dlgates

To heck with that. It would be good to know how our many SoCal friends in the affected areas are doing. I know one of my oldest friends had to evacuate from Scripps Ranch yesterday. I hope others will post as soon as possible to let us know if you and your families are all right...

Hey, guys, I am still here even if inactive for a while. I've had a great number of messages recently and will get around to answering personally but meanwhile thought I should drop in and explain myself a bit. I just got back from one of my periodic visits to Oregon because I am going to be stuck more or less at home for the next six or seven months: I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in March and am about to report for my CAT-scans, etc., next week, then a couple months head start with hormone therapy before having radioactive targeting markers 'installed' and then a couple months of radiation treatments (42 of them, five days a week). I can assure you that I'm not letting this worry me particularly, but it certainly puts a crimp in my schedule! As soon as this is past, it will be time for my first cataract surgery, so the remainder of 2007 is somewhat shot. I hope my right knee will last another year, however. Ah well, the old fart is still allowed to attend my usual watering holes and indulge in sins of the flesh (at least for the time being) if any such opportunities should arise (doubtful, but one should never lose hope). In other words, while I thought turning 65 would be no different from turning 60, I was wrong: all sorts of [censored] started hitting the fan at once! Maybe this will also create an opportunity for me to get back on board regularly--I do miss the camaraderie. Indeed, I had vague plans for making a trip to SoCal in early May and hoped to see some of you guys there again; that will probably have to wait until the spring of 2008 now. Meanwhile, while not en route to and from the cancer center, I expect to be lazy as hell, continue to read five or six books a week, hear as much good jazz as possible, but not be buying any additional watches (I have some I still need to put on and wear one of these days!)--unless, of course, something just too irresistable should happen along, such as a Lange with the correct size windows. Sooner or later my resolve will falter, I'm sure. Now, I see I must have allowed my VIP membership to lapse rather recently since there are a couple places I can't see at the moment. I'll also try to remedy that this evening. The picture was taken a few months ago at the Rose & Raindrop in Portland, one of the most authentic London-style Victorian pubs I have seen in this country and at which two or three RWG members have joined me for drinks in the past. I'm sorry to report it has recently gone defunct, apparently as a result of some financial mismanagement, and that is a great pity. It was genuine rather than tarted up, so another is not to be found in the city now. Fortunately, back in Texas, my considerable capacity for double Scotches and decent red wines pretty much directs my culinary habits towards a few enjoyable spots to hang. I didn't really intend to ressurect my reputation for being long-winded, but it happens. I really do apologize for all who have written such welcomed emails recently and definitely will be answering--but this gives you a heads up so I needn't go through a lot of gory details repeatedly! Someone asked if I was still enjoying my Jag XJ8, to which I say: so much so that I may never be able to drive anything else again! It will probably need replenishing about 2008 when in theory I could hit some open roads again. Cheers to all, and be seeing you around the forum sooner than later! Always grateful to my good friends here!

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Omega Speedmaster "Moon Watch" Received from Abay 3 September 2004 SS with black bezel and white dial; case back with usual NASA inscription. Asian movement. Diameter without crown: 40mm. Actual subdial functions: day, date, 24-hour. Here is how the watch originally looked. It came with what was called a "brown" strap but what was actually one of those typical, poorly croc-printed straps that is very nearly red in colour. Abay discontinued offering this particular watch shortly after I bought it. It had been incorrectly listed as a Broad Arrow but obviously was not, from the pictures. Neither should it have been termed a "moon watch" since it is not. I liked the appearance of the watch itself and had wanted a "Moon Watch" caseback to show some younger space-related friends who had not been around during those days. But for some reason I was never inclined to put it on and wear it. It was a long time before I realized that its appearance was quite ruined by the strap... Voilá! I very recently installed a nice black strap with Omega deployant, and suddenly this has qualified as one of my daily beaters! The white stitching on the black strap also complements perfectly the watch's bezel. I think it made all the difference in the world and its 40mm size is for me almost perfect: THE END Thanks for looking! Dave

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Omega DeVille Special Edition (ETA 2824) Received from Paul (abay) 28 Dec 2004 Rose gold, 34.7mm without crown, reddish leather band with Omega rose gold deployant THE END Thanks for looking!

