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Hi guys! Today I’ll be reviewing the Panerai PAM177 on the rubber strap. I want to preface this review by saying that this is only my second review on this forum. I’m a relative newbie when it comes to reps, but I have been a lover of fine watches for many many years. Being new to this there may be things I fail to cover or simply do not know, so please don’t hesitate to ask me other questions. And I am always open to suggestions on how to make my reviews better and more valuable to others. Background: I am new to Panerai’s. It has only been in the past few months that I’ve gained an appreciation for their simple but elegant beauty. Some of the things I looked for in picking out this watch were a sandwich dial face with superlume, a small seconds hand, and an exhibition back. I really like the PAM-386M as well and I will probably end up purchasing that one down the road. I have never seen the gen of this watch (or any other Panerai for that matter) in person, so my only comparison to the real thing is through photos and YouTube videos. The Dealer: I purchased this watch from Andrew at Trusty Time. He has been outstanding to work with and I plan on leaving a thorough review of my experience with him on his section of this forum later today. Please check it out if you plan to purchase from him. Here is the link to the watch I purchased: http://www.yourtrustytime.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_49&products_id=8784 This is the detailed description of the watch copied from the website: PN177NRU1 - Pam 177 N TI/RU Black Asia 6497 21600bph H Factory Best!!! Pam 177 N Series Upgraded!!!... Platinum Plated Bridges/Dagger Swan Neck Regulator Movement!!!!..... Made with a Genuine as Sample... Original C1 + C3 Super Luminova on Dial ..The Best 1 : 1 Pam to Date .. Swiss Quality Colourless AR Coating ...No Mods Needed.. All Parts Directly interchangeable with the Genuine. Immediate Delivery!!!!! MOVEMENT: Asian 6497 Manual Handwind Movement, Platinum Plated Cortes de Geneve Decoration on Bridges, Correct Shape Dagger Swan Neck Regulator, 17J, 21600bph CASE DIAMETER: 44mm THICKNESS: 15mm DIAL COLOR: Black Dial, Black Subdials, Numeral/Stick Hour Markers, Original C1+C3 Super Luminova Applied on Markers and Needles CASE MATERIAL: Full Solid Titanium Case 1:1 (Same color tone as genuine) BRACELET: Rubber (Antidust Quality) strap with Pre V Titanium Buckle FRONT GLASS: Sapphire Crystal Colourless AR Coated as per the Genuine. Done by Vendor who does for Swiss Genuine Brands BACK GLASS: Sapphire Display Case Back, Individual N Series Serial NXXX/800 nos and Matching Individual BB nos , Every Serial Number is Individual Engraved with Individual Scan Film, Not by Running Computer Program CLASP TYPE: Titanium Tang Buckle OTHER REMARKS: Water Resistant, No Recess Central Pinion, Polished Head flushed Lug Screw, Flush Polished Head Lever Pin, Notch for Bezel Prying at 5:00 Ordering/Shipping: I ordered this watch (along with a Rolex DSSD reviewed elsewhere) on Jan 13th through Andrew’s website. I received a confirmation email immediately. I received QC photos on Jan 15th. The watch arrived on Jan 28th but it had spent a full 5 days in the possession of customs at JFK, so taking out that delay the order-to-receipt time was 10 days which I consider to be excellent processing time from China to the US. The watches came well packaged. Each had a rubber bezel/case guard, was wrapped in thin plastic sheet, then folded up in a lot of bubble wrap and placed inside a thick Styrofoam box. The Styrofoam box was shipped in a standard cardboard box. You could drop this package off a 10 story building and the watches would be fine. The watches came well packaged. Each had a rubber bezel/case guard, was wrapped in thin plastic sheet, then folded up in a lot of bubble wrap and placed inside a thick Styrofoam box. The Styrofoam box was shipped in a standard cardboard box. You could drop this package off a 10 story building and the watches would be fine. First Impression: Talking the watch out, I carefully cut away the plastic film and removed the rubber bezel guard. I was amazed at how nice this watch looked in my hand. The quality of the appearance, and the fit-and-finish of this watch was way better than website photos or QC pictures could represent. This is a gorgeous watch, especially the movement, and I am extremely pleased with this purchase as my first PAM. Here are some photos: Further Investigation: The Crown - The first rep I purchased had a serious issue with the crown and the stem not engaging the movement correctly, so I had to send it back. So the first thing I did was to pull the crown out and test it. Unlocking the crown with the lever proved to be a good first impression of the quality of this watch. The lever was tight, but not overly tight. I pulled it out and wound the watch. The winding of the movement had a nice resistance to it with an almost inaudible vibrating sound as the watch is wound. It has the feel of quality. I then pulled the crown out to the first click which had a solid tactile snap to it. The hands turned smoothly without any play when adjusting the time. The Case – I absolutely love titanium. I couldn’t have enough titanium parts on my mountain bike when I raced them in my 20’s. They were strong and light, but I also loved the color and texture of the metal itself. This case is made of titanium and has a high-quality look to it. The one thing I will admit is that fingerprints and smudges are harder to wipe off than on stainless steel. The case is nicely machined. All the lines are precise and sharp. The crown guard looks solidly constructed as well. The screws that hold the crown guard to the case look to be high quality stainless steel (maybe I’m wrong about the SS part, they could be polished titanium). There are screwed in bolts that hold the straps in place vice the normal spring bars. I also like this feature a lot. The Crystal – The crystal looks very nice and has a nicely colored AR coating. There are some Panerai’s that have a big rounded looking domed crystal. Some people may like that look, but I purposely avoided it on this purchase. I don’t like how much they distort the face (particularly the numbers) when viewed from off-angles. I can see how this may be something that some people find interesting, and maybe someday I will too, but this watch has a relatively flat crystal. The crystal seats uniformly around the entire front of the case’s bezel. The Face – The face of this watch is very nice looking. As with most Panerai’s, it is very simple. I cannot speak to the accuracy of the fonts, but the quality is excellent. Everything is crisp and clear. It has numbers at the 12, 3 and 6 o’clock positions and a small sweeping seconds hand at the 9 o’clock position. Every other hour has a simple hash mark at the hour marker. One of the specs for my search in this Panerai purchase was the sandwich dial. For the newbies out there like me, this just means that instead