ALL:
On Tuesday, July 28th, I paid a visited to Santee Alley, infamous for its open selling of replica merchandise. I live in the San Francisco area and was visiting my mother who lives in the San Fernando Valley, about 30 miles from downtown L.A.
Santee Alley is actually three alleyways separated by two major cross streets. It is in the heart of L.A.’s fashion district and a stone’s throw from the Staples Center, home of the Lakers. Parking as you can imagine is at a premium and costs $10 for anything over 2 hours.
This was my first visit to the alley. I was accompanied by my sister and mother, hot on the prowl for knock-off handbags, Gucci, Coach, and a few others. I, of course, was on the prowl for watches. My sister had been there before and knew the ropes. It was 95 degrees in L.A., and the alley was packed with locals and tourists.
Frankly, I had misgivings of finding anything. An article the day before in the L.A. Times had commented on the activities there and the constant cat and mouse game between the many vendors and the police, uniform and undercover. The heat was on the vendors. Fearful of the publicity, I thought they might go into hibernation mode.
My sister explained than an elaborate game is played here, and that a system of warnings is in place for the vendors of knock-offs and sundry replicas. She said that most of the undercover police car plates are known and that when one is sighted, cells phones begin ringing and questionable merchandise is quickly bundled away. She mentioned also that a general alert is given by the playing of a certain Mexican song on loudspeakers scattered everywhere. Arrests, however, are common and vendors are always on alert.
Although the alleys are narrow, the various open stalls are street level and below three floors of office space. Upon arrival we entered the first alley and, to our dismay, saw nothing illegal. Undaunted, my sister quietly questioned a woman selling regular handbags. She looked us all over and then led as through a locked gate, up a flight of stairs, down two long empty corridors, and finally to a chained door. Inside was a small closet-sized room filled with replica handbags. I looked at the woman and made a motion toward my wrist. Alas, no watches. My mother happily purchased a “Gucci†bag for about $35. It retails in the hundreds of dollars. Handbags?!
How could anyone be addicted to handbag collecting? I really felt sorry for my mother. Watches, of course, were another matter.
We returned to the alley, bright with colors, noise, the hawking of food and refreshments. I eagerly scanned the stalls as we made our way to the end of the first alley. I saw a lot of watches, but no replicas. I was hot and getting disappointed. One clothing stall had 7 white T-shirts for $10. What a deal! I bought two packs. Michael Jackson hats, pants, wallets, shirts were everywhere. Naturally I passed on all that junk.
It the middle of the second alley, my sister entered the stall of a man she had often dealt with when she ran an antique business. She asked for something and again we were quietly ushered into a back room without too much eyeballing. I’m 64, with a small white beard, and apparently don’t fit the undercover cop appearance.
He had watches. Replicas. Lots of ‘um.
I felt like the proverbial kid in a candy store. He had Uboats, Corums, Breitlings, and a dozen other brands. My head was spinning. I grabbed this one, I grabbed that one. The room was hot and I started to sweat. The light was bad and I did a lot of squinting. I had brought $250 and should have brought $500. Then, again, good thing I didn’t bring $500! It was all I could do to keep from running to an ATM or borrowing some bucks from my sister or mom.
I purchased two watches. A Panerai 1950 and a Rolex. He wanted $110 for the Pam and the same for the Rolex. I got them both for $195 and was happy – at least until I went to bed that night and began thinking about what I should have bought instead. Maybe that U-Boat I saw, or that Breguet. I consoled myself with the thought that I would probably return in a few months.
I am a newcomer to this hobby and have learned quite a bit since joining RWI a few weeks ago. Hopefully some of the knowledge gained helped my choices.
Enough blabbing, here are the pics.
Frankly, since I don’t have a lot of experience with reps, the pics will have to do the talking. Overall, to me, the watches seemed very well made. I liked the detailed markings on the movement of the Pam and the overall fit and finish of the Rolex. Both keep reasonable time. The Pam gains about 1 min every 12 hours, and the Rolex about 30 secs, if that.
I can say that the band is not the best and will probably begin to fray soon. I'll probably get a quality replacement. Also, the latch holding in the crown is loose.
Happpy to answer questions if I can.
