Is there a market?

[prestigewatchco 2]

This is a serious question

Is there a big enough market for really top quality reps?

I have a company that I deal with from time to time who without doubt make the best quality reps on the planet without exception .

Problem is they are very very expensive to give you an example

Cartier santos $1500 this is already out in the open

Panerai 233 with correct looking movement $2000+

Rolex submariner with correct looking movement $1200

Panerai hand winding models with perfect movements dials etc $1200+

Rolex daytona with correct dial spacing seconds at 9 $850+

But there are dozens more

Now I know people would kill for them but what I need to know is will people buy and pay for them.

Or is it as I assume that people want them but that's as far as it goes and when it is possible to buy them they will have second thoughts

Problem is they will only supply in 10's so there is a considerable outlay to get a range.

Now don't ask for pictures etc as this is not a eye candy post

Just please give your opinion as to if you think there is a market

[watchguy23 0]

In my limited experience, I couldn't see myself paying more than $500-$600 for a rep. I understand current reps in that price range aren't "perfect" but I couldn't justify another $1500 on details that 99.99% of people would never notice.

 

Just my 2 cents!

[Baldrick 1]

There's a small market, TTK was offering solid 18k, yes, 18k cased Rollie Day Dates with gen Swiss ETa mov'ts way back in 2004, problem was Customs risk, if it gets seized who ponies up, unless you're hand carrying them to UK or elsewhere, shifting them thru' conventional DHL etc etc shipping only increases 'cost' or 'risk', he dropped the idea, for reasons of risk, customer dissatisfaction with minutiae, regulation problems, and the myriad of other problems that would inevitably manifest themselves with the increased expectations attached to higher value watches, there was a good market way back then, but that was at a time when there were significantly fewer 'high quality / accurate'reps than there are available now, JMO and his expressed at the time!

[gB. 0]

There is probably a market for it, but to be honest it is probably very small. SWAG estimate would be less than 1% of the members here based on observations of purchases and conversations. Most don't seem to want to spend more than $300-500 for a top notch rep, and every single detail has to be absolutely perfect 1:1 gen. There are some niche players for stuff like vintage Rolex or vintage Panerai, but the numbers are very small. When you start talking $1,500+ range, I think most here will look toward buying gen, or at least gen parts to build a franken.

 

As for me, I would be interested in the higher end stuff, but it would have to be something special, and not produced elsewhere with cheaper materials. Best example would be a full ceramic PAM292 matte look with Swiss handwind, etc. I know several on this board would pay $500+ for a one like that which is exact to gen, etc.

 

Just MHO.

[prestigewatchco 2]

Yes Baldrick I used to sell 18ct Rolex/Cartier etc years ago it was a difficult market to be honest although very profitable of course with gold at the level it is today that is a thing of the past. I can't help that feel people who spout about wanting better reps assume the best will be $20 more because thats all they see as needing to be spent to fix the flaw. While in reality the cost to fix 10% flaw in the main production model is more like 5 times cost of the original item.

This is why to be honest I have never offered these better reps on the forum although I have had access to them for some time

[prestigewatchco 2]

Yes GBOGH I think your reasoning is correct, You sum it up by saying you would pay $500 for a 292 that was 1-1 the Gen when in fact it would be closer to $1500 at which price point it would loose it attraction to most

[PatronSaintofChainsaws 1]

Depending on the model, yes. They would have to be near perfect though.

 

Complete ready-to-wear versions of the Rolex 6538, and a couple of Pre-V PAMs (5218-201/A, 5218-202/A) come to mind as standouts that people are always in the process of sourcing expensive parts for.

[manrikisan 0]

I have to agree in that I think once you are spending $ 1,500 you might as well just go for the gen. I could see myself spending between 200-300 for something that I really liked with Swiss Eta but not more than than personally.

[themoo-12 0]

let me ask you this lets say this $1500 sub is compared to the WM9mariner how much better is it visually? Also, is the movement truly built to be that close to the gen ex. the 31 jewels found in a gen?

[prestigewatchco 2]

let me ask you this lets say this $1500 sub is compared to the WM9mariner how much better is it visually? Also, is the movement truly built to be that close to the gen ex. the 31 jewels found in a gen?

