Reps from Korea?!

[25minutestoolate]

Hi all,

I was travelling to Indonesia the past week and at a mall, I saw a brick and mortar stall selling reps. Even though I was with my girlfriend I couldn't resist going to have a look and I saw display shelves, counters and racks choc full of reps! Most looked awful but some decent looking ones were under a locked glass table top. A nearby sales girl noticed my curiosity and said that those were the best quality reps, using Swiss and Japanese movements. I asked her if they were from China (not intending to be specific about factories and alert her to my rep knowledge) and she said no, they were from Korea. Curiosity really piqued, and figuring that perhaps the boss-looking guy behind the counter might know better, I asked him where they were from. Korea, he said, better than Chinese reps. He then added that they were going for 400 us dollars and above a piece, but if I wanted something cheaper the other non-korean reps were all 100 and below. I asked for more details on the movements the "premium" reps used, and he said they were "some clone, some genuine ETAs".

In case you were wondering what "premium" models were available, I noticed POs, subs (SELs seemed pretty good from what I saw), daytonas, tons of panerai and royal Oak, but also uncommon reps like VC overseas on bracelet, patek 5270... Interesting!

So guys, anyone heard of this before? Korean-made reps? And supposedly better than the ones we've been getting from the TDs and Chinese factories? I would've bought one to try if it wasn't so crazily expensive for a rep, regardless of their (prima facie) good quality.

Edit: in case you're wondering, no I'm not that gullible to really believe the guy... I'm just wondering if anyone has heard of this.

 

[dcausey]

Interesting, I read an article a long time ago about high quality reps being sold in Korea, but never on the street. Apparently there is this high end black market for mainly handbags where the only way to get access to them is by referral. By knowing someone who has already bought from them before, you text the seller and they pick you up and bring you to an apartment filled with counterfeit luxury goods to shop.

When I was in Itaewon I didn't see any replica watches, but near one of the main train stations in Seoul I saw a cheap Sub with a quartz movement at a used watch store.

 

[yojj]

From why I know, Korea and Japan was the old central for high quality reps, but nowadays decent factories want to make more local products because of many reasons.

Later China took over the rep game, but Southeaster Asia are picking up as well. I heard good things about Vietnam, Thailand, etc.

 

[dcausey]

Here is a link to the article I was talking about. http://mengnews.joins.com/view.aspx?aId=2956230

I think this quote from the article answers your question. "In the past, all the high quality imitations were produced domestically, and all the crappy goods were imported from China, our host tells me. But due to the police crackdown, that has flip-flopped. The stuff you see on the sidewalks in Itaewon and Myeongdong are A or B class goods that are produced domestically. Meanwhile, the engineers who know how to make perfect copies of luxury goods have moved to China. All of special A goods are being imported from China to Incheon or Busan port, he says. Zuhai is the manufacturing center."

 

[nikefit]

I am Indonesian and I think the guy is just saying that the watches are from Korea to give you an image of higher quality watches. I doubt that he even knows what movement is inside the watch lol

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[SuperLory]

I am Indonesian and I think the guy is just saying that the watches are from Korea to give you an image of higher quality watches. I doubt that he even knows what movement is inside the watch lol

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I agree. He couldn't say Swiss so he said gooryo

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[apottedplant]

'Prestige at a steep discount'

I think that sums it up for most people, myself included.

 

[Billionaire]

Hi all,

I was travelling to Indonesia the past week and at a mall, I saw a brick and mortar stall selling reps. Even though I was with my girlfriend I couldn't resist going to have a look and I saw display shelves, counters and racks choc full of reps! Most looked awful but some decent looking ones were under a locked glass table top. A nearby sales girl noticed my curiosity and said that those were the best quality reps, using Swiss and Japanese movements. I asked her if they were from China (not intending to be specific about factories and alert her to my rep knowledge) and she said no, they were from Korea. Curiosity really piqued, and figuring that perhaps the boss-looking guy behind the counter might know better, I asked him where they were from. Korea, he said, better than Chinese reps. He then added that they were going for 400 us dollars and above a piece, but if I wanted something cheaper the other non-korean reps were all 100 and below. I asked for more details on the movements the "premium" reps used, and he said they were "some clone, some genuine ETAs".

