Alright. You’ve got the clothes, but something just doesn’t feel right. You’re not satisfied with your hoodie and its rectangular box logo – no. You need something more. A Rolex! But wait, where are you going to get eight thousand dollars from? Well, Icheaps’s here with a Guide to enlighten you and show you the glorious thing, called Replica Watches.
Do you have Rep Watches on Pandobuy?
We have a few and will add more in the near future, you can find them here
Why do I need a watch?
“Can’t I just check the time on my phone?”
Watches used to be a convenient way of telling the time. Automatic movements, such as those engineered by Omega and Rolex, would even keep their time precise to the second. However, since the rise of the digital watch, regardless of how fancy your analogue watch was – it wouldn’t match the precision of a battery. Eventually, even these were superseded by the smartphone. Nowadays, when everyone’s got a phone in their pockets, telling the time hasn’t been easier. And you don’t need an $8,000 Rolex to do the job. However, these brands haven’t gone bust. In fact, they’re thriving more than they ever have. What’s keeping them going?
Mechanical Watches
A mechanical watch is a quintessential gentleman’s piece. Nothing signals opulence more than a stunning timepiece. What keeps the drive towards these watches is not their convenience or efficacy, rather that they are simply more classy than a smartphone or Casio. In the case of well-known brands like Rolex, this applies to an even greater extent. Not only is Rolex recognised as a gentleman’s watch; it’s a status symbol. Wearing a Rolex is synonymous to success, wealth, and power. Ronald Reagan, Fidel Castro, and even Muammar Gaddafi sported Rolex watches.
Retail Pricing
The problem is – it’s damn expensive. The cheapest Rolex model, the Air-King, will still set you back $6,000. In the used market, you’re looking at about 50% of that. The average Joe can’t afford that, and that’s what keeps Rolex popular with the bourgeois.
But you’ve discovered this site, so you know there’s another way. If you have even $200 in your pocket, you’re in luck. Heck, you don’t even need $50.
Showcasing different Price Tiers
From here on out, the watches are assorted by price range. There are 3 categories: $10 – $50, $50 – $200, and $200 – $500. Depending on how much you’re willing to drop, scroll to the respective heading. Naturally, at a higher price – you’ll be getting better watches. That doesn’t mean those at $50 will be sub-standard. I’ll try to recommend the best watches at each price.
$10 – $50 Rep Watches
If you can spend more, please spend more. This category is more for those looking to dip their toes into the replica watch industry, or for those looking for a beater watch. Regardless, there are some decent timepieces at this range. The main site you’ll be focused on in this range is DHGate. Please, for the love of God, don’t buy a watch from Aliexpress or Taobao.
Primarily, you want to stick to quartz watches. These are generally easier to replicate, as there aren’t any automatic movements involved.
Example W2Cs
- Hermes Heure H (RRP: ~$2,500. Replica Price: $20). Alright, don’t expect anything phenomenal at 1% of the retail price – but this is actually fairly convincing at the price. You’ll be getting an almost 1:1 dial, but that’s pretty much it. It’ll come with a poor faux leather strap, stainless steel case back, and un-engraved crown. However, not many people will recognise Hermes watches – let alone know the telltale signs of a fake. If you’re just starting to venture into your SoundCloud rapping career, this is a must-cop.
- Chanel J12 Quartz (RRP: ~$6,000. Replica Price: $31). Very good watch. Real ceramic, laser engraved case-back, and strikingly accurate. Again, not many people are familiar with Chanel watches – so this will definitely be a confident purchase. Even has a butterfly clasp on the bracelet.
- Tissot Ballade III (RRP: ~$600. Replica Price: $32). I know – this isn’t a quartz watch. But it’s damn good. Pretty much 1:1 except the bracelet is slightly cheap, and the movement isn’t decorated with Tissot engravings. However, it’s an automatic watch nonetheless – and if you’re desperate for an automatic watch at a cheap price, this is your best bet. It has a quiet, smooth movement that is almost impossible to differentiate from the authentic. However, its power reserve isn’t great – meaning that it may stop if you leave it without moving. This means you’ll have to set the time every morning. However, Tissot is a more affordable brand that can be pulled off very easily – especially if you’re a student.
These are my top 3 choices at this price range. Very strong products in their own right, and these three could last you alone. Remember, for all products on DHGate – shipping is generally slow, through China Mail or E-packet. Expect your package between 1-2 weeks after purchase. On the bright side, the chances of your package getting seized is next to zero.
I can’t stress enough to stay away from high end brands in this price range and on DHGate. With $50 in your pocket, you won’t get any decent Rolex, Omega, Breitling, Tag Heuer, Patek Philippe, or Audemars Piguet. You’ll look like a fool.
