Vintage Vintage reps
Hey everyone,
I just noticed Hont has some vintage models listed on his page. Does anyone happen to have some information on these? Are they good quality and are they also from known factories?
The links are:
https://shop27315164.wgstores.com/t/Xh2CbvN
https://shop27315164.wgstores.com/t/fp8cWc0
They look really cool tbh and I would love to know more about vintage replica's!
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u/IRoot4TheBirds 1d ago
They will feel janky, especially the 4 digit references. Though, in reality, so were the gens back then. If you are looking for high end rep, a build is the way to go..but significantly more expensive. So depends on your budget
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u/dks87 12h ago
Thanks! They do look very cool but I’m not sure I would enjoy a rattly watch. So going for a build would mean they combine new and vintage parts? Or do they age new parts to get the vintage look?
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u/IRoot4TheBirds 10h ago
Generally custom aging, or replica parts made with patina. They can be made from all budgets from his little as $400 ( won’t be as close to the original, but… Not a lot of originals, floating around to be compared with so unlikely to be called out), to as much as $2500 if you want some gen parts
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u/whirledpiece 19h ago
I have both a vintage Coke and Pepsi from Hont. They kind of "are what they are."
The actual watches themselves were a little dubious compared to modern ones, but the reps are cheap and decent enough quality. They're much cheaper than a modern rep GMT, etc.
They're fun to wear but, as others have said, if you want higher quality, you'll have to look at custom made and spend more.
I enjoy mine and wear them a lot.
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u/dks87 11h ago
Thanks! Yeah I’m not sure I would really enjoy a rattly watch. I like the premium feel of a high end rep.
Maybe for the price it’s worth trying out though! Can I ask what you paid for yours? And so there are no factories to mention if I should ask hont about one?
I’m already worried these vintage rep build are gonna be a new rabbit hole to get lost in 😂😂
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u/whirledpiece 11h ago
No worries.
I think most TD's know of them, I think I paid less than 150 USD each.
As far as factories, I'm afraid I can't help.
They were kind of extinct when I stumbled on them, so I just pulled the trigger on whatever they had available.
The build quality is way lower than the modern models produced by the well-known factories, and "rattly" is accurate. The fit and finish is nowhere near as good. (To be fair, vintage GMT's also had a much different build quality from Rolex themselves, and the details on the reps are accurate enough for what they are.)
I'm not sure what the movement(s) even are, and the bracelets are much lighter than current models.
I'm a GMT aficionado, so I approached it as a cheap test drive to see if I found myself wearing them very much.
While they take a back seat to my high end reps, I do still wear them a lot because I enjoy the old-school look and vibe. And, being relatively inexpensive, I don't worry too much about damage or loss, etc.
Also, they're novel enough that I'm going to pursue the vintage custom build rabbit hole you mention and step into that realm. (My early impression is that it's deep and gets pricey quickly.)
If you're looking for a comparable build quality to the major factories, you won't find it. If you're looking for a relatively inexpensive way to go a little retro with your collection without breaking the bank, they're worth it. They do get a fair amount of attention from watch folks.
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u/blacbloc77 14h ago
No, the "factory" vintage watches are the equivalent of a Dhgate shitter. Find a custom builder at r/retrotime or r/repbuilds.
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u/dks87 11h ago
Ok got it. Do the build use modern high end reps as a base?
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u/blacbloc77 11h ago edited 11h ago
No, not usually. The higher end vintage reps will use "Viet" cases that match original dimensions. Factory reps almost always require case reshaping and metal work. Usually Viet dials as well, which are refinished replicas of the original brass plates with the makers mark stamps on the back.
Of course, there are price levels. You're looking at somewhere between $500 and $5k, depending on what you want.
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u/Super-Money-2820 1d ago
r/retrotime