First of all, I must apologize, but for some reason I couldn't upload pictures, I kept on getting an 'invalid file' message when I was trying to upload a .jpg file that's less than 100k in size.
What can I say, I'm a newbie...
I'll try to figure it out later, but in the meantime, here's my review...
Hello, and thank you for reading.
This is my first-ever replica review, on practically my first-ever replica watch.
First, a bit of background on me (feel free to skip to the actual review):
I have pretty high standards and expectations, which generally holds true for everything in my life.
I am in my mid-30s, and I am a director at a bank. I have a passion for watches, and I must have owned over a hundred of them so far, the vast majority of them costing under $300. I have always loved Omegas, but even though I could financially afford to own one or two, I have always struggled with being able to justify spending thousands of dollars on a single watch that will get just as beat-up over time, as a $50 watch.
So about a year ago I decided to get my first replica Planet Ocean to get an idea what it was to 'live with' a watch like that. My rationale was that if I would have liked the replica, I would have saved up for an authentic one for special occasions, and kept the replica for everyday use; and if I would have liked the look of the watch, but not the quality, I would have sold the replica, and saved up for a real one anyway.
When I was shopping around for my first replica, I wasn't a member of any replica forums, I didn't know which site reviews to believe, I didn't want to become a replica expert, I just simply wanted to buy a watch, and not get ripped off. I was aware that there were inexpensive and more expensive replicas out there, but for my first watch I didn't want to potentially lose a lot of money on a scam site, so I went with an inexpensive model from a dealer that seemed legitimate at the time (and they really are legitimate, they are on all replica forums' trusted dealers lists, and a lot of people love buying from them).
Unfortunately my experience with my first replica was abysmal. The watch was all scratched-up when I got it, there was lots of dirt on the dial, the bezel had manufacturing defects, the clasp didn't close properly, and the bracelet kept on falling apart (the screws holding the links together kept on falling out). I wrote to the dealer, but got no response. I didn't try to email them dozens of times in hopes of exchanging the watch, because shipping back to China + shipping for a new watch would have cost me the price of the watch all over again, and in the best case scenario, several weeks later, I would have just ended up with another poor quality, cheap-looking watch, with no manufacturing defects.
Needless to say, I was immediately put off by replicas, and wanted to get rid of my crappy watch as soon as possible, and I ended up selling it for $25 locally, which was considerably less than the $88 I paid for it; however, that was the perceived value by the one buyer that actually bought it. Once potential buyers looked it, most of them just smirked and walked away. Please understand, that I was not comparing a low-end replica to an original Omega. I was comparing a $88 watch to other watches I could have bought for the same money. Casio, Timex, Citizen... all make some decent-looking, quality watches in that price range.
After that, I decided to get a real Planet Ocean. I found a trusted online dealer that specializes in used luxury watches, and I waited for almost a year until they finally got a Planet Ocean. I checked their website 5-10 times a day, every single day, for almost a year, waiting for my PO to show up... until one day, a like-new Planet Ocean actually did show up, and I bought it immediately. It cost me almost $3,000 with shipping. When I received the package, I was extremely excited to open it, and once I opened it, there it was... a huge disappointment. I waited for so long to find this watch, and while it was pretty nice, it was not nearly $3,000 nice enough. I expected a $3,000 watch to dazzle me, but it didn't. It was a nice watch, but I had owned dozens of nice watches before, that cost less than a tenth of the price. I know that the watch's mechanism inside is an absolute masterpiece, but unfortunately I don't see the inside of the watch, I touch and see the outside of the watch, which just doesn't feel special.
So, after having thought about it for a while, I decided to give replicas another try. I joined several forums, did my homework, and I bought my higher-end PAM250 from a trusted dealer. The idea was to keep the real PO if the PAM replica would have been yet another disappointment, and probably sell the replica at yet an even higher loss (and be done with replicas for good).
But I am delighted to report, that I am extremely happy with my PAM250 replica. I am indeed so happy, that I immediately ordered a higher-end Planet Ocean replica (still in the mail) from the same dealer. I assume that the PO is going to be just as impressive as my PAM250, in which case I'll probably end up selling my real PO, because I'm not exactly happy with its dazzle/$ ratio. Once I'll get my replica PO, I'll do a review of it, and I'll do a side-by-side comparison with my real PO. Until then, you can enjoy my PAM250 review below.
