According to some statistics that I’ve made on the basis of our customer base, the majority of watch enthusiasts prefer “simple” timepieces. “Simple” would describe watches lacking millions of decorations and intricate styles, perfect to wear daily, without “screaming” loud on the wrist. With just a “Rolex” or Patek Philippe inscription on the dial and reliable functionality, the watch is more than enough to satisfy most watch consumers’ needs.
In contrast, “status” watches are somewhat viewed as “the forbidden fruit” for some reasons. Consumers rarely think of a dress watch to wear daily, as they are “afraid” of telling the world who they are. Thus, they only get formal watches just for special occasions.
As a natural result of this, the watch industry predominantly focuses on satisfying the needs of the “average” clientele. In this context, they build practical and utilitarian accessories in order to please the mass market demands. And that’s not a bad thing, actually. Only that the sad part of the story is that outliers and daring designs remain somewhere out of public sight because of the low demand for them.
Another phenomenon bothering me actually takes place in the replica industry. Replica factories only reproduce models that are more practical, leaving some great models and brands aside. Just think of it: what brands do we often see in replica stores? It is always the same: Rolex, Patek, Jaeger, Vacheron, etc… These are fabulous, without any single doubt. But, I think the replica industry is missing something: the extension of brands and models it deals with. A person who is new to the replica hobby is likely to mistakenly think that there are no other watch brands than those in replica stores. And that’s just not true.
So…
I’ve combined these two “pains” of mine and decided to expose myself and propose a different approach for the replica industry. What if replica manufacturers would begin producing other watch models than those which we are used to? More than that, what if we make abstractions from the typical “daily” watches and discover the beauty of unknown models that will simply blow our minds?
With all that being said, I would like you to look at the following time-keeping beauties from less-known brands (at least for me). I wish the replica industry amplified its potential to reproduce the following marvels. Looking at them simply makes me feel like we are missing something here in the replica hobby. And the truth is that we miss a wider view of other brands that might be not as “luxurious” as Rolex or Larger LeCoultre, but what they make is a totally breathtaking art. Every piece of the following list is to make a bold statement, and OH, God, I wish I saw them in replica stores someday!
Ludovic Ballouard Upside Down
Ludovic Ballouard is a watchmaking maestro, even if the replica watch community doesn’t know much about this brand. The beauty and eccentricity of this watch consist of its re-conception of the watch dial. On the whole, the timepiece is an example of technical ambition and an alluring and playful aesthetic presentation. As you can see from the picture below, the first impression of this watch is a pretty “calm” and traditional one. Still, you will see that each hour marker comes on a separate disk with a usual orientation which is used down.
Departing from this concept, you will see that when the time is within a certain hour, the aligning disk turns instantaneously to 180 degrees right-side up. The watch comes with only one hand- the minute one. The very first introduction of this marvel took place in 2022 and is available in a very small number of units. It comes with a 41 mm case and 11mm thickness. The watch features an in-house movement, a manual Caliber B01, to be more specific.
On the whole, the Upside Down watch shows how beautiful minimalism can be. And from the thousands of minimalist watches on the market, this one has a different and “out of the box” appeal.
Vianney Halter Deep Space Tourbillon
Have heard about the tourbillon a million times. But, can’t say the same about the Vianney Halter watchmaker. Actually, I found out about it a couple of years ago, and it’s a pity I didn’t know earlier. Either way, Vianney Halter actually knows a thing or two about watchmaking, and the Deep Space Tourbillon piece is the most powerful confirmation.
Technically, it comes in a generous proportion: 46mm*48mm case and 20mm thickness. The movement driving the whole construction is a manual caliber VH13.
To be honest, it’s not the technical profile that attracted me to this watch. It’s the “out of reality” aura of it. First of all, it exposes the hypnotic beauty of an intricate triple-axis tourbillon, which is not only a complex feature but a beautiful decoration to the watch. More than that, the case housing the tourbillon is reminiscent of an extraterrestrial aircraft, leading you to a completely different reality. And with this beautiful construction, I’m not frustrated at all by the gorgeous proportions of the watch. On the contrary, I think that building a smaller case would seriously compromise the magnetic look of the watch. So, the way it is, with gorgeous dimensions and expressive dial, the piece makes a remarkable presence on the wrist.
