Even has etching on the rehaut...
If it flies,.. why not.
But not quite as elegant as the real deal.

 

Another 'facade' parade.

 

Another 'facade' parade.

Amen. Looks like everything else out there in the "Sub-wanna-be" class.......

 

Zombie brand revived 5 years ago.

 

My thoughts = Who does this affect other than the people who chose to own it?

Not my cuppa as the watch it copies is blander than bland. This ‘design’ is also bland.

 

all I'm really seeing is what appears to be a shill for an unknown brand. @OP, are you a Maggi?

 

Herodia is a brand owned by Squale. A Swiss brand that was a pioneer in the first skin/scuba diving watches. Squale made the cases for many well respected Swiss watch brands starting way back in the 1940s, post WWII era. The founders of Squale & Herodia were close friends, starting their businesses at about the same time. Today, the Squale brand keeps Herodia alive in honor of that friendship that started so many years ago. Herodia is a well known & established brand in Europe and the world. Even if it's not known to you.

 

funny.. this popped up on my boobtube feed... what a coincidink.

he makes no bones about it. available at LIW.

 

Lazy and boring . Regardless where this turd comes from.

 

I like that the proportions/shape resemble/copy/homage (pick your verb/insult) the older Subs. The case back and red crown tube are the "identifiers" that distinguish it from the obvious copy, I guess?
As WUS devolves into WFR (Watch Flex/Rant), I care less and less about opinions on watches that resemble other designs. You like, you buy. You hate, you rant. Do what makes you happy.

 

Hmm, looks like the all too familiar case of a company buying the rights to a defunct Swiss band and now pumping out homages.

What a shame.

Here is my vintage 60s or 70s Herodia Chrono.

 

Positive: The magnifying glass above the date magnifies it.

 

Does the quote ‘some animals are more equal than others’ apply to the watch world too?

Btw I have no issue with homages in its true sense and the oft-condemned San Martin sense.

 

Phony like the people who buy them.

 

I don't know why we need another Sub copy. The market is already saturated.

 

I see what you did there. Punny!

 

So...Herodia seems to be a new (recycled) name on watches made by Squale (also a new company using an recycled name, also owned by the Maggi family). How is this any different from the Invicta Sub?

 

None of these brands have any distinction other than copying designs and selling them using inexpensive Chinese/Japanese movements.

This is just outright not true. Plenty of them have their own designs, re-imagined designs that never existed, along with swiss movement options.

As for this Herodia, don't see any difference between it and any other homage. "Swiss made" in this price point is essentially meaningless. Its the same entry level stuff no matter where it was cased or whatever other technicality was exploited. I'd honestly rather just have Chinese made so I'm not paying for needless markup on Swiss vapor.

 

with all the components strictly "Swiss Made".

"All components"?

 

Hey, at least they were smart about their About Us blurb and put the 'Swiss Made' part in quotes

 

They understand how patents work in Switzerland.

 

They work the same pretty much the world over. You can patent a design, but only if it's completely original which the Submariner is not and never was. It's perfectly legal to make an identical watch not just in Switzerland but the world over so long as trademarks aren't infringed. Ironically the Rolex Submariner itself infringes on Mercedes trademark, but Mercedes never called them on it.

Those who want to whine incessantly about them and very snobbishly bash those who buy them aren't affecting sales, but at least they are getting their feelings out there so there's something to be said for that.

 

Homage is such a disingenuous term. Call them what they are - ripoff copies designed to make the buyer think they've got something that looks like the real thing and, hopefully, fool other people into thinking same. Is that the kind of person you really want to be?

 

Not saying it never happens, but I'm not sure that's the primary buyer profile for a branded homage like we're discussing. The person you're describing would just get a rep. It's not difficult at all and will fool many more people much more easily. An homage requires that other people know the "look" of watches to be impressed by them, which is a lot to assume. I think this buyer is hoping to feel something inside themselves about owning a design they like at a price they can afford, and hopefully getting a decent watch too. Maybe to a lesser degree a watch that they enjoy but doesn't require the anxiety that comes with spending used car money or servicing.

I think a major driver for the desire for watches in this $2-$500 homage category is that unfortunately, a great many "affordable" watches of original design just don't have the same kind of design language that you find at the middle and higher end. It usually tends toward fashion, or kids, or bright colors, or plastic cases, or retro digitals, etc. If someone just wants a handsome GMT, honestly good luck at under $500. There might be one or two, or you go with one that looks like it's from the big boys who do it properly.

 

What are your thoughts about this?
Pass, pass and pass.

 

Better an homage than a (Voldemort), but wearing something that’s pretending to be something else doesn’t appeal to me.

 

As long as patents due is over everyone can make their own copy, this is what the patents were made for.

 

Homage watches, or rather, Clomages/Carbon Copy watches, are prevalent nowadays, especially priced under US$200 and coming from Chinese brands. None of these brands have any distinction other than copying designs and selling them using inexpensive Chinese/Japanese movements.

But, what about an established Swiss brand like Herodia (1948) doing the exact same thing? This piece was just released, is priced under US$500, and it's Swiss Made, but... it's a carbon copy of the Rolex Submariner. Surprisingly, it is currently being officially sold by respected watch dealers in the US.

What are your thoughts about this?


View attachment 17991200 View attachment 17991201 View attachment 17991202

About Herodia:

Herodia, a watch brand born in 1948 in the Swiss watch-making town of Reconvilier by Henri Bargenter, is now entering a new phase of its life under the ownership of the Maggi family of Milan. The classic styling of Herodia is a modern interpretation of the sports watch trends of the 50's and 60's with all the components strictly "Swiss Made".

Looks like a decent alternative to a Steinhart Ocean One - similar specs etc, but a slightly smaller case diameter and shorter L-L - doesn't suffer from the long flat lugs that Steinhart insists upon. Better cyclops magnification than the Steinhart. If I were in the market for a plain-jane Sub homage, this would definitely be competition for a Steinhart

 

I wouldn’t buy it, but If you like it and want to wear it then good for you…buy one.

 

As the new guy here and someone who recently got into watches here is my take on the homage clomage debacle. Being a huge Clive Cussler fan I want a Doxa but the price is more than I want to spend. Found a Steeldive that looks the part at a great price. As I was about to pull the trigger I realized that every time I look at that watch on my wrist it will not say Doxa so I passed. In this case I want the real deal so I will save my pennies and get the one that will make me happy.

Now on the other hand I really like retro style watches and Steeldive has some other models that are cool but don't have the connecton that Doxa has for me. Maybe a tuna is in my future. If you just like the style then I say homage is ok.

 

When I buy a watch it's because I like it and it appeals to me. I don't care where it's made or by whom. I do research on it for specific info for what I want in a watch. I gravitate mainly toward Seiko and Orient but have considered others. So far I haven't bought any outside of those two except for SteelDive.

I'm not out to impress anyone or to show off what I bought. It's not anyone's business but my own. I buy for myself only.

 

Which is why you're posting about it on a watch forum; because you don't care what others think.