=======================================================
PAM250 Review:
As I have mentioned, I have high standards and expectations (high enough to not be satisfied with a real Omega Planet Ocean's quality - relative to its price of course), but this PAM250 replica thoroughly impressed me.
Overall Score:
I will give it an overall score of 9 out of 10.
Details:
I bought it from Trusty (Andrew) for US$358+shipping. I'm a bit surprised that I can't find Trusty on this forum's trusted dealer list (I just have realized this, while trying to post this review in the appropriate category), and I would actually love to know the reason. It's kind of ironic that I have decided to stick with following the one forum that doesn't promote the guy that restored my faith in replicas, but that's beside the point. I still like this forum the best out of all the ones I signed up for.
Back to the watch: it is the newest version PAM250, with the 7753 movement, the non-recessed date wheel, and the functional pusher at 10 o'clock for advancing the date (which is a great feature, because you don't have to fiddle around with the crown every second month).
The Website: 7/10
Trusty's website is OK. I like that it has a huge selection (much larger than the a lot of the other most popular trusted dealers). The thumbnail pictures are not the best (lots of glare from the crystals), but if you are really looking for something you will definitely find it after a bit of searching. Once you click on the watches, you can find several higher quality shots of the details of the watch. I like the watches' descriptions on the website, it shows you that the guys know their watches, and they keep on top of constantly improving every fine detail on them. My biggest beef with the website is that it's extremely slow, and that it often simply fails to load, and it sometimes goes offline for hours at a time... which is annoying when you are browsing and researching.
Payment: 6/10
Apparently they take major credit cards, but when I tried to pay with my Master Card, the whole system broke down. In the end I paid through PayPal, which is not listed as an accepted method of payment on their website. Nevertheless, I much prefer PayPal over giving out my credit card information.
Communication: 10/10
The communication with Andrew is excellent. He is very courteous, and responds to emails promptly, even when you still haven't even made up your mind about buying a watch. He will explain the details of the watch, and will send high-quality close-up shots so that you can make a well-informed decision. Once you have made your decision and payment, the watch goes through quality control, which takes a couple of days. At first I thought this was complete BS, but then Andrew sent me close-up pictures of the actual watch I would be receiving. It is definitely of the actual watch, because there was a sticker on it with my name on it. The pictures show the details of the watch, the readings of a timegrapher with my watch on it, and the shipping label, to ensure that he ships it to the right address. Here are the pictures Andrew sent me. I have distorted my personal inormation.
=======PICTURES WOULD GO HERE=============
Shipping: 7.5/10
It cost $35 to ship the watch, and it took about 2 weeks for me to get it from the day I paid for it. It's not terrible, but isn't exceptional either. The watch came well-packaged with plenty of protection around it.
Watch Detail Accuracy: Looks good enough to the naked eye
I'm sorry, if you are extremely particular about every last fine detail on your watch, I'm not the guy to talk to. I can say that without applying high-accuracy fine-engineering tools, and taking thousands of measurements, to the naked eye, the watch looks just like the original on the official website. I am really not fussed about the spelling of 'Tachymeter' vs 'Tachymetre' (which happens to be correct on this watch), or if the location of the date pusher is off by a degree. As long as the watch looks just like the original to the naked eye, I'm more than happy. I'm most concerned with build quality.
=======PICTURES WOULD GO HERE=============
Build Quality: 9/10
I must say, when I opened the box for the first time, I got the impression I was hoping for when I got my real Planet Ocean. My replica felt just as expensive as my real Omega. There is a sense of quality about this watch. It feels like the materials used in it are of quality, the weight feels great, there are no manufacturing defects, it just simply feels like a great watch. I know that the movement inside the watch doesn't even compare to a real Omega movement, but who cares, it keeps perfect time. Not a minute fast/late over 3 weeks. As an amateur watch repair enthusiast, I won't mind servicing this movement myself, saving a few hundred Dollars every few years (I wouldn't be able to forgive myself for potentially ruining a real Omega movement).
