Replica Watches: Costume Jewelry for Men
Wristwatches are the pinnacle of accessorizing for today’s man. Unfortunately, much like purchasing fine women’s jewelry, collecting stylish men’s watches can become incredibly expensive very quickly. Many women circumvent the obstacle by purchasing costume jewelry. The best costume jewelry is indistinguishable from the real thing and pieces previously out of financial reach, such as pearl necklaces, suddenly become attainable in their pseudo-form. No doubt such was the intent of the entrepreneurs who manufactured the first fake Rolex watches decades ago. That early market to buy replica watches was limited in both selection and distribution, but time marches on and today’s replica timepiece market is not the fledgling industry it once was.
Twenty years ago the fake Rolex was all the rage but that was about it. Today there are so many brands and styles within those brands available it’s hard to wrap one’s mind around the fact that this is the same industry. Today’s replica watch market is as sophisticated, all-encompassing and professional as the upper echelon of the costume jewelry market. If a brand of watch retails for more than a thousand US dollars, someone is probably manufacturing high quality replicas of that brand and selling them for 15 cents on the dollar compared to the original. Not every variation of every style from every brand seems to be available, but it seems surprisingly close. Most impressive is with technology and manufacturing techniques improving over the last two decades the quality of mimicry is astonishing. Unlike many of the “Rolex” watches from twenty years ago, today’s replica watches are virtually indistinguishable from their namesakes, from the marking on the case to the very weight of the watches.
Many people have been hesitant to buy replica watches because they’re unsure of the quality, but one look at the websites that sell these timepieces and it’s clear this is a real industry selling quality products to real people. Gone are the days of buying fake watches off a blanket on a side-street in Chinatown, at least for those who prefer the convenience of a professional mail-order company that sells over the internet. Today’s replica watch industry is the male-equivalent to the costume jewelry market and it’s a viable option for men to maintain their fashion and style without going broke.
