offshore

@Nanug, I could always be a smartarse, and tell you to go and check our links section However, not a lot there, although Dashto would be worth a fly. And I'm sure you had already looked However this , I googled up... Lejour Watches Private Company, Headquarters Location New York, NY 10168 United States (212) 551-1199 , (914)923-1837 fax http://www.lejourwatches.com Company Description: Watches, Clocks, And Watchcases The WWW doesn't work, but would be worth a phone call. You know, one of the things I enjoy is winding a manual wind, must be my early days of watch owning when you had to wind it every morning. I have an Aeromatic, which has just the sweetest feel while winding, so smooth... its almost sensual.... yeah I know.. I'm getting carried away. Offshore

Nanug, Sweet, Looks like it could stand a little reluming, and is the date wheel a little dirty? But, yeh, others may pay that just for the crystal, ( which could well be the same) And even if you threw another $100 at it, what a beautiful piece, for less than most reps. Offshore BTW, if you decide to ty to clean the dial, I read on the NAWCC forum, that Polident .. denture cleaner tablets, immerse for about 3 minutes, work well. Haven't tried it yet, but will give it a go soon. Offshore

@Pho, And I'll bet at least 50% of our viewers, don't even know this exists!! Top centre guys, about 12 o'clock, in watch speak! There really is some great research info in there. Offshore

Had a mild interest over the years, mainly divers watches, as it was a sport and profession. Bought some simply awful reps in Singapore about '86, which all died within days of purchase! About 5 years back, received some spam for " Italian Rolex", and being a research type of guy, went the Replicacentre route. Arrived at TRC, ( having not been burned thankfully), and started collecting. Then bought a few basic tools, to adjust bracelets etc, and really got into the repair side of things, ( which I am still learning) Suffered a burn from my friend Natalie, when I decided to buy a few watches in 1 hit, and then started to look at genuines. Have now stopped collecting reps, for the life of me, I can't understand anyone paying $300-$600 for a rep, when there are some wonderful mid range genuines around for less money! But thats just me. Genuine collection, is now over 100, plus there are almost 1000 ( mainly quartz- and about 100 mechanical) in the work in progress bins. The quartz - resold, and some repair work, fund my genuine habit ( almost) So here I am now, modding on a rep forum, about 5k out of pocket , and looking to watch repair to boost my retirement package in a few years time ( Yeh-right!) Seems like its been a long ( not very bumpy) road, but think I'll be round for a few years to come. The info I continue to glean here, means I have less chance of being caught on a genuine purchase... touch wood, I have never been caught with a rep on an ebay buy. Although I have had a few which have arrived in a condition "not as described", which have required some serious repair skills. My latest project is an Omega Geneve, which I picked up, working, for $7! Now polished, overhauled, at no great cost, I am awaiting delivery of a new dial ( $35) to finish it. My little bit of history... Damn those spammers...but I DO enjoy my home here, and family... and the mostly great group I meet here and around the traps! Offshore

Yep, pull it apart and suck on the dial and hands for a couple of hours, you may get 1 millionith of the exposure the souls in Hiroshima suffered. Of course we all spend hours a day sucking on our watches Offshore

Looks like more of Nanugs' work Offshore

ROFLMA, ( Especially a body builder ) Offshore

OK jtb, I'll have 2 bob each way on Barcelona, in response to that excellent form guide! (Will PP funds on Monday) Always like to back the runners up! But then again... that would mean backing the Poms for the Ashes! Hmmm, yeh Barcelona it will be... are they from Europe? See ya can't take the Oz out of an Aussie! Bump for some more punters... lets send all of your dough downunder, so I can buy a couple more watches! And support our home at the same time. Offshore

I'll have you know that my balls are exactly the same shape as yours! Just can't get excited about betting on something I know NOTHING about. The last time I got involved with JTB in a bet ( which appeared to be a sure thing) my cricket team did the unthinkable and went to sleep for a couple of months. However revenge will be sweet.... SOON. So - sorry guys, no Oz $$ coming from this little black duck, howver I am interested in a winner take all, on the upcoming test cricket series Poor old Poms don't know what we have waiting for 'em. They may even have trouble getting thru customs... invalid passports etc... and the drugs checking will mean they can't even walk for a week or two after arrival BTW.. jtb .. is the Mido still ticking? Mine is still my fav! Offshore

One of Australias favourite sons, Peter Brock, was killed in a rally accident today. Brock, or " Peter Perfect" as he was known, was undoubtedly the finest touring car driver, we have seen in this country. Quote from a newsmail. "Brock is a nine-time winner of Australia's most prestigious racing event, the Bathurst 1000. The 61-year-old father of three rose to national fame for his racing victories in the 70s and 80s, becoming known as "Peter Perfect" and evolving into a full-blown television personality. After officially retiring in 1997, Brock made two return visits to Bathurst in 2002 and 2004 and returned to top-level touring car racing as a team owner of "Team Brock" in 2002 in the V8 Supercar category. Before his last outing at Bathurst, the vegetarian Brock said he felt as though he had lived a 'blessed' life, but that things for a race driver could be tough also. "Motor racing is a roller coaster, it can be very, very cruel and very, very kind," he said." I for one, as a motor sport follower, am saddened at his passing. But as we have seen this week, " If you live by the sword......................" Offshore

Have a funny story about.. 2 mtr of fishing line, a piece of fish on each end, and two seagulls.... similar to this. Don't everyone get upset by this image..... they disgorge before much harm.... and it was in my youthfull years.... many ions back. Funniest aerial sequence i have ever witnessed! Offshore

Well... some comments on a great pic. @Puggy, Maybe reasonably close to what the mind perceived.. a little older than expected. @Usil, with no preconceived virtual pics, its great to know we have a most distinguished fellow member! @ Ry, had always felt your written skill and wit, may well be a camouflage for an ugly mug: not the case... you're almost as good looking as self... your avatar then probably acknowledges attitudes, not personalities!! Great stuff guys, glad you had a top time.... although I note 3 empty glases in the pic. hope they were refilled ... quickly! Offshore Edited to add.. Really nice background.. why were you all so taken with the camera!