This independent watchmaker, Vianney Halter, released this lineup in a Limited Edition. So, not only we, replica lovers, won’t see it in the market soon, but the general public also will meet plenty of restrictions. By the way, the estimated price for this beauty is about $200,000.
Armin Strom Pure Resonance
Another independent watchmaker offering an iconic watch model is Armin Strom. He worked a lot around the “resonance” concept in his mechanical model. And he is not the only one to embrace this concept in the watchmaking realm. As it turned out, “resonance” is not just a simple term to name the watch. It actually ties in with physics and mathematics and even the remarkable BREGUET explored this concept deeply. Breguet was curious about how the “resonance” concept behaves in pendulum clocks and later on, in pocket watches.
I won’t go in-depth with this concept as it requires deep knowledge of physics to explain it in detail. What I do know is that resonance was always an attractive phenomenon for watchmakers.
Here we have Claude Greisler of Armin Strom introducing his Pure Resonance beauty. Hand Guilloche dial by Voutilainen/Comblémine, hand-wound 206 parts movement, a patented clutch spring able to synchronize the independent movements to provide chronometric balance and harmony. PRICE? No more and no less than about $50,000. I wonder how much would it take for the replica manufacturers to reproduce this graceful, yet powerful piece.
GoS Norrsken
The more I look at independent watchmakers, the more I want them in the replica industry. Just take a look at this piece and the picture and tell me, isn’t it wonderful? If there is any replica watch resembling this one, please let me know.
I can feel the whole Scandinavian charisma when looking at this timepiece. And I can’t really say that it has some unconventional features or complications. On the contrary, its design is pretty clean and calm. But, what makes it fabulous is the blue dial strongly reminiscent of the Northern Lights.
The construction features Damascus steel, which is uncommon for the watches available in the replica industry. If you want a piece of the Aurora Borealis on your wrist, here it is at $20,000.
F.P. Journe Elegante 48mm Titanium
How much do you know about this watchmaker? Personally, the only thing I know is that it makes some beautiful watches. And shame on me, I should have known much more, being in the watch hobby for so many years.
The watchmaker began its activity in 1999, so it’s a pretty recent player in the watch industry. Despite its short-term existence, it already gained a reputation and made it recognizable among watch lovers. I couldn’t be otherwise, considering the adaptability skills of the brand to the customers’ needs. To make myself clear, take the Elegante line. Unlike many high watchmaking houses working predominantly with mechanical systems, Journe works with both mechanical and quartz systems. As a result, the Elegante lineup includes a quartz model for those who want to get away from mechanics. On top of that, the quartz version is specifically designed to save battery power. For this purpose, the brand thought of a system In which the watch enters an idle mode whenever it presents no activity for 35 minutes. With only a slight motion, the watch reactivates automatically and adapts to the correct time.
This system allows the watch to resist for up to 10 years in active mode and up to 18 years in inactive one. I adore seeing the creativity in watches that is not only beautiful but functional as well. And the Elegante is a great example of that. As for its price, it is the most affordable watch on this list, but still pretty expensive for a quartz piece: +/- 12,000 USD.
Mb&F Legacy Machine Perpetual Evo
I’ll probably begin the descriptor of this watch by saying that its price is about 167,000 $. Might sound spicy at first, but wait to see what a marvel it actually is. A curious thing about the Mb&F brand is that it doesn’t position itself as a watchmaker like the rest of the industry brands. In contrast, it talks about its pieces as being “horological machines”. And indeed, they look like machines. If you take a minute to explore the official website of the brand, you’ll see how different, futuristic, and out-of-the-box it looks. To a certain extent, the vibe gets a little frightening.
