Would you wear a Replica Watch?

Hit them with a hammer!!

Hit the wrong button... I DON'T think one could wear them with pride. 😅

I'd just bin the lot. Some watches were only caretakers of until they end up with someone else. I wouldn't like to think a known fake has passed through my hands and now someone else possibly thinks it's real or worse still has paid as much as if it's real for it. 

Thats a very good point that I hadnt thought of. Thanks

If they were gifts from dead relatives, just throwing them away seems like like a pretty drastic move.  

I guess it depends on how close the relatives were...

There was a much earlier thread concerning replicas that changed my mind on them. 

For a person that has little interest in watches, gifting them a replica and letting them know, might not be too bad. Not everyone has our sickness and is willing to shell out thousands or even hundreds on a watch. 

That being said, one shant have the pleasure of shaming my wrist haha

If you don't like the brand, remove it. It meaning the brand. 

Personally, I think all the moral panic about this type of thing is poppycock. The idea that they are impure idols that must be destroyed... what is wrong with people?  Remember, it could be worse.

"...the only thing in the world worse than a fake Rolex is a real one." -- Jeremy Clarkson

Sounds like you have a modding starter kit😉

They are illegal to buy or sell so that should be the end of the discussion. As others have said, not only is one supporting questionably horrible people, it is IP theft, and most are passed off as real to rip off unsuspecting buyers. Also, to many, when discovered it speaks volumes of the type of person who would wear a fake item of any kind. 

There are too many great watches that cost less or the same as replicas that are infinitely better and do not call in the owner's ethics into question. 

EDIT, I missed the inherited part, so strike all of the above and my apologies. That said, have fun modding them. Find some other dials, start experimenting on them.

I don't see a problem using them for parts, unless they are just plain junk. 

It depends on the quality of the watch. Throw the cheapest away and if there is an average quality one you would not want to dump just replace the dial. 

I will echo the sentiment of not throwing away the inherited ones. I inherited a fake Rolex, and whilst I have never even opened the case to replace the battery, or even worn it for over 25 years, I cannot bring myself to merely toss it in the trash. There is a story behind it, and that is why it stays in the drawer.

I clicked on destroy, but thought better if it. Since they belonged to relatives, keep them around as curiosities and keepsakes.

They weren't directly gifted to me. Found one in my dad's "lost and found" drawer and a men's watch in my mom's jewelry box that was still in the plastic. The last was given to me by my cousin when her dad passed. 

@curtaincall Can you point me to the article you referenced?

I doubt you will be trying to impress anyone with the reps, I would just wear them with pride (even telling people you have a rep when prompted). Or just safe keep them as memories of the deceased loved ones. 

Without a lot of emotional connection, I've got a lot less conviction in my position.  Wear 'em if they're cool.  Mod 'em otherwise.

I don't get as wound up as some folks (they're probably in the right, not me) about fakes.  My wife and I have 2 for $100 "Panerais" that we got in Bangkok 15 or so years ago. They haven't been taken out of a drawer in a decade, but it was fun to buy them.

It's not illegal to own one, but it is illegal to sell.  Considering you found the two watches and it wasn't given to you, mean there is no sentimental significance.  In the case of your cousin when her Dad passed (your uncle?), again less sentimental significance because it wasn't given directly to you.  So I would return it to your cousin because it might offend them if you threw it away without letting them know.

After some digging, turns out it was a reply to one of my threads 7 months ago lol. HWC69's comment

https://www.watchcrunch.com/curtaincall/posts/gifting-ideas-for-the-uninitiated-2332

Make them your ”family outing” watches that way you can wear them and say they were [family member]’s. 

1) You get to keep the watch’s legacy within the context of its origin. 2) You wouldn’t be trying to impress anyone because everyone will know you inherited it. And 3) well, I like to think all watches have personal stories and these are no different -  it may not be a story of found luxury, but if you have any sentimentality attached to them, then at least you have a situation to wear them on occasion If you choose. 

C: throw them away.

You are talking about replicas, e.g. where they clearly try to scam the original manufacturer?

Then yes, throw them away.

I own exactly 2 "homage" watches, where they print their own company name on it (e.g. Pagani Design). That's ok with me. 

Although i don't like both watches and don't wear them anymore.

But at least i was able to completely disassemble, clean, oil a "new" watch movement of one of my homage watches. 

It has an even better amplitude now. :)

True, but in the US, they are illegal to purchase.

I couldn't enjoy them.  For me part of my enjoyment of collecting is wearing the real thing.  I don't care if it's Timex or Rolex, as long as it's real, the hobby is pure.  For me its also about identifying with the brand whether it be memories of your youth or their advertisements, people in your family who wore them over the years, etc  You can never get that with a Replica.  It is soulless lol.  

You do you. China has passed laws and is gradually cracking down, but sadly not fast enough. They are still illegal in to import In most countries including where I am. 

If it is a good replica and you own the original, it could be fun to wear as a stunt double watch.

Question: if you wear a replica in the big city and get robbed of it, do you win? Or is it better to avoid the situation all together?

The only reason I would consider a replica was to protect the real thing. But the scenarios are VERY limited. Which is why I don't own one. 

How do we even know these are replicas?

I used to have one that I received as a practical joke. I think I threw it in the bin. It's nowhere to be found, so I guess that's what I did.

One use for replicas that I can think of is for watchmaking newbies to use them for practice, there is nothing to pity about ruining a fake. Obviously, don't buy that rubbish - but if you've already got it, that's one good use to which one can put it.

IMHO wearing a replica watch is pretty dangerous. As pointed out in other replies, they are illegal and owning them can create some real legal problems if found out. But, these are inherited from loved ones, so maybe keeping them, but not wearing them will help with         maintaining the memories they provide. Tough decision to make for sure. Good luck.

Only one of them even looks "real" from less than 3ft away. But some Googling and a bit of internet sleuthing gave me all the info I needed. 

I'm happy to have Steeldive homages in my watch collection. They are very far from 'crap' and offer me, as someone who will never be able to afford or want a Rolex or whatever, the chance to buy some beautiful watches.

I wouldn't want replicas or fakes as they are both illegal and really do try to pass themselves off as something else. Homage watches don't claim to be something they aren't, even though they are clearly influenced by other makers. 

It is odd how, every so often, China gets a beating. I guess that is a US feature, perhaps. It is especially odd, given that so many watches, Homage and others, make use of Chinese parts.

Nor should we forget that homage items appear in all sorts of categories of things. Paintings, TVs, computer programs, books, architecture (especially architecture) and so on.