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I always loved the FF elegance. I bought a DSN rep (Tornek Rayville) back in 2007; finding it too far out of the minimal standards to call it an homage. Found later the "Phong" version but was far off my budget. That version always stayed in mind though. Two months ago I had a business meeting in Hanoi and ending it earlier than expected I went for a long walk, as I always do. A couple of watchsmith stalls on the way around the central lake and I find a motorbike repair garage with some "old" watches on display. All franken; a red ranger, an IWC marked with a king´s arrow dial, some Hamiltons and a black leather pouch branded Bl*ncp*in. I asked to check the pouch and could not believe what was inside. I was asked 4.500.000 VND (around 200USD) pouch included and did not even think of negotiating. The nato strap was cheap and green and it wrinkled between the lugs (lug space is 19mm and strap was 20mm). The watch stopped one week after my return. Mvmt ( A.S Cal. AS1361 as informed by my watchsmith) was dry and full of dirt. This is the "Phong" FF, with a big difference; the price. After service the whole damage was around 320USD. Its a beautiful, beautiful watch. I had one of the luckiest walks ever.

"Let's not forget it wont be a fair test to compare a 1970's 316 case with a 2000 904 steel." All is fair in love and war.

Pam 671 on “The Mira” from Kyros_straps Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

"Unfortunately I cannot be of great assistance with the mvmt you are looking for, but I can ask around and if something surfaces I will surely let you know." Thanks for the info. Those watches look good. My favorite 1960s through 1970s issued mil-watches are the Benrus models with the one piece case. I bought a few back when they were $40 or $50 before the prices took off. They came with manual wind Eta hacking movements and make good everyday watches. I have seen a few Durowe movements on eBay in various watch brands but they were $75 or more and still would need to be cleaned and oiled. For that reason I am looking for a low $$ example, should not be hard to find as there were a lot of them made. I have quite a few odds and ends watches in my junk/parts box and I might even have a Durowe movement, I just have not taken the time to look. These movements may show up with a few different brand names stamped on them...Durowe, INT, LACO (Lacher & Co) etc. LACO is known mainly for military type watches.

Easiest solution is to send it to me. I'll modify it so the bezel doesn't turn at all. [emoji56]

There are several watches that i would never buy the gen because the reps are close enought: -CrPO dial, case, hands, bezel are like 98% close to the gen (got the gen parts back when available at cousinsuk) people complains about the movement but is it not visible on your wrist -16610LV TC damn close too -new daytonas with SA4130, there are waiting lists and for that money you can franken a couple of reps with gen parts ( big red and panda)

X-Flotiglia kind of day in the garden [emoji218] Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

less simple, please

How simple do you want to go? Redneck solution is simply to wrap a couple of turns of dental floss around it😀

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I have compared a $418 noob V8 sub with a $528 Noob v9 904L steel, and would personally go for the V9, simply because of the better engravings and the better datewheel, not because the steel is "better". I have found no difference in steel. The "story that 904 is much more shiny, brighter, etc" is bs (or marketing), as 316 steel can be finished much brighter than the 904 steel's noob/vrf/etc's factory finish somewhere in the swiss alps of Guangzhou, in the end of the day its about the final finish and what methods are used. (I am not going to get into the details of each particle, molecule, and reactions of these metals, as I am sure by the time its called for that, by then the movements will chew itself within time). However, when one places a v8 and v9 (904) next to each other regardless of the sun, neon, or any other lighting there is absolutely no difference and they both look the same. Second, they even said that the v9's bezel is constructed from a GEN sample that also is a hoax as there is no difference between the v8 and v9 bezel. It's the same bezel construction. Just difference in engraving (namely inner end links, and rehaute), and different datewheel. ( compared in August 2018 - every batch they change something slightly). Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

This is easy... Panerai[emoji572] The reason... simple... the reps are so damned good why bother, and plus... Have you seen the size of the boxes they come in!!! Would have to buy a bigger house for them [emoji23] Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Nanuq, with some delay, but here they go. I am not a great shooter though...

