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Why buy gens?

OcarinaOfTime

Time Traveler
Supporter
Certified
15/10/20
35
22
8
Germany
After owning several reps, I sold all but one and currently have three gens. I just wanted to pull the trigger on the fourth one tomorrow (a PAM), as I realized, that PAMs are so easy to copy that it seems to be throwing money out of the window when buying a gen PAM for 6000 USD instead a rep for 300 USD?!

So the question I am really asking myself is: Why do people like us buy gens when they have access to the best reps out there? I think many people buy gens because they are not into the rep game and do not know where to order superb ones (or do not know that there are superb reps out there at all).

I am really curious about your answers. They maybe will have an impact whether I buy the gen PAM or a rep.
 

Zakiro

Looking Around
19/5/19
4
9
3
I have gen 114060 and 16610 also have ARF 116610LN
Gen for invest And Rep For Daily
 
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Matar

Looking Around
19/5/19
2
4
3
I believe its a self satisfaction thing, having a gen really feels different, movement, quality, history/story of each watch and respect you give to it lol.
I have gen and rep, mostly I buy rep in watches that are extremely hard for me to buy or watches that I would like to have but not at a gen cost 😅.
Hoping to get a PF tonda micro rotor soon, I honestly can't afford to pay that much in a watch so it got to be a rep lol
 

GR!P

You're Saying I Can Sell?
29/8/22
38
27
18
EU
I have gen 114060 and 16610 also have ARF 116610LN
Gen for invest And Rep For Daily
watches in general make very bad investmets (which is however not the case with your two very hot rolex models, considering you got them for retail).
if this is your outlook , it makes more sense to just wear reps and invest your money elswhere.

I believe its a self satisfaction thing, having a gen really feels different, movement, quality, history/story of each watch and respect you give to it lol.
I have gen and rep, mostly I buy rep in watches that are extremely hard for me to buy or watches that I would like to have but not at a gen cost 😅.
Hoping to get a PF tonda micro rotor soon, I honestly can't afford to pay that much in a watch so it got to be a rep lol
I can agree with this, the biggest difference in my opinion is the quality control and customer service, the buying experience is also something to take into consideration with luxury brands, but the price difference is still mostly just luxury tax with very marginal gains. thats why i like up and coming brands that cant yet charge a premium for the logo and heritage, names like Christopher Ward and Unimatic spring to mind.


for me personally ill only buy a rep of something i could realistically afford, wearing reps of 200k watches feels funny, no matter how close to gen they might be.
 

Storm.

Mythical Poster
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14/2/20
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watches in general make very bad investmets (which is however not the case with your two very hot rolex models, considering you got them for retail).
if this is your outlook , it makes more sense to just wear reps and invest your money elswhere.


I can agree with this, the biggest difference in my opinion is the quality control and customer service, the buying experience is also something to take into consideration with luxury brands, but the price difference is still mostly just luxury tax with very marginal gains. thats why i like up and coming brands that cant yet charge a premium for the logo and heritage, names like Christopher Ward and Unimatic spring to mind.


for me personally ill only buy a rep of something i could realistically afford, wearing reps of 200k watches feels funny, no matter how close to gen they might be.
None of what you said is correct.

Watches of all sorts of brands are very good investments.
Not just Rolex and not just two specific Rolex models.
An old 16610 cost 2000 euros in 2001, used. Now it's over 10k. that's just one example. Not to mention the vintage watches going from 600 back in the day to now 20-30k.

The gen experience is about the whole Shabang, creating a relationship where you spend your Saturday afternoon in am ad to look at the newest watches. Knowing you buy a quality time piece and having a machine on your wrist that was hand built with great expertise.

Luxury tax is not the reason for the high price. It is the assurance that your watch has been made by a master of his craft. Then given to another master of his craft. Then given to another master of his craft and thoroughly inspected and tried for hundreds of times before it even reaches you.

Has nothing to do with names.

A Lange and Söhne watch is something you don't know anything about and 99 percent of the population has no idea what it is. But the quality they put out is worth the price. That's where the premium comes from.
 
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cyprusdaedalus

Wannabe Watchmaker
Supporter
Certified
16/4/22
431
450
63
Yea but as with any asset timing is everything and if you're wrong on the timing it could be a terrible investment. Talking to all the guys buying up all the Pepsi's at 33k 6 months ago who have lost 50% of their money to date and the bleeding probably isn't over yet.
 

