Genuine or replica? You would likely not be able to tell and would likely not even know the brand anyway.

Replica watches are big business, huge, and the debate continues as to if they are a good or a bad thing.

Approximately, one million counterfeit Swiss watches were seized in 2016, and the same number of internet advertisements for them removed. From SWI.

As someone who wears a Seiko or a Bulova every day, one of which is worth £350 and the other approx £900 (only because it is a vintage model in very good condition), I tend to prefer to wear something that is real. To me, if a watch is made with care and if it offers some history, I am more than happy and it can be the best watch in the world.

I would not personally spend £5,000 on a Rolex or £10,000 on a Panerai, even if I could, because I cannot for one moment fathom how so much money can possibly be worth spending on such a thing. As you know, I love watches (more than phones to be honest), but when they reach a certain level of expense it becomes jewellery and my mindset changes.

The craftsmanship in a well-made watch cannot be denied and you are purchasing something that has been touched by skilled hands, something that may have a heritage most brands can only dream of and, crucially, something that you can potentially wear for the rest of your life. These points make me wonder if luxury watches do merit the prices attached to them and if money were no object, I would be there buying one tomorrow.

However, my Seiko has a movement and build quality that will almost certainly be working perfectly in 2037 without the need for a service, and it costs £350 new. It has personality, is comfortable and ticks every box for me. Why do I need to show others that I have an expensive brand on my wrist when I am wearing the watch for my enjoyment?

And if I did want to show others that I had an expensive watch on (a sad personality trait if ever I saw one), why would I not spend £150 on a replica? Some of the more expensive replicas are virtually identical to the real ones, apart from having cheap Chinese movements inside, but they always have a tell. A small error that people can spot if they know what they are looking for although the reality is that 99.999% of people would not know what to look for. And unless you are wearing a Rolex, most people would have no idea what you are wearing on your wrist. Panerai is not a name many people know and neither is Patek Philippe. You could be wearing a £50,000 Patek on your wrist and no one would have a clue so there really is no point in trying to impress people with a replica. Just buy a watch ‘you’ like and enjoy it. A real one.

I see many Rolexes and Tags on people’s wrists and presume that they are replicas. It has reached the point, particularly with Rolex, that the replicas likely outnumber the real ones by a distance and this confuses everything further. There is no right or wrong here, people do what they want to do, but it does feel as though replicas are rarely a good idea.

I don’t believe that replicas are wrong. I just think they are completely pointless.

Categories: Watches