Scratch that itch!
I'm keen to hear people's experiences with the 'scratch that itch' watch. That is:
I want Watch A, but it is either too costly and/or unavailable to me, right now. So instead, I'll buy a replica, homage piece or another piece entirely (perhaps I'll buy a chrono, because Watch A is a chrono), to satiate my horological desires.
Wanting to hear from enthusiasts who did this and did the watch they acquire (instead of their grail), give them the 'dopamine' hit they desired? And how long did the honeymoon last?
For me, I'm willing to set myself a goal to save or clear out some of my collection and either acquire from ADs or go grey, but always for the specific pieces I want, so the concept seems a little foreign to me (granted I'm not chasing any holy trinity watches, but still).
Adventures of a watch tragic.
Almost all of my watches are homage watches. Mainly Pagani Design and San Martin but also Invicta. I have honestly never lusted after a Rolex of any kind but 99% are Rolex Homages. To me they are just watches. Watches that I can afford. All are properly functional and do exactly what I want them to do. Tell the time in an accurate manner.
I think this technique is fine, particularly in the early stages of one's watch collecting journey. I see a lot of people say, "I just got into this great hobby! Which $15K Rolex should I buy tomorrow!?" and to them particularly I say, "Hey, drop 80 bucks on an Invicta Pro Diver and see if the weight of the bracelet chafes your wrist."
Which is all to say there is an experience to wearing a kind of watch and if something is out of your reach, maybe you can get 80 of that experience and realize
A: I want the real thing
B: I don't want the real thing
C: This is actually giving me everything I wanted
The best part is that (generally) the watch resale market is such that you can re-sell your "placeholder" watch and not lose too much of your investment.
Almost all of my watches are homage watches. Mainly Pagani Design and San Martin but also Invicta. I have honestly never lusted after a Rolex of any kind but 99% are Rolex Homages. To me they are just watches. Watches that I can afford. All are properly functional and do exactly what I want them to do. Tell the time in an accurate manner.
Hypothetical: Would you ever swap your homages for a Rolex?
Hypothetical: Would you ever swap your homages for a Rolex?
Honest answer, I have no idea. I have never seen one, or held one. Would I save for one? Probably not.
I think this technique is fine, particularly in the early stages of one's watch collecting journey. I see a lot of people say, "I just got into this great hobby! Which $15K Rolex should I buy tomorrow!?" and to them particularly I say, "Hey, drop 80 bucks on an Invicta Pro Diver and see if the weight of the bracelet chafes your wrist."
Which is all to say there is an experience to wearing a kind of watch and if something is out of your reach, maybe you can get 80 of that experience and realize
A: I want the real thing
B: I don't want the real thing
C: This is actually giving me everything I wanted
The best part is that (generally) the watch resale market is such that you can re-sell your "placeholder" watch and not lose too much of your investment.
So experiencing a variety of watches helps the inexperienced collector develop their tastes. Would you recommend this technique for an experienced enthusiast?
So experiencing a variety of watches helps the inexperienced collector develop their tastes. Would you recommend this technique for an experienced enthusiast?
Whatever makes you happy!
Most recently I purchased a BALTANY from China. The choice was made bc it is a homage to a Hamilton that i dearly wanted, and a darn fine copy indeed. Spending retail for the original was uncomfortable but the price for the Baltany was reasonable enough that my wife let it pass.
I have been thoroughly impressed with the quality and specs and feel that the funds spent were well worth it.
Been there. A couple of years ago got myself a Pagani Design “GMT Master II” as the real Rolex GMT Master II is one of my grail watches. Typical Pagani fare, the specs on paper talked about a very capable watch, but horribly finished, sharp, loose bezel and a crap movement that stopped ticking when the watch was facing dial down. A disaster.
Besides the watch, having the Pagani on the wrist didn’t really spark any good feelings a couple days after it arrived, I didn’t feel closer to my grail, but actually further apart. That thing on my wrist was there to remind me, all day long, that I can’t afford a GMT Master II, and probably never will. That I’m just a wannabe. It was the first and last “homage” I bought. Even if it was only around 100€, I prefer devoting that money to a watch that I truly connect with.
