Reaps Generic Guide to The Replica Game in 2025. How Do I Do Research? Which Model Should I Pick? Waterproofing? TD selection/issues? FAQ and more....

[Reaps]

Reaps Generic Guide to The Replica Game in 2025. How Do I Do Research? Which Model Should I Pick? Waterproofing? TD selection/issues? FAQ and more....​

Changelog :​

Last updated: April 2025
April 12 2025 - Creation of this thread

I’ve been inundated recently and got tired of answering the same posts over and over again. While respect is given to all the guides and content on RWI, I find some of it outdated. So I wrote this to collect most of the things I have answered to new members over and over. I split this guide into 4 parts. I will try to keep this updated with more and more advice. As the replica game changes, things get updated, questions I think are relevant for new members are asked, I will keep the guide updated.

If you have anything or any advice that you think should be on this guide, DM me and we'll work something out. I tried to keep the guide simplistic , comprehensive and timeless enough that it applies to everyone/all watches but the replica game is vast and unknowing... who knows what it'll look like 5 years from now.

Sections : ​

1. Most Asked Questions / FAQ and Answers :
2. How to do research, if you’re not lazy.
3. TD selection, TD issue resolution, and non-TDs
4. M2M advice
5. Generic rules/advice from me to you

 

[Reaps]

Most Asked Questions / FAQ and Answers :​

Q : What’s the best X?”​

• Generic answer:
  • Whatever the Reddit Excel Gives you:
  • https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...uu7wsZcgwbfGiNhjAV28g5UMKSGJe4/htmlview?pli=1
• Nuanced answer:
  • There is no such thing as “best replica”. Even amongst high level factories there exists subtle differences.
    Use google to read up on the threads. For example, searching “VSF Submariner 116610 RWI” will give you literally hundreds of threads with experience. Every model has subtle nuances that you need to learn. If you need more info, read the second part of this “guide” on “how to do research”.
  • https://forum.replica-watch.info/th...st-ap-etc-the-wrong-questions-to-ask.9218043/

Q: I can’t decide between X, Y, Z factory for Rolex/Breitling/Panerai or whatever!!! Which one should I go for?”​

• Generic answer:
  • Follow the guide. If you still can’t decide and are unwilling to read and do research, then whichever one you can get for cheaper. Most high level / high tier Rolex replicas are good enough. If you ask that question, then you don’t care about the nuance between the models. Moderate research and info will tell you all you need to know about them.
• Nuanced answer:
  • It’s all about doing research for your specific model. If you go into specific models, for two tone submariners, I prefer Clean to VSF due to gold tone and the dial being better. But maybe another member will prefer VSF due to the movement and the crystal
  • Another example, Oyster Perpetual, I generally recommend Clean over VSF but for the Tiffany OP, I prefer VSF because the color is correct over Clean.
  • And even then, there’s nuance. For example, if you’re on a budget, the $500 VSF Daytona is a great deal, much better than Clean. Is the difference of $200 between VSF and Clean worth the details for you? Maybe not.
  • Long story short: do your research. For Rolex, there are thousands of people who have purchased the same watches before you. Use their experience. Read the second part of my guide to know more.

Q: “Should I Super Franken? What about X/Y/Z mod?”​

• Generic Answer:
  • If you’re new/first rep/no experience in watches, don’t mod until you get it into hand.
  • If you're experienced and have a keen eye for details, I still suggest you get it in hand before you do anything.
• Nuanced Answer
  • If you’re new, the generic answer is: wait until you have the watch in hand before you decide if you can live with these so called “flaws”. If you do have a problem with them, then decide to superfranken/mod. But most new members I have advised always end up leaving the watch stock after receiving it in hand. After all, a watch photo blown up 10x is very different to a watch you wear on wrist.
  • Most of the time the only true mod I really insist on is Deep crystal for 116x series Daytonas, and bezel action mod for Clean GMT 2. These are often the most popular mods. The rest is really quite optional. And this is still personal preference imho. Some people can live with the Clean crystal on Daytonas. And they're not necessarily çloser to gen, just resolves perceived flaws with a watch.
  • Even then, it’s all about what people can tolerate. For example, I own a PPF 5712 which has a wrong colored moonphase and kind of meh dial. But I don’t care enough/wear it enough to spend the $300+ to change the dial and moonphase. So I’m fine with it
  • It’s only us RWI whales/freaks that end up spending hundreds/thousands of dollars to mod small flaws out of replicas. If you can’t live with the flaw, then that’s when you should start formulating a plan to mod.
  • Gen parts and modding are by nature, the definition of diminishing returns. $1000 for some gen parts for a 5% improvement on modern replicas... only you can determine if it's worth it to you. For some members it is. For others with a large collection, perhaps we don't wear a watch enough to care.
  • Gen parts on a watch make it expensive and harder to sell M2M. There seems to be a “market limit” of around $1000 on how easy it is to sell a watch. Over this threshold it becomes much harder to sell replica watches. This is the honest truth of the matter. Go look at our M2M sales section and see how many superfrankens have been unsold for a long time.

