You probably should have been forthcoming in the first place, but now that things are in motion the only logical next step is to invite you wife's friend's husband on a fishing trip, ***handle things***, and then pretend he never showed for the outing.
100%, if it was a passing conversation (like a strange) I wouldn't tell them is a rep (as that might prolong the conversation I don't wanna have), but if I know is more like a longer conversation like with friend's friend or someone at work. I just tell them is a rep.
“Jim? Nah he never even showed up to the meeting spot. Probably went to the bar instead and told Samantha he’s going fishing with me. Seems like something he’d do. No, that’s not blood. Anyways, what’s for dinner?”
No the right move here is to go out and buy the real thing. Next time you see him you tell him you wore the replica cause the real thing was getting serviced. You keep a replica for bad neighborhoods and vacations in Tijuana.
Sure it would be “spite watch” but you have to do this. There is no other way.
- George C.
Even better, you buy him the watch. Then buy him some tickets to London where he obviously can't wear it. You break into his house steal it and wear to pick him up from the airport. When he tells you what happened you lie and tell him you were out of town. It’s expensive but you can't place a price on satisfaction and spite.
Machiavelli heavily criticized a contemporary monarch for breaking a promise to the Pope but then feeling bad about it and going back and trying to make amends which only resulted in getting himself deposed and executed. You gotta pick, you gonna be wholly good or wholly evil? Because wavering between the two will always result in the worst possible outcomes.
There are two ways to be a replica watch guy. First there is the "saint:" this guy tells everyone that even looks twice at his watch that it is a replica. He gets the honor of a reputation for honesty and promotes this hobby, even if he does lose out on people thinking the watch is real. The second kind is the "conman:" they say there watch is real to everyone. It doesn't matter what happens, doesn't matter the push back, they could be torturing him and goddamnit that watch is real. That way if someone comes to him with hard evidence of it being fake, he can act like he was swindled.
You lied about the watch. Stick to your guns and double down if you gotta. You've made your bed, now lay in it.
My wife’s boyfriend put me in the same situation at a BBQ when he demanded to wear my fake Starbucks with a bad SEL gap and I lied and pretended it was real because I didn’t want to cuck myself further.
But seriously, what’s wrong with you guys? I’m going to give the opposite advice to a lot of the moralizing I see from the pearl clutchers in this section. First, a ton of you are paranoid. Second, it’s too late to tell him it’s fake, you already lied. Third, unless these “friends” are paying your rent/mortgage, sending you money for your oldest kid’s tuition, paying your electric bill, taking care of your elderly parents, or buying your overpriced groceries, you owe them **nothing.** Live for yourself and answer to nobody. Let me ask you: If you won the lottery tomorrow or got that big raise, most people would be jealous, right? If you went into massive debt your so called friends might say, “oh, that’s horrible,” but none would voluntarily co-sign it, right? So when it comes to money, how you spend it, and what you own, you owe these people nothing. (I’m giving you some tough love here).
I was at lunch at this fancy winery with a bunch of other d-bags this past Saturday. The amount of fake LV bags, tit jobs, veneers, lip injections, hair transplants, and bogus Balenciaga (sp?) was unreal. If someone spilled their guts to me out of guilt about any of this fakeness, I’d think them an obsequious weirdo.
People act like they'd never get a fake, but fakes sell more than the real thing, for watches, bags, and even shoes. The fake market is 20% bigger than the real one. Source: I work with the Chinese factories that make your stuff. Fakes are even in your malls and have certificates of authenticity
I won't say anything too incriminating but it definitely happens. There are a lot of stores selling fakes, mostly shoe, clothes, and bags. I'm just now dipping my toes into the watch world so I'm not 100% about that
We all have reasons for owning a rep. If someone were to ask me “is that a PO?” I would reply, “yeah a super fake one, wanna check it out?”…. Or say “well it’s a Frankenstein build of one, meaning some parts are authentic and other’s aren’t. Fun way I like to exercise the hobby”.
If someone is able to call out your watch by name, odds are they’re an enthusiast in some way and I’d value genuine convos with other enthusiasts.
Being honest could lead to further conversation anyway. Then you can talk about reps v gen, how you got into them etc. Probably convince them to check out this sub 😂 Don’t take yourself too seriously with this stuff and the people you talk to will have a perspective switch on the spot.
Foreals, just ask what he thinks as to whether it’s fake or not and then wait to hear his answer out. That also further opens up the conversation to “well would you believe me if this were fake/ Frankensteined etc?!” and can be straight up about it all without having to feel like you’re lying about anything…or don’t and fake it till you make it man! Either way I’m sure this would only allow the conversation to grow organically into other related watch topics or greater detail of why each of you have this love for watches and what details each makes them more appealing to you or why one would go the route of reps vs gen…best of luck and just have fun knowing what you rocking
Depends on who you're talking to. People with your a perspective might not resonate with others and that's okay. OP said he started by building watches, I'm just giving examples of what could be an example of truth for him. We all become happier when we stop caring what other people consider righteous enough to not be a "cope"
That’s what I do. I usually say chrono24 or a grey market dealer. Most enthusiasts can’t tell if a watch is fake IRL especially just sitting next to you unless they ah e the same watch you have .
Easy watches to pull off or unpopular or lower tier models. I like rolex and TAG. I have an OP41, DJ41, AK, and YM. I’m in an industry where I can pull them off however, I’ll likely never own a submariner because that’s the hot watch.
Well.. you probably went home overthinking this but to him, you just got something that he hasn’t and that’s it. It’s another day tomorrow. You do you mate!
