I just bought a fake watch .....
Discussion
On purpose!
I can't believe writing this myself to be honest. I never would have thought that I would ever do this!
But bear with me. I have always liked watches and I have a small collection of nice, genuine watches from Omega and Tudor.
Now I have bought a fake vintage Tudor snowflake on the internet.
One evening in this corona time, I stumbled across a replica watch forum and was amazed by what was being achieved today.
I was clearly hooked, also by the people who seem much more real than most of the bunch you encounter on gen Rolex forums, where service hands, installed by Rolex themselves, is not considered to be 100% original.
Now I did never consider buying a replica of a current watch on sale, but I had a much more relaxed attitude towards vintage watches.
I have always like the Snowflake Tudors, since they give the watch a personality of their own. Mercedes hands belong on a Rolex watch, imho.
So I have bought a replica 7016 Tudor Submariner Snowflake like this (stock image of a genuine one):
I paid no less than £1.3k, since this is a watch built by a modder in the EU, with some of the best parts there are (Vietnamese case, dial and hands) and having a brand new gen ETA movement. This is lower than the parts cost alone.
What really intrigued me, is the fact that is has a genuine, brand new ETA movement, just like the original Tudor had (albeit a more modern iteration).
Also my Tudor Black Bay 36 has the very same ETA movement, so is "certified" to be used in Tudors
All parts have been hand picked, refined (The lume on dial and hands have been given a slight patina) and has the weight, feel and aura of the real one.
Somehow this makes it halfway ok with me, since it's a replica of a watch that is no longer produced and the manufacturer doesn't provide service or parts for it.
Also the passion and talent by numerous people sourcing individual parts, refining them or even building them from scratch is fascinating!
Think of it as a 1:1 home made rebuild of a Ferrari 328 with pattern parts and the engine of a Lancia Thema 8.32. Sort of.
Since prices for authentic ones have risen to over £10k and vintage watches aren't great to wear everyday, the genuine one is not really an option.
This watch is brand new, without the slightest scratch. Incidentally this is also the watches biggest giveaway.
While I wouldn't try to sell it as the real deal, I don't feel comfortable admitting it to be a fake watch (close friends and family excluded of course) I'd probably respond to a "nice watch" comment with something along the lines of "thank you, but it has a non original ETA movement and some replacement parts, thus making it basically worthless, but I like it" Kinda true .....
I just wrote this out of curiosity what others people opinions are.
Well prepared to take the piss, but is there at least somebody here that can understand why I did this?
Disclaimer:
I'd never attempt selling-on the watch as an original!
Also I'm no yobo teenager wearing a fake £100k gold and diamond Daytona bought for £50, wearing it on the right wrist, hanging loose on a way too long bracelet, on my arm hanging out of a pimped Saxo open window listening to crap hip hop beats, asking whether I can pull this one off. So don't give me the "fake watches are for fake people" talk.
Disclaimer of the disclaimer:
Saxos can be fine cars, especially as VTS and if they are left alone or have been fettled by somebody who knows what they are doing.
Also I like to listen to Hip Hop, but there isn't much from this Millenium that I like.
And yes, I know that more often than not, fake watches are for fake people ....
edited for spelling
I can't believe writing this myself to be honest. I never would have thought that I would ever do this!
But bear with me. I have always liked watches and I have a small collection of nice, genuine watches from Omega and Tudor.
Now I have bought a fake vintage Tudor snowflake on the internet.
One evening in this corona time, I stumbled across a replica watch forum and was amazed by what was being achieved today.
I was clearly hooked, also by the people who seem much more real than most of the bunch you encounter on gen Rolex forums, where service hands, installed by Rolex themselves, is not considered to be 100% original.
Now I did never consider buying a replica of a current watch on sale, but I had a much more relaxed attitude towards vintage watches.
I have always like the Snowflake Tudors, since they give the watch a personality of their own. Mercedes hands belong on a Rolex watch, imho.
So I have bought a replica 7016 Tudor Submariner Snowflake like this (stock image of a genuine one):
I paid no less than £1.3k, since this is a watch built by a modder in the EU, with some of the best parts there are (Vietnamese case, dial and hands) and having a brand new gen ETA movement. This is lower than the parts cost alone.
