Chicken Manny

Did I miss something? Is this for people building 29's or 63's from scratch? I'm trying to figure out why you would need a GMT hand. Just a dumb question.....

@TT, Yes, I think that is my favorite part of the hobby. Which makes all of you good folks a huge part of the enjoyment. Cheers, CM

So the last few weeks have been great for watch spotting. I really enjoy the spontaneous conversation watches seem to spur and thought I would share a couple with you all. So first I'm sitting at a Raider's game in my usual seats and I notice this rather large guy coming my way. Now I'm what most people would describe as a large guy but this guy was huge! As this guy gets closer I get a better look at him and recognize him as well known ex-Raider lineman. He ends up sitting just in front of me and a little to the side at about arms length. Actually just watching him wedge himeself into the seat was worth the price of admission. I wasn't the only person who took notice and a number of people ended up coming over to shake his hand or say a little something to him. I just hung back and didn't say anything but I did notice he was wearing a watch with a deployment strap that looked a bit like a Panerai. A few minutes later I was trying to get a closer look and he caught me looking at his wrist. He was wearing a championship ring (AFC not Superbowl) so I think he thought I was checking that out. As soon as there was a lull in the game I pointed at his wrist and said "What is the watch your wearing?". He gave me supercilious look and twisted his wrist while saying simply "It is a Panerai". (PAM104 I think). I nodded and responded with a "nice watch" while slipping my 196 out from under my coat sleeve. He looked down and his face completely lit up! We were like instant best friends. The rest of the game we spent talking about football and watches almost nonstop. Great guy and great time. BTW- The lume on that thing was on fire! So the following week I'm sitting in a meeting with a number of people including some new additions to the group. I'm used to checking out watches and the last company I worked for was full of great watches. This new company doesn't seem to have nearly the eye candy but there were a few black subs and a Planet Ocean in the room. I look over at the new guy on my right and what do I see? Cripees, that is 1680. I don't even recall what was going on during the meeting at that point as I'm trying to get a closer look. Then I realize, it's a fake. Too shiny, too new and they guy was way too young. Plus, he didn't strike me as a watch guy at all. We broke for lunch a while later and my assistant asked me "what kind of watch was 'so and so' wearing?" She knows I'm into watches and noticed my attempts to check it out. I told her it was a 1680 rolex but I was sure it was a fake and that the real one was quite rare. So when we return from lunch I go in for the closer look. I'm sure it's fake but have to look closer. I had no intention of calling him out but had mostly decided in my own mind that I would instantly spot the flaws. I walk up to him and point to his watch and say "1680?". He turns to look at me and says "you are the only person that has ever said anything". He then procedes to tell me that he had inherited the watch a few years before and didn't know anything about it until he took it in to get the bracelet replaced. Rolex made sure to tell him what he had. He said the bracelet cost him so much that he didn't have the money to service the movement. He then takes it off and hands it to me. Yep, that is a gen 1680 alright! A few minutes into the meeting I leaned over to my assistant again said "it's real, damn nice watch!" Later that day I had a great time giving him a little history on what he had. He had almost no idea other than the fact that the rolex service center had told him it was rare. I love watches!

In order for an allergic reaction to occur, the skin of a sensitive individual must be in direct contact with the object containing the nickel. For watches, this necessarily means the case or the bracelet. Another condition for an allergic response is that the nickel must be liberated rather easily from its alloy onto the skin in the form of cations, or positively charged particles. Thirdly, these positive ions must be transported by some sort of fluid serving as an electrolyte. This liquid most often is sweat, but may also be water from the sea or from a swimming pool. The stainless steel used in the manufacture of watchcases liberates varying amounts of nickel ions depending on the nature of the alloy and the proportions of the individual components. A stainless steel created for medical purposes gives off practically no nickel. For those persons who are allergic to nickel, which usually manifests itself in the form of dermatitis, they should definitely avoid wearing costume jewellery or earrings made of nickel silver. Another important factor in the liberation of nickel ions is the condition of the metal surface that is in contact with the skin. Rough or porous surfaces retain the electrolytic fluid, usually perspiration, and thus become very active zones for producing the allergenic cations. The resulting corrosion of the metal then generates even higher concentrations of the metal ions. Upon examination of the back of a chrome-plated watch case that has been attacked by sweat, it is surprising to see how much corrosion has taken place and, therefore, easy to understand why the wearer's skin can become sensitive. In addition to stainless steel watches and bracelets, the bi-colour models made of gold and steel can also be problematic for people with sensitive skin. Gold and stainless steel have different electric potentials and the transportation of ions in the sweat is accelerated. Therefore, an increase in galvanic corrosion results in an even greater risk of allergy. The rate of corrosion and the rate of allergies are closely linked. When the two metals are soldered together, the corrosion often occurs at the joint. A cavity then appears becoming the site of even more erosion. The solution to the nickel-allergy problem is to use alloys that give off no or very little nickel cations. As mentioned above, there is a type of stainless steel used in medical devices that liberates hardly any nickel ions. AISI 316 L stainless steel is a common material used in our watches (or at least claimed). True AISI 316 L should minimize allergy reactions in most nickel allergy suffers.

