Why buy gens?

[strawman]

I have Gens because I like to own the history behind them.
Reps are great if you want to wear a nice design but you don't have (or want) enough money for the Gen.
Anyway you know it's a Rep and not the original.
It has a different "taste"

 

[Karbon74]

to qualify "taste" and taking my rep Exp1 as example....

the indices are not white gold and the movement is not at all to the level of the gen.
That you cannot really forget.

Cases and crystals have got to a good level.

 

[netacc123456]

I find that there is a sense of accomplishment when you buy a gen. I buy reps so I can wear them on holidays and travels without thinking much about the consequences or insurance and so on. I have lost/misplaced a few and don’t feel so bad. It’s a peace of mind thing personally

 

[GMT+9Tokyo]

It Just feels different owning a gen. I am fascinated by reps and the quality they offer, but they are not part of my actual watch collection because I don't have any pride in collecting them.

 

[Bigd23]

Was thinking of buying a gen until I realized reps like these existed

 

[OcarinaOfTime]

Wow, this thread is on 13 pages now, and still counting.

I haven’t thought of this becoming such a heavily/happily discussed topic, and I am very glad it did.

So many interesting point of views, be it in favor of gens, of reps, or - in case of the vast majority - both.

Now that the prices are going down and Rolex becoming more and more obtainable from the AD (mine just told me last week that the situation with the black Submariners - date and no date - is getting really relaxed), will some of you guys purchasing more gens (as many wrote that they went gen because the Rolex models have years of waiting time)? (On the flipside, the investment factor decreases, of course.)

 

[bhehe6813]

Wow, this thread is on 13 pages now, and still counting.

I haven’t thought of this becoming such a heavily/happily discussed topic, and I am very glad it did.

So many interesting point of views, be it in favor of gens, of reps, or - in case of the vast majority - both.

Now that the prices are going down and Rolex becoming more and more obtainable from the AD (mine just told me last week that the situation with the black Submariners - date and no date - is getting really relaxed), will some of you guys purchasing more gens (as many wrote that they went gen because the Rolex models have years of waiting time)? (On the flipside, the investment factor decreases, of course.)

I truly think Rolex is overpriced and not worth it. There’s so many cooler Omegas, Grand Seiko, IWC, etc. that you could buy instead. If the prices go back to like 5-10k resale for a very good condition Sub or something, I’d consider it. Until then I’d rather spend that 5-10k on things like a ceramic speedmaster, special seamaster (ceramic, nttd, etc).

I just bought a few days ago a like new moon phase sapphire sandwich speedmaster. That’s worth spending my money on IMO.

If I was richer and had more than 10k of cash I can blow, maybe I’d try some Rolex gens, but atm 90% of my money is in investments and saving for a house but I think my limit is 10k when it comes to watches, I can’t justify more than that.

Even then, I’d rather spend the 10k on my car I could get a new turbo and shit for it lol, way more fun of a hobby.

 

[Karbon74]

Wow, this thread is on 13 pages now, and still counting.

I haven’t thought of this becoming such a heavily/happily discussed topic, and I am very glad it did.

So many interesting point of views, be it in favor of gens, of reps, or - in case of the vast majority - both.

Now that the prices are going down and Rolex becoming more and more obtainable from the AD (mine just told me last week that the situation with the black Submariners - date and no date - is getting really relaxed), will some of you guys purchasing more gens (as many wrote that they went gen because the Rolex models have years of waiting time)? (On the flipside, the investment factor decreases, of course.)

that's probably me.
The AD situation got me to buy a rep...but now I am infected by the rep virus

that said, I will buy a gen as soon as the used watch market goes below retail. Or I might visit the AD

 

[Karbon74]

when you look at that, you see people were crazy or profiteering obscenely. Now, all luxury groups are showing below expectation results. China and USA are having a consumption slowdown. Interest rates increasing. So yeah, getting a gen at retail should be possible within a few months now

 

[strawman]

Wow, this thread is on 13 pages now, and still counting.

I haven’t thought of this becoming such a heavily/happily discussed topic, and I am very glad it did.

So many interesting point of views, be it in favor of gens, of reps, or - in case of the vast majority - both.

