Reap's Two Year Anniversary on RWI, Recapped w/ Collection, [Extremely picture heavy]

[Cubatobaco]

My family and I are away for a few days and sadly I had to leave some of my watches home alone. I brought 6 with me. Picking them was near impossible lol!

 

[asusundevils1971]

It's like giving your children up for adoption! Each of the pieces I have bring me some form of joy.... sigh

This would be very easy to do... Take the ones that are closest to graduating high school and give them up for adoption as college / university is fecking expensive per year and would have to start selling body parts to pay for it.

I'm lucky and only have one child who is 27 now and couldn't have given her up for adoption when she was a teenager even though she was a pain in me and my wife's ass. <<<<< joking of course for the record...

 

[m5750]

My family and I are away for a few days and sadly I had to leave some of my watches home alone. I brought 6 with me. Picking them was near impossible lol!

I honestly thought I was crazy for bringing 6 + one on my wrist when I traveled. Verified normal behavior

 

[m5750]

@Reaps An extremely enjoyable read. I've never been into anything with a fluted bezel, but the green one....MING. Super nice. Look forward to seeing more. It's been a year for me and I'm up to around 15. I definitely have issues

 

[Cubatobaco]

I honestly thought I was crazy for bringing 6 + one on my wrist when I traveled. Verified normal behavior

Fully verified! I've worn 3 today.

 

[Reaps]

ZF IWC 3714 – The Portugieser Chronograph 40mm. An elegant, refined, dressy chronograph.​

A lot has been said about this piece over in the IWC section, I don’t feel the need to break it down too much. If you want more info do the research. This is more about how the piece meant to me in my collection.

Pros​

• Absolutely gorgeous blued hands and blue numerals.
• Coherently designed watch, super clean, super tidy and well done. (Thanks IWC)
• Nice, supple leather. Satisfying clasp click as well. No complaints, it’s a very well done leather strap + clasp system.
• Probably the most “stable” modified 7750 out there. (Check out this thread : https://forum.replica-watch.info/th...-review-including-movement-break-down.288719/)

Cons​

• Typical ZF shenanigans. QC your stuff hard if you don’t want some issues.
• Wobbly pushers. Feels like if you wobble them too hard they’ll come loose.

What to say about this piece except that it was one of my first true gen loves? If you want to know about it just google the internet. It’s simultaneously elegant, dressy, but somehow feels “masculine”. The numeral markers are elegantly designed. The subdials as well, somehow they break up the monotonous dial but don’t make it look busy. The blued numerals, the blued hands. It's simply, a well executed watch with every single component having great attention to detail. I particularly love the look of the pushers and the case shape. It's totally unique, combined with the crystal.

At one point, this was almost my daily for a month to the office when I got it.

I believe that the rep 3714 is superior to the 3716 due to the smaller size but also the closed caseback. The IWC 3716 exhibition caseback replicas are almost laughable.

IWC somehow made this piece simultaneously super wearable but also gigantic. It’s like a reverse “Seiko Magic”, making small pieces wear large. While it is a 40mm true, it feels like a 42mm. The nonexistent bezel, massive dial face combined with the white color makes it pop on wrist.

Why am I liquidating? Again, I’m less and less of a dress watch guy. I’m glad I bought this watch to wear and love, but like I said, I think “large” and “dress piece” doesn’t fit very well together. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my time with this watch and I don't regret purchasing it for a second. It's not that popular, since it's a older replica and a bit of a unique watch only enjoyed by a certain type of person.

 

[pam63C]

I always like this Portuguese Chrono but never get to own one.

How's about dressing it down with a light color canvas strap ? You may find new love with it.

 

[Reaps]

I always like this Portuguese Chrono but never get to own one.

How's about dressing it down with a light color canvas strap ? You may find new love with it.

I wanted to get a bracelet for it to try it out. I think canvas wouldn't work, it's not like the Mark XX. I tried rubber too but it's so elegant that rubber is like wearing cowboy boots with a suit. It just doesn't fit.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/comments/iiet0y

 

[Got20Mate]

ZF IWC 3714 – The Portugieser Chronograph 40mm. An elegant, refined, dressy chronograph.​

A lot has been said about this piece over in the IWC section, I don’t feel the need to break it down too much. If you want more info do the research. This is more about how the piece meant to me in my collection.