Q: “Are clone movements reliable? Should I get them serviced? How long will they last?”​

Comprehensive Guide to Clone Movements Found in Rolex Reps

Change Log: August 25th 2022 - Initial version published on r/RepTime March 9th 2023 - Updated version published on RWI. Updated to include information about the new SH3285 found in C+ Factory GMTs and DD3285 found in Clean Factory GMTs. March 14th 2023 - Update to include a link to Steve's...

forum.replica-watch.info

• Generic Answer:
  • Yes, mostly reliable. At least for most modern Rolex Clones. Don’t service until there is an issue. Noone can tell you how long a replica lasts, could be 2 weeks to 5 years. Depends on the guy who assembled it that day and if his wife jerked him off last night or not.
  • I don’t make any promises, but most modern VR/VS movements are very reliable and can last at minimum a year.
  • Daily wear watch? You should get it serviced. Just personal advice. If not daily wear? You can probably not service it and be fine for a while.
  • If this stuff is truly a concern, stick with the ETA clones, 2836, 2892, 2824, M9015, etc.
  • Broken watches are just part of the replica game. There is no situation where I can guarantee 100% reliability because everyone wears their watch differently and every movement is assembled differently.
• Nuanced Answer:
  • Depending on what movement you are talking about it is difficult to say. I can’t give advice on every single movement out there in the replica game, it’s too much. In general, and in my experience, I only have had a few issues with some of the replica clone movements. The Rolex clone movements are mostly beasts and will last at least a year without any issue if you wear the watch nicely.
  • Even then, most of these movements come dry and improperly lubricated. So if it’s a keeper or a daily wear, I really do suggest servicing it.
  • Some movements I insist on servicing straight out of the gate. In my mind this is the A240. Stuff like the DD925 clone, etc. Fragile watches like that won’t last super long without a service.
  • A person who smashes their wrist and watch and plays sports with their watch, their watch will run/last very differently to someone who is more careful with their watch. That’s the honest truth of the matter.
  • Outside of Rolex replicas, just keep in mind, the more that a movement is heavily modified, the more unreliable it becomes.

Q: “Is X/Y/Z watch waterproof??? Can I take it into water??? How come replica factories don’t make watches waterproof when my $10 Casio is waterproof?”​

• Generic Answer:
  • Take untested replicas into the water at your own risk. If you don’t like this, don’t buy replicas. Most members advise not taking any watch into water unless it has been tested by a watch maker or by yourself. Most TDs also do not cover warranty against water damage. If you don’t like it then don’t buy a replica, use a $50 Casio Duro instead.
• Nuanced Answer:
  • Most modern sports replicas can be made water proof. The issue is usually not the construction but the assembly of watches. Missing O-rings, improperly seated gaskets, pinched gaskets, loose caseback from factories, unlubed/dry gaskets these are all common items seen on replicas (yes even modern ones) that can compromise water resistance. And if you want to criticize this, well the people who assembly replicas are not exactly the cream of the crop watch makers adhering to standards, now, are they? Just accept this as part of the replica game.
  • My personal experience is that almost all my VSF/Clean watches have passed all water tests with proper greased seals. Cheaper replicas too, such as my M+ FXD and Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. But I’ve had a few that failed initial tests straight out of the gate. So never assume, always test. You can end up with a paper weight because you were too cheap to spend $30 on a test.