of having one face with the numbers lumed onto it, this watch has two separate faces sandwiched together with the numbers cut out and the lume in between. The lume on this watch is outstanding. It glows extremely bright (much brighter than it looks in my photo) and lasts for a couple of hours. Here's my attempt at a lume shot (I need to get better at these): The Strap – The watch I bought has the rubber strap with “Officine” on the bottom part and “Panerai” on the top part. The strap seems very tough, but also flexible. I have a rep Bell & Ross that has a rubber strap that is very stiff and wants to push the watch away from the wrist. This strap fits nicely and comfortably right out of the box. The buckle is also machined from titanium. It is nice looking but the edges are a little too sharp. Normally sharp edges would be a plus, but these seem just a tad too sharp and catch on the strap a little more than it should. It has a nicely engraved “Panerai” on the top. I’ve seen a photo of a titanium Panerai on the forum that had a nice black suede strap with black stitching. I plan on buying one to alternate with the rubber strap on this watch because it looked so nice. If anyone knows where I can find a good deal on one please let me know! The Movement – This is where this watch really shines in my opinion. I love looking at a nice movement through a crystal exhibition case back. I started off looking for an automatic Panerai, but once I saw the look of this manual wind 6497, I changed my mind. The photos on the website and the QC pics do not do this movement justice at all. I was concerned that the movement would look cheap in person, but it does not. It looks very nice and I couldn’t be happier. My only complaint is that under extremely close scrutiny, you can just make out some fingerprints on the bridge. I plan to remove the back and clean these off very carefully with a q-tip and tiny amount of alcohol. I don’t plan on touching any other surface, but if this is not recommended, someone please let me know how I should go about this. You can see for yourself the beauty of this watch's movement in the photos. Trust me when I say that it looks better than even these photos make it look. There was an option for an 18,800BPH version of the movement that was $70USD cheaper, but I was told the 21,600BPH movement that I chose was more reliable in the long run. I doubt you could tell much of a difference in the beat rate between the two, being that the seconds hand is so small, but I didn’t want to skimp and purchase what might be a lesser movement. I chose the 21,600 movement, but in all likelyhood, the 18,800BPH movement would have been just fine. I will say it swings around so smoothly that you cannot see any beating of the seconds hand. The watch back has the words “OFFICINE PANERAI – BB1446039 – OP 6725 – TITANIUM – (OP LOGO) – (PAM FISH) 300m - N106/800” nicely engraved on the edge. The engravings are relatively deep and very sharp. The back crystal looks nice as well. The Fit – I have exactly a 7” wrist. I’m not sure how that fits in to the world-wide average, but I feel my wrist is average to slightly below average. The watch looks very well proportioned on the wrist to me. Unlike some of the larger Panerai’s, this 44mm looks just about right. Some of you with smaller wrists may shy away from the bigger watches, but I think this one is a nice compromise. It’s a large watch with a lot of presence, but it does not look awkward or out of place on my 7” wrist. Conclusion: I spent $288USD on this watch. I’ve found the gen selling for around $6700 online. Panerai is not as well known a brand to the general public as other watches, so I doubt most people will even know what it is much less whether it is rep or gen. But something I do believe is that anyone looking at it will recognize it as a beautiful watch. I would not hesitate to take it off and show someone the movement either. Overall the fit-and-finish of this watch are outstanding and well above my expectations. I am very happy with this purchase, and very happy with my experience so far with Andrew at Trusty Time (www.yourtrustytime.com). Again, if there’s anything in my review that wasn’t clear or if you have any additional questions I can answer, don’t hesitate to ask… I hope you’ve enjoyed this review and have found it helpful!

Sorry to be so boring but I can't get my newest project off my wrist. Older MBW case modded by the Zigmeister (CG, lug holes, HEV modification) Phong HEV and case-back All other parts genuine Rolex 1665 GW

The gen has the blue masking tape on the cushion or always on the left/top. Gen like quality of the rep will be judged from 1-10 (10 being like gen). Notice that this rating CHANGES based on the pictures being compared since the differences may or may not be spotted at another set of comparison shots. The gen used in the comparison is a random serial number model. The rep used is from Timesshop (Mark). It is from the noob factory. This particular one has the A2836 movement. Larger size pictures available in album The comparison is broken down into components of the watch. Case/Bezel Front Elements/Dial Bracelet/Clasp Backside/SEL Fitment Feel in Hand Feel on Wrist Movement Adjustments Suggested Improvements Case/Bezel: 1. Front - Overall:Dial: 9 - Dial maker surroundings being thicker and uneven lume Hands: 8 - all hands are noticeably skinner on the gen; makes it appear longer but actually same lengths Bezel: 8.5 - Gen's engraving is a bit deeper and the color is slightly silver. Rep and gen has 24 clicks but the gen adjustments are consistent through-out. Gen is also quieter when adjusting. My rep had a 1/3 minute of free play. SEL: 8 (the gen SELs sit more flush with the case). Crown Guard: 7.5 (noticeably rounder on the rep, sharp straight edges on the gen) 2. Bezel Edge (close up): You can see the gen has slightly polished teeth while the rep is simply raw (drilled) finish. When you run your fingers over the teeth, the rep is slightly smooth whereas the gen is pointy. 3. Bezel Engraving (close up): Here you can see the differences not only in depth and width of the engraving but also the style of font (notice the 1 has a curved top on the gen and the 8 is slightly more squared). The picture does not show this, but the color is slightly different on the gen; since the gen's numbers are colored with platinum its slightly gray (especially on the triangle). 