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This one was thrashed within an inch of its life and it took nearly 20 years to put it back to almost-as-delivered condition. No amount of searching is going to reveal a NOS red triangle insert so this is as far as she goes.

Started another one for one of the members Yuki came so dirty and dry as usually so service is need before any parts could be added Movement striped down ready for cleaning Ready for assembly On the left genuine parts for 3185 Mainspring brake oil Closing the barrel with proper tool And done Mike Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

First of all a big thanks to Toro Bravo for a lightning fast delivery and smooth transaction. You can't go wrong with him and he is definitely on his way to being one of the best dealers throughout the boards. So here it is guys. My review and opinion on the new p3000 clone. I will not go into the watch itself because member Ale has done some very extensive research and has aded all the info to his 'panerai bible' so look it up. I will start with a short 'management summary' before I continue to the pictures. This movement is not based on an existing movement. It has 2 barrels and the movement design mimics the genuine p3000 design. It is however completely different. Genuine parts are absolutely not interchangeable. I have never taken apart a genuine p3000 so I can only go by internet pictures. If I would have to set my money on a manufacturer of the p3000 clone it would be the factory that produces the IWC Jones movement. In terms of finishing and design I get the same vibe. Besides both barrels the movement was oiled properly and clean. Parts were finished well according to rep standards. Some plating issues here and there and discolouration of metal. But when dealing with Chinese movements this is normal and it does not affect long term reliability. The p3000 clone was easy to take apart and is absolutely serviceable. Getting it back together is a different story. The gear train is extremely wobbly and the gear train plate very difficult to assemble. You need a special tweezer in order to reach all the gears and align them properly with the jewels. It was perhaps the hardest bridge I have ever had to install. Especially because spare parts are non existent. So if you break one little pivot say bye bye to the movement. Also because most jewel holes lay very deep it is almost impossible to see what you are doing when oiling them. Even with a 10x loupe you are almost working in the dark... But when finished this movement runs like a champ and I see no reason why it would be any less reliable than an 6497. I think this p3000 clone is on par. I can not yet comment of the power reserve as I immediately torn the movement apart to review but I suspect it will reach those 72h without a problem. The details: When I first saw the p3000 when it came out a couple of weeks ago I was very excited. The p9000 clones could not get my motor started as they did not clone any of it's functions. Only the aesthetics was looked after with some decorative plates. A pig in a dress or whatever you want to call it. But this new p3000 clone however was a whole different story. I could clearly see this was not based an existing movement (e.g. 7750/ 6497/2824 etc). So I did not hesitate and ordered one right away to review... Upon arrival I could not take my eyes from the back. The movement just looks gorgeous. Nice detail inside case back They even hid the ugly movement tabs underneath the pretty ones lol. Before taking the movement apart I put it on the timegrapher. It runs at 21.600 bph and the amplitude was ok but rate and beat were off. As this new movement has a free sprung balance (so I thought) I was a bit terrified as regulating it can be a b!tch. However upon closer inspection I noticed the rate stud hidden order the bridge. Thank god! That means the stellar screws on the balance are for show and this movement can be regulated like any other. Here you can see it more clearly with the decorative plate removed. An incabloc shock absorber which is also very reliable. Solid bridge and underside balance view. Clean "POL" engraving underneath the balance. No clue what it stands for. The oiled barrel jewels Look at the 3 layered dial!!!!!.... That will need a special canon pinion right? Huh?.. That is a deep hole. No special canon pinion but special hands. So forget replacing them.. Here you can see the base plate with the dial removed. Nicely finished and clean. No date option and a normal keyless which has some grease... Some part close ups.. Here is the barrel bridge removed. Nice and solid. The 2 barrels exposed The underside of the barrel bridge (I used foil with this movement as the brushed plates are prone to scratches) Barrel 1 (clean but not oiled) Barrel 2 (clean but not oiled) Here you can see both main springs. The barrel 2 mainspring is longer. Here is the gear train. Completely different than the gen p3000 with a aded pinion to transfer the power to the top of the movement: the canon pinion (= minute wheel) The pinion I'm talking about Other parts are also well finished Final shot on the timegrapher taken a hour ago after full service and regulation. Performing like a gen ... Here is a genuine p3000 (pictures from Google search) and you can see the similarities and differences in bridges and gears. Well that was all folks. Hope you liked the review. Based on my findings I would say the watch is definitely worth the extra $100. Although not a 100% the same in appearance and function as the p3000 it comes very close. Maybe the closest we will ever see? It is a reliable movement and it will give you that extra dimension of a genuine feeling. I'm still testing it so unfortunately I can not yet comment on the power reserve whether it actually is 72h. But I think it will come close. Tanks for reading Mark

