The Watch Discussion Thread

[Mike Rotch]

With the new watch box arriving, it's time for a state of the collection . Light coloured box = premier division (in not order) and the dark box is the second division, pretty much in order from top left of most preferred.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

You have great taste in timepieces! Which Panerai homage is that? I love it.

 

[Mike Rotch]

You have great taste in timepieces! Which Panerai homage is that? I love it.

Its a Getat Custom - not sure if you have ever heard of them? If you like, I can forward you the website. You can basically customise any part of it (case, case colour, strap, hands, dial, dial layout) for under $100. I've had it 3 years and its still going strong 👍. Manual handwind too.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

Its a Getat Custom - not sure if you have ever heard of them? If you like, I can forward you the website. You can basically customise any part of it (case, case colour, strap, hands, dial, dial layout) for under $100. I've had it 3 years and its still going strong 👍. Manual handwind too.

I have heard of them but had no idea of the level of customisation 👍. I sense a watch purchase coming on...

 

[Mike Rotch]

I have heard of them but had no idea of the level of customisation 👍. I sense a watch purchase coming on...

Some old pics (excuse the ropey'ness)...:

Again, it's something to go in with eyes slightly open. If you read about these on the web, they were hit and miss up and till a few years ago re QC. However the guy who manufacturers them - yes, its literally a one man band! - is excellent to deal with. I had an issue with mine in that the crown lock lever was too loose, so he told me to return it and he would replace it with a brand new watch - which he did!

PM inbound

 

[a6m5]

With the new watch box arriving, it's time for a state of the collection . Light coloured box = premier division (in not order) and the dark box is the second division, pretty much in order from top left of most preferred.

I strongly recommend people observe the pics with their mouths closed. You know, to keep from drooling. Jesus, Mike. 👍

 

[Omnis]

What's affordable to you? I have some ideas but I don't want to post a $300 watch when you're thinking $70.

I mean something that's <$300. In other words, something better than a fossil, but not something that's going to be approaching or beyond a thousand bucks. I have a pretty nice citizen, but it's black-faced and metal. Cost just under $300, so in that ballpark. Figure I'd get something different to mix it up since I'll most likely start wearing a watch when I start med school or clinicals.

There still is the problem of watch straps. I have an 8-inch wrist, so most leather doesn't fit. Is there any kind of aftermarket watch/accessory source?

 

[Shaun]

With the new watch box arriving, it's time for a state of the collection . Light coloured box = premier division (in not order) and the dark box is the second division, pretty much in order from top left of most preferred.

Show off.
Was it the white face Fortis you were wearing GP weekend? I thought it had a brown strap from memory.

I just showed Bronny the pics and she gave the Omega Constellation a big 👍 right after saying Jesus.
Her father has one a bit similar among his collection.

Cheers Shaun.

 

[Mike Rotch]

I strongly recommend people observe the pics with their mouths closed. You know, to keep from drooling. Jesus, Mike.

Thanks a6m5, I am glad you like 👍.

Show off.

You're memory is better then mine, it was the Fortis (had to check some photos!) . It would have been on the black strap - the other Fortis strap I have is blue.....and reeks of smoker's smoke .

I remember you said her dad has a top collection - I'm glad it stacks up to it (in part at least!).

 

[Ramanujan]

So if you call your replica watch a homage it is alright.

Glad that is cleared up.

Nice Breitling Homage!

 

[Joey D]

A homage doesn't use the companies logo without their permission.

 

[Solid Lifters]

Nice collection, MR!

I really love this one...

What is it?

 

[Ramanujan]

A homage doesn't use the companies logo without their permission.

I guess copying letter types, layout and overall design is alright than.

IMHO if you like a nice watch just buy a good looking one with its own design.
Or spend the money for a real one, if you really want that look/brand. But spending quite some money on a replica watch that is a fake/homage/replica is something i don't quite get.

There are plenty of nice looking watches available which don't pretend to be something they are not. And they are available at almost all price ranges.

