Homage Watches Explained: What Are Homage Watches? Are They Legal & Should You Buy One?
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WHAT IS A HOMAGE WATCH?
On paper, a 'homage' watch is a watch whose design takes inspiration from an existing timepiece, likely bearing some visual similarities. In practice, most 'homage' watches on the market today are budget clones of famous watch designs, with a different logo stamped on them.
Most new watches take at least some hints from timepieces that have come before, as the sheer number of historical watch releases ensures there will be some overlap. The degree to which the copying occurs determines whether it's a 'homage' or potentially even a 'clone'.
For your ease of reading, I'll partition these 'homage' watches into two distinct categories:
'True homages' describes watches that take inspiration from existing timepieces while maintaining their own unique elements.
'Clone homages' are those brands who copy and paste existing famous designs and rebadge them.
The Nezumi Tonnerre chronograph is an example of an actual homage watch. It has taken inspiration from the Heuer Skipper and Abercrombie & Fitch Seafarer without directly replicating either. It maintains a different handset and a unique case shape and chapter ring.
Photo Credit: Pagani Design
Photo Credit: Rolex
This Pagani Design is a 'clone homage.' While masquerading as a 'homage,' it's essentially a direct copy of the Rolex Submariner, with the vast majority of the watch looking identical outside of the logo. If you switched the logo, you'd likely think it was a Rolex (at least from a distance).
Some brands, which I'll refer to as 'homage brands,' are solely dedicated to producing these 'clone homages,' with few to no original offerings in their repertoire.
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Are Homage Watches Legal?
What's the difference, then? In particular, how can these clone watches be legal if they're stealing designs from other companies?
Surprisingly, homage watches are generally considered legal. As in many industries, it comes down to technicalities. It's somewhat of a legal grey area, with these 'homage' brands appearing to remain just within the law, likely due to minor adjustments, including the apparent logo change and small (often microscopic) alterations to specific components.
Despite looking identical on the outside, many of these low-cost homage watches are also kitted out with different, less expensive movements than the watches they are based on, which can necessitate a fractionally different internal layout.
Nevertheless, some large watch brands have been known to take action against these pretenders, with this 2014 Audemars Piguet lawsuit being one such example. It's unclear why more big watch brands aren't heading down a similar path, though the rapidly increasing frequency of these homage brands likely means that attempts to stem the tide could be expensive and ultimately unfruitful.
Within the last couple of years, we've even seen brands like Pagani Design rebrand as 'Pagrne Design' in certain regions, possibly to exploit a legal loophole or avoid litigation from the similarly named car brand.
True homage watches are, of course, perfectly legal as they have not directly ripped off existing designs from other brands.
Homage vs Replica Watches – Are They The Same?
Replica watches (aka counterfeits) are copies of watches posing as the real thing. These replicas differ from clone-style homages primarily because they use the original brand logo and are usually marketed as being the genuine article. These replicas are illegal in most developed nations. Surprisingly, it's not just luxury watches that are being copied; counterfeiters have even been known to fake budget pieces such as Casio digitals.
Is the buying incentive for homage watches the same as replica watches? Possibly. Most people buying homage watches appear to do so because they like a specific design but can't afford the original version, which is suspiciously similar to the logic used to justify the purchase of replica watches.
In some cases, there is a substantial overlap between the two camps, such as in the Ginault controversy of 2019, where the founder of popular Rolex 'super-homage' manufacturer Ginault was (allegedly) outed as the man behind an advanced Rolex counterfeiting operation dating back over a decade. While no lawsuits appear to have been filed, the evidence presented is very telling.
Are homage watches bad? Why are they so cheap?
True homage watches, when done well, can be a tasteful way of generating a new yet familiar aesthetic. Due to the costs associated with designing, manufacturing and marketing these watches, they don't tend to be much cheaper than entirely original watches.
Clone homages usually boast high specifications for unbelievably low prices, making them a very tempting proposition. How is this so?
While most big brands are known to have fat margins on their luxury watches, charging thousands for watches that only cost a few hundred to manufacture, clone brands can sidestep much of the hard work associated with wristwatch production. This allows them to come in at substantially lower price points than most other types of watches.