Done

Have spent countless hours U/W with many rays, including bull rays. This poor bastard was laying, dozing on the bottom in shallow ( read warm) water when a large predator approached him from behind- he took flight .. to meet a coral cliff face barring his escape, and at that stage "went defensive" tail up -barb exposed- and Steve Irwin was "wrong place- wrong time" If we ever see the footage I'll bet on that or similar scenario. There is a precedent for this barb to the heart......many ions ago.... in my youth....... I was lifesaving at a place called Ocean Grove, out of Melbourne. Many may not know, but rays enjoys surfing. A guy was out body surfing, and as he got onto a wave, he landed on a ray.. it went defensive, and did the same thing. He was dead on the beach. T'was a million to one. Steve Irwin was a great Aussie ambassador, although a lot of us in Oz cringed at his Okka outback presentation. But he was a skilfull, entrepreneur, a great croc hunter, conservationist, naturalist, and all round wildlife ambassador. He was however, a very average diver, and had few "street smarts" in the diving department. I will relate a little story, about one of the best divers Oz has produced. This guy worked as an abalone, and commercial diver in Melbourne, logging hundreds/thousands of hours. Each year he took holidays in Queensland and went diving socially. Each year he was repatriated from Queensland with various diving "problems" Stood on a crown of thorns, Cinugaua poisoning, major cut hand from a razor fish.. etc; I asked him why a guy like him, who did so many hours "down south" without a prob, always managed to get into trouble "up north". "Simple he said, I'm a novice up there"... He was simply travelling out of his natural environment. I can retell many other instances of this sort of scenario, good divers trying to dive to their "own" ability, in a foreign environment: "Out of their comfort zone" It's something that has stuck with me, even tho I stopped diving almost 25 years ago. Have dived commercially, was a CMAS ***** instructor, VP of Oz Cave Divers Association, instructor on Heron Is, worked on oil rigs, and on the Hydro Elec scheme in Tasmania, and filmed regularly on early White Pointer films, so my dive log has a few hours in it as well. Steve Irwin. Ambassador, conservationist, wild life guru, all round great guy..you made a statement that will remain with us for some time. Most good, but please all o/s, realise that all of Oz is not a Steve Irwin character. Vale Steve Irwin Offshore

I too, agree with Richard on this, I would however add one rider. Back in the early days of TRC ( I think) or maybe it was even during the ??? RWCC?? forum time, a group buy went awry ( from memory) and a number of people were left in the lurch. My old brain can't recall all the details, but again from memory it was what created TRC. Maybe some of the real old timers can fill in the gaps. So, not casting aspersions on anyone who has put together a group deal, there remains an extra element of risk for the buyer, and they should take the Caveat Emptor advise. Offshore

I'm not disagreeing, but mind pointing out the errors? Offshore

Star, Like you, I contribute as a supporter, even though a mod, and Hell! I don't even collect reps anymore. But the wealth of info to be found here and on the other boards, helps me in my buying of gens... so I don't get ripped!! So its worth the time to assist and contribute a bit, and just be part of a great community and ( mostly) great group of WIS. Thanks T........and guys, the button to donate is top right Offshore

Ry, I'll have you know we don't have any rabid koalas in Oz! Maybe I could just package and send Neil.... t'would achieve a similar impact Just kidding Neil... but I bet you would like to be here to assist with the door knocking! And if MR P R, happens to be a member here, and reads this... I wouldn't be opening any LARGE packages soon. Offshore

Yeh, Good call Ry! Will post a registered on Monday! Offshore

Ok guys, back on topic. Have just returned from a trip to see who lives at the Main Beach addy. Knocked on the door, was opened by an elderly gent, asked for P*** R******, and was told - "Doesn't live here, ( a pause). We don't know him" So I departed. But it seemed and felt a bit suss. A lot of these Hi Rises, have managers... this unit ( No. 1) gave a feeling that it was the unit managers residence ( More lived in)... although there was no signage nominating a managers contact on this block. Could it be another resident using the manager as a drop off point? I had a look at the letter boxes for all the units, not too many were marked, and no name even remotely similar. This area has a high transitory population, and a lot of the units would be holiday letting. So.... drew a blank, and have no further ideas how to try to track the elusive Mr R***** Clue guys???? Offshore

Ken, I will knock on his door over the weekend, just for a civil chat. Lets see how that goes and I will report back. BTW - he is not phone listed, and this is a major hi rise area, so looks like a unit or flat- will have a happy chat Offshore

Hmm, Just down the road! Methinks a knock on the door is in order. Great weekend sport. Offshore

Thanks Puggy- Also a lot of that info is available in our Links section. Top centre on the tool bar. Lots of good info in there FYI Offshore

Hello Natalie- Again. I'm badder than Kenberg. Its all about sex and travel. Offshore aka aland.

Yeh I remember haveblue- welcome on board - again. offshore