US constitution recognizes 3 crimes: counterfeiting, piracy, and treason. When you buy a knockoff in the US just be aware that you might be breaking the law. That aside, I also do not want to support such efforts. Homage watches are ok as long as they claim it, but knock offs are not in my collection.
The "scratch the itch" thing has worked out for me two times now.
#1 - Pilot Extra Special
I had thought about getting a Moser Heritage Centre Seconds or maybe the Zenith Pilot, only because I love the old-timey look of the dial. But, instead, had this mod made for me by the ever amazing @BRSEvolve, and haven't ever had any desire to pick up the Moser or Zenith since!
#2 - Seiko Explorer II
I've always wanted a champagne dial GS and I really like the Explorer II bezel. So, for the longest while, I was considering these 3 watches...
But, on a green strap, this Seiko Explorer II is just killer! Totally scratched the itch!
But, just a word of warning... I've only ever scratched the itch 2 times, and over time I've purchased something like 20 other watches that didn't scratch the itch! So, maybe it works 10% of the time? Ha!
Last week I tried a watch that was never on my radar before, and I've fallen a little bit in love with it. It will be going into my collection; but that's a couple of years away. In the meantime, my lizard brain desperately wants to buy the cheap Chinese design knock-off.
However, I know the watch would get very little wear because every time I look down I'll know it's not the watch I actually want. Ultimately, my sensible head knows it's money down the drain.
I can wait. Probably.
Watch collecting is more like a disease than just a itch.. Even if you buy a replica/homage/similar design, the fact that you still want that watch doesn’t go away.. my advise save enough to buy one that you love not that you think you will like.. Some are fortunate to afford them all, others build collection over time.. I bought a Seiko mod that looks like Rolex and I do wear it.. but still like to own the Rolex.. no more homages for me..
My appreciation for fine craftsmanship & engineering far exceeds my wallet, so all my wants will go unrealized.
Even my attainable Grail will be an homage to my real Grail.
I have to learn to appreciate what I can afford. While this might sound like settling, it's more about being happy with who I am and what I have.
Weird one for me:
Had an Omega SMP (automatic Pearse Brosnan era bond watch) as my only watch for years.Sold it and started down the rabbit hole. Years later started to miss it, especially the wave dial. Bought a Seiko mini turtle padi edition with wavy worm dial as a substitute. Then later found a well priced SMP on a forum and bought that as well. Didn’t bond (pardon the pun) with it and let it go. Decided I now preferred the Seiko wavy dial mini turtle.
i find that if there’s a watch you REALLY want, then buying that homage watch won’t really scratch the itch. my approach has been to save up for the watch I really want rather than “wasting” that money on watches that won’t satisfy.
having said that - i have fallen for that trap before. that’s how i’ve ended up with far too many watches in my collection. 😂😂
and there’s nothing wrong with homage watches. there’s also no point in killing yourself for a watch that you know is unattainable. be realistic about what’s in your budget, and get what you want that will satisfy you.
I would not recommend doing it, unless the watch you want is something you can never afford or never available.
Otherwise you will keep thinking about the grail and won’t be happy with anything, end up swapping and spending until you get your grail. That’s my 2 cents
I think you have to be 100% honest with yourself in terms of why you desire a specific watch. If an alternative can offer you with what you really and truly desire, then it could very well be a good idea, but otherwise it is very unlikely to scratch the itch. For example, if your true desire is simply for a decent field watch with the 3/6/9 dial design, then you could quite likely find several perfectly acceptable substitutes for a Rolex Explorer, but if any part of you wants the Explorer because of the Rolex brand name, you'll never be satisfied with anything other than the Explorer.
US constitution recognizes 3 crimes: counterfeiting, piracy, and treason. When you buy a knockoff in the US just be aware that you might be breaking the law. That aside, I also do not want to support such efforts. Homage watches are ok as long as they claim it, but knock offs are not in my collection.
