904 or 316 stainless steel in your replica watches?

[vAshayaStar]

hello, dear community,
i am so glad to have found this forum. I found pretty useful information out here. But, not the one that concerns me the most: stainless steel grade in rep watches. Some of my friends told me that 316 grade is not a reliable material, and I would better look for 904l stainless steel instead. On some google articles and several forum comments, I discovered that in fact, many dealers sell the 316l steel at prices of 904l. Other people in general tell me that there is no such thing as 904l steel In the replica industry.

I own two rep models, one is a Tank imitation and another one is a Breitling rep. On the Breitling, it is engraved 316 steel. looks pretty good and still has a nice-looking finish, even though I wear it almost everyday for the 3rd year. On the tank, I see the inscription. of 904l steel. Visually, I see no differences, if I'm being honest. I'm satisfied with both of them. But with the recent information, I'm inclined to believe that my 904l steel watch is not 904l, actually.


Also, I'm planning to get a Vacheron rep in the near future. The so-called "904l" versions are more expensive, obviously. But, how do I confirm the 904 grade, given that many sources say there is no 904 grade in the rep industry? I don't want to overpay for a 904 steel watch, when in fact, it's a 316.
Thanks for any comment

 

[KaraTisH]

I also found comments that 904l steel is just a marketing promise, in fact, all reps being made of 316. Honestly, I dont know the real truth, especially considering how many online websites promise the 904 steel. Do they really lie to such an extent?! idk. I think a repair specialist could probably see your Tank rep to confirm if it is or not 904l steel.


what I do know is that 316 is a pretty decent alternative. I really trust this material, it behaves well with impacts and I can't say it is less impact-resistant than 904. more than that, I found sources saying that in terms of durability, these are identical 316 and 904l. also, I know that 904 has higher concentration of nickel and it can cause allergic reaction to sensible people

 

[tOOkano$$$]

good point about hypersensitivity of the 904l stainless steel. I personally know a guy that wore a 904 watch and didn't know why his wrist was always red and itchy, until a physician suggested to take off the watch for a certain period.
hard to say if the 904l steel watches are indeed 904l. especially, considering that there is no regulation in the matter.
honestly, the material is what concerns me the least when buying reps. I have absolutely nothing against 316, I'm completely ok with that. What matters to me is the rep to be not made of aluminum, or similar in-resistant material. I mean I accept some parts of aluminum, but not the whole rep. that's total crap


From what I researched, I know that 904 looks a bit shinier than 316. no other significant differences can be spotted. also, pretty durable and resistant to corrosion. maybe not as resistant as 904, but you don't plan to put your rep under strain to test it, huh?!
so, if your next Vacheron will be 316l, good for u

 

[CringeUser]

I think 904l reps exist, but they are not as easy to find as it seems. most online dealers lie when they say that their reps are 904l, just to get a higher price. I think there might be 1-2 dealers working with 904 steel. but, they are hard to find. so, I'm pretty ok with 316l, very nice quality, price, and resistance profile.
as for the shinier finish, it's not a problem for me to take my rep to be polished once in a while, and voila- my rep looks brand new again. personally, i'm not ready paying about 1k for a 904l stainless steel fake, when the same watch is around 500$, the only difference being the 316l steel.
I can understand that the difference is huge when architects build stainless steel massive constructions like buildings, ships etc.. this would make the difference between 904 and 316l steel. but if it's about watches, I don't see critical differences. more like marketing

 

[staYingPosiTIve!!!]

some of the reps I have also appoint on. 904 stainless steel. these are pretty resistant and behave very well, almost servicing for the 4th year...
904l is harder attainable than 316, but not impossible to obtain. I hardly can believe that those dealers promising 904l steel sell, actually, 316l. I mean, some of them maybe, but not all of them. guys, these reps sell at around 1k $, I really dont think they fool people in such a way...

I doubt about 904l steel reps that are sold at about 150-250$. these are indeed kinda hinky. but, the expensive ones-im sure in their 904 authenticity, especially from TDs

 

[thiN1k1ngTWICe]

Most Omega watches are made of 316l stainless steel, if not all of them. So, I don’t see a problem with this material. If such a brand as Omega opts for it, why do you think it is a doubtful material? Tag Heuer uses it for most of its watches, including the racer watches. You talk like this material is total crap. If you plan to buy a rep, the 326l and 904l stainless steel is the last thing that should concern you. Both of them are reliable. If you find a TD offering a good price, reliable movement, decent resemblance with the genuine, and maybe a warranty, I see no problem if it is a 316l

 

[vAshayaStar]

thanks for the replies guys. actually I have nothing against 316 stainless steel. I also had a couple of 316 watches and I had no troubles with them. only that these have lost their ouster and shine a little bit after several years of wear and tear. but with a good polishing, they looked like new

my concern is more related to how to make the difference between a real 904 steel rep watch and 316 rep via pictures. many online sellers offer very expensive reps saying they are 904. but when you receive, you understand you got a 316 one, and you could get a 316 one of the same quality from other seller last a more reasonable price. so dont wanna be fooled by such a seller. is there any certi8ficate I should ask for from the online dealer?

