Pugwash

The right one. Your photos are amazing.

Canon EOS400D (and Panasonic Lumix FZ20 before that) with a stock 18-55mm lens. Sometimes I use a reverser-ring for a macro. Lights? Just one or two boring spots and a light tent. All of this goes into a MacBook with Adobe CS4. While it's important to have a decent-enough camera, regardless of what purists say, it's not that important to spend too much. Settings? I start on Aperture Priority and see where I end up.

Yeah, an all-orange one. You can sell it afterwards to cover the costs of this one.

I'm surprised the crystal AR wasn't on the first round of mods. It makes such a difference. And yes, I'll probably copy this list of mods on mine.

Indeed it has. Glad to see you are still here.

You know it sucks.

Here you go:

First mod I did on my PO, as you can tell above, was the AR crystal. My brother has a gen 45mm Punkin PO, and the AR always looked so much better than any rep, so until I had AR, I knew it'd always look like a rep at a distance.

Loads more info here: http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showtopic=101224

Omega Sapphire glass SB3065 -

I hate fitting hands.

... and so far today, it's performing exactly as it should. The hands haven't fallen off and the crown screws and unscrews just like it should. It's amazing the feel a genuine crown/tube has; the rep feels looser in comparison. I presume it's the rubber seal that's tighter.

Excuse the quality of the photos, they're modding snaps, not nice pics: As described in my UPO mods post.

Lidl. Well, they were very cheap. They may arrive in not-so-good nick, so I'll have to learn how to fix 'em. Gen dial? Nah, I think finishing my 1680, or copying you on the 42mm PO. Oh you know I will. I've been needing a big hunk of metal-braceleted watch on my wrist for a few months. Today will be the test. If it doesn't fall apart today, it's set.

It didn't start that way. When I bought my Airsoft guns in the UK, back in 1990, they were just toy pellet guns (plastic replicas) that worked with springs and low-pressure stuff. They then evolved into compressed gas-powered tools.

Not going to happen. No-one here sells Rolex reps with a gen Rolex movement. Triple-Wrapped doesn't mean anything. What's Luminox? It sounds like you got this spec off a scam site.

Inspired by Ubiquitous, I decided that it was time to get my broken Ultimate Planet Ocean replica out of the drawer and fix it up. As with almost all the UPOs, the thread on the tube gave way after two years, and, in spite of its K2222 ARed sapphire, it was looking old, tired and basically retired as the crown would no longer screw in. Then, Ubiquitous sold me a 42mm 4th gen and then accidentally received another and decided to mod it. His list of things to do was reawakening the old modder in me and I decided that I'd get my UPO fixed up as practice. A browse of Cousins UK's website showed me that a gen crown and tube were cheap, and that they even stocked Omega hands. Gen hands means no relume and they're not that expensive, really. That was Saturday. Today, Tuesday, the stuff arrives from Cousins, three hands, a crown and a tube. I'd already broken the watch down into case, bracelet and movement/dial and it was time. All set up, ready to go. Removing the tube with pliers just shredded it. It does not unscrew. Messy. Unlike the gen tube, the rep tube is pressure-fitted. Needed a rat-tail file to get it out. Clean sheet of paper and gen parts. Clean the insides of chanked rep tube shards with Joe. ... and Rodico. I heard that some cases need drilling out for tubes, but I suspect that's when the crappy rep tube leaves the sleeve in the case. Gen tube is threaded, rep tube is not. Time for some glue as the gen tube isn't tight. Glue on the tube threads and pressure fit it. Use your favourite metal glue. Tube in, glue drying, time to change hands. I am not good at fitting hands. No hands. New hands. This was attempt 2. Attempt 1 failed once I put it all back together. Remove the stem the Pugwash way. Recase the works. Fit the stem and screw it in if your glue is dry. I forgot to photograph fitting the crown to the stem. It involved pliers and glue. Which hands are genuine? Ready to wear. Next up, I have an ETA2892 or two on their way.

Yes, it's black calf, and no they don't have orange stitching. However, marker pen should work.

I just ordered myself a 20mm Bob for Breitling with white stitching for my 42mm PO. The 22mm looked so good on my 45mm:

In all honesty, I've never added it up. However, I got the MBW 1680 from the stall in Bangkok. The gen Tropic, crown and tube cost whatever they ucually cost. ETA2842, not too bad. $100-$130 or so Bezel insert from a member here. I probably spent less cash than others have, but mine has taken a very long time to get to this point. ... and yes, the CGs took hours in front of the TV with jewellers' files and rouge, but they're as good as I'm going to get them. I filed the base down, where the tube screws in, a mod usually missed by other modders.

You were right. So very right. I'm back in modding mood, so I hope to finish this one off finally.

Cheers. You inspired me with your talk of how easy CG mods were.

Thanks, mate. Ideal.

What's the case number for the 42? The 45 is 168.1650 and that's the number I put in http://www.cousinsuk.com/catalog/4/166/450.aspx to find the UPO parts.

Which ever ones I ordered determines which watch they go in.