Price Tiers Breakdown

From entry-level to collector-grade builds: what really changes in movement, materials, finishing and QC — and why higher tiers cost more.

904L Steel

Ceramic Bezel

AR Sapphire

Clone / Swiss ETA (optional)

Swiss Super-LumiNova®

Price Range (USD)	Tier / Nickname	Movement	Case & Materials	Craft & Details	Who It’s For
$150–$200	Low-End / “Street”	Cheap DG2813 or quartz; very inaccurate (±30s+/day), noisy, short life.	Alloy or low-grade steel; acrylic/mineral glass; painted or aluminum bezel; very light.	Blurry print, uneven lume, rough edges; misaligned bezel; crude clasp.	Only for looks, costume use.
$300–$500	Mid / “High Replica”	Chinese automatic (Shanghai/Mingzhu); ±15–20s/day; reliable but not cosmetically close to real calibers.	316L steel; sapphire (usually no AR); early ceramic bezels but finish may be off.	Cleaner fonts/hands, better bracelet, but still some color/font mismatch.	Daily wear, fine at social distance.
$600–$1,200	Super Clone (Top Factory)	Clone/modified 3135/3235/4130; instant date, correct crown feel & bridges; looks almost identical even if opened.	904L steel; ceramic bezel with platinum-like fill; top sapphire with AR.	Dial colors calibrated, razor-sharp print, beveled hands, Swiss Super-LumiNova®, tight bracelet & precise clasp.	Collectors wanting near-genuine experience without going full custom.
$1,000–$4,000+	Super Replica / Custom Build	May include deeply tuned clones or rare builds using a real Swiss ETA base (only when budget & wait time allow — 10-30+ days to source & modify).	Real titanium, forged carbon, full sapphire cases; solid gold parts, real diamond markers, internal weights to match OEM heft.	Micro-flaw correction beyond factory level (rehaut, fonts, color tone); bespoke dials/hands; limited runs & pre-order only; enhanced QC & documentation.	Enthusiasts with high budgets wanting ultimate accuracy & rare materials.

1) Movement — Core Cost Driver

Entry tiers just make the hands move. Mid tier aims for basic stability. Super Clone goes for correct crown feel, instant date and near-identical bridges. Custom builds may add extra weight regulation, deeper QC, or even Swiss ETA bases, but true ETA conversions are rare, costly and need long wait times.

2) Materials & Feel — Immediate Difference

Weight: Cheap alloy feels hollow; 904L feels dense & warm.
Crystal: Plastic scratches fast; AR sapphire gives “ink-black” dial depth.
Bezel: Painted fades; premium ceramic + platinum fill stays crisp.
Custom: Titanium, carbon, sapphire cases, solid gold/diamond parts, internal weights for OEM heft.

3) Finishing & QC — Where It Feels Real

Printing goes from fuzzy to razor-sharp relief with correct fonts.
Hands/indices: messy lume → uniform Super-LumiNova® with polished bevels.
Casework: burrs → smooth brushing & mirror polish like OEM.
Customs: micro-flaw rework (rehaut, fonts, color temp, weight balance).

Buying Advice & Truths

About price & factories: If someone says “Clean/VS top-factory Day-Date at $300–$400,” it’s almost always fake. Those factories never made that model; small workshops pass off cheap builds as “top-factory.” Ask us if you want to know which factory really makes a reference.
Swiss ETA reality: True ETA conversions or heavy reworks take time (often 10–30+ days) and cost. Many sellers claim “Swiss ETA inside” but actually use cheap clones. For most buyers, a well-made Super Clone is more than enough.
Match budget to expectation: Style only: $150–$200. Social-distance accurate: $300–$500. Near-genuine: $600–$1,200. Collector-grade/custom with gold, diamonds or Swiss ETA: $1,000–$4,000+.
Ask the right questions: movement spec, steel type, bezel process, AR details, lume type, QC steps, and whether gold/diamonds are real.

*Price bands are indicative. Final cost depends on reference, materials, options and wait time.