Jim
James9
On Tuesday, July 28th, I paid a visited to Santee Alley, infamous for its open selling of replica merchandise. I live in the San Francisco area and was visiting my mother who lives in the San Fernando Valley, about 30 miles from downtown L.A.
Santee Alley is actually three alleyways separated by two major cross streets. It is in the heart of L.A.’s fashion district and a stone’s throw from the Staples Center, home of the Lakers. Parking as you can imagine is at a premium and costs $10 for anything over 2 hours.
This was my first visit to the alley. I was accompanied by my sister and mother, hot on the prowl for knock-off handbags, Gucci, Coach, and a few others. I, of course, was on the prowl for watches. My sister had been there before and knew the ropes. It was 95 degrees in L.A., and the alley was packed with locals and tourists.
Frankly, I had misgivings of finding anything. An article the day before in the L.A. Times had commented on the activities there and the constant cat and mouse game between the many vendors and the police, uniform and undercover. The heat was on the vendors. Fearful of the publicity, I thought they might go into hibernation mode.
My sister explained than an elaborate game is played here, and that a system of warnings is in place for the vendors of knock-offs and sundry replicas. She said that most of the undercover police car plates are known and that when one is sighted, cells phones begin ringing and questionable merchandise is quickly bundled away. She mentioned also that a general alert is given by the playing of a certain Mexican song on loudspeakers scattered everywhere. Arrests, however, are common and vendors are always on alert.
Although the alleys are narrow, the various open stalls are street level and below three floors of office space. Upon arrival we entered the first alley and, to our dismay, saw nothing illegal. Undaunted, my sister quietly questioned a woman selling regular handbags. She looked us all over and then led as through a locked gate, up a flight of stairs, down two long empty corridors, and finally to a chained door. Inside was a small closet-sized room filled with replica handbags. I looked at the woman and made a motion toward my wrist. Alas, no watches. My mother happily purchased a “Gucci†bag for about $35. It retails in the hundreds of dollars. Handbags?!
How could anyone be addicted to handbag collecting? I really felt sorry for my mother. Watches, of course, were another matter.
We returned to the alley, bright with colors, noise, the hawking of food and refreshments. I eagerly scanned the stalls as we made our way to the end of the first alley. I saw a lot of watches, but no replicas. I was hot and getting disappointed. One clothing stall had 7 white T-shirts for $10. What a deal! I bought two packs. Michael Jackson hats, pants, wallets, shirts were everywhere. Naturally I passed on all that junk.
It the middle of the second alley, my sister entered the stall of a man she had often dealt with when she ran an antique business. She asked for something and again we were quietly ushered into a back room without too much eyeballing. I’m 64, with a small white beard, and apparently don’t fit the undercover cop appearance.
He had watches. Replicas. Lots of ‘um.
I felt like the proverbial kid in a candy store. He had Uboats, Corums, Breitlings, and a dozen other brands. My head was spinning. I grabbed this one, I grabbed that one. The room was hot and I started to sweat. The light was bad and I did a lot of squinting. I had brought $250 and should have brought $500. Then, again, good thing I didn’t bring $500! It was all I could do to keep from running to an ATM or borrowing some bucks from my sister or mom.
I purchased two watches. A Panerai 1950 and a Rolex. He wanted $110 for the Pam and the same for the Rolex. I got them both for $195 and was happy – at least until I went to bed that night and began thinking about what I should have bought instead. Maybe that U-Boat I saw, or that Breguet. I consoled myself with the thought that I would probably return in a few months.
I am a newcomer to this hobby and have learned quite a bit since joining RWI a few weeks ago. Hopefully some of the knowledge gained helped my choices.
Enough blabbing, here are the pics.
Frankly, since I don’t have a lot of experience with reps, the pics will have to do the talking. Overall, to me, the watches seemed very well made. I liked the detailed markings on the movement of the Pam and the overall fit and finish of the Rolex. Both keep reasonable time. The Pam gains about 1 min every 12 hours, and the Rolex about 30 secs, if that.
I can say that the band is not the best and will probably begin to fray soon. I'll probably get a quality replacement. Also, the latch holding in the crown is loose.
Happpy to answer questions if I can.
Jim
James9
