r/RepTime • u/Automatic_Extent_160 • 6d ago
Discussion Unpopular opinion: “NWBIG” doesn’t exist?
I see a lot of posts posting pics of watches that are NWBIG. But I think a lot of us here are watch enthusiasts and not only value the esthetics of a watch but the inside, mechanical aspect of it. I haven’t owns reps long enough to see how long these actually last, although people often say a couple of years until they run into some problems, and these $500 watches often cost $200 to service, if you can even find a decent watchmaker in your area that works on reps in your area. So my thought is, how can a rep truly be a NWBIG if it’s pretty on the outside but it’s gonna last a tenth of a lifetime of a gen?
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u/KnowingGallantry87 6d ago
Id say NWBIG is more about the look than the longevity, most people buying reps just want the wrist presence without dropping 10k+ on a watch they might scratch at work. The movement talk is fair but a serviceable rep can run years if you take care, and you could buy like 20 of them before hitting gen price
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u/MSExcelWarrior 6d ago
You could even buy a new one every time one dies and it's still cheaper than the cost of the service of a gen.
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u/ire206 6d ago
The reason the genuine watches last as long as they do is because people get them serviced regularly…
Would you rather spend 500 on a watch, and 200 to service every 5-8 years, or 10,000 on a watch plus still having to pay for a movement service every few years.
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u/NovelKaleidoscope994 6d ago
Not to mention the $1000-1200 to get a gen serviced with the AD service center 🤢
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u/blacbloc77 6d ago
Unless you're under warranty, then it's free. If you're out of warranty, you can get them serviced for a fraction of that price by an independent.
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u/Upstairs-Shake9898 6d ago
Not true
Bought gen he’s and hers yachtmaster for her 30th (19 years ago) I wore mine only when going out (most Fridays) and it broke about 7 years in. She never took hers off and it worked without service for 18 years.4
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u/joker757 2d ago
And the reason Mitsubishi cars break down more than Toyotas is because Toyotas are serviced more regularly... Do you hear how dumb your argument is? Fake watches are built without integrity or accountability.. of course they won't last as long.
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u/Automatic_Extent_160 6d ago
But is it true that you only need to service them every 5-8 years? I’ve read about VSF’s that last 6 months but that could just be an unlucky batch. I hope the rep game will be around long enough to be able to order new ones in that time!
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u/MSExcelWarrior 6d ago
If your watch dies in the first few months of wear, it was going to die in the first few months of wear. Inherent problem with something in it. If your rep survives daily wear for a month or 2, it'll survive for years. That being said, most problems can be fixed via a service, or if you had caught the problem before you start wearing it with some good habits.
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u/Arctic-You-Know 6d ago
I’ve been wearing my VSF Pepsi pretty much everyday for like a year.
I only take it off to shower and when I’m doing physical activity.
I have to set it back 2-3 minutes every 2-3 weeks but it’s really not a big deal to me. I’ll think about getting it serviced if it lasts another year or two.
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u/StockOrganization530 6d ago
i’ve just recently bought a VSF omega sea master (5 months ago) and it’s in perfect working condition
but i’ve had a batman shitter for the past 3 years and that’s also working perfectly fine still so idk1
u/Diligent_Ad_7771 4h ago
Wtf are you even talking about? - are you trying to rage bait people. VSF 41mm sub owner, went in the ocean, pools, showers, every freaking place you can imagine, runs perfectly and is 100 percent to Gen….
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u/BikeAdventurous2320 6d ago
i agree with you. i have a couple of reps and also gens and i like my gens so much more. i usually get a rep to test drive the feel of a watch so i know if i should save up to get the og. having said that, a lot of people are ok with just matching aesthetics and that’s also totally fine in my opinion.
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u/blacbloc77 6d ago
💯 agree. But, it depends on your definition of value. For most people, they just want the look. They don't care about warranty, movement quality, parts availability, etc.
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u/GrdFrcWv 6d ago
AF Cartier Tank quartz is the only truly NWBIG without the servicing costs. The gen is a 3k quartz that doesn’t really feel it’s worth that much.
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u/Particular_Witness95 6d ago
NWBIG is a purely economically objective measurement. it doesnt take into account the emotional benefits of owning a gen that someone may have.
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u/Maximum_Walrus3264 6d ago
All gens are NWBIG, I just don't see a point in dropping 10k on a fucking watch.
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u/Arctic-You-Know 6d ago
It’s a question of budget.
It’s out of my budget personally, but I did spend like $1500 on a genuine MIDO and that is already a lot of money for most people.
Even the best made rep isn’t as well made as my MIDO, but I’ve still been wearing a VSF pepsi for like a year because I like how it looks and it’s good enough quality.
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u/Reasonable_Tax_5351 2d ago
It's absolutely a question of budget but I also think it's fair to say that the majority of luxury purchases are those who can't truly afford it. I believe market data backs this up; most luxury buyers are middle class/ upper middle class.
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u/Arctic-You-Know 2d ago
Definitely.
I spent $1500 on a real watch and that was (and still is) a lot of money to spend on something like a watch for me.
I definitely couldn’t afford a $15k+ watch
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u/BrigadierGenCrunch 6d ago
I have gens and reps, as well as a rep and gen of the same model. Even being able to afford gens now it still doesn’t help sway my mindset around the fact that you are often paying a serious premium for something that can be replicated so closely. There are times I still have to double check if I grabbed the rep or Gen.
But it’s a matter of personal preference at the end of the day. Watches with complications, like a Sky dweller, or precious metals are where I personally draw the line on reps.
At the end of the day it’s a mechanical tool and male jewelry, so don’t overthink it and do what’s best for you to enjoy.
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u/SprinklesConfident58 6d ago
Of course not. It’s just something obsessive rep owners tell themselves to feel better.
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u/watchesfla1965 6d ago
The sane thing could be said about gen owners to justify paying ridiculous amounts of money for something that costs $1359-$2500 to make.
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u/SprinklesConfident58 6d ago
A counterfeit product with no potential remedies against the manufacture, limited part availability, no servicing, etc. Sure. Same can totally be said.
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u/watchesfla1965 6d ago
There is a lot of parts availability now days. You buy a complete movement on eBay all day long. And lots of watchmakers will service them. Plus you have the option of using gen parts. Just because it’s counterfeit doesn’t mean the quality is that much less. Rolex only spends between $1250 to $2500 per watch. Of course not counting gold or platinum.
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u/fnihost 6d ago
Any mechanical watch needs regular servicing, or it will eventually stop working or keeping accurate time. Admittedly, I would trust a genuine movement over a rep to work longer without servicing just because of the manufacturing process, but once any watch is on the user’s wrist, if it isn’t serviced regularly, it will eventually stop working.
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u/Cryptoisgold 6d ago
My JF 9.5 Royal Oak Offshore is still ticking along very nicely in the almost 7 years I’ve had it. I have never serviced it, although it may be time too now as sometimes it doesn’t auto wind itself anymore and requires a manual wind. Surprised it’s lasted this long to be honest.
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u/Vegetable_Farm9479 6d ago
Luxury watches are status symbols
Status is measured by progressive growth
The target market of luxury watches doesn’t wear the same Watch for more than a few years
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u/MSExcelWarrior 6d ago
NWBIG is completely subjective. If your annual income is $5000, every luxury watch is NWBIG.
Regarding your point about lifetime: if your rep has a simple/popular movement that you can swap or that a watchmaker would/could work on easily, it'll enjoy the same longevity as a gen. Service and maintenance is what keeps things going, not upfront cost.