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Nomos Ludwig Received from Narikaa 16th May 2005 SS, diameter 39mm, hand-wound, seconds subdial, no complications This is a very unusual and rare replica from Nomos of Glashütte, the Ludwig. The home website is incomplete and only in German ( http://www.nomos-uhren.com/ ). This is the simplest (and in my view most elegant) version, without a date aperture at the bottom or a power reserve under 12 o'clock, all of which are available as variations of the Tangente models. Receipt from Narikaa was quick and efficient, and it arrived nicely wrapped and in a red velvet bag. Actually I had ordered the Tangente model but received the Ludwig instead. Now that it's on my wrist, I am just as pleased to have the Roman numerals of the Ludwig instead of the Arabic numerals of the Tangente. Here is what the original looks like in basic stainless steel (approximately $800 USD). This is the least expensive of the genuines, other variations in gold ranging up to the $4,000 level. Before any further comments, let the pictures speak for themselves: If you look very closely or magnify the images, you may think there is a slight flaw on the 'M' in 'NOMOS'. There is no flaw: in my haste to take pictures as soon as possible tonight, I thought I had adequately polished the watch with an appropriate cloth, but later, after shutting my camera, etc., down for the night, realized there was a tiny piece of lint there! I'm simply too tired at past midnight now to re-take the photos. Again, the photographic flaws on the back of the watch are due to unnoticed lint and my failure to re-polish the case back after moving the watch around on the black velvet backdrop. The watch is also labeled "Tangente" on the back although this particular one is in fact a copy of the Ludwig. On the wrist, the watch actually appears to be larger than 39mm -- it feels at least as big as a 41mm Aqua Terra but much thinner. This is the kind of elegant simplicity that I most admire in a dress watch. My only negative comment at all: the strap is quite awful and must be replaced with, I think, either a rouille or black aligator or plain leather strap. (I'm sure I may receive advice from Clive or Brian in this regard!) Finally, for the photo buffs, the pictures were taken with my new Dimage A200 using the following settings: 200mm Macro ASA 100 Tungsten light white balance Hard sharpness Vivid colour Contrast +1 and Colour +1 2-second self-timer, tripod mounted Black velvet backdrop within large EZCube light box (No polarizing filter, only because it has not yet arrived for the new camera) -------------------- THE END Thanks for looking!

Actually it's "Réserve de Marche" and the acute accent had been misplaced.

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Chronograph Received from Jos Nana (Joshua) 18 May 2005 Tutone (antique gold and SS); diameter: 40mm mm; date window; day, month, & 24-hour subdials First the close-up... This watch is the third of a trio of Maurice Lacroix watches that I have bought from Joshua (who, as everyone knows by now, provides outstanding, courteous, and prompt service). The first two--the Masterpiece Grand Guichet, the most basic dress watch of the series, and the Masterpiece Jour et Nuit are excellent replications of the actual watches and were the first nice Maurice Lacroix reps I had seen. Both came in the tutone combination of antique (somewhat brassy) gold and SS. This watch, the faux chronograph, comes in the same case and metal combination but is a fantasy otherwise. So there is no Masterpiece Chronograph in the Lacroix collection that looks like this. But considering it goes so well with the other two, I could not resist. Thie is the first time I have attempted to do a full photo series on a black-faced watch, because they present special difficulties, some of which I am really not well set up to handle. It is difficult to see the guilloche on the central section of the main dial and on the subdials, but it is there if you squint! In fact, if you use a polarizing filter to eliminate any lack of clarity of the crystal, a side effect is to reduce the visibility of some detail, including the guilloche--so on a couple shots I actually polarized slightly inadequately--allowing a bit of crystal reflection--just so the background could be better seen. This is going to be a continuing effort as I have a number of black-faced watches I have not photographed simply because of the problems involved. So realize this one is a first effort! Another problem is that this particular watch does not have hacking mechanism. To gain adequate depth of field, most of the shots are taken at f8, meaning rather long exposure, and thus the central sweep second hand is inevitably blurred.I took the wrist shot at f3.5 (1/10 second) to try to minimize the blur, but you can also see the picture suffers from lack of sharp focus as a result. Compromises, compromises... Otherwise, the pictures need no explanation. Minor note: it is my fault that the watch indicates July instead of June -- I set it in a hurry! I also made no attempt to Photoshop out a few tiny specks of dust, etc. -------------------- If anyone wants more information on the photo processes, it's been pretty much covered on TRC at http://www.replicacollector.com/members/in...indpost&p=85143 THE END Thanks for looking!