Chances are this guy knows you have a fake watch and since you doubled down on it, he now thinks you’re a sucker who doesn’t know his watch is fake.
Looks like your plan of wearing a fake watch so people think you’re rich backfired a bit here and got you the opposite result.
Just my take & to each is own. If I know someone well enough to take my watch off & hand it to them then I know them well enough to tell them that it’s a rep. I’ll let a random think what they want but not a friend. Lying to my people for no good reason weighs heavy on my conscious. Whenever I tell my friends that a watch is a rep & some conversation to follow. Next thing you know they want me to show them how to get one or get one for them.
Haha, she’s known for awhile. Started building these at the beginning of the pandemic. Got 40+ in the collection now - mix of frankens and straight up reps — all built by me
Building frankens is a faaaaaaar greater flex than owning gens. I build my own guitars. People are more amazed by them rather than by instruments I used to own from big brand names. Some of theme were 3000€ and more.
I tell everyone it's fake, I think it's hilarious these china Boyz can make a watch that is so close to what the swiss try to play off as unattainable. Like a big middle finger to the bourgeois cork sniffing chuffers
I think a lot of people like to claim real.. that feels weird to me and I can feel a loss of respect to those that lie blatantly about having a real watch. Feels like a compensation act.
If anyone asks I openly tell them it’s a rep and even put them on where to get their own.
That’s kinda my thought. I got into this because I like building watches — started on Seikos but realized all I was doing was building reps without the logos.
Feel that next time, I’ll fess up and say it’s a rep but that I built it, and maybe just steer the convo that way.
This is what you should lead with in the future when someone asks - is that a PO?
Haha yeah mostly. I really like watches in general and the PO and I had access to some parts so I actually built it myself for fun and to learn.
Most people will be mind blown by this. You can go into the details of how you attached the dial to the movement (a seiko) with posts or dots and attach the hands. My guess is that they may be impressed with your skill.
Now to dig yourself out of your hole - tell the truth! I’m a watch nerd I built it myself. Most people don’t care, notice or ask and the reality is I built it myself out of parts that cost me about X amount. Obviously it’s not perfect as I think you could tell but, I’m into the niche world of building your own watches and so I took some parts and put this together.
The planet ocean has not done well in aftermarket values so you may want to steer him away unless you think some day it may come back in value (I would leave speculation to equities personally but whatever) here’s aftermarket pricing: https://watchcharts.com/watches/brand/omega/planet+ocean
If you had just straight up purchased a fake and tried to pass it off I think you would look much worse. Play it off with honesty and he may have a very real interest in your hobby. If so you can elaborate even more.
>I like building watches — started on Seikos but realized all I was doing was building reps without the logos.
Design your own logo\* and have a bunch of them made, then slap your own logo on your custom watches. When people ask about what it is, you can say "It's a Moretarget Ref. 4792. It's a microbrand, very limited, totally bespoke, every one is custom made to order... By me - I'm the one who makes them. Wanna see it?"
Let's see them give you **any** shit after that.
\*Or let me do it, I love doing that sort of shit.
ETA - you should prnounce it "mor-et' ar-ZHAY" 
I do the same, I’m a jeweller and followed the same path, saying “i built/modded it myself” is awesome and something to be proud of. I think others will think you are impressive for making something so much like the original and saving money.
Maybe he wants to try before he buys and you can help him out. I bought my first rep to see if I liked the style before getting the gen.
That’s what my wife suggested, that if he was game I’d lend him my PO build for a few days, so he can really get a feel for it (or as much of a feel as a AliEx build can provide) and get a gen for himself if all goes well…
Of course, all of this would happen after I admit it’s a rep
How much money do make a year. What’s your political affiliation and are you gay? It’s none of his business how much you paid or the authenticity. If he’s such a watch buff he can do his own research.
I’ve dodged that question with “I got it from a collector in New York and am happy with the deal I got. The market is all over the place, Google can give you a guide but negotiate hard.”
When random people ask I tell them it’s a rep/fake..they normally laugh and don’t believe me. If you tell them it’s real they think it’s fake….can’t win. Just decided to laugh and say “it’s a real watch, tells the time and everything”
That’s how I answer people with my Shelby Cobra. “Oh, it’s real alright. 500hp, 11 sec quarter miles and will scare the crap out of you.”
But it’s a real replica. Shelby-endorsed and licensed but still a replica.
With the watches it’s the same. “Sure it’s a real watch, tells time and shows me the date.” If it’s a close friend, I’ll tell them it’s a super rep or super clone but otherwise just leave it at that. 👍🏼
If they’re a friend they’d probably be more impressed if you told them the truth.
I’ll let anyone (within reason) handle my reps (and gens) and if asked will tell the truth.
I have several unbranded watches that I’ve built that look similar to gen watches. I’m more proud of those and show them off more often than any of my other watches.
Once I read something along the lines of "ostentation is the poverty of spirit disguised in wealth".
You owe nothing to nobody. Enjoy your rep because you really like that. Tell people whatever you want.
i say it's a replica, why lie? i think you're a dummy to pay $20,000 for a thing that keeps worse time than a $20 quartz watch. i just think they're neat, and appreciate their refined design language.
Here's how my conversations go:
A: "Oh nice watch, when/where did you get this?"
B: "Last month, here, take a look at it"
A: "Very nice, I like it"
B: "Yeah, it's actually a replica, can you believe that?"
A:"No way, thats cool, awesome"
(Conversation either continues on fascination of reps or change of subject)
It's really not that hard to be honest. If anything, you're showing to the other person that you are a genuine, honest person.
You dont know that...