Pros​

• Absolutely gorgeous blued hands and blue numerals.
• Coherently designed watch, super clean, super tidy and well done. (Thanks IWC)
• Nice, supple leather. Satisfying clasp click as well. No complaints, it’s a very well done leather strap + clasp system.
• Probably the most “stable” modified 7750 out there. (Check out this thread : https://forum.replica-watch.info/th...-review-including-movement-break-down.288719/)

Cons​

• Typical ZF shenanigans. QC your stuff hard if you don’t want some issues.
• Wobbly pushers. Feels like if you wobble them too hard they’ll come loose.

What to say about this piece except that it was one of my first true gen loves? If you want to know about it just google the internet. It’s simultaneously elegant, dressy, but somehow feels “masculine”. The numeral markers are elegantly designed. The subdials as well, somehow they break up the monotonous dial but don’t make it look busy. The blued numerals, the blued hands. It's simply, a well executed watch with every single component having great attention to detail. I particularly love the look of the pushers and the case shape. It's totally unique, combined with the crystal.

At one point, this was almost my daily for a month to the office when I got it.

I believe that the rep 3714 is superior to the 3716 due to the smaller size but also the closed caseback. The IWC 3716 exhibition caseback replicas are almost laughable.

IWC somehow made this piece simultaneously super wearable but also gigantic. It’s like a reverse “Seiko Magic”, making small pieces wear large. While it is a 40mm true, it feels like a 42mm. The nonexistent bezel, massive dial face combined with the white color makes it pop on wrist.

Why am I liquidating? Again, I’m less and less of a dress watch guy. I’m glad I bought this watch to wear and love, but like I said, I think “large” and “dress piece” doesn’t fit very well together. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my time with this watch and I don't regret purchasing it for a second. It's not that popular, since it's a older replica and a bit of a unique watch only enjoyed by a certain type of person.

Seriously nice piece, nicely put together unassuming. Just don't think Id be able to pull that size off

 

[Reaps]

BP Explorer 214270 – BBB. Boring but beautiful. My first "love" and my first RWI replica.​

What to say about the Explorer except it was literally my first purchase on RWI 2 years ago? The watch that broke my RWI virginity. The plain jane cute girl next door you had a crush on growing up.

The BP Explorer 214270 is a great entry level watch into the world of replicas. Grabbing one from Hont is only $300. It runs a A2824 so there’s no worries about reliability.

I bought this watch originally because at the time, in 2022, there was no good version of the 36mm Explorer. The GMF/BPF 36mm offering had 20mm lugs (deal breaker) for me. And we were begging for a high end version of the 36mm (now the Explorer line is fully fleshed out by Clean and VSF, the prayers were answered). So the 39mm was the best compromise I had. When I got it, I wore this watch for 3-4 months straight. That's how much I loved it.

What to say about the Explorer… I could honestly write a 3 page essay about what this watch is about. It’s the “platonic ideal of a watch” if you want to be a snob about watches. It’s boring, if you look up a “watch” on an encyclopedia, then an image of Explorer 39mm probably would appear there. No date. 3 hander. Perfectly proportioned. No fancy chronographs, dates, gimmicks. Just a watch in its purest form.

Although there’s some qualms about the whole marketing shctick and if the Explorer was actually the first watch on Everest, and if it’s actually a true “explorer’s watch”, forget all that Rolex horseshit marketing and just appreciate the watch for what it is. Ignore the people that argue that the black Oyster Perpetual is better value and you’re paying for heritage or whatever. The Explorer 39mm is a watch that will stand the test of time. The Explorer hasn’t changed much since its original offering.