Sent from my droptop using telepathy [emoji466]️

I'm not sure that they are changing the rules, or just becoming more draconian in their enforcement. In one respect I can see where they are coming from, preventing "fly by night" con artists coming on the forum offering services or back door deals and then disappearing with a pile of members cash and/ or watches. Now we all know that Matt, jmb and StoneP are good guys and they all are well known here. In one respect, being more forceful would have prevented the MD2020 debacle over here, as he was never a "trusted vendor" with his own page. I believe that what they are trying to do is force everyone to be a supporting vendor,pay a fee and be in a section where they can watch you! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Ah la vache!

Now that's hardcore.

That's an incredibly nice result! Dang.... my Big Gonzo pales in comparison. I've got to see more photos of that case. Be sure to post some up when it arrives. The droop and gorgeous inverted canoe shape is spectacular.

Yes today is about thanks. My heart felt thanks to all who have served. Thank you for protecting our freedoms. Words cannot describe the respect I have for your sacrifices. Sent from my droptop using telepathy [emoji466]️

Thanks my friend. Just home after 18 straight hours in the car to find an email with some beautiful pics and you were nice enough to post here. Sent from my droptop using telepathy [emoji466]️

Here's a preview before it gets packed up for the westcoast. (7206 not included [emoji6])

great 1st post, no hello, no nothing, straight to your problem. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Joking aside, congrats on the HIW, I used to play that God forsaken game and I can understand the thrill you must have got. Announcing it here is sure gonna give you a hefty drinks bill.

old photos...

Amen! He sees a friendship when he looks at the time and not $ signs. Beautiful thing Your pcg rocks!!

Haven't worn this for a couple of weeks.

Sent from my droptop using telepathy [emoji466]️

PAM 604 on Orloff for the Monaco Grand Prix today :-) Come on Lewis AJ

Honestly, you probably won't see a decline. there are a lot of guys there who will stay around for a long time. As long as they don't incur the wrath of the admin's. there is no reason to believe that anything will happen to them. I do go over there, as their AP section is by far the most active of the rep forums. They also have a very active sales section. However they do have a fair number of guys who are not so knowledgeable. The sales threads are sometimes almost amusing. When you list a Rolex 16610 as a Super Franken", which consists of a "genuine" ETA movement, gen insert and maybe a gen crown, that's oversell at it's max.

Here's the finished product! See the build thread for more pictures and details. 1966 Rolex 5513 Submariner, PCG, Gilt Gloss Underline Dial.

AP - Porsche (RO and ROO is the 911 equivalent) Richard Mille - Pagani (very exclusive, use of special materials) Christophe Claret - Koenigsegg (high and innovative complication) Rolex - Mercedes (large range of product from low to high) Breitling - Jaguar Zenith - Corvette Panerai - Lexus Hublot - Lamborghini (materials usage) Omega - Toyota (high number of watches/cars produce each year) Tissot - GM (high number of watches/cars produce each year) IWC - BMW Breguet - Maserati JLC - Audi (high complications for JLC compare to Audi technology) Blancpain - Lotus Casio - Hummer (g-shock are tough) Tag Heuer - VW Patek - Ferrari Vacheron - Bentley Lange - Rolls Royce Smartwatches - Tesla Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk