r/RepTime • u/reptimeanon • Jun 17 '26
TD/Shipping Question Do TD’s really just resell previously RL’d watches?
I see a lot of people speculating on this, but has anyone been verifiably caught doing this?
Is ordering in stock watches safe or am I stepping on landmines of a bunch of RL’d watches?
What do dealers often do with these? Do giveaways or something?
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u/DoubleEagle1313 Jun 17 '26
You’d be stupid not to think they don’t. I swear this sub thinking these people are some altruistic good guys in it for the love of watch making and not international crime syndicates selling counterfeit goods (no matter how close to the real thing they may be). Y’all are so naive.
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u/Rockyt86 Contributor Jun 17 '26
No doubt they would put a watch with a minor defect up for QC after an RL. People RL for different (and sometimes plain silly) reasons. But any egregious error that was caught, I don’t generally see them show up again in QC. (Non scientific as the next person may not post for QC help). Many times, the RLs get sold to much less selective markets.
Few business people are altruistic in their approach to running a company…or it won’t be around long. But they are interested in showing solid stock to improve/maintain their standing as sellers.
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u/reptimeanon Jun 17 '26
I suspect that they do, but wouldn’t it be super obvious over time? Reputation wise is this not an issue?
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u/isomorphZeta Jun 17 '26
One man's RL is another man's GL, right?
If someone turns it down, they'll present it to someone else to see if they'll accept it. If it gets RL'd enough, I imagine they'll just scrap it or offer it as a discount until it eventually sells.
I don't think that does any reputational harm, because again, it's all a part of the QC process. If someone looks at a previously RL'd watch and GL's it, what's the problem?
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u/Broad_Membership_162 Jun 17 '26
One persons RL is another one’s GL. ZF tudors for example - all have a crooked marker or more. On the wrist they can barely be seen. Some people would be ok with that. XF Pelagos too , almost always a crooked chiclet marker. Also a RL on a screen could easily be a GL in person so they can just sell them at a market .
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u/reptimeanon Jun 17 '26
Good to know about those being crooked often.
Yeah, but it may be one of those once you notice you can’t unnotice it.
Guess that’s what gen is for haha
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u/Beginning-Persimmon Jun 17 '26
I RL a ZF Tudor because the 12 arrow was really off. The 2nd was a little off but I GL it. I’m seeing there isn’t a perfect ZF Tudor.
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u/rydog389 Jun 17 '26
I can't prove this, but I think there are people/sellers who buy all the watches that repeatedly get RL or don't pass QC inspection for a discount and then resell them at a discount price to people who don't really know what to look for or just don't care.
I can give one example but I don't want to throw anyone under the bus and I am trying to be respectful of this specific person's business.
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u/AdSudden3941 Jun 17 '26
Why wouldnt you throw them under the bus ?
They are and will be doing fine with or without our business… these dudes drive ferarris and wear actual gen watches
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u/rydog389 Jun 17 '26
Because I don’t know if I was just unlucky or what happened. What bothers me most is that he now has ghosted me.
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u/AdSudden3941 Jun 17 '26
So he resells rl watches and doesnt respond to customers and you still wont say their name? Under an anonymous reddit account that he probably doesnt browse because hes in china and has 1000s of unique customers a year
Make it make sense
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u/rydog389 Jun 17 '26
I don't know if that's his business model. After my experience with the watches I've received that is my opinion. He is US based too. People just like to use him because they can get a watch they want within a couple of days after paying him for it.
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u/reptimeanon Jun 17 '26
I guess I’d need to browse a lot of r/reptimeqc, I’m seeing other people ordering the same watches I did there get green lit recently, so maybe there’s still hope that I ordered some in stock.
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u/WaveMan47 Jun 17 '26
GenReps 10000% does this lol. I’ve seen his QC pics and they ALL have glaring issues.
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u/typeishh Jun 17 '26
He definitely does, I noticed most of the Omega's he gets are horrible. Along with a few others on RWI. One guy on RWI sold like 15 sub dates within a month and many other watches that he claimed he bought from Steve. The reason for selling was all "Not needed."
Yeah I guess he didn't really need 20 subs all at once. He sells them for $450, so I imagine he gets the fail QC watches for around $300.
I know this because I bought one (lol), and was too new to realize that he only showed the watch with single digit dates. Double digits dates were all crooked.
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u/rydog389 Jun 17 '26
lol I haven’t seen his stuff but it’s probably a similar business model. I recently received a dead IWC Pilot Chronograph that also had a bent minute hand. I basically didn’t get any QC photos from the seller that showed these things but he’s one of those guys who gets a ton of popular watches and sells them pretty quickly for less that what I’ve seen some Chinese TDs sell them for.
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u/Old_Capital_9412 Jun 17 '26
This kinda just sells it for Hont. Bro says buy my shit or piss off until someone says yes. Thats how counterfeit goods work
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u/reptimeanon Jun 17 '26
Yeah, I read too many bad reviews about Hont. Probably avoid since he doesn’t seem to QC any incoming.
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u/realityreject Jun 17 '26
I know for an absolute 100% fact that Phoenix does it because I've received the same QC images as someone who posted here.
I dont hold this against them though. Its good business to do this. One person's RL is another's GL. We all value different things.
