Fake watches – maybe it’s just the owners?

Got a nice email today:

Just read the rest of you’re bull not working on reps ,got watch maker local who is interested in the movement ,there not all full of crap

No “Hi”, no “Best regards”, just like that. Oh well, some people are strange …

As I reply to every email we get, I write back:

Hi Toni,

I guess you have proven the point – that’s exactly why we don’t do replica watches. It’s the owners, not the watches 😉
Best regards,
Christian
I thought that that answered the query, and sit back to do my work. But no, he comes back again, without a hello, and without a good-bye (this really is the complete email):
What a load of nonsense you really have deep rooted problems its not the watch its a swiss movement I really and my watchsmith can’t understand your problems ,banging on about all the sob story crap ,why not say don’t work on reps no drama . I own gen omega and Rolex but reps are so good why pay three four grand for Pam lumina when for four hundred you would not have a clue ,I certainly don’t agree with criminal activities of trying to sell them ! And you think every rep watch owners the same ~ some very sad people along with great ones that do your job.
I couldn’t have made the point better myself. And that’s why we don’t want to deal with owners of fake watches 😉
Update: Here is the next missive:
So point is lm a bad person is that right , l was pointing out there’s no need for the long winded crap ,and would have liked to know why its about $100~125 in US .
Now I am completely lost…

22 thoughts on “Fake watches – maybe it’s just the owners?

  1. Something I’ve learnt over the last few years of enjoying watches is that over time it becomes less about the brand, the design and the look of the watch and more about the story associated with it and the memories it evokes. I would imagine a lot of people are delighted when an old watch is serviced and wearable again because it was their dad’s watch or the one they wore to their wedding or when their first child was born – not because it’s an Omega / Rolex. My point being, replicas are not serviceable so regardless or whether they cost £10 or £1000 they are worthless because ultimately there comes a day when you have to toss it in the bin and then you’ve lost something that reminds you of something very special.

  2. I can still remember my countless trips as a flight attendant to southern China, esp. the city of Guanghzou. We always had 2 or 3 days off, so plenty of time to explore the city. Actually it was shocking, there are whole city districts where you can buy all fakes, you name them, from bags to watches, from clothing to shoes. And there is one disrtict of the city where you can buy fake watches, displayed in endless shelves. The better ones were sold behind closed doors.
    One day I was asking for some original Sea Gull watches. Sea Gull? The guys selling their scrap fake watches looked at me, as if I was crazy man.
    The good thing was, there are also some shops selling tools and all you need for watchmaking. I bought my electronic time scale at one of those shops for as little as 65 Euro!! The same ones are being sold here in Europe for at least twice that amount. And it is working very precise.
    I never bought any fake watches, instead, I finally found the local flagship stores of Sea Gull and BWAF in one of the better districts of the city.

  3. I can only share your opinion of your correspondent Toni and – we’ll leave his quality of writing aside – his aggressive-defensive tone. He does no-one any favour – least of all himself.
    I wonder at the same time, what you feel about watch design, as a standalone attribute aside from the materials quality, craftmanship, intellectual property and owner pride? I own many watches – vintage and new – and as much as I love the craft and pride of manufacture (and service expertise!), I adore the design and finish. I’m not interested in faking wealth – I simply love the art of the casing, the display placement, the mechanical togetherness. So, I have a replica or two. Legendary Genta designs, far beyond my means (so, no ‘lost sale’ to the Stein dynasty..), but quietly worn now and again with the same personal contentment at a thing of fine proportion, if not the complete experience.
    Am I a bad guy? Sure, my (past, minimal) custom in some small way still encourages the fakers, and that then feeds the brand victims buying any old tin for their deceitful advantage. I also know that one day my replicas will have to be binned for the sake of a simple clean or lube because a repair agent of integrity won’t touch them out of principle or in honour of the true great creators, past or present. I respect all that you do and so won’t ever ask you to service one, but, please don’t think it’s so black and white. There are quality replicas, and they do bring pleasure. They have their place – it’s just not here.

    • That does rather conjure up an image of a financially challenged asthete, sitting in front of a coal effect electric fire, on a fake Wassily Chair, admiring a knock-off Rolex, while lecturing his guests on the fine dining qualities to be found in the TV dinner to come. All the time basking in the glow of a photocopied print of the Mona Lisa on the wall.

      No offence intended but I can’t see what’s to adore.

  4. The more people buying replicas means they are less people buying originals.

    Hopefully this means that the prices of originals will come down or at least stay at their current levels. (Law of supply v demand, Economic 101).

    So to those looking at fake watches…go for it!

  5. You also have a fantastic reputation to uphold, and plenty more people wishing for their valued watches to be given an overhaul. Dealing with fake watches is too risky and simply not worth it.

    • I wasn’t planning on going down that route 😉
      Pretty much every email I get from owners of fake watches sends out all sorts of alarm signals.

  6. While I can only agree with your view Christian and sympathise with you, it is NOT nice to read this type of nonsense that someone wrote. I’d delete the mail to the trash after the first few words and try to forget about it as soon as possible. I prefer to focus on the nice things in life and realise that I will never change such a person, so why try?

  7. we support you Christian in all you do, I can only apologise on behalf of those that will not. Adam

  8. In the end it is their choice to wear a fake watch… I have never done it and I will never do it…. I got a crap remark once when I was wearing my DPW-Breitling Military and I simply understood that he did not have a clue….
    I just got myself a new Fortis Cosmonauts Titanium 2836-2 its a beauty….

  9. It’s not only spelling and punctuation that Toni has failed to master. He has also missed the point that buying a fake Pam lumina? is funding the criminal activities that he says he does not agree with. Theft of design and intellectual property for a start and possibly labour and money laundering violations.

    His Grammar and Grandpa would be ashamed of him.

  10. If your Replica Troll’s grammar were only as good as a half-decent replica’s movement, his emails might be comprehensible.

  11. Love it.

    People do not cease to amaze me but they definately keep me amused.

    So for the benefit of any not very bright people out there, I would suggest that they look in a dictionary for the meaning of a replica EG.
    A replica is a
    copy, model, duplicate, reproduction, replication,
    dummy, imitation,
    facsimile or a knock-off

    So if your watch falls into one of these categories , please do not act surprised and throw your toys out of the pram if you get knocked back , after you have asked for it to be serviced by any decent watch repair man or woman.

    Enough said I think.

  12. in todays market thers a lot and raealy a lot of options of brands that give you great quality for the price you pay for a “swiss clone”(replica anyway) i think like you just pointed out is the status not the seeking of a great piece.

  13. Ten hours later and I can just about decipher the email…

    I always feel people buying ‘high end’ fake watches are buying them for the status value; not for actually wanting a quality watch, which in turn makes them a pretentious person… in my opinion! Stay well clear 😉

  14. I love that you won’t work on anything fake. I love the work you did on my Grandpas watch and love the blog. Keep up the great work!

    • Indeed, those e-mails do sound somewhat like something that might be uttered by the current president of a country that shall remain nameless.

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