When Replica Makers Become Gen

[Intresting 21,712]

Some pictures of watches carrying brands that have been parts suppliers to the rep market.   Wonder if they will get the same cachet as Swiss timepieces, or close.  Like Lexus to the luxury cars.

 

 

[brang1 4,084]

i think as long as it has the words CHINA MADE displayed it will never recieve the same respect, no matter how well made they are 

[RussP 22,629]

That 3rd watch is a stunner.

I'd buy it purely if it was affordable and well constructed.

[Abe Fromen 1,624]

Grand Seiko still don't get as much respect as Swiss brands. Just saying. 

[brang1 4,084]

12 minutes ago, Abe Fromen said:

Grand Seiko still don't get as much respect as Swiss brands. Just saying. 

exactly, respected amongst those that really know the brand, but at the end of the day, it has Seiko written on it

[The_Proctometrist 16]

52 minutes ago, Intresting said:

Some pictures of watches carrying brands that have been parts suppliers to the rep market.   Wonder if they will get the same cachet as Swiss timepieces, or close.  Like Lexus to the luxury cars.

 

these are some nice looking watches. thanks a lot, now I have to buy some!

[Intresting 21,712]

55 minutes ago, brang1 said:

i think as long as it has the words CHINA MADE displayed it will never recieve the same respect, no matter how well made they are 

I chose that pic to contrast with the Swiss made we so often see   

[Intresting 21,712]

Will see if one of their brands an attain Lexus like status.

[Adit 642]

18 minutes ago, Intresting said:

I chose that pic to contrast with the Swiss made we so often see   

It's certainly doesn't carry the same kudos as Swiss Made for sure, like Abe was saying

[Intresting 21,712]

Certainly not now.   There was a time when Japanese cars were tin cans too....  

[tribefan 6,768]

Does Beijing Watch supply the rep market with parts? I thought they kept their stuff in house and only sold into the Chinese market?

[Glaude 1,615]

SeaGull is a totally legitimate brand from the start, it's the rep makers that get their part from them, not them specifically supplying part to the rep market.

They have some top quality complicated watches for high prices too !

[Intresting 21,712]

I think it all started when the Swatch owned ETA started throttling supply of movements.  Sellita, and recently Swiss STP stepped up to fill the gap.  So did Sea-gull, Miyota. and Seiko.  Reps usse non swiss due to pricing I suppose.   The chinese tourbillons are lovely, and a fraction of the swiss ones.   I suspect if we put a better Swiss name on the watches shown above they will sell for much more money.

[Glaude 1,615]

10 hours ago, Intresting said:

I think it all started when the Swatch owned ETA started throttling supply of movements.

They only did that in 2002, most of the Chinese manufacturer are way older than that, including SeaGull (1955)

[deju 1,889]

Seagull do not make reps, they cannot be called rep makers. 

seagull are a Chinese manufacturer of watches and movements. 

replica makers buy parts from them. 

[Intresting 21,712]

Thanks for the input.  Yes, Seagull has been around longer.  I suppose they have to be as there was not much trade with China and I am sure the Chinese wore wristwatches that were domestically made as imports were scarce and prohibitively priced.  

But think Seagull became more than just a Chinese domestic market supplier due to ETA's restrictions and the need to source alternatives, and Seagulls happened to be cheap.

@deju is correct.  Can;'t call Seagulls rep manufacturers, as much as we can call ETA rep manufacturers just because replica makers buy their parts.   However, somehow though, it feels like Seagull branding is tainted more by the reps than ETA is.  

[semperfi55 4,707]

8 minutes ago, Intresting said:

However, somehow though, it feels like Seagull branding is tainted more by the reps than ETA is.  

Matter of perspective.

The only groups that would know about Seagull, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai brands:

1) Local Chinese market 

2) Rep collectors

3) Weirdos collecting gen Chinese watches

We (on this forum) see Seagull day in day out as part of TD specs. It is easy to then associate Seagull with reps from our perspective. Seagulls are not widely promoted in Western markets, so it is easy to forget that they are legit brands.

Of course ETA is not associated with reps. The reps are using ETA clones. Nothing to do with ETA at all.

TL:DR I don't think Seagull's reputation is tainted at all

 

[Intresting 21,712]

3 minutes ago, semperfi55 said:

Matter of perspective.

The only groups that would know about Seagull, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai brands:

1) Local Chinese market 

2) Rep collectors

3) Weirdos collecting gen Chinese watches

We (on this forum) see Seagull day in day out as part of TD specs. It is easy to then associate Seagull with reps from our perspective. Seagulls are not widely promoted in Western markets, so it is easy to forget that they are legit brands.

Of course ETA is not associated with reps. The reps are using ETA clones. Nothing to do with ETA at all.

TL:DR I don't think Seagull's reputation is tainted at all

 

Fair comment.      And with that, its off to work I go,  so I can buy more reps.... (maybe).  laters