 

[a6m5]

A homage doesn't use the companies logo without their permission.

I personally don't sweat too much over buying knockoffs? But it is amazing how many people fail to see the point you & Mike are trying to get across. It. Is. Illegal.

Nice collection, MR!

I really love this one...

What is it?

Here's his post from when he originally bought it(w/different band).

 

[Mike Rotch]

@ SL - - Thanks a6m5, here is a better pic with the leather. It's a Fortis B-42 👍

I guess copying letter types, layout and overall design is alright than.

Replica/ knock-off = copy of patented product. If the fake Breitling had no branding on it, it wouldn't be a breach of copyright law.

Homage = likeness of design to product without infringing on the copyright. Look at the Bulova posted on the previous page, its a homage to a Rolex Submariner. As are about a hundred other watches, including reputable manufacturers like Orient, Steinhart and Seiko. 💡

Or in case you missed it, fakes/ replicas are illegal, homages are not.

Google Orient "Planet" Orient or "Alpha Orange" to see how manufacuturers are making homages to the Omega Planet Ocean now.

Invicta are masters of borrowing other companies designs, as they have recently done with this:

Which is a rather obvious homage to this Hamilton:

Or this, which is a homage of the Citizen Nighthawk you can see in my watchbox:

As my watch doesn't say "Panerai", it's not fake/ replica. If I go to a party and someone else is wearing one, they will not go "nice Panarai" as they will recognise it's not one. However people who wear replicas are trying to pass off copies of the real product as the real deal.

 

[Solid Lifters]

Thank you gentlemen!

 

[Ramanujan]

Nice points for bringing up the "homage" , but as seen on the apple/samsung design court fighting over rounded edges, just omitting the brand of the watch you are 1:1 copying is as fraudulent as putting the wrong brand on a fake watch. The examples you put forward either are a bit different or they have their design copying purchased from the original owner. So in my book, and in that of the court an homage is a counterfeit item the same way the breitling you had issues with.

You both have watches under $100 with Chinese internals mimicking watches of +$5000.

So if i were the owner of a "homage" watch i wouldn't judge the owner of a "fake" watch as you are both owners of the same kind of item. Which puts Mike and Neal at a level playing ground as i see it.

I am not saying you can't have a homage/fake/replicated watch but if you do please don't judge the owner of an equally fake watch like you are into the real deal.

Both items are of no interest to me. I rather have a no name item which is build well than a fake item that looks like something expensive.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

I am not saying you can't have a homage/fake/replicated watch but if you do please don't judge the owner of an equally fake watch like you are into the real deal.

Fakes are illegal, homages are not. Someone knowingly buying a fake is breaking the law, and should be judged like the criminal they are.

 

[nealcropper]

Both items are of no interest to me. I rather have a no name item which is build well than a fake item that looks like something expensive.

On the contrary. The watch I have is built incredibly well. I have had it a while now, and this is the first time the pin has gone. No other malfunctions of any kind.

Also, it has no battery and is charged by movement. Everything is still working internally. The guy who sold it to me told me that it was a fake, because he knew I wasn't a fool, but he did tell me that the internals were made by Seconda, now I understand that it might have been a "sell", but he was pretty truthful about everything else, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt.

Anyway, to be honest if the watch didn't have any name on it, I still would have bought it, because its a nice watch, IMO.

Also, mike, I feel as if I may have left here last time I posted with you thinking I was being a douche with you, I didn't mean it like that.

Just didn't want any hard feelings pal.

 

[Ramanujan]

Thanks Neal, so you and Mike both like watches, and you both got one that looks like a much more expensive one.

Looks like an even playing field to me.

Time for Mike to shake hands. 👍

 

[a6m5]

Looks like an even playing field to me.

Are you leaving out about the most critical difference on purpose, or do you really not see it? It's one thing to look like another product, I do see where you are coming from. But it's a totally black & white issue when it comes to the copy wearing the original brand name.

This is more like Samsung selling iPhone lookalike with Apple name & logo on it.

