Rep vs gen thoughts

[TheBigJS]

God knows why I'm up at 5am, but hey and I have no idea where this post is going so if you read it all thanks!

I have a VSF 126610LV, i.e. the ceramic Kermit and allegedly one of the best reps of all time. Some of my friends know this is a rep, some think it's real, some have no idea of it's value as a gen and just think I have nice watches. I have friends who have £8k mountain bikes and can't afford a car so that I'd have a £10k watch and a £2k car is not unreal to them.
And I have a Tudor BB Heritage (rep) that almost everyone (other than 2 people I believe) I know thinks is genuine. This is the watch I wear if I don't want to even chance the discussion of me either dropping £10k on a watch or wearing a fake.
And a few others, a couple of G-Shocks, the AP case mod for them, another Rolex (rep) and a couple of homages.

Last night with 1/3rd of a bottle of JD in me I almost pulled the trigger on a gen of the Tudor cause wearing a rep does bother me...a tiny bit. I said here I was happier in the 5 figure Rolex and the Tudor than the new 126610LV. But as time has passed, that's not true, the watch I wear day to day is the new Rolex, I care less and less what people think and more and more about the fact it's just a better watch, cause discounting it being a "fake" it is just a damn good watch, it's 98% of what a Rolex is and I can see me making the effort to get a real one at some time.

So, to the point (thanks if you're still here) had I bought the gen Tudor last night I wonder now if my daily watch would not still remain as the "Rolex" because I'd still prefer it?

I have no idea what to do, I'm tempted to buy something like this (I love that watch and have 8 1/2" wrists so it'll fit well) and see if I start to migrate to wearing a gen over a rep if I've got the option of a reasonable gen. And it's only £350, I can't lose much on it can I? Rather than throwing £3k at a Tudor to find I still prefer to wear a replica Rolex and should have just kept the rep Tudor for the occasions I don't want to chance the "£10k watch or fake" discussion and just kept saying it was gen to everyone.

I could (I think) afford a real 126610LV, £648 a month for 2 years? I can probably do that....but do I want to? Hell no!

A sneaky bit of me is waiting for a franklin 126610LV to pop up and just going to claim to everyone it's real!

Anyone else have this dilemma or similar thoughts?

 

[jcagara08]

long story short, I rather enjoy franken/rep watches than worrying about gen watches and how much to spend on it.

 

[TheBigJS]

than worrying about gen watches and how much to spend on it.

They're just a bit to steep for me, a grand or two? Maybe three, but £10k+? That is a hell of a wedge of cash

 

[Nickyan]

I get where you're coming from and going to with your thoughts. I've pondered the same thing.

Guess it's a matter of diminishing returns and marginal gains. Maybe owning a rep of a 3K gen might seem silly to you and me. 15k gen? Not for me. Could I? Sure. Do I want to, no, currently dropping money into getting my private pilot's license. At which figure this line lies is different for each.

I can see myself pulling off a Rolex explorer maybe, not sure I want the attention a sub brings with it. People in the know will also value and recognize other great watches, Rolex submariner screams look at me, I got money too much for my taste. Maybe I'll get a rep at some point just to test it out though

Just bought my first 4-figure watch, Sinn 856 as gen. Pondering an Oris Aquis and/ or Rado Captain Cook as gen since I have a soft spot for divers. Got a rep BB58 and waiting for gen. Go AD or used is the question.

 

[Rx4Time]

My opinion for what it's worth, if you can't afford to buy the watch outright as a genuine then you really can't afford it. If you have to finance it, unless it's a 0% promo, it's not worth it. Buy the replica wear it and enjoy it. The payments that you would be making on the genuine, stuff them in an envelope or a separate bank account every month and then a year or so out when you have enough saved up think about if you want to spend that money on the genuine still or if you want something else. This gives you time to ensure it's a worthwhile lasting purchase. That's my two cents, but everyone has their own opinion.

 

[philiusmaximus]

Being in the rep game for as long as I have my eyes have become trained to spot flaws very quickly. This resulted in me realising that the majority of reps I owned didn't stack up agains the gens when side by side, regardless of the super rep nwbig status etc.
Now I've only got a few reps that are so good they do hold up against their gens, and I switched out the sub par reps for some pre-owned gens and microbrands and couldn't be happier.
Now is the time to buy gens, with the cost of living crisis, people are parting with luxury items and there are bargains to be had.

 

[p0pperini]

Last night with 1/3rd of a bottle of JD in me I almost pulled the trigger on a gen of the Tudor

If I'd still been drinking when I started buying reps (and increasingly gens), I'd have an even more stupidly large collection.

@philiusmaximus makes some very good points. As does @Rx4Time

My advice would be, don't spend a chunk of money on a gen unless it's a gen you really want. You'll just carry on wearing the rep of the gen you really want.

