Your first and why?

[frvrngn]

New here and still feeling my way around. Little background on me, I started collecting watches over two decades ago and had a pretty nice collection going. They were all Gen and I had owned most of the big brands of sport watches, Rolex, Omega, Breitling, Sinn, Fortis, Kobold and many others were in rotation. I enjoyed the hunt just as much as the watch so flipped most of them. Then I got out of the whole collecting thing, sold off the vast majority of my collection and was wearing more watches like G's and Suuntos since I was into outdoor activities. I also got married and had kids so that put a damper on things!!

My fellow WIS from years ago is still into collecting. He has quite the nice rotation of mainly PAM's right now but his flavor of watch changes constantly. He turned me onto Reps. I told him about a Rollie Sub date I had seen years ago and it was sad to say the least. He mentioned how far they had come along so told me to check out this site along with some dealer sites and other forums. I was surprised to say the least. Most of these reps I think could pass for gens, especially the modded models.

So I decided to try one and picked up an old DSN PAM 005. It was one of the not so good models and I should have gone with a newer model but it is what it is. I have never owned a Panerai and wanted to try one out. I can say after the DSN, as bad as I am told it was, I will be buying a nicer model in the future. I also just picked up a modded, vintage GMT Master that will be here soon.

After all that - I was curious... What was your first Rep and why did you buy it? If you are here I assume it didnt sour you on Reps and if anything like me it made you want many more. I plan on going down my Gen wish list and looking into Reps since I doubt I will be able to buy many of them in the future.

 

[riddler91]

I'm also new here, until 2 weeks ago I'd have said replica watches were plastic things that would break when the wind changes.

The first replica I ordered? It had to be a Breitling Navitimer. I've been pining over the real thing for the best part of 10 years now, but it never seemed the ideal time to buy one. I've been wearing a genuine Rolex Datejust since my early twenties, and I couldn't justify spending another £3,000 on a watch when I already had a great watch. With the replica I'm spending more in the region of £200, thats easier to swallow. If I like the look of this bad boy on my wrist then maybe down the line I'll end up with the real thing... or far more likely I'll end up rocking an endless collection of replicas.

 

[Cheesemonger]

I am fairly new here as well and my first rep was a modded 005. I really liked the look of the watch and read ALEs PAM guide before I pulled the trigger. It helped tremendously and now has me hooked on the brand for reps.

 

[Luthier]

Noobs parade...

Go on, folks!

 

[sub4me]

Noobs parade...

Go on, folks!

So what?? You were a newbie at one time also and you've only got a box of reps to show for it. Maybe one day you can buy a real watch.

 

[thedoover]

It was inexpensive (quartz) I liked the look and I like the ingy collection.

 

[Cwall3415]

My first was the Noob rolex explorer II! I researched for a while and lots of vet rep collectors said this was a great rep! I took their word and pulled the trigger! They were right! I haven't looked back! Have the new noob CrPo on the way now!

 

[whoknows]

New here and still feeling my way around. Little background on me, I started collecting watches over two decades ago and had a pretty nice collection going. They were all Gen and I had owned most of the big brands of sport watches, Rolex, Omega, Breitling, Sinn, Fortis, Kobold and many others were in rotation. I enjoyed the hunt just as much as the watch so flipped most of them. Then I got out of the whole collecting thing, sold off the vast majority of my collection and was wearing more watches like G's and Suuntos since I was into outdoor activities. I also got married and had kids so that put a damper on things!!

Amen to the kids damper. I always wanted a Sub, but I needed food and the kids needed new shoes more than I needed a luxury watch.

My fellow WIS from years ago is still into collecting. He has quite the nice rotation of mainly PAM's right now but his flavor of watch changes constantly. He turned me onto Reps. I told him about a Rollie Sub date I had seen years ago and it was sad to say the least. He mentioned how far they had come along so told me to check out this site along with some dealer sites and other forums. I was surprised to say the least. Most of these reps I think could pass for gens, especially the modded models.

Agreed 100%. I vacationed in China in 2005, while I was there I bought some of the cheap knock-offs from street vendors. My first experience with Chinese REP watches, NOT GOOD. Basically POS.

So I decided to try one and picked up an old DSN PAM 005. It was one of the not so good models and I should have gone with a newer model but it is what it is. I have never owned a Panerai and wanted to try one out. I can say after the DSN, as bad as I am told it was, I will be buying a nicer model in the future. I also just picked up a modded, vintage GMT Master that will be here soon.

After all that - I was curious... What was your first Rep and why did you buy it? If you are here I assume it didnt sour you on Reps and if anything like me it made you want many more. I plan on going down my Gen wish list and looking into Reps since I doubt I will be able to buy many of them in the future.

First REP was a DayDate (Yawn...) from Stan. I never wore the watch, opened the shipping box and handed it to my father. Pop absolutely loves the thing. The watch was a great REP, well made and keeps good time. Just doesn't trip my trigger.