The 39mm sizing… honestly before trying it on, I was a snob about the 39mm Explorer size. The true essence of the Explorer has always been 36mm, from its inception, to its classical proportions. But having tried on the replica, I’ve come to really appreciate the 39mm size. It’s the perfect sports watch size for most wrists. And the small subtleties of this watch compared to the other Explorers harkens back to a different time. The matte dial. How they shifted the EXPLORER text to the lower portion of the dial, adding more balance.

The 39mm Explorer is probably a future classic in the Rolex catalogue for those who know Rolex. It was the introduction of the lumed numerals to the whole Explorer line up. And it was a break from the classic sizing of the 36mm Explorer size. It has some cool variations (there are 39mm models that have no lume in the numerals, aka “black out” variant). And it’s the last of the Rolex Explorer line to feature a matte dial, true to the original 1016, 14270, etc. Now all future Explorer models come with a lacquered shiny dial.

The 40mm tried to take it's place in the Rolex catalogue, but the proportions are a little off, and they shifted the EXPLORER text back to the top, but now the watch looks completely unbalanced. The 40mm is a lacquered dial now. It's lost some of the Explorer charm. If you want you can see the subtle differences here :

The BP is probably outclassed by Clean offering of this model. But I still stand by this replica. It’s the greatest first baby replica you could ever buy. If you want a no nonsense, last forever replica, get this watch, swap it with a SW-200, remove the ghost date, and you pretty much have a indestructible watch that will last you forever and near impossible to tell it’s a replica on wrist.

No pros or cons for this model. I whole heartedly endorse it. I could tell you about the sub par lume or the godwaful BP QC, but I really don't care about any of that crap for this model. If you want the best of the best, get the Clean. But the BP will hold a special place in my heart forever. If you want reviews of what this watch is, there is plenty in the Rolex section.

It’s being liquidated because like most of my watches, I’ve moved on. I wear the 36mm more than this piece, and owning 2 Explorers feels a little dirty. I had to pick between the 36mm and the 39mm and the 39mm lost out. But if I ever get the chance or more money than sense, it will probably be my first gen Rolex pickup. I’ve honestly said way too much about this piece and sound like a proper twat about watches. But can you tell, I really love this watch? That should be all you need to know about the BP 39mm Explorer.

 

[Feefo]

BP Explorer 214270 – BBB. Boring but beautiful. My first "love" and my first RWI replica.​

What to say about the Explorer except it was literally my first purchase on RWI 2 years ago? The watch that broke my RWI virginity. The plain jane cute girl next door you had a crush on growing up.

The BP Explorer 214270 is a great entry level watch into the world of replicas. Grabbing one from Hont is only $300. It runs a A2824 so there’s no worries about reliability.

I bought this watch originally because at the time, in 2022, there was no good version of the 36mm Explorer. The GMF/BPF 36mm offering had 20mm lugs (deal breaker) for me. And we were begging for a high end version of the 36mm (now the Explorer line is fully fleshed out by Clean and VSF, the prayers were answered). So the 39mm was the best compromise I had. When I got it, I wore this watch for 3-4 months straight. That's how much I loved it.

What to say about the Explorer… I could honestly write a 3 page essay about what this watch is about. It’s the “platonic ideal of a watch” if you want to be a snob about watches. It’s boring, if you look up a “watch” on an encyclopedia, then an image of Explorer 39mm probably would appear there. No date. 3 hander. Perfectly proportioned. No fancy chronographs, dates, gimmicks. Just a watch in its purest form.

Although there’s some qualms about the whole marketing shctick and if the Explorer was actually the first watch on Everest, and if it’s actually a true “explorer’s watch”, forget all that Rolex horseshit marketing and just appreciate the watch for what it is. Ignore the people that argue that the black Oyster Perpetual is better value and you’re paying for heritage or whatever. The Explorer 39mm is a watch that will stand the test of time. The Explorer hasn’t changed much since its original offering.

The 39mm sizing… honestly before trying it on, I was a snob about the 39mm Explorer size. The true essence of the Explorer has always been 36mm, from its inception, to its classical proportions. But having tried on the replica, I’ve come to really appreciate the 39mm size. It’s the perfect sports watch size for most wrists. And the small subtleties of this watch compared to the other Explorers harkens back to a different time. The matte dial. How they shifted the EXPLORER text to the lower portion of the dial, adding more balance.