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Jour et Nuit Received 28th March 2005 from Jos Nana (Joshua) TT Antique Gold and SS; diameter 40 mm This watch has already received a photo review so I am just adding some new and better images for the benefit of those still interested in this fascinating watch. (Please overlook the fingerprints on the case back!) -------------------- THE END Thanks for looking!

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Jour et Nuit Received 28th March 2005 from Jos Nana (Joshua) TT Antique Gold and SS; diameter 40 mm The original/genuine watch: This replica was received in nine days from shipping date and arrived in perfect condition, well packaged, and unopened by customs. Service and follow-through by Joshua was first class, as always--an absolute gentleman to deal with.. Other than the placement and size of the logo on the face and the position of the seconds subdial (too high, and the 30 minute marker should be covered), this is quite an accurate replication of the genuine watch, as you can see below. The Jour et Nuit appears to have a retrograde or flyback dial, but that is simply a clever illusion. In fact, the movement tells time on a 24-hour basis, but since the hour hand is two-ended, one end for day and one for night (note this is not the same as AM/PM)), marked by sun and moon respectively, the arc of hours from 6-to-12-to-6 reflects no unusual movement at all. The minute hand performs normally, as does the seconds subdial. It is an uncomplicated watch that looks like what is normally called a complication. A dark brown or rouille strap will, of course, improve the authentic appearance of the watch! The antique gold and SS combination gives the watch the air of a "vintage" and yet the 24-hour design is quite modern-looking. All and all, to me this is a very pleasing watch. THE END Thanks for looking! Dave

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Mido Multifort Grand Luxe Super-Automatic Dating from late 1940's or early 1950's Watch worn by my father until his death in 1987 Well-worn but still ticking... On a whim, I got this out of my safety deposit box this morning to see if it was still in running condition after eighteen years without being wound. It not only started right up but seems to be keeping time in exact synchrony with the Omega I am wearing at the moment... The watch is a model 220 in a combination of rose gold and stainless steel (at the time referred to as copper gold and "rustless steel" (as a later photo of the back will show). The condition is not great after approximately 55 years, but it has never been serviced and is still keeping time--another indication of the meaning of "Swiss Made"! This is a "bumper movement" watch. Excerpts from an article at http://alanwatch.homestead.com/page5.html --- The value of Midos is not great, even in excellent condition. But in spite of their being on a lower rung of the prestige ladder, they were innovative and high-quality watches mechanically, for their era (especially in terms of waterproofing --"IMPERMEABLE").. It's too small for me to wear comfortably, and yet my fther was a 6-footer. Times have changed in terms of style. Of course, getting rid of the 25-year-old lizard strap would improve its appearance considerably, too. To see modern midos, go to http://www.mido.ch/html/general/intro1.html Although the official site doesn't seem to show any of them, this article indicates that the Multifort series was re-introduced after its 80th year: http://www.swisswatchesusa.com/design/innovation.html and more specifically: http://www.swisswatchesusa.com/watches/mul...ort%20automatic FInally, here is a brief article on bumper movements: http://alanwatch.homestead.com/bumper.html Below is a picture from someone else's collection of a Mutifort of the same general vintage. It is very similar to my father's except for the dial color and red second hand, and it is not labeled "Grand Luxe" so I assume his was a slightly higher grade model at the time (perhaps because of the "copper gold" in addition to steel). My father, by the way, although head of a small bank, was a very modest man and did not want ever to appear too "well off" in front of his customers. He insisted on driving a Pontiac when he actually wanted to drive a Cadillac, and he wore his Mido for the rest of his life rather than ever buy himself an Omega (he wouldn't have been one to have a Rolex anyway). He was, of course, from the generation of the Great Depression, also part of the reason. I suppose it might be worthwhile having this Mido cleaned up--the dial and hands are obviously in rather poor condition (although one wonders how they get that way sealed behind a crystal). It doesn't really qualify as a valuable heirloom, however, and I doubt seriously that either of my sons would ever wear it even if I had it completely restored. (This last picture is not mine but from the http://alanwatch.homestead.com/ site) THE END Thanks for looking!

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Grand Guichet Received 7 May 2005 Tutone (antique gold and SS); diameter: 40mm mm; date window; running seconds subdial A truly classic watch courtesy of Jos Nana. The pictures will simply speak for themselves. (The watch is in perfect condition except for one very minor flaw in the crystal just below the left date window: it was not noticeable until greatly magnified in the photographs.) Finally, here is a picture of the genuine watch, with a suggested list price, in tutone, of US $3212. -------------------- THE END Thanks for looking!