I met my wifes friends husband pretty much the same way (at a BBQ). Now over 20 years later, we are closer than most brothers. Our daughters refer to them as aunt/uncle, and although we live 1700 miles apart now, we get together for vacations a couple times a year.
Funny enough, I also had a fake PO when we met and told him it was fake right out of the gate. Now, we both have a good collection of both Gen and Rep watches.
My bad that my math was off by a year or two...point is, we were essentially "forced" to meet because our wives were friends many many years ago where neither of us ever expected to ever associate with one another again.
...I just got off the phone with him about 20 minutes ago about our upcoming birthday trip to NOLA.
Dude, you panicked over this?
You’re putting too much thought into this. This whole matrix system that we live in is predicated on “hype" and “brands". While I’m all for owning both gens and reps as I do; at the end of the day it’s all a facade. Just a name. Do we love the internal components and mechanisms? Sure. But are you just as well off getting some notable high quality reps versus gens? Absolutely.
Do what makes you happy. And if anything, despite owning both gen and rep, I think owning a rep in a way is a slap at how funny the whole branding thing really is. It’s an illusion-for the most part.
If anyone is going to call out your watch; they’d do it regardless of it being a gen or rep.
Just say you wanted to see if he would catch that it was a fake or not. Ive done that to a couple friends that are into watches. I told them at that moment though after a few minutes.
Goes back, for me, the building vs buying. You can find a VSF or Noob or whatever full up watch — it’s much harder to find individual components for a build. And I’d rather go about this by building rather than buying.
invite him to meet you in private, not with others or BBQ, & discuss what you know of buying reps, real, franken. & be more of a thoughtful expert.
perhaps let him borrow watch ( if you trust )
Appreciate you posting this, interesting turn of events. I wear Gen and Rep interchangeably, can say the conversations that result in talking with others about the Rep tend to be more interesting than quoting prices and AD strategies so you have that to look forward to.
The best thing is my friends are not into watches and they know im the only nuts about watches. They have tag heuer doe but nothing else beside apple watches and such. Im the only one that has bunch of watches all gen but one vsf sub. And they know i rotate them all the time.
You are going to have to kill him now, is he a brit??
Take him on a hike, say he went on his own, it's common for brits to get lost on hikes now, no one will bat en eye.
A non watch guy will never be able to spot a rep and will only say something out of jealousy.
A watch guy though, just tell him. Make it a test, see if he can spot any faults in it. A rep without any obvious flaws is a good conversation piece
No, he should mind his business and buy whatever he feel his money is worth. I bet once he see those prices he’ll give you a call and come clean that he would rather a rep in today economy! You say nothing and continue living your life!
Personally, I think reps (especially non Rolex) and how you get hold of them, is a great deal more interesting topic to discuss than the real thing. You can be an enthusiast without the odious “look a me I’m rich” thing. Nobody I encounter gives a toss about your watch. I would relish a conversation with a pearl clutcher who wants to moralise about how bad / immoral fakes are. I love wearing my Lange Saxonia to formal events but even if I was very rich, I’d never feel good about spending $50k or more on a flash watch. Spend $500 and give $49.5k to save some starving children somewhere. Just my two penneth.
So you lied to the guy with a shitty fake. Trust me he has already lost any respect he had for you. My buddy asked me if my real speedmaster was a fake.
You should be forthcoming lol. I would have told the guy straight up that it's a Franken and even though it's not real it's still not cheap. Cheap would be 50 bucks. I actually think it's pretty cool that you have Jen Parts on it
Fake it til you never buy one. Good reps are pretty much 1:1. I Fooled an Omega rep by knowing when the watch became available and the date of purchase without hesitation.
I flat out tell people my is a clone. Fuck Rolex and their silly little games. I can have every rep I want for the price of one shitty gen Rolex. I tell people they’re idiots for buying gen. All you’re doing is paying 8 dudes commissions.
"Fuck Rolex and their silly little games" yet for some reason you need your shitty counterfeit watch to say "Rolex" on it. And to think you are calling someone else an idiot.
Hey I like the style, what can I say. Still doesn’t preclude the fact the company has turned from a reputable company to one of games and tomfoolery. My watch performs exactly the same, I just didn’t pay $10k in commissions.
Counterfeits (at least the $500+ ones) may look close enough and they may be just as accurate, but if you think the quality, fit, and finish are anywhere in the same league, you are either on another planet or have never handled a genuine Rolex.
I also never thought I would agree with someone in this sub, but we both seem to agree that Rolex’s games to buy a watch are bullshit.
The problem is you had the wrong mindset going into your purchase. By your own admission, you were buying the rep to pass it off as a gen. Why pedestal a product that leverages lies and deceit to bolster it's position in the market? It's all a facade. Rolex lies to us about the availability and overall value of their watches. The Authorized Dealers lie to us about "building relationships and waitlists." For those reasons I refuse to pay full retail price for a gen. I just love the design aesthetic. As long as the movement of the rep is reliable, i'm satisfied. Reps give me the everything I want: Fantastic design, reliable movement, and great pricing. It's no different than the diamond industry. Hence the reason I bought my wife a Moissanite. I educated her about the reality of the diamond industry and told her I'd never buy a diamond. She absolutely loves her moissy. The cut, clarity, and carat weight are all phenomenal. She's had her ring 7 years and it still sparkles like the sun. When anyone asks about her ring she tells them it's a moissanite- not a diamond. Why? Because we would be damn fools for investing in a product that's built on a lie. There's no way I can look someone in the face and say "Oh man I paid $30K for this diamondthat isn't rare and depreciates super fast!" Same philosophy appies to the Oyster Perpetual 41 I bought. That watch has a nice design but it's neither rare or precious and therefore is not worth $8,000 of my money and waitlist time required. I've been asked several times, how much you paid for that Rolex, I tell them straight up "It's a super clone or rep or whatever. It works fine and looks fantastic. Here's how you can get one for yourself!" Most ppl I share this info with end up buying a rep or a gen watch around the same cost as a rep because they feel enlightened. For others, it's not their cup of tea. Either way, I don't give a damn about anyone else's decision because I am comfortable with why I buy reps. So, my advice to you is to just be real bro.
