beanyboy

Nice, but not the same...the one I like has a full gold bezel and white subdials.... I already own this version of the BCE and I love it. The gold plating has held up so far, but I haven't owned the watch for too long...

I saw a similar version of this BCE at the Torneau flagship store...it has the presence of no other sport watch I have ever seen. It blew away every other Breity in the case.... I know that many of these would be sold if they made them...the "they" being whoever those folks are in China that make the decision to rep or not to rep.... this is a no brainer IMHO.

I concede that Obama went to good schools, but then so did I (Yale, UVA and Univ. of Chicago) and maybe you did too. I think that's neither here nor there. But Obama has a very low chance of getting elected POTUS. His supposed deep and pithy knowledge of American con law won't help him there. It could even hurt him. And it's not the race issue either. I think being half black actually helps him. What kills his chance of election is that he's way too far to the left for most average Americans. That's why I don't even think he'll get the nomination. Hillary will get it at the convention in Denver. I bet $1000 on Intrade and hope to cash in. Maybe I won't, but it's sure fun watching Hil and Barach rip each other apart. Anyway, whatever happens there, McCain the As*hole is the next POTUS. Book it.

I don't like McCain either...as for Obama, he's never been a "professor" of anything. He was an "adjunct lecturer" at the University of Chicago Law School. Very big difference. He used to come in a chat about being a community organizer, et al. Judging from a few of Obama's off-Oprah-speak musings, he knows nothing about Constitutional law other than the code-like crap they teach you in law school to pass the state bar. I should know, I am an attorney. I am fascinating by the fascination for Obama...he really does have a charisma that can't be denied. I also beleive that he's the Age of Oprah candidate. He's a mile wide but an inch deep, and not nearly experience enough to be POTUS. If the Democrats nominate this guy, it's election suicide. Then we're stuck with a dumb ass*ole like McCain.

Because if it is, then I want to buy one! And I mean that too! Beany

Obama may be the nominee for the Democrats, but McCain is the next POTUS...Obama is a posuer and a false messiah, IMHO. Once the teleprompter stops and the Oprah-speak ends, he's just a stuttering socialist/community organizier. Clinton is the much better candidate for the Democrats, and I suspect she'll still pull it off. But I doubt she can beat McCain either. BTW, have any of you noticed how the Europeans (or at least France, Germany and Italy) have all elected avowed conservatives? I have. People vote for this kind of candidate. Pie in the sky hope messiahs like Obama generally loose, mainly because people don't want to be taxed to pay for their (likely) failed and expensive policy initiatives.

Beautiful! Breitling is featuring this watch with the identical band (or near identical) on its website and some print ads! You have chosen well! I have been eyeing that mesh band from Lonestar for a while. It's over $100, but it looks like it's worth it.

happens very rarely...too bad. But I'd try again some time.

I own a Richard Lange purchased from ioffer.com (I always buy dress watch reps from ioffer because you can get a fantastic price) and it's not too bad. I paid about $75 for the watch, and got a nice real croc strap from Lonestar to dress it up. With the high quality band, it's nice but not exactly 1:1. But in a pinch it will do. I have six dress watch reps, ranging in quality from most excellent (Patek Ref. 3919 from River) to okay (Cartier Tortue from Sean when he used to deal on this board). The main thing is to change the staps to something good. I just bought a new camera, and after I get used to it, I will photograph my dress watch rep collection for posterity...

Patek's standard bearer model, the Ref. No. 3919 Calatrava, used to be available in a great version from River. I bought mine from River about four or five years ago, and it's a mainstay of my dress rep collection. I have a friend with an original, and we compared them, and they are nearly identical, other than weight. My rep came with a bad strap, but I put on a nice Hirsch real black crocodile band, and nobody can tell the differnece. There are seveal inexpensive 3919 reps available, buth they are not the same quality as the River super-rep. I would email him and see if he can't get you one. Manual movement in it keeps time accurately to =/- 6 seconds every 24 hours. Not bad, eh?

The rep manufacturers have gotten pretty good at the gold plating...in the old days, meaning as recently as 8 or 10 years ago, the gold plating tended to wear off pretty fast. I have several Rolex TTs from River and Josh that I've had for at least two or three years that have shown no wear whatsoever! So I am pleased. Also, the previos comment was so true...don't use any caustic cleaners or abrasive polish on the gold plating. Beany

Anton, let me know what dealer on Michigan Avenue will discount a Breitling strap! Fantastic. Beany

True enough. I didn't wear it in there to show it off and, in fact, only intended to buy the band and put it on myself. The band the woman brought out was a 20mm and not a 22mm, and I said to her that this won't fit. Then she saw my watch and said if it's an older Chronomat it would take the 20mm, not the 22mm. I said it was the new larger incarnation and she said, the band on that watch is off, it's a fake. At that point I couldn't lie. But I didn't know she would bust my chops about it. Anyway, live and learn as they say. And I do have two gens, and I agree that Tourneau isn't the best place to buy a watch.

