View single post by Bromo33333
 Posted: Wed Aug 12th, 2009 04:06 pm
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Bromo33333



Joined: Thu Jun 18th, 2009
Location: Rochester, New York USA
Posts: 73
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I agree 1000%! I do not and will not buy "replica/pirated" watches, software, etc. etc. I agree with your analysis as you do not know where your money is going - but it isn't going to makers who will use the profits to improve their products and design new ones - not to mention retailers! Being new to the watch game, I would rather have a smaller, real collection than mountains of cheap fakes. (And frankly, if the "replica" watches were so great, they should be able to launch their own brands and build their own Houses rather than playing on deception)

Being from Missouri I do always wonder where statistics about losses due to piracy come from but I am sure that overall market share is lost. (e.g. A $50 fake Calatrava isn't the loss of $17,500 to Patek Phillipe, but it might mean Timex, Seiko or Citizen might lose a sale of one of their less expensive watches).

I am not sure how to measure how it weakens brands, too, but I am sure it does at least a little bit right now, and if allowed to grow, it will only do greater damage. To be a fly on the wall with the marketing and numbers people at Rolex, the most vigorously pirated watch company, because someone there will certainly know the damage.

I'll easily take the pledge to never buy a fake/replica watch.

Simon_Leung wrote:
According to Foundation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH).

The problem of counterfeiting and piracy continues to wreak havoc
on virtually economy worldwide,and is expanding rapidly through
multiple distribution channels,especially online.

The Foundation has calculated that from 2007 customs seizures show
that counterfeits and piracy worldwide amount to 5% to 7% of international
trade,or approximately $200 - 360 billion US dollars a year.

Swiss watches are no exception,as the sector is hit full-on by this
modern day plague.

The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FHS) has estimated that
over 40 million fake Swiss watches are made each year this
(compared with exports of 26 million authentic Swiss watches) and that
they generate net profits of around 1 billion US dollars.

The illicit trade,whose main victims are the most prestigious Swiss brands,
is equivalent around 6% of the total Swiss watch exports in 2007.

As a retailer, I am sending a powerful message about
the importance of this issue.

Counterfeiting hurts everyone.

As counterfeiting continues to spread,an even more serious
consequence is the generalized loss of confidence in companies
that nevertheless creates jobs and added value.

The phenomenal amounts of money being generated through
counterfeiting only benefit organized crime syndicates such as Mafias,
criminal organizations,child labor where health and safety standards
are openly flouted.

I am personally making this as my personal challenge
in tackling this issue, by educating the awareness and
importance of buying genuine timepieces.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Simon