Opinion

[mnazri.tan]

Hello

Just wondering....what is your take on brand name like Parnis, Dievas, Azimuth, Invicta and others which clearly copy design from brand name like Panerai, IWC and Rolex ?

And what is your take on homage with no sterile ?

 A fake fake or genuine fake or just acceptable homage?

Say you own a IWC big pilot...at 38k is not a small amount, come another guy sit next to you with the Azimuth, at less than quarter the cost....or Say you have panerai and another guy with parnis which clearly sell at about 1 percent or less than your precious....would it bother you hearing someone said, eh you both beli jam sama....??

i guess i got nothing to do now ..that is why i come up with this topic....hahahah

[chrisyen]

i cant lump it and commend for the brands u mentioned above.... because they are not the same....

azimuth - for copying big pilot?
the design of big pilot doesnt belongs to IWC. B urh is an official design for  german wwii pilot.... wempe, iwc, lange, stowa & laco all been awarded contract to make these watches, some with own movement some with swiss movement, the design and specification is from military dept. all 55mm, design to wear outside flying jacket, big crown for easy adjustment. so no 1 owns it now. no issue of who is copying who.beside iwc, there are plenty of german brands making similar design watches, price from hundred to thousand to ten over thousand...
beside wempe, laco, stowa still producing.... surf around, u will find archimede, steinhart, aristo, epos......
some modernize, some evolving, some try to follow original 100%, some big, some small....

parnis, invicta - for copying u boat?
u boat design also not really patented, the canteen crown is also a military design for better water resistant... u can find US army is using this.... but it built smaller! russian diver also same.... but with super huge case....
parnis is obviously copying the u boat bulat bulat....fitted with cheap china movement.... selling cheap cheap!
invicta doesnt copy bulat bulat here but fitted with cheap swiss movement selling to mainly US market....


               
               
         

[mnazri.tan]

wow thank u chris...new knowledge for me...thanks

[mnazri.tan]

actually wanted to get one of those big pilot like design....but always restraint myself from doing so...simply bcoz...my boss bought the big pilot last year...he was so happy and he know my passion on watches...so he share the story with me....he told me where he bought it...how much ...etc etc.....

now if i buy one of those big pilot design at fraction of cost....then he saw me with the cheaper version...he wouldnt mind perhaps but i pity him la....dont know also why i have this feeling....

hahahhaha

[G.MAC]

I'll look at it as an acceptable homage as it clearly does not carry the original's brand name so it will never be a fake. As to the proclaimation that both wearing the same watch; if i am wearing the homage, i would graciously say it is a homage. Why should we be ashamed of wearing a homage? If I am the dude with the panerai, then i just keep quiet as obviously the comment-maker does not know about watch and thus would be a waste of time to clarify. However, if the homage-wearer proceeds to blow his horn and putdown my watch then i will do the same with compound interest Just kidding about the latter half.

[TheHobbit]

Like chrisyen highlighted, the Big Pilot design does not belong to IWC. For that matter the current IWC BP does not even resemble the original IWC Big Pilot or any of the original B-uhr watches from 1940s. The B-uhr (Beobachtungs-uhren) watches were also known as the Observation watches or Navigator's watches or some call it Pilot watches were made in the 1940s by A. Lange and Sohne.

The one that started it all. The A. Lange and Sohne B-uhr watch.



It was believed that at that time, Lange could not supply enough and on time the watches required. The German government got another 4 companies to manufacture the watches.  The other 4 being Wempe, Laco, Stowa and IWC. Of the 5, only Lange and Laco used their own movements. The others used Swiss movements. It is believed that about 1,200 were made. The watches were commissioned to the German Luftwaffe pilots and British Deck officers (?).

The basic spec:

55 mm case, 27 mm lug width, anti-magnetic, reference FL23883
movement must be hack capable and meet chronometer rating, central sweep seconds hand
Dial - Arabic numeral with a triangle marker (with 2 dots) at 12 o'clock position for fast upwards orientation during night flight
Large onion or diamond crown
Dual riveted ultra long buffalo strap (to be worn outside the flight jackets)

The IWC Big Pilot.



