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And so it happens that I was sitting down having coffee two nights back with a local friend and watch enthusiast, and who is also a member on both RWI and RWG. The conversation turned, after some perfunctory and bland comparisons of Rolex vs Panerai, Hublot vs AP, to the atmosphere of RWG. He cast me a snide glance and mentioned that RWG was where forum members go to retire, or after they become banned or ousted from RWI. We are, according to my loquacious pal, "too peaceful", and "too quiet", compared to the relatively rambunctious crowd at RWI, the conflicts between their moderators and wayward members, and the perpetual entertainment found at its brig section, where incarcerated members are bashed to a pulpy mess, revived, and the actions repeated to the amusement of the bystanders.. Ok I digress, but only a little. I told him, in the local lingo, that RWG is the home of extraordinary gentlemen. When I think of outstanding gentlemen that make up the community, stellar ones like @astonjenks, @panerai153, @Nanuq etc come to mind. Of course there are a lot more, but these are the ones I interact frequently with, sometimes over random salmon and moose pictures. The members here exude an unmistakable aura of poise, and many a times, money and watches are exchanged among us privately on the basis of mere unadorned words with not even a picture. And the watches and money invariably both arrive without fail, with unerring reliability. In the volatile world of superficial acquaintances and relationships, I do consider this level of trustworthiness among friends extraordinary, and superlatively valuable. Yes, you do not frequently witness exciting drama here, or the fuss and flurry of our neighbor forum, but here, we watch, listen and learn, more than shoot off our mouths like fireworks on the 4th of July. The quiet word can sometimes achieve more than the shouting and the banging on tables. We do not indulge in much vilification of members, or cast disparaging remarks on others for the slightest infractions, but we allow members to learn, and become contributors to the forums in their own rights. Yes we could be the sedentary river compared with the tumultuous torrents of exchange, and yes, we could be the placid lake with hardly any ripples. But hey, I am certain that RWG is what we like our own homes to be, metaphorically speaking. For those who crave the occasional action, it is always easy to hop out to the disco next door, where I concede to have the more exciting atmosphere. Knowledge, information and friendships are gained and forged in the undercurrents here, in steady and refined manners. We are not a pugnacious bunch, no, not even the outwardly tough but a softie at heart @nikki6 who is in a long term relationship with his infamous AP Marcus. Our strength lies in our dignity, and our ability to interact with one another with class and courtesy. Let us understand and embrace who we are, and the place that we have collectively crafted. I am also heartened to see stellar new members like @tango258 from some obscure, remote Island (which he has given up trying to sell me) join us, and of course, veteran dragons like migrating from next door, like @paristoto and @swdivad. We also have the skillful masters with the magic hands, like @SSTEEL, @misiekped, @Grimlocktime. They don't talk much, but they have saved a multitude of watches from death and breathed life and beautified several more, in their own ways. We have also the legendary collectors like @Daytona1984, @Waiwaiet. They like to let their collection speak for them. The people who matter, they are all here. You just need to know who to approach and what to ask. We are in a way like a uptown mall where the goods available are not openly on display. You just need to know where to look. There is of course the obligatory knitting lounge where pink yarns are handed out for the new guys. So Knitting circle? Yes maybe, but its a tight circle for sure. Home is where you come to have a tequila while looking at the sunset, while nibbling on slices of roast moose. (sorry for the moose reference, some member has been spamming me with moose pictures, alternatively as food and as cuddly animals, its disconcerting). So yes, kick off the shoes, and enjoy the pastures here. Take your time to explore and immerse yourself, and you will find delight and solace in the company of extraordinary gentlemen, and the wells of knowledge here. And welcome home.

Knitting circle? No...nothing less than a gentleman forum...watches are what brought us together but friendship and humanity is something we all share and what is the "main cement" between all of us I'd say

Well said Legend! There's a lot of history here, that I'm darn proud to be part of, even in small ways. Years ago we had a member that was pretty volatile and one night he posted (not in so many words) that he was going to commit suicide. The reaction was extraordinary, people that often rubbed each other's noses in crude jests literally got in their cars to drive to his house. It took some time but we found him and literally talked him off the edge. Bricky was the man of the hour, and I believe literally saved a life that night. The next day he was right back to his rock-em sock-em antics. Another time someone needed a ride to see his (literally) dying mother in a hospital far away, and one of our members drove hundreds of miles to pick him up and deliver him to the hospital before she passed. And never a mention in public that he'd done it. Other people here quietly give watches away to people that mention admiration, with never a thought of compensation.... that would take the pleasure out of the giving. We have inactive members with more than 500 watches in their collections, and they never mention it. It's not about the watches. One of them wound up in a hospital on death's door and an intercontinental relay got a rare book put in his hands, in person, as a demonstration that he means something to us, and so he'd have reading material in the hospital. There are dozens of stories like that in this place we call home. "Knitting Circle"? No, I prefer to see us as men who have been there and done that, and it takes an awful lot to get us knocked off balance. Still waters run deep.