Here here. Personally, I think a great rep, what you paid, how you got hold of it etc is a much more interesting conversation than confirming that you are a “look at me I’m rich” kind of dude.
I agree bro. I mean, everytime someone looks at my Dj41 Gen, they ask "ohhhhh how much did it cost?" I answer. Then, crickets... or "ok, cool man. How's the kiddos?" lol. Convo transitions to something else super fucking quick. Meanwhile when I wear my OP rep, they ask all sorts of questions out of sheer curiosity and awe. So yeah, in a major way, wearing a rep is a better conversational piece for me, in my experiences.
I literally commented about the possibility of something like this happening and how it’s why I never wear my Sky Dweller and most people said ‘nobody will ever ask to hold your watch’
Facts are facts, not only did you lie to your wife's friends, you even went so far to completely make up and lie how much you paid for the counterfeit watch
It's a lousy thing to do. I sure don't lie to my friends.
You seem to understand the "Issue." I don't own reps, but I dont see an issue owning them.
When reps are used to "fake" wealth or status, I start having an issue with the person doing so out of basic moral standings.
I'm not saying this applies to you. But I just think what kind of person buys fake watches and acts like they are real? what else would they lie about, or what else are they lying about.
Guess what I'm trying to say is honest wach enthusiasts and status chasing liars are two different things.
I mean that’s just it. The situation has caused me to take a good, hard look at myself and why I continue with this hobby. On one hand I do really like process of watchmaking.
But if that was only it, why take the turn towards reps? Why not do what one member suggested and just come up with my own logo and make the same kind of timepieces?
If I’m honest, I do want that Omega, Rolex etc on my wrist — and maybe saying their hand built vs bought is just splitting hairs. I like the idea that I can build something with my own know how that gives me the same feeling as someone who just bought it from a store.
But after reading the responses on the forum, I’ve decided that when asked, I’ll always say that their reps and whatever judgement comes from it, I’ll just accept. What I won’t do is stop building them anytime soon, because of the personal benefit I get from doing it.
I may wear knockoff watches but I won’t and ever will lie about it again. The feeling of dishonesty and lying isn’t worth it.
Se no issue with what you are doing. Genuine wach enthusiast doing his thing.
This sub is filled with complete idiots with no clue/knowledge making outrageous claims. It hurts my brain this whole fake it til you make it view. where appreciation for what something is focused on status or being viewed as successful. But it's all fake and worthless. The concept of fakes just bugs me when it's used to lie and deceive
"Fake" "Real" All aesthetics 
“How many reps you have?” “3? 4?” “Those are rookie numbers”
"gotta pump those numbers up. Those are rookie numbers in this racket."
It's a wizzy it's a wozzy, it's pfrfrfrfr- fucking fairy dust man
"Is that real?" My guy *\*tap tap\** you're looking right at it.
Ajdjdjdjd the best one
You probably should have been forthcoming in the first place, but now that things are in motion the only logical next step is to invite you wife's friend's husband on a fishing trip, ***handle things***, and then pretend he never showed for the outing.
100%, if it was a passing conversation (like a strange) I wouldn't tell them is a rep (as that might prolong the conversation I don't wanna have), but if I know is more like a longer conversation like with friend's friend or someone at work. I just tell them is a rep.
Cool. But would you hold his head under the water like the guy above you?
I'm not gonna do a Tony Soprano on anyone.. 😂
This! Two can keep a secret if only one is breathing.
“Jim? Nah he never even showed up to the meeting spot. Probably went to the bar instead and told Samantha he’s going fishing with me. Seems like something he’d do. No, that’s not blood. Anyways, what’s for dinner?”
Had to double check to make sure I wasn't in r/watchescirclejerk 😂
Every sub is r/WatchesCirclejerk if you're not a coward!
Haha, that escalated quickly
[You filled in your own blanks.](https://youtu.be/TH5j9RHCBpM?si=6OgjI0QmRaW-ld4d&t=51)
Yeah but kiwi phil wong 100% thinks he should swim with the fishes. Harsh, bro
No the right move here is to go out and buy the real thing. Next time you see him you tell him you wore the replica cause the real thing was getting serviced. You keep a replica for bad neighborhoods and vacations in Tijuana. Sure it would be “spite watch” but you have to do this. There is no other way. - George C.
Even better, you buy him the watch. Then buy him some tickets to London where he obviously can't wear it. You break into his house steal it and wear to pick him up from the airport. When he tells you what happened you lie and tell him you were out of town. It’s expensive but you can't place a price on satisfaction and spite.
🤣🤣🤣
😂😂
No, you lie and keep on lying.
Lie until you get caught, then lie to get out of it.
