docblackrock

I think you're going to fit in very well here Michael, regardless of your expertise. Not sure about it not being the '50s though - not with the raft of stealth laws being squeezed through the Home Office over the last few years. At least the Stasi had the common decency to knock first (usually loudly - with their feet - and at gunpoint but let's not split hairs)

FYI sorry to be pedantic but he's not wearing a UPO - the Ultimate Planet Ocean is a marketing phrase coined to describe the best available rep of the genuine PO. In other words, when you're referring to the genuine PO, please lose the "U"

Beg to differ chief....that's clearly a Mk I dial - the same almost-filled-in coronet as your choccy Mk2 but both red text lines are equal pt size. The caseback doesn't look particularly unusual to me - I'd be more interested in what is INSIDE the caseback to be honest, and see if the part serial and quarter-year '67 is in there, and tallies up. But seriously 200 grand? Perhaps if it was a celebrity-owned or interesting-provenanced Patent Pending HeV Sub-case early 1665 SRSD, AND there was a bidding war at an Antiquorum auction, then maybe just maybe it could fetch a price in this stratosphere. But for this piece? If it's legit original, then 50k is not an unreasonable estimate given the market.

Ah well, maybe I should have added a after the p.s. sorry for shitty pic, crappy camera on GF's mobile - why oh why doesn't the iPhone support Bluetooth properly? will crack out the Leica at the weekend to do this big hefty baby justice p.p.s. brand new stickered-up complete with dive box for an absolute steal, practically given away p.p.s. if you're thinking about it, this should help you decide - the 'Graph has now (after LVMH threatening for years) gone 'end of life', technically in the catalogue (without RRP) but no longer in current production, inventory stock only.

Well I'll have to respectfully disagree there, having just today had it on my wrist again. I know what you're getting at but I'd say it wears DIFFERENT rather than wears large. Shape of the case blending in with the curve of the rubber strap, it's a beauty and very comfy too. Is Trusty the only dealer carrying this? Surely not?

Now that isn't strictly true Euno. Many a case of animals saved by other species (humans rescued from shark attacks by dolphins) and even reared by other species (weirdest one I read was a tigress rearing a litter of piglets.....although they had to dress them in tiger skin coats just to be safe )

Condolences. Think of him happily squeaking away to his his little heart's content in guinea-pig heaven. But why not just tell your wife it escaped, and stop by the pet shop tomorrow? Or alternatively, save yourself future heartache and buy a pet that isn't plagued with an unfortunate genetic predisposition to dropping down dead. They're notorious for it, according to a vet friend of mine.

That's the spirit mate, don't blink first, you show them who's boss, brook no [censored] from these guys, make them squeal for every last cent discount in these times of recession. (*mental note* next time you're in the Islands Doc, reminder to invite Mr Pigeo.....err, Wheaton over for a nice friendly game of high stakes poker, mwahaha......)

Sure, just let me grab my mass spectrometer from the garage Seriously though, why do we need to figure it out? They can have dusted it in treacle and marshmallow sprinkles for all I care as long as it conveys the appearance and durability properties of the treatment applied to the gen 'Blacksteel'. Which initial photos seem to suggest is the case. FWIW I'm guessing they used a very similar process (based on Ti-C-N coating specs) with some trial-and-error tweaking to get it absolutely right - pretty much the same thing Breitling did.

Since Chronus has quoted me here, or rather *ahem* misquoted me, let me make my view clear. I said that the use of mobile phones in general was worthy of caution, as we are not in a position to look at hardcore retrospective data on long-term health. I then used the example of the 'Faraday cage effect in cars' theory as an example of a valid argument that there's little consensus on, but that warrants caution and concern.......especially when driving big ugly American gas-guzzlers with penis-size-compensatory masculine names, such as the Pontiac Tempest As with all these things, we simply do not know. All we do know is that levels of unexplained malignancies of the head and neck seem to be on the rise in modern times (greater exposure to more and stronger electromagnetic fields?), although it could be equally argued that's more to do with our improved ability to detect such lesions. Now I'm not particularly risk-averse myself, far from it, but my point is I, personally, would rather not add to my own baseline risk factors by using equipment that was not manufactured to a standard of safety compliance that mirrored current knowledge on short-term morbidity. That is all. Good night. Sweet dreams.