Now that the prices are going down and Rolex becoming more and more obtainable from the AD (mine just told me last week that the situation with the black Submariners - date and no date - is getting really relaxed), will some of you guys purchasing more gens (as many wrote that they went gen because the Rolex models have years of waiting time)? (On the flipside, the investment factor decreases, of course.)

I wanted to buy a Gen Rolex but I'm so disgusted by last years and with the brand new CPO program that I would buy only Rolex Reps.
Gens are now insanely overpriced even for being a luxury watch.
This year I've bought a Gen Tudor and I'm very satisfied by the money/quality ratio: that's what I would like to see by mom Rolex.

 

[OI812]

They've always been ridiculously overpriced for the time.

Traditionally, one could buy a Rolex and wear it for a few years, clean it up and flip it, on to the bank with the profits..... or flip into another.... repeat. I did this with a bunch of them... as well as Omega, Zenith, Panerai, etc etc etc.

However, this all began to change when China emerged post their '01 admittance into the WTO and subsequent conversion to more of a western/capitalist economy. Prior to their admittance China's GDP 60 to 65 billion.... post?... measured in the trillions. Lots of wealthy to very wealthy Chinese were created as a result of this.

In '01 + Western economies entered a period of recession (later economic chaos), but, China/Asia picked up the slack.

As is human nature, these newly created wealthy Chinese (and millions of others who benefitted) wanted the finer things of life (and were aware of them). They had the access and disposable income (most for the first time) to allow for it. I could ramble on about this... but enough.

Next came the damndest thing I've seen in my 4 decades of fooling with watches.... "crypto kids" ...all trying to out "flex" each other. Very shortly thereafter came the "lock down millionaire's" spending money like drink sailor's in Port for the first time in 6 months. Money most of them didn't have to spend.....

Hence the mass dump of "their Rolex" back into the market as, predictably, "things" started coming back to an economic reality... for all.

The Sub, being the most popular of all time, is now diving in value... and will continue to IMOP... but we shall see.

In my opinion, interesting times ahead mates....

Sorry for the ramble...

 

[strawman]

They've always been ridiculously overpriced for the time.

Traditionally, one could buy a Rolex and wear it for a few years, clean it up and flip it, on to the bank with the profits..... or flip into another.... repeat. I did this with a bunch of them... as well as Omega, Zenith, Panerai, etc etc etc.

However, this all began to change when China emerged post their '01 admittance into the WTO and subsequent conversion to more of a western/capitalist economy. Prior to their admittance China's GDP 60 to 65 billion.... post?... measured in the trillions. Lots of wealthy to very wealthy Chinese were created as a result of this.

In '01 + Western economies entered a period of recession (later economic chaos), but, China/Asia picked up the slack.

As is human nature, these newly created wealthy Chinese (and millions of others who benefitted) wanted the finer things of life (and were aware of them). They had the access and disposable income (most for the first time) to allow for it. I could ramble on about this... but enough.

Next came the damndest thing I've seen in my 4 decades of fooling with watches.... "crypto kids" ...all trying to out "flex" each other. Very shortly thereafter came the "lock down millionaire's" spending money like drink sailor's in Port for the first time in 6 months. Money most of them didn't have to spend.....

Hence the mass dump of "their Rolex" back into the market as, predictably, "things" started coming back to an economic reality... for all.

The Sub, being the most popular of all time, is now diving in value... and will continue to IMOP... but we shall see.

In my opinion, interesting times ahead mates....

Sorry for the ramble...

They were overpriced but still affordable vs average salaries.
Now it's too much and you need to consider the high risk of getting robbed...10k can disappear in a while...

 

[OI812]

They were overpriced but still affordable vs average salaries.
Now it's too much and you need to consider the high risk of getting robbed...10k can disappear in a while...

Should have stated it better straw...."not nearly as grotesquely overpriced as today".... hehehe

 

[Noobmariner14]

Simple fact is yes a genuine can be expensive but depending on what you buy it’s free to own it
I haven’t had a genuine watch I couldn’t or haven’t sold for more than I paid

I’d imagine fakes are the opposite

 

[vwmk]

To those that own a rep and gen of the same model. What came first? And what influenced your purchase decision of the other? Contemplating getting a rep of my gen, just to use on rougher day outs....