Q: “TD description says X/Y/Z!!! Naming convention of TD says X/Y/Z. Marketing material says X/Y/Z clone!!! They say waterproof from factory 30m!!! How come you say otherwise?”​

• Generic Answer:
  • Take most info from TD websites with a grain of salt. Experienced members know that they mostly copy paste old descriptions and maybe perhaps give inaccurate info. No offense to our TDs, but we have seen many situations of inaccurate/incorrect information. Which is why firsthand experience from members is much better as a baseline. Don’t trust it too much unless you see real photos proving otherwise.
• Examples I’ve seen:
  
  • TD listing movement as SH3135 when it’s actually the VR3135. Also no unified naming convention of movements. SA4130 being used to label both SH4130, SL4801, and DD4130. This is why you need to build research and experience if you want to know what you’re getting
  • TD listing case is made out of steel when it’s actually made out of Titanium/vice versa.
  • TD listing inaccurate dimensions on thickness
  • TD listing “18K gold plating” when there is not an ounce of real gold electrons in any of the plating
  • TD listing movement as 7750 when it is ST19
  • Marketing info advertising “clone movement” when it was really 7750 modified.

Q: “What about gold/precious metal watches??? Should I get them??”​

• Generic Answer:
  • In general, I advise members to be wary of gold watches and know what they’re getting into. There is no “one size fits all” solution here. Ask 10 people on the forum and you will have 10 different opinions.
  • If you’re seeking accuracy, avoid gold watches/precious metal unless you are willing to replate them. This is just generic advice. There is no promise they will last over time. I'm not saying that you shouldn't try them, I'm just saying be aware of potential issues such as color mismatch, tarnishing, etc.
  • Here’s one of my experience. Yours may vary with environment.
    • https://forum.replica-watch.info/th...ikachu-spoilers-i-dont-recommend-it.10974104/
  • On the contrary/opposite side of the coin, I also own a rose gold Blancpain that have not tarnished despite being 3 years old.... and a plated rep that has lasted. So you can make them work as well. Many members do own gold watches, plated and unplated.
  • And here's also a thread showcasing members with gold replicas, people who own them with no issues :
    • https://forum.replica-watch.info/th...watches-here-for-our-ogling-pleasure.6603124/
• Nuanced Answer:
  • Different factories, different plating techniques, and different compositions all contribute to different gold plating finishes and different colors. And even throughout the years this changes as well.
  • Everyone has different experience. It depends on your environment, and how you treat/take care of the watch. In general, gold watches that are unplated are not daily wear type of watches in my opinion. I know some members who have pieces that are a few years old that haven’t tarnished. Some members put stickers on the watch and it helps prevent tarnishing. Some members advise for a nanocoat over their watches (I don’t know how well this works). I also have watches that discolored within a month of owning them.

Q: “Can you QC my watch for me? I don’t know what I’m looking at”​

• https://forum.replica-watch.info/threads/a-little-on-qc-pics.136582/
• Generic Answer:
  • No. Go to /r/reptimeqc and let them do it for you instead if you are lazy. You either put in the effort to look at watches or you “trust” someone else to do it for you.
• Nuanced Answer:
  • Everyone has something different they can tolerate. Everyone has different situations. For me, I have a watch maker so I can fix most “issues” that people have. Maybe you don’t have one so you are pickier with QC. Maybe I care about the fitment of the bracelet more than some misaligned marker. Or maybe I care about X/Y/Z over A/B/C.
  • A word of advice. QC originally was meant for large defects/issues, and to confirm you are receiving the right watch. I actually have experienced this, getting QC for a 116500 when I ordered a 126500. But nowadays it has morphed into something insane, people rejecting watches for some tiny misalignment or rehaut error. Every single spec of dust and mark is analyzed and broken down
  • While it’s hard to say whether or not some of these are justified, since every QC is different, remember that every rejection you make is undue stress and added cost for the TD who risk going to jail. If you have to reject more than 2-3 times, consider then that maybe you cannot get a watch/replica from that factory to a standard that will satisfy you.
  • One man’s RL is another man’s GL
  • If you have to draw arrows and zoom in 10x on your watch to show me the issue, then it’s not an issue.
    • 
  • Swiss and gen watches are not perfect either. Go look at chrono24 and google about Rolex/Patek and you’ll find some horror stories.

