with 95% similarity of reps, would u still opt for a gen?

[UltrARiott]

So many debates about reps and gen watches. Pros and cons. Many abstain from buying reps because of their visible differences with gens. Considering that a rep is 95% identical, would u still go for the gen? And what would be the response to the choice? Curious

 

[PeperoNNi]

I do own reps. the reason for buying them is the price of course, and having fun with the hobby. like to compare them and it's kinda fun observing how the replica industry strives in improving snd bringing its pieces to perfect similarity with gens.
BUT)) reps are just a reminder about how much I love the gens an the brands behind them.
having a hen is like the ultimate wish and level of guilty pleasure of all watch enthusiasts. having a gen watch its comforting simply because u7 know its from the direct source, and not an imitation, no matter how perfect it is done... a psychological reason, maybe?!

 

[randomWATCHlover]

actually bought my Millgaus rep to make sure I resonate with it enough. couldn't have risked having a gen one without knowing how things would "work between us". sometimes you want something so much and once u have it, the passion vanished and u remain indifferent to it. But sometimes the passion remains and u appreciate whatever the accessory is even after years... it seems that I resonate enough with my rep and my passion for it didn't get smaller... so the next big step is buying the gen of which i'm sure ill keep it for many years to come

 

[cheetomargheritto]

Not sure if I ever buy a gen…. Each time I’m close to the saved price, smth happens and I have to spend my money for other big purchases… last year my wife got stuck to the idea of having a new car…was impossible to convince her about my gen… so, thinking that reps will remain my no 1 choice

 

[CasPer$$hunteR]

We all buy reps because we love their genuine models, right? But can’t afford them and we accept the reps instead… a gen is gen, and no rep can ever be the same, be it 99% identical. Id like to have a gen that is crafted from those specific and unique technologies and machines only available in the brands’ headquarters. I also want to have the certainty that my watch is COSC certified and comes directly from the brand’s factor, without being worried about the quality of movement and materials. Take as an example a fake diamond. Being a fake it will never have the same structure as the gen

 

[Almagest]

reps are like toys dont really stick to them much...emotionally))) with a gen, my attitude is much careful 🫣

 

[chunkeymonkey]

Apart from the aesthetic and cosmetic look, which the rep factories can reproduce greatly, there is the huge machinery and expertise in making movements. Technically, all luxury watch brands have their own machinery and few techniques are used by 2 or more brands. Usually, these create their own techniques and keep them under NDA within the departments. That’s why Rolex or other luxury names have many fonts, particles, materials etc patented. How would u expect a rep factory to reproduce something that even another luxury brand can’t?

I’m inclined to believe that the cosmetic Aspect can be reproduced at 95%, even at 99% if u wish.. but as what refers to the inner “universe” of a watch, you’ve got to have a gen to benefit from the technical construction that only gens have

 

[NETEriuM]

I do believe and know for sure that some reps are astonishingly similar to gens and run as smooth as a gen… people around u would never spot the difference between a high-quality rep and a gen, so owning a gen just to impress others is definitely the wrong reason…

Here is more about personal comfort. Knowing that u have the watch in its most impeccable version is really comforting…even with the best rep the feeling that something might go wrong is always present. And with any minor defect, you blame it because it’s a rep, without even considering that the same error may occur in a gen as well…

U want that genuine history on your wrist, those authentic components, and that specific original value

Having a Chinese iPhone is. Not the same as having an authentic Apple, for how much it wouldn’t resemble, even though gen Apple is also assembled in china

 

[ondOntra]

I do believe and know for sure that some reps are astonishingly similar to gens and run as smooth as a gen… people around u would never spot the difference between a high-quality rep and a gen, so owning a gen just to impress others is definitely the wrong reason…

Here is more about personal comfort. Knowing that u have the watch in its most impeccable version is really comforting…even with the best rep the feeling that something might go wrong is always present. And with any minor defect, you blame it because it’s a rep, without even considering that the same error may occur in a gen as well…

U want that genuine history on your wrist, those authentic components, and that specific original value

Having a Chinese iPhone is. Not the same as having an authentic Apple, for how much it wouldn’t resemble, even though gen Apple is also assembled in china

