Above photo credit: CarbonNYC

Is anything truly original anymore? That’s hard to tell. But you know what they say about monkeys and typewriters. Given enough time, just about anything will get recycled or paid tribute to. But sometimes it’s a little too close. Your job is to compare and decide whether it’s an acceptable tribute you might wear, or something to steer clear of. To submit a suggestion for The Rip Off, send it in via style tip.

UPDATE: Since yesterday, the photoshopped form•function•form photos have been removed from the Field & Crew watch kickstarter page. As of early Thursday morning they’re still on the instagram page though.

UPDATE II: Pics have been removed from the instagram page.

Left: The “Field & Crew” watch kickstarter project. Right: The original form•function•form Button Stud Weekender

Well that’s just blatant. This kickstarter project is out to make not just a watch, but a watch equipped with “smart pin” spring bars that should allow you to swap any of their six watch bands (also offered as a “reward” for $49) without the use of a spring bar tool. One of the band options is this “brown leather stud” band. Pretty sure we’ve all seen these before. FFF’s button stud watch band is a great idea, so imitators will come along, but to use the exact same photos from form•function•form‘s website with a few cosmetic photoshop changes?

Look, it’s so, so easy to tear down something that’s creative. And coincidences most certainly do happen. And the spring bar idea, well it’s an idea (spring bar tool works just fine here). And this guy might really be out to create something. But you just can’t do this. Even if it’s on Instagram

Left: from the Field & Crew instagram page. Right: The FFF in Veg Tan – Essex

Oh, and…

Left: The Field and Crew watch on the “shark” band. Right: The J. Crew Timex Andros