As I have mentioned I have high standards and expectations, so I did manage to find a few minor issues with it:
- Leather Strap (4/10): I knew before I bought the watch, that the strap was going to be its weakest point... and it is. I'm not even sure if it's leather or pleather. It mimics the alligator leather texture, but it won't fool anyone. It's a cheap strap. It's not overly awful, but it's definitely a give-away for watch experts. I was prepared to invest some money in a real alligator strap should the watch's quality have been satisfactory, and I will do so quite soon.
=======PICTURES WOULD GO HERE=============
- Pushers (2/10): not smooth at all. Every time I push them, it's like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. It feels like they do not want to be pushed at all. Not a big deal if you are like most people, and don't use the stop watch.
- Movement (7/10): while the watch keeps excellent time (not a minute fast/late over 3 weeks), the two small hands on the sub-dial connected to the stop watch, have about a half-second wiggle room, depending on which way you shake the watch. While this is barely noticeable, it is a sign of build quality.
- Crown Guard (8/10): there is a design/manufacturing inaccuracy with the crown guard. More specifically it doesn't properly conform to the body of the watch; there is a tiny little gap in between. It's definitely not big enough to bother me, but nevertheless, it's there, and I am trying to find faults with this watch.
=======PICTURES WOULD GO HERE=============
Luminosity: 9/10
I must say, after what I have been reading about luminosity on these replica forums, I'm really impressed with the luminosity of this watch. It's not quite as bright as my original Planet Ocean, but it's not too far behind.
=======PICTURES WOULD GO HERE=============
So overall, I think the watch is a great replica. I may not have purchased a lot of replicas before, but I have owned a lot of watches (including a terrible replica), and I do have high standards. So ultimately, if a watch impresses me, it has to be pretty good quality. This PAM250 feels great (except for the strap), looks great, and keeps excellent time.
Do I think the $358 is a fair price for it? Well, maybe it's a bit on the high-side (you can get some very nice non-replica watches in this price range), but if you would really like a PAM250 replica, I think it's definitely worth saving up for, as based on my 3 weeks of exposure to the watch, I expect it to serve me well for a long time.
What can I say, I'm a newbie...
I'll try to figure it out later, but in the meantime, here's my review...
Hello, and thank you for reading.
This is my first-ever replica review, on practically my first-ever replica watch.
First, a bit of background on me (feel free to skip to the actual review):
I have pretty high standards and expectations, which generally holds true for everything in my life.
I am in my mid-30s, and I am a director at a bank. I have a passion for watches, and I must have owned over a hundred of them so far, the vast majority of them costing under $300. I have always loved Omegas, but even though I could financially afford to own one or two, I have always struggled with being able to justify spending thousands of dollars on a single watch that will get just as beat-up over time, as a $50 watch.
So about a year ago I decided to get my first replica Planet Ocean to get an idea what it was to 'live with' a watch like that. My rationale was that if I would have liked the replica, I would have saved up for an authentic one for special occasions, and kept the replica for everyday use; and if I would have liked the look of the watch, but not the quality, I would have sold the replica, and saved up for a real one anyway.
When I was shopping around for my first replica, I wasn't a member of any replica forums, I didn't know which site reviews to believe, I didn't want to become a replica expert, I just simply wanted to buy a watch, and not get ripped off. I was aware that there were inexpensive and more expensive replicas out there, but for my first watch I didn't want to potentially lose a lot of money on a scam site, so I went with an inexpensive model from a dealer that seemed legitimate at the time (and they really are legitimate, they are on all replica forums' trusted dealers lists, and a lot of people love buying from them).
Unfortunately my experience with my first replica was abysmal. The watch was all scratched-up when I got it, there was lots of dirt on the dial, the bezel had manufacturing defects, the clasp didn't close properly, and the bracelet kept on falling apart (the screws holding the links together kept on falling out). I wrote to the dealer, but got no response. I didn't try to email them dozens of times in hopes of exchanging the watch, because shipping back to China + shipping for a new watch would have cost me the price of the watch all over again, and in the best case scenario, several weeks later, I would have just ended up with another poor quality, cheap-looking watch, with no manufacturing defects.