Just seen this.... Gilt dials always make me

Well as someone who's seen far too many idiopathic tumours of the head and neck in my time, I'd say it's something everyone should be seriously concerned about. It's the same issue with using a mobile inside a vehicle, the Faraday cage effect - it may or may not be harmful but we simply do not have access to any real long-term data. And that's with genuine phones, manufactured to the highest standard of safety compliance currently in place. Why add further risk by buying a cheap rep version? The other concern of course, surrounding rep electronics in general, even with swapping out for genuine battery or not, is the fire risk. Would you leave it plugged in and charging in your home overnight, or whilst you're out for a few hours? Not me gents. I'm sorry Maciek, I feel uncomfortable 'thread crapping' your sale/interest gauging like this, but I guess people are either concerned or they're not, and I'm sure you'll have plenty of takers. I'm just urging caution that's all. BTW, I recall you and I (and your GF right?) all share the love for our (genuine) Nokia 8800s - I haven't yet upgraded to the Arte (or Carbon) due to the obscene price (the Carbon Arte is over 1k GBP! - half that on an upgrade) and the fact my 'old' faithful 8800 is still the classic IMO, and still does its job to perfection.

Theoretically, the process used by Breitling isn't difficult or expensive to reproduce. Theoretically. I guess we'll know the answer soon enough.

FWIW reading the description, I think the differences (over the cheapie) here are a more accurate case, better finishing, AR crystal and a better quality rubber strap.

Who needs pics DT, when you've handled the gen? And yes, you're right, the SS has a black O-ring around the HeV. The PVD gens were easy to source here, the rose gold versions even easier, but you try sourcing a SS and no soup Waited best part of the year, and the only SS I saw was in Paris (home country of B&R) and that was a Pro dial (the Seiko look doesn't do it for me ) Finally one arrived locally but by then I'd moved on (and spent) so I passed this up especially at pushing 3 grand (€). I'd given up waiting on a decent rep of this (numeral dial), and just last week picked up the cheapie for $60 to give as a gift, but now I'm tempted to get this new version for myself - yes it's relatively expensive, borderline exorbitant for an asian ETA clone, but that's the market these days sadly. p.s. settling into SoCal life? Will email you soon my friend

Where did you source that gen bezel and more interestingly how much was it? I ask as I know RSCs have had a lockdown on these, moreso than usual.

Well firstly the 3rd Exp II I was actually talking about was the 1655 But to answer your question, yes you're right, the so-called 'cream dial' 16550 does not officially exist - it is artifactual, as the dial colour was supposed to be white, but the paint they used degraded during the assembly process, and the dial hit the shops with a cream or off-white colour. Mid 80s I believe. Didn't sell well (like most Explorers ). Naturally, obsessive collectors have bumped its price up massively in today's market, almost to the level of the 1655 (not quite though). Silix did a rep of it a while back, not great though I recall. Actually, just checked - Jay still carries it...

BT, congrats and sorry to be a pedant but you don't have BOTH Exp IIs, you merely have 2 out of 3 (ignoring the cream dial 16550) That third variant is the only one that speaks to me. Sadly it is a [censored] as a rep project, eye-wateringly expensive as a franken, and obscenely-priced as a gen. *sigh*

Sounds like bitter experience speaking there And I'm not talking about the watch either

Unmistakably Omega, undeniably Bond: a 007 logo is engraved on the buckle of the stainless steel bracelet. Another 007 logo appears on the caseback which also features the engraved words "Planet Ocean Limited Edition" whose black chromium treatment recalls the colour of the black dial.

Jeez good luck with that one my friend, as I suspect you do not possess the (evolutionary) anatomical advantages this interesting chap has.....

As I said, the dial is what caught my eye....but it was like when you spot a nice body/pair of legs on a girl on the other side of bar, as she turns you think hmmmm, beauty or beast, then as she turns right round or walks over where you can get a closer look, you shudder and think 'what a moose, such a pity/waste'.

Just checked and you're right..... Love this bit in bold below... Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m Co-Axial Quantum of Solace Limited Edition LIMITED TO 5,007 units Movement Omega calibre 2500, Self-winding mechanical movement Co-Axial escapement - COSC - Power reserve: 48 hours Case Diameter : 45.50mm - Polished and brushed stainless steel casebody; stainless steel unidirectional bezel with black aluminium ring - Screw-in crown in stainless steel; helium escape valve at 10H - Domed scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment inside - The words “Quantum of Solace” are discreetly laser-engraved on the inside of its sapphire crystal - Screwed-in stainless steel caseback stamped with “007” medallion, engraved with limited edition number - Water resistant up to 600 m (2000 ft) Dial Brilliant black “Walther PPK grip structure” dial with polished flat facetted applied Arabic numerals - Omega logo & name - polished indexes with white Super-LumiNova Hands Polished hands coated with white Super-LumiNova - Central seconds hand with red tip Bracelet Brushed and polished stainless steel bracelet with Diver’s clasp Box Special black Quantum of Solace presentation box

Is that really so? Given it was upside down, with dodgy lighting, in a perspex case, and my eyes having been open for 22 hours of the preceding 24, I didn't spot that, just saw the humungous logo (and recoiled in horror) How gimmicky. How cheesy. How Omega of late.