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
Not sure why the downvotes.
If you have an interest in watches then you can pick fakes, i agree that wearing a fake is worse than wearing a cheap watch.
If you have an interest in watches then you can pick fakes
There are definitely replicas out there that you, regardless of your interest in watches, would not be able to pick
There's a vast difference between a 50 dollar fake and some of the high quality replicas available
@SBOB oh i have no doubt, but the fakes i've seen it's very clear.
OP's is from ladies/temple street market though.
At that point you’re paying $1500 for a super fake when you could be spending the same money on a decent watch.
@80kinvestment: Saw a documentary about auctions and the watch expert said said some fakes are so good these days you cant tell from the outside. The expert looked at the Rolex watch and ended up taking it apart to look inside and could then tell instantly it was not genuine.
@PerthectDeal: There are plenty of YouTube videos on super fakes and the detail is pretty spot on even on the macro level. Even the movements are replicated (the regulator is a giveaway though).
I can understand why people can appreciate the work that goes into getting that close and there’s actually a huge amount of engineering ingenuity that goes into replicating the techniques on a budget.
That said if you’re just spending one to scam people out of money or impress jerks then that’s pretty lame.
Cause the truth hurts.
Downvotes because it's absolute crap. Maybe among elitists it matters what watch you wear, but 99% of people don't care
I think the point is: why are you buying a fake watch?
There's two reasons (IMO) for buying a fake watch.
Reason #1 is what OC is talking about. Fake status symbol. You're buying the (brand) to look fancy. But you're buying a fake, so you're not that fancy.
Reason #2 doesn't really have anything to do with the brand - you're buying the watch because of how it looks, not what label it has on the box. Yes, a particular brand may generally have the look you like, but you're not buying it for the brand, you're buying it for the look.
I own a few Swiss Auto watches, rarely wear them, day to day I wear a garmin watch to track my health info. I bought the Swiss watches because i liked them and could afford them. Not interested in impressing anyone else but would never buy a fake as I would know it was fake and therefore it would defeat the whole reason for me owning it.
Thats a snobby attitude held by judgey people prepared to judge you on the suit you wear and the car you drive. People need to learn to judge people by their actions rather than the way they look or the things they have. I do agree with above with Humblecat above though, i'd much prefer to wear a cheap wake than a fake one, but if thats all you can afford and you want one, go for it. Anyone arguing brand loyalty and security is a bit daft, I doubt that anyone buying a fake Rolex would've bought a real Rolex if the fake didn't exist.
Baysew is not inferring the things you are saying. It's not a snobby attitude - you are manipulating the comment. But yeah, I am going to judge you by your actions if you try and pull that rep off as real.
People need to learn to judge people by their actions
The action of using fake products means
Nothing wrong with wearing a cheap watch though which is the far better option as it shows confidence and alphaness and probably possess big D energy.
If we're broadly categorising people about whether they buy expensive watches or replicas, here's what comes to mind for the character traits of people who buy expensive watches
would probably renew their phone/energy/insurance contracts without shopping around
raises hand. Where's my Cartier watch?
@Chandler: Did you check your watch draw in your walk in wardrobe? Maybe you misplaced it in the tie or cuff link draws below it.
@Chchnu: Haha. Unfortunately, no. I don't have a watch drawer; the three (I think ?) watches I do own are almost all gifts - the only watch I've ever bought myself is my current smart watch (cost ~$300) - the "best" one being from Michael Hill I believe; unsure as to cost/value, but presume <<$500.
I do have a walk-in wardrobe but!
@Bren20: Yes all of those things may apply, but they would also apply if you are wearing a fake Rolex.
There are so many great watch brands and models and designs at every price point. There doesn't seem to be any need to bothered with fakes. (Applies to watches and people)
@Bren20: Way to stereotype people. Run me through the stereotype for people with a drawer full of eneloops they never use and a used Camry hybrid in the driveway!
I own a few Swiss Auto watches that i mostly never wear. Day to day i wear a relatively cheap Garmin watch from a deal here on OzBargain. I dont have more money than sense but at the time I bought my watches i could afford them, i bought them because I liked them and had the money to buy one. I dont think I am materialistic or shallow, I've never done drugs in my life and I shop around for everything, in fact I shopped around for months before buying an Omega watch once for an enormous discount. Found somebody through the Omega forum on Watchuseek who was an authorised Omega dealer (Jewellery Shop) in the US who sold it to me with a full international factory warranty and receipt for a fraction of what they cost locally.
