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Old Jewelry case display from a friend. Almost makes my rep look real. I have alot of empty slots to fill

OK, here is my two cents. After reading thru this post daily, I too had concerns. Mike has one of my watches in his possession for repair. I too, had not heard from him in weeks, since this debacle began. I heard from him today, and he informed me that I can do one of two things: 1. He will return my watch un-serviced....OR, 2. He will service my watch in due time, (as soon as possible) and then charge me for the repair, and return my watch. I chose to have him service the watch, charge me for the cost of the repair, and return the watch with post charges, and bill me for the total. I have had Mike work on a number of watches for me in the past, prior to all this hub bub, and was happy with his work, pricing and abilities as a watchsmith. Although I understand all of the concerns of other members in this post, I feel (like others) that I needed to give Mike the benefit of the doubt, taking in to consideration the issues he has been dealing with. I have not posted any negative comments during this diatribe out of respect for his past performance in dealing with me...personally. I found many of the negative comments here to be malicious, and unnecessary. I feel vilified to have heard from him today, explaining the delay in communication, and offering to take responsibility for his situation by doing the right thing. I hope that others in my situation will also give Mike the benefit of the doubt, and wait to hear from him concerning their individual issues. If those people that have had negative experiences during this period of turmoil for him, my advice is to mellow out and treat him with a little respect and understanding. Of course it is easy for me to say, but that is the way it is. FWIW.

Well I've been bitten by the vintage bug big time! Picked up this MBW red 1680 beauty last week from a fellow member(omgiv) and it already had a couple nice mods already completed a gen crystal - gen crown - gen tube. About to do my first mod with a gen insert that arrived yesterday along with a lightly aged MBW insert. So here's my dilema I can't decide whether to age the gen insert or not and if I did I don't want to over do it - just a light aging. Or leave it and let it age on it's own. Here's a pic with the aged rep insert installed and then with the gen insert placed on top. Next up will be dropping in a better dial. Can't believe I waited so long to go vintage.

What's wrong with the watch on thebestsub.nl? And wich dealer has a better one?

New shoes on the speedy

:thumbsupsmileyanim: those were the days

Good old times

PAM 326 ti today before it finds a new owner!

Click here

What he said. The original 6538 has amazingly svelte curves and only Phong and MQ come close to matching it. They say the devil is in the details, and truer words were never spoken. Many people couldn't identify a real Big Crown case, but close matches are out there ... and you'll pay dearly for them. Get ready to drop a Grover on something most people would never recognize. Then you get to dials. Yes there are very nice $300 pieces, but soon you get caught up again in the devil's details and before you know it you're spending $1,500 for a dial, glad for the opportunity. Then you need a genuine 8mm Big Crown to match your expensive case and dial, another $1,000 out the window. And you can't bear to cut the feet off your $1,500 dial so you go looking for a gen 1030 movement, for another $1,000. What's this? You want a genuine Tropic-17 crystal for your build? Hah, good luck ... your money isn't making one appear from the ether of rare vintage parts. Hmmmm. You need a bezel upgrade you say? That'll be $1,000 please. Inserts are sold separately. As are the pearls. Before you know it you're $4,500 into a frankenwatch that 99% of the public cannot tell from a $500 Raffles build. And you're scared to use the thing because of the investment. Welcome to the madness.

Here you go! http://www.hadleyroma.com/2013HRCatalog.pdf I personally like the MS851(leather) and MS850 (cordura). Could probably squish the 22mm into the 3789 since it has 21mm lugs.

Might seem like splitting hairs to you, and it very may well be ... but I'm entitled to provide my two cents as OP did ask "what do you guys think?". Keeping it as real as can be Gran, the second photo you posted is the IWC 3880-01. This model indeed has the red center tail on the seconds hand jet equal lengths, but in all IWC 3789-01 models, tail is always shorter in the center when compared to left and right wings. I know, it's a small flaw... but it's just one of those things that catches your eye once you're aware of it. Granted, 99% of the population wouldn't be able to tell, but a flaw is a flaw. In any case, this model doesn't look too shabby, overall the IWC reps are fairly well made.