Q: “What does "in-stock" mean for TDs? Does this mean they have the watch on hand ready to go? (Short answer : Nope)​

• Generic Answer :
  • No. In general in stock means they can source it from the factory. It does NOT mean they have the watch ready to go for you. Very rarely do they ever hold stock of watches at all ready to go.
• Nuanced Answer :
  • As stated, "in-stock" means they can source it from the factory, not that they have it in hand and ready to go. You can usually tell the difference. When a dealer says something like "24HR QC READY TO SHIP", this is usually in the indication that they have the actual watches in hand. But otherwise, always assume that "in stock" = "they can order it"

Q: “Dealer says they would get QC in X/Y/Z days and now it's X days + 3... am I getting scammed?"​

• Generic Answer :
  • Treat "deadlines" in the replica more like suggestions, not hard deadlines. If you treat it like this your life is much easier. The dealer does not control how fast a watch gets delivered to them unfortunately. And illegal replica supply chains are shoddy at best.
• Nuanced Answer :
  • TDs usually just copy paste generic responses/replies, usually they say 7-14 days for QC or whatever. But this is just generic and an estimate. It can take longer or it can take shorter.
  • For example, take at the current time, VS only releases their watches once or twice a month in batches. If you get unlucky you can wait a month or more for a specific variant of watch from them. If they don't release it in one batch, you have to wait until the next batch.
  • From experience, popular watches or rare watches are very long to source. From TD or non TD it doesn't matter. When the GMT 2 from Clean first released, that was a 2-3 month waiting time. The PPF 5712 had similar wait times when first released as well. Right now we're seeing APSF 4401 26240 having a 1-2 month wait time. So yeah.
  • My personal wait time... 3 months is my record for my GMF Arabic Tungsten Daydate. Yes, 3 months.

Q: “My tracking hasn't updated... my tracking is X/Y/Z...... my tracking is showing X status... should I be afraid?"​

• Generic Answer :
  • I cannot speak to every single tracking status but in general, 95% of the time, there is no need to panic.
    • First of all try these sites:
      • https://www.17track.net/en
      • https://parcelsapp.com/
      • https://postal.ninja/en
  • Tracking status is almost always automated and not to be fully trusted 100%. Contrary to what most people think, it is ALL automated. That means sometimes you can get errors or missed status updates on the journey.
  • Some of the tracking, depending on the company/carrier, will not update or show until it reaches your country. I personally have had watches delivered with NO tracking status updates.
  • US specific, if you see a "Label is created in the system JAMAICA/NY" immediately 1-2 days after shipping, this does not mean your watch is in the US. Your watch is being shipped to the US with a separate shipping carrier. It will then be handed to USPS for the final leg of the journey. The USPS status will not update until that package is handed over to them.
• Nuanced Answer :
  • International shipping is a difficult beast to judge. Most of the time issues are easy to resolve. New members/people often lash out at TDs for this but there is nothing they can do most of the time.
  • If you ever sell M2M and get into a dispute about a lost package/mail, you will understand why TDs get frustrated about shipping. There is very little they can do regarding errors or lost packages. Depending on their warranty/stance, you will be covered or not. Do your research and get it in writing before hand!
  • If there's some issue with shipping when your package is in your country, try to resolve with the shipping carrier/post office for lost mail FIRST. This is usually your first step. Do not rely on TD to do everything for you. If a package is lost by USPS, YOU have a better chance of dealing with it than your TD! I cannot speak to EU shipping but the generic advice of talking to your local post office still applies!

 

[Reaps]

How to do research, if you’re not lazy.​

Earlier I talked about “doing research, doing research”. I actually see this term thrown around a lot. But what does this actually mean? Let’s follow along with an example I’ve been looking at recently. The Planet Ocean 43.5mm America’s Cup

These are the generic steps I usually take when doing replica research:

1. Figure out if a replica actually exists for this watch
2. Evaluate all the factories that produce this watch
3. Look at dealer websites, compare the different versions of this watch with the images they post online and look for details.
4. Look at RWI/RWG/Reddit for people’s experience, reviews, and threads about this watch.
5. Look at gen pictures/gen analysis of the watch on Youtube, Chrono24, and legitimate websites, see if you can find anything different.
6. Try to find real QC pictures of the watch amongst swezgo/yupoo/reddit/RWI and other places. See if there’s any common issues with the watch.
7. Evaluate the watch movement and see if there’s any complaints or issues and if you can live with it.
8. Compare everything together
9. Make a decision on pricing,

So let’s do this example with the Planet Ocean 43.5mm Replica. First of all, does it exist? Using google and searching on one of the TDs pages, we get.... :

Google Search

Okay, so Steve website and RWI shows 1-2 threads. Already this tells me this watch is nuanced and not popular. But VSF makes this, and they’re generally a pretty good factory for Planet Ocean from my experience. Since there's only one maker of this, it makes it much easier in my eyes.