What really intrigued me, is the fact that is has a genuine, brand new ETA movement, just like the original Tudor had (albeit a more modern iteration).
Also my Tudor Black Bay 36 has the very same ETA movement, so is "certified" to be used in Tudors
All parts have been hand picked, refined (The lume on dial and hands have been given a slight patina) and has the weight, feel and aura of the real one.
Somehow this makes it halfway ok with me, since it's a replica of a watch that is no longer produced and the manufacturer doesn't provide service or parts for it.
Also the passion and talent by numerous people sourcing individual parts, refining them or even building them from scratch is fascinating!
Think of it as a 1:1 home made rebuild of a Ferrari 328 with pattern parts and the engine of a Lancia Thema 8.32. Sort of.
Since prices for authentic ones have risen to over £10k and vintage watches aren't great to wear everyday, the genuine one is not really an option.
This watch is brand new, without the slightest scratch. Incidentally this is also the watches biggest giveaway.
While I wouldn't try to sell it as the real deal, I don't feel comfortable admitting it to be a fake watch (close friends and family excluded of course) I'd probably respond to a "nice watch" comment with something along the lines of "thank you, but it has a non original ETA movement and some replacement parts, thus making it basically worthless, but I like it" Kinda true .....
I just wrote this out of curiosity what others people opinions are.
Well prepared to take the piss, but is there at least somebody here that can understand why I did this?
Disclaimer:
I'd never attempt selling-on the watch as an original!
Also I'm no yobo teenager wearing a fake £100k gold and diamond Daytona bought for £50, wearing it on the right wrist, hanging loose on a way too long bracelet, on my arm hanging out of a pimped Saxo open window listening to crap hip hop beats, asking whether I can pull this one off. So don't give me the "fake watches are for fake people" talk.
Disclaimer of the disclaimer:
Saxos can be fine cars, especially as VTS and if they are left alone or have been fettled by somebody who knows what they are doing.
Also I like to listen to Hip Hop, but there isn't much from this Millenium that I like.
And yes, I know that more often than not, fake watches are for fake people ....
edited for spelling
Edited by Filibuster on Tuesday 5th May 16:42
Does the fake come with a missing lume pip as well?
As above, I get what your motive is however I wouldn't put any of my own money towards something that isn't what it represents itself to be. When the original is virtually unobtainable then the temptation would be greater and I also understand how interesting it would be, in terms of the technical challenge, to see how close a fake gets, though it's not for me.
Well formed points of discussion though, watches of this type are usually a point of contention however it's possible to discuss them without it getting all handbags.
As above, I get what your motive is however I wouldn't put any of my own money towards something that isn't what it represents itself to be. When the original is virtually unobtainable then the temptation would be greater and I also understand how interesting it would be, in terms of the technical challenge, to see how close a fake gets, though it's not for me.
Well formed points of discussion though, watches of this type are usually a point of contention however it's possible to discuss them without it getting all handbags.
Edited by CardShark on Tuesday 5th May 15:56
Barchettaman said:
Definitely not my thing, but if it makes you happy, that’s all fine and dandy I guess.
My main response would be that £1.3k gets you into a lot of very nice (genuine) watches, but hey ho.
This really. My main response would be that £1.3k gets you into a lot of very nice (genuine) watches, but hey ho.
Really don't think I could do any 'replica' cars either to be fair.
El stovey said:
A Nice watch is it a Rolex?
B No it’s a Tudor
A looks like a submariner
B well it’s basically the same company just different branding
A so it’s a copy of a Rolex.
B actually it’s a vintage Tudor snowflake replica.
A so it’s a fake Tudor which is a copy of a Rolex? How much was it?
B
B No it’s a Tudor
A looks like a submariner
B well it’s basically the same company just different branding
A so it’s a copy of a Rolex.
B actually it’s a vintage Tudor snowflake replica.
A so it’s a fake Tudor which is a copy of a Rolex? How much was it?
B
Serious lol, thanks for that !!!!
I'm astonished that there have been rather warm comments so far.... Thanks for that!