4. Side: Side: 8 - Overall same dimension but the ends are not as sharp, the gen is quite pointy Crown: 8 - Very good overall, dimension appears to be the same, again sharper teeth on the gen. Front Elements/Dial: 5. Crystal and Bezel (6 inches from watch): Cyclops: 5 Obviously no AR on the rep, also the rep seems to magnify too much... there's a lot more distortion in the magnification on the rep. Rehaut engraving: 8.5 - Sharper and deeper on the gen, of course its aligned perfectly on the gen, reps may have a good alignment of rehaut Crystal: 9 - The crystal on the gen has a slightly polished edge giving it a more defined look. Notice that the gen has more spacing between the crystal and the inner edge of the bezel. The laser etched logo on the rep is too big; you can barely see it with the naked eye on the gen. The logo is drawn by dots on the gen rather than straight lines on the rep. 6. Dial and Hands Printing: 8 - The "GMT - MASTER II" printing on the rep is slightly darker and spacing is a bit off from gen, the print also looks 3d on the gen rather than flat on the rep. Overall font size and color (on the white wording) is quite good. The hole in the coronet is noticeably bigger in the rep. Indexes: 8 - quite good from this view, aside from having slightly thicker surrounds the lume is not as applied as evenly as the gen. you can also see the gen has a much more polished look, the rep has more sharper corners at 6 and 9; the triangle index is the biggest difference between the watches here (due to the application of the lume) Hour Hand: 7.5 - appears to have the same length as gen, but is slightly fatter. the triangle is also larger on the rep; edges are not as clean) Minute Hand: 8.5 - appears to have the same length as gen, but is slightly fatter than gen. Again, edges are not as clean as gen Second Hand: 9 - the hands on the rep is a bit thicker than the gen; especially towards the outside edge. The gen hands has a slightly tapered appearance GMT Hand: 8 - color is quite close in the rep, but the paint/print is completely different than gen. on the gen you can see the paint is thick and is slightly raised, the rep appears flat; triangle is almost identical; ever so slightly thicker around the lume for the rep. This rep has the ICHS but that is hardly ever noticeable; I bet 8/10 gen owners would not know if the GMT hand sits above or below the hour hand... 7. Cyclops and Date wheel Cyclops: 5 - obviously no AR on the rep, but this can be modded. The magnification is higher on the rep. You can also notice more distortion in the magnification. The gen's magnified date still retains the rectangular appearance. Date Wheel: 6 - The date wheel on the rep is completely different specially the number 1. On the gen, the number 1 is more of a letter "I". You can also see 2 and 3s have tails on the gen. Other numbers are also different but 1 2 and 3 are most noticeable. Bracelet/Clasp: 8. Brushing and PCL: 9 (7.5 before custom brushing) - I polished and brushed the rep links myself. Originally the rep's brushing is much thicker than the gen. The thicker brushing gave the bracelet a brighter appearance. Polish is very similar on both models. 7. Flexibility: 6.5 - The rep's bracelet feels quite cheap when held, it rattles more than the gen. The rep bracelet has more lateral movement than gen. The gen links are held on much more tightly. 9. Clasp: 5 - This is the biggest flaw of the rep. The clasp edges are very poor compared to the gen. The coronet on the clasp has a more web like appearance on the rep. Each of the spokes on the gen's crown has more clearly defined spaces. The securing cap is also poorly defined on the rep; it is slightly rounded on the inside edge. The securing cap also does not sit flush with the rest of the clasp. 10. Clasp Adjustments/Inside: 7 - Biggest difference is the engraving inside the clasp. The rep's engraving is thin. I have also sharpied my rep, but still does not have the same appearance in color as the gen. The inside of the gen clasp is sand blasted, the rep has a smoother flat finish. The fine adjustment is there, but its much harder to adjust on the rep. I can easily move the fine adjustment on the gen. The easy link works just like gen, but does not snap in as hard. The rep also seems to scratch the PCL under the clasp more easily than the gen. Backside/SEL Fitment 11. SEL: 5 - It just looks bad on the rep, but in reality the fitment is quite secure. Although, I did modify the fitment and spring bars on the rep. The SEL also does not sit flush with the case on the rep. 12. Case Corners: 8 - This difference is rarely pointed out. On the gen the corners are pointy and sharp. The rep has more rounded corners, probably from polishing the case. 13. Case Back: 8.5 - Sharper teeth on the gen, although the rep may be sharper when new. The brushed part of the case back is smaller on the gen. 14. Backside of Crown Guard: 8 - The gen wraps the crown more than the rep, also much straighter edges than the rep. Not noticeable when worn. Feel in Hand 15. Weight: 9.5 - The rep feels about the pretty much the same as the gen. 16. Feel: 8 - The bracelet and clasp brings this down. Again the entire bracelet is nosier and feels flimsier. Perhaps tightening the permanent links would improve the bracelet feel. Feel on Wrist 17. Comfort: 9 - Rep is just as comfortable to wear. Sets and sizes the same way as the gen. Oiling the bracelet on both models benefit contributes to the comfort as well. 18. Feel: 9 - Feels the same in weight and proportion. Again the bracelet rattles with a more canny sound than the gen. Movement Adjustments The adjustments are shown below. I actually prefer the adjustment settings of the rep than the gen . It's easier to set the date and times on the rep. It has been noted that with A2836 reps, the GMT hand experiences issues. I have seen the GMT hand on my watch lag or stop moving from time to time (usually happens after infrequent use). I have not experience it stopping while being worn. Gen: Unscrewed: winding (CW) First notch: +/- hour hand (1 hour increment) +/- Date (hour hand needs to go around 24 times) (CW/CCW) Second notch: +/- Hour, GMT and minute hands (CW/CCW) Rep: Unscrewed: winding (CW) First notch: +date (CW) +GMT hand (1 hour increment) (CCW) Second notch: +/- main hour and minute (CCW/CW) Suggested Improvements Listed in order of importance: [*]Clasp - needs much more definition in the coronet and securing cap [*]Bracelet Links - needs to be tighten to lessen lateral movement [*]AR Cyclops - very obvious difference from afar [*]Crystal Beveled Edge/Spacing - very easy to spot at wrist distance, the gen crystal seems to shine around the edges [*]Date Wheel - noticeable when up close; especially number "1" [*]Bezel Engraving - more noticeable during side viewing, slightly different color on rep [*]Crown Guard - quite good at this point, but can be straighter, most of the definition of the CG is lost due to heavy polishing... [*]Bezel Edge - very noticeable difference when touched... hard to tell from afar; however the grooves between the teeth are slightly polished on the gen [*]Brushing of the Bracelet - the brushing from the factory is thicker than the gen; it actually gave the bracelet a brighter look than gen. Easy to fix with some scotch bright! Overall, the noob GMT rep is quite good. It was quite hard to tell which was the gen on certain pictures. The dial is very good on the rep as well as the case dimension and looks. The biggest downfall of the rep is the bracelet and clasp. However the AR cyclops would be a great modification as this can be a telltale sign of a rep.