The 39mm Explorer is probably a future classic in the Rolex catalogue for those who know Rolex. It was the introduction of the lumed numerals to the whole Explorer line up. And it was a break from the classic sizing of the 36mm Explorer size. It has some cool variations (there are 39mm models that have no lume in the numerals, aka “black out” variant). And it’s the last of the Rolex Explorer line to feature a matte dial, true to the original 1016, 14270, etc. Now all future Explorer models come with a lacquered shiny dial.

The 40mm tried to take it's place in the Rolex catalogue, but the proportions are a little off, and they shifted the EXPLORER text back to the top, but now the watch looks completely unbalanced. The 40mm is a lacquered dial now. It's lost some of the Explorer charm. If you want you can see the subtle differences here :

The BP is probably outclassed by Clean offering of this model. But I still stand by this replica. It’s the greatest first baby replica you could ever buy. If you want a no nonsense, last forever replica, get this watch, swap it with a SW-200, remove the ghost date, and you pretty much have a indestructible watch that will last you forever and near impossible to tell it’s a replica on wrist.

No pros or cons for this model. I whole heartedly endorse it. I could tell you about the sub par lume or the godwaful BP QC, but I really don't care about any of that crap for this model. If you want the best of the best, get the Clean. But the BP will hold a special place in my heart forever. If you want reviews of what this watch is, there is plenty in the Rolex section.

It’s being liquidated because like most of my watches, I’ve moved on. I wear the 36mm more than this piece, and owning 2 Explorers feels a little dirty. I had to pick between the 36mm and the 39mm and the 39mm lost out. But if I ever get the chance or more money than sense, it will probably be my first gen Rolex pickup. I’ve honestly said way too much about this piece and sound like a proper twat about watches. But can you tell, I really love this watch? That should be all you need to know about the BP 39mm Explorer.

I can mirror-image your experience and subscribe to everything you stated. Was also my first watch bought under RWI (I bought my OP 36 before I subscribed here).

 

[Reaps]

I can mirror-image your experience and subscribe to everything you stated. Was also my first watch bought under RWI (I bought my OP 36 before I subscribed here).

Writing this one out made me almost want to keep the damn piece..... but new year means new discipline. But if I still think about it in 6 months I'll probably buy one back

 

[Feefo]

Writing this one out made me almost want to keep the damn piece..... but new year means new discipline. But if I still think about it in 6 months I'll probably buy one back

I have also the clean but can't sell the BP. Just can't. Inventing all kinds of excuses to not do so.

 

[Reaps]

I have also the clean but can't sell the BP. Just can't. Inventing all kinds of excuses to not do so.

One on leather, one on bracelet, they're two different watches right?

 

[Feefo]

One on leather, one on bracelet, they're two different watches right?

Absolutely. And the BP has a ghost date position!

 

[Dave2302]

Loved reading the story, personally I just couldn't bring myself to sell that 1st RWI purchase.
I actually don't have an Explorer I, the nearest I have is an Airking, and I do love that for it's simplicity

Guess I'll have to add an Explore I to my list, I haven't bought anything this week .................... Yet

 

[aHero]

lol I just bought an Explorer I (36) this morning

 

[Got20Mate]

BP Explorer 214270 – BBB. Boring but beautiful. My first "love" and my first RWI replica.​

What to say about the Explorer except it was literally my first purchase on RWI 2 years ago? The watch that broke my RWI virginity. The plain jane cute girl next door you had a crush on growing up.

The BP Explorer 214270 is a great entry level watch into the world of replicas. Grabbing one from Hont is only $300. It runs a A2824 so there’s no worries about reliability.

I bought this watch originally because at the time, in 2022, there was no good version of the 36mm Explorer. The GMF/BPF 36mm offering had 20mm lugs (deal breaker) for me. And we were begging for a high end version of the 36mm (now the Explorer line is fully fleshed out by Clean and VSF, the prayers were answered). So the 39mm was the best compromise I had. When I got it, I wore this watch for 3-4 months straight. That's how much I loved it.

