crystalcranium

If I were the detective working the case, and I had my suspicions based on what an innocent man says and what a guilty man typically says in these circumstances, I'd wonder why I'm not hearing "Really guys, I bought a $120 watch for $450??? How the hell did I get so screwed?", instead of you defending your selection and review right down to the last gasp. I'd lawyer up if I were you.

Moving a subdial that ckicks over once a minute when the chrono is running is not a big deal. Moving a subdial that is constantly running with multiple gears is a mechanical set-up for failure. It's not that it can't work, its just that the more parts to the mouse trap, the greater the chance something will break down. I have never had a mechanical reliability issue with a geared up 7750 that moves the very infrequently moving minute chrono subdial from 12 to 3. A geared up constantly moving running seconds subdial move is another story.

Richard, thank you for your efforts. Community service and leadership is very difficult. I have served on trustees at my church and the personalities, childness among sober adults, pettiness and selfishness never ceased to amaze me. It takes a special person to lead in circumstances like this especially when the rallying cry has the potential to start a stampede for the Titanic's lifeboats without regard for everyone's good. I could hear some disappointment in your posts of late and I'm sorry this undertaking, that came from a wonderful place of wanting to share a great opportunity, soured and wore on you. Keep up the good work! Chris

There was some pre-xmas talk about this rare replica sold by a board dealer. I was a little wary of the hype for a very inexpensive replica and my caution was somewhat warranted. The watch is very light, perhaps to mimic the weight of the original which is titanium, but is made from steel. The bezel has perhaps a half click of play in it so centering it at zero is difficult. The analog quartz movement seems fairly accurate but has lots of backlash play so hacking for the correct time without moving the minute hand is difficult. The quartz lcd read out is ok and the functions of dual time stopwatch and alarm work well. I set the dual time setting on the readout for the exact time on the analog hands but in just 24 hours, they were 10 seconds out of synch, not very good for a quartz movement. The bracelet was very poorly made with more than the typical large gaps in the links and one link was broken at an internal pin spot and not reparable. I havepurchased an aftermarket Omega bracelet as a replacement. Worth the $90 with shipping? Probably, but don't expect the kind of quality we get in the high end reps. This is a replica that's going to be fun to own and play with but it's not going to feel like a quality piece.

Ahhh yes...the muse is upon me....tick tock tick tock

Agreed, $325 with shipping is as high as I would go. I thought at one time, buying a center post Seagull tourbillon replica Breguet for $2000+ might be something I could justify but my thinking now is that the list of genuines in that price range just makes too much sense. Oris Artillier Chrono, Moon Watch...I could go on and on. A high fidelity chrono replica with an asian 7750 for $300 is still a good buy. I cant do the $700+ ETA 7750 reps when there's a Tissot T-Lord or an Accutron Gemini chrono with a real company standing behind it available in that price range. ....but I dont see myself ever being able to afford a genuine tourbi so some day.....maybe.....

It wasn't the designs but that damn vibrating quartz crystal! Lots of things are retro and nostalga for old styles seems to be a part of every generations aging but, I have to tell you, as a kid who grew up in the 1970's, the styling that gave us the leisure suit, almond colored kitchen countertops and appliances, and disco music can stay dead for all I care. I would never turn down a micro-rotor Patek automatic if someone gave it to me but if I had to make out a PP wish list, this one would be at the bottom of the list. Space age styling manifesting itself in TV screen shaped watch dials never appealed to me.

--> QUOTE(d.b @ Dec 26 2006, 05:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> hi it's something alot of people bug about, sorry that i'm going to do that my self too, it's coz at non of the posts it have staight,detailed answers.. i own a "cheap" sub with japanese movement... and i already think it aint worth any modding.. and i figured out it will be better for me in the near future to invest in a proper rep, and mod it.. or maybe pay a little more and get a pre-modded rep right "out-of-the-box" my question is, is that rolex "PERFECT" submariner from perfect-clones.com worth the extra $200 ? link @ http://perfect-clones.com/rlss10005-perfec...362-p-1045.html is that the closest to gen rep available ? or there are more mods to be taken on the watch to make it perfect? i mean, he has a sub for $188 with the same ETA Swiss mvmt.. and i belive the extra cost is for the mods taken on the watch, does they worth it? i mean, a waterproofing mod is super-nice! so is the mvmnt pre-servicing, and the crown guards matched to gen size.. and so are the other mods etc.. but it that worth the $$$ ? or is there a better take for the same bucks? any advice will be appreciated. thanks in advance! d.b There are plenty of threads about the "perfect" and "ultimate" Submariners archived and available through the search function. They contain great information, discussion and debate and would be worth your review. The topic is sort of played out here. My opinion, for whatever it's worth, is that if you are going to wear your rep every day, a movement servicing and water resistance rating will help improve the odds of its' ability to give you day to day performance but, is a copy of the Rolex trademark worth that to you? $450 will get you a very nice genuine Tissot, Hamilton, Swiss Army or Accutron automatic complete with a real guarantee should anything be amiss in daily use 18 months from now. I don't wear my reps daily so $188 was as much as I was willing to pay. The extra price buys me performance I wouldn't need and doesn't mean a higher fidelity of reproduction.

Top notch job by benevolent "Big Brother" here. We are well taken care of!

No Excuse...Get back to those emails!!!! I've had 3 diabetic patients with pneumonia this fall and the recovery is slow. Take care and be well. CC

The TZ online courses will get you a basic education on movements, a very basic one when compared to what you would