As you can see the current BP does not even resemble the original BP. The best you can get is the reference 5002.



Compare to the updated reference 5004.

[siodee]

I  realize only senior member and above comment in this thread, all the newbie dare not comment???

Donkey years ago, I used to have Higher-grade replica Tag and Omega, can't effort the genuine but yet love the design, but replica is always replica, not comfortable, and easily spoils, since then, don't border...

so my point is being replica or homage, it is up to individual. some said we are stupid of why buy real one cost $$$ as compare to cheap $$$, it is like why buy original DVD...so bottom line, You decide 

[chrisyen]

hobbit is right, the BP design is far from close to original design...
the close one is Laco
buy one with the budget u have, u can have it with miyolta movement or eta movement...
another popular choice is steinhart.... new and pre owned is always available.... at very good price!

[sean]

wow interesting topic,  learn my lesson today

[takashi78]

To me as long as the dial is sterile i am ok with it.
That said, for some reason i dont like the Rolex homages from MKII, just not my thing.

[TheHobbit]

To me as long as the dial is sterile i am ok with it.
That said, for some reason i dont like the Rolex homages from MKII, just not my thing.

Interestingly the feeling is the same with me. The only watch from MKII that I like is the Stingray50 and the Tornek Rayville TR 1000.

[mnazri.tan]

interesting topic indeed....now would you buy original DVD or the pasar malam is good enough for you ?

siodee - wah , it is true la...senior only...hahahaha....like elite topic....hhahahaha

hobbit & chris...big thank you...it is really interesting for me to learn about the origin of big pilot design....thank you

g.mac - i agree with you...

[takashi78]

Hobbit your taste and mine same haha. Thats also the only models i like from that brand.

[sshark]

now if i buy one of those big pilot design at fraction of cost....then he saw me with the cheaper version...he wouldnt mind perhaps but i pity him la....dont know also why i have this feeling....

hahahhaha

I doubt tat matters. Looks like it sound like it but it is not it even it has 7 days PR.

[mnazri.tan]

dont know la..kindda matter i guess...we are quite close...once in a while i drove his range rover around for work...sometime he jump into my proton....we went to meeting with some vip together....and he dont know things about homage or origin of design like you people...i am guessing he wouldnt enjoy me wearing a watch that look like a replica to his...and people we meet...they may not be wis like us....so they perhaps would say...ahh that boy pakai jam petaling street nak sama dgn boss....kindda drop my boss water face aite ?? just guessing actually...my own assumption....never mind lor...not like i die without big pilot design...many other nice design available also....huhuhuhuh

[G.MAC]

doesnt really matter if you get a homage of a big pilot..if everyone is over-conscious then a lot of people have to worry as a lot of diver watches are actually homages to the rolex submariner. Just buy the watch and enjoy it. Also if you worry about your boss not enjoying you wearing your watch, just let him see and if he asks, say it is a homage to his so his water face would not be dropped in any way if people were to make any comments as it is more important that he knows then for others to know. Just my 2 cts.

[mnazri.tan]

doesnt really matter if you get a homage of a big pilot..if everyone is over-conscious then a lot of people have to worry as a lot of diver watches are actually homages to the rolex submariner. Just buy the watch and enjoy it. Also if you worry about your boss not enjoying you wearing your watch, just let him see and if he asks, say it is a homage to his so his water face would not be dropped in any way if people were to make any comments as it is more important that he knows then for others to know. Just my 2 cts.

[Friday]

Imo most people consider brand superiority 1st before deciding what watch to buy.. If you like specific design and can afford the top price level one, then you should go for it as all agrees that major players watch manufacturer not only gives u prestige but quality as well..(iwc,etc) but if you are beginner (fulus n collections)  like me, why not venture n satisfy your want of a good pilot watches from laco,steinhart,stowa,sinn,damasko alike..then after a while i assure you that u will start saving money for those top brands.  One at atime my friend and if you want it badly you'll pray harder  so that you can get 1 or maybe 2/3/5 like some sifus here..

But sterile one is the way to go imho... 

[mnazri.tan]

maybe someday.....not at the moment....