Luckily for me, there’s 1 thread with 4 pages of research where people have discussed this :

https://forum.replica-watch.info/threads/planet-ocean-36th-america’s-cup-limited-edition.8919009/

Another good thread appears on our sister forum :

Omega Planet Ocean Americas Cup 2021 - VSF

For those of you that dont know the watch, its one of a few Specials Edition watches made for the 36th Americas Cup (its a sailing event if you didnt already know), held in Auckland New Zealand in 2021. Omega were also a sponsor of the Kiwi boat that won the cup and the British boat skippered by ...

www.rwg.bz

Reading through the thread, I see a few interesting comments. First of all is that the “numerals “of the watch lack a blue outline. Some minor comments about color not being super red and strap quality being not that great. Fine, typical comments about replicas. Nothing that makes me jump.





From the pictures I like it. They did the caseback correctly, they have the cool detail such as the America Cup countertip seconds hand. VSF is pretty good with these Planet Oceans. The dial has the ZrO2 marking. Comparing with gen picture they did everything correctly so no issue. Maybe some minor color difference but nothing that will break my experience of this watch.

Okay, what about movement? Steve photos and experience, I know this watch runs the VSF PO 8900 clone, which is a custom movement. Some research shows a few threads :

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=8900+VSF+movement+breakdown

https://www.reddit.com/r/RepTimeServices/comments/q7ja1s
https://forum.replica-watch.info/threads/repair-options-for-vsf-8900-po.10954875/

Watch maker on reddit says it’s a good movement and in general VSF movements are well made, if not poorly lubricated. However, we also know from these threads that you cannot find spare parts for the watch when it’s broken. Ok, so I know what I’m getting into. A clone movement that is mostly reliable but no spare parts if broken.

What about the real watch? Well let’s do some research:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=planet+ocean+america+cup

https://www.chrono24.com/omega/ref-21532432104001.htm

Yep, in my eyes, there’s not much to comment. The thread was pretty correct. Comparing Steve’s images to these real watches, I can’t really see anything that pokes out at me. The comment about the gen having a blue outline/rim on the numerals is correct. So a minor flaw. And the rep strap, true to form, also looks a little worse than gen.

Last of all, let’s do a QC check on other people’s QC :

Google Search

https://www.reddit.com/r/RepTimeQC/comments/1en500k
https://www.reddit.com/r/RepTimeQC/comments/19crmg9
https://www.reddit.com/r/RepTimeQC/comments/w5hya8/vsf_omega_americas_cup_planet_ocean_seamaster/

Okay, no issues. Some garbage level comments from Reddit per usual being ultra picky but I usually ignore their comments and just evaluate the watch from these photos. Furthermore, I see that Hont prices this watch at $378. So I have a baseline to evaluate price now as well.

And voila. You just did research and built knowledge about a watch that you’re interested in. That took me less than 2 hours to do to evaluate the watch. And this is a very niche/unpopular watch. Take for example, the VSF Submariner 116610LN... there are a literally hundreds of threads about this watch, loads of pictures, reddit photos, comparisons with gen, Clean, and other top factories......

Question:
“Reaps, I did all of this, there’s literally no information on this watch at all”
Answer:
If there’s nothing on it and only some cursory pictures/threads, then my honest advice is: don’t buy it. Don’t guinea pig it. If there’s no info on it, it’s probably not wise to buy it.

Deeper Advice : ​

There is no shortcut to building knowledge. You will have to do research, read, and engage your brain. Maybe even use critical thinking. But it’s nothing hard. It’s like a giant game of spot the differences. There are 4 things you need to concern with:

• Build knowledge of genuine watch.
• Build knowledge of the replica watch
• Learn how to do your own QC
• Buy a lot of replica watches, handle them, gather experiences with them. This is truly the only real way to build knowledge past just doing research.

To understand and know watches and replicas, you need to know the genuine watch first, so you have the knowledge to compare to the replica watch. That means you need to build knowledge of luxury watches. First of all, the internet nowadays has a plethora of information. 95% of watches info are discussed online.

• Youtube, Chrono24, Watch Forums, and Google are your biggest sources of information.
• Some particular favorites of mine is The 1916 Company/Watchbox Channel, which has almost 99% of luxury watches on video that people will ever care to look at.
• Hodinkee, Bob's Watches, etc, lots of good content on watches out there. Just read and evaluate pictures. Even “gen watch” forums have good content regarding watches. Build your knowledge through these sites.