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Jaeger LeCoultre Master Réserve de Marche Received 29th March 2005 from Kingwatch SS; diameter 40 mm The Jaeger LeCoultre Master Reserve De Marché (Power Reserve) is available in three flavours: The JL-003 received from Kingwatch is a very accurate replica of the SS version, as you can see through comparison with the following pictures. The crown appears to be very slightly shorter than on the genuine, but it's hard to tell from the relatively poor pictures just above (some of these commercial sites badly need a Neil!). Also the markers at 10 and 3... I ordered this watch on 23 March, it was shipped on 25 March, and it arrived at my door on 29 March, 2005--what I considered a remarkably fast journey. It went through customs in San Francisco, and the package had no evidence of having been opened. The only major flaw is the display case back: the genuine watch should bear the gold Master Control seal with watch model and serial number. The back is correctly attached with four small screws. As is quite usual, I was unable to find a picture anywhere of the genuine caseback for direct comparison. All in all, a relatively simple and elegant watch, enhanced by a working power reserve (supposedly in the 38-40-hour range). Basking in the sunshine... And finally, on the wrist... THE END Thanks for looking! Dave

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Moon Received 19th April 2005 from Jos Nana SS; diameter 39 mm excluding crown; day, month, date, jour et nuit (wheel), military time (Photos are large and stored on my server to save Blade's space. Definitely not for dial-up users!) The authentic watch is pictured here and carries a suggested retail price of $5,900 USD for the SS version with leather strap. The authentic strap is curved-end. This is the correct case back (but pictured from the gold edition): And to start the show, Joshua's lovely replica version: Cosmetic flaws include the following: (1) The logo, name, and day and month windows are all positioned higher (towards 12 o'clock) than on the original, and the day and month windows are also too close together. (2) the subdial has that red hand that seems to pervade the replica world for no good reason. As near as I can tell, the subdial hand on the authentic watch is dark blue, to go with the dark blue of the night sky, and also extends behind its post. (3) The case back, as can be seen below, does not really replicate the authentic watch at all. (4) The 24-hour subdial hand should actually be running seconds. The authentic watch does not have the central, sweeping seconds hand. In addition, the case of the authentic watch is smaller, measuring 37mm instead of 39mm. I will hasten to say that none of the above detracts from my opinion that this is a very beautiful watch, belonging to the "classics". A very handsome watch in every regard... Finally, on the wrist... THE END Thanks for looking!

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Jaeger-LeCoultre (fantasy) Received from TTK, 19 February 2005 Case SS; diameter without crown 40 mm; date window, AM/PM faux moon phase I love the design of this watch--the off-center dial is fascinating with its uneven spread of hour markers to accommodate the position of the hands. Another member has kindly done the research and pointed out that this is based on a movement used by Glashutte, which explains the unusual arrangement of the main dial and face. THE END Thanks for looking! Dave

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Jaeger LeCoultre Memovox Received from RWG Member 15 March 2005 SS; diameter 42mm; 24-hour dual time wheel; date window; rotating internal bezel Here are two images of the original Memovox. The one on the left is the model we usually see compared in replica reviews, one of two main flaws supposedly being that the pointer to the 24-hour 2nd time zone should be at 10 o'clock instead of at 12 o'clock. However, this article clearly shows the introduction of the model where the pointer has been changed to the 12 o'clock position, as shown in the 2nd image above. Thus the only obvious flaw on this particular replica is that the crescent opening for the wheel should begin at start at approximately the 7:30 or 7:00 mark rather than the 7:50 mark. Note on the newer edition, it starts slightly past the 7:00 mark. This fairly accurate replica was originally purchased from Efren, but I in turn acquired it from fellow member 'rag_head'. The big picture: Some closer details: My 'typical' presentation: The only other comment I would make is that the luminosity of the markers is outstanding, whereas of the hands it is practically nil. -------------------- THE END Thanks for looking!