Back to the Legacy Machine Perpetual Evo timepiece, it’s a zirconium case construction (to avoid the “watch” term) featuring a skeletonized movement. Apart from the specifically-designed movement, the piece features a perpetual calendar complication along with a shock protection system. In terms of resistance and durability, Mb&F compares the model to a G-Shock. So, if you got a little bored with the conventional G-shocks, here you have a completely contrasting alternative. Unlike the other watches on the list, this model comes with. 80 meters of Water Resistance. So, the watch is completely different from all the perspectives you look from.
Even if the relic industry decides to take the challenge of imitating watches from individual brands, I can hardly believe that it would be able to imitate this model. The complex particularities of the technical profile will probably make this watch always remain available in its genuine formula.
Cartier Crash Skeleton
I bet you know this brand and I even don’t exclude you own a Cartier imitation. No other watchmaking house is better at building modern and technically-phenomenal watches, always preserving a powerful sense of style and classic. So, here is another watch that I’m in love with, and would do nothing to have it in its replica version. But, not yet, and God knows when this is going to be possible.
The Crash Skeleton is all about uniqueness, and you don’t need much time to realize that it is one of a kind. It comes with a striking design in which distortion feels like home. The truth is that the crazy design has its roots in 1967. In that year, one of the Cartier watches was severely damaged in a car accident, following which the case was completely distorted. Creative people find creativity in everything and Cartier used the situation in its favor. So, getting inspiration from the car-crushed watch, it built the Crash Skeleton, showing the beautiful side of a tragic event.
You can only imagine what took Cartier to adapt the movement to the crazy form and shape of the watch. But, there is nothing impossible for a remarkable watchmaker. As a result of creativity and engineering fusion, here we have one of the most daring and beautiful timepieces ever. Needless to mention that the Crash Skeleton watch is a delight for watch collectors all over the world.
Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight Planetarium
Another horological work of art that we will probably never see in the replica market. So sad about that, really. The Midnight Planetarium piece is a watch to contemplate, to eve, and to enjoy. And it doesn’t matter at all that there is little “utility” in it. Some watches are built just to show how far the imagination can reach in horology. To set it all clear from the beginning, you have to know that this brand predominantly focuses on jewelry lines. So, the watches it makes have more “jewelry spirit” in them compared to other bands’ watches. The impressive complications in the are more artistic and creative. Even the technical profile looks like painted art.
The watch exposes an alluring solar system on the dial, all executed in precious materials. In addition, the impressive Midnight Planetarium is perhaps the most hypnotic view of all the views I’ve ever seen on watches. On top of that, the designers “painted” the Planetarium with 396 details, all forming a peerless painting with all planets and their positions in the system.
To be honest, the watch isn’t highly legible. The unique dial somewhat affects the clear exposure of hour markers, making it a bit difficult to read the time right away. But, as I told you before, some watches are to be simply contemplated. And whenever the time-showing function is not the number one priority, this watch is to transpose you into a cosmic reality. So, you don’t need time for that.
BOTTOM LINE
The list can go on and on, believe me. There are so many extraordinary timepieces out of the replica industry that I could write 10 posts about them. That’s the magic of horology: there is no limit to creativity and imagination. While the replica industry has achieved pretty nice results in terms of quality lately, I wish I saw a little bit more creativity in it. I mainly refer to the fact that maybe it’s a good idea to switch to independent watchmakers. As a result, we could have the above-mentioned beauties on our wrists at an affordable price.
On the other hand, maybe it’s ok the way it is. Maybe, if we have these models available in their replica versions, they might lose their charm. You know, an unattainable thing is always interesting and attractive until you get it. Either way, these models show us once again that watches are more than just time-keeping accessories. They are the personification of creativity and artistry on our wrists. So, if you think it’s high time to add a piece of creativity and artistry to your wrist, feel free to explore our collection of replica watches. Perhaps, they are not as intricate as the aforementioned models, but for sure are practical, qualitative, and reliable.