 

[Ramanujan]

Are you leaving out about the most critical difference on purpose, or do you really not see it? It's one thing to look like another product, I do see where you are coming from. But it's a totally black & white issue when it comes to the copy wearing the original brand name.

This is more like Samsung selling iPhone lookalike with Apple name & logo on it.

No the "homage" is an iphone looking 100% identical to an iphone but without apple on it.
An the breitling copy isn't looking much like a breitling but has the brand on it.
The differences are actually easy to spot on this one.

Both are trying to mimich a +$5000 watch but cost under $100. So they are in the same league.

All the other "homages" are very precise to not look like the original just enough to dodge the court-case (casing/hands/slashed zero). Or they bought of the rights from the one they are copying.

This Panerai "homage" is a plain, and at that a really good , 100% copy of the original without paying for the design. So just as fraudulent as the breitling.
And clearly ment to fool the fast looker.

If the owners didn't care about the copied brand, they would have bought a different looking watch and not a copycat one.

I just don't get it that one who has a $100 panerai knockoff thinks he can judge the owner of a £45 Breitling as they clearly got the same kind of ownership. And therefore are in the same boat.

 

[a6m5]

I just don't get it that one who has a $100 panerai knockoff thinks he can judge the owner of a £45 Breitling as they clearly got the same kind of ownership. And therefore are in the same boat.

Again, I do see where you are coming from, but that's subjective. There is no gray area in borrowing brand name, however.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

If the owners didn't care about the copied brand, they would have bought a different looking watch and not a copycat one.

I don't care about the brand, I care about how it looks. I love the style of Panerai, but there is no way that I'm spending thousands on pounds on a dress watch. If Panerai was an unknown, cheapo Chinese brand selling £10 shopping network watches, I'd still buy them.

The issue isn't a watch looking similar to another, but the illegal use of a brand name. If Neals Breitling fake didn't use the Breitling or Bentley name, there would be no issue.

 

[Ramanujan]

Again, I do see where you are coming from, but that's subjective. There is no gray area in borrowing brand name, however.

Just as there is no gray area in a 100% copy.
I really don't think the owner off one of these could justify judging the owner of an other ripp-off. What a 100% copy is even without the name, it remains a rip-off.

I like my stuff genuine. So it is a brand item, or it is a no name item.
But buying a no-name item that looks like a brand-item is fooling yourself or tries to fool your surrounding, wether it has the fake brand on it or not.

 

[a6m5]

Just as there is no gray area in a 100% copy.

No offense, but I believe we are just going in circles now.

 

[Ramanujan]

True, but as long as Mike gets the message it is worth it.

Fake=Fake. And having one of those means you can't judge the owner of another fake one.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

True, but as long as Mike gets the message it is worth it.

Fake=Fake. And having one of those means you can't judge the owner of another fake one.

An unbranded Panerai look-alike isn't a fake Panerai. If it has Panerai branding, then it's a fake Panerai. That is how the law sees it, and how the companies holding the copyrights and trademarks see it too. All around us there are examples of companies taking inspiration/copying others with their products, it's not a big deal.

I care about people breaking the law, not whether their watch is a copy or not.

 

[Ramanujan]

An unbranded Panerai look-alike isn't a fake Panerai. If it has Panerai branding, then it's a fake Panerai. That is how the law sees it, and how the companies holding the copyrights and trademarks see it too. All around us there are examples of companies taking inspiration/copying others with their products, it's not a big deal.

I care about people breaking the law, not whether their watch is a copy or not.

http://gemssty.com/2006/10/29/top-10-copycat-cars/

No problem here with your logic.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

No problem here with your logic.

None at all. As long as you are not passing something similar off as something else, nothing is being done wrong. If China was selling its copies off as real-deal Toyotas and BMWs, then there would be a problem.

Guns, bikes, cars, planes, clothes, you name it, there are similarities and even blatant rip-offs of every one of these and more out there. Completely legal, which is all that matters. If the company being copied were really bothered, they'd take up a lawsuit.