 

[KushBandit]

To those that own a rep and gen of the same model. What came first? And what influenced your purchase decision of the other? Contemplating getting a rep of my gen, just to use on rougher day outs....

Personally, I never owned a gen before rep. I bought a Seamaster rep, and modded it with gen parts. It came out great, but it never scratched the itch completely. For me, being my grail, only gen was good enough for that particular reference.

I've never understood people wanting a rep of a gen they own, for traveling or whatever else. If you're doing a ln activity you don't want to risk damaging a gen, why wear a watch in the first place? I don't even like damaging my reps, aside from the typical wear-n-tear. I certainly wouldn't wear a rep in a dangerous area, as it could attract the wrong attention regardless of authenticity. Similar to my friend who carries a gun with him incase of an issue in a bad part of town, why put yourself in a position that you feel you need a solution for?

Of course, I'm not the type of person who worries about resale value or flipping watches. I buy to own. Reps just keep me from blowing my money on watches, and frees it up for other ventures and hobbies I have. My greed for many watches I love can be fulfilled without breaking the bank.

 

[bhehe6813]

I've never understood people wanting a rep of a gen they own, for traveling or whatever else.

Most of these stories are fake, and once you realize that, you'll understand why it seems literally everyone claims it. I don't know why anyone would want to own a shittier version of something they already have lol.

 

[Reaps]

They've always been ridiculously overpriced for the time.

Traditionally, one could buy a Rolex and wear it for a few years, clean it up and flip it, on to the bank with the profits..... or flip into another.... repeat. I did this with a bunch of them... as well as Omega, Zenith, Panerai, etc etc etc.

However, this all began to change when China emerged post their '01 admittance into the WTO and subsequent conversion to more of a western/capitalist economy. Prior to their admittance China's GDP 60 to 65 billion.... post?... measured in the trillions. Lots of wealthy to very wealthy Chinese were created as a result of this.

In '01 + Western economies entered a period of recession (later economic chaos), but, China/Asia picked up the slack.

As is human nature, these newly created wealthy Chinese (and millions of others who benefitted) wanted the finer things of life (and were aware of them). They had the access and disposable income (most for the first time) to allow for it. I could ramble on about this... but enough.

Next came the damndest thing I've seen in my 4 decades of fooling with watches.... "crypto kids" ...all trying to out "flex" each other. Very shortly thereafter came the "lock down millionaire's" spending money like drink sailor's in Port for the first time in 6 months. Money most of them didn't have to spend.....

Hence the mass dump of "their Rolex" back into the market as, predictably, "things" started coming back to an economic reality... for all.

The Sub, being the most popular of all time, is now diving in value... and will continue to IMOP... but we shall see.

In my opinion, interesting times ahead mates....

Sorry for the ramble...

Except you could still walk in at 2018 (18 years after your supposed "date" of 2001 when China ruined watch prices) and still ask for Rolex at discounts. And ADs were fully stocked still.

And Asia during 1997-2001 suffered a huge banking crisis as well... not a resurgence....

 

[OI812]

Except you could still walk in at 2018 (18 years after your supposed "date" of 2001 when China ruined watch prices) and still ask for Rolex at discounts. And ADs were fully stocked still.

And Asia during 1997-2001 suffered a huge banking crisis as well... not a resurgence....

"supposed?" Are you kidding me?
Otherwise I agree.....

 

[Reaps]

The reason Rolex is so expensive now is because they executed a master class in branding, marketing and convincing middle class people that somehow dropping 12k on a steel watch that was worth at max $1k was the epitome of success and social status, nothing to do with the actual quality or rarity of the watch.

My uncle had a friend who used to sell in grey market, he used to call Datejusts his bread and butter because he saw literally thousands of them in his 30+ year career, sell them. At one point it was actually more profitable to buy up gold Rolexes, melt down the gold, sell the rest of the parts for scraps...

There was a time when a Rolex Submariner was the equivalent of basically a slightly more expensive GShock...