 

[Hich40]

good point about hypersensitivity of the 904l stainless steel. I personally know a guy that wore a 904 watch and didn't know why his wrist was always red and itchy, until a physician suggested to take off the watch for a certain period.
hard to say if the 904l steel watches are indeed 904l. especially, considering that there is no regulation in the matter.
honestly, the material is what concerns me the least when buying reps. I have absolutely nothing against 316, I'm completely ok with that. What matters to me is the rep to be not made of aluminum, or similar in-resistant material. I mean I accept some parts of aluminum, but not the whole rep. that's total crap


From what I researched, I know that 904 looks a bit shinier than 316. no other significant differences can be spotted. also, pretty durable and resistant to corrosion. maybe not as resistant as 904, but you don't plan to put your rep under strain to test it, huh?!
so, if your next Vacheron will be 316l, good for u

it can be different from one person to another one. Some people can be allergic to that kind of steel and this is why their hands are getting red and itchy. I mean in case the steel is really 904. The only way to find the truth for that one person is to make a check on the steel. There are professionals that can tell you if the steel is 904 or is just simple bullshit.

At the same time, that person can try to wear other watches that are made with 904 stainless steel materials to see if he has the same reaction. Genuine watches with 904 stainless steel can be a solution. he can borrow a from someone if he doesn't have one, and it is enough to wear it for a little period of time to see the difference.
Poor guy is lucky and unlucky at the same time- if it turns out that he doesn't have allergies to the 904, this means that he can always tell if the watch is made of 904 or another kind of stainless steel.
At least let him try it.
I know that the problem with 904 is a good one.. a lot of suppliers are whiling to lie in order to sell.. but this is not something new.. a lot of them are doing this unfortunately.

 

[Hich40]

Most Omega watches are made of 316l stainless steel, if not all of them. So, I don’t see a problem with this material. If such a brand as Omega opts for it, why do you think it is a doubtful material? Tag Heuer uses it for most of its watches, including the racer watches. You talk like this material is total crap. If you plan to buy a rep, the 326l and 904l stainless steel is the last thing that should concern you. Both of them are reliable. If you find a TD offering a good price, reliable movement, decent resemblance with the genuine, and maybe a warranty, I see no problem if it is a 316l

Totally agree, i have different watches, some of them made of 904 and others of 316l. The thing that /i can say for sure is that some of 326l are way better than those that are made with 904. I can't say that I had some specific things going on with the 316l. Some of my reps are older than 7 years and I have used them for a really long period of time.. the only serious problem that i had is the bracelet or strap problem. Yep... when you take care of your watch there is nothing that you should worry about.
I know.. I know that generally, 904 is better, but the point is that even with 316l you can have some good experience. Tasted on myself.

 

[CapOOchino]

from what I know, both look awful if you dont care much about them. my dad had a 904 steel watch, all drip and fleek for those times. He never cared about the watch, and you just can’t imagine what a trash it became. 904l steel reps do exist, but they are as a general rule more expensive and you'd have to pay through the nose for it.

about the certificates you're asking, idk if dealers give such. I never got one from my TD. I think you should look for a TD. search for them in forum or in reviews sites

 

[Hich40]

from what I know, both look awful if you dont care much about them. my dad had a 904 steel watch, all drip and fleek for those times. He never cared about the watch, and you just can’t imagine what a trash it became. 904l steel reps do exist, but they are as a general rule more expensive and you'd have to pay through the nose for it.

about the certificates you're asking, idk if dealers give such. I never got one from my TD. I think you should look for a TD. search for them in forum or in reviews sites

That's true for sure... doesnt it applies to everything that you care about>?

 

[peGASus4338#!]

you can never be sure of that. there are manufacturers making 316 steel, but engrave 904 l on them, so that people think its 904. who controls them? nobody... so, I wouldn't limit to only this criterion. look on the whole picture and dont hunt the most expensive reps believing in their super powerful quality... it just doesn't exist... a $500-$600 price is the maximum you should consider for a rep. for this price, the quality is pretty decent

 

[###IcySpicY###]

I don't think that manufacturers engrave 904l stainless steel on a watch that's in fact 316. Usually, the grade of steel coincides with what is written on it. you will get the steel that you pay for, unless you get the rep from unknown seller.
to me, there is no big difference between them both. both behave well in the long run, especially if you take proper care.

there can be a threat when there is nothing engraved on the watch about the grade of stainless steel. I mean no information at all. in such a case, the dealer can benefit from this and tell you it's a 904 instead of 316. you can't check that info in no ways. avoid such dealers.

but if the engraving about the grade is present, the steel has always the grade mentioned in the engraving

 

[Hich40]

you can never be sure of that. there are manufacturers making 316 steel, but engrave 904 l on them, so that people think its 904. who controls them? nobody... so, I wouldn't limit to only this criterion. look on the whole picture and dont hunt the most expensive reps believing in their super powerful quality... it just doesn't exist... a $500-$600 price is the maximum you should consider for a rep. for this price, the quality is pretty decent

so the only thing to do is to go with the lower price ( depending on the type of watch ) and never check on the steel quality?
Does this mean that every time we go for watches that are 904 you never know if it really made of that specific steel>? Maybe this is a situation when the thing that we actually need to do is to return ne replica watch if we don't like it. Have you ever tried this>?