There are folks out there that think nothing of spending $2K on a phone or $10K on a camera. Everything is relative, if you work hard for your money and you can afford something you like why should anybody else judge you for what you spend your money on.
@2ndeffort: You may have noted that my "stereotypes" were in direct response to some other stereotypes, I agree that stereotypes are not a particularly healthy lens to use to understand people
Get over yourself
Yeah but people who judge others on the quality of their watch are narrow minded twats.
I'm curious. What does an expensive watch say about you?
It's not a question about expensive v cheap.
It's Fake v Authentic.
If it wasn't expensive then there wouldn't be a market for fakes.
Please don't be one of those people who wear fake stuff. If you like it, then support the creator.
True. I bought it as a poor youngster just to see how a Rolex movement was like. Still can't afford the real thing now. Now I am just wearing a Withings…
If you bought a fake them you weren't really able to see a Rolex movement…
I bought it as a poor youngster just to see how a Rolex movement was like
What? That's like looking at a porsche in a game to see what the driving experience is like. You think a fake rolex is the same, or even near the same movement inside? lol
No, not quite like that. In this case, you can actually try it out on how the winder works, manual and self-winding, etc..
@BendBridge: Continuing with the car analogy, you're basically saying you went and test drove a yaris so you can see what a Porche feels like. They all have an engine after all. I guess the Yaris will let you try out how the brake pedal and blinkers work etc.
@jaejae69: All these analogies are wrong.
It depends entirely on the quality of the fake watch. There are some which match, heck, or even exceed the quality of the original ones. Then there are ones which look like they were won in a claw machine at a festival.
And even when comparing the cheapest watch to the most expensive watch, the difference in experience isn't as large as comparing a Cheap Yaris to an Expensive Porsche. That's absurd. It would be more accurate to say it's like comparing a $10 knock-off RayBans to a $200 real ones.
@Kangal: No, it is absolutely correct. The only thing that's "absurd" is you and the OP seemingly thinking that a fake rolex somehow has a movement that is comparable to the real one in any shape or form. Rolex movements are made in house and are fully unique to the brand, if a fake actually had the same movement with "better quality", I'd say you're no longer looking at a fake.
In fact if you would please show me an example where a fake Rolex "exceeds the quality of the original", I'll buy it off you with a blank cheque.
If you knew anything about high end watches you would not be here spouting BS with your Rayban analogy.
@jaejae69: No, the point is not upto debate, you are FACTUALLY INCORRECT.
A real rolex has a movement inside which functions in some form, to be able to track time. A fake rolex also has movement inside which functions in some form to track time. These are two very similar approaches, to have an identical endpoint. What differs is the compounds and subtle design.
You literally said that a fake rolex movement is not comparable to a real rolex movement, when they can actually be compared. A real rolex might be 5-seconds slow per month (and this varies watch to watch), whilst a decent fake might be 30-seconds fast per month. So yes, there likely is a degree of quality. But when you step back, even the fake rolex is in an acceptable quality, and adjusting the time ever-so slightly once a month is no hassle to the end-user.
Now, the olive-branch that I reached out to you was the quality of the fake. There are $5 fake rolex submariners, and then there are $500 fake rolex submariners. In some cases, the replicas are virtually identical in movement too, differing basically in the finer polish, alloy of the metals, crystal of the glass, etc etc.
The analogy about the RayBan's are spot on. They're both glasses. However, there are subtle differences in design and compounds (think: plastics, lenses, paints etc). Using a fake-glasses will still give you comfort and protection from the sun and wind, identical but not-same as the real glasses. Instead of calling that analogy BS, why don't you list your points instead. You could also extend this analogy to designer bags, like real-Luis Vuitton compared to fake-Luis Vuitton handbag. The fakes/replicas will carry items just like the real thing. And you are either ignorant or deceitful if you think that some replicas don't match (or even exceed) the quality of the originals. Replicas since 2000 have come a long way, it is not like the way it was during the 70's. And note: in all three of these comparisons, the biggest difference between them isn't functionality, nor is it quality, the biggest difference was price.
