A replica, a fake or a forgery – a few words about non-brand watches

Elegant and stylish watches, just like works of art, also have their replicas. When talking about non-brand products we are wondering whether they are only replicas of the original, cheap fakes or maybe acts of forgery. Unless we are experts in the filed, we will find it extremely difficult to notice the differences or possible defects. However, we should first explain the notions of replica, fake and forgery. The word “replica” is usually used to refer to a second production of some work of art or other valuable object. Replica is produced to be as similar to the original as possible. There are also replicas of the object’s looks or only one of its elements. It differs from a forgery in that the replica’s looks do not try to hide the very fact of being a replica. A replica of some work of art is usually made by the author of the original or, alternatively, a replica is produced in the same place where the original was made. Some artists, when producing replicas, may slightly change some elements such as composition, technique used or scale.

“Replica” and “copy” are actually synonyms but their range of use is different. For instance, a copy of computer software would not be acceptable. Replicas of watches made by well-known manufacturers are becoming increasingly popular. Most of us simply cannot afford to buy the original Rolex or IWC. Some people buy such replicas regularly, thus creating ever-expanding collections. The replicas being a part of such collections are made of the best materials and are of top quality, thus being very reliable. Therefore, we will not call them “cheap fakes made in China”, although the latter can frequently be encountered on the market. However, even a good replica cannot be called a faithful copy, either, because the original watches of world-famous brands have special certificates which are very difficult to forge. Therefore, an original will always be an original but a copy or a replica will not.

The market of non-brand watches can be divided into several groups. There is a market selling cheap fakes which, even at a first glance, look like fakes. There is also a market for well-made replicas, frequently bought by collectors or ordinary people for everyday use. Finally, there is a market of brilliant and high-quality replicas where even the most minute detail is carefully copied. If you are wondering which famous brands have their replicas, the answer is simple: almost all of them. On the Internet websites run by collectors we can find models of A. Lange&Sohne, Breguet, Breitling, Bvlgari, Cartier, Chopard, Corum, Hublot, IWC, Mauriece Lacroix, Rolex, U-Boat and many other brands. The Internet is full of offers selling replicas of renown companies which guarantee reliability and the best materials.

What are the prices of such watches? For instance, an original Rolex watch is worth about $2000, whereas its faithful and good-quality replica - only $115. The difference in price is huge and it is obvious that only the lucky few can afford to buy the original. However, the price of a replica is affordable for the majority of us and the satisfaction derived from having an elegant and impressive watch is the same. As regards the replicas themselves, most of them are created to be exact copies of the original. This concerns their weight, size as well as the materials used. Therefore, it is really worth considering buying such a gadget either for oneself or for someone else as a birthday or Christmas present. A high-quality replica would make an excellent gift for both men and women.