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) IWC Quartz Chronograph Received 7 December 2004 from Kingwatch SS; Diameter 43mm mm; working stopwatch The nearest equivalent to this replica is the Portuguese Model 3714, which is 40.9mm in comparison with 43mm for the replica, and the original is automatic: This watch was included in my very first purchase from Ms. King late last year, at the same time I acquired her Omega Railmaster before she quit selling them. I knew the colour and size were different from any of the actual Portuguese models but had wanted a Portuguese, liked the big size of this one, and also did not mind having a quartz movement in order to have a functioning chronograph, although this one is only accurate to 1 second, while the subdial at 12 o'clock counts the minutes. The 6 o'clock subdial is for running seconds. The slightly greenish cast to the dial colour is accurate in terms of the pictures if not for the original, but it is much paler than the photographs would suggest. I just happened to wear this watch today and decided to snap a quick series of pictures to add to the gallery during my afternoon break. -------------------- THE END Thanks for looking!

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) IWC 125th Anniversary Portuguese Jubilee Received from Narikaa 28 July 2005 SS; diameter 37+ mm; hand-wound movement; seconds subdial at 6 o'clock To plan for IWC's 125th Anniversary, development began in 1990 of a "Jubilee" edition of the Portuguese that would eventually emerge in 1993. A picture of it appears first, followed by a picture of Narikaa's rep. The original watch does not actually say "IWC" on the dial, and its 6 o'clock subdial is quite a bit larger, covering the 6. However, this was a limited edition watch--125 copies to celebrate 125 years--and the rep is a very beautiful "approximation" of this rare Portuguese, which is no doubt seen only in the finest of private collections. I wore it for the first time today, and as I have occasionally said about certain other watches, this is elegant simplicity at its finest. This is an unpretentious dress watch that just reeks of quality and good taste--no need to say much more. P.S. I haven't removed the plastic from the case back yet--thought someone might get excited and want to bid on a TRL! Thanks, Narikaa, for a sweet selection and a great delivery, as always. -------------------- THE END Thanks for looking!

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) IWC Grande Complication Received 23rd March 2005 from Jos Nana SS; diameter 42 mm excluding crown & pushers; day, month, date, faux moon phase, military time, year The authentic watch is pictured here and carries a suggested retail price of $200,000 USD for the platinum version with leather strap. Of course it is a chronograph in addition to having all the functions of this replica, and also a minute repeater! Production is 50 per year, and the movement has 68 jewels. The diameter is the same as this replica, 42mm. It comes with a 400-page booklet. Obviously no replica could be produced approaching this level of limited-production watch. However, it is a handsome piece nonetheless and has managed to emulate the original in several interesting ways. The minute repeater controller on the left side of the case is functional and used to set the day of the week on the 9 o'clock subdial. The 2 o'clock pusher sets the month on the 12 o'clock subdial. The 4 o'clock pusher sets the date on the 3 o'clock subdial. A small recessed pusher located just below the left 12 o'clock lug and above the minute repeater controller sets the year, Regarding the year, the "20" is fixed, so a wheel conveys only the right two digits. I have not attempted to determine the limits, but a number of watches displaying the year are limited to about ten years. A few obvious deviations from the original are readily seen. The 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock subdials are exchanged, since virtually all Asian movements that display subdials for day, month, date, and sun/moon/military time are arranged this way (the year wheel is an addition). The hour markers on the replica are slightly longer. The crown has more knurls than on the original and has a protrusion on the end as well as a slightly exposed shank next to the case.. The back is, of course, one of those things it is virtually impossible to find a picture of for the original. If one assumes that the overall design is similar to the original, then one less-than-glaring fault is on the rotor: "BEVEN(7)DAYS POWER RESERVE". As for "IDESTRIERO SCAFUSIA"--I have no idea! Some broader views... And finally, on the wrist: General conclusions: a very nice attempt to emulate an absurdly expensive grande complication and maintain as many features as possible. The watch is comfortable to wear, and is the type of faux chronograph I enjoy in that it carries the essential information correctly marked. It is the type of watch I personally prefer to call an "approximation" instead of "replica". It is not a fantasy watch by any means, but approximates a genuine watch within reasonable limits. THE END Thanks for looking!

