Bokey TimeThe various counterfeit watches sold at stalls in Guangzhou’s Zhanxi Watch & Clock Mall have long been a pain in the neck for luxury Swiss watch brands. They are like weeds that can’t be eradicated—no matter how many are seized, new ones pop up elsewhere. The main reason boils down to one word: “profit.” There are many people around the world who adore Swiss luxury watches and desire them, but not everyone is willing to pay for the brand’s storytelling. This creates an opportunity for replica watch factories, allowing people to buy counterfeit watches that are highly similar to the genuine ones at a relatively low price.
Have you noticed that in recent years, the craftsmanship and quality of counterfeit watches have become more and more similar to those of genuine ones, especially for popular watch brands such as Rolex, Omega, Longines, IWC, Cartier, etc.? In the past, obvious flaws or loopholes on counterfeit watches could be detected with the naked eye, but now it is necessary to use a magnifying glass to see the differences between replica watches and genuine ones. Moreover, many people who buy replica watches for a few thousand yuan more or less say that they don’t care about whether the watch is genuine or not. Under such circumstances, the standard of replica watches can indeed satisfy some consumers, making them feel more confident when wearing them.
Foreign media have analyzed why the simulation degree of Guangzhou replica watches is becoming increasingly realistic, and why counterfeit watches are getting closer to genuine ones without a significant increase in prices. They believe there are three key reasons:
1. Technological progress has opened the door for counterfeit watches
With the advancement of technology, making a replica watch is no longer as cumbersome as before. In particular, the development of reverse engineering technology and the progress of 3D printing technology have enabled the parts of counterfeit watches to achieve the exact same dimensions as genuine ones. Moreover, in addition to being able to replicate closely, the production speed has also become faster. As long as a replica watch factory buys a genuine watch, it can quickly disassemble and reverse-engineer the dimensions, materials, and processing techniques of all components, and finally assemble the watch. It is no longer easy to distinguish the difference between genuine and fake watches at a glance.
2. Equipment costs are decreasing, and the supply chain is more complete
In the past, to counterfeit famous watches, a large amount of capital had to be invested in production equipment first. However, with the advancement of technology, improvement of production efficiency, and the improvement of the Pearl River Delta watch industry chain, the cost of production equipment for making counterfeit watches has now decreased. Even if you do not have production equipment, you can cooperate with watch parts manufacturers scattered around the Pearl River Delta to develop a replica watch.
3. Good market feedback promotes the improvement of replica watch quality
In the past, although counterfeit watches were cheap, the overall quality of the watches was uneven, and some were even unsightly. However, as consumers’ awareness of pursuing quality has risen, low-end counterfeit watches that are just for counterfeiting can no longer gain a foothold in the market. Therefore, replica watch factories adjust and correct defects in their products based on consumer feedback and opinions. Some factories even use Swiss movements to improve simulation degree and quality. The improvement in quality has made the demand for the replica watch market grow larger and larger.
The above three key points have made the problem that already troubled Swiss watch brands even more intractable. You may have a question here: Since the quality of replica watch factories is getting higher and higher, why don’t they simply create their own brands? And they wouldn’t have to worry about being sued by brand owners. In fact, some people do want to carve out a niche with their own brands, but the market is ultimately realistic. The watch market has a high recognition of brands. No matter how well a watch is made, if it is not a well-known brand, it may not be accepted by consumers. Although producing replica watches is a devious approach, factories can enjoy the existing reputation of big brands without spending money on publicity, and there is no need to worry about unsold products. Therefore, where there is market demand, there is naturally production motivation.