Where the analogies are wrong (orange vs apple) is when they are exaggerated willingly, like comparing cars or computer parts. I bought a fake-SD card a couple years ago from a reputable seller on eBay thinking it was real. This card and packaging was a replica (or maybe even real), it was detected by my PC and all seemed fine. But a day later I noticed my videos were corrupted, and decided to test it. And sure enough that 32GB only had something like 4GB working, and read/write performance was painfully slow. So there is a true functionality difference. If the difference was between 30GBs vs 32GBs, with little performance hit, it wouldn't have mattered as much, but this is a huge difference that leads to real-world impact (ie Lost Files). I think someone made the analogy with dedicated Graphic Cards, which is also not an acceptable analogy as you actually lose out on some codecs/apis/support, stability issues, and get around 40%-400% less performance. Two direct competitor cars might be identical in form and function, however, even it may not be true. This is because cars have a lot more parts and a lot more areas of experience. So to take that notion to the extreme is merely strawmanning. If you want to debate and win an argument you should be steelmanning. A cheap Yaris is so far removed from an Expensive Porsche, it is a BS comparison. It would be like me trying to keep a straight face whilst making the case between the Samsung Flip to the Nokia Flip. What's wrong, they're both brand new 4G phones with a Snapdragon processor and a hinge. Camera, Screen, Battery, Buttons, LED, Wifi, RAM, OS, yep we got em!!
I'm not "for fakes", but credit where due. I'm being straight and unbiased as I can be. You should stop being a snob (or risk looking like a rolex shill).
@Kangal: Yes I am very much so a snob (not limited to watches) and would sooner cut off my hand than knowingly wear a fake. that doesn't make anything you've said less false.
You simplify the function of a watch's movement as to "track time." How is that different to me simplifying the function of a car's engine as "powering the wheels to spin" and thus compare a Yaris to a Porche? In fact, I would argue that "functionality" isnt even top 3 on features for actually buying a $10k+ watch. If I wanted the most functional watch it would be a quartz Seiko or a Citizen eco drive, don't ever need to worry about accuracy or even battery with the latter. Or better yet, why don't I just look at my phone? Any watch enthusiast will most likely tell you that there are many intangible properties about certain watches that are appealing to them, not simply for it's ability to track time.
There are certainly very good fakes out there, yet you are still yet to show me any evidence of a fake being better as you claimed earlier.
Let's get back on point though, OP claimed they boat an "A$15" fake from Thailand in an attempt to "see a Rolex movement". I was simply pointing out the ludicrousy of such a notion and I don't think even you could argue against that.
@jaejae69: No, I agree with you that a $15 Thai knock-off will not get you the movement of a Rolex. All it does is emulate the look, and perhaps the functionality.
I think you and I are approaching this from completely different perspectives.
Imagine comparing a Stainless Steel Mens Ring, to a Platinum Mens Ring. From the perspective of "jewellery", this knock-off does not satisfy. It might reminiscent with the weight, shine, and look… but over time they will degrade at different rates.
If you look at comparing the rings from the perspective of functionality, well, they're identical. So they compare, and a strong case can be made in-favour of the cheaper model. So a fake does perform like the real thing. Yet, the absurdity in comparing a Cheap Yaris to an Expensive Porsche still does not stand. They are simply too far removed. It's akin to comparing a fake watch that doesn't look anything like the real thing nor functions like it.
Still, my point still stands that there are Super-Fakes which are reverse-engineered from the original. And these edge ever closer in terms of jewellery, as they're indistinguishable from watch snobs (except actual jewellers with magnifiers). I don't think there is anyone here that is condoning fakes (myself included). We're merely telling people "you do you" and "don't commit fraud" and "they're similar depending on the quality of the fake".
PS: I'm sporting a retro Casio Royale
@Kangal: From a practical standpoint a real Rolex will appreciate in value while you’ll never get your money out of a fake. And while it’ll keep good time now, in 3-5 years the movement will be cactus and you’re not going to find anyone willing to service it.
Just get a Seiko for the same money as a superfake and you’ll get just as much respect from watch snobs, with zero risk of being called out as a busta. Much more practical.
@80kinvestment: The only point I agree with would be the point about keeping good time, it is definitely correct that the movements used in replicas as accurate as the gens. You are able to get your money out a fake and in many situations even profit from factories closing down or when movement/parts become more scarce when certain replica models aren't in production, which in turn leads to your replica appreciating (reddit: r/reptimebst for more info). In regards to no one being willing to service it, this is also incorrect. There are a multitude of watchmakers/repairers that exclusively repair and service replicas at prices significantly better than RSC (costed me $1.1k to service my retail 11610, compared to $250 to service my replica).