***The below information had been written by someone else. I am not claiming any credit for this, only compiling this for all the members here in RG and for future references*** 100 Superlative Rolex Watches by John Goldberger, who is one of the most knowledgeable Rolex experts on earth and happens to own one of the top Rolex collection in the world!!! John is also close friends with the top 5 other Rolex collectors in the world and they allowed him to share their beautiful and extremely rare Rolex watches in his new book named 100 Superlative Rolex Watches. Many of these Rolex watches have never been seen by the public and the photography in John's book is amazing!!! John's book contains 700 images and in the article below you will see more than 10% of the images from his Rolex book–which is a masterpiece in and of itself. The Birth Of The Rolex Brand The Rolex brand was formally founded in 1908 and is currently celebrating its 100 year centennial, thus John decided to name his book 100 Superlative Rolex Watches. To put 100 years in perspective, in 1908 General Motors was founded, Henry Ford produced the first Model-T, the Grand Canyon National Monument was designated, Harvard Business School was founded, A long-distance radio message was sent from the Eiffel Tower for the first time, the boy scout movement began, Mother's day was observed for the first time as a national holiday, and the first passenger airplane flew in 1908. 100 years is a long time. PART 1 of 4: The $20 Million Rolex Book The book itself is unusual for a coffee-table sized book in the sense it has a leather-like cover which makes the book extremely comfortable to handle. Since there is no paper cover the book does not slip and you don't have to worry about damaging the slip cover. The 100 Superlative Rolex watches showcased in the book have a current market value of approximately $20 Million in U.S. currency. John Goldberger is pictured below and is one of the greatest watch connoisseur's on earth. He has a collection of Patek Phillipe, Rolex, Cartier, Omega and Longines watches. He already authored two books on Omega and one on Longines–both of which are available for purchase along with his new Rolex book at the end of this article. Italian Rolex Renaissance John was born and resides in Italy today. He is 50 years old and started collecting vintage watches 30 years ago when he was 20 years old. It appears as if the Italian marketplace was the first to really start collecting vintage Rolex watches, and drove the significant price increases starting in the mid 1980s. The book begins with a great four page Rolex watch chronology from 1905 to date and it makes it really easy to understand the evolution of the brand. The chronology begins in 1905 because Hans Wilsdorf created his company named Wilsdorf & Davis in 1905 in London, England and brilliantly changed its name to Rolex in 1908. This book has a superb and consistent layout and there are a total of 700 images in the book and photos of approximately 280 different Rolex watches. John had to choose 100 Rolex watches to showcase and the following four photos bellow illustrate how the 100 he chose are intelligently laid out. On the left side page for every showcase watch there are four smaller images that show detail and different perspectives. The right page always has a very large and detailed portrait of the watch. The four images on the left pages have all the historical data on the watch including the reference number, caliber number and year of manufacture. John has photos of 180 other Rolex highly collectable Rolex watches that are not part of the 100 and he illustrates them as seen on the two pages below. John Goldberger donates 100% of the profit he makes on the books to charity, which means he made the book to share these stunning Rolex watches with the collectable Rolex community out of the kindness of his heart. Page 5 Rolex Zerograph [Reference 3346] Circa 1935 Despite the fact the watch above was made in 1935, it is remarkable how modern it looks. There are only 3 known examples of this watch in private collections. Page 23 Rolex Oyster Star Indices. [Reference 6098] Circa 1952 his watch was made around the same time as the Reference 6062 Star indices Moonphase watch. There is another version with a black dial which can be seen 7 watches down in this article. PART 2 of 4: The Rolex–Panerai Connection Rolex made all the original Panerai watches for the Royal Italian Navy from in 1936 to 1956. Page 24 Rolex Oyster in Stainless [Reference 2081] Circa 1928-1930 This watch above is amazing because it seems to be the watch the later Rolex made Panerai watches were based upon. The watch above is smaller at around 30mm than the 47mm Panerai's (as seen below) but the design language is clearly derivative and almost identical. Page 27 Radiomor Paneria [Reference 6154] Circa 1956 This is the last Panerai Rolex made (pictured above). It was made for the Egyptian Army. This watch has a current value of $120,00 and is the second rarest collectable Panerai. According to the Author, only 30 of this Reference 6154 were ever made. The most collectable and valuable would be the one existing example of the first Panerai Reference 2533 prototype. The Rolex diving watch pictured in the illustration above is not in the book. The illustration is from a rare 1935 Rolex brochure and the watch was a honking 47mm. This is the Rolex model Panerai used to make its first Rolex made Panerai (as seen below). The illustration above appears courtesy of John Goldberger and according to John, he has never seen an actual example of the Rolex Reference number 2533 because it is so rare. I imagine since it was 47mm it probably did not sell very well, so maybe Rolex simply swapped out the dials, and movements and sold the resulting watches with no name on the dials to Panerai. This may explain why there are no known examples of the watch that appear in the 1935 Rolex catalog. I was doing some follow up research to best understand the genesis of this first Panerai model made by Rolex and I found a Timezone.com vintage Rolex thread where James Dowling said "My research on Panerai leads me to think Panerai essentially took an existing Rolex model and had Rolex adapt it to their specific requirements. Amongst them was this reference 2533, which is essentially the Mk1 Panerai. But then, of course, Rolex already had the basis of this watch in their catalogue, in the form of the Rolex Oyster Pocket watch." So there you have it! Apparently Rolex experimented with putting wire lugs on their 47mm Oyster pocket watch and created the Rolex Reference 2533, and this went on to become the basis of the Panerai diving watch. After finally figuring out and understanding