The Breitling Watch Source Forums

JLC just released a few updated throwbacks like the deep sea and 1931 reverso. Theyre paying homage to their iconic watches with an updated model. That's ok in my book but companies that create a watch to look exactly like a competitor's popular models is not ok to me. The homages that admin has/had in his collection on the bsource blog are not much different than going to canal street in NYC and buying a $50 submariner. I don't agree with it and I can't support making homage purchases....unless I'm still missing something?

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"

I'm ok with companies creating a tribute of their OWN watch like JLC has done recently. But I'm not ok with companies like Ocean 7! as you pointed out, that make an identical looking watch as a competitor. I can't get behind that, it shows absolutely no innovation and I still can understand how that's not considered being a replica.

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"

ABSOLUTELY AGREE!

Though if you visit Canal St. you should go to eat at the French Culinary Institute, its authentic French cuisine and it is a lil more economical than a "real" French restaurant.

Enjoy your new Rolex !!!

Cheers,

Enezdez

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IWC - Big Pilot 5002 - 01
IWC - Pilot Chrono 3717 - 04
Panerai - 183
Omega - Speedmaster 145.012 / 67
Rolex - Explore II (Black Dial) - 216570
Rolex - Explore I 114270
Blancpain FF 5015

I guess for me the only thing that makes a homage better than a true fake is that the person producing and selling the homage is not trying to pass it off as "the real deal". There's something to be said for that. I have no love for a company that tries to screw someone out of their hard earned money because he/she can't tell the difference from the real thing.

That said, I personally don't care for homage pieces. I think it shows a complete lack of creativity. They are profiting off of someone else's idea.

Just my $0.02

Chances are a lot of us started out wearing something that was an homage of something else, in terms of dial, bezel or bracelet design, without understanding it. I have a 23 year old Seiko which clearly mimics a Rolex sport dial and jubilee band. Back then, the $100 for that watch was a big stretch for my wife for Christmas. I have an old ESQ was clearly an homage to the Cartier Pasha when I got it, only trouble was I didn't know what a Cartier Pasha was.

Now that time has marched on and we know better, or care more, I'm a lot more sensitive about it. I have looked more than once at one of those Panerai homages, having owned the real thing, being initially enthralled by the simplicity of style but later becoming a bit bored. It seemed that for a watch that I would enjoy wearing on occasion but not enough to justify the investment, maybe that was an option. Just couldn't do it. Same with a IWC Aquatimer homage out there and the Seiko Fifty Five Fathoms mod. I'm tempted for 10 seconds, then tell myself no.

Fakes are another story. They don't even get that ten seconds. They're just wrong.

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Scott

AP Royal Oak 15400, silver
Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Classic Cars
Vintage gold Corum
Rolex DJ 36 TT, oyster dial, oyster/smooth
Baume & Mercier Riviera 200m, silver dial/aquamarine bezel
Breitling Superocean 57, rose/stainless

You're right, fake watches are passed off as real ones worth thousands while homages are advertised as homages and cost a fraction of the price. That leads me to my next question, whenever the word fake comes up on here people freak out and say they'd never own a fake watch, but how come homage watches don't evoke the same anger? Because they're cheaper and not advertised as authentic?

The Panerai homage that admin posted is ok with everyone because it doesn't say Panerai on the dial, but the minute you paint Panerai on the dial its a big no-no....that makes no sense to me!! A homage is a fake in my opinion.

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"

That's cool, I didn't know that you could eat there. I wonder if the food is prepared by the student chefs? Interesting, thanks for the suggestion.

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"

Well personally I don't get angry about a homage watch the way I do about a replica. For me again it is because the replica is usually a POS that is trying to be passed off as authentic. I wouldn't say that a homage is ok with me...because I personally can't stand them either, but at least the buyer is well aware of what he/she is purchasing. I don't know why any WIS would want to buy a homage, but since I don't like them I am probably not the best person to answer that.

To me...the only logical reason someone would be interested in picking up a homage is because they like luxury watches, but either can't afford to buy one...or think that the cost of an authentic one is a waste of money. Outside of that why would you do it??

For the most part people get upset about fakes because of the attempt to deceive, homages don't do that so they don't bother me at all. Lack of creativity - yes, but I would much rather someone bought a homage than a fake for any number of reasons - lack of deception; legitimate business that pays taxes, benefits, etc; knowledge of what you are paying for; etc.

