w0lf

H-Factory PAM88I, the one for around $330 is the best one you can get. Pay attention to QC, make sure you get one with a quality timegrapher readout - it should really be your only concern when getting this model as it's quite accurate. It does have some small nits, and one relatively big one as they haven't managed to nail the subdial color precisely (if that bothers you opt for a PAM237H instead) but it's a very good replication overall.

5514, 5513, 1680 for me

Check with member Senator, I think he managed to to fix it somehow.

The cartel version of 24A, serial A1488/1500 with a more accurate and desirable case has been out of production since 2008. Like Watchmeister has already mentioned DSN is the only game in town now.

You shouldn't be, actually. Over the years, the factories have been trying to come up with ingenious designs due to lack of quality machinery. The early attempts produced combination crystals in order to mimic the OEM crystal construction. In the absence of proper optics lapping fpu abrasives and directional milling that are necessary to create crystals with cyclops out of the same corundum blank, it was the only manageable way. Here's one of the very early combo crystals, which is in fact two overlaid crystals with the bottom one bored through and cyclops glued onto the top one through the recess. Whatever the the halo can observed in this specific case is actually from uv glue. Interestingly, you can see that as early as 2008, some rep factories already realized the value of polishing the sidewall bore, notice how it's not frosted in the second pic.

Low beat has a larger balance wheel.

+ Case + Caseback + Bezel - Low beat A7750b1 - Muddy crystal - Weak cyclops - Crown - Incorrect font datewheel - Dial & Handstack (need bucket ring removal and full relume as a minimum) - Bezel polish (you took care of that) - Bezel pips too tall Also, loos like the left side top lug has some weirdness like an overpolish or just plain bad machining.

That's the replicated stamp. No reason for it to be worn out, as you can see they didn't engine turn the main plate so there was no need to replate, just a bad logo replication.

Looks real nice woof, and yeah I'm in for new highoey cases

You are right Andy, I'm getting a bit rusty on legacy stuff. The movement I was talking about is a different animal, and I think this is the one Marlin is referring to, finally managed to find it: http://www.repgeek.com/showthread.php?t=89467

Here's the movt: Courtesy of respective pic owners: http://i1068.photobucket.com/albums/u449/ocramtto/127/IMG_1236.jpg http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/ss219/DefactoM6/IMG_1449.jpg http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r248/rangers158/012_resize-1.jpg

Yes, it was the "E" series paneraipanerai engraved ST36 movement sold around 2007. You could see it in many v5 fiddies that were floating around. The stamp was not very legible though and anyone familiar with what ETA markings look like could tell it was a pretty poor attempt.

What version is your Noob 243 if you don't mind me asking? It is entirely possible that the Noob factory realized how hideous the frosted sidewall bore looks on a crystal as thick as 243 and corrected it either early on or later in the production cycle. In this case it's just a matter of them taking this extra step on all other models with a cyclops.

Historically, the most glaring issue with all PAM reps that came with a date has always been the magnifier or the cyclops, sometimes coupled with an incorrect calendar wheel font and boldness. Ultimate reps that came out as early as 2008 have began to address this concern with a true to OEM crystal design where the cyclops is recess-milled and is made from the the same piece of corundum as the rest of the crystal along with better magnification and more correct datewheel fonts. Today, the new lines of reps from both leading makers have improved on the size of the cyclops, A/R coating, overall clarity, magnifying power, crispness, color and alignment of the datewheel print. Essentially, I can honestly say they've dialed in the the optics 85% to OEM. But the devil is in the details. The remaining 10-15% can be achieved by addressing one last issue. It's the same issue that existed in both makers reps for a long time, actually since the first ultimate OEM construction crystals were introduced. I can't say if the issue is still present in all models but it's definitely there on the flagship H-F PAM88I and Noob PAM29M v2 which is likely one of the most advanced of the recently released models. The problem lies in the finishing of the surface of the sidewall bore around the cyclops. The diamond cutter marks are polished out on the genuine OP crystal and thus are transparent. Yes, it's as simple as that. You will notice how the edges of the genuine crystal cyclops look like the edges of an underwater air bubble when viewed from the top or the face of the watch. Most reps I've seen new and old, as well as the above mentioned reps specifically, have the cutter bore marks left untouched so you can clearly see the white halo ring marking the edge of the cyclops that gets wider as you turn the watch and look at it at an angle. The bored out sidewall of the rep cyclops looks frosted, similarly to the side edge of the crystal so on a double-radius crystal like the Noob PAM29 and I would guess H-F 90I/222I that lacks the magnifier effect, the halo is rather pronounced, more so than on traditional lens shaped crystals. Reason is, the traditional lens crystal has magnification power that makes it appear thinner. When you look at watches with a lens shaped crystal at an angle -their rehauts look shallower for this reason. Hence the frosted bore of the cyclops also will look a bit shallower. Here's a couple of hasty photos so you don't fall asleep completely reading my opus. *CliffsNotes: New HF/Noob crystals with cyclopses still have a halo and don't look as great as OEM because the bore wall of the recessed cyclops is left with an unpolished frosted-looking finish similar to the edge of the crystal. OEM OP crystal w/ a 6mm cyclops, underside to show the polished bore: OEM OP crystal w/ a 6mm cyclops, topside: Noob PAM29M v2 crystal w/ a 6mm cyclops, underside to show the frosted bore: Noob PAM29M v2 crystal w/ a 6mm cyclops, topside to show the white halo:

One of the greatest reps ever made, wear it well!

Nobody is denying the fact that he's a skilled watchsmith and had multiple good dealings with RWG members. But what's the big picture, what's his contribution to the forum? He's dodged requests to discuss the modifications that he performs and the majority of his posts read like a used car salesman spiels. He's using the board not to share and discuss but as an extension of his business without being an approved trusted dealer. Read his posts, they are simply presales; all of his "I built this for myself" & "keepers" would show up in the FS section within days of posting in the PAM section. The fact that he used lesser OP parts packaging like screws, etc. in crafty ways, made photographs of OEM parts from angles that would preclude proper identification, used creative selling techniques, e.g. stating the parts were OEM when they were stock or modified ETA -- all tell me that he was just trouble waiting to happen. However, I support the ban not because Rockarep was operating in the "gray area". I support the ban due to the fact that Rockarep lied to the membership and the admin team by making and using a virtual shill account to promote his sales and badmouth other sellers whom he thought were his competitors.

And just like that, he's back! Great to have you here and positing again, Pete!

I can't help but read Stefano's parts with a stereotypical Italian accent in my head...

No, the J series is correct to have a hex crown tube, QR lugs and a roller CG. What I'm saying is - for me, having a Ti model with a traditional case, tube and CG would open a lot of possibilities for using its parts for a multitude of other builds. In itself I think that PAM240 is boring even on a matching bracelet. I would rather have a PAM36, 55, 56, 61, even a 118 before I'd consider a 240.

I'd be all over it if it didn't have QR strap change and roller CG.

Ok, so we still don't know how this was done, but can open up some interesting possibilities. For example, we've never had a decent white or dark blue datewheel but if the movement parts are interchangeable - maybe we can now use the older Noobs with a 7750 date a window offset/position like the 188H & 251K (for white) and 224H (for blue) as DW/movement parts donors to transfer their DWs mechanism into white / blue dial 7750 frankens?

Cool, wear it in good health!

Wonder where this watch is today, almost 2 years later

search is your friend

The bezel gasket has nothing to do with the watch's water resistance, it's a means of press-fitting the bezel over the midcase and keeping it secured. The crystal gasket, crown and crown tube gaskets along with the caseback gasket are what's keeping the water from getting in.