What to say about the Explorer… I could honestly write a 3 page essay about what this watch is about. It’s the “platonic ideal of a watch” if you want to be a snob about watches. It’s boring, if you look up a “watch” on an encyclopedia, then an image of Explorer 39mm probably would appear there. No date. 3 hander. Perfectly proportioned. No fancy chronographs, dates, gimmicks. Just a watch in its purest form.

Although there’s some qualms about the whole marketing shctick and if the Explorer was actually the first watch on Everest, and if it’s actually a true “explorer’s watch”, forget all that Rolex horseshit marketing and just appreciate the watch for what it is. Ignore the people that argue that the black Oyster Perpetual is better value and you’re paying for heritage or whatever. The Explorer 39mm is a watch that will stand the test of time. The Explorer hasn’t changed much since its original offering.

The 39mm sizing… honestly before trying it on, I was a snob about the 39mm Explorer size. The true essence of the Explorer has always been 36mm, from its inception, to its classical proportions. But having tried on the replica, I’ve come to really appreciate the 39mm size. It’s the perfect sports watch size for most wrists. And the small subtleties of this watch compared to the other Explorers harkens back to a different time. The matte dial. How they shifted the EXPLORER text to the lower portion of the dial, adding more balance.

The 39mm Explorer is probably a future classic in the Rolex catalogue for those who know Rolex. It was the introduction of the lumed numerals to the whole Explorer line up. And it was a break from the classic sizing of the 36mm Explorer size. It has some cool variations (there are 39mm models that have no lume in the numerals, aka “black out” variant). And it’s the last of the Rolex Explorer line to feature a matte dial, true to the original 1016, 14270, etc. Now all future Explorer models come with a lacquered shiny dial.

The 40mm tried to take it's place in the Rolex catalogue, but the proportions are a little off, and they shifted the EXPLORER text back to the top, but now the watch looks completely unbalanced. The 40mm is a lacquered dial now. It's lost some of the Explorer charm. If you want you can see the subtle differences here :

The BP is probably outclassed by Clean offering of this model. But I still stand by this replica. It’s the greatest first baby replica you could ever buy. If you want a no nonsense, last forever replica, get this watch, swap it with a SW-200, remove the ghost date, and you pretty much have a indestructible watch that will last you forever and near impossible to tell it’s a replica on wrist.

No pros or cons for this model. I whole heartedly endorse it. I could tell you about the sub par lume or the godwaful BP QC, but I really don't care about any of that crap for this model. If you want the best of the best, get the Clean. But the BP will hold a special place in my heart forever. If you want reviews of what this watch is, there is plenty in the Rolex section.

It’s being liquidated because like most of my watches, I’ve moved on. I wear the 36mm more than this piece, and owning 2 Explorers feels a little dirty. I had to pick between the 36mm and the 39mm and the 39mm lost out. But if I ever get the chance or more money than sense, it will probably be my first gen Rolex pickup. I’ve honestly said way too much about this piece and sound like a proper twat about watches. But can you tell, I really love this watch? That should be all you need to know about the BP 39mm Explorer.

Pretty much spot on, exact same sentiments as myself summarised efficiently. Clean is a top rep but BP stands it's ground well.

 

[Elong]

My two year anniversary on RWI, recapped:​

Hi all, I’m Reaps, it’s funny because I’m maybe finally making an introduction post/recap after 2 years on RWI. 5049 posts in, 2 years, around 7 posts a day, I guess I’m addicted bahaha.

I had heard or known about NOOB in around 2021 but I was still in my “replica bad gens good” phase of my life, until I finally watched some Youtube videos in 2022 and it made me jump into the rabbit hole.

At the time I was looking for a simple blue Datejust to celebrate a huge achievement in my personal life, but if you know, this was the “peak” of the watch craze, with prices for Datejusts going above retail on the grey market. I finally got sick of the bullshit so I decided to take a look at replicas.

As with many of us, our first dip into the replica scene was probably not the best experience and My first two buying experiences was buying second hand from Facebook.