904 steel is 904 steel even in Africa, the same goes for the sapphire crystal. As for the movements, these might be manufactured differently in gen brands and rep factories, yes. But what counts is the result after all. If a gen runs smoothly and precisely, who cares how the movement is done and if it is identical or not? What’s important for s watch is to run impeccably and to resist time and external conditions without compromising cosmetic look and operation. And reps meet these demands decently. Not all of them of course, not talking here about cheaper versions, but referring exclusively to the premium-quality reps. dont really need to look to the chinese market. swiss rep factories are doing a pretty great job with warranty and stuff

 

[LIgHtere]

cant see myself ever buying a gen...could spend that money on so many things instead.. travelling, car, studio, University etc... totally agree with those who are not ready to sp-end that money on a gen, even if they have it... having 4-5 good reps can serve for decades and buy other models when getting bored of the existent. true that steel is steel in both gen and reps, why pay more? psiychological comfort? really??????????????? is it really comforting u spending some thousands bucks on a watch? ON A WATCH????????? go with your kids to Bali, Hawaii, Everest, whenever u wand and spend them wiser
a good looking rep is the best invention ever!!!

 

[salmeari]

I've always owned both reps and gens. the feeling is somehow different ))
though all the reps I owned were pretty high-quality, there is an absolutely different feeling when you wear a gen on the wrist. What's true is that the gens I own are far from being the most expensive ones as im not the richest here... but with a gen...idk... my attitude towards it is different...
having s gen even if a rep is identical is identical is like validating your self-status

 

[fishwoddy12]

I love watches but don’t see myself as a crazy fanatic collecting gen timepieces. So I limit myself in practicality. I love gen watches and watch brands, I follow their history, achievements, etc…it’s indeed a captivating hobby for me. Don’t think I’ll have a genuine one just t have a genuine one. I’d only have one if the price is indeed comforting me. Since that’s pretty unlikely, I’m ok with 95% reps. Owning a gen watch is not my number one priority. And all depends on the circumstances, if I get lucky and become rich, I probably would have gen just for fun and just because I afford it. gens are for when you don’t have where else to spend money. But I do. with a limited budget, I prefer traveling the world with a Rep on my wrist than owning gen and staying home just because I don’t have cash on traveling (given that I spend it on gen).

So, 95% is totally comforting to me. I read the comments here and see the “psychological comfort” frequently men toned. U know?! Some charity acts would probably comfort me better instead of wasting it on a gen. Couldn’t feel comfortable boasting with a couple of thousand watches knowing that I could feed some tens of children or simply, buy some holiday tickets for my mom and dad.

So, I think it’s a matter of priorities rather than psychological comfort. A rep can work well? Can. A rep can be high-quality? Can. A rep can look good? Can. Why should I look for more? @LIgHtere same here

 

[diaboliquerye]

given that we all look for the best rep with the best resemblance possible, this automatically means that we al strive for the ideal model. and the ideal model is the gen a gen is the icing on the cake that we all want, even though we might imagine that we don't need it.
I see different opinions here, but, ultimately, I think that no one here would refuse a gen instead of a rep....
@fishwoddy12 too drammatic your speech here )) the question is Why buy a gen and not What can u do with the money of a gen

 

[STERYBOL]

I love watches but don’t see myself as a crazy fanatic collecting gen timepieces. So I limit myself in practicality. I love gen watches and watch brands, I follow their history, achievements, etc…it’s indeed a captivating hobby for me. Don’t think I’ll have a genuine one just t have a genuine one. I’d only have one if the price is indeed comforting me. Since that’s pretty unlikely, I’m ok with 95% reps. Owning a gen watch is not my number one priority. And all depends on the circumstances, if I get lucky and become rich, I probably would have gen just for fun and just because I afford it. gens are for when you don’t have where else to spend money. But I do. with a limited budget, I prefer traveling the world with a Rep on my wrist than owning gen and staying home just because I don’t have cash on traveling (given that I spend it on gen).

So, 95% is totally comforting to me. I read the comments here and see the “psychological comfort” frequently men toned. U know?! Some charity acts would probably comfort me better instead of wasting it on a gen. Couldn’t feel comfortable boasting with a couple of thousand watches knowing that I could feed some tens of children or simply, buy some holiday tickets for my mom and dad.