This is because they:
Don't have to spend much time or money designing new watches, can quickly copy the big brands.
Can ride the coattails of the marketing effort for the pieces they've copied; people who see the big brand ads but can't afford the real thing are likely to actively seek out budget alternatives (free marketing). Often even use copied terms like 'Submariner' or 'Explorer' in their product names and descriptions.
Don't have the costs associated with building a brand or maintaining a website and can sell directly on online marketplaces.
Are usually produced in China, where labor costs are cheaper than in Switzerland or Japan
Solely use off-the-shelf movements.
Often cut prominent corners in quality control and limited customer support/warranty.
Nevertheless, even the clones could be seen as having upsides. Some argue that they allow people to access expensive, traditionally pay-gated designs for a fraction of the price. Consequently, they're also pitched as a cost-effective way to test drive a watch to see if you enjoy its size, style, or feel before pulling the trigger on the real thing. In a similar vein, online commenters often justify their homage purchases by stating they'd feel too worried about wearing something worth thousands on their wrist, given the potential for damage, loss, or theft.
While the above are all valid arguments with many merits, those same points could equally be used to defend counterfeit watches. The whole idea of trying something before getting 'the real thing' suggests that the item in question is inherently a substitute or fake.
Still, some homage watches are copies of much older vintage designs that haven't been in production for decades. One such example is the San Martin SN004-G, a revival of a Rolex diver from the 1950s. Given that the original watch is near-impossible to track down in decent condition or for non-astronomical prices and Rolex has never attempted a reissue of this piece, the SN004-G effectively gets a free pass. Rolex relinquished its moral hold on the design when production ceased (at least in my books).
Are homage watches bad quality?
Generally, no. From my experience, most well-known homage brands tend to offer anywhere from average to excellent build quality on a material level. Please see my recommended brand list at the bottom of this page for more information on the best brands to stick with.
Are they bad in a moral sense?
Clone-style homage watches fundamentally cash in on someone else's hard work. True homage watches pay tribute to the art of the original while providing a fresh take on the concept, making it more of a win-win.
Are they bad investments?
Financially, yes. Due to the poor brand recognition and the sheer competition in the homage sector, the resale value of homage watches tends to be relatively poor. I know this first-hand, having resold a string of review units. In terms of enjoyment, perhaps not. If you buy a clone watch that meets your expectations and intended purpose, it could be seen as a good investment regardless.
Should You Buy A Homage Watch?
First up, after reading the information above, you need to determine whether you're after a predominantly original watch, an adequately executed 'homage' or an outright 'clone homage.'
To help you decide, here's a summary of the pros and cons of clone homage watches:
Pros:
High specifications for the money
Opportunity to try expensive designs for far less money
Less risky than having a luxury watch on your wrist
No waitlists
Cons:
Unoriginal designs
Poor resale value
Inconsistent QC, customer support & warranties (brand dependent)
Delivery can be sluggish (brand/retailer dependent)
Watch nerds will instantly notice it's not the real thing
If you think you'll enjoy a clone-style homage watch and won't regret wearing a replica design, there are many great value options worth trying. If not, it's worth checking out our round-up posts, where we collate some of the best watches of each style, including dive watches, chronographs, and more. Most of which are original designs.
If you're interested in the copycat brands, then here's my selection of the best homage brands at each price point.
Best Cheap Homage Watch Brands Under $100
The best cheap 'homage' watches tend to come out of the Far East due to the low labor costs. Here are some of the most popular budget homage brands right now:
Pagani Design
Perhaps the most well-known of the budget homage brands and wildly popular with YouTube reviewers, Pagani Design offers a vast range of affordable wristwatches, the majority being copies of famous designs. They stock watches in a massive variety of colors, with some even in different case sizes. Not only do they sell on well-known wholesale sites like AliExpress, but you can sometimes get the watches for slightly less directly from their website. They stock some original designs, which may also be worth looking at.
Loreo
In a similar vein to Pagani Design, Loreo is frequently praised by online reviewers. They predominantly make Rolex clones; however, they have other offerings, including clones of famous Tag Heuer, Junghans and Patek Philippe models.
