cskent69

FANTASTIC!

Looking good Marty!

Here is my mixture:

MBW 1665 case with HE Valve Mod

Swiss Eta mvt.

NDT 1665 dial with vintage patina

Hands modded to match the dial patina

Gen 585 end links

Gen crown and tube

Tropic 39 Superdom glass

Drilled holes with gen pins

Ubi flat 3 DW

Hollow mid link bracelet 93150

Gen vintagized insert with acrilic tritium pearl

Case back stripped and aged

CGs shaped and re polished

Case re shaped and re polished

Regards Laz

laz - please tell us more about the HE valve mod! I have one of these 1665 modded beauties. But the fake HE has always been a thorn in my well laid plans.....

Just a quick question for those much more hands on than I.

Can you put an A7750 datewheel (specifically the new Breitling Datewheels) into a genuine ETA 7750 movement? I know that it can go the other directions ETA DW into Asian movement.

Any issues the other way around?

Thanks!

That thing is terrible. I would hate to have to be forced to wear that.

I agree - i love watches with the Day date done just right. Here is my dilemna - for the most part - the A7750 does not handle the day wheel very well. It always looks wobbly or out of alignment - even when I change them to ETA daywheels. So for every one of these watches, I have to swap to a genuine 7750 or I can't stand looking at it.

So far, I have a Slevin and 3717 with ETA 7750.

Nearly all my other watches at least have the date.

Most of my PAM's do not. Which gives them less wrist time.

I am looking for my next good day date. Considered an omega - but was not in love with it.

Any suggestions?

I really like the looks of this. It is what I have been waiting for. Problem is - I want that bracelet too. So, I guess I hvae to wait.

Does anyone know if they are producing that?

Love it.

This is very unfortunate. I really wanted to buy the Porto.

I wish that they would make a better sec at 6 and clone the 7753.

Wishes, wishes.

2892-A2 is thinner than the 2824-2. (0.30mm thinner on the dial side if measuring center stem to top of mainplate)

You would need a spacer between the dial and movement in order to align the stem. Also, you would need to replace the date disc. The 2824-2 and 2892-A2 discs sit flush in the mainplate. So if you use a 2892-A2, the date disc would be 0.30mm away from the date window and look funny. You would need to find a 2834-2 disc as that disc sits up in the movement. (0.20mm taller than the flat disc in a 2824-2/2892-A2)

Also, the 2892-A2 is slightly larger in diameter than the 2824-2. (0.02mm) So depending on how tight the movement holder is, it may not fit with the existing holder.

Good news is, the dial feet are in the same location. But bad news is, you may have to swap the CP, HW in order to compensate for the 0.30mm spacer. You would probably only have to go up one hand fitting height to H.2.

Damn - that is good info.

Wow

This has been a question that I have been wondering for quite some time - which I have not been able to answer because I have been reluctant to put the dollars down on the new "best Version" 104. What are really the improvements of the new Best Version over the old Ultimate.

I have an old Ultimate 104. These are my observations on what I have pertaining to some of the topics we are discussing:

1. The cyclops of the old 104 is good - but by no means great. The first problem is that the optics are too "centered". Meaning - it started to distort the numbers too quickly when you look at it off center versus the genuine. I think that it means that the curvature is off. This is why a lello DW actaully looks better in the old Ultimates as the Lello numbers are closer togethor than the cartels.

2. The AR is way too heavy. The heavy bluish tint of the AR on the old Ultimate version is not at all what Panerai's really look like. The fact that the cyclops has the tint in it as well (and can be more pronounced in fact) is a major giveaway.

Finally - there are folks who have written that the DW is too small for the 88 because the Datewheel is sunken and too far away. Apparently - the Datewindow cutout - which was the same for all the new Best versions (104, 88, 164, etc) is the same - and was in fact - meant to work for the non GMT's. (no sunken DW).

I would like to know if the new Best version 104 cyclops is better than the old Ultimate 104. By guess, is that it is the exact same thing - hence why I have not bothered to purchase it yet.

I think that we all just have to be a little more specific.

I have two MBW vintages 1665 and a 1680. The 1665 with the MBW dial and my 1680 with the GEN dial both work with GEN spaced overlays. If you look at the MBW overlay - it is not designed to match up to the ETA spacing (on these vintages at least). In fact - i think that they were made specifically to shift the numbers to the correct Rolex spacing.

It may not be the case on the new models (non-vintage). Does anyone else have the same experience?

Pin mod is incredible. Fantastic.

Will definitely keep the new services in mind. Thanks!

Yeah - I was into the BP's - but not what came out.

1. Skyland (v2 or Blacksteel) - preference is yours

2. GMTIIc CHS (wish they would come up with a closer Bezel insert though)

3. Paul Picot Le Plonguer (technically 2007 i guess - also wish they had made a 7753 option for this one)

It is the one over the DW

Not sure if anyone has the definitive answer on this one - but I was wondering if the new "Full ceramic" bezel on this watch is actually closer to the real thing. I have read as many reviews as I can find - but no one seems to have an opinion. Apparently the paint in the Full Ceramic is not that great.

Opinions?

Count me in. 1 of the thin one. Thanks!

My only issue with the 2678 is that it is a ladies movement - much smaller than the 28 series. I don't know if that will have an impact - probably not.

How is the bezel on this one. On the regular Skyland V2 - the bezel click was not as solid - and many people reported that they could turn their bezel in the opposite direction. Did they fix that?

Fellow members, has anyone gotten one of these new "ultimate" of the 104, 164 ,or 228's? I am interested but have heard conflicting things.

The most disturbing is that they might a too confining a date window. Here are the pictures from Joshs site:

for me - the big problem with this case is the lug holes. I think that they are too large and will not work for the gen-like lug screw assembly that you will eventually want to put on there.

It looks like the new Full Ceramic bezel might be a better match to the gen.

mreynolds - thanks for posting a picture. Good luck

The gen is according to Rolex engraved out and then filled with white gold I believe.

The rep is just engraved.

I own a gen bezel and a rep watch, just not sure if the bezel or even the insert only will fit.

The color is in fact different though, I have them 3 inches from each other.

Cheers,

M

Any chance of a picture? I have been thinking about getting the IIc with the full ceramic bezel. People have been saying that it is more gray then black. Not sure if that is right or not. Thanks!

what is off about the iic bezel?