Needless to say, I was immediately put off by replicas, and wanted to get rid of my crappy watch as soon as possible, and I ended up selling it for $25 locally, which was considerably less than the $88 I paid for it; however, that was the perceived value by the one buyer that actually bought it. Once potential buyers looked it, most of them just smirked and walked away. Please understand, that I was not comparing a low-end replica to an original Omega. I was comparing a $88 watch to other watches I could have bought for the same money. Casio, Timex, Citizen... all make some decent-looking, quality watches in that price range.
After that, I decided to get a real Planet Ocean. I found a trusted online dealer that specializes in used luxury watches, and I waited for almost a year until they finally got a Planet Ocean. I checked their website 5-10 times a day, every single day, for almost a year, waiting for my PO to show up... until one day, a like-new Planet Ocean actually did show up, and I bought it immediately. It cost me almost $3,000 with shipping. When I received the package, I was extremely excited to open it, and once I opened it, there it was... a huge disappointment. I waited for so long to find this watch, and while it was pretty nice, it was not nearly $3,000 nice enough. I expected a $3,000 watch to dazzle me, but it didn't. It was a nice watch, but I had owned dozens of nice watches before, that cost less than a tenth of the price. I know that the watch's mechanism inside is an absolute masterpiece, but unfortunately I don't see the inside of the watch, I touch and see the outside of the watch, which just doesn't feel special.
So, after having thought about it for a while, I decided to give replicas another try. I joined several forums, did my homework, and I bought my higher-end PAM250 from a trusted dealer. The idea was to keep the real PO if the PAM replica would have been yet another disappointment, and probably sell the replica at yet an even higher loss (and be done with replicas for good).
But I am delighted to report, that I am extremely happy with my PAM250 replica. I am indeed so happy, that I immediately ordered a higher-end Planet Ocean replica (still in the mail) from the same dealer. I assume that the PO is going to be just as impressive as my PAM250, in which case I'll probably end up selling my real PO, because I'm not exactly happy with its dazzle/$ ratio. Once I'll get my replica PO, I'll do a review of it, and I'll do a side-by-side comparison with my real PO. Until then, you can enjoy my PAM250 review below.
=======================================================
PAM250 Review:
As I have mentioned, I have high standards and expectations (high enough to not be satisfied with a real Omega Planet Ocean's quality - relative to its price of course), but this PAM250 replica thoroughly impressed me.
Overall Score:
I will give it an overall score of 9 out of 10.
Details:
I bought it from Trusty (Andrew) for US$358+shipping. I'm a bit surprised that I can't find Trusty on this forum's trusted dealer list (I just have realized this, while trying to post this review in the appropriate category), and I would actually love to know the reason. It's kind of ironic that I have decided to stick with following the one forum that doesn't promote the guy that restored my faith in replicas, but that's beside the point. I still like this forum the best out of all the ones I signed up for.
Back to the watch: it is the newest version PAM250, with the 7753 movement, the non-recessed date wheel, and the functional pusher at 10 o'clock for advancing the date (which is a great feature, because you don't have to fiddle around with the crown every second month).
The Website: 7/10
Trusty's website is OK. I like that it has a huge selection (much larger than the a lot of the other most popular trusted dealers). The thumbnail pictures are not the best (lots of glare from the crystals), but if you are really looking for something you will definitely find it after a bit of searching. Once you click on the watches, you can find several higher quality shots of the details of the watch. I like the watches' descriptions on the website, it shows you that the guys know their watches, and they keep on top of constantly improving every fine detail on them. My biggest beef with the website is that it's extremely slow, and that it often simply fails to load, and it sometimes goes offline for hours at a time... which is annoying when you are browsing and researching.
Payment: 6/10
Apparently they take major credit cards, but when I tried to pay with my Master Card, the whole system broke down. In the end I paid through PayPal, which is not listed as an accepted method of payment on their website. Nevertheless, I much prefer PayPal over giving out my credit card information.
