Overview:
When we talk about replicas, we go back to a time when people traded things quietly in a back alley. All of this is done in broad daylight now, on websites that sell copies of well-known watches. This doesn’t make the trade any less suspicious, though. We offer a variety of replica watches at affordable prices. Replica richard mille watches shop and Rolex GMT Master Replica are among our huge collections.
But whether you think it’s right or wrong to buy a watch in this category, here’s a map to help you navigate this “sea” of strange, unknown, and often dangerous for your wallet timepieces.
What is a Fake or Replica Watch?
There is a big difference between an homage and a copy.
A “tribute” watch is made in the style of a well-known watch, but it can be seen to be different in several ways, including the most important and obvious one. That there is another brand on the dial, and it is clear, or that there is no brand at all. When there is no brand, watch fans call this a “sterile dial.” Most people who want to start a watch collection but don’t have a lot of money buy homages because they are often a good value for money.
On the other hand, a replica is made to look exactly like a famous watch, right down to using the brand name of the copied watch in a dishonest way. Because of this, the quality of replicas varies, from fanciful copies that don’t seem very real to watches that are exact copies in every way, down to the watch movement (and are generally called “clones” in watch speak).
The famous Frankenstein monster inspired the name of a different type of watch, which is called a “Franken.” As you might guess, a Franken watch is made up of parts from different watches, some of which are original and some of which are not. In the case of vintage watches, where you can replace a broken or missing part with a new or compatible one, this is a fairly common practice. However, it is a scam in other situations.
What’s the Difference Between a Real Watch and a Copy?
The main difference is that an original is made by the company that made the watch popular in the first place. This means that the standards for quality, where the materials come from, and fair working conditions and wages are guaranteed because it comes from a well-known and respected brand. One of the main reasons why watches are so expensive is because of this. Or at least watches that are “unique.” None of that happens with a copy.
Also, an original can get help from the house and get replacement parts, but a replica can’t. In some countries, it may even be illegal to own a replica watch. Laws are different in every country, so if you’re not sure, the best thing to do is find out how things work in your.
Is the Quality of Replica Watches Good?
It doesn’t help to hide behind a glass wall, because sometimes clones are better than the originals. For example, we saw replicas that had more power reserves, were more accurate, or could handle water better than the originals.
On the other hand, we have to say that this only applies to a very small number of products. Most of the time, a true copy is somewhere in the middle, from so-so to good. Still, you can’t be sure about its technical execution unless you are a technically trained hobbyist watchmaker and have looked at the watch in its smallest details.
How Long do Fake Watches Stay Accurate?
A replica is a watch that looks and works just like any other watch. It can be high-quality and last for years, or it can be low-quality and break almost right away. The length of an automatic watch’s life depends on the watch itself, so it is impossible to make a general statement. This is because each replica manufacturer is different, and there is no standard for replicas. But some sites that only sell replicas have tried to come up with objective rating systems to figure out how good they are.
As we’ve already said, the real problem is that if there’s a problem with the movement, it might be harder or even impossible to fix than an original watch.
Is it Against the Law to Buy a Fake Watch?
Copyright laws all over the world say that it’s illegal to make and sell fakes, but they get more complicated when it comes to things like buying and owning replicas. Also, not every government agrees on what a fake is. Some replica makers take advantage of this gray area by making copies that are similar to the originals but have small differences, often in the shape and lettering of the logo. This means that the copy is no longer a fake and the crime is less serious.
Some very well-known replica makers have huge websites and e-commerce systems, sell online, and ship all over the world. Because of this, not all countries treat the making and selling of replicas the same way.
Can you Fix Replica Watches?
As we’ve already said, a watch is usually made up of a case and a movement. Sometimes, the movement breaks and needs to be fixed. Here are the first problems, especially when we go into the world of copies.
The movement used by a replica maker can be a “stock” movement, which is a caliber that can be bought on the market (this is what you usually find in automatic watches and quartz watches made by other brands) or a “true clone” movement that is an exact copy of the original in every way. In the second case, a big problem is coming. A stock movement can be fixed or replaced with parts from the market or by buying a similar caliber and taking the parts we need from it. This is called “cannibalization.” With a clone, however, it is not clear that the parts are freely available or that they are the same as the original ones.
Are Replica Watches Worth It?
Most of the time, a replica is the same thing as a fake watch, but the makers of replicas like to use this word because it sounds better than “fake.” Most of all, because, in the spoken language, a copy could have been made by the same company that made the original, which may have been lost, or because the original was so rare and valuable that a copy was made. The original company could make one for a show or exhibition instead of bringing the original. Or it might want to make a limited run of a model that was popular in the past.
Main Takeaways
As you may have noticed, we haven’t even touched on the most common arguments against replicas in this short guide. We leave moral and ethical questions up to our readers.
We mostly wanted to get people to think about the less obvious parts of the replica market, like how reliable they are over time and how easy they are to fix. Most people don’t give much thought to these non-trivial and very important factors, which leads us to the conclusion that, in the end, the best way to ensure “peace of mind” is to buy an original timepiece or an homage. And if you need help getting a good one, we have put together a helpful guide on how to buy a watch.
