beanyboy

The tan strap would look great with a Fiddy. The gold color of the strap would accent the gold hands of the Fiddy. God, do I sound like a fruit, or what? Beany

Go to HM-watchband for really nice Rolex crocodile bands. I bought one for my Rollie, and I love it. Here's the link: http://www.hm-watchband.com/display_bands.asp?BandId=118 Nothing improves a rep like a quality band. Good luck. Beany

Thanks Thor!

I have always thought the IWC Big Pilot watch was very cool. I just saw a movie about German luftwaffe pilots and they all had the watch on and it looks totally awesome. A watch with a real presence. So I just started looking at the board and looking at some of the sites and dealers that sell that watch, and they seem surprisingly cheap. In fact, the lovely Ms. King is willing to sell me one for $95 delivered because she said she would honor her Christmas sale offer. SO what am I missing here? I know it's gonna have an Asian movement, which doesn't bother me. I know it's probably gonna have a crappy strap that I'll have to replace. But why so cheap? Finally, to the extent somebody reading this has an opinion as to which dealer sells the best version, I'd love to know about it, including finding one that has an Eta movement in it if such a version exists. Thanks to all. Beany

Andrew is stocking all of the watches you mention. They are all beautiful pieces. I would definitely take the plunge on the Breguet if I had money to burn. Anything over $500 and I tend to think it's out of my league.

Thank you. I like the gold date just too. It was a purchase from Jay and Angel at Silixprime. I expected to have to shell out another $150 for a real crocodile rollie deployant strap, but the rep strap it came with is really nice. It's the only rep strap I have ever left on a rep. I am looking to buy a new camera and hone my picture taking skills. My next post in this sub-forum will be all of my classic dress watches. Beany

Here's my box of Rollies collected over the past two years with help from this forum. All have ETA movements except the Daytona which has the modified 7750. Thanks to all who have provided information to make my collection better. Also, apologizing in advance for the crummy photos.

"As I've stated before, I'd rather have a 50 year plating that looks 95% like real gold than a 100% gold plating that wears off 50% in a year or two of use and looks 0% like a gold watch." I couldn't agree more. I would own a few more gold reps if I felt that they wouldn't start to look awful by the fifth wearing. I must admit that my TT sub from River has held up well, but it's still losing it's lustre. This process may revolutionize the rep watch world. Beany

I can't believe that people on this board have no idea about what the dealers are up against, like anybody else who owns and runs a small business (i.e. bureaucrats, dishonest manufacteres, customs agents, policemen, etc.). Not to mention the idiots from our end (customers) who waste their time asking questions, haggling over price, complaining to PayPal becuase the watch they did finally buy after seven weeks of "thinking about it" isn't in their mailbox in four days! It just kills me. I am happy that the dealers I have purchased from do well, if in fact they do as well as some think they do. The people who really [censored] me off are the dishonest jerks who put fake watches on eBay and make a ton of money selling fakes to ignoramuses. That is CRIMINAL. I see at least five fakes for sale on eBay everytime I take the time to look. Just a shame. Beanyboy

Thanks. I'll try to track one down. You're right about the strap change. A great example of how an ordinary rep can turn into something of beauty with such a minor change. Beany P.S. If you ever want to unload yours, feel free to PM me.

Nothing against your Classique rep, Pugwash. In fact, it looks damn good. Is it from EL or Josh? Asian movement I presume? Also, is it fairly thin? Let me know. I'll get one. Beany

I am not a big fan of torbillion movements. I love the Andrew rep, but it's more than I am willing to spend for a rep, although it's still about $7,000 cheaper than the real one. Just hoping this development will lead to at least ONE better Breguet Classique rep--one that isn't 12MM thick! I don't mind the cruddy rep band in "peanut" color. I'll change that anyway. Beany

Most collectors on this forum don't pay too much attention to luxury dress watches like Cartier and Breguet. Breguet is one of the most storied brands out there, and I always wanted one. One of my first reps was a crappy Breguet rep that was as thick as a tuna can and had a "guilloche" face that didn't fool anybody. As new Breguet reps were introduced by various dealers, they always continued to suck major sh*t. Now the trend in Breguet reps is to add a stupid "torbillion" movement, which is about as sure a way to scream FAKE as to etch the word into the crappy "guilloche" paper face. As soon as I learned more about reps and my collection grew, I chucked the Breguet piece because it cheapened my collection. Anyway, much to my amazement, Andrew is now stocking a beautiful Breguet rep that really hits the mark. It's the right size, has the right thickness, has a passable guilloche face, and isn't crapped up with zirconia or goofy escapement mechanisms. It's real gold too, which is what gives it the price tag that's out of my range. Now let's hope that the factory that chuned this out will make one in rose gold or gold plate, and maybe toss in an Asian movement to bring the price into line. What a beauty!