Communication: 10/10
The communication with Andrew is excellent. He is very courteous, and responds to emails promptly, even when you still haven't even made up your mind about buying a watch. He will explain the details of the watch, and will send high-quality close-up shots so that you can make a well-informed decision. Once you have made your decision and payment, the watch goes through quality control, which takes a couple of days. At first I thought this was complete BS, but then Andrew sent me close-up pictures of the actual watch I would be receiving. It is definitely of the actual watch, because there was a sticker on it with my name on it. The pictures show the details of the watch, the readings of a timegrapher with my watch on it, and the shipping label, to ensure that he ships it to the right address. Here are the pictures Andrew sent me. I have distorted my personal inormation.
=======PICTURES WOULD GO HERE=============
Shipping: 7.5/10
It cost $35 to ship the watch, and it took about 2 weeks for me to get it from the day I paid for it. It's not terrible, but isn't exceptional either. The watch came well-packaged with plenty of protection around it.
Watch Detail Accuracy: Looks good enough to the naked eye
I'm sorry, if you are extremely particular about every last fine detail on your watch, I'm not the guy to talk to. I can say that without applying high-accuracy fine-engineering tools, and taking thousands of measurements, to the naked eye, the watch looks just like the original on the official website. I am really not fussed about the spelling of 'Tachymeter' vs 'Tachymetre' (which happens to be correct on this watch), or if the location of the date pusher is off by a degree. As long as the watch looks just like the original to the naked eye, I'm more than happy. I'm most concerned with build quality.
=======PICTURES WOULD GO HERE=============
Build Quality: 9/10
I must say, when I opened the box for the first time, I got the impression I was hoping for when I got my real Planet Ocean. My replica felt just as expensive as my real Omega. There is a sense of quality about this watch. It feels like the materials used in it are of quality, the weight feels great, there are no manufacturing defects, it just simply feels like a great watch. I know that the movement inside the watch doesn't even compare to a real Omega movement, but who cares, it keeps perfect time. Not a minute fast/late over 3 weeks. As an amateur watch repair enthusiast, I won't mind servicing this movement myself, saving a few hundred Dollars every few years (I wouldn't be able to forgive myself for potentially ruining a real Omega movement).
As I have mentioned I have high standards and expectations, so I did manage to find a few minor issues with it:
- Leather Strap (4/10): I knew before I bought the watch, that the strap was going to be its weakest point... and it is. I'm not even sure if it's leather or pleather. It mimics the alligator leather texture, but it won't fool anyone. It's a cheap strap. It's not overly awful, but it's definitely a give-away for watch experts. I was prepared to invest some money in a real alligator strap should the watch's quality have been satisfactory, and I will do so quite soon.
=======PICTURES WOULD GO HERE=============
- Pushers (2/10): not smooth at all. Every time I push them, it's like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. It feels like they do not want to be pushed at all. Not a big deal if you are like most people, and don't use the stop watch.
- Movement (7/10): while the watch keeps excellent time (not a minute fast/late over 3 weeks), the two small hands on the sub-dial connected to the stop watch, have about a half-second wiggle room, depending on which way you shake the watch. While this is barely noticeable, it is a sign of build quality.
- Crown Guard (8/10): there is a design/manufacturing inaccuracy with the crown guard. More specifically it doesn't properly conform to the body of the watch; there is a tiny little gap in between. It's definitely not big enough to bother me, but nevertheless, it's there, and I am trying to find faults with this watch.
=======PICTURES WOULD GO HERE=============
Luminosity: 9/10
I must say, after what I have been reading about luminosity on these replica forums, I'm really impressed with the luminosity of this watch. It's not quite as bright as my original Planet Ocean, but it's not too far behind.
=======PICTURES WOULD GO HERE=============
So overall, I think the watch is a great replica. I may not have purchased a lot of replicas before, but I have owned a lot of watches (including a terrible replica), and I do have high standards. So ultimately, if a watch impresses me, it has to be pretty good quality. This PAM250 feels great (except for the strap), looks great, and keeps excellent time.
Do I think the $358 is a fair price for it? Well, maybe it's a bit on the high-side (you can get some very nice non-replica watches in this price range), but if you would really like a PAM250 replica, I think it's definitely worth saving up for, as based on my 3 weeks of exposure to the watch, I expect it to serve me well for a long time.