 

[YellowFin]

I have no idea what to do, I'm tempted to buy something like this (I love that watch and have 8 1/2" wrists so it'll fit well) and see if I start to migrate to wearing a gen over a rep if I've got the option of a reasonable gen. And it's only £350, I can't lose much on it can I? Rather than throwing £3k at a Tudor to find I still prefer to wear a replica Rolex and should have just kept the rep Tudor for the occasions I don't want to chance the "£10k watch or fake" discussion and just kept saying it was gen to everyone.

Anyone else have this dilemma or similar thoughts?

I lost some serious money on buying and selling gens and just don't care anymore. If someone asks: "I'm poor, bro. It's from China." Those who know just know. Those who wondered will keep wondering.

 

[TheBigJS]

Buy the replica wear it and enjoy it. The payments that you would be making on the genuine, stuff them in an envelope or a separate bank account every month and then a year or so out when you have enough saved up think about if you want to spend that money on the genuine still or if you want something else. This gives you time to ensure it's a worthwhile lasting purchase. That's my two cents, but everyone has their own opinion.

Some good advice there I think. If I can't put £600 a month away, I can't afford it.

My advice would be, don't spend a chunk of money on a gen unless it's a gen you really want. You'll just carry on wearing the rep of the gen you really want.

I think that is such a good point.
The watch I want is the Submariner, the Tudor is the watch I think I'd have as I really can't (don't want to) stretch to the Sub (if we're talking gen prices) and don't want the conversation about if it's fake or if I've actually dropped £10k on a watch.


So, you're right. There is no point in throwing £3k at the real Tudor which I could do, out of the bank, right now. Even if the Tudor in my watch box right now was gen I'm still going to want a Sub, and almost certainly still going to choose to wear the rep Sub I already have in any situation where I don't care if it looks like I dropped £10k on a watch, because the Sub is the watch I want to wear.
Basically I've already broken myself by buying a rep of what is effectively my grail watch. If I can have just one watch to wear. Any watch at any price and I can't sell it. I want a Submariner.

Good advice guys. Thanks.

 

[Jlatorre53]

To the untrained eyes it really makes no difference. I am the proud owner of two REPs one is a Rolex GMT (looks absolutely stunning). Th second one is my daily wear a Breitling Avenger in with an upgraded bezel crystal. I wore my Rolex to the optometrist annual checkup, and he ask what kind of watch I was wearing. I showed him and he said it is a Rolex Submariner. I told him that it was a GMT and he proceeded to tell me that he just purchased a 2022 Submariner at a discounted price of $38,000. He stated that it was a bargain because the original price is $45,000. Of course, I never mentioned that mine is a replica, but I told him how lucky he was to find one at that price. Therefore, it is very difficult for the untrained eye to distinguish between a replica and an original.

 

[Horace_Derwent]

They're just a bit to steep for me, a grand or two? Maybe three, but £10k+? That is a hell of a wedge of cash

Exactly the correct answer.

And the Brands that i love are much more expensive than 10 k so i do the math

 

[TheBigJS]

To the untrained eyes it really makes no difference. I am the proud owner of two REPs one is a Rolex GMT (looks absolutely stunning). Th second one is my daily wear a Breitling Avenger in with an upgraded bezel crystal. I wore my Rolex to the optometrist annual checkup, and he ask what kind of watch I was wearing. I showed him and he said it is a Rolex Submariner. I told him that it was a GMT and he proceeded to tell me that he just purchased a 2022 Submariner at a discounted price of $38,000. He stated that it was a bargain because the original price is $45,000. Of course, I never mentioned that mine is a replica, but I told him how lucky he was to find one at that price. Therefore, it is very difficult for the untrained eye to distinguish between a replica and an original.

No one is calling a 2021 VSF Kermit out as definite fake, not on the wrist. You might have an inkling if you hold it and inspect it and know your stuff and you might also suspect I wouldn't drop £10k on a watch (hence the Tudor as I would and nearly did drop £3k on one!) but even then unless you are a rep enthusiast and a bit of a dick you're not going to stand there and state for a fact "that is a fake, for sure" out in a social situation.

 

[Tedlar]

Interesting observations BigJS, here’s my experience and thoughts on this - back in 2018 I was working in a small town in TX and there happened to be a Rolex AD near my hotel. I’d had a 114060 Sub rep for a year or so, which I wore occasionally if I was going out to dinner or the casino or other times like that. I was really fond of the watch, but it always nagged at me just a little that it wasn’t gen. I have tremendous respect for Rolex as a brand, for its history, contributions, etc., and it really turns me off that most people recognize Rolex as nothing more than a status symbol / marketing object and have zero knowledge of the real significance of the brand. Kind of a double edged sword for me and I DO NOT like drawing attention to myself, especially in that way.

