frankt

Sorry to hear of your loss... I often get into trouble with my relatives at funerals and such when someone says: "well..It's god's will", and I usually reply: "yeah he's a real [censored] isn't he..??"

HKTan sells a reportedly excellent replacement strap for the Santos http://repgeek.com/forumdisplay.php?f=61

The "State of the Art" technology during my younger days: I still have this watch BNIB in my collection....

Absolutely grotesque!! Tantamount to painting a moustache on the Mona Lisa!! A beautiful body like hers can only be degraded by foolishly doodling all over it!!

Back in '65 I took a ride in the back seat of an F4 wearing my Rolex Ex1....It was an orientation run to familiarize me with the environment aboard the aircraft that I was "CAP assisting" from the carrier I was a radar man aboard off the coast on "Nam"... The pilot was a buddy of mine, and he decided to really bust my cahones by really "wringing it out"....I'm not sure how many G's a Mach 2+ aircraft can generate when really pushed and gyrated, but my Rolex survived the ordeal way better than my stomach!! I later found out that the "driver" had a bet with his squadron mates that I'd puke all over the flight deck as soon as I deplaned.....He won!! But my trusty Rolex emulated a Timex!!..(took a lickin and kept on tickin)!! ;)

Mine (pic in my post above) came from there...I'm well satisfied with it....

You can also get that bracelet from http://www.suppaparts.com/ for $49.99...He ships from Thailand. Mine took @3 weeks to get to Fl. I haven't polished mine....I like it the way it is...

Ploprof v 1.5 Asian 21 J....Under $ 150. at many places...Add a $50. Suppaparts mesh bracelet... What's not to love there...???

I shudder at the thought of trying to board a plane wearing one of those!!!

Sounds like that Mexican POS scammer that's been lurking around!! He changes his name daily!!

They're all pretty much alike, version for version....Take your pick....You won't be disappointed by any of the recommended dealers here... Don't wait too long...The "cartel" just raised their prices $20.00 on everything!!

My Ploprof went up $20. at PC.....So I guess it's true!!

This is my "go to" dress chrono: It's a 'fantasy' model, but it just looks elegant on the 2 or 3 occasions a year I wear a shirt with buttons!! Here's a wristie...:

The one I got from Josh @ a month ago for $148. has no happy feet, and a 1 piece uncoated crystal...See my "wristie" above...

My "191.5" panny I bought this @ 5 yrs ago from someone on some unremembered forum, who did the "Oxy-Clean" treatment, but forgot to remove the Tachy ring before soaking the case, destroying the printing... With its Seagull St-19 still beating true, it's still one of my favorites... And since I don't have even a foggy idea what a "tachy" scale is used for, and maybe @ .00001% of the planet has ever even heard of a 192, the flaw is of no conseqence at all, except for resale value. And since I'll never sell it...who cares...???

Here's a shot of my "el-cheapo" 21j Plopper: After @ 2 weeks, it is indeed within the specs shown!

My answer to the orange button thingy: Simply say:"It's a bezel lock button", then push it down and turn the bezel..."see..??"..!! IMNSFHO, having a functional button would be more of a PITA...I'm certainly not taking it diving (hint...I got my open water SCUBA certification @ 40+ yrs ago!!), so having a non locking bezel is a PLUS with me!! And expecting an Asian "clone" of a Swiss movement, to automatically be superior to a regular 2813, from most likely the same factory is the stuff dreams are made from!! ("Trusted dealer's" dreams!!)

have you considered the "V 1.5" ??..>> it only lacks the functioning bezel lock, 2 piece back, and V2 clasp... And...It has the superior V-1 bezel, and no pesky blue tinged AR to deal with.. and you can get one with the very decent functioning 21j movement for @ $150.!! My 21j keeps time @ -5sec/ day CONSISTENTLY, and if I place it face down at night, it's almost dead on!! As a "niche" watch, rather than one to be worn exclusively, IMNSFHO, spending big $$'s on one isn't wise. Here's mine on a generic black military rubber from Modena Watch.. and BTW, the crystal IS a 1 piece sapphire not the laminated mess on the early models.

Be very careful dealing with "Josh"!! He's a great dealer, but.....There are several "not so great" arsehowles out there, masquerading as him!! They might ship you a watch, but if you have a problem, you're Screwed!! Make absolutely CERTAIN you are dealing with the RIGHT "perfect clone"....not some other "not so perfect clone"!!!

IIRC, all those "faux" Plops that were sold "back in the day" were of Vietnamese origin, with hand made cases, designed solely to SWINDLE folks!!...I would be very surprised to learn that there was ever any "production runs" on those cases.

My rep 20mm has the 952 "right side up", and the pin access slots are real clean and beveled, and it came on a 5+ yr old 45.5mm, definitely "NON U" PO.... Oddly, a few weeks ago, while grocery shopping a German fellow noticed it on my wrist, and proudly showed me his obviously gen "pumpkin" PO...He then complimented me on my choice of watches!! Apparently all of the crazy "hoops" some of us jump through to try to get as close to gen as possible are something of an exercise in futility in the real world......My $85.00 rep, with all its flaws passed the scrutiny of a gen owner with flying colors!

My NEVER FAIL solution!!: @ 10 yrs ago, I began noticing how noisy some of the rotors were on my auto watches... I fixed it permanently over the past 5 or 6 years by simply becoming 69 yrs old!! These days, I can't HARDLY EVEN HEAR THEM TICK!! ...;-)...;-)

Here's my chrono version: i bought it in '02 it's perfect except for its size ,39mm.....

When did the dials change..??? Mine has "automatic" in red, and "200m/660ft" Is this the 42 MM "mini version..??

When did the dials change..??? Mine has "automatic" in red, and "200m/660ft" Is this the 42 MM "mini version..??