In case you were wondering what "premium" models were available, I noticed POs, subs (SELs seemed pretty good from what I saw), daytonas, tons of panerai and royal Oak, but also uncommon reps like VC overseas on bracelet, patek 5270... Interesting!

So guys, anyone heard of this before? Korean-made reps? And supposedly better than the ones we've been getting from the TDs and Chinese factories? I would've bought one to try if it wasn't so crazily expensive for a rep, regardless of their (prima facie) good quality.

Edit: in case you're wondering, no I'm not that gullible to really believe the guy... I'm just wondering if anyone has heard of this.

I was just there too!

You're referring to the guys in Discovery Shopping Mall in Kuta?

The cases on their Subs are pretty ehh, and are virtually the same between the advertised "Japanese" and "Swiss" variants.

I bought a Japanese sub for $150 AUD as a beater, so far all is well, SEL is good and Cyclops is ARd, but the bezel is pretty atrocious.

Avoid Bagus Watch in Kuta Square like the plague, or go there for a laugh if you wish!

They had the ZF V2 of the Big Pilot Top Gun.. for $468 US.


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[25minutestoolate]

I was just there too!

You're referring to the guys in Discovery Shopping Mall in Kuta?

The cases on their Subs are pretty ehh, and are virtually the same between the advertised "Japanese" and "Swiss" variants.

I bought a Japanese sub for $150 AUD as a beater, so far all is well, SEL is good and Cyclops is ARd, but the bezel is pretty atrocious.

Avoid Bagus Watch in Kuta Square like the plague, or go there for a laugh if you wish!

They had the ZF V2 of the Big Pilot Top Gun.. for $468 US.


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Haha, yes, discovery mall. So they gave you the spiel about reps from "Korea better than China" too eh?

I think it's fair if they do a 10-15% mark up to account for the overhead of a brick and mortar stall which allows you to try before you buy and eliminate the risk of DOA reps. But 400+ US is just ridiculous... Unless it's the new GMT CHS or something... Guess there is no beating our tried and tested TDs.

 

[snowykim]

No one in South Korea and Japan makes those products any more. I have lived in both countries. Yes, there were handful factories in the past but non existent anymore due to continuous crackdown. What few of them do nowadays is importing parts from China and assemble locally and sell them but its also very rare case. Most rep customers use web merchants based in china or Hong Kong to avoid trouble.
Bottom line: don't be fooled and stick to TDs.

 

[efajri]

I dont think the sales person know anything about rep watch. By mentioning from S. Korea thinks he/she can convince you that what his/her boss sells are top quality. Dog sh*t to me. But if the price is right for the quality, I would still buy it. LOL. I just hate being lied to when shopping for anything.


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[efajri]

I think I would always shop with a local if it involves bargaining.


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[25minutestoolate]

I dont think the sales person know anything about rep watch. By mentioning from S. Korea thinks he/she can convince you that what his/her boss sells are top quality. Dog sh*t to me. But if the price is right for the quality, I would still buy it. LOL. I just hate being lied to when shopping for anything.


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I dont think the sales person know anything about rep watch. By mentioning from S. Korea thinks he/she can convince you that what his/her boss sells are top quality. Dog sh*t to me. But if the price is right for the quality, I would still buy it. LOL. I just hate being lied to when shopping for anything.


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Yep that was kinda my hunch too. Definitely wasn't going to trust those shady fellows unless I was merely asking the time of the day. I think even if I had asked him about "noob?" Or "ZF?" He'd genuinely have no idea. Still, it's slightly cool that one could try on a variety of reps. Oh, and they were selling dealer clocks for 88us a pop too, which I realise is actually quite reasonable, though I'm not sure about the quality of those..

 

[efajri]

Yep that was kinda my hunch too. Definitely wasn't going to trust those shady fellows unless I was merely asking the time of the day. I think even if I had asked him about "noob?" Or "ZF?" He'd genuinely have no idea. Still, it's slightly cool that one could try on a variety of reps. Oh, and they were selling dealer clocks for 88us a pop too, which I realise is actually quite reasonable, though I'm not sure about the quality of those..

Yeah, when you are buying "illegal" goods, you will always have to deal with shady fellows. You are right; it's cool though to see what other rep seller have or have the opportunity to touch, hold and try on variety of reps.

BTW, it looks like I posted the same response twice. I updated the above posting.


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