what is a rep really worth?

[TWRWG 0]

Interesting post!

 

Question is what are you benchmarking against.

 

A TAG Heuer, for example, has much more overhead to deal with for one (advertisement, QC, warranty.... Etc).

 

Than factor in exclusivity (a Panerai "has to" cost more.... Otherwise people would not go nuts over them in the first place).

 

I can not comment on quality of movements or particular parts and will leave this to the experts.

 

But the OP has a very valid point there....

 

So what's the general opinion to his question?

 

Are reps priced right and gens simply overpriced... or vice versa maybe...

Edited December 29, 2012 by TWRWG

[honeybear 0]

There are some on gen forums who will say that much of the cost of high-end watches is in marketing, product placement, design, and R&D, and the actual cost of manufacturing each additional watch is fairly low. Replica makers avoid many of these costs, but capitalize upon the brand cachet to inflate the price of the items they sell. Perhaps it would be fair to say that both gens and reps are overpriced in their own ways?

[LightGeek 25]

There are some on gen forums who will say that much of the cost of high-end watches is in marketing, product placement, design, and R&D, and the actual cost of manufacturing each additional watch is fairly low. Replica makers avoid many of these costs, but capitalize upon the brand cachet to inflate the price of the items they sell. Perhaps it would be fair to say that both gens and reps are overpriced in their own ways?

 

Manufacturing is cheap. Manufacturing to exacting standards all the time or just tossing out the ones that don't pass QC raises the price of gens.

 

It's easy to get 90% there. It's that final 5% that's a bit*h that separates the gens from the boys.

 

 

 

________________

Sent from my mobile device. Please excuse the brevity of this post.

[Luthier 1]

Let me say this: most of these $200-$300 gens are made in China. So, "swiss made" on dial only indicate, that assembling was made in Switzerland, and even that not always true. Second - yes, Seikos are nice watches, if it's top models. $200-$300 Seikos equipped with simple 21j movements, but made in Japan movements in most cases.

And third - I don't count money in other people's wallets. I like the watch - I buy it. If I don't like watch, or if the price is too high - I don't buy it. So simple.

[Electron17 0]

Gen watches are very fine grained, well Quality Controled, use good materials.

When we buy gen watches, we paid for not only design of the watch but for such a quality.

Of cource, they are expensive.

 

Oh really, I bought a gen Omega Seamaster ( James Bond watch ) brand new. When I started it up it ran for 5 seconds and then stopped. Same story every time I tried to get it going. Sent it back to the dealer, they opened it up only to find a screw was loose in the movement. This is an expensive watch, cost me $2000. Where was the qualuty control? Of all the reps I have bought not one of them has not worked properly from the day I got it. Given the choice I would buy a rep over a gen anyday.

Regards,

Jan

[Electron17 0]

How can you compare a rep PAM, AP Hublot or Rolex to a Seiko, Rotary or Citizen? None of these gen have the same presence of those reps. If you compare the rep to the gen of the same manufacturer lets look at the difference in price, I am comparing the prices in South Africa at current exchange rate. Lets compare apples with apples.

Gen Rolex DSSD R 110 000 = $ 13 000 Rep R 1 700 = $ 200

Gen Rolex Sub R 67 000 = $ 8 000 Rep R 1500 = $ 170

Gen AP Diver R 170 000 = $ 20 000 Rep R 3000 = $ 358

Lets look for example at the AP Diver recently released by WI, one of which I recently received. When I compare it to the pictures of a gen I can see very little difference. It cost me R 3 000 which is less than I would pay for most Seiko, Rotary or Citizen watches in a shop here. A Casio Edifice watch in the shops here costs R 6 000 = $ 705. I would much rather wear my rep AP Diver than Casio so to me the price we pay for a rep is a bargin. To wear a gen of the same watch would cost you at least 20x what we are paying for reps. And why do you buy a rep Rolex, AP or Pam, its so you can look good and feel like you are wearing the gen article. So be happy with whatever you are paying for your rep because it makes you feel good and you cannot put a value on that.

Regards,

Jan

[Higs 73]

"what the market will bear" is the only real measure of what anything is worth.

 

So if my last Seiko and my last rep both cost ~$300 and could both be sold on with little loss, then they have the same value.

[halcyon 0]

Gen watches are very fine grained, well Quality Controled, use good materials.

When we buy gen watches, we paid for not only design of the watch but for such a quality.

Of cource, they are expensive.

 

Oh really, I bought a gen Omega Seamaster ( James Bond watch ) brand new. When I started it up it ran for 5 seconds and then stopped. Same story every time I tried to get it going. Sent it back to the dealer, they opened it up only to find a screw was loose in the movement. This is an expensive watch, cost me $2000. Where was the qualuty control? Of all the reps I have bought not one of them has not worked properly from the day I got it. Given the choice I would buy a rep over a gen anyday.

Regards,

Jan

Sorry to hear that. But it happens if Gen watch maker do good QC even at three sigma. It will happen statistically at 0.1% rate.

We need more and more case to allege Gen watch lacks QC.

 

In my case, my old speedmaster works smoothly more than 20 years and keeps good time.

Of course, I overhauled it periodically.

[edwinowl 180]

Last line of what Electtron says strikes home.. And unless you're looking to profit which you will be jumped on here then it's worth what you feel it's worth to you. Enjoy it and wear it well.

[jeffw69 0]

Gen Invicta all the way baby!!!!

 

[Burnleybezel 53]

Well to me $300 is a good deal for a watch with an ETA movement

http://www.ofrei.com/page_183.html

 

The price for the movement is $150 - 189, Ok they get that at whole sale.

I get a watch that looks good, tells accurate time, and 99% of folk don't have one, or cant tell its not an original.