I will avoid TAG Heuer!! and any stainless steel or plated watch with an eta movement, as I can do better in buying a replica here from a dealer with an eta already in it and will come out cheaper! Also the new fat lug rolex models with ceramic bezel just do not sell unless I can buy it for a fraction of the price and flog it off for half price to someone else, making us both happy!! Modern mechanical watches are becoming like the old quartz watches with their silicone hairsprings and other parts not being possible to be made according to traditional watchmaking methods!

AP & Rolex --> For me, they are good enough as replicas (put some 2xAR and they are amazing). The price is also right to afford multiple models

For me it's without doubt the 1675, early PCG model. Why? Come on, the old GMT Master is such an iconic, easy to spot, watch and yet there is no decent off the shelf model. And here lies why I would never buy a gun (apart from cost!) You see, if you truly love this watch and own the rep, you are on a seemingly never ending journey to make it 'just right' you look at it and no matter how good it is, you have put so much research into it that you know even when the tiniest detail is not right, it niggles away at you to make it better. If I bought a gen, I would not have that drive, that passion nor 'want' I fear I would become bored with it 😞 But I have an in-perfect 1675 that I built from each individual piece, sculpted the case, collected many parts from various sources battled to get them all to fit and look 'right' But alas...I have a long journey ahead of me. I LOVE IT!!

yes they are....😄

I've posted a couple of threads here about my 16613 that I bought back in March. First thread, everyone said the dial was terrible, which it was, and the worst thing, the case is none gen like and will not accept a gen bezel or crystal. Since I'm pretty into frankens, I was not happy with the watch, but what the heck, it could be fixed. When folks post here, and ask about building watches, I have always chimed in with advice about deciding what you want to do, make a budget and try as much as you can to stick to it. Sort of "plan your build, build your plan" great advice, right, too bad I'm not good at taking my own advice. I think now with 20-20 hindsight, a piecemeal build is probably the most dangerous to your wallet. you do a little something, quit for a while decide to do more, buy a couple of parts, send it off and when you get it home, you repeat the cycle. Sort of like someone building a two room house and then adding a new room every year or two until he has a 3 bedroom 2500 Sq. Ft house. in the end, lots more expensive than building it the first time. So here is my little tale of the "add on "watch. This watch has a long torturous history!! I bought it from a repgeek member in Greece. It started life as an old Eddie Lee TW best 16613 sub. I purchased a gen insert and crown from a member here. I sent it to Matt (mymanmatt) and he installed the insert, and a gen tube and the gen crown. He told me at the time the case was not gen like construction and he couldn't get the bezel off without bending it. Also it wouldn't take a gen crystal. So we went with what we had. I posted a review with a bunch of photos on RWG, and everyone pretty much agreed including me the dial was horrible. So back to Matt and a gen dial which he procured for me. When I got it back, the lumi dial glowed like a torch, but the rep hands were not so good, so I packed it up and sent it up to MD2020 to get the hands lumed to match the dial, no problem, got it done, got it back and the lume was very nice, matched perfectly. In the meantime, I got hold of a ST3135 case. This one is very, very close to the gen case. Matt also found a brand new 18k aftermarket bezel that I purchased, so packed it up and back to Matt for the third time. He replaced the case with the 3135 case, installed the 18k bezel, a gen crystal, gasket and retaining ring, my gen dial and insert and drilled out the bracelet endlinks to accept gen springbars. So 6 months later the only thing left from the old TW best 16613 are the movement, hands and bracelet!! It took a while and had I done my homework before buying rather than after, I might have just started with parts and gone from there. I got the watch in early March and got it back in the final version from Matt this past Thursday. So total three trips to Dallas and one to Chicago. Too bad I couldn't get frequent flier miles for it's travels. Sum total, I very reluctantly added up what it cost me, and the total comes out to a little North of 2.1K. I'm not real sure what I could have saved by starting off with a TC 16613 or just a gen spec case to start with, but if I had assembled all the parts at th4e beginning, it would have meant one trip to the watchmaker, not three. So that alone probably saves 120 or so dollars just in postage and insurance. Well no matter the costs, and all those trips to the PO, it's done, and finished!!! Nothing more, just a lot of wrist time.