Parnis
A staple brand in the homage community for many years now, Parnis has garnered a positive reputation for producing solid, if not uninspiring, timepieces for low prices. The selection here is extensive at over 2100 watches. They even offer the majority as unbranded 'sterile' dials, absent of all logos, for the ultimate clean look if that's what you desire.
Invicta
While American brand Invicta isn't typically deemed a homage brand due to the many unique and often questionable designs that they release, it's widely understood that their 'homages' are among their best-selling watches. Unsurprisingly, it's yet again Rolex who are the targets of these exploits, with the Pro Diver being a blatant submariner copy. Oddly, the Pro Diver offers some of the best value out there and can be had very inexpensively in regions like the United States. They make them in multiple sizes with quartz and automatic Seiko movements while remaining easily accessible through large retailers. Invicta is American, though their watches are made in the Far East.
Best Value Homage Brands Under $200
If you're willing to spend over the $100 mark, San Martin undoubtedly makes the best value homage watches you can buy. Unlike most rival brands, their quality control is excellent, and the case/bracelet finishing, in particular, is up there with others at triple their retail price.
Read my San Martin review to see my full thoughts on three of their models. In short, they are outstandingly well-made, with the main shortcoming being the somewhat generic and underwhelming dials. Nevertheless, they are a big step up from all brands mentioned in the 'cheap' category. You can buy these directly from China via AliExpress for the best prices.
Other Homage Brands Under $1000
Cronos
A relative newcomer to the scene, Cronos watches are often said to be very comparable to San Martin in terms of quality. Personally, I've not tried them, so I can't attest to that claim. However, I'd be doing a disservice by not mentioning them when they could well be worth looking into.
Davosa
Swiss brand Davosa does have several unique styles, though a large portion of their range is constituted of pieces that bear more than a passing resemblance to various luxury watches. While pricey, they offer a unique avenue to explore if you'd prefer to buy from a western manufacturer.
Super Homage Watch Brands
Super homage watches are extreme versions of the clone homages. Some brands take 'homaging' to the extreme; creating watches that rival the original in terms of quality. These super homages are typically more expensive than the previously mentioned homage watches. They aim to replicate a luxury watch's exact look and feel to a macro level. It's up to you to decide whether dropping a grand on an unoriginal design is a wise move. These 'super homages' are slightly different from 'super clones,' the latter referring to incredibly high-end counterfeit watches that posture as the real thing.
Ginault
Ginault is the brand that invoked the coining of the phrase 'super homage' – with a reputation for extreme, if not suspicious, levels of build quality. They have a lean lineup of Ocean Rover dive watches that replicate various Rolex Submariner designs from through the ages to a very high level. I reviewed one of these on my old fashion channel and was very impressed with their accomplishments. Are these high-end rebadged counterfeits? I'll let you decide.
Steinhart
Another viable competitor on the fringes of this category is German brand Steinhart. They have a more comprehensive range of watches than Ginault, including some lower-priced offerings, all of which are made in Switzerland. Once more, the finishing is top-tier. The designs remain extremely 'familiar,' shall we say.
Homage Watch Brands To Avoid
Benyar
While cheap, readily available on Amazon, and promising-looking, Benyar watches were revealed to be falsely advertising the usage of stainless steel in their watches; while actually being constructed of a cheaper chrome-plated zinc alloy. YouTuber Jason The Watch Guy cut one in half, exposing this falsehood. Who knows what else they could be lying about?
Corgeut
Corgeut branded watches are commonplace on AliExpress and Gearbest, offering some of the lowest-cost clones around. Unfortunately, they have been known to revert to dirty tactics to shift more units, including the usage of 'chronometer' text on their dials (despite not meeting the required specification for this designation). Additionally, the quality control is poor, with many units having obvious errors straight out of the factory. This includes hand and marker misalignment, poor accuracy, and dirt/dust particles on the dial or underside of the crystal. While even the best brands can have QC errors, the frequency of mistakes that I've seen across multiple Corgeut reviews is damning. They are not worth the risk when you have the likes of San Martin available for slightly more money.