$50 – $200 Rep Watches
Alright, we’re starting to get into the big leagues now. These are some good sites to start with:
Puretime
(full list of trusted dealers)
These are very well regarded in the replica watch community, and are safe to trust with your card information. They are also well organised factories, meaning that your packages will arrive far faster and in better condition than DHGate. I’ll organise some of my favorites in this price range, but I encourage you to search for your own preferences – as watch style is incredibly subjective.
Example W2Cs
- Rolex Explorer II (RRP: $8,000. Replica Price: $160 – $170) Puretime Link. This is absolutely sick, you won’t regret it. This product is from the renown “Noob Factory” – who arguably produce the most accurate replica watches on the market. There is a video attached on the Puretime product page for you to check this out yourself. Man, oh man, this is 1:1. It’s really good. Even those who own a Rolex themselves will struggle to spot a difference. Naturally, this is an automatic sweeping watch – and the movement is different from the authentic Rolex. If you open the case-back, it’s easy to tell it’s a replica – as it lacks any signature Rolex markings. However, by exterior looks alone – you’re set: The black dial is $158, whereas the white dial is $168. If you’re impartial for color, just choose the cheaper of the two.
- Luminor Panerai PAM000 (RRP: ~$6,000. Replica Price: $188) Puretime Link. Stunning minimalist watch appropriate for the workplace. Unlike the Rolex, this has a decorated movement with the Panerai engravings. Panerai is amongst the lesser known brands, and is a perfect choice if you’re not looking for a sports watch. It’s currently on a $10 discount on Puretime, so make sure to snag it up quick.
- Omega Aqua Terra James Bond (RRP: ~$7000. Replica Price: $198) Puretime Link. I quote the review, “looks like a million dollars.” Crazy dial with a movement mimicking the James Bond gun barrel. This particular watch was sported by James Bond in the movie “Skyfall”, available for less than 200. Definitely a steal.
As aforementioned, these are my favorite picks. I encourage you to search for yourself – as watches are heavily subjective. Much like Superbuy, once you purchase a watch – you’ll receive QC pictures before the watch is sent to you. You can choose to reject it if it appears to be poor quality. I’d suggest consulting any forum before making a decision though, and I will have listed some forum links at the end of this thread.
$200 – $500 Rep Watches
These are the best of the best. Truly, I can’t stress enough the quality of these pieces. Even jewellers will struggle to tell the difference at first sight. This is classified in the replica watch community as a “super rep.” This means that whilst the movement mightn’t be of the same calibre, or the bracelet might not be made of the same type of steel; it is aesthetically identical to the genuine article. For this category, there are two factories that you can resort to:
JF & ARF (Puretime Link)
Noob (Puretime Link)
Gold Watches
Scroll through these as you please, but try to stay away from anything that is either partially gold or full gold (this includes rose gold!). Most of this is plated, or occasionally wrapped – and it’s very easy to tell, as it weighs significantly less than the genuine. It could also scratch off, making your watch unwearable.
For all watch models that have been replicated to a .99:1 level, look at THIS Reddit post. Just search for any model that interests you on Puretime, Intime, or Perfect Clones; they all stock the same batches more or less.
Once again, it’s important to mention that you should always get a second pair of eyes to QC your watch. The replica watch community is notoriously fussy with even the tiniest of flaws, so what mightn’t be evident to you will be glaring to them. Potential sites that you can use to do this have been listed below.
Forums for QC and Discussion
If you’re used to Reddit, potentially from using FashionReps, DesignerReps, or Flexicas, there’s always /r/RepTime to help with your QC. This currently has over 25,000 subscribers – facilitating really comprehensive discussion. You’ll definitely find the right people to spot the flaws on your watch. However, they are somewhat notoriously toxic towards lower end watches – so be careful of what you post. They also have two guide posts pinned to the top of the subreddit, which I suggest you read after this.
However, RepTime is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to replica watch discussion. There are replica watch forums with hundreds of thousands of users, such as:
These sites work in relatively the same way as RepTime: create an account, and post your QC in the relative section. These sort of forums were absolutely everywhere in the early days of the Internet, so it shouldn’t be too difficult navigating them. They also allow you to purchase used replica watches from other users, and offer some means of buyer protection. However, I’d strongly suggest against doing this if you’re new to the replica watch scene. If you do take the leap, only buy watches from those with a good reputation – and those with actual pictures of their item (and preferably a note in the picture stating that it’s their original picture). I’d still suggest sticking to the Trusted Dealer sites.
Conclusion
After reading this Guide you’re now set to jump into the world of replica watches! Make sure that you read the posts pinned on the top of /r/RepTime – as they essentially summarise this article again. As I’ve mentioned, this industry is far stricter than that of replica clothing – and flaws are easily spotted. Make sure that you’re making frequent usage of the forums I’ve provided, and you’ll breeze through this.