So, I think it’s a matter of priorities rather than psychological comfort. A rep can work well? Can. A rep can be high-quality? Can. A rep can look good? Can. Why should I look for more? @LIgHtere same here

dont wanna debate your position, simply curious about your wife presents... would u buy her fake diamonds instead of gens, proposing her to give all that left money to charity???? I think you-re taking it too tragic... with so many watches on the market, (almost) all of us here have reps. why dont we just find medium priced gen watches from less popular brands?! there are so many timepieces of that kind with pretty good functions and design...
see?! we love reps not only because they are simply watches, but because they are imitations of spectacular brands with phenomenal extortive and knowledge in horology. and having a genuine version is like having the holy grail.
dont think I'd ever buy a gen on my last money.... but if I do have enough, ill have s gen. people owning money have them for both luxury watches and for charity as well. On the other hand, dont forget that rich people aren't always as kind as u think and many dont give a sh*t on charity. Charity can be made with few money also, it's not necessary to be rich

 

[EasyPeasY57299]

yes I would. if a rep is 95% similar, this would mean that it would cost 95% from the genuine's price, wouldn't it?! which means almost the whole price of the gen. So, why then not take the gen directly from the brand? In such a case, I would be completely sure about the 100% quality. since the rep industry is in no way regulated regarding quality standards, there is always the high risk of poor quality

 

[J9$!Dw23]

so extreme opinions out here...
if making abstractions from what could these money be spent on, I'd still want a gen simply because I wouldn't want a fake Tesla, no matter how close it is to a genuine one. maybe not the best example but it shows (hope so) the main idea of a gen...
also, dont forget that almost all big brands, regardless of the industry, have some "secret techniques" kept under the NDA. so, non rep manufacturer will ever reproduce the recipe.therefore, I would like to have then genuine "recipe" on my wrist

 

[thiN1k1ngTWICe]

spicy discussion here )))))
I think we are talking here about an inexistent hypothesis...
reps will never achieve 95% similarity, no matter how hard rep factories try...
the reasons are exposed above: expertise, techniques, NDA processes etc...
some reps come with a great physical shape but the movement is creepy
others come with a long-lasting mechanism, while the aesthetics is far from the truth
watch brands are experts in watch manufacturing... good experts dont work for reps. therefore, these are manufactured by stuff with less horological skills. we just buy reps for fun, hobby, variety, affordability. But a gen is a gen and if it could be reproduced identically, gens would completely disappear

 

[whySOniCE456]

if I had one, I would not hide it... it's kinda fun having one. why would people judge? they never know when they buy a rep shoes thinking it's an authentic pair... only if they dont buy it from an official store... I know so many people thinking they bought gen shoes from secondary stores... in the end... it's just shoes... it's just watches.... no human crime here

 

[TesaLLiuM8565]

Saying sapphire is sapphire and steel is steel in both reps and gens is quite fair. First of all, you never can be sure that dealers selling 904 steel is indeed 904. Most probably not. The same is for the sapphire. Dealers only promise it but impossible to check it. So, from this point, one can never know how “steel” is the rep steel in fact…

Back to the question, IF by miracle a rep factory produces 95% exact imitation, I would still have gen. I want that 5% left on my wrist. The 5% is equivalent to the warranty of quality that we all lack with reps. No matter how good the rep is, there is always the voice in my head asking “what if…”.

Another pro argument: heritage. I’d like my grandsons to own a gen watch from me. So I die in peace knowing that I could pass a truly valuable piece, which they could re-sell some day if something goes wrong. Don’t imagine my self like “here u have dears, a rep watch as a family relic from your grandfather. Keep it safe”

 

[JL$4k029]

the key word here would be "IF it ever happens"...
1: it will never happen
2: hypothetically speaking, if id does happen, fake gold is fake gold, no matter how hard chemists try to reproduce its chemical composition. the same happens with reps and gens. The identical DNA of a gen is impossible, so wanting a gen is not a sin. reps are temporary solutions until we are ready to have a gen watch. "ready" in financial terms, of course. a replica manufacturer can't transpose in a watch the expertise that the gen brand has gathered for centuries...

@TesaLLiuM8565 the "here u have dears, a rep watch as a family relic from your grandfather. Keep it safe" was hilarious