First off, let’s be real, Hong Kong (and Shenzhen, right across the border) is like, *the* place for this kinda thing. I mean, my wife? She buys watches *by the pound* there. Okay, not *all* fake, she gets some cheap market watches too – the kinda stuff that breaks down faster than you can say “Swiss movement.” But hey, she turns ’em into bracelets somehow, so who am I to judge? She even built the market stall where she sells them, bless her heart.
Now, you’re asking about replicas. Listen, the thing is, it’s a bit of a grey area. You see all these high end watches, Omega this, Rolex that, and the prices are insane! Did you know Omega used to be called La Generale Watch Co? Wild, right? Anyway, the real deal is getting harder and harder to find, and the price? Forget about it.
That’s where the replicas come in. People *want* the look, but maybe they don’t wanna drop a down payment on a house for a timepiece. And yeah, that drives the whole fake watch industry. It’s booming! And, like, some people are *really* good at making ’em.
Now, is it *illegal* to *buy* a replica? Honestly, I’m not a lawyer. But I’ve heard whispers that it’s more about *selling* them that gets you in trouble. But don’t take my word for it!
You mentioned Shenzhen too, right? Yeah, tons of stuff there. I even saw someone asking about that exact question on the internet. Seems like a lot of people know the place, but I would be super careful.
If you’re looking for a proper watch safari, Mongkok in Kowloon is your spot. Bustling streets, tons of secondhand shops… you can spend a whole day just browsing. You’ll see everything from the real deal to, let’s just say, “convincing imitations.” Plus, the bargaining is part of the fun! Just remember to haggle hard. I mean, *really* haggle.