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Glashütte Original: a Spectacular Fantasy Received from Narikaa 10th August 2005 SS; guilloche dial; diameter 43mm; double date windows, retrograde/flyback days-of-week, power reserve Here is an example of a magnificent fantasy watch--who really could care if Glashütte made this exact model? Actually it is not even an approximation or facsimile of any genuine Glashütte Original. But it is extremely rare to see a retrograde days-of-the-week fan, and the power reserve is fully functional and quite accurate. I hand-wound it to 'Haut' (which I assume to represent about 48 hours), and it had been sitting idle for a full day when I snapped these pictures tonight. While I was wearing it over a two-day period, it maintained its power at near maximum. The details of the guilloche face are striking and well executed, and the unusual hands are appropriate to the face. The reference to A:Helwig is the Alfred Helwig who invented the cantilevered tourbillon in the 1920's and whose name has been associated with more than one of the brands of the Lange-Glashütte heritage. This is, I believe, one of the most unusual and beautiful watches that Narikaa has yet found on one of his buying trips. At 43mm, it is also a hefty and masculine watch as well as dressy. That says enough, so on to the pictures. -------------------- THE END Thanks for looking!

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Eberhard & Co. Chrono 4 (Fantasy) from Joshua Received 19 March 2005 SS; Diameter: just under 43mm mm; day, month, and 24-hour time; Asian automatic movement This is a watch obviously in the general spirit of Eberhard & Co. but definitely not a replica in the true sense of the word. Indeed, the true "Chrono 4" obviously gets its name from the arrangement of four subdials in a single row across the face of the watch, an arrangement copied by certain other makers and offered in other fantasy versions. Here is a picture of the original, true Chrono 4: You can explore the Eberhard Collection on your own... This particular watch from Joshua (Jos Nana), however, has lugs close to the original, pushers close in appearance, and a knurled rather than smooth crown although the shape is otherwise correct and it bears the "E" logo. The hour markers are the same, and even the leather strap appears to be of similar weight and thickness and closely copied from the original as pictured above (although a rich brown would be preferable to the reddish colour so favored by replica makers). The labeling on the face seems very accurate, also. Other than the subdials, obvious departures are the lack of a date window and the lack of pointed ends on the see-through hands. The central sweep second hand is close in appearance to the original. At this point I must confess that I like the appearance of this fantasy watch better than the authentic Chrono 4: I have always found the four subdials in a row unattractive in that they crowd an otherwise nicely balanced face. Twenty-four hour time is redundant but is one of the things that makes this particular watch both interesting and attractive. While the subdial at 6 o'clock tracks the 24-hour clock as common on many fake chronographs, this Eberhard fantasy has an inner bezel that rotates as the watch runs and displays at the 12 o'clock position the hour on the 24-hour clock. It seems slightly odd that the daylight hours are against a black background and the nighttime hours against a white background--one would expect just the opposite. This bezel arrangement appears to be directly copied from the Girard-Perregaux Worldwide Time Control. Regardless, it is the feature that makes the watch aesthetically very pleasing in comparison with other watches with the typical three subdials. This is a handsome watch that I have enjoyed wearing throughout today, noting that all aspects of the watch appear to be functioning correctly and well. The Asian movement is smoother than many: the hand-winding is clean, and the rotor is quieter than is often the case (though not as quiet as Swiss). As is now expected of Joshua, pre-service, sale, and delivery were all handled with utmost courtesy and consistent follow-up. This is but one of many interesting watches he has made available to us so far--some fantasy watches, like this one, and others quite accurate replications of some rare and unusual watches from the great makers. Regardless of its fantasy status, this particular watch is well-designed, handsome, and nicely executed in every regard. THE END Thanks for looking!

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Daniel JeanRichard Chronoscope Received from Jos Nana 27 June 2005 SS; diameter 43mm; day, date, and 24-hour subdials; rotating internal bezel I have never before seen a replica of a Daniel JeanRichard watch, and fortunately Joshua returned from a recent buying trip with two copies, I believe. My copy arrived just this afternoon and is a handsome watch. It is, of course, a faux chronograph, but in other respects I have to say it is quite an accurate replica. Comparing it with pictures of the original model is not as easy as you might think. For example, here is one original: Here is Joshua's watch that I just photographed: And here is a different picture of an original, and it does not match the first example (differences in the label -- Daniel there or not -- internal bezel, hour markers, and hands)! The company is actually owned by Girard-Perregaux, and is expected to move more and more 'upmarket'. Although still referred to as 'DJR', the brand name has officially changed to simply 'JeanRichard'. Also, the company is now producing its own movements. With all these variations and changes going on, you will have to make your own judgment as to how accurate a replica this particular example is. All that aside, here are the rest of the photographs: -------------------- THE END Thanks for looking!