Second of all, then you move onto the replicas. For this, our dealer websites, RWI threads, and Reddit (take with a grain of salt) are invaluable.

• Search “REPLICA NAME/FACTORY” + RWI / REDDIT / RWG on Google and you’ll find lots of threads.
• Put in the research to do so.

Lastly, look at QC of watches that you’re interested in. How do I build knowledge of what I’m looking at on QC? Easy. Other than the generic advice of reading all the threads, etc, I suggest you spend time on /r/RepTimeQC looking at other people’s QC. Or you can look at dealer QC pages, such as the yupoo/swezgo pages of Hont/Anidiot. Slowly but surely you’ll get to see hundreds and hundreds of watches. Know what you’re looking at.

Even for someone like me, there is just too much information about watches and models to be fully proficient. I learn something new everyday.

 

[Reaps]

TD selection, TD issue resolution, and non-TDs​

Trusted Rep Dealers

The websites & email addresses listed here are the only one to be used. Any other website found online or in a post other than from the dealer itself are not recommended Be careful, copycat websites are one of the most common scam out there and their addresses are very similar.

forum.replica-watch.info

How to pick a TD? I get this question asked quite often. Simple.

All TDs can source the same watches. Some TDs have better connection to factories than others. Some are more willing to source hard to find watches than others. Some have excellent customer service, some… not so much. Some only source low-tier watches, some only do high-tier watches. So not all TDs are equal. This explains their pricing as well. It’s up to you to decide which one you want.

• Read their reviews in their section.
• Always use the links found on RWI, never google the TD links.
  

  IMPORTANT. READ THEIR TERMS AND CONDITIONS, SHIPPING, AND ALL THINGS. LOOK AT THEIR WARRANTY IF THEY OFFER ANY. READ ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS!!​

  Ask TDs what their policy coverage is for seizure, lost packages, damage goods is. Everyone is different. Ask them what their warranty covers. Did you know most TD don't cover any form of water damage? ​

  New members for example, always make the mistake of peeling off stickers immediately. Do NOT do this. Test the watch out first, make sure it has no issues, all functions work, time keeping is ok, etc. Once you peel off the stickers you void all possible exchange/return options and are STUCK WITH THE WATCH.​

• Ask around multiple TDs to see if you can get a better pricing or deals. At the time of the writing, I think most members don’t do this enough.
  • For example, Marvellous Replica has deals for Daytona at $500 and VSF Submariner at $400. This is significantly lower than most dealers I see.
  • https://forum.replica-watch.info/th...-116508-116506-116518-116519-dd4130.10997765/
  • https://forum.replica-watch.info/th...vsf-submariners-40mm-400usd-shipped.10994989/
• Film yourself opening the package to prevent any issues. I know some members hate this advice but I find it to hold true for almost every package coming from China, not just replicas. Unfortunately, with the rise in package theft, I advise this for ALL transactions, not just TD but also M2M.
• Remember, the people who are the loudest are the ones who post bad reviews. People who have a good experience often never post their reviews. Only when you have a bad experience will you post one. You will never find a 100% perfect dealer in the game.

​

Question : What if I have an issue with TD?​

While many issues are different, here’s some advice to keep in mind:

• TDs are not gods. They cannot control everything. I see members cry foul about all sorts of shit. TD cannot control shipping times, customs, damaged watches in packages, factory delivery times/QC, etc. This is why it is recommended to be patient but also, shit just happens in the replica game.
• Evidence, evidence, evidence. This is the number one rule. If you need something, you should probably back it up with evidence.
• Be polite and cordial. Never be rude, never accuse them of anything. My interactions with the Chinese is that they take honor very seriously. You accuse them of being a scammer or any bad words, it leaves them a very sour taste.
• Have an understanding that you both are speaking different languages. Keep the communication short and sweet. No long rambling paragraphs.
• If you want you can use Deepl or ChatGPT to translate into Chinese. I actually have done this a bunch of times to prevent misunderstanding.
• TDs also are human, take breaks, sleep, and have holiday. They are also working in different time zone. So if they don’t get back to you, it's most likely not ignoring but one of the things I've stated before.
• Try to work together with the TD to come to an understanding. What do you want as a resolution? What do they offer? Come to a middle ground.
• If you have discussed, talked with, and calmly done everything you think is reasonable, and really are at the limit of your wits for your problem, only then is it suggested to raise a Help Desk Ticket. And even then. RWI is not your mother. They will try their best....

