India, June 29 -- There was a time when buying a replica watch was simple, mostly because expectations were low.

People wanted something that looked close enough from across a room. If the dial had the right logo, the case was roughly the right shape, and the bracelet did not fall apart after a week, that was considered acceptable by many buyers. Nobody was spending hours comparing crown guards, crystal height, movement architecture, bracelet taper, or factory batches.

That version of the market feels old now.

Today, super clone watches have become a different conversation entirely. Buyers are more informed. Factories are more specialized. Models are compared by version, movement, bezel shape, clasp feel, date alignment, lume color, an...