Storm.

Mythical Poster
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Certified
14/2/20
7,062
9,840
113
Yea but as with any asset timing is everything and if you're wrong on the timing it could be a terrible investment. Talking to all the guys buying up all the Pepsi's at 33k 6 months ago who have lost 50% of their money to date and the bleeding probably isn't over yet.
I don't know what dream world people live in when they believe the Chrono24 prices are what people actually pay.

A 126710BLRO at no point in time cost more than 25k to buy.
And its still solid at that price point.
 

bigkat725

You're Saying I Can Sell?
21/6/19
66
48
18
Im too neurotic. I am almost exclusively interested in vintage watches. The reps are good but they arent ever perfect. After spending time agonizing over which dial is best, which case, which crown, etc I have ultimately come to the conclusion that I would rather save up for the real watches I wanted in the first place instead of buying reps that dont fully scratch the itch. Ill also add that I dont think any techniques can really wear a watch in a way a true vintage from 50 years ago would have aged. I would argue that with current or recent production watches, the argument for a replica is far more compelling. They are SO SO close to the same and obviously the patina issue is irrelevant with those. Just my perspective but Id love to see the other responses too
 

GR!P

You're Saying I Can Sell?
29/8/22
38
27
18
EU
None of what you said is correct.

Watches of all sorts of brands are very good investments.
Not just Rolex and not just two specific Rolex models.
An old 16610 cost 2000 euros in 2001, used. Now it's over 10k. that's just one example. Not to mention the vintage watches going from 600 back in the day to now 20-30k.

The gen experience is about the whole Shabang, creating a relationship where you spend your Saturday afternoon in am ad to look at the newest watches. Knowing you buy a quality time piece and having a machine on your wrist that was hand built with great expertise.

Luxury tax is not the reason for the high price. It is the assurance that your watch has been made by a master of his craft. Then given to another master of his craft. Then given to another master of his craft and thoroughly inspected and tried for hundreds of times before it even reaches you.

Has nothing to do with names.

A Lange and Söhne watch is something you don't know anything about and 99 percent of the population has no idea what it is. But the quality they put out is worth the price. That's where the premium comes from.
what you described is what i imagined "luxury tax" meant , excuse my poor grasp of the english language.

I however still think that watches are not an optimal investment option for the average person. Sure, its great if you buy a watch you like and when you get tired of it after 20 years and decide to sell it you find out it increased in value considerably, but theres no knowing what watch is going to be valuable in the future. Sure the returns are very high in a few rare cases, but the ROI doesnt even come close to some other similarlly speculative investments.
 
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Storm.

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what you described is what i imagined "luxury tax" meant , excuse my poor grasp of the english language.

I however still think that watches are not an optimal investment option for the average person. Sure, its great if you buy a watch you like and when you get tired of it after 20 years and decide to sell it you find out it increased in value considerably, but theres no knowing what watch is going to be valuable in the future. Sure the returns are very high in a few rare cases, but the ROI doesnt even come close to some other similarlly speculative investments.
I have bought my nodate sub in 2014 for something like 7k.

Now it's worth around 13.

That's almost 200%. No gold, silver can compete. Only few stocks have risen like this.

There's also no way of knowing if your stock will be worth anything in 20 years.

And very few countries have a luxury tax.

Watches, for the last 20 years, have been one of the best investment opportunities and still are. Especially if you're only out for a profit. That's why the market prices went up like that. Not because demand of people wanting them like you and me is higher, but because investment hunters buy them up.
 

bigkat725

You're Saying I Can Sell?
21/6/19
66
48
18
I find it interesting that these discussions usually delve into the investment or monetary aspects of watch owning and collecting. Does anyone feel guilt for buying copies of designs that were likely labored over by artists for months or even years? What about the fact that the world is quickly moving to digital instruments including watches and purchasing a gen may keep the brand alive a little longer. I worry that mechanical watches might not be around for the rest of my life and that would certainly be a more boring world.
 

Bigsmasher

You're Saying I Can Sell?
Certified
1/9/22
38
13
8
I'm fairly new to the rep world, I just received my first rep yesterday which is a Daytona panda. I own two gens, gold sky-dweller and GMT batgril.. For me theres 4 reasons why I have my gens.