As for the post, buy what you can afford. Just be honest when people ask and don't sell reps as retail (but you'll need the papers haha)
PS: i'm sporting a Rolex 11610, SBGK005 and a Noob 11610 v8
@conspicuousss: I still think reps are going to focus on the stuff you can see and skimp on the stuff you can’t.
That said I can respect rep collecting as it’s own sub-genre of the hobby, so if that’s your bag more power to you.
I always wonder what watch collectors look for in movement that essentially does the same thing … Cars on the other hand ..engine does have difference in performance.
I have nothing against people wearing fake watches, whatever makes you happy mate but man your line about buying a fake one to see what a Rolex movement was like really cracked me up haha
Yeah, please support Rolex. They're a small business struggling to make a profit.
Poor business owners just trying to make a living out there.
Please show your support.
So because they make a lot of money, it's ok to steal their design and produce fakes?
Sound likes an (profanity) logic to me bud.
The value of a Rolex is in it's design? Really? It's not the brand that everybody knows? It's every watch they have ever created, right?
I don't disagree that counterfeits are bad for the creator, but in this case it is the brand they are stealing, not the design.
@This Guy: Yes but it damages their brand. If the knock off is built s**t like rough metal edges or bad printing, then people may perceive that the quality of Rolex has dropped and thus not want to buy that brand. Anyways I just find it cringey when I see fake stuff because as a creator myself, I would be gutted if someone ripped off my product.
@No Username: ": Yes but it damages their brand."
True, but only among the truly ignorant who are rarely their market. The fake rolex I looked at one had one big advantage - that you could pop the back off to put in a new battery - which was unforunately negated by the fact it was a truly horrible piece of junky garbage.
All power to Rolex for chasing any down, however I imagine their normal clientel would be as likely to get sucked in as a Russian oligarch would be to being impressed by a MacCaviar burger line…
The fake rolex I looked at one had one big advantage - that you could pop the back off to put in a new battery -
Buying a real quartz Rolex is bad enough, let alone a fake one :)
@No Username: On the other hand, didn't someone say "Imitation is the greatest form of flattery"? :)
I think HK government has cleaned up the sales of fake/imitation products quite well over the last 10 years or so. Can't say the same for Vietnam and Thailand though.
I respect people who create things. Perhaps you can share your products with us?
I respect people who create things. Perhaps you can share your products with us?
I guess but I don't think it would benefit anyone here. It's a SaaS platform that allows financial institutions or data driven company to easily map and model their data efficiently saving cost on developers as the platform can export to R, Python and SAS.
@No Username: @No Username
Whew, that's way over my head :) That's advanced stuff. Hope you are doing well with your product.
(This is off topic… Perhaps I can pick your brain, when a system that needs a mobile app, a Web interface and a backend server, what is the best platform for such a development?)
@BendBridge: If your a startup then I would suggest looking at PWA as you can kill two birds with stone. This saves cost on having to use Visual Studio or QT to develop the app. There's also React, Flutter and Electron. Although Electron is more for installations on Desktops like what you see with Discord, Slack, Spotify and Visual Studio Code. For backend you can go with Deno, but there are less people with that skill as it's sort of new. However your app will be more secure and have the upper edge in terms of competition. For database it depends on what data you collect. MySQL is the most common.
If you've an idea I suggest you plan it now as the latest Federal Budget announced $1.3B investment pool for online tech startups and more GST rebates for R&D.
I think HK government has cleaned up the sales of fake/imitation products quite well over the last 10 years
Sounds like you haven't been for a walk down Nathan Road recently
Fun fact - Rolex is owned by a non-profit charitable foundation.
except that rolex is owned by a charitable trust.
so there is more to it than just business owners making a living
Funny that, consumers paying more tax buying their watches than they do on their sales revenue…
Sadly can't support if the display cabinets are always empty / only datejusts. :(
Even stainless or two tone Datejusts are rare these days and need to get on a wait list.
Nevermind anything that's slightly more exciting…
I wanna support them too but my AD haven't called me for 2 years now and might switch brand. Then the sales chick started dropping hints around hey wanna buy an Argyle Pink or some other jewellery and see if I can talk to the manager to push you up higher in the food chain. I think I've spent enough with you guys and have shown them I haven't flipped a single watch that I've bought from them.