Well said good Sir. Once people have crawled out of the primeval ooze of RWI etc they tend to end up here: in the elitist club. I have made some good friends here, people both knowledgable and communicative, ones whom share the same passion with watches that I do. They don't however feel the need to spew endless drivel just for the sake of it. Yes, we're smaller but that's a good thing in my eyes. Less need to police the new members as we all look out for each other. Tolerance is key; look at the likes of Fluffy - hounded off other forums but welcomed here as a contributor. Gentlemen, raise your glass to RWG.cc (the sun is over the yardarm somewhere in our small world!)

I'll bring the tequila Legend ...

That made a deep and lasting impression on me. I know who was involved and those who offered to help. I joined all the rep forums looking for information. I'm also on other forums that reflect my interests. However there is a reason this is my homepage and it's not about what I can get out of it. Slowly I am getting to know members here, some I have had direct contact with. In time I hope to meet a few at get togethers. In a year or so I will retire and have time to dedicate to this hobby. The thing about the ethos of this little knitting circle or gentleman's club is that it inspires gentlemanly behaviour in new members. I feel an obligation to be polite and respectful and to pay back the generousity of members by paying forward. To be honest the onus of that weighs on me much more than the prospect of being sent to the Brig ever could.

Still on the road with the Pepsi.

Oh ! I love it on leather [emoji6] [emoji632]

Nice, Tom! I'll bring the moose steaks.

Early 5513 (1964) hands are gilt. I can assure you'll not be disappointed with JK hands. http://www.jkhorological.com/Product-detail.php?product-id=2477 [emoji632]

Yes I did that on my 6538 and 5500 builds too. You can buy nice hands on JKHOROLOGICAL. Same as Clark's Tudor but for half the price and shipped in a week. [emoji632]

Silver hands sanded to brass with 2000 grade sand paper. [emoji632]

Exactly.

[emoji632]

Nice dial, where did you get that from? It also looks like the grove in the bracelet link to the sel is missing? How did you get rid of that?

My plan is working! (rubs hands together)

Magnificent! (swings shiny pocket watch) You're getting sleepy... sleeeeeepy... so very very sleepy. You want to send me this watch. You NEED to send me this watch. Sleepy, so very sleeeeeepy.... [emoji12]

Very well said @Legend. I'm glad to retire peacefully

Beautiful. Outstanding work with this! Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

Today's specs. V2 Cartel 5512 case sanded, polished, and CG's modded to PCG. Athaya 700 crown. Clark's 25-19 plexi. Cartel insert bleached and heated to brownish. Cartel hands sanded and relumed. Glossy gilt dial. Gen 93150 bracelet. Gen 580 endlinks. A2836 with Selita SW220 mixed parts. [emoji632]

"the cartel sub cases are also a very decent buy these days after they fixed the whole stubby CGs issue" +1 Totally agree. They are a good choice for Eta projects but do not know if a rolex 15xx no date or date movement will fit. If anyone wants to send me an empty (no movement) later cartel case, I will try a rolex 1575 date with 26.5mm Yuki dial and 1520 no date with 26.0mm Yuki dial in the case. They both will not fit the same case but I can see which one might. ...or if anyone is ordering a watch, maybe they can get an extra one for me and I will pay them and post what I find out, I'm in the USA. I tried to order one a few times but my CC would not work on a foreign order.

Message crafted while riding a leathery juvenile T-Rex and charging toward the horizon.

OK B, congrats! The Jubilee band is on its lonesome and harrowing flight to Anchorage now though.

My new PCG say Hi ! [emoji632]

yes, not hard to apply either. stick the hands opening on a tooth pick upside down and apply. build up the layers gradually allowing for time to dry. if you accidentally get paint somewhere you dont want you can gently use the broad end of the toothpick to peel it away even when dry. just dont use sandpaper as it will reveal the brass underneath. heres the iodine and bake treatment i used on this MBW 5513 many years ago. applied to hands and markers. couldnt find a pic of the enamel paint relume ive done before but i was way more satisfied with the outcome of acrylic paint than the iodine one. to give you an idea of what the acrylic ivory paint would look like heres a terrible relume job i did to this dial. YEAH I ALREADY SAID IT WAS BAD. first attempt ever. just picture the texture and color on the hands and no outside the lines.

With AP cal.3126/3840 movement installed. Message crafted while riding a leathery juvenile T-Rex and charging toward the horizon.