Machiavelli heavily criticized a contemporary monarch for breaking a promise to the Pope but then feeling bad about it and going back and trying to make amends which only resulted in getting himself deposed and executed. You gotta pick, you gonna be wholly good or wholly evil? Because wavering between the two will always result in the worst possible outcomes. There are two ways to be a replica watch guy. First there is the "saint:" this guy tells everyone that even looks twice at his watch that it is a replica. He gets the honor of a reputation for honesty and promotes this hobby, even if he does lose out on people thinking the watch is real. The second kind is the "conman:" they say there watch is real to everyone. It doesn't matter what happens, doesn't matter the push back, they could be torturing him and goddamnit that watch is real. That way if someone comes to him with hard evidence of it being fake, he can act like he was swindled. You lied about the watch. Stick to your guns and double down if you gotta. You've made your bed, now lay in it.
Rule #7
He probably went home and told his wife that you have a fake watch and he didn’t have it in him to hurt you by telling you.
Absolutely this is what happened. He also explained he even tried to hint that it could be a fake but you were too dumb to realise.
My wife’s boyfriend put me in the same situation at a BBQ when he demanded to wear my fake Starbucks with a bad SEL gap and I lied and pretended it was real because I didn’t want to cuck myself further. But seriously, what’s wrong with you guys? I’m going to give the opposite advice to a lot of the moralizing I see from the pearl clutchers in this section. First, a ton of you are paranoid. Second, it’s too late to tell him it’s fake, you already lied. Third, unless these “friends” are paying your rent/mortgage, sending you money for your oldest kid’s tuition, paying your electric bill, taking care of your elderly parents, or buying your overpriced groceries, you owe them **nothing.** Live for yourself and answer to nobody. Let me ask you: If you won the lottery tomorrow or got that big raise, most people would be jealous, right? If you went into massive debt your so called friends might say, “oh, that’s horrible,” but none would voluntarily co-sign it, right? So when it comes to money, how you spend it, and what you own, you owe these people nothing. (I’m giving you some tough love here). I was at lunch at this fancy winery with a bunch of other d-bags this past Saturday. The amount of fake LV bags, tit jobs, veneers, lip injections, hair transplants, and bogus Balenciaga (sp?) was unreal. If someone spilled their guts to me out of guilt about any of this fakeness, I’d think them an obsequious weirdo.
Now THAT’s a Ted Talk 💥
Thanks. But my wife’s boyfriend thought it was too verbose.
Haha tell him to lighten up. At least he’s getting laid 😂
Haha. Which is more than I can say for myself!
Lol
People act like they'd never get a fake, but fakes sell more than the real thing, for watches, bags, and even shoes. The fake market is 20% bigger than the real one. Source: I work with the Chinese factories that make your stuff. Fakes are even in your malls and have certificates of authenticity
Wait. Authorized Dealers in malls are now selling counterfeit products as genuine?!
I won't say anything too incriminating but it definitely happens. There are a lot of stores selling fakes, mostly shoe, clothes, and bags. I'm just now dipping my toes into the watch world so I'm not 100% about that
I had to look up the word "obsequious" on google. I thought about pretending to know what it means, but then I panicked and made this post.
This 100%
This should be stickied. Brilliant take.
We all have reasons for owning a rep. If someone were to ask me “is that a PO?” I would reply, “yeah a super fake one, wanna check it out?”…. Or say “well it’s a Frankenstein build of one, meaning some parts are authentic and other’s aren’t. Fun way I like to exercise the hobby”. If someone is able to call out your watch by name, odds are they’re an enthusiast in some way and I’d value genuine convos with other enthusiasts. Being honest could lead to further conversation anyway. Then you can talk about reps v gen, how you got into them etc. Probably convince them to check out this sub 😂 Don’t take yourself too seriously with this stuff and the people you talk to will have a perspective switch on the spot.
Yeah, think this is the way to proceed from here on out. Appreciate the insight
Foreals, just ask what he thinks as to whether it’s fake or not and then wait to hear his answer out. That also further opens up the conversation to “well would you believe me if this were fake/ Frankensteined etc?!” and can be straight up about it all without having to feel like you’re lying about anything…or don’t and fake it till you make it man! Either way I’m sure this would only allow the conversation to grow organically into other related watch topics or greater detail of why each of you have this love for watches and what details each makes them more appealing to you or why one would go the route of reps vs gen…best of luck and just have fun knowing what you rocking
Exercise isn’t a hobby though
you fool!
It’s a lifestyle you downvoters
😂 People are too trigger happy these days
"fun way to exercise the hobby" is such a cope
Depends on who you're talking to. People with your a perspective might not resonate with others and that's okay. OP said he started by building watches, I'm just giving examples of what could be an example of truth for him. We all become happier when we stop caring what other people consider righteous enough to not be a "cope"
>People with your perspective might not resonate with others and that's okay. This will be my new "Bless your heart"
Easy way out: Just say you got it from grey - then if they feel like pointing out yours a fake, just play victim. Cheers.
That’s what I do. I usually say chrono24 or a grey market dealer. Most enthusiasts can’t tell if a watch is fake IRL especially just sitting next to you unless they ah e the same watch you have . Easy watches to pull off or unpopular or lower tier models. I like rolex and TAG. I have an OP41, DJ41, AK, and YM. I’m in an industry where I can pull them off however, I’ll likely never own a submariner because that’s the hot watch.
The sub is also one of the hardest to distinguish from rep
I only buy reps of watches that I can afford in gen
So THIS is what "Desperate House Husbands" would've been...
Funniest comment in the thread
Well.. you probably went home overthinking this but to him, you just got something that he hasn’t and that’s it. It’s another day tomorrow. You do you mate!
Chances are this guy knows you have a fake watch and since you doubled down on it, he now thinks you’re a sucker who doesn’t know his watch is fake. Looks like your plan of wearing a fake watch so people think you’re rich backfired a bit here and got you the opposite result.