this design evolution I decided to create the following graphic to illustrate step by step how the 47mm Rolex Oyster pocket-watch evolved into the original 47mm Panerai. And the evolution of Rolex Oyster Pocket-Watch into Panerai Diving Watch begins: One of the obvious questions is "how did you attach and remove the leather band on these early wire lug Panerai watches if the wire lugs were soldered to the watch?" You guessed it!!! You had to sew the leather band onto the lugs. Panerai makes a very similar 45mm version of this watch today known as the Panerai Radiomir with the vintage wire lugs but they are no longer soldered on, but can removed with two very small screws in the watch body. Page 27 Radiomor Panerai [Reference 2533] Circa 1936 This first Rolex Made Panerai, picture above is and Ultra-rare prototype of which there is only 1 known example on earth. Yes, you read that right–there is only one know example and you are looking at it picture above. Page 31 Panerai [Reference 3646] Circa 1941 Rolex began making Panerai watches for the Italian Royal Navy in 1936 and the watch above is from 1941. It has Roman numerals and Arabic numerals on its dial with no Panerai designation. Its current market value is $80,000, and according to John Goldberger only 600 of the Reference 3646 were ever made. The next three photos are of the Panerai Reference 6152 made by Rolex. In this first image you see the Rolex designation on the watch movement as well as on the back of the screw on back. Page 32 Panerai Movement Photo [Reference 6152] Circa 1950 This next image is of the same watch pictured above and below. You can see the Rolex Brevet designation and Rolex crown logo on the winding crown. Brevet means patented in French. Page 32 Panerai Brevet Winding Crown Side View with Rolex Crown Logo [Reference 6152] Circa 1950 Page 33 Panerai Radiomir [Reference 6152] Circa 1950 This Radiomir Paneria diving watch (pictured above) is 47mm and has a light brown dial. This watch has a current market value of $100,000 and according to John Goldberger only 300 of the Reference 6152 were manufactured. The Wikipedia article seems to suggest that from 1936 to 1956 Panerai only produced a total of 300 watches. This did not make sense, John Goldberger said that this was not true and that they made many more. Here are the numbers John said were from a good Panerai source on the number of Rolex made Panerai watches: 1935 [Reference 2533] 1 Prototype 1938 [Reference 3646] 600 Watches 1943 [Reference 6152] 300 Watches 1943 [Reference 6152/1] 600 Watches 1954 [Reference 6154] 30 Watches After 1954, Panerai kept producing their watches but Rolex no longer made them. Apparently Panerai stopped making watches for the Italian Militare in 1993 because it was not longer cost effective, and Panerai decided to focus on producing watches for the general public. The watches were not very successful until 1995 when Sylvester Stallone noticed them in a Roman jewelry store and decided to wear the Panerai during shooting of the film Daylight. Stallone was so impressed that he ordered a bunch of watches with his Slytech signature on the verso (case back). Stallone gave them to friends as a gift, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, and from that point the Panerai brand took off and became very popular. It is interesting to note that prior to wearing Panerai watches, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger wore Rolex watches. Sly wore a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date and a Rolex Submariner, and Arnold wore a yellow gold Rolex GMT Master with a matching Jubilee bracelet. Part 3 & 4 in next posts ----->>>>>>>>>>>> PART 3 of 4: Rolex Masterpieces The Rolex Star Indices Page 39 Black Dial Star Indices Super Oyster [Reference 6098] Circa 1952 This is an extremely rare Rolex that is stunningly beautiful. It's current value is around $150,000. Page 41 American Continent Hand-Enameled Dial [Reference 6085] Circa 1952 Page 53 Rolex Chronograph in Pink Gold [Reference 3055] Circa Unknown Page 77 Stainless Steel Moonphase Triple Date [Reference 8171] Circa 1950 The reference 8171 was the first complicated Rolex Moonphase model Rolex ever made. Unlike the 6062 Oyster Moonphase (pictured below) which came after this one, the 8171 was not an Oyster and thus not waterproof. The 6062 was 36mm, and the 8171 was a little bigger at 38mm. Page 89 Black Dial Star Indices Moonphase [Reference 6062] Circa 1952 This watch is unusual because it has a red arrow date indicator which is a nice design detail. Everything needs a touch of red. Page 89 Silvered Dial Star Indices Moonphase [Reference 6062] Circa 1953 This Rolex moonphase has a blue arrow tip indicator on the tip of the date hand just like the red one above it on this page. Page 89 Silvered Dial with 3,6,9 Arabic Indices [Reference 6062] Circa 1952 This watch since it has an original riveted Oyster bracelet but also seen examples of the 6062 with a Jubilee bracelet and there is not one in the book. The 6062 Moonphase was 36mm which is the day size as a current Rolex Datejust. Page 89 Silvered Dial Star Indices Moonphase. [Reference 6062] Circa 1952 It has an unusual braided band and it also has the blue tip on the date hand. Page 92 Rolex Centergraph [Reference 3346] Circa 1935 The photo of the watch above shows the movement of the watch pictured below. The Centograph is the same as the Zerograph pictured at the beginning of this section on Page 5 with a black dial and strap. Page 93 Rolex Centergraph [Reference 3346] Circa 1935 This beautiful Rolex Oyster Centograph looks in many ways to be a precursor to the Rolex Submariner. This watch is extremely rare and there are less than 10 known examples on earth. This one is from a collection in Japan. Page 95 Pink Gold & Steel [Reference 3669] Circa 1938 This watch is unusual in many ways, but in particular, the pink gold bezel is soldered to the watch body which is extremely difficult to achieve. Page 114 Stainless Chronograph [Reference 6034] Circa 1950 This photo of the movement above is of the watch below. The movement is finished in Rodhium and has a monometallic compensation balance with a steel Super Oyster crown. Page 115 Stainless Chronograph [Reference 6034] Circa 1950 This rare chronograph (pictured above) features a black dial with steel relief dart indices with 1/5 seconds division outer gilt tachymeter and telemeter scales along with Alpha Hands. Page 121 Serpico Pulsation Chronograph [Reference 6234] Circa 1956 This 36mm beauty is anti-magnetic and has a matte silvered dial with faceted Baton applied indices. It was sold in Caracas, Venezuela by Serpico y Laino. Page 143 Silvered Dial Star Indices Moonphase [Reference 6062] Circa 1953 This