JoeyB 0 Posted June 8, 2009 I think everyone knows that Joshua at Perfect Clones is an excellent, trusted dealer that cares about his customers and provides service after the sale when needed. Nothing has changed in this economic downturn, Josh is still doing it better than the rest. I recently had a minor problem with a watch I bought from him last summer. I didn't expect he'd be able to help. Instead, Joshua took care of everything, and the communication was stellar. I was informed through it all. You get to be #1 by being very good. You stay #1 by being the best. Thank you again, Joshua. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg_r 83 Posted June 8, 2009 Cool - glad to hear he's not lost his touch. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sconehead 5 Posted June 8, 2009 True Joey, I bought my first two rep's from Josh, can't fault his service but remember you are paying a premium on top of his product to recieve it. This was never a problem for me though as this 'unwritten guarantee' was a comfort zone I was willing to pay extra for. It was when his attempts at price fixing came to light (could this contribute to why he's still no.1?) and the subsequent incidents of people being banned on Repgeeks for trying to inform all rep collectors about it that I stopped using him. Totally my choice, if people still want to use him it's fine by me and I understand why they do. Members here may have something to say about what I've just written, again that's fine, everyone is entitled to an opinion but I will add that since all the hullabaloo which ended up with me being banned for life from RG, rep prices from the bigger dealers, have become more realistic... Why RG didn't want it's members to make their own minds up with the evidence provided still baffles me to this day...rant over... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KBH 7 Posted June 8, 2009 Joey, I see you posted that one over in the "forum that hates Josh". I think your 2nd post might be your last over there. Maybe you'll just get a lecture. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sconehead 5 Posted June 8, 2009 @KBH, people don't get banned or a lecture at RWI for stating their opinion/findings, you must have your forums confused... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeyB 0 Posted June 8, 2009 Joey, I see you posted that one over in the "forum that hates Josh". I think your 2nd post might be your last over there. Maybe you'll just get a lecture. Really? I didn't realize that. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes, but that seems rather petty. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KBH 7 Posted June 8, 2009 @KBH, people don't get banned or a lecture at RWI for stating their opinion/findings, you must have your forums confused... I know. that was "tonque in cheek". Sometimes what you type isn't what people read. I've seen several innocent people get lectured over there for posting about Josh though. You got to admit they got awful hostile over there when the BS was going down. More than one person got banned at that time on more than one forum. I tried to stay out of it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg_r 83 Posted June 8, 2009 I understand where RWI are coming from with regards to Josh - at least as far as anti-competitive behaviour goes - but he's on our own trusted dealer list for damned good reasons. Having said that, I'm less than impressed with some of his product descriptions and the waterproofing service is a waste of time and money. The lack of QC is also an issue, although he's not alone in that failing. His after-sales service redeems him considerably (although some of our other dealers are just as good), and his prices are no longer that much higher than the competition (he's often cheaper than some). I'll admit that I'd rather buy from Robert or Lawrence, but if there was a watch I wanted that I had trouble finding elsewhere, I wouldn't hesitate to buy from Josh again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sconehead 5 Posted June 8, 2009 Hence the tongue out smiley KB, agreed, the big thing at the time for me was why one forum wouldn't let it be aired in the open for members to form their own opinions. Doc and many others over at RWI still give Josh plaudits without scorn as far as I'm aware. When Hont was praised a while ago somewhere else, they originally pulled the thread, so maybe there are agendas out there, who knows...but I have a gut feeling about who to side with on this... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg_r 83 Posted June 8, 2009 Hence the tongue out smiley KB, agreed, the big thing at the time for me was why one forum wouldn't let it be aired in the open for members to form their own opinions. Doc and many others over at RWI still give Josh plaudits without scorn as far as I'm aware. When Hont was praised a while ago somewhere else, they originally pulled the thread, so maybe there are agendas out there, who knows...but I have a gut feeling about who to side with on this... Yup - that's my take on it too, mate. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sconehead 5 Posted June 8, 2009 We think the same, we have a few of the same watches, do you think we're becoming 'Perfect Clones' of each other Greg? Except for me being more manly and more 'ruggedly' handsome that is... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iabounty 8 Posted June 8, 2009 I think everyone knows that Joshua at Perfect Clones is an excellent, trusted dealer that cares about his customers and provides service after the sale when needed. Nothing has changed in this economic downturn, Josh is still doing it better than the rest. I recently had a minor problem with a watch I bought from him last summer. I didn't expect he'd be able to help. Instead, Joshua took care of everything, and the communication was stellar. I was informed through it all. You get to be #1 by being very good. You stay #1 by being the best. Thank you again, Joshua. My God I thought Dave123 was back for a moment........ I bought my asian Fish from him because he stated on his site it had outstanding lume I love the watch and the lume. I paid just shy of $200 USD total making it the most expensive rep. I own. I have never needed any after sales service from him so I can't comment on that other than like Joey's story I have read hundreds that praise his service and that was the main reason I ordered from him in case I had a problem. I agree Joshua is a good dealer and stays on top of the situation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iabounty 8 Posted June 9, 2009 We think the same, we have a few of the same watches, do you think we're becoming 'Perfect Clones' of each other Greg? Except for me being more manly and more 'ruggedly' handsome that is... I can picture you two in a dimmly lit bar sitting at a secluded table sipping brandy in the wee hours of the morning whispering compliments to each other while comparing watches and wrist sizes.......... Frightening, isn't it......... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeyB 0 Posted June 9, 2009 I thought it was a Brit thing. Maybe it's an Iowa thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iabounty 8 Posted June 9, 2009 I thought it was a Brit thing. Maybe it's an Iowa thing. Nope, you over analyze things, thats what officers do. You have missed the point completely as usual....... You have destroyed yet another brilliant and humorous iabounty post..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeyB 0 Posted June 9, 2009 I thought I added to it. It needed something. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg_r 83 Posted June 9, 2009 We think the same, we have a few of the same watches, do you think we're becoming 'Perfect Clones' of each other Greg? Except for me being more furry and liking bananas, that is... Fixed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oscarmadfish 0 Posted June 9, 2009 no problems with josh here - no 1 for a reason but maybe one day there will be a new no 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trailboss99 996 Posted June 9, 2009 Josh will never rip you off (unless you poke the bear) and his customer service is second to none. I don't deal with Josh any more 'cause of the afore mentioned BS over strong arm tactics combined with price fixing, descriptions that are very misleading unless you are familiar with the code involved, out right lies over "water proofing services" (after all, how is a noob supposed to know that "synthetic sapphire is mineral glass and "sapphire" is synth sapphire let alone know "ETA MVT" means "ETA clone"?) and the alleged level of control the cartel exerts over a certain forum. How ever for those who don't mind, he's a good dealer. Personally I'd rather you didn't but if you do . . . you get what you pay for if a little expensive. What you pay for is the "insurance" of knowing that things will be put right if you have a problem in the future but I'd rather pay for QC in the first place. I prefer a dealer who actually handles my watch (or a staffer does) and makes sure it's good in the first place. I don't like the idea of having to send stuff back to CN. You will find that if you are loyal and buy a few watches from them all good dealers will look after you above and beyond. After all we are the folks that the silent majority of folk on this and the other fora base their buying decisions on. When you get a watch take the time to post pics and a quick review of your experience buying with the dealer concerned and not just do you do the dealer a favour (assuming he did the right thing by you) but we get to know of your experience with the dealer in question. Of cause there are dealers who will go the extra mile for each and every forum member. Some deal almost exclusively with fora members, people like Stan (WackoBirdKeeper) and Fakey, BKLM and D4M (who offers a basic service at a good price but makes that very plain) and some are much larger dealers such as our "pet" dealer PrestigeWatchCo (T4D) or Lawrence (HouseOfSouvenirs ) both of which (esp T4D) take the time to turn up here when they can and just plain chat and answer questions. T4D is available here for at least a few hours a day and that's pretty good considering the size of this forum but he still cares enough to keep us open in his browser and that shows he cares about our trade. Lawrence won't let you down either. I bet if you PMd him here he'd reply within 24 hrs or so. He may not post much but he's around. HOS are still one of the best places for the cheapies. WBK is, if you're after a quick fix and live in CONUS the fastest gun around. If it's in stock you will have it in your hands ASAP, usually two or three (working) days! He ships world wide tho and is worth it for more than just fast delivery. Then there is Fakey. Strictly speaking 'ole Fakemaster ain't a dealer as such, he does it for the love of the hobby. That puts him on top of his game immediately. Now I'd be amongst those who say FM has a personality problem here and there (and I'm sure you know you do bro) his watches are at the top of the tree for value. If you want a perfect rep go pay 500 bucks for a "1:1" job by but if you want a tailor made piece assembled with care and dare I say it love at a great price (never seen anything much over $140) go wit the 'master. He specialises in Rolex and Omega but, if asked, will build almost anything you want at a very good price point. He prefers to stick to the simple MVTs he knows well and that's fair 'nuf because within that you get a lot of bang for your buck. I'm sure that if you really want something special done in PVD he would accommodate you as he loves the stuff! I don't know who does his PVD work (I suspect he owns the place) but the job they do for the money he charges is incredible. And Luthiers girls. If you want the best