Leaderboard

From my own experience in dealing wih modders/watchsmiths...I have never compared them or had expectations from them that I would expect from business' in the real world (so to speak).. I have had many many watches modded/worked on over the years and have used near on every watchguy on the forums.... their service and terms of service all varies and the length of time I have waited has too..I think the longest was 9 months... I accept that time as part of the rep game and certainly the modding game... and in that instance it was due to sourcing a part... but it is not unusual to be waiting 3,4,5 months for a watch mod job of say lume, service and AR.. I would say 3 months is a minimum in most cases including shipping etc and not allowing for personal issues and holidays etc that the watchguy is having.. I have never considered those times to be excessive .... but the one thing I always expected and always got was a regular update... Now again I dont always expect a personal update...sometimes modders/watchsmith will post an update on their section or in the general discussion.... and simply it says ...that things/work has slipped..for what ever reason... and orders will be delayed... if I see that then I switch off for a month.. That is and always has been enough for me in the game that is.... I would also accept it in this case ..regardless of some of the comments here... and that, IMHO is the only part of this saga that I would ask from any modder... I really feel for Mike... he has proved himself to be a good member around here and was only trying to offer an option to us guys...OK maybe he took on more than he should and/or didnt realise just how quickly doing work like this can impact on your normal life and in your original timings.. I have seen it so many times before... I can also understand how he reacts to some of the comments and tone in thsi thread... we can all react on the offensive when we feel we are under attack and sometimes the need to remove how you personally feel is hard to remove from these situations and in your reaction... I also understand how over whelming this sitaution can be and how threads or rather commments within threads like this can only add to that sensation and emotional turmoil... I am sure Mike will comethrough for every one and I think that the help he is getting from other guys to try and get things back on track can only help... But I would suggest that we allow some time/space and maybe have a central point for updates so that there is a chance for outstanding works to be assessed and then returned/completed etc etc... We cant allow ourselves to add to that turmoil by building up a negative momentum.... I was reading about the tragic news of Reg the other day..... and I in no way want to comapre his situation to this...I do think some responses from guys in respect of that news does highlight ( Thier first response was to start PMing guys asking about thier orders and money) the need of us as a community to take a breath and allow some space and time for Mike to reflect and start getting things back on track.... I am sure if we let him he will... I am sure some of you wont agree or even understand what i am trying to say.... it is just my pennys worth... from my own experience in dealing with modders...

That dial is heaven, you make me want this watch badly and I am certainly not a PANERAI man

UPDATE: Panerai models to insert Luminor Base Luminor Marina Luminor Auto 40mm Luminor Auto 44mm Luminor Hunter Luminor Power Reserve Luminor GMT Luminor Chrono 40mm Luminor Chrono 44mm Luminor 1950 Manual Luminor 1950 Auto Luminor 1950 GMT Luminor 1950 Chrono Luminor Submersible Luminor 1950 Submersible 44mm Luminor 1950 Submersible 47mm Radiomir Base 45mm Radiomir Black Seal 45mm Radiomir Base 47mm Radiomir Titanium 47mm Radiomir Power Reserve 47mm Radiomir Chrono 42mm Radiomir Chrono 45mm Radiomir Egizano Radiomir Mare Nostrum AND A TEASER:

Just imo here but I would go with the ceramic in terms of those two, with reservations though. The V5 PO is a pretty average rep out of the box, it was good 3 years ago when it was released, but by rep standards these days it falls well short in terms of AR, lume, bracelet, pearl, crown/tube which has a strong tendency to strip etc. The good thing about it is it had a 1:1 caseset so was a great model for frankening with gen parts which are readily available from ofrei/cousinsuk etc. The ceramic on the other hand is a recent release, and has improvements over the old out of the box, but still has some issues. It definitely has better lume, AR, bracelet than the old which instantly make it pop more, but does suffer from some half assed detailing on the dial/bezel etc. The bezel numbers have a tendency to fade, the crowns don't seem too great although a little better than the old V5. The 45mm ceramic/LM is a little better in some regards...better dial etc. In terms of 42mm the best PO at the minute is the new 42mm LMPO, which is a rep of the older closed caseback limited edition version. Great case, crown, bezel, tube, AR, superlume make it a step above the others. Only issue seems to be a tendency for crooked markers/logos on the dial, that is a basic qc error and is up to the buyer to reject until they are offered one they are pleased with. Outstanding rep though, if they fix the silly dial issue it will be considered a superrep. Hope this helps a little. In fact, if really looking for the old standard PO and the glossy LM isn't your cup of tea, I would suggest buying the new LMPO anyway, and find yourself an old V5 dial hands, bezel insert (or better yet gen dial/hands and modded or gen insert) and transplant them into the LMPO. With that you have an instant great old PO with great AR, bracelet, crown/tube, He valve etc at a much cheaper price than modding the V5.

Yep - that's why I think it's easier to try to get in there then let the acetone work, rather than dig the whole thing out manually. Less chance of damaging the marker Sometimes if you can get a chip in there down far enough, it wil actually just dissolve enough around the bottom and edges that the whole lump of lume will fall out.

Agree on the chipping.... the best tool I accidentally found was the long pin from a set of hand removers..in the centre within the spring Also be careful you aint digging at the marker itself...obvious I know but easy done..

Like you, I've seen this post from the start, but am surprised by your response. A bit haughty, eh? While there are certainly some here that may be a bit hyper-reactive, the simple reality is MD2020 choked. And still is. It doesn't take a business degree to see the utter failure of the CARDINAL RULE of business here, customer service. Regardless of reason, business is business, and to stay in business and be successful, THE CUSTOMER ALWAYS COMES FIRST. Sure, life rears its ugly head, but the rule still applies. The two things that would rectify this situation are simple, communication and a complete return of each watch in either commissioned work completion, or as received. In as quick a manner humanly possible. There is absolutely NOTHING worse than a bunch of excuses laid out to justify a failure. As my dad once told me, and it is an axiom I practice to this day, under promise and over deliver. This is not even close to the case here...

For me, the quality of the Pam reps are so high, and the simplicity of the design it's hard not to be in love. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

sorry was typing on my phone last night long day with the fiance thanks guys appreciate the input

glad it was revived THAT is awesome looking! not an LV fan, but with the matte dial it is def better than the original modern LV. was it determined if this was a startime case?

When I get one that just won't dissolve with acetone, I usually pull it out, try to chip a little off the top with a razor or screwdriver, then back into the acetone. Sometimes just getting some penetration into it for the acetone to work is what you need. Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

Some times you have to chip the old lume out, it is like it is a resin of unobtainium

Great photos Marty! Nice watch

Looks lovely when covered in droplets. Looks better than most SEIKOS ive seen around recently. Strap setup is excellent on this watch. Date is both printed and indicated with arrow on the dial, damn Swiss do have a sense of humor.

I am unsure if it's a good idea to link it, but if you have a look at the "market" on todays first page..currently near the top...there's a very interesting Tudor! I'd almost buy it for the caseback alone