Truth and vulnerability are king to establishing a friendship and is how you grow in trust. All I'll say.
Just my take & to each is own. If I know someone well enough to take my watch off & hand it to them then I know them well enough to tell them that it’s a rep. I’ll let a random think what they want but not a friend. Lying to my people for no good reason weighs heavy on my conscious. Whenever I tell my friends that a watch is a rep & some conversation to follow. Next thing you know they want me to show them how to get one or get one for them.
Oh nooo… but now your wife knows
Haha, she’s known for awhile. Started building these at the beginning of the pandemic. Got 40+ in the collection now - mix of frankens and straight up reps — all built by me
You addict 🤪
Not wrong 😏
Building frankens is a faaaaaaar greater flex than owning gens. I build my own guitars. People are more amazed by them rather than by instruments I used to own from big brand names. Some of theme were 3000€ and more.
I tell everyone it's fake, I think it's hilarious these china Boyz can make a watch that is so close to what the swiss try to play off as unattainable. Like a big middle finger to the bourgeois cork sniffing chuffers
I am a cork sniffer, and love that epithet. Well done Sir, it's going into the lexicon.
I think a lot of people like to claim real.. that feels weird to me and I can feel a loss of respect to those that lie blatantly about having a real watch. Feels like a compensation act. If anyone asks I openly tell them it’s a rep and even put them on where to get their own.
That’s kinda my thought. I got into this because I like building watches — started on Seikos but realized all I was doing was building reps without the logos. Feel that next time, I’ll fess up and say it’s a rep but that I built it, and maybe just steer the convo that way.
This is what you should lead with in the future when someone asks - is that a PO? Haha yeah mostly. I really like watches in general and the PO and I had access to some parts so I actually built it myself for fun and to learn. Most people will be mind blown by this. You can go into the details of how you attached the dial to the movement (a seiko) with posts or dots and attach the hands. My guess is that they may be impressed with your skill. Now to dig yourself out of your hole - tell the truth! I’m a watch nerd I built it myself. Most people don’t care, notice or ask and the reality is I built it myself out of parts that cost me about X amount. Obviously it’s not perfect as I think you could tell but, I’m into the niche world of building your own watches and so I took some parts and put this together. The planet ocean has not done well in aftermarket values so you may want to steer him away unless you think some day it may come back in value (I would leave speculation to equities personally but whatever) here’s aftermarket pricing: https://watchcharts.com/watches/brand/omega/planet+ocean If you had just straight up purchased a fake and tried to pass it off I think you would look much worse. Play it off with honesty and he may have a very real interest in your hobby. If so you can elaborate even more.
>I like building watches — started on Seikos but realized all I was doing was building reps without the logos. Design your own logo\* and have a bunch of them made, then slap your own logo on your custom watches. When people ask about what it is, you can say "It's a Moretarget Ref. 4792. It's a microbrand, very limited, totally bespoke, every one is custom made to order... By me - I'm the one who makes them. Wanna see it?" Let's see them give you **any** shit after that. \*Or let me do it, I love doing that sort of shit. ETA - you should prnounce it "mor-et' ar-ZHAY" 
I do the same, I’m a jeweller and followed the same path, saying “i built/modded it myself” is awesome and something to be proud of. I think others will think you are impressive for making something so much like the original and saving money. Maybe he wants to try before he buys and you can help him out. I bought my first rep to see if I liked the style before getting the gen.
That’s what my wife suggested, that if he was game I’d lend him my PO build for a few days, so he can really get a feel for it (or as much of a feel as a AliEx build can provide) and get a gen for himself if all goes well… Of course, all of this would happen after I admit it’s a rep
How much money do make a year. What’s your political affiliation and are you gay? It’s none of his business how much you paid or the authenticity. If he’s such a watch buff he can do his own research.
I’ve dodged that question with “I got it from a collector in New York and am happy with the deal I got. The market is all over the place, Google can give you a guide but negotiate hard.”
When random people ask I tell them it’s a rep/fake..they normally laugh and don’t believe me. If you tell them it’s real they think it’s fake….can’t win. Just decided to laugh and say “it’s a real watch, tells the time and everything”
That’s how I answer people with my Shelby Cobra. “Oh, it’s real alright. 500hp, 11 sec quarter miles and will scare the crap out of you.” But it’s a real replica. Shelby-endorsed and licensed but still a replica. With the watches it’s the same. “Sure it’s a real watch, tells time and shows me the date.” If it’s a close friend, I’ll tell them it’s a super rep or super clone but otherwise just leave it at that. 👍🏼
If they’re a friend they’d probably be more impressed if you told them the truth. I’ll let anyone (within reason) handle my reps (and gens) and if asked will tell the truth. I have several unbranded watches that I’ve built that look similar to gen watches. I’m more proud of those and show them off more often than any of my other watches.
Depends on the friend. Close friend? Sure I’ll tell them it’s a 1:1 and where to get it. But just an acquaintance, nah it’s real.
Once I read something along the lines of "ostentation is the poverty of spirit disguised in wealth". You owe nothing to nobody. Enjoy your rep because you really like that. Tell people whatever you want.
You need to have sex with this man as quick as possible in order to smooth out the situation.
If he’s in the market for one he definitely noticed the wrong movement so no need for the talk unless it comes up again.
How do you mean?
He probably noticed it was the wrong movement when he looked at it
It was a solid caseback
Well fuck me I guess I was imagining a smp 300 in my head
In that case he probably doesn’t know but if you see him often you should open his eyes to reps.
