Do you know that replica watches have gained a fan base, and more people are looking for imitations because the quality and function are almost the same as genuine products? Learn more below!

When talking about branded and luxury watches, the search for their replica or counterfeit version always follows. Replica watches have so many fans. The demands get higher because the imitation’s quality is better than ever. Counterfeiters produce a replica that looks, feels, and functions almost the same as the real one. Many have claimed that it is getting harder to spot fake or replica watches. To know more about this cloned version of high-profile timepieces, keep reading.

Brand Awareness

It is unquestionably true that counterfeiters cause genuine watch companies to lose money every year. Besides, the effort to clear out the fake products and destroy them costs money and time. However, some companies don’t seem to be concerned about this matter. Rolex, for example, is the brand with the highest number of replicas and imitations. Still, Rolex doesn’t increase its supply but stick to controlled growth and stability. In the meantime, replica watches make the brand more popular and raise awareness of their products.

More People Look for Replica

When purchasing fake timepieces, people are aware that they are not buying the real ones. It’s not like they spend hundreds of dollars and expect the real Rolex or Cartier. They don’t mind the copyright issue as long as they achieve prestige by wearing the brand at lower prices. And again, because the game of imitation is at a very high level compared to years ago, more people are looking for replicas instead of spending thousands or millions of dollars on real products.

Do Fake Watches Illegal?

Not many people understand why fake watches are illegal or do not even realize that they are illegal. Sporting counterfeit products don’t seem to hurt someone, or simply you can consider it as a victimless crime. In some countries, say Italy and France, you have to face jail time if you are caught buying fake goods. Meanwhile, in the United States, it is not illegal to purchase replica watches, but you will be charged if caught selling fake watches.

Replica Versus Homage

If you are unsure about wearing replica watches for their legality, you can choose homage instead. Homage is the legal version of replica watches. Homage watches are produced mostly for historical watches, and the accuracy of the real ones is very high. Collectors mostly search for homage watches because even if it is a fake, it is completely legal.
Some brands that are homaged as an honor to its classic model are Rolex and Panerai. Moreover, homage watches are valued high because homage is not a low-cost option but a new version of something impossible to get.

The Most Expensive Rolex Replica Watches

Fake Rolex is the most searched replica for timepieces. In terms of quality, counterfeiter Rolex is getting so accurate, so it is getting harder to notice that it is a fake. Even though the price is lower than the real one, it doesn’t mean that the cloned version is not pricey. The two most spectacular Rolex models ever made are Rolex ref. 6062 ‘Bao Dai’ which cost $5,060,427.00, and Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Paul Newman, which cost $17,752,500.00.

Brand Companies to Fight Fake Goods

Although fake products raise awareness of their products, companies still lose profit because of these fake pieces. Therefore, they keep searching for ways to create elements in their watches that will be impossible or hard to copy. Brands such as Rolex and others are also fighting against counterfeiters. One technique that is recently used to battle against imitations is called CLR-LIGA (Covert Laser Readable). It is a technique with a basic laser that can conceal images only lasers can read. These CLR images are very tiny and can only be spotted if lasers are pointed at them.

Replica Watches Difficult to Identify

Fake watches are getting more difficult to identify, even for the most observer or watchmakers. Identifying counterfeit timepieces takes more effort and extra time. One thing that makes super fakes getting hard to recognize is that the replica also makes a copy of the most difficult part of a watch to imitate. The most difficult part is the movement inside the watch. Creating fake watches is no longer about copying the visual quality but also the performance quality. This, of course, takes fake watches to the next level.

Like it or not, replica watches can rise the popularity of the luxury watches themselves. The demand for counterfeit timepieces also gets bigger because the quality is getting harder to recognize from the real ones. If you are not sure about buying fake watches, there is always homage as an alternative option. Even so, homage is meant for historical pieces only. With the high demand for fake watches, brand companies also keep struggling to find ways to make their products hard to copy.