Everything goes in cycles, including replica watch collecting. When I first started collecting reps several years ago, the big thing was Audemars Piquet. I never like the AP watches anyway, and that fad soon ebbed. Then Panerai mania started, but I have noticed that it too has ebbed a bit. Now Rolex, Omega and Breitling are a different story. There has always been a steady interest in these brands from rep collectors who know what they're doing. Omega's latest PO models are being repped to near perfection. My EL Breitling Bentley is so close to perfect that the guy at Tourneau didn't figure it out even after I took off the watch and handed it to him to examine. Rolex is pretty darn good, despite the rumblings of some of the more cantakeous members of this forum. I just ordered at TT GMT Master II from Sash and am awaiting reciept. I suspect I will be satisfied. If Rolex has taken a back seat, it's becuase the newer, younger rep collectors didn't grow up in a time when Rolex was the king of luxury watches. Let's face it--Rolex is a stale brand for old guys. It's still a great watch, be it real or rep. Just stale. My hope is that some factory in China will figure out that repping a the Sub to perfection a la Breitling or Omega PO will be a profitable undertaking. Then Rolex will be all the rage again.

A consortium of non-Swatch owned Swiss watchmakers sued Swatch a year or two ago to stop Swatch from selling ETA movements to Chinese manufacturers. The matter is currently winding its way through the EU legal system. I'll let everyone know what's going on after I get an update myself. Beany

My wife wants a Cartier rep that I can only find on a site called "moscowstore.com". I know the site's been there for a while, and the prices are high but not crazy. Anyway, does anybody have any experience with it? I searched for Moscow Store and came up with nothing. A bit surprising, but not uncommon. I usually only deal with reputable dealers like Eddie and River, but they don't have the watch and both told me they can't get it. Horror stories, good stories, etc. would be appreciated. Beany

Beautiful. What a difference a strap makes on a watch. You have inspired me to buy one myself. Beany

Thinking of getting the same watch. It's a lot of hardware, but it's a beauty. I think I'll wear this August when I visit scenic Swilzerland. Anybody know if a rose gold or yellow gold edition is in the works? Beanyboy

I couldn't more pleased that dlgates is back. His reviews of reps are the best, and he has great taste to boot. Dave's love of the good "dress" watch reps is especially good, since those are my favorite reps. Beany

There seems to be enough interest among rep collectors to justify doing some good Chronoswiss and A. Lange & Sohne reps. I guess the manufacturers just don't read these forums. Beany

I have never, to my mind, ever seen a good A. Lange & Sohne rep. They all suck, including that 1815 Flyback that some people on this board hold up as a pretty good one. I have checked out the real thing several times, and I am always impressed by the workmanship and "presence" of a real Lange timepiece. In comparison, the reps look like Cracker Jack prizes. Well, good ole Narikka has posted the nicest Lange rep I've ever seen. It's likely not based on an acutal Lange, but it's not one of those stuuuuupid "fantasy" pieces of crap either. It's got a venus movement, and the face looks high quality enough to fool some pretty sophisticated folks. Just enough simplicity to make it seem real. At $220, sans shipping, I think I'll hold off for a while. But I am hoping that this signals the beginning of some high quality reps outside of the usual Rollie, PAM and Omega reps arean. Anybody got any information to back this up? I am still waiting for a Chronoswiss rep that's worth the shipping. How about a nice lume-faced Timemaster with the nylon strap? C'mon, rep makers! Humor us. Beany

Glad to know that Paul is back in form. He sold people a lot of nice watches at fair prices until the the wheels came off about a year ago. Maybe the real Paul is back, and willing to do fair business again. And that's a good thing for everybody on the board. Beany

At least Maradona could make this claim: "They have no jewels, but they can go underwater." I guess he knows for sure that his watches are real. B

As with rep watches, as with so many things in life, Yo pays yo money and yas take yo chances! Sweet Baby Ray told me that on the South Side of Chicago back in the summer of '81. As good advice now as it was then. Beany

I think it's funny when some of the old guard rip into a newbie for asking a stupid question, or one that can be easily answered by doing a basic search. I just don't have the heart to do it myself, since I think most of the guilty newbies are just lonely, looking for a little company.... Beany