Oh, please. No one here has said anything about counterfeiting. And the Constitution says nothing about counterfeiting a watch. "Counterfeiting" in the Constitution refers to counterfeiting currency, as construed by the courts. It doesn't even cover using fake money, just making it (presumably there are other laws that cover the former). "Counterfeiting" in popular parlance refers to breach of trademark, ie representing that something was made by somebody who didn't. If they don't put "Rolex" or the crown on a Submariner look alike, there was no breach of trademark. Lots of perfectly legit companies make "Jubilee" bracelets, even though Rolex invented them, but they don't call them Jubilees, as the name is trademarked by Rolex. Nobody screams "fake!" You can protect a design with a design patent, but it only lasts 15 years. If there ever was a design patent on the Submariner, it expired decades ago, so there's no patent, no IP, copy it all you like. And if they even try to go after anyone, they'll go after the producers, not the consumers. No one has ever accused Rolex of being litigation shy, so if they could sue Pagani Design or Invicta out of existence, or bar them from selling in the US, they would have a long time ago. The authorities certainly do go after and confiscate counterfeit goods entering the US and arrest the people involved. You certainly wouldn't find them on Amazon. "Homages" aren't counterfeit, the Constitution has nothing do with anything, and there ain't no law. Grouse about homages all you like if they offend your sensibilities, but stop with the fearmongering and trying to make it a legal matter.
It depends on the watch. If you are comfortable with spending 300$ and you can responsibly save/set aside up to 5000$ over the course of a few years then a green 5711 is out of reach, in this life or the next. A substitute makes sense. If the watch is within reach then I can't really see a point in buying something you like less.
That said, looking at alternatives is never a bad idea as it can sometimes lead to "discoveries" of watches that might be more attainable and just as good (if not better). If nothing else it acts as a reassurance that you really want it 😉
Most recently I purchased a BALTANY from China. The choice was made bc it is a homage to a Hamilton that i dearly wanted, and a darn fine copy indeed. Spending retail for the original was uncomfortable but the price for the Baltany was reasonable enough that my wife let it pass.
I have been thoroughly impressed with the quality and specs and feel that the funds spent were well worth it.
Kudos to you! You've scratched the itch and it sounds like it turned out well for you.
Been there. A couple of years ago got myself a Pagani Design “GMT Master II” as the real Rolex GMT Master II is one of my grail watches. Typical Pagani fare, the specs on paper talked about a very capable watch, but horribly finished, sharp, loose bezel and a crap movement that stopped ticking when the watch was facing dial down. A disaster.
Besides the watch, having the Pagani on the wrist didn’t really spark any good feelings a couple days after it arrived, I didn’t feel closer to my grail, but actually further apart. That thing on my wrist was there to remind me, all day long, that I can’t afford a GMT Master II, and probably never will. That I’m just a wannabe. It was the first and last “homage” I bought. Even if it was only around 100€, I prefer devoting that money to a watch that I truly connect with.
Sorry to hear that.
I too long for a GMT Master II, but it is so far out of reach at the moment, that I've kind of parked it as a "if it happens one day, it happens" kind of deal for me. I find this frees me up to search for other interesting pieces.
US constitution recognizes 3 crimes: counterfeiting, piracy, and treason. When you buy a knockoff in the US just be aware that you might be breaking the law. That aside, I also do not want to support such efforts. Homage watches are ok as long as they claim it, but knock offs are not in my collection.
Probably not so much counterfeit, but the scenario of longing for a piece that is so far out of reach, you end up settling for something that might give you a "high" in the shorter term, homage watch or a completely different watch to what you desired.
The "scratch the itch" thing has worked out for me two times now.
#1 - Pilot Extra Special
I had thought about getting a Moser Heritage Centre Seconds or maybe the Zenith Pilot, only because I love the old-timey look of the dial. But, instead, had this mod made for me by the ever amazing @BRSEvolve, and haven't ever had any desire to pick up the Moser or Zenith since!
#2 - Seiko Explorer II
I've always wanted a champagne dial GS and I really like the Explorer II bezel. So, for the longest while, I was considering these 3 watches...
But, on a green strap, this Seiko Explorer II is just killer! Totally scratched the itch!
But, just a word of warning... I've only ever scratched the itch 2 times, and over time I've purchased something like 20 other watches that didn't scratch the itch! So, maybe it works 10% of the time? Ha!
Thinking of this another way. Has a 90% failure rate changed the way you look at short-term gratification vs what you really desire in the long-term?