At the end of the day, there is clearly no issue from the brands or legal restrictions with this type of piece and absent the attempt to defraud then I can't get excited either way.

Yes the food is prepared by the student gourmet chefs (that's why it is more economical) and as I recall you need reservations too !

Cheers,

Enezdez

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IWC - Big Pilot 5002 - 01
IWC - Pilot Chrono 3717 - 04
Panerai - 183
Omega - Speedmaster 145.012 / 67
Rolex - Explore II (Black Dial) - 216570
Rolex - Explore I 114270
Blancpain FF 5015

im with Serge on this one. The whole homeage thing is crap in my book. and i dont get the appeal either. clearly youre buying a piece that looks like something else because you dont want to cough up the dough for the real mccoy. if thats the case then why own it? there are tons of watches that i like that i could never afford, but i would never buy a homeage to fill the void. in my book its as bad as owning a fake.

Here's an example of a homage watch to the 60"s Accutron Spaceview.
http://www.bulovaspaceview.com/en

A fake would be if somebody not connected to Accutron made a lookalike or worse still, put their stamp on it which would be illegal. And no, it doesn't cost a fraction of the price of an original, it actually costs much more than it's vintage equivalent so it doesn't have to always do with finances. But the added marks are because it is handmade and they had to reengineer the tuning fork movement exactly like it was in the 60"s for a bigger 42mm case that is more to current size standards v/s 34-36mm with the vintage equivalent, in a limited run of 1000 watches. Ideally I would want both this and a vintage one:)

I disagree but everyones entitled to their own opinion. It's the same as the new Mini, new VW Beetle, the new homage Rolex Explorer, Submariners, Seadwellers all homages to the originals either explicitly advertised as such or by heritage, are they all crap, I don't think so. For some, it's all about reliving the attachment to the good old times without dealing with the issues associated with owning a vintage equivalent. Offcourse one could drive a 1973 VW Beetle or wear a plastic crystal vintage Submariner but that might not be practical enough to everyone and it might not always be to do with money. It's more about living out the nostalgia associated with the era and if it can be done with a shiny new piece of metal and upgraded engineering representing the design of a bygone era and the person is happy with it in the form of the new Beetle or Mini or a sapphire crystal Explorer or Submariner, so be it. Offcourse if one really wants to traverse the pure vintage route and has the time and energy to do that and live with the issues that vintage things bring, good on them too. I feel and play both homage and vintage and modern once in a while!

I agree with Roff. If it looks like a particular brand, model and style and has the original makers name on it, and is designed to fool anyone contemplating it (that its the real deal), then IMO I think its a fake.

Homage watches should be just that, a homage by another maker to capture the essence of the original watch, but hopefully with a twist. It should, or would display subtle changes in design and perhaps appear somewhat different to the original. It would also have the homage makers name on it and not the original makers name. Its just someone else’s version of the type.

One aspect to this discussion is the number of makers who pursue fakers and those that don't seem to worry too much. The position of makers not concerning oneself too much is more interesting than those that do, especially when Interpol are stepping up current awareness and prosecution of protected brands worldwide. It comes as a surprise to me but would appear some makers don't worry too much. It appears that some believe if you own a fake or ‘replica’ in your collection now, then one day you will aspire to own the real thing. The original maker will get you eventually!

These manufacturers seem to take a slightly more sanguine view of the practice, particularly with so called replicas, but its not a dichotomy and there are as many points of view on this subject as there are fakes.

Jim

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Jim

"You have Control".

There are two types of homages - a brand reissuing a tribute to its own discontinued model and another brand inexpensively mimicking an expensive model from another brand. Not sure why we are even discussing the former, it's inapposite to the point of the OP's.

I'm willing to wager most folks on a forum primarily devoted to a high end watches would thumb their noses at owning an homage. Therefore the majority opinion is no surprise. (My opinion is I really don't care one way or the other). I have no desire to own one or start a company that makes them, but don't understand why some seem to think they can divine the inherent nature of those who would. Seems rather presumptuous, but then we 1 Percenters of the watch world tend to be a presumptuous lot.

But lest we think this "homage" business is mostly a watch deal, visit your local grocery store. It's filled with homages - inexpensive and lower quality generic foods and supplies. Those frugal phonies eating "homage" Corn flakes are insecure superficial dolts. I mean really, who do they think they are fooling?

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SHARKMAN