I bought a fake Rolex watch (Oyster Perpectual Explorer) 20+ years ago while travelling through HK. It cost me A$15.00 at the time. I hardly wear it these days but it still works well and hasn't lost any precision - no battery needed too :). I would be just as happy if it were a real Rolex.
Have you bought any fake watch that is almost as good as the real thing for a fraction of the price?
/WT
@samfisher5986: So you also conveniently left out I like cheap watches? Because again a Casio F91W is $30.
@tomleonhart: You have a Rolex, enough said.
You are one of those people who never pirates or or copies anything at all, thats interesting… but very abnormal haha.
@samfisher5986: probably because I've seen the impact 'pirating' has on the original Artist like I have said above.
@samfisher5986: ok fair enough and to be clear I don't have a problem with other people buying fake watches. OP asked a question and I answered it with my choice. That is not an attack on other people's choices.
/handshake
@samfisher5986: I think you're trying to broaden this conversation to strengthen your argument.
This is specifically about fakes which means an item copying design AND branding.
Movies, controllers and things you use in private can be safely ignored in this conversation.
How about you first go back to school and learn how to use 'whom' correctly?
Here's a tip: it's not a fancy substitute for 'who'.
@john71: Woah. He maked a grammatical error. He's opinion must be wrong.
What a great way to show you have nothing of substance to say.
I got a hulk and tell people it's fake so I don't get questions. The real watch enthusiasts can tell the difference.
I tell people mine is a gift from parents and I don't know how much it costs lol.
Just buy an Apple watch with a fake luxury band.
When you buy a watch such as Rolex, Patek Philippe, the last thing you concern is "it is working"…. You can have a $100 electronic watch which can even more accurate….
A $5 watch will likely be more accurate. That's not the point of an automatic/mechanical watch. To a degree, there's an appreciation of the engineering that goes into it. Accuracy is certainly a quality that is desired with the understanding that it is purely a mechanical device. There is a level of appreciation of the mechanical side of the watch.
As for accuracy, there is a good middle ground which is mostly mechanical - the Seiko Spring Drive.
I bought a 'homage' pagani watch Explorer 2 for $117usd.
It looks similar to the rolex explorer 2.
I bought it because I like the looks but won't pay 10k for any watch.
I suppose it is slightly unethical because pagani have copied the design of the rolex one. (It isn't exactly the same though).
Look this guy is a nut, but he's not wrong about the buying process for a rolex - https://youtu.be/orIbQsZuM38
I got a Patek last year and i haven't even worn it once. Probably should've put it into Bitcoin instead. I find myself liking my Casio Databank more.
Ok to wear a fake Rolex. For me I wouldn't wear those dinosaur watch. A smart watch is the way to go.
No one has to know, but collectors will know it's fake.
It's just like buying something fake for the gram, only you and pro knows.
Let's be real
Most people want a brand name expensive watch to make a statement, or to show they have money/status/success, For that purpose, wearing a fake basically means you are trying to fake all of the above
For the minority who are genuinely interested and appreciate a high end watch, be it horological, mechanical, historical, innovation - then nothing short of a genuine piece will suffice
For those who simply like the design of a high end watch but don't have the money, there are likely dozens of affordable "homages" to the same style that's being faked or replicated.
In short, don't buy fakes or reps. It's pathetic and even if others don't know, you will. Every time someone asks you to show them your watch (and if its a high end watch, this happens a lot), you will hesitate thinking if they can tell
Maybe some people don't worry about others' opinions as much as you do.
If people who buy fake watches don't care what other people think, then why do they buy fake watches?
These people want to make a statement (I'm Rich!) to impress others, so clearly they care.
It's always easy to take the moral high ground… A $15 watch to fool others as real? Could it be just like buying a toy on the street during a holiday? Hmmmm…
then why buy a fake watch?
The biggest tell with a fake is not the fake itself but the person wearing it!
Super reps are indistinguishable to 99% of people costing around $700.
Then there are Franken reps that are made from a combination of rep and real parts that cost between $2000-10000 USD depending on the amount of real parts.
Obviously, the frankens are even less noticeable but a lot of money for that extra 1% of realness.