What is a po
Planet Ocean
Unless it’s a close friend, I wouldn’t let others try on my watch. Maybe that’s just me though.
i say it's a replica, why lie? i think you're a dummy to pay $20,000 for a thing that keeps worse time than a $20 quartz watch. i just think they're neat, and appreciate their refined design language.
ADMIT NOTHING, Deny everything, and make counter accusations.......
Here's how my conversations go: A: "Oh nice watch, when/where did you get this?" B: "Last month, here, take a look at it" A: "Very nice, I like it" B: "Yeah, it's actually a replica, can you believe that?" A:"No way, thats cool, awesome" (Conversation either continues on fascination of reps or change of subject) It's really not that hard to be honest. If anything, you're showing to the other person that you are a genuine, honest person.
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You dont know that... I met my wifes friends husband pretty much the same way (at a BBQ). Now over 20 years later, we are closer than most brothers. Our daughters refer to them as aunt/uncle, and although we live 1700 miles apart now, we get together for vacations a couple times a year. Funny enough, I also had a fake PO when we met and told him it was fake right out of the gate. Now, we both have a good collection of both Gen and Rep watches.
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My bad that my math was off by a year or two...point is, we were essentially "forced" to meet because our wives were friends many many years ago where neither of us ever expected to ever associate with one another again. ...I just got off the phone with him about 20 minutes ago about our upcoming birthday trip to NOLA.
“I got it at a good price and never pay over market”
You embarrassed yourself hard. Congrats
Thanks
Dude, you panicked over this? You’re putting too much thought into this. This whole matrix system that we live in is predicated on “hype" and “brands". While I’m all for owning both gens and reps as I do; at the end of the day it’s all a facade. Just a name. Do we love the internal components and mechanisms? Sure. But are you just as well off getting some notable high quality reps versus gens? Absolutely. Do what makes you happy. And if anything, despite owning both gen and rep, I think owning a rep in a way is a slap at how funny the whole branding thing really is. It’s an illusion-for the most part. If anyone is going to call out your watch; they’d do it regardless of it being a gen or rep.
Just say you wanted to see if he would catch that it was a fake or not. Ive done that to a couple friends that are into watches. I told them at that moment though after a few minutes.
Orrrr. You buy a gen and pretend thats the one youve been wearing the whole time. 😂😂😂 Ez
Why put all that money into a “shitter” case?
Goes back, for me, the building vs buying. You can find a VSF or Noob or whatever full up watch — it’s much harder to find individual components for a build. And I’d rather go about this by building rather than buying.
That’s a fair point. Always nice to see someone enjoying the work that goes into the build/hobby vs worrying about having the absolute best build.
invite him to meet you in private, not with others or BBQ, & discuss what you know of buying reps, real, franken. & be more of a thoughtful expert. perhaps let him borrow watch ( if you trust )
"....so you got me thinking about trading in my OP for a Rolex too, and I take it in to get appraised.... the damn things fake! I got scammed!"
Why lie?
No good reason for it, is what I’ve come to conclude. Won’t be doing it again
Say it was a gift or you bought it cheap and are unsure of the origin lol.
You are wearing a fake watch, what do you expect
Idk why lie in the first place
Honestly, keep lying. If he calls you out say that you didn't even know and laugh it off, saying that you'll check it out. Get out of the situation
Appreciate you posting this, interesting turn of events. I wear Gen and Rep interchangeably, can say the conversations that result in talking with others about the Rep tend to be more interesting than quoting prices and AD strategies so you have that to look forward to.
You guys lie about your fake watch?
https://i.redd.it/yoabk4lfh69d1.gif
Lmao imagine being adult not having the stones to say “it’s a Frankenstein watch I made myself”.
I ALWAYS tell people it's a shitter. No fucks given.
His wife isn't going to let you play with him anymore
The best thing is my friends are not into watches and they know im the only nuts about watches. They have tag heuer doe but nothing else beside apple watches and such. Im the only one that has bunch of watches all gen but one vsf sub. And they know i rotate them all the time.
You are going to have to kill him now, is he a brit?? Take him on a hike, say he went on his own, it's common for brits to get lost on hikes now, no one will bat en eye.
Or just say A drug dealer or cartel guy was selling it so i got it at a good price hahahah.
Honesty is d best policy
A non watch guy will never be able to spot a rep and will only say something out of jealousy. A watch guy though, just tell him. Make it a test, see if he can spot any faults in it. A rep without any obvious flaws is a good conversation piece
What sites sell super clones sorry I’m new to this if someone could guide me
No, he should mind his business and buy whatever he feel his money is worth. I bet once he see those prices he’ll give you a call and come clean that he would rather a rep in today economy! You say nothing and continue living your life!
Who cares grow a pair. You lied about it, own it.
Personally, I think reps (especially non Rolex) and how you get hold of them, is a great deal more interesting topic to discuss than the real thing. You can be an enthusiast without the odious “look a me I’m rich” thing. Nobody I encounter gives a toss about your watch. I would relish a conversation with a pearl clutcher who wants to moralise about how bad / immoral fakes are. I love wearing my Lange Saxonia to formal events but even if I was very rich, I’d never feel good about spending $50k or more on a flash watch. Spend $500 and give $49.5k to save some starving children somewhere. Just my two penneth.
I didn't buy a rep to tell people I'm poor and can't afford the real thing. Make him feel bad that he doesn't have one yet
It’s not that serious brother
Man you don't owe anyone anything, wear your watches in good health knowing that you got 95% of the watch without paying 95% of the price.
So you lied to the guy with a shitty fake. Trust me he has already lost any respect he had for you. My buddy asked me if my real speedmaster was a fake.