Question : Should I send my watch back to China?​

RWI Recommendation: DO NOT RETURN YOUR WATCH TO CHINA - A caution to the wind

Members, while this has been said for years, it begs to be refreshed. RWI fully recommends that you DO NOT SEND YOUR WATCHES BACK TO A TD. If your watch is broken, the wrong watch, or anything, I suggest the following: If it is broken, we have a whole section of trusted Watchmakers section...

forum.replica-watch.info

The answer is difficult. In my eyes, I would rather not. But if you have a clone movement that is impossible to fix or find spare parts for, then your only choice will be to send it back.

However, please be aware, that most TDs, they do not take responsibility for the watch if it gets lost on the way back. Chinese customs is INFAMOUS for being a black hole for goods entering the country. You have been warned. RWI generally will not do anything regarding this. So if you send it back and the watch is lost in the black hole that is China, then there's nothing to do.

Additionally, it can take many months for a watch to be repaired. This is normal and common experience. The reason for this is most factories do not accept returns or after sales bar a few. VSF is one of these factories that is infamous for this. TD will then have to repair the watch with a watch maker, which can be difficult depending on the problem.

This is why I recommend that you never peel stickers off on a new watch and test the watch before deciding to keep it.

I have sent 2 watches back and gotten them repaired (Panerai P9000 movement). But it was just a luck of the draw and most watches I keep to fix with my local watch maker.

Question : What about non TDs?​

As I have posted many times, many of us use non-TDs regularly. But I really don’t suggest new members to use non-TD if you have no understanding of the replica game.

There are legitimate non-TDs that have been used by many non-members. But there are also MANY, MANY, websites, scams, and dealers. So if you do your research.

There’s a few issues about non-TDs.

• How can you trust them to send you what you ordered? Are you experienced enough to tell what watch is from what factory?
• How will you know if you even get anything at all?
• How will they fare with after sales problems? Damage on arrival? Repairs?
• What happens if they don’t receive your money despite you sending it? What will you do then?

In my experience, while some legitimate non-TD is cheaper and faster than TD, in general they have less understanding for “Westerners” and customer understanding. And they don’t really care once they’ve sent you the watch. You have no recourse/fight with them if they chose to hold your money and cut you off. If you get a package seized or lost without proper insurance coverage, it’s up to them to uphold it, they can very well chose not to.

I’ve had this personally happen to me multiple times. I’ve eaten a few packages that disappeared and chalked it up to the wind. I’ve also received damaged on arrival goods and just got a big smile and shrug and nothing. By pretty “famous” non-TDs in the game that many members here have used. It’s just the nature of the game. We aren’t in China, so how can expect local Chinese dealers to offer us any warranty?

Let me play a game with you. Below are images of 41mm Two Tone Submariner. All 3 are from different factories. I blanked the serial out. So which one is from which factory? If you cannot answer this to me, I suggest you don’t use a non-TD. And yes, experienced members can tell which one is from which factory. I dare you give a shot. It's quite obvious if you know the tell for each watch.



And just for fun, take a look at this. A "fake" of a "fake"

Comparison between Gen Clean and Most Recent Fake Clean

At present, there are many versions that imitate Clean on the market, but after comparing them from the dial strap movement and other aspects, they will find that their restoration in every detail cannot reach the level of Clean. 1. The front of the watch is the most concerned place, so the...

forum.replica-watch.info

 

[Reaps]

M2M Sales And Advice​

There have been a trillion threads about M2M sales. There’s not much more I can give advice on.

• Be aware of scammers active. We have an infamous Icelandic dude running around, elaborately scamming members for many years now. He is difficult and the moderators cannot be omnipresent.
• Buy the seller, not the watch. This new member with 3 posts who isn't certified is offering you the watch you've been looking for? Come on don't be a rube.
• If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is. Trust your gut.
• Do your due diligence. Research previous deals with members. The watch is not going anywhere. Even long time members with good reputation have scammed before. The Brig is full of them. So be careful and trust your gut.
• Don’t trust the seller blindly about condition. Ask about the watch, condition. For example, one mistake I see members often do is that they don’t count how many links the watch comes with.