possible price and don't expect any come back as long as it's running oke when it arrives you won't get a better price than Mary and Co. If you are after a special, hard to come by piece these gals have the finger on the pulse. If it can be got, they can get it. Want a particular combo of dial, case and MVT you just can't get? Mary will do it if it's at all do=able. For example: ask her for her list of available Day Date and Date Just dials. They have literally hundreds to choose from. Want a solid gold case for said watch? She will get one. Want a gen (and I mean gen) ETA MVT to go in it? She'll get it. Gen (and once again I mean gen) Swiss 7750 in your rep? She can do. Just be prepared to pay for it. Since this is actually a review of Josh I should close this rant by saying that for the newcomer to this hobby I can't think of a more appropriate dealer than Josh (well, maybe Fakey) but please realise that with a bit of experience gained thru both buying and reading thru the various fora there will come a time where you can leave the safety net offered by dealers such as Josh and enter a different world where the dealers above and others like BKLM and DVN,(the prime sources of top notch Rolies and Pams respectively) exist. I bought my first rep from Josh and I'm glad I did But IMHO once you get a feel for the market place there are better bets available. Regards, Col. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg_r 83 Posted June 9, 2009 Well said, Col. Exactly my feelings too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeyB 0 Posted June 9, 2009 This wasn't intended so much as a "review" of Joshua's business as it is a testimonial to my experience. I've posted in the past of my great experiences buying from Hont as well. I give credit where credit is due. I've bought from Andrew at Trusty Time and it was a smooth transaction with no issues at all. I've contacted and emailed with most, if not all of our trusted dealers and a few that are not on the list. I'm not all that much a veteran of rep watch collecting, nor am I much of a collector. I found the old site quite by accident while looking for as best a rep I could get at a reasonable price. I can appreciate the collectors, you guys did all the leg-work for the rest of us. That worked for me when I bought my 'Retro' GMTII' ETA that I love. That was all the watch I wanted, and I read countless times on several message boards that the Retro from Josh was closest to a gen 'out of the box'. I even Pm'd BK and he said he didn't do the Retro, but the same about the accuracy. Then the GMT ceramic came, and I love that too. But I hesitated on being one of the first to buy one because I wanted one that was not necessarily perfect, but was 'right'. The first ones with the CHS were a problem for some, and the insert was later improved. I'm glad I waited, mine is ICHS and great and I have a dilemma on which one to wear as I like them both so much. Then came the DSSD. Just gorgeous to my eye. Love the look of the curvature of the crystal, the big markers, lume and hands for tired old eyes. Wish it was a GMT, but I'd surely love to buy that fantastic bracelet for my other two GMTs. Mine is the V3. What are they up to, V5 or 6 now? The thing is that whether a 'noob' or an expert, knowledge is our best tool. The more we know the better a decision we can make. The approach I took is to read all of your testimonials, all the opinions, all the tech stuff I could stand and then tried to make an intelligent decision. That worked for me when I bought my 'Retro' GMTII' ETA that I love. That was all the watch I wanted. Thanks (?) to you guys I have bought much more than I planned to and will buy even more. Heck, I even bought a rep Mont Blanc Fountain pen that matches my gen roller ball perfectly for $35 versus $1160, and I don't have to polish the sterling silver because it isn't! These site's primary responsibility is to share knowledge. While many of us here put a priority on 'Off Topic' and/or the 'Loony Bin', even we know that knowledge is tops, and why we looked for places like this. This site in particular just has some really great bonuses after we get the knowledge we seek. Other sites that get petty over dealer testimonials hinder the gathering of knowledge, they do a disservice to their primary responsibility. How is anyone to know if a certain dealer is bad or good if no testimonials are allowed? That's why this place shines. Even though it's run by a Brit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sconehead 5 Posted June 9, 2009 Gregs 'Little England' for you to be a part of... Good post Joey, (did I just say that?) we can speak plainly here about 'dealer X' and 'dealer Y' without thinking about who'll we upset, any potential buyer can make his own mind KNOWING that our thoughts here are totally impartial based upon any opinions we've formed for ourselves...well said...for a colonial... B) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sconehead 5 Posted June 9, 2009 We think the same, we have a few of the same watches, do you think we're becoming 'Perfect Clones' of each other Greg? :o Except for me being more furry and liking bananas, that is... B) Fixed B) B) You need an Ebel... Edit: didn't Klink used to do this sort of thing to Pugwash? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg_r 83 Posted June 9, 2009 B) B) You need an Ebel... Edit: didn't Klink used to do this sort of thing to Pugwash? Yep. I won't make a habit of it, but I couldn't resist this time. Life is good! :o Gregs 'Little England' for you to be a part of... Good post Joey, (did I just say that?) we can speak plainly here about 'dealer X' and 'dealer Y' without thinking about who'll we upset, any potential buyer can make his own mind KNOWING that our thoughts here are totally impartial based upon any opinions we've formed for ourselves...well said...for a colonial... B) +1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
