the watch HE thought would best suit me and then he modded it for for me. So much so that you would find it impossible to tell it was a rep from the wrist. He did a GREAT job! Sure, I paid "legend" but it was well worth it! Now, this takes A LOT of time to go from ordering to having the finished product on your wrist (let's say around 3 months) BUT that is part of the "fun" of the hobby.

Sure you can do it YOUR way and get watches cheaper and quicker but don't expect to get the best possible with (at least) no research.

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Rx4Time]

Ok, so first, do you know the makers of the watches, or even what movements are in them? It sounds like you picked lower to mid tier level watches from the limited descriptions. If you are unusure, you can post pictures of the watches here and you can probably get more information then you need on each. Once you figure out what you have then we can offer you suggestions. Also, where are you located,? The next step will be to get in contact with a watchsmith to get them repaired and regulated unless you are interested in trying this yourself? The fogging lens, that is probably a leaking seal. Did the TD pressure test it? I know some show the watches will pass 3 ATM during the QA. You can consider removing the caseback and letting it sit with a dessicant in an air tight container to remove residual humidity which may have been trapped during assembly, although this is unlikely the issue (more likely a leaky gasket). The two that are loosing time, you can probably regulate yourself. There are cell phone apps like watch accuracy meter (android) which offer basic timeographer information to help you regulate them and determine how well they are running. It's also possible on one or more got magnitized in transit.

 

[BlossomboofyBoofystewie2]

Ok, so first, do you know the makers of the watches, or even what movements are in them? It sounds like you picked lower to mid tier level watches from the limited descriptions. If you are unusure, you can post pictures of the watches here and you can probably get more information then you need on each. Once you figure out what you have then we can offer you suggestions. Also, where are you located,? The next step will be to get in contact with a watchsmith to get them repaired and regulated unless you are interested in trying this yourself? The fogging lens, that is probably a leaking seal. Did the TD pressure test it? I know some show the watches will pass 3 ATM during the QA. You can consider removing the caseback and letting it sit with a dessicant in an air tight container to remove residual humidity which may have been trapped during assembly, although this is unlikely the issue (more likely a leaky gasket). The two that are loosing time, you can probably regulate yourself. There are cell phone apps like watch accuracy meter (android) which offer basic timeographer information to help you regulate them and determine how well they are running. It's also possible on one or more got magnitized in transit.

Like I said....... the guys on here are geniuses!

 

[djf1]

Thank you guys so much for your responses. I have been on this board for a while so I did my best guess to choose the TD as well as choose the watches, with cost not necessarily be a factor. I have spend over 2.5K so far... by the testimonials on this board the Lemania manual winding mechanism is really good so I choose the Snoopy ( OMF) and the Daytona as outside of the recent 4130 super clone and the 800 price tag on a new Daytona, i did not want to take a risk, so I chose the less expensive option based on the mechanism alone and the reviews of it... Little did I know that the Daytona looks and feels cheap and the mechanism on the Snoopy arrived broken.

The Yacht Master is a BP with the SA3135 mechanism, after the gasket replacement and the service the watch smith here did, it works like a champ and its a good looking replica.

My wife's datejust is another BP with the refurbished Swiss ETA 2671, which is as I understand its THE mechanism to have, I paid $538 for it with the wrapped gold option, not the plated one and I was very confident on this, based on all the reviews here... THIS watch of everything I needed to have 100% right as that would allow less nagging for more purchasesI know you guys know what im talking about! However, this was one loosing heaps of time daily and it had a "hair something" broken, apologies im not technical, but again the great local watch smith, fixed it and serviced it , so now it works great...

The IWC is a ZF with the A7750 mechanism and as I said above really works like a champ out of the box and looks and feels incredible.
Finally the Breitling is a Premier B01 with again the A7750 mechanism and also now works great after being serviced ( was loosing a bit of time, but not much)

My next watch which Im almost ready to pull the trigger is a CLEAN factory Daytona, I read that they are the best, so I think I will pull the trigger on it as well as a GMT and a Submariner which I have been lusting for along time. Im going to change the TD, hope this time im lucky and get all of them working...Im thankful to all of you for your honesty, it does seem like a lottery but I get it..and Im actually grateful and happy with what I have chosen so far. I guess I was stuck on the QC and what is the point really since one watch was not actually working and the other one was loosing heaps of time, so it makes me question the obvious...

Thank you again everyone for "managing my expectations" and I will report once i get the new batch! Wish me luck...