So long story even longer, I had recently received a pretty significant bonus and ended up at that Rolex AD one day after work, asking to look at a 114060 no-date Sub, thinking I could finally have the real thing and the money spent would be toward something of lasting value. The AD didn’t have one (or any other Sub/GMT/Seadweller) and I passed on the Tudors they did have. Then, a couple days later they call me and say they got a 114060 in if I still want it - hell yes I’ll be right there! I was even able to negotiate a bit on the taxes and walked out with my new Sub for $7,650 exactly! BTW this was late in 2018 and I had NO IDEA what the market demand looked like, or would very soon look like, for Rolex stainless steel sports watches. I was just too damn thrilled to finally actually own a grail watch that I never expected I’d ever attain.

In reality, it took only a couple weeks for the thrill and enthusiasm to wear off on this, which I never would have expected in a million years. Because I had a rep of the exact same reference, I naturally spent (a lot of) time comparing the two watches and noting the differences. Truth be told, even though my rep wasn’t of particularly high quality, though it was decent, and the differences between the two were definitely there, just that they were nowhere near as dramatic or obvious as I would have guessed. And I think I have a reasonably good eye too. The movement - feel of winding and setting through the crown - was probably the biggest difference and that is entirely invisible. Even the dial on the rep was good enough that only a good look with a loupe could really tell it apart from the gen, at least to my eye. Even the sound and feel of the bezel clicks was barely noticeable.

The main point to all this is, the reality that from a merely visual standpoint, the two watches were functionally identical as far as anyone seeing it worn in my wrist would be concerned and, at least for me, the outward appearance and impressions one gives off wearing a Rolex watch - especially a big flashy Submariner - is about 2% of why I love Rolex watches. It’s a damn dilemma and really unfortunate all around. Rolex is special and significant to me for all the reasons EXCEPT for the one reason 99% of people think it is, broadcasting to the world that you have a big fancy expensive watch! At least for the circles I travel in, bars, pool halls and places like that. I guess it might be a different story if I generally occupied a somewhat higher class in society, as much as I hate to think that way. On those less common occasions, eating in good restaurants and the like, when wearing a Rolex is more “appropriate”, my rep serves the purpose just fine.

In the end, I got my just desserts indeed. A couple years later, the pandemic was causing havoc with my finances and I had to sell the Rolex to get by. I hadn’t been paying any attention at all to the market and I sold it to Bob’s Watches, in LN condition, complete with box and blank warranty card, for $6500. I had NO IDEA of what had been going on with SS Rolex demand over the last few years, I had NO IDEA what a complete fluke it was that I was lucky enough to get the thing in the first place, brand spankin new, direct from an AD and at actually slightly LESS than retail price! I had NO IDEA that I could have easily sold that watch when I did for $14,000 or more, but instead took a LOSS of $1,000 because I couldn’t take two minutes to Google current Rolex prices before I did. Live and learn my friends.

I still have my rep 114060, I wear it occasionally, if I go to a good restaurant or the casino and it bothers me not at all that I’m wearing a fake. Nobody knows it but me.

 

[4thgendan]

I lost some serious money on buying and selling gens and just don't care anymore. If someone asks: "I'm poor, bro. It's from China." Those who know just know. Those who wondered will keep wondering.

You couldn’t have said it better! I got into the watch game a year ago and it’s been such a mission to acquire gens from Ads. I have lost thousands of dollars trading my way to models I actually enjoyed and I am seriously over it. My clean 116710ln is stunning and all my watch buddies love it. They honestly don’t have a clue it’s a rep as I have multiple gens. No need to explain how you spend your money but buy what you want and enjoy it life is short.

 

[Angryboai]

In my opinion, if you're not a rich guy who can buy gen without thinking too much, you should only buy the gen you really obsess with for a long time, or a gen that is so unique there's no good rep to even compare to. Don't waste your money on those Kermit or popular model that is everywhere in the rep game.
At least that's how I'd like to select my collection of rep & gen.

 

[CurioLeo]

A sneaky bit of me is waiting for a franklin 126610LV to pop up and just going to claim to everyone it's real!