 

Well using the same argument is the WM sub that much better than a $250 sub with same spec?

This was not the question would you then put your name to a sub that was everything you have asked and $1300 or would you think it's too expensive as the WM watch is close enough

[wat44 0]

I think the market is very small and the purpose would be to sell them as gens

[wencarnacion 0]

I think the market is very small and the purpose would be to sell them as gens

 

I agree with wat44, and I think that if you can afford to pay over US$1,000 for a rep, you might consider to buy a gen one.

[prestigewatchco 2]

Yes Watt the is exactly the are aimed at thats why there are not pictures of them posted everywhere else it would kill the existing market

[prestigewatchco 2]

I think the market is very small and the purpose would be to sell them as gens

 

I agree with wat44, and I think that if you can afford to pay over US$1,000 for a rep, you might consider to buy a gen one.

 

Yes thats fine with a Rollex submariner but what about $3000 for an AP that the gen costs $50000 or a Panerai 127 for $4000 that her gen costs $25000 so not really an option buying the gen for all models

[JoeyB 0]

I think it'd be a very small market. Instead of buying the latest and greatest and having upwards of 10 watches, a person would likely limit it to one or two. When I found the old site I had been looking for a very good Rolex GMT rep with a genuine Swiss movement and had seen a few that were on the $900 - $1200 range. A genuine 16710 was about $3200 at the time. I had almost decided to get the gen. For that kind of money it was still just a fake. Then this place educated me!

Expectations would be very high at $1500. Robert, you do one hell of a job now. I don't know that the hassle of a slightly wrong shaped crown guard would be worth it for you.

[prestigewatchco 2]

No Joe that is a consideration as well is it worth the time to do

[PatronSaintofChainsaws 1]

I think the market is very small and the purpose would be to sell them as gens

 

How is that any different than what happens with sub-$200 reps every single day?

[solkryssare 109]

There is no doubt in my mind there is a market. But only for reps where the gen are very expensive and unobtaineble for most. Like vintage Daytonas and Subs. AP's. PP and VC's. And of course the high end PAM's. Forget current production Rolex subs, gmts and sea dwellers.

[Baldrick 1]

I think you should do it

[GC 4,512]

I'm sure there is a market... VBD comes to mind

 

I on the other hand I tap out at the $300 price point for Reps

 

I'll accept 99% accuracy for $300

[Luthier 1]

There is no doubt in my mind there is a market. But only for reps where the gen are very expensive and unobtaineble for most. Like vintage Daytonas and Subs. AP's. PP and VC's. And of course the high end PAM's. Forget current production Rolex subs, gmts and sea dwellers.

 

+1.

[greg_r 81]

Yup - I'm sure there will be a lot of interest, but folks actually prepared to pony up $2k on a rep are going to be relatively few and far between, methinks. Personally, I'll go along with GC - I'm not really prepared to spend more than $3-400 for a rep. I've got well over $3k tied up in watches, but it's variety that appeals - and I'm more than happy to sacrifice a little accuracy for the ability to own a wide selection of watches that I like.

 

Like the 1:1 Santos, it's probably worth occasionally testing the market with this kind of thing, but I can't see it being something you're likely to sell in any sort of quantity.

[prestigewatchco 2]

Yes unfortunately I could think of maybe 20 I could sell to people but apart from them I can't think they would be that popular.

Seems most people prefer to complain about inaccuracies rather than pony up the money for a 1-1 copy.

The factory will only supply in a minimum of 10 per model dial etc other wise I would get a few to try but 10x10 models is big money on spec

[greg_r 81]

Sad but true.

[Akira 0]

I've got well over $3k tied up in watches, but it's variety that appeals - and I'm more than happy to sacrifice a little accuracy for the ability to own a wide selection of watches that I like.

 

IMO thats why people who have money to spend it on a gen came here...

to not have just one perfect watch, but to have a wide range of almost perfect watches.

 

after i showed him the rep scene a friend of mine, owning a gen Omega and saving up for a PAM, told me

for him its no matter how good they are even if 99,99% its still a rep.

 

i dont think thats right...there are people willing to spend 2k for a rep of a 14k gen,

but will you find them in this forum?

 

i think you should try a very popular model