PS: China is cracking down on these super gen factories as they are crossing the ‘too close to authentic line’.
Only Noob got shutdown, but I think they will open again. They're too big.
VSF got shutdown, bribe their way out and pretty much open a new factory somewhere. Rinse and repeat for most as well.
I can't stand any "fake" consumer goods, so it's a no from me. If you can't afford the real thing (and I certainly can't), there are plenty of other great, genuine watches for less than $100 out there: https://watchranker.com/best-mens-watches-under-100/
More than you can afford pal, Ferrari!
i paid more for my (assuming) fake casio so you did well
Must have good quality to last twenty years. Would be lucky to get a couple months from street fakes these days. Maybe someone would want to make a video about it?
The answer is no.
Aficionados of anything can tell the genuine article from a fake.
You'll just come off as a bit of a joke.
I had gone down the route of collecting homages, along with some TAG and Omega watches as I really can't justify the expense of the secondary market for Rolex, neither the noob nor super clone ones either (I'd rather allocate that money towards another $400 watch purchase). In all honesty, the only people who will notice your replica are either enthusiasts or novices who appreciate the overall look of your watch.
It's your own preference to get one or not, but consciously passing it off as a real one (either to resell or show off to enthusiasts) is another thing altogether and I believe that's what most people are expressing here when they mention judge of character.
personally will not purchase a fake watch. would rather spend on $15 genuine watch rather than $15 fake watch. and since it is a rolex you would have probably made a profit today if u had bought the genuine watch plus given that time discount is still available at that time.
Thanks to all who posted. I have learned a lot about the fakes and replicas of watches.
With so much discussion, I think I should post a video of the watch in the topic (sorry for the poor and amateurish sulent video). Here it is on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DkFYsboBz8Y.
Thanks for posting it. Was genuinely curious about the look and build quality.
Over the years, has anyone ever called your watch out as fake, based on actually inspecting it?
Admittingly I didn't wear it that many times for the years I owned it. It's a bit too heavy for my liking.
In contrary to what @2ndeffort said, I always "warn" my friends I am wearing a fake Rolex so we could have a bit of fun with it :)
I think that buying fake stuff shows that you want to project wealth or affluence beyond your means.
I think a watch is a very personal purchase. I own a few Swiss Autos, no Rolex but I have an Omega, a TAG GMT and a Glycine. I also have several Micro Brand Autos and a couple of Seiko Autos. Day to day I wear a Garmin fitness watch. Most of the time my Autos dont get worn. I didnt buy them to show off, I bought them because I liked them and at the time I could afford them. I wouldnt buy a fake watch because I would know it was a fake. Im not looking to impress anybody else, im buying things i like because i like them. If I desperately wanted a Rolex and could afford it I would buy a real one. As i can't afford a Rolex, if i loved the look I would instead probably buy one of the stack of Rolex 'Homage' micro brand watches.
I think that buying fake stuff shows that you want to project wealth or affluence beyond your means. Several of my friends are wealthy and could easily afford a drawer full of Rolexes if they wanted them. One friend buys property, the other buys old sports cars (15 at last count). Neither of them show off and both are pretty tight with their money. Both wear cheap watches. I would never spend whatever he spent on a 1970's De-Tomasi Panterra but my friend flew to the Vegas auctions, bought one and shipped it back to Australia, same with his Ferrari Testarossa. It seems crazy to me that he wastes so much money on old cars but its his money, he earned it and if that's how he wants to spend it who am I to judge him. I couldn't see him ever buying a fake kit car made to look like a Ferrari.
If the fake one is still working well then it's worth considering rather than buying an original Rolex by spending hefty bucks.
Before I really got into the world of horology, I bought a fake Omega after watching Goldeneye. I was in a city overseas with fakes at the local market.
Not long after, I really wanted the OEM product, so bought my first Seamaster.
I've grown aware of the harm fakes can do behind the scenes. Factory owners often organised criminals. I've also learnt there are plenty of good watches at everyone's price point.
So no, I don't believe a fake watch is worth it.
I just wondering how difficult it is to get one from overseas without it being questioned by customs? Could you get in trouble for attempting to import something counterfeit?
@tomleonhart: You have a Rolex, you said it yourself.