pink gold beauty is self-winding (automatic) and a waterproof Oyster in a 36mm Super Oyster case. Notice this watch has the luminous 5-minute markers on the sides of the stars apposed to being positioned in the center of the stars like the watch pictured below. Page 145 Black Dial Star Moonphase [Reference 6062] Circa 1952 Black dial star indices moonphase Rolex watches are ultra-rare and this one is not only stunningly gorgeous, but in flawless mint condition. John Goldberger owns many of the watches in his book, his choice of a tobacco colored leather band is brilliant. This black beauty has a matching black background on the moonphase disk as do all Rolex Moonphase watches with a black dial. Traditionally all moonphase watches by Rolex and Patek have a blue background for the sky color. The photo below is of the same watch without a band. It is worth about $400,000 Page 150 Bao Dai Diamond Moonphase. [Reference 6062] Circa 1952 The watch pictured above and below belonged to the last Emperor of Vietnam, Boa Dai. It is unusual because it has a glossy black dial with 5 diamond indices. It also has the Officially Certified Chronometer designation on the moonphase subdial. The watch was manufactured in 1952 and sold in 1954 to his Majesty Boa Dai. According to John Goldberger, Boa Dai, the last emperor of Vietnam, was "well known for his fine taste, was a renowned tiger hunter, women lover and car collector. It was during his stay in Geneva for the Indochina peace talks he acquired the 5 diamond Rolex moonphase. This watch is worth approximately $700,000 and the supreme irony with this watch is that Rolex discontinued the complicated moonphase watches because they did not sell well. Typically the most expensive Rolex watches are so highly valued because of their rarity which means they are so because they did not sell well at the time of production–sad but true. Page 151 Boa Dia 5 Diamond Moonphase [Reference 6062] Circa 1952 Page 154 Chronograph Triple Date [Reference 6036] Circa 1955 This photo is of the back of the movement of the watch pictured below. Page 155 Chronograph Triple Date [Reference 6036] Circa 1955 This watch model was dubbed "The Jean Claude Killy" despite the fact that nobody has ever seen a photo of him wearing this Rolex model. Jean Claude Killy is a three time gold medal winning Olympic skier who occupies a seat on the board of Rolex today. This watch is the most complicated Rolex ever made. The Rolex Oyster watch pictured above has a silvered dial with pink gold applied pyramidal indices with luminous dots next to them. The outer date ring is in blue and matches the blued steel date hand. The hands of this watch are luminous Alpha hands. Page 157 Antimagnetic Triple date [Reference 6036] Circa 1960 Another Jean Claude Killy Rolex Triple date Oyster, this time in stainless Steel. Same blue date ring and date hand. 36mm Tonneau-shaped two-body case with screw back Page 162 Stainless Steel Rolex Day-Date Prototype [No Reference] Circa Unknown This watch picture above has no serial number or reference number. It is a very rare prototype Rolex used for internal testing. Page 162 Early Day-Date [Reference 6511] Circa 1956 This very early Rolex Day-Date was introduced in the Italian market and thus it has the day of the week wheel in Italian. The date is red as is the Day-Date designation. The watch was initially only available on a leather strap and has a fluted yellow gold bezel. Even though this watch is named the Rolex Day-Date by Rolex, people refer to it as "The Rolex President." Page 162 Day-Date on Jubilee Bracelet [Reference 6611] Circa 1967 The early Rolex Day-Date watches apparently did not come with the Rolex 'President' bracelet as witnessed by this Day-Date on a Jubilee bracelet. The Jubilee bracelet was introduced on the 40th anniversary of Rolex in 1945. It was named the Jubilee because the 40th anniversary is known as the Ruby Jubilee. Rolex also introduced the Rolex Datejust in 1945 which was the first watch with a date. Page 162 White Gold Day-Date with matching Oyster Bracelett [Reference 6612] Circa 1968 This is another very unusual Rolex Day-Date because it is white gold with a matching white gold Oyster bracelet. The silvered dial has diamond indices and dauphin hands. Of course Rolex discontinued the Oyster band option after then introduced the President band, but brought it back many decades later as an option on the Day-Date. It is so interesting and unusual to see these bracelet combinations on the Day-Date. Page 162 Pink Gold Day-Date with Oyster Bracelet [Reference 6612B/6611] Circa 1958 Another very unusual combo. This time a pink gold Rolex Day-Date on a matching pink gold Rolex Oyster bracelet. Notice the date is red. This watch also has a fluted pink gold bezel. Page 163 Day-Date with Micro-Braided Bracelet [Reference 1803] Circa Unknown This is yet another example of a white gold Day-Date on an unusual bracelet. This watch watch has baton indices on a black dial. Page 163 White Gold Day-Date [Reference 6613] Circa Unknown This white gold Rolex Day-Date has a diamond bezel with matching five minute diamond markers and dauphin hands. The day and date wheels are in arabic. Rolex has always made the Day-Date model in 26 different languages. This Day-Date has another unusual bracelet. Page 172 Day-Date in Pink Gold [Reference 6605] Circa 1957 This watch also has a day wheel in arabic with a red date wheel with another example of an unusual bracelet. Fluted pink gold bezel with black glossy dial with faceted Baton indices and Alpha hands. Page 178 Limited Edition Day-Date with King Midas Styling [Reference 1831] Circa 1977 Page 179 Limited Edition Day-Date with King Midas Styling [Reference 1831] Circa 1977 This ultra-rare Rolex Day-Date is made from platinum and is 36mm. It is very heavy and weights 287 grams. This watch is number 2 of a limited series of only 8 produced. I call this model the King Midas Day-Date because its design language is so derivative of the limited edition King Midas originally produced in 1964. This watch has a deployant clasp with a Bordeaux lacquered dial with diamond indices and a matching diamond bezel. One could also argue this watch incorporates much of the design language from the Rolex Oyster Quartz watches, but understand this is a purely mechanical auto-winding Rolex watch. To be Concluded: PART 4 of 4 - Next ------->>>>>>>>>>> PART 4 of 4: Rolex Sports Models Page 182 Early Explorer II [Reference 1655] Circa unknown This watch has been popularly dubbed as "The Steve McQueen" despite the fact that Steve McQueen never wore or owned it. Steve McQueen wore a Stainless Steel Rolex Submariner 5512 only. Unlike the current Explorer II which is 40mm. Page 184 Rolex Monometer [Reference 6202] Circa 1953 Rolex came out with their first waterproof watch in 1922 named the Rolex Submarine. Not Submariner, but Submarine. You will see the original Rolex Submarine from 1922 in the last two images of this review. In 1954 Rolex did not own the rights to the word Submariner so they came up with all kinds of interesting names and this watch was named the Rolex Monometer. It is interesting to note the black bezel has single minute markers like the future Rolex Military Submariner which is popularly nicknamed "the Milsub." Page 186 Rolex Submariner with Jubilee Bracelet [Reference 5512/5513] Circa Unknown The photo of the 5512/5513 pictured above is the same model that Steve McQueen always wore. Today many people refer to this model as "The Steve McQueen." Page 186 Rolex Submariner with Jubilee Bracelet [Reference 5513] Circa 1962 This Rolex Submariner was originally sold in South American and has a jubilee bracelet. Page 193 GMT with United Arab Emeritz Eagle Logo [Reference 1675] Circa Unknown Not the rarest customized Rolex GMT, but the eagle looks really cool on the dial. Bakelite Coke bezel in red and black. Page 195 Deep Sea Special [No Reference] Circa 1953 This is a two-tone stainless steel with 9kt yellow gold waterproof Rolex prototype named the Deep Sea Special. It measures 42x62mm. It has a highly domed crystal and screw back with a special screw winding crown. This watch has a serial number 1, and is believed to be one of 7 prototypes made. The watch pictured above was a personal gift from Rolex founder, Hans Wilsdorf. Today, this Rolex Deep Sea Special is in a private collection and the Smithsonian Institute has a different one in its permanent collection. The Rolex Deep Sea Special was constructed for testing to withstand great water pressure and was tested by Professor August Piccard's on his Bathiscaphhe. On November 30, 1953 one of the Rolex Deep Sea Special watches attached to the exterior of the Trieste depth craft submarine, which reached a world-record depth of 3150 meters which is 10,245 Feet or 2 miles down. This was achieved off the coast of Ponza island. After surfacing the watch was carefully inspected and was intact and functioning properly. Page 203 Submariner with Explore 3,6,9 dial [Reference 6538] Circa 1956 This watch was manufactured in the third quarter of 1956. This early Submariner is unusual in many ways including the fact the black bezel does not have the standard 1-15 minute markers and it also has a Rolex Explorer-like 3,6,9 dial with baton indices. The "gilt" (meaning thinly) seconds track, is unusual on the submariner as is the 200/600 printed in red. This watch also has a NATO strap. Page 205 Royal Marines Submariner [Reference A/6538] Circa 1957 This Military Submariner (Milsub) was custom made for and issued to the Special Boat Squadron of the Royal Marines in England. It is 39mm with a prototype revolving metal bezel calibrated for 60 units. This watch also has the 3,6,9 Rolex Explorer like dial with Baton markers, along with the "Mercedes" hour hand. This watch also has a domed crystal. Page 211 38mm Submariner [Reference 5510] Circa 1958 This watch was made in 1958 and sold in Spain. It has a red upside down pyramid indicator surrounding the zero position on the bezel, as well as the 3,6,9 Explorer markers Page 213 British Navy Submariner [Reference 5517] Circa 1972 This Military issue Submariner (Milsub). It was manufactured in the first quarter of 1972 and has a 5513 reference number engraved on the inside of the screw on case which means it was modified. This watch is unusual because it has minute marks for all 60 minutes on the bezel. This watch has "Maxi Marker" indices and "Sword" hands which lack the typical "Mercedes" symbol on the hour hand. It also has the Tritium "T" in the circle designation. This watch has a drab green NATO strap. Page 214 Robert Palmer Sea-Dweller Prototype [Reference 1665] Circa 1967 This is an extremely rare and historical Rolex Sea-Dweller prototype that belonged to famous Canadian diver Robert Palmer. This watch is really unusual in many ways because the case is much thinner than a standard Sea-Dweller and it lacks the typical helium release valve. The photo above shows the sides of the watch pictured below. Page 215 Robert Palmer Sea-Dweller Prototype [Reference 1665] Circa 1967 The dial bears the single red Sea-Dweller designation and has a depth rating of 500M-1650 FT. Page 217 Omani Sea-Dweller [Reference 1665] Circa 1973 This watch was a gift to the SAS (Special Air Service Regiment) officers from the Sultan of Oman, for the operations of counterinsurgency in 1972. The watch was sold by Asprey in London, England and it bears the red signature of the Sultan of Oman whose name is Qaboos bin Said Al Said. Page 219 Omani Sea-Dweller [Reference 1665] Circa 1973 This 40mm Rolex Sea-Dweller was also made for the Omani SAS. It has the custom red emblem of the Sultanate of Oman which is a Khamjar dagger in a sheath over two crossed swords. Page 221 Omani Sea-Dweller [Reference 1665] Circa 1977 This 40mm Rolex Sea-Dweller was also made for the Omani SAS. It has the custom gold emblem of the Sultanate of Oman which is a Khamjar dagger in a sheath over two crossed swords. Page 222 Sea-Dweller [Reference 1665] Circa 1977 This 40mm Rolex Sea-Dweller was made for Comex (Compagnie Maritime d'Expertize) which is a French diving company. The dial bears the Comex logo in place of the world Sea-Dweller. The words Chronometer and Certified are aligned and the maxi markers are closer to the minute track. Page 225 Milgaus Anti-Magnetic [Reference 6541] Circa 1958 This is the first Anti-Magnetic watch ever made and it has a number of fascinating design details. The second hand has a "lightning bolt" shape, with dauphin hands and in the 3,6, and 9 indices positions it has steel triangular markers. The watch is 38mm and was manufactured in the fourth quarter of 1958. It has a Anti-magnetic mild iron dust cover to shield the movement. Page 227 White Dial Explorer [Reference 1016] Circa 1962 This 36mm Explorer is extremely rare because it has an unusual white dial with ivory-colored luminous baton hands. Page 231 Prototype GMT in Yellow Gold with White Dial [Reference 6542] Circa 1958 This ultra-rare 18kt yellow gold prototype GMT has nipple indices and a white dial with "Alpha" hands. It is 38mm in diameter and had a brown acrylic bezel calibrated for 24 hours. The watch was manufactured in 1958 and sold in Italy. Page 232 Pan American International Airlines White Dial GMT Master [Reference 1675] Circa 1960 This watch is extremely rare. Almost all Rolex GMT Master watches have black dials. Rolex originally developed the Rolex GMT at the request of Pan American International