Who was it that wore a t-shirt to a So-Cal GTG that read "Jetmid is my Homie"? That was so long ago I can't recall. I can just imagine myself at 99-years old seeing somebody walk in with a crappy gold plated watch, looking up and and whisper in a weak voice............."Is that you Jetmid?" A true classic story for all rep eternity.

I'm sure he is too busy sipping champagne at 30,000 feet.

I'm a was a little late on this one but I think the idea is great! Anybody know if you can ship booze into Canada? If we can I would throw in some private stock from the Casa de Chicken Manny barrel. Rob, if you like fine aged anejo for sipping you will love this stuff. It is more like a cognac and so smooth most people don't think it is tequila. Cheers!

Happy Thanksgiving! Don't forget the Italians. Happy La Festa del Ringraziamento!

This is one cool post! I can't wait to see the result.

I think those things have been on the endangered species list in California since the late 90's.

Argh!! I can't get the link to work. I can copy and paste it but once it's posted it doesn't work. Any ideas? OK, I posted the url with the "tt" replaced with "xx". I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong but hopefully you guys can get to it now.

Gen on Italy Fleabay hxxp://cgi.ebay.it/PANERAI-RADIOMIR-ROLEX-WATCH-REF-3646-1936_W0QQitemZ260138816631QQihZ016QQcategoryZ10756QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZV ewItem Item number 260138816631 Replace the "xx" with "tt"

Sadly no repair shops in the Bay Area.

Welcome! Yep, there are quite few of us here in the Bay Area.

I have taken multiple watches on quite a few international flights without issue. With the exception of Canada! What is it about Canadian Customs? I always take a paper with the watch models and serial numbers printed on it and have customs stamp it on the way in so that I don't have to worry about the trip back. Nobody ever cares about it other than Canada. They almost always give me [censored] until I whip out the paper with their own stamp on it and they frown and point their boney finger in the direction of freedom.

I think it's a great idea!

Maybe San Rafael area??? Marin Brewing Company is a good spot in Larksburg. http://www.marinbrewing.com/index2.php

LOL! Heck NO! I walked her down the aisle because we were both in the wedding party for my good friend's wedding (both big models). I couldn't stand her but the wedding was interesting. All models, actors and playmates. I was absolutely the ugliest person in the room, well, other than some of the elderly guests. Now that I think about it, even that might not be true. The crazy thing is she actually dated OJ after the court case.... Last I heard she was a lawyer.

I walked his Ex-girlfriend/Raiderette/Lingerie Model down the isle a number of years ago and everything on her was fake. I would say he didn't have any issue donning replicas.

I'm going to be in a training course all week that will restrict my available time a bit. If you could make it a bit South from Santa Rosa I would be able to meeting up after work. Unless you were thinking about a weekend GTG? Any other attendees out there?

It all depends on the old man's mood. I live fairly close to the place and hardly find myself there.

I purchased so many watches from EL and had a great experience. I wish he would come back but either way I wish him well.

Sounds like a great time. It would be great to hang out with Nanuq and talk watches and Rovers. Sadly I don't see myself up in Alaska any time soon. I will be in Paris in the not too distant future, so I will be hitting up Ryyannon for GTG. Meeting other members has been a really enjoyable part of the hobby. Cheers!

There are a few hides I have some issue with buying, elephants being one of them. I don't like the idea of wearing the skin of anything smarter than me. I imagine when the big ships come to pick them all back up I would have some explaining to do, and I don't speak elephant very well. I did buy a custom spotted lizard strap from HKTan. I felt like I had to do a little extra research to make sure I wasn't buying something that was endangered. It was just too beautiful a leather from me not to have seen it somewhere before. I never did find anything to worry me and the truth is if I ran into one of those things in the jungle I would really only be one deep fryer shy of dinner. Ummm, tastes like spotted chicken...

I would think the market for all reps including a ton of junk watches is very large. If you look at the high-end rep market it is like much, much smaller.