I finally realized that I was going to wait forever for the version of the Chronomat Evoloution TT that I wanted (the one with white subdials instead of gold ones), so I bought the rep version available today. It's a doozie. But I wasn't too pleased with the croco-fake band that it came with (not bad, but I have learned that it's worthwhile to spend money for a real band on a rep, then nobody but a true expert can tell), so I decided to walk over to the Tourneau store near my house and lay my money down for a genuine Breitling brown crocodile band. I made the mistake of wearing the watch, thinking that the Tourneau guy couldn't care less that I have rep. Well, he did. He said that he couldn't sell me the gen band for a rep watch, that Breitling could pull Tourneau's dealership if they found out, and that in fact Breiltling had just so informed Tourneau and all its authorized dealers! Ironically, the Tourneau guy loved my rep, and looked visibly shaken that such good reps are out there now. So you can see why all are concerned. Why spend $4500, when you can spend $260, plus another $230 for a gen band, and have the same thing, more or less? Anyway, I thought I would share my experience with all of you on RWG...the lesson is not to take you rep with you. I think if I'd just gone in and said I wanted the 22mm brown crocodile band for a deployant buckle, they would have sold it to me.

A few months ago there was some buzz on RWG that a new generation of BCEs was coming to market soon. Now, I understand that the current generation of reps is nearly as good as it gets, but I would love to get a BCE TT that doesn't have the gold subdials, which I personally find to be cheap looking. Breitling offers both gold and white sub-dials, but my personal taste runs to the white subdials, which mute the blinginess of the TT version and make it a little dressier. Anybody heard any rumors? Would love to know. Beany

beautiful!

I am still waiting for a BCE TT with white subdials rather than gold ones. Please pray that this iteration of the BCE has such a model... Beany

About six weeks ago there was much chat about a new generation of Breitling reps that would even top the fantastic ones available now, specifically a new version of the Chronomat Evolution. I am waiting for a two-tone Evo with white subdials rather than the gold ones. I am certainly hoping that that the new versions will contain this model. Anybody know anything? Any information would be appreciated.

I appreciate politness. It's just that I will no longer just purchase a watch anymore and put the credit card information through until I know I will get it. I was burned twice that way. Of course, I got my credit card payment refunded, but I'd lost nearly a week in both cases. So that's why I get a little miffed when the dealers act put-out that you are emailing them to inquire about whether a watch is in stock. I have a new project suggestion for all the dealers that they can do in the slow coming winter months--remove watches you aren't, can't or never will sell again, and figure out a way to have an automatic inventory system that let's potential buyers know that the watch is in stock....

I need to vent here. I just tried to buy a couple of watches in the past few days and was met with about six snotty emails from out esteemed dealers (I won't name names, but it's the usual suspects) who have a watch listed on their sites and then when you email them they respond with a snitty email about how they don't have the watch! Then take it off your goddam site or note that it's currently out of stock. One dealer even snottily told me that they don't make the watch anymore with attitude like I was an idiot becuase I didn't know that. Then why is it on your site? And if I ask for a white face TAG or whatever, don't respond that you don't have it in white but the black face is nicer. Okay, venting over. Beany

Wait for the new face with the white dials to come out...the gold dials cheapen the watch... Is that enough to make you forebear? Beany

Thanks. I went to the Breitling site and noticed that some of the Chronomats have gold dials. Who knew? Anyway, I still think I like the white dials better and will wait for one to come out.... Beany

I am totally in love with the new generation of Chronomats that are now available. I am hoping to purchase a TT with a leather strap. Today I strolled over to the Tourneau store to check out the real thing, and I examined a real Breity Chronomat two tone with a crocodile strap. An amazingly beautiful watch! When I came home to buy one from one of our esteemed dealers (????), I noticed that the reps had gold cirlces (or wheels) rather than white and black ones like the gen. What's the deal with this? Many other Chronomat reps have the white black wheels, so I don't know why the rep manufacterers feel like they have to make the three wheels gold. It actually cheapens the watch. So unless some reader knows of a source I missed, which is highly likely, I guess I am waiting to part with my $280. Disappointed, but hoping that the rep makers will figure this out and make it right. Beany

For those of us who were always waiting for a Chronoswiss Timemaster rep, it's now available on Narikka's site. I will withhold judgment on its quality, closeness to genuine, etc. It's got an asian movement and doesn't look too bad. At any rate, this may be a good sign that the second generation and its progeny will get better and better... Beany

The lovely Ms. King's site is coming up empty, and I am wondering if any customers would kindly PM me her latest site URL...I am pretty sure she carries a Chanel J12 with the eta movement, and I can't get to her old "showbox" site. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Beany