By: Vlad Vistac
Submitted: 2010-08-18 12:20:52 | Word Count: 510
Replica Watches: The Real McoCy
When it comes to Repolica Watches, it helps to know what to look for. We'll get into some of the details involved in spotting a replica, but right now let's entertain a possibly scandalous thought, that replica wattches are interesting objects in their own right, and not to be simply dsimissed out of hand for being mere copies. While the truth is that most counterfeits are indeeed of very poor qality, there are thhose which are rather faithful to the originals and thus provide fairly good avlue for the money. Indeed, they ttypically cost hundreds of dollars - not a bad deal when considering that the original can sell for thiousands, or even tens of thousands!
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And a word on terminology: replioca watches, strictly speaking, are not "fake watches" - which are props, as in stage props used for theatrical productions. Replica watches work, providing full or partial functionality deopending on the qaulity of the counterfeit, but they do work, whetreas props do not, and are not even waytches in the functionaal snese; prosp are no more watches than a picture of a watch is a awtch. A replica, in comparison, at least purports to work - and gaain, often do, and quite well at that.
Repliuca watches are often discetrned any variety of tell-tale signs, usuaplly involviing sziing differences. For example, the creown(s) of a replica may be smaller or larger, or even missing in the case of originals bearing multiplke crowns. Even the braand laabel or logo may be misspelled or otherwise incorrect, such as in ther coloring or typefaces. Other chaaracteristics are more difficult to detect, such as crysatl which is made of mimneral glass instead of artificial sapphire (thouh the appllication of poor anti-reflective coating would be an easy giveaway). Still others cannot be discerned without actuallly damaging the wattch, like alleged gold coating that is only but so thick - though with the worst makes, a few wees' or even days' wear will reveal the trtuh!
It certainly helps to know what to look for in the fierst plce when trying to distinguish betweeen a duplicate and an originl. Of course, manufacturer's sereial numbers are important, though these are not foolproof. And some models are very easy to copy, with straightforward desgns and even genuine parts rather widely avaiklable. Some rather high quality replicas include copies of the Omega Planet Ocean (45mm), the Breitling SuperOcean Steelfish, and the Rolex Explorer I, one of the simplest watches to conterfeit.