You can have the watch that you like, to check the material of the steel and if the steel is 316 instead of 904 to return them, I know that there are a lot of suppliers that offer this possibility, don't they?

 

[Hich40]

I don't think that manufacturers engrave 904l stainless steel on a watch that's in fact 316. Usually, the grade of steel coincides with what is written on it. you will get the steel that you pay for, unless you get the rep from unknown seller.
to me, there is no big difference between them both. both behave well in the long run, especially if you take proper care.

there can be a threat when there is nothing engraved on the watch about the grade of stainless steel. I mean no information at all. in such a case, the dealer can benefit from this and tell you it's a 904 instead of 316. you can't check that info in no ways. avoid such dealers.

but if the engraving about the grade is present, the steel has always the grade mentioned in the engraving

I agree with this. I don't think that they are so stupid to do this thing. I mean look, if there is such a thing as faking the material that the watch has been made of. you risk losing your reputation- of course if you care about it and I totally think that high quality replicas always care about their reputation. Their primary idea is to offer high quality watches that are going to be the best choices for customers.
So if they are always going for the idea to have more customers that are going to last, this is not the best decision to fake a material.
in this century where everything is possible to be checked it is just foolish to do such a thing.

 

[DanielDJZI]

tricky question actually... some factories engrave the steel grade somewhere under the caseback. others don't. I suppose that those who don't have engravings are always 316l. as if they were 904l, I dont think manufacturers would skip the possibility to show this advantage off...
I don't know your plans for the replica watch, but I wouldn't suggest much about it. look at the movement and warranty conditions. even if it's a 316l, that's a good material.
what's the point of a 904l steel watch if it runs on the worst mechanism possible?! I think u got the idea

 

[Hich40]

tricky question actually... some factories engrave the steel grade somewhere under the caseback. others don't. I suppose that those who don't have engravings are always 316l. as if they were 904l, I dont think manufacturers would skip the possibility to show this advantage off...
I don't know your plans for the replica watch, but I wouldn't suggest much about it. look at the movement and warranty conditions. even if it's a 316l, that's a good material.
what's the point of a 904l steel watch if it runs on the worst mechanism possible?! I think u got the idea

U are totally right about the engraved under case but I think that i depends on the brand and manufacturer. Personally, i have seen some watches that had engraved the 904l on the black case but actually, it was 316. So you never know what to expect. |I really think that if you go for high quality replicas, they for sure know how and want to use 904l material. I think they really work with high-quality materials for the reps. The thing is that if you go for AAA reps and you got something that was not as indicated by the supplier then for sure it was not a AAA manufacturer just a simple scam... people that wanted to sell something and to make money and don't care about their reputation. It happened to me just for some time, and i decided to let it go.... i meat i did nothing to change this thing... i just learned the lesson i moved to another supplier. We always learn

 

[Hich40]

.. you will get the steel that you pay for, unless you get the rep from unknown seller.

I totally love this and i totally agree. if you pay for smth good you are going to receive smth good. The thing is that there are too many people who thought that they are buying AAA reps. This was because they have seen it written on the site. They didn't take into consideration that the price may be too low for such a high quality rep.

A lot of times we just don't make it clear and accept that this is our fault and not theirs. I have heard so many things about it, this is their fault that the strap got broken after one month... but he got a watch for $50. I tried to explain that this is not how it works and that the only fault is yours that you thought that the watch that costs about $50 can be a good one.


The same example happened with one of my co-workers. He bought a watch for $30. I mean $30 GOOOOOD. Can you imagine... he can't get why the watch is not stainless still if there was written that it is. Well my dear friend.... I don't know what to say... He was so mad and I was amazed by the fact that people actually are mad at others when they make bad choices.

 

[CoVriGoooU]

sapphire crystal. looks purer and resists everything

 

[Hich40]

you know what? i have been reading all different things right here and i decided to tell you something. Even some clones 1:1 are made with 316l stainless steel. there are a lot of reasons why. sometimes it is better to use a 316l because the final result of the watch is going to look better and function better. i would like to be sure that all the watches out there are made of 904l, but as far as i know sometimes the 904l can bring you more problems. if you are a person that actually cares about the way the watch looks and cares if the watch is identical to the original one or not, the best thing to do is to just go with the flow, and before throwing bad words for one watch that was actually made of 316l, you should ask yourself the reason.

if there is no reason, then you need to tell me why, why some 1:1 clones are so expensive even if they are made with 316l? there has to be a reason no? for sure there is. the same reverted question, why the same model can be found in 904l but the model is less expensive?

the only people that i don't recommend going with 316l are those that are allergic somehow. I feel really bad for you because I know that this is going to complicate your life.