1. One day I want to pass down my gens to my kids,
2. It is very hard for a gold rep to have its gold plating not fade away and for its weight to be the same as a gen,
3. For some gens its impossible to buy them, like the SS Daytonas, SS sky-dwellers and Pateks so I rather wear a rep than wait 20 years and hope to find a gen, and
4. I love my Daytona rep but for whatever reason it's not the same feeling as when I wear my gens.

If money wasn't an issue I would only buy gens but despite giving my 4 reason, I'll be buying more reps soon and I don't think I will ever buy a gen again
 

GR!P

You're Saying I Can Sell?
29/8/22
38
27
18
EU
I find it interesting that these discussions usually delve into the investment or monetary aspects of watch owning and collecting. Does anyone feel guilt for buying copies of designs that were likely labored over by artists for months or even years? What about the fact that the world is quickly moving to digital instruments including watches and purchasing a gen may keep the brand alive a little longer. I worry that mechanical watches might not be around for the rest of my life and that would certainly be a more boring world.
the watches that get repped arent being made by starving artists.


besides, a lot of people go gen after wearing the rep, those that dont, were never the target audience for the genuine product anyway.
 

bigkat725

You're Saying I Can Sell?
21/6/19
66
48
18
besides, a lot of people go gen after wearing the rep, those that dont, were never the target audience for the genuine product anyway.

This is an interesting perspective. I actually feel like the reverse is pretty common. A lot of people I know waiting 2-3 years for a stainless steel Rolex and after buying what they wanted so badly were underwhelmed. They sell the gen for a nice profit, keep the money, and buy the best rep they can find getting out of the gen watch game entirely.
 

GR!P

You're Saying I Can Sell?
29/8/22
38
27
18
EU
I find it interesting that these discussions usually delve into the investment or monetary aspects of watch owning and collecting. Does anyone feel guilt for buying copies of designs that were likely labored over by artists for months or even years? What about the fact that the world is quickly moving to digital instruments including watches and purchasing a gen may keep the brand alive a little longer. I worry that mechanical watches might not be around for the rest of my life and that would certainly be a more boring world.
forgot to add: I think the world moving towards everything being digital is actually great for mechanical watches, especially the more high end ones.
if functionality was the main goal mechanical watches would be long gone.
 

GR!P

You're Saying I Can Sell?
29/8/22
38
27
18
EU
This is an interesting perspective. I actually feel like the reverse is pretty common. A lot of people I know waiting 2-3 years for a stainless steel Rolex and after buying what they wanted so badly were underwhelmed. They sell the gen for a nice profit, keep the money, and buy the best rep they can find getting out of the gen watch game entirely.
i know people from both sides of this phenomenon, but yeah, with rolex its usually the gen to rep route :D
 

bigkat725

You're Saying I Can Sell?
21/6/19
66
48
18
i know people from both sides of this phenomenon, but yeah, with rolex its usually the gen to rep route :D
To be clear, I am also one of these kind of people. No WAY I am waiting 3 years and spending thousands buying watches I dont even want to get the privilege of purchasing a no date stainless steel submariner that every other guy in the airport has too.
 

PiagetandPills

Central to nowhere
10/6/22
83
95
18
U.K.
I have bought my nodate sub in 2014 for something like 7k.

Now it's worth around 13.

That's almost 200%. No gold, silver can compete. Only few stocks have risen like this.

There's also no way of knowing if your stock will be worth anything in 20 years.

And very few countries have a luxury tax.

Watches, for the last 20 years, have been one of the best investment opportunities and still are. Especially if you're only out for a profit. That's why the market prices went up like that. Not because demand of people wanting them like you and me is higher, but because investment hunters buy them up.
Completely agree. I bought a gen Hulk submariner from an AD in the Caribbean in 2015, for the dollar equivalent of £5900. I came home and within weeks I was hearing about a huge demand for that model, and then a long subsequent waiting list. I'll concede it was pure luck, and I had no idea it would happen. I chose it purely because I had bought a green emerald ring days earlier, and I wanted a matching watch.

However they then discontinued the Hulk a couple of years back, and that watch now sells for 3 times what I paid. There is zero investment I can think of that would give me that kind of return, in less than 7 years...