Airlines and in Rolex folklore they made black dials for the pilots and white dials for executives. The photo above shows the Pan Am logo engraved in the back of the watch. Page 233 Pan American International Airlines White Dial GMT Master [Reference 1675] Circa 1960 The bezel was replaced on this watch but everything else is original. This watch has a number of interesting design details beyond the rare white dial. The arrow at the tip of the 24 hour hand is very small and the crown guards have an unusual curved to a point shape. Page 238 Cosmograph Daytona in Yellow Gold [Reference 6239] This watch is a real beauty and it is 38mm. Strikingly simple and complicated looking at the same time. It also has a riveted Oyster bracelet. Page 238 Hermes Cosmograph Daytona [Reference 6241] This watch was retailed by Hermes of France and is the John Goldberger's favorite Rolex watch Page 245 Rolex Cosmograph [Reference 6241] Circa 1964 This watch is 37mm in diameter and has an Oyster bracelet with a deployment clasp. Page 249 Albino Daytona [Reference 6239] Circa 1967 The "Albino" Daytona is an ultra-rare and highly collectable Rolex Cosmograph. This watch was originally sold in Great Britain. The Daytona designation is a semicircle printed in red. Page 250 Rolex Cosmograph with Pulsations Scale [Reference 6239] Circa 1968 The photo above shows off how beautiful the Valjoux movement is in the watch pictured below. Page 251 Rolex Cosmograph with Pulsations Scale [Reference 6239] Circa 1968 This Cosmograph is unusual in the sense that it has two scales on the face. The typical tachymeter scale calibrated at 200 units per hour on the bezel and an additional Pulsation scale running around the edge of the matte silvered dial. Page 252 Rolex Daytona [Reference 6241] Circa 1968 The base Valjoux movement pictured above belongs to the Daytona pictured below Page 253 Rolex Daytona [Reference 6241] Circa 1968 It has a nickname of "The Panda." It is 37mm and it has push button pushers for the chronograph functions apposed to the screw-down type on the current Daytona. Page 256 Pulsation Scale Cosmograph [Reference 6262] Circa 1970 The photo of the movement above is from the watch pictured below. Page 257 Pulsation Scale Cosmograph [Reference 6262] Circa 1970 This Rolex Cosmograph has a Jubilee bracelet and it has two scales on it. First it the tachymeter scale on the steel bezel which is calibrated at 200 units per hour. The second is the pulsation scale around the edge of the dial. Page 264 King Midas [Reference 9630] circa 1964 This is the same Rolex that Elvis Presley wore. It was a limited edition Rolex only made 1000 pieces of. The one above belongs to Jerry Goldberger. The image above and below are of the first Rolex waterproof watch ever made. This watch was originally sold in 1922 and it had the name of Rolex Submarine. The way this watch worked, was that when you wear it on your arm it look as it does below, but if you wanted to change the time or wind it, you had to screw off the front bezel as pictured above. ********************************* and that's it!!! For a more detailed review on this book, click on the following link: http://rolexblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/book-review-100-superlative-rolex.html

The only thing wrong with them is the tag on top of a propper name and the modern designs, Heuer any time, tag heuer never!

I used to like the Tag Heuer as a Brand when I was 18 years old, but nowadays I find it an exceedingly boring brand regarding the less complicated replicas.....but then the genuine Monaco Collection has some nice pieces....the genuine Calibre 1 has is nice.......genuine Carrera Calibre S Laptimer 1/100th is ok too

IMHO there are people who calculate their "worth" by what they own. Their possessions define them. That's a pretty slippery slope to live on. Any thing can be taken from you. And then where will you be? We need to develop "who" we are by "what we do". And remember that our "stuff" is just .... stuff.

This is such an interesting subject, and one that will ALWAYS cause controversy. I would guess that I am like 99% of this forum on here and rep geeks.... We are here because we love watches. Not because we love the name printed on the face and we want to impress people. If I am window shopping, it's the design of the watch that catches my eye. In my opinion, people who buy watches to boost their ego's or higher there social standing are just daft. That's why I own about 6 Casio watches, and a few Skagens too.... Because they are pretty... Not because they are £6000 with a name plastered over them. I'm not saying that if I had £10000 spare I wouldnt search out a GEN Pam, because they are a beautiful bit of engineering and design. But not all of us are in that fortunate position. If anything, gen owners should be proud that they have a product that is lusted over, but it is when they get on their high horse that things go belly up. I am in the same boat as vandal. I was looking at GENS first and didn't want to get done over. I didn't come onto this forum thinking 'oooo if I buy a rep I can fool my friends into thinking I'm really wealthy' but if I can show them what a nice bit of design a watch is, they can enjoy it too. I do greatly agree with the forum rules that say if you have a rep, don't go flashing it around to AD. A watch is there to give you a personal feeling, and for you to enjoy, it doesn't have to be flashed around to be 'shown off' Anyway.... That's just a newbies thoughts lol.

I'll Need to do a better photoshoot but my 9411 has returned! Astronomical thanks to RedWatch, Ubiquitous, JMB, and of course it's maker with espresso stains, Nanuq. JMB drilled lug holes and engraved caseback RedWatch and Ubiquitous helped get the watch running again

I paid $343 with shipping for my PO. Just don't want you short changing me...

The winner!!!!!!

It's good to see some fresh enthusiasm about this model. Great job.

The funny thing is, I stumbled into the rep scene while shopping for a gen PO. I was on this thread: http://forums.watchu...ake-542065.html I found out that none of the gen "experts" could tell the difference between a gen and a rep. I don't chime in until page 4. But I quickly learned that most of these guys are douchebags with a superiority complex. I had to ask then, and I still ask now, where's the value in paying an additional $4200 for a gen watch when almost no one can tell the the difference??

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YAY You know when little things make you really happy - this is one of those times. I just took it to pieces, turned the screw roughly 4/5 of a revolution and it now works perfectly. Thanks a lot for the advice guys, it made my day.