I was going to ask "why is a Sub your grail watch". However, knowingly or inadvertently, you have already indicated that you do indeed care about others' perception of what is on your wrist by declaring you would be happy with wearing a superfranken and declaring it as genuine. Good, at least that's an honest start with a certain level of self-awareness. Fact is, you want a Sub for how it's perception by others makes you feel - hence no Tudor, gen or otherwise, will cut it. I believe, for you, it is the prestige of a Sub that you crave. Indeed, a Tudor is the worst possible choice as to you it will probably always be the poor man's Rolex. Here is a little tip from someone who has way too many watches (mostly gen and yes..... several of those are Rolex). YOU WON'T GIVE A FUCK AFTER A SHORT WHILE WHETHER IT IS GEN OR NOT. THE NOVELTY WEARS OFF AND YOU GET INTERESTED IN SOMETHING ELSE. There is no such thing as one single grail watch so wear what you like the look of on your wrist and only buy what you know you can afford (if you ever think I shouldn't have bought that watch you can't afford it).

 

[Horace_Derwent]

And also this thread like many others ....It's All About The Rolexes !!!

 

[mravatar]

God knows why I'm up at 5am, but hey and I have no idea where this post is going so if you read it all thanks!

I have a VSF 126610LV, i.e. the ceramic Kermit and allegedly one of the best reps of all time. Some of my friends know this is a rep, some think it's real, some have no idea of it's value as a gen and just think I have nice watches. I have friends who have £8k mountain bikes and can't afford a car so that I'd have a £10k watch and a £2k car is not unreal to them.
And I have a Tudor BB Heritage (rep) that almost everyone (other than 2 people I believe) I know thinks is genuine. This is the watch I wear if I don't want to even chance the discussion of me either dropping £10k on a watch or wearing a fake.
And a few others, a couple of G-Shocks, the AP case mod for them, another Rolex (rep) and a couple of homages.

Last night with 1/3rd of a bottle of JD in me I almost pulled the trigger on a gen of the Tudor cause wearing a rep does bother me...a tiny bit. I said here I was happier in the 5 figure Rolex and the Tudor than the new 126610LV. But as time has passed, that's not true, the watch I wear day to day is the new Rolex, I care less and less what people think and more and more about the fact it's just a better watch, cause discounting it being a "fake" it is just a damn good watch, it's 98% of what a Rolex is and I can see me making the effort to get a real one at some time.

So, to the point (thanks if you're still here) had I bought the gen Tudor last night I wonder now if my daily watch would not still remain as the "Rolex" because I'd still prefer it?

I have no idea what to do, I'm tempted to buy something like this (I love that watch and have 8 1/2" wrists so it'll fit well) and see if I start to migrate to wearing a gen over a rep if I've got the option of a reasonable gen. And it's only £350, I can't lose much on it can I? Rather than throwing £3k at a Tudor to find I still prefer to wear a replica Rolex and should have just kept the rep Tudor for the occasions I don't want to chance the "£10k watch or fake" discussion and just kept saying it was gen to everyone.

I could (I think) afford a real 126610LV, £648 a month for 2 years? I can probably do that....but do I want to? Hell no!

A sneaky bit of me is waiting for a franklin 126610LV to pop up and just going to claim to everyone it's real!

Anyone else have this dilemma or similar thoughts?

I like the fact you said have a £10k watch and £2k car is unreal to them. What we place value on should not be a bothersome for other people.

 

[TheBigJS]

I was going to ask "why is a Sub your grail watch". However, knowingly or inadvertently, you have already indicated that you do indeed care about others' perception of what is on your wrist by declaring you would be happy with wearing a superfranken and declaring it as genuine. Good, at least that's an honest start with a certain level of self-awareness. Fact is, you want a Sub for how it's perception by others makes you feel - hence no Tudor, gen or otherwise, will cut it. I believe, for you, it is the prestige of a Sub that you crave. Indeed, a Tudor is the worst possible choice as to you it will probably always be the poor man's Rolex. Here is a little tip from someone who has way too many watches (mostly gen and yes..... several of those are Rolex). YOU WON'T GIVE A FUCK AFTER A SHORT WHILE WHETHER IT IS GEN OR NOT. THE NOVELTY WEARS OFF AND YOU GET INTERESTED IN SOMETHING ELSE. There is no such thing as one single grail watch so wear what you like the look of on your wrist and only buy what you know you can afford (if you ever think I shouldn't have bought that watch you can't afford it).

So, you're saying don't commit to 50% of my spare income for the next year to pay for a watch that 99.95% of people think I already own?

Damn....if only you'd told me that yesterday

You prob right about the prestige of the Sub if I'm out and sort of incognito, i.e. no one there really knows me. It does make me feel good. There I admitted it, happy now Sigmund?

But as I wear it more and more I do appreciate it is just a damn good watch. Rolex or not, fake or not.
The date and the glidelock. They're the factual reasons it's better than the Tudor. Even if the Tudor was gen.

 

[jcagara08]

if I may add, the be all end all for us guys with many reps and still lusting for a gen is to sell all our reps and gens and get that one holy grail!

And then finally saying goodbye to all these forums and enjoy the sunset and some pina colada!

jajajaja