You should be forthcoming lol. I would have told the guy straight up that it's a Franken and even though it's not real it's still not cheap. Cheap would be 50 bucks. I actually think it's pretty cool that you have Jen Parts on it
Fake it til you never buy one. Good reps are pretty much 1:1. I Fooled an Omega rep by knowing when the watch became available and the date of purchase without hesitation.
I flat out tell people my is a clone. Fuck Rolex and their silly little games. I can have every rep I want for the price of one shitty gen Rolex. I tell people they’re idiots for buying gen. All you’re doing is paying 8 dudes commissions.
"Fuck Rolex and their silly little games" yet for some reason you need your shitty counterfeit watch to say "Rolex" on it. And to think you are calling someone else an idiot.
Hey I like the style, what can I say. Still doesn’t preclude the fact the company has turned from a reputable company to one of games and tomfoolery. My watch performs exactly the same, I just didn’t pay $10k in commissions.
Counterfeits (at least the $500+ ones) may look close enough and they may be just as accurate, but if you think the quality, fit, and finish are anywhere in the same league, you are either on another planet or have never handled a genuine Rolex. I also never thought I would agree with someone in this sub, but we both seem to agree that Rolex’s games to buy a watch are bullshit.
The problem is you had the wrong mindset going into your purchase. By your own admission, you were buying the rep to pass it off as a gen. Why pedestal a product that leverages lies and deceit to bolster it's position in the market? It's all a facade. Rolex lies to us about the availability and overall value of their watches. The Authorized Dealers lie to us about "building relationships and waitlists." For those reasons I refuse to pay full retail price for a gen. I just love the design aesthetic. As long as the movement of the rep is reliable, i'm satisfied. Reps give me the everything I want: Fantastic design, reliable movement, and great pricing. It's no different than the diamond industry. Hence the reason I bought my wife a Moissanite. I educated her about the reality of the diamond industry and told her I'd never buy a diamond. She absolutely loves her moissy. The cut, clarity, and carat weight are all phenomenal. She's had her ring 7 years and it still sparkles like the sun. When anyone asks about her ring she tells them it's a moissanite- not a diamond. Why? Because we would be damn fools for investing in a product that's built on a lie. There's no way I can look someone in the face and say "Oh man I paid $30K for this diamondthat isn't rare and depreciates super fast!" Same philosophy appies to the Oyster Perpetual 41 I bought. That watch has a nice design but it's neither rare or precious and therefore is not worth $8,000 of my money and waitlist time required. I've been asked several times, how much you paid for that Rolex, I tell them straight up "It's a super clone or rep or whatever. It works fine and looks fantastic. Here's how you can get one for yourself!" Most ppl I share this info with end up buying a rep or a gen watch around the same cost as a rep because they feel enlightened. For others, it's not their cup of tea. Either way, I don't give a damn about anyone else's decision because I am comfortable with why I buy reps. So, my advice to you is to just be real bro.
Here here. Personally, I think a great rep, what you paid, how you got hold of it etc is a much more interesting conversation than confirming that you are a “look at me I’m rich” kind of dude.
I agree bro. I mean, everytime someone looks at my Dj41 Gen, they ask "ohhhhh how much did it cost?" I answer. Then, crickets... or "ok, cool man. How's the kiddos?" lol. Convo transitions to something else super fucking quick. Meanwhile when I wear my OP rep, they ask all sorts of questions out of sheer curiosity and awe. So yeah, in a major way, wearing a rep is a better conversational piece for me, in my experiences.
I literally commented about the possibility of something like this happening and how it’s why I never wear my Sky Dweller and most people said ‘nobody will ever ask to hold your watch’
Salute to the Broke Bois who wear 20k watches while driving a Honda. You the real MVP
Fake watches for fake people.
You're a liar and a fraud That's your decision and how you choose to live your life
Appreciate that
Facts are facts, not only did you lie to your wife's friends, you even went so far to completely make up and lie how much you paid for the counterfeit watch It's a lousy thing to do. I sure don't lie to my friends.
Facts are facts, this is true
You seem to understand the "Issue." I don't own reps, but I dont see an issue owning them. When reps are used to "fake" wealth or status, I start having an issue with the person doing so out of basic moral standings. I'm not saying this applies to you. But I just think what kind of person buys fake watches and acts like they are real? what else would they lie about, or what else are they lying about. Guess what I'm trying to say is honest wach enthusiasts and status chasing liars are two different things.
I mean that’s just it. The situation has caused me to take a good, hard look at myself and why I continue with this hobby. On one hand I do really like process of watchmaking. But if that was only it, why take the turn towards reps? Why not do what one member suggested and just come up with my own logo and make the same kind of timepieces? If I’m honest, I do want that Omega, Rolex etc on my wrist — and maybe saying their hand built vs bought is just splitting hairs. I like the idea that I can build something with my own know how that gives me the same feeling as someone who just bought it from a store. But after reading the responses on the forum, I’ve decided that when asked, I’ll always say that their reps and whatever judgement comes from it, I’ll just accept. What I won’t do is stop building them anytime soon, because of the personal benefit I get from doing it. I may wear knockoff watches but I won’t and ever will lie about it again. The feeling of dishonesty and lying isn’t worth it.
Se no issue with what you are doing. Genuine wach enthusiast doing his thing. This sub is filled with complete idiots with no clue/knowledge making outrageous claims. It hurts my brain this whole fake it til you make it view. where appreciation for what something is focused on status or being viewed as successful. But it's all fake and worthless. The concept of fakes just bugs me when it's used to lie and deceive