The ethics and legality of buying luxury watch replicas

Ive been thinking about getting a high-end watch, but honestly, I cant justify spending that kind of money right now. A friend of mine bought a replica that looks insanely close to the real thing, and now Im curious is that considered illegal, or more of a moral gray area? Im not talking about cheap knock-offs, but the high-quality ones with decent movements and real weight to them. Has anyone here actually bought one and lived with it for a while?

Yeah, I’ve been down that road. A couple of years ago I picked up a VS factory rolex gmt master II just to see what all the hype was about. The craftsmanship was honestly impressive — even the lume and bezel felt close to the original. From a legal side, it’s mostly fine if you’re not reselling or trying to pass it off as authentic. For me, it was more about enjoying the design without the anxiety of wearing something that costs as much as a car.

 I think it all depends on what you value more — the name or the feel. Some people just like the look and don’t care where it comes from, while others are after the status and story behind the brand. At the end of the day, if something makes you happy and doesn’t hurt anyone, it’s probably fine. Everyone has their own line when it comes to what feels “right.”