To me it's well worth $300 - $400 plus it's my hobby so I try and buy the best I can afford.

The only out if the box downer is the water proofing.

 

Plus if your asking what it's worth, a Gen at 5k perhaps cost 650 to manufacture?

So what's it really worth...

 

B.B

[onionbag 1]

How much does a rep cost to manufacture? Well, I guess we'll find out when Luthier releases the final price of the RWG watch, then you'll have a clue.

 

Maybe the cart is before the horse, as B.B states a gen may be approximately $600-700 to make, is it worth the inflated price?

 

There may be a clue in that cost also, as many gens have elements of their build sub-contracted to the far east.

[deju 1,889]

Doesn't matter what it costs to manufacture...

 

Doesn't matter how much you think it's worth...

 

What matters is what someone is willing to pay for it.

 

Price is market driven.

[onionbag 1]

There is, of course, an intrinsic value, and this I believe is what the OP seeks.

 

Market price will inherently be driven by that.

[Mystery Shopper 5,887]

It is worth what you get when you sell it- same as anything else. I don't plan on selling any so it isn't something I worry about.

[JohnPilot 1]

Quality is sometimes, often, lousy. The conception and the building pieces are mostly of good quality.

But the interfers the beloved chinese worker, and the issues are starting.

Beginning with pubic hair, stem to short or to long .... or lose ...

Fixing screws lose ...

 

I did buy a lot of chinese movements, never I had a problem with one of those boxed.

Imho they should better send "self assembly kits" for their watches.

 

When you compare the price of an hommage watch to the price of its sisterwatch, you get an idea of its real value.

[964boy 54]

Yip we get fleeced from out Chinese masters.

 

But how gives a fuck, I just love this hobby

 

Pick your watch, spend your money and take your chances. With TD'er slightly less chances

[Dendo 93]

Seikos are amazing gens for the money and put into question the price of reps for me. But then exactly copying an existing watch is expensive.

[TT88 1]

reps are worth nothing. it's illegal, it breach of copyright, lousy finishing and dirty crappy movements.

you're paying for different shape and size of metals, which is slightly overprice. but give them credit for making those pieces work.

that's it's worth.

 

but i'll still be here for quite sometime.

 

 

and if we're talking about overprice, reps would be way below the list. (probably even below the CK underwear you're wearing now)

[sconehead 5]

reps are worth nothing. it's illegal, it breach of copyright, lousy finishing and dirty crappy movements.

you're paying for different shape and size of metals, which is slightly overprice. but give them credit for making those pieces work.

that's it's worth.

 

but i'll still be here for quite sometime.

 

 

and if we're talking about overprice, reps would be way below the list. (probably even below the CK underwear you're wearing now)

I wear cat or kitten fur undercrackers, does this apply to them too?

 

 

...back OT...I'm not making this up btw, but I was pondering only the other day about the $100'ish 21j Steelfish I was wearing and the Asian 2824 BR 02 PVD that had just arrived that only cost $138, just where could I buy hunks of metal this well made/substantial for the price off a lower end gen manufacturer?

 

...for the life of me, I just couldn't think of one, honestly...

[stewzzy 0]

300 pound armani watch with a quartz movement or a 250 pound rep with mechanical movement that resembles a 3000 pound watch. no brainer

[Khronos 1,339]

You can certainly buy a very decent watch for the price of a higher end rep! I've bought a Steinhart Triton recently, paid 420 euro for it and it's Swiss made with an automatic ETA movement, AR sapphire crystal, 30 ATM WR and a great rubber strap. None of these reps don't compare even remotely to that. Steinhart is known for their "hommage" designs, but this one is an original design and it's great value for the money! You also have some pretty amazing Citizens and Seikos in this price range and also Certinas and Tissots, but mostly tickers. We have a watch outlet in my town and they had automatic Edox GMT watches 60% off last week and they were like 400 euros or something. But on the other hand if you like the designs of high end watches and can't afford them or can't afford as many as you'd like, reps are the way to go :-) And beig infected by the rep bug doesn't help either. Damn, gotta go order my next one, cheers :-)

[TT88 1]

reps are worth nothing. it's illegal, it breach of copyright, lousy finishing and dirty crappy movements.

you're paying for different shape and size of metals, which is slightly overprice. but give them credit for making those pieces work.

that's it's worth.

 

but i'll still be here for quite sometime.

 

 

and if we're talking about overprice, reps would be way below the list. (probably even below the CK underwear you're wearing now)

I wear cat or kitten fur undercrackers, does this apply to them too?

 

 

...back OT...I'm not making this up btw, but I was pondering only the other day about the $100'ish 21j Steelfish I was wearing and the Asian 2824 BR 02 PVD that had just arrived that only cost $138, just where could I buy hunks of metal this well made/substantial for the price off a lower end gen manufacturer?

 

...for the life of me, I just couldn't think of one, honestly...

 

i have the same feel too. you deserve a citizenship in this place too.

and the lingerie you have are underpriced. please by more taxes for them.

[onionbag 1]

and the lingerie you have are underpriced. please by more taxes for them

 

All taxes for these items have been paid to the relevant authorities.......

 

Who do you think I am?........Starbucks?

 

VAT reg No GB 643 7723 85

[NFleischer 4,355]

The OP has a good point. The average automatic rep with real ETA/SW is often now in the $400-500 range. In the last year the

 

Swiss upgrade has gone from about $50 to about $110. Most reps with clone mov'ts are $250- 350 range. It's getting hard to justify that when you can get real

 

Swiss watches with new ETA mov'ts for about the same price, For example:

 

Tissot bought at Joma for $360 with ETA 2836-2. OK, not the sexiest watch in the world but sure is a good deal.

 

At this point, the PAMs with HW mov'ts @ about $250 are the best rep bet, IMO