Last week I tried a watch that was never on my radar before, and I've fallen a little bit in love with it. It will be going into my collection; but that's a couple of years away. In the meantime, my lizard brain desperately wants to buy the cheap Chinese design knock-off.
However, I know the watch would get very little wear because every time I look down I'll know it's not the watch I actually want. Ultimately, my sensible head knows it's money down the drain.
I can wait. Probably.
This appears to be a common theme.
Kudos to you! You've scratched the itch and it sounds like it turned out well for you.
Agreed. Wearing it again today.
If there’s a watch I want but it’s not available or out of my price range then I don’t buy it. There’s no hostility towards the brand or anything like that. I just move onto the next watch on the list and there’s always a next watch on the list. It makes little difference to me if it’s a homage or something completely different - what’s important for me is that I appreciate what I have and not get too caught up on obtaining things that are out of reach
A very pragmatic approach, that seems borne from the scars of the past.
No, not at all - just common sense. It’s a seller’s prerogative who they sell to - I’m pretty sure they’re not doing it to spite me or anything like that - I’m not whom the watch is for. What I want and what I can have are two very different things.
I guess what I’m saying is just let the itch pass - there’s more than enough watches to in the world to keep me entertained. Maybe I can have one of those. Also the possibility exists that I’m not ‘passionate’ enough about that ‘one thing’, of course
Thinking of this another way. Has a 90% failure rate changed the way you look at short-term gratification vs what you really desire in the long-term?
Genuinely, I'm not sure!
On the one hand, I could say that of course I should have just saved up for "the watch(es) I really wanted" - why waste money here and there for watches you just end up getting rid of, right?
On the other hand, I could say that even "the watch(es) I really wanted" ultimately don't matter that much to me, and I'm happy to get rid of them too - they're just things, and things come and go, and even these I don't really "desire in the long-term"
I don't know, man!
One day I was walking my 6 year-old to summer camp last year, and she said "hi" to this boy walking by. The boy turned to his father and said, "That's the girl with all the fake Pokemon cards." So, out of the blue, my daughter had asked my wife to get her Pokemon cards. My wife went on Amazon and ordered this 50-pack that was one of the first listings. Apparently, they were all Chinese fakes - my wife had no idea, she knows nothing about Pokemon. My 6-year still absolutely loved the cards. Whatever, right? The boy's dad said, "Son, it's just for fun, and everyone's got their own way of having fun."
Like, my daughters will trade away "good" Pokemon cards to get cards that have "cute" Pokemon. And all the boys who trade with them are always scandalized! "Can you believe she traded away a Shloopma V for a basic Mookpa?" I mean, yeah, I guess if there were some universal, immutable rule about how one should enjoy Pokemon, then it would make no sense. But, my daughters just like cute things!
As for watches, I consciously decided to get into this hobby just to have fun. And it's been fun. I've purchased a METRIC TON of watches I didn't end up keeping. I either traded them in for other stuff, or I auctioned them off here on WC for charity. Whatever. It's been fun.
I too would trade the Shloopma V for a basic Mookpa. The Mookpa is much cuter.
The "scratch the itch" thing has worked out for me two times now.
#1 - Pilot Extra Special
I had thought about getting a Moser Heritage Centre Seconds or maybe the Zenith Pilot, only because I love the old-timey look of the dial. But, instead, had this mod made for me by the ever amazing @BRSEvolve, and haven't ever had any desire to pick up the Moser or Zenith since!
#2 - Seiko Explorer II
I've always wanted a champagne dial GS and I really like the Explorer II bezel. So, for the longest while, I was considering these 3 watches...
But, on a green strap, this Seiko Explorer II is just killer! Totally scratched the itch!
But, just a word of warning... I've only ever scratched the itch 2 times, and over time I've purchased something like 20 other watches that didn't scratch the itch! So, maybe it works 10% of the time? Ha!
Nice thanks for the mention sir! Glad you are enjoying them :)
Most my watches are Divers and GMTs. So I waned a GADA like an Explorer, Ranger or Aqua Tera. I picked up a Pagani Design PD1723 and love it. Sure it’s a bit rougher than the watches causing thousands. But I got mine under $150.