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Santos de Cartier 100 (All Gold) Received from Efren, 11 February 2005 Improved dial, leather, and clasp! The Santos de Cartier 100 with butterfly clasp has recently been the biggest "hit" among RWG collectors. The SS model showed that a rugged and masculine looking watch could carry the Cartier label, creating a somewhat new image for Cartier as a brand to be collected. The TT version showed versatility: with the black strap, it looked dressy, with the brown strap, somewhat more casual. Now the all-gold version is available, and with either brown or black strap, it is a large and impressive dress watch! Mine happens to have a brown band this time. It is heavier than before, and the croc print is more convincing. The gold case is brushed, while the bezel is polished. From any angle or viewpoint, it is a handsome watch. While the outer surface of the butterfly clasp is brushed finished, the working parts of the deployant are highly polished. Once again, elegance from any angle: And at last, on my wrist to enjoy! THE END Thanks for watching!

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Santos de Cartier 100 Received from Efren 25 Jan 2005 Two-tone Edition with Butterfly Clasp I couldn't be more pleased with this watch after wearing it a full day: very comfortable, easy to read, handsome, and dressy in a rugged way. Thanks to Efren for his usual excellent taste, excellent presentation, and speedy service! THE END

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Chronoswiss Chronoscope Received from trustywatchguy (Andrew07) 11 July 2005 SS; diameter 41mm; Price of original: $3,800 in stainless steel, $17,360 in platinum From the orolus site, referring to Mr. Lang: Here are side by side pictures of the original watch and a similarly sized image of the replica: What immediately attracted me to this replica was not only its rarity but the extremely close accuracy of the rendering of the dial. It is unfortunate that I had to use long exposures to achieve the necessary depth of field (except the wrist shots) so that the second hands are blurred, making it more difficulty to point out similarities and differences. Unfortunately it was not pointed out that the watch lacks any hacking mechanism. The main thing is that the original is a combination régulateur and chronograph. Thus on the original, the subdial at 12 o'clock is actually the hours hand. On the replica, the corresponding subdial is very accurately marked but in fact functions as a 24-hour (military) time indicator--double the value to interpret. Thus if the hour hand on the main dial (which doesn't exist on the original) points to eight in the PM, the hand on the 12 o'clock subdial will point to 10 but will represent 20:00 hours. What is a sweep second hand on the replica is, of course, the stopwatch seconds counter on the original. Notice also that the crown on the original contains the pusher for the chrono function, whereas the crown on the replica has a protrusion but not enough to resemble a true pusher. The 6 o'clock subdial on the replica is running seconds. Unfortunately the redundancy of both the central sweep hand and the 6 o'clock subdial is marred by the fact that on the copy I received, at least, they were not synchronized, so the central sweep indicates about 20 seconds later than the seconds hand on the subdial--a rather sloppy situation when you consider it would have been easy at the factory to place the hands so they moved properly together. The blackness of the markers on both the main dial and the 6 o'clock subdial are obviously darker on the replica, but otherwise the face itself is extremely accurate. One positive thing to say is that the white porcelain finish of the face itself is very, very nice and certainly represents the original well. Here are the usual pictures: Here is where one wonders about the quality of the case. Without evidence to the contrary, I can only assume that the original, being offered both in SS and in platinum, is probably well polished. You can see that the outside of the case on the replica is brushed, but somewhat roughly so, and I seriously suspect this may be plated brass. In fact, the crown already has a slightly brassy cast to it. The typical beading around both top and bottom of Chronoswiss cases, however, looks good. As I said at the beginning, this was a watch impossible to resist simply because of its rarity (so far) and the beauty of the largely very accurate face. The strap, however, is of typical mediocre rep quality, the deployant is somewhat difficult to snap into its closed position, and the quality of the case itself is less than perfect. It is a watch that I would recommend those liking Chronoswiss to be on the look-out for--but in a higher overall quality level. That said, on the wrist it looks damned good (or would if provided a good strap, preferably black gator). -------------------- THE END Thanks for looking!

(These are old photo reviews rescued from the original RWG site; I didn't want them to get lost forever! Old hands will already have seen them; some newbies might be interested.-- Dave) Lunar Chronoswiss Chronograph (Quartz) Received from XXXX, 12 March 2005 SS; Diameter 37 mm; fully functioning (The reason for the XXXX is that this was a personal gift from another member who wanted to be anonymous. The watch was actually supplied by Adam.) THE END Thanks for looking!