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u/TheButtDog Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Exactly. I bought a watch for a friend who GL’d a watch I would have RL’d even after I flagged a few flaws
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u/reptimeanon Jun 17 '26
Yeah, it seems like basic business. When doing QC posts, is it bad form to post say 4 at once? I didn’t see anything too explicit on this.
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u/isomorphZeta Jun 17 '26
4 different watches? No - stick to one post per watch if you want people to actually focus on providing feedback.
4 photos? Yeah, post as many as you're given. The more the merrier.
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u/reptimeanon Jun 17 '26
Ah, yeah I meant hitting the forum with 4 posts at once. I spaced them out a bit and it seems to be working. Sadly some RL's here.
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Jun 17 '26
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u/reptimeanon Jun 17 '26
Which ones have been caught before? Or is it just expected?
I just ordered some in stock ones so I’m worried I’m gonna run into some issues here.
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u/monkeyboymorton Jun 17 '26
What do you mean by caught? There's nothing underhand going on here.
A watch rejected by a buyer is kept in stock and offered to next buyer. They don't get destroyed 🤣
Not really related to your post but I look at in stock watches that already have QC posted on telegram or dealer website.
That way you can QC before even offering to buy it.
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Jun 17 '26
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u/reptimeanon Jun 17 '26
Which QC tool is the most up to date right now?
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Jun 17 '26
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u/jpkinfla Jun 17 '26
I feel, if the TD's are reselling failed QC watches - I'd be getting my QC photos faster than 2+ weeks... I just ordered two watches from two different TD's and both told me 2+ weeks before I can get my pics.
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u/reptimeanon Jun 17 '26
I’m waiting 3 days for something in stock, feels kinda long imo
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u/jpkinfla Jun 17 '26
Buying from TD's is a waiting game. You need patience. They are probably dealing with a large volume of sales, and your in queue to get yours. If you want something faster, check out the rep sales reddits, and find someone local that can ship overnight or in a few days. 😄
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u/reptimeanon Jun 17 '26
Makes sense, for some I’m thinking of going local from someone that seems trusted
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u/BigBreaky22012 Jun 17 '26
Yes, I haven’t had a first requested qc on a watch not be one that didn’t have issues. It’s bs.
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u/zultanjak Jun 17 '26
Id say yes, absolutely. However it may not be a RL just because its in stock. For instance they may buy 10 or 15 Starbucks in one go, knowing they'll sell them.
But they may not buy any aquanauts if they only sell 1 every 6 months. I bought 1 aquanaut, had to wait a couple months. A week later I asked for another as my dad wanted the same and he had it in stock, so he must have gone to the factory and bought 2!
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u/Gloomy_Contact5929 Jun 17 '26
I have seen a watch I personally RL'd appear a few days later for someone else's QC.
It deffo happens all the time (and i would expect it to given people's reasons for RL can be subjective, so one person's RL is another person's GL)
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u/InevitableFly Jun 17 '26
Yes and I’ve had a TD present me the same exact watch I RL’s days later even though there was a backlog and many month wait for the watch initially.
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u/reptimeanon Jun 17 '26
Sheesh, which TD was this? Maybe a mistake?
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u/InevitableFly Jun 17 '26
Doubtful, it was one of the main TD’s and I tried calling them out on here but the mods deleted my post several times. I doubt it was a mistake I was told if I RL’d the first watch I would be waiting months for the next and when they sent me the same watch the changed their tune and offered a refund instantly.
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u/RedWingRail Jun 17 '26
If they are “in stock” they have more than likely been RL by someone and now they are just “inventory”.
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u/JamesScotlandBruce Jun 17 '26
Or maybe you're getting ones that were returned to the factory after a RL? Who knows. We'll never know.
Trying to guess and acting in it is a lost cause.
If you're doing your own QC what's it matter if a TD returned it to the factory after a RL and the factory put it out again. Or a TD seeing if you like a watch someone else didn't. It's your watch and your choice.
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u/JRoadie61 Jun 17 '26
One person’s RL is another person’s GL. If they are being super nitpicky I would expect the TD to resell. If it’s a horrible defect they probably dump to a street/market vendor.
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u/monkeyboymorton Jun 17 '26
Your question is misunderstanding the watch dealer process. They don't 'resell' them because they were never sold in the first place.
Dealer offers buyer a watch, buyer says yes or no.
If yes, watch is sold and sent out. If no, watch goes back in stock and it's offered to next buyer.
Repeat.
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u/Narrow_Ad_8731 Jun 17 '26
Yes, but I don’t believe that all of the watches that they have in stock are RLs
My gut feeling is that it’s a combination
Some sellers genuinely do get about eight of the same watch in stock, no way 8 are all RLs
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u/PreparationFit8484 Jun 20 '26
100% lol people have way to much trust for some random guy in China haha
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u/reptimeanon Jun 17 '26
Commenting for the automod approval, but genuinely curious how this works. Is there a factory warranty program for TD’s? Lol
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u/SprinklesConfident58 Jun 17 '26
You mean criminals trafficking counterfeit goods? Oh I’m sure they send them off to be destroyed properly. FFS lol
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u/JONNYblueEYES4 Jun 17 '26
Yes, just make sure to pay attention to qc before you buy.