Yes the artisanal part is fascinating. I have seen builds where dial and hands have been aged for 2 years (!) in alternating dry boxes and under UV light to get that tropical look.
Yes, I do realize that this an an awful lot of money to spend on something like this. (paid in euro, closer to £1.2k than £1.3k) But the parts are worth £1.4k alone. Having someone build it would be at least £1.5-1.6k. Seller needed funds in corona times and wanted to sell fast. Lucky me (?)
I even sold my Speedmaster Reduced to fund this
I wasn't really wearing it anyway and didn't suit my wrist ... These watches do get sold on in the replica community, where a strict protocol has to be followed and the watch can be traced back to the proud builder.
They also pay attention that fake watches don't get sold on ebay or chrono24 and always report them. Quite a strange world tbh.
(top notch vintage Frankenstein Submariners with original parts regularly fetch £3-6k! Frankenstein Daytonas are up to £10k!!)
So at least I should see some money back, when I get bored of it.
Also as it seems, there are numerous fake watches on the vintage market, at least I have the certainty to know mine actually is fake
There are people out there having paid full price with something similar that I have ...
Let's all be honest. Are any of our watches 'worth' anywhere near what we spend? We're paying for branding, heritage and craftsmanship, probably in that order. In real terms, the first two have no real value.
If OP's watch was made with appropriate levels of craftsmanship, then is it really worth far less than anything else?
Yeah, I wouldn't pay £1.3k an a fake either. But I do understand his decision. You do you, OP. 
If OP's watch was made with appropriate levels of craftsmanship, then is it really worth far less than anything else?
Yeah, I wouldn't pay £1.3k an a fake either.
But I do understand his decision. You do you, OP. Filibuster said:
Serious lol, thanks for that !!!!
I get the whole craftsmanship thing, but any fake has an element of craftsmanship. What puts me off is that it’s got Tudor on it and it’s not a Tudor.
Make a replica and call it something else but copying the branding is where it goes too far for me.
rog007 said:
I like it and understand it. Just like I like I want an AC Cobra, but my budget wouldn’t stretch to an original, so my options are one of the many exquisite replicas (that can also be very expensive due to the craftsmanship!).
Well with Cobras there are two 'continuation' manufacturers Autocraft for AC and Superformance for Shelby. Both have links to the real thing. This is a very well made kit with no links to the original, bit like any number of Cobra kits.
As somebody else said, badging/branding it is the step too far.
Barchettaman said:
£1.3k. For something you can’t legally resell.
Jeez.
Definitely not my thing, but if it makes you happy, that’s all fine and dandy I guess.
My main response would be that £1.3k gets you into a lot of very nice (genuine) watches, but hey ho.
Nothing to stop him reselling it. He just can't sell it as genuine (which may admittedly attract unwelcome attention from Rolex). Jeez.
Definitely not my thing, but if it makes you happy, that’s all fine and dandy I guess.
My main response would be that £1.3k gets you into a lot of very nice (genuine) watches, but hey ho.
You'd also probably find the replica watch forums have sales areas anyway.
El stovey said:
A Nice watch is it a Rolex?
B No it’s a Tudor
A looks like a submariner
B well it’s basically the same company just different branding
A so it’s a copy of a Rolex.
B actually it’s a vintage Tudor snowflake replica.
A so it’s a fake Tudor which is a copy of a Rolex? How much was it?
B
pedant mode on - Tudor Subs are not strictly copies of Rolex subs. B No it’s a Tudor
A looks like a submariner
B well it’s basically the same company just different branding
A so it’s a copy of a Rolex.
B actually it’s a vintage Tudor snowflake replica.
A so it’s a fake Tudor which is a copy of a Rolex? How much was it?
B
I was expecting the usual pistonhead roasting here with you being berated from a great height from those on their high horses.
Pleasantly surprised.
Like everything in life; do what makes you feel happy; do not waste one moment dwelling on others opinions...i usually find they are wrong anyway.
Pleasantly surprised.
Like everything in life; do what makes you feel happy; do not waste one moment dwelling on others opinions...i usually find they are wrong anyway.
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