Yeah - the market is crazy. 25% off all Swiss watches sold last year was by Rolex, but we can't buy the ones we want in-store.
I migrated to independent watchmakers and the journey is more fun. It helps I repair (or destroy) watches as a hobby so i get to appreciate it more.
@mini2: Nah, GO and Lange are still part of the big groups.
Some names include FP Journe (though partly owned by Chanel), H. Moser & Cie, Ming Watches, Ochs and Junior, Sarpaneva, Hajime Asaoka, Laine Watches, Habring, Lang & Heyne, etc. Beautiful watches and plenty to learn from them. I only own some btw lol.
@xaykogeki: I don't know, I've tried a FP Journe on before, I just can't commit on one with my wallet.
For a moment when you say independent watchmakers, I was thinking don't tell me this dude is into Hacko's brand….lol.
Someone buying a $15 Rolex is never going to hurt their bottom line…
I’d say you do you as long as you’re not trying to sell it as a genuine.
Agreed.
Wear with confidence.
Fake or real, as long as it performs the function you want it to use or buy whatever you want. As long as you dont try to resell it as real do whatever you want, its supposed to be a free country.
Is a Fake Watch Ever Worthwhile?
when it tells the time accurately…
Even a broken watch is right twice a day!
I've always lived by this line but realised its no longer true in the age of smart watches:(.
The saying still holds true because it's not "watch" it's "clock"
If it's been working as a watch for 20+ years I'd say it's pretty worthwhile.
Just don't resell or hang around watch experts.
I think fake watches are great if they repel "watch experts". Some of the most obnoxious people, during these times at least.
20 years ago and it still works?
The guy scammed you and sold you the real one
Could be just true as some young kids stole them and tried to sell for a few bucks.
Yea..this. Real Rolex would need servicing 5 times.
10-4
I still wear a watch everyday.
I still use a watch as a compact desk clock.
Is a Fake Watch Ever Worthwhile?
Do you like it? Yes it is worthwhile.
Does it work accurately? Yes it is worthwhile.
Ignore the brand name written inside and rejoice with your good looking, precise watch :-]
Would anything change if it is labeled R0lex instead?
By the way, they have become now so popular and sought after that the $15 Rolex is no longer available … watched a YouTube and wanted $500 for a fake sold as a fake knowing it was a fake.
That is NON worthwhile!!!!!!
Did a quick search on YouTube. There are quite a few on fake Rolexes. Did someone really sell a fake one for $500??
Yes, super fakes go for around that and more. Some of the Rolex fakes are very hard to tell apart unless you know what you are doing, especially the Submariner fakes.
I spent just under 500 on a rep, as someone who typically despises spending money I can wholeheartedly say it was worth every dollar from the enjoyment I've got out of it.
Granted I am a watch nerd but I get a kick out of the aesthetics daily. For reference it was a hulk.
Where do you buy high quality replicas?
It's like a fake orgasm (so I'm told ;o) ……outwardly nice, but it's actually cheap, nasty, hollow, without meaning and basically FAKE !
I mean, most brand names you're just paying extra for the same parts/quality as a cheaper brand. It's rare that a big brand name actually is miles ahead in quality over its competitors in fashion/design.
So if it looks and works the same, then sure - you're making a bargain buying it.
Yeahhh…..not really. Apple mostly yes. Nike et al, yes. Rolex, definitely not. Same as most high end sports cars; lots of in house R&D and proprietary stuff. None of this is my bag, but I do appreciate the passion of some manufacturers and their enthusiast clients.
This review is from a guy who also reviews the best budget casio
most brand names you're just paying extra for the same parts/quality as a cheaper brand
Cheap watches have jewel movements?
Uhhh. Looking at it it seems like a jewel movement is a way to help the watch tick and reduce wear and tear. So it has basically no impact on actual use.
Unless you're happy paying $20,000+ more for a watch to reduce wear and tear, vs. paying $20 for another fake watch that otherwise looks the same.
So it has basically no impact on actual use.
Apart from uhhhh a way to help the watch tick and reduce wear and tear so that the watch works better as a watch.
Baysew on 15/05/2021 - 14:48 Comment score below threshold.