My first high tier replica was a Clean Datejust 41. Then a month after, the Clean 114060.

I had bought both of these second hand from Facebook, and both the Datejust and No-Date Sub left a sour taste in my mouth from buying second hand. At the time I literally knew nothing about replicas, and while both were real Clean Factory, they had issues.



The Clean Datejust 41 was the old variant with the sharp bezel and incorrect hands (v1), with the shitty cloudy gasket, oh and it lost 30 seconds a day no matter what, even after servicing.

The Clean 114060 was absolutely destroyed, the movement gave out after 2 weeks of wearing and became a paper weight. I bought a new VR3135 for it, but the first watch maker I used snapped the bezel, leading me to replace it with a shitty aluminum bezel.

I was ticked off that I got ripped a new one for two replicas. I vowed not to get ripped off again, which is where I really jumped into RWI to learn about everything.

Since that time, I’ve learnt an insane amount from the forum (more than I’ve ever learned on any other watch platform), I’ve owned over 50 replicas, sold and bought many locally, my current collection stands at around 35. And you know what’s crazy? I spent around the same amount of money I had budgeted for my nice “luxury” watch. Yeah.

I’m proud to be a member of RWI, it can come off as harsh at the beginning, but if you love watches, you will learn more here than you will on any other forum. There is an insane amount of knowledge here, held together by core community members who make the forum what it is. I’ve absorbed a huge amount of information about both replicas, genuine watches, and watch making in general.

Learning about replicas makes you appreciate genuine more, and while the replicas are so close, it’s the fine details that the replicas haven’t obtained that make you appreciate gen more.

While I can come off as an asshat sometimes in my first year of RWI, I’ve tried recently to become more kind and contribute more to the forum by helping people out to give back to the community.

Here is my current collection, the ones highlighted in orange I no longer own, I had more but I legitimately don’t remember all of them. Some of them I had pictures from that I tried to scour my phone for, but some don’t.

ROLEX : ​

ROLEX, BUT DAYTONAS:

TUDOR : ​

PATEK :

AP :​

VACHERON: ​

IWC​

PANERAI : ​

OMEGA :​

RM :​

BLANCPAIN : ​

LANGE : ​

WATCHES FOR WOMAN/LADIES : ​

So what's for the future?

Eventually I want to reduce my collection down to 15 pieces or less, but it's very difficult. I enjoy all the pieces I have and haven't sold. But I know that my collection must reduce sooner or later.

Well, I have several interests right now, green is "must get", orange is "maybe but in the future", red is "ehh i'm thinking about it"

• AP Chrono, pending the SH4401 release
• Le Mans Daytona, only if they ever clone the 24hr subdial
• 126503 “Two Tone” Black Dial
• Platona 126506 “Baguette”, also thinking about the Arabic 116506
• ZF Pelagos 39 when they release it
• Vintage Daytona, 6263 Big Red or something like that, or the “Lemon” Paul Newman or JPS special if I can ever find one of them
• BP 5 digit sub or TC 5 digit sub
• Need to acquire a custom dial for BTF 116509 pending mood (thinking MOP, NNF Meteorite).
• Need to acquire a Clean dial for the 126500
• 15407 w/ 3132 clone movement
• RM011 IF they ever clone the movement.

Of course, there's also loads of custom builds, but none of them are definitive in my future.

Thanks for reading! And thank you RWI for the 2 years. Here's hoping for more cool releases and more wonderful things to come for the community!

well its my first week on the forum i hope i can get a fraction of the path you have walked in 2 years , a very nice collection for sure i cant wait to get started and buy my first rep i was thinking about a used one for starters but after reading your post no way its a new one for me . thanks for the info

 

[Elong]

Pretty much spot on, exact same sentiments as myself summarised efficiently. Clean is a top rep but BP stands it's ground well.

Pretty much spot on, exact same sentiments as myself summarised efficiently. Clean is a top rep but BP stands it's ground well.

im still waiting to get my first one this is the one my eye on i drift off looking at others but keep coming back to this thanks for the post it helped me another few steps anong the road