I love watches, especially high end ones, but I can't stand the thought of damaging my GEN SUB. I have the bad habit of forgetting that I have it on, and the next thing I know I am out changing the oil on the mower.

By chance I discover RWI, problem solved no more worries when I am wearing a $200.00 REP. Plus, I get to own some really cool watches that I have always wanted. AND, only my postman and I know the difference.

Ben

 

[Jong]

A few months ago I thought wearing a watch had no purpose. I'd check my phone for the time. Spending even a couple hundred for a watch sounded ridiculous. A buddy of mine told me about the big brands of watches, primarily Hublot and Audemars Piguet. About how they would cost over 15 grand. And how there are almost perfect replicas out there. Being a guy who didn't even understand the purpose of a watch, I called him an idiot for wanting to buy "fake" watches for a couple of hundred bucks. That was when he would show me these watches almost every day. Honestly, I started to fall in love with them. HBB all black ceramic and the AP Diver were 2 that I was eyeing for weeks. I eventually pulled the trigger on the AP and never looked back. I currently own 5 replicas (ap, pam, rollie, omega) and I'm really getting into the movements and modding and such. I ordered the recommended toolkit. Hoping one day I might be able to work on these watches myself.

Extremely addictive hobby. To be honest, for a 22 y/o student working a part time job, it's a very expensive hobby as well.

 

[gazza1]

I had always bought only high end Gen Watches over many years which varied from a few thousand to many thousands on each purchase.

One year ago I was at a friends house and he showed me his Rep Breitling which he had just purchased for a few hundred dollars from TD here.

I was amazed at its quality and changed my perception overnight as I believed that all Reps were poor imitations and that I would never ever wear one in a lifetime..let alone spend money on one.

After that day at my friends...I could not get out of my head that if I say went to spend thousands on a GEN..I could get something very close for just a few hundred.

I now save my thousands from not buying Gens anymore to invest in my other long term passions which are Vintage Gibson Guitars and Cars that could be best described here as from the same breed and gene pool as exotic very highly engineered Genuine Watches.

I find Replica watch buying a very addictive habit but every time I hit that checkout button I still have a big wide smile.

This forum was a god send to a Replica Beginner like me 1 year ago..so thanks to all those that post on this board and taught me so much in such a short space of time.

 

[bpdd]

My first was a Breitling Flying B for Bentley - but those crappy ones with a faux tourby LOL ... i still don't know why

So what?? You were a newbie at one time also and you've only got a box of reps to show for it. Maybe one day you can buy a real watch.

:spit:

 

[frvrngn]

I have also noticed that a lot of members on Rep forums own some very nice Gens. Many have collections much nicer than I would have imagined with 10's of thousands invested, but they also have a box full of Reps. After my big sell off I only kept a Rollie SD and an Omega Constellation dress watch. The Rollie needs a big service overhaul after years of daily wear. After finding all these incredible looking reps, for the price of the overhaul I can buy a nice collection of new watches!

 

[Azurax]

My first was a quartz Tag GC 36 . Oh looking back.. haha

 

[shelby1501]

My first was a quartz Tag GC 36 . Oh looking back.. haha

Mine too man! I bought this Tag quartz (which was great btw), then Omega PO Chrono quartz and wore them for year and a half and visiting forum rarely in that time. Then I started to read in PAM section and I got the bug as you can see in my signature. Since then I also got AP (Diver on its way, for others I don't have money to buy and then service them) and IWC (Big Pilot on its way ) bug and I also want some not so popular watches like B&R 03, U-Boat U-42 and Omega Ploprof. I hope this will became reality in near future as, like someone stated before, it's hard to get all of these with student status.

 

[slayerphil]

Mine was a Fossil watch for my 18th Birthday.

 

[randomguy101]

Omega speedmaster professional for me. Just to see if I like it before I buy the gen. I'm still going to buy the gen in the future, unless they make one with the right subdials and hesalite crystal.

 

[callum]

Omega PO Chrono quartz, now own many more reps,

 

[chaw6125]

I bought a 21j rolex daytona rep from Cyprus. I was actually trying to find a quartz datejust rep to wind up my friend that just bought a gen. Since then it has had the main second hand frozen and gen crown fitted.

I also bought an A7750 daytona from M2M which is how I found this place searching high and low for one with a working chrono.

I also have an awesome couple of modded Tags and a PO soon to be Frankened.

Since finding RWI I have looked at reps on holiday and only found one watch with A7750 and the guy wanted £500. They really sell crap. We are so lucky to have TDs like we do.


______________
Need sec @ 6 module for daytona.

http://forum.replica-watch.info/vb/showthread.php?t=165206

 

[If you see Kay]

So what?? You were a newbie at one time also and you've only got a box of reps to show for it. Maybe one day you can buy a real watch.

hahh hahh...

good one!!!!!!!

 

[dre3mer]

So what?? You were a newbie at one time also and you've only got a box of reps to show for it. Maybe one day you can buy a real watch.

True to that... except that reps are also real watch.


My first rep was an AP 15400... I bought it because it was just beautiful.