 

[Reaps]

Generic Advice : ​

1. Rule 1 : DO NOT SPEND MONEY ON REPLICA IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE IT. DO NOT GO INTO DEBT FOR SOME CHINESE TRINKET WATCHES.​

2. Rule 2 : SHIT HAPPENS SOMETIMES. YOU EITHER CRY ABOUT IT OR YOU TRY TO LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS. FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD. RELATED TO RULE ONE AS WELL. ​

3. Rule 3 : BE POLITE, CORDIAL, AND RESPECTFUL, AND YOU’LL RECEIVE THE SAME IN RETURN. TREAT OTHERS LIKE YOU WISH TO BE TREATED.​

4. Rule 4 : GEN IS GEN, REP IS REP. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS 1:1 UNLESS YOU BUY A GENUINE WATCH. THEY CAN LOOK CLOSE BUT IT NEVER IS TRULY 1:1. ​

5. Rule 5 : PATIENCE IS KING. FOR EVERYTHING.​

6. Rule 6 : IF YOU WANT TO PLAY THE GAME LONG TERM, FIND A RELIABLE WATCH MAKER. ​

7. Rule 7: KILL THE EGO. WE ALL LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY. EVEN ME. ​

8. Rule 8: BUY THE SELLER, NOT THE WATCH. IF IT FEELS OFF, DON'T SEND MONEY. ​

9. Rule 9: RWI IS A COMMUNITY FIRST AND FOREMOST. WE ARE NOT A HELP DESK OR BUTLER, NOR A GLORIFIED MARKET PLACE. YOUR REPUTATION MATTERS.​

 

[Reaps]

[Hold for future posts]

 

[eBoy]

Let's sticky this...

But I can already tell that it'll be 99% too much reading material for 99.99% of the noob crowd and they'll just keep naggi.. Uh, I mean asking.

 

[Jossé]

Impressive effort! This will benefit many

 

[derjenigewelcher]

Last updated: April 2025

I’ve been inundated recently and got tired of answering the same posts over and over again. While respect is given to all the guides and content on RWI, I find some of it outdated. So I wrote this to collect most of the things I have answered to new members over and over. I split this guide into 4 parts.

I will try to keep this updated with more and more advice.

1. “Most asked questions”
2. “How to do research?”
3. "TD selection, TD issue resolution, and non-TDs"
4. "M2M advice"
5. "Generic rules/advice from me to you"

Post of the year 2025! This must be sticky in every SubForum!

 

[eBoy]

Impressive effort! This will benefit many

As with all the other valuable resources on RWI: Many lazy slackers will unfortunately ignore it and expect to be spoon fed in individual threads, but a few will be smart enough to use (read) it and they will benefit greatly.

"Every man is the artisan of his own fortune."

 

[eBoy]

1. Rule 9: RWI IS A COMMUNITY FIRST AND FOREMOST. WE ARE NOT A HELP DESK OR BUTLER​

Absolutely!

Well, expect me. And @Feefo.

We are the noob butlers.

So you don't have to be.

 

[Reaps]

Absolutely!

Well, expect me. And @Feefo.

We are the noob butlers.

So you don't have to be.

Maybe my first rule should be for all new members to blindly obey our lord and saviors @Feefo And @eBoy .

Jokes aside. This thread is for those who actually do research. I cannot save the horse who will not drink water.

The guides are all comprehensive but lack some of the modern takes of replicas in the last few years, such as the Excel, non TDs etc. The advent of superfrankens becoming more prevelant, modding options as well... so I tried to cover the new things.... these are things I wished I knew when I started.

 

[eBoy]

Big Kudos to @Reaps for compiling this!

You're right, a lot of the stickies are outdated. Since it's official forum policy to not delete old content, perhaps it's at least time to add some kind of warning to some of them, as in "Archived thread: Please be advised that some or all of the information may be outdated" or something similar. I'll think of something...

Thanks a lot for putting in the work and writing this up, @Reaps!

 

[Micolash]

Can this post be sticky in the homepage?
Great job, congrats!

 

[Karbon74]

EVEN ME.

Talk about a humble bragger…

 

[Jip7645]

I literally scanned through this within ten minutes and got the main points so there should be no excuse really. This is up to date, to the point and makes sense, great post mate

 

[Mjh2k4]

@Reaps this is an incredible effort! I’ve been buying a reasonable amount for the last 7 months and it was still a great read and the linkouts were superb!

 

[Fiddo]

Great Stuff! Lots of good and helpful information! If only a few benefit from it, then a few have been educated and helped!

 

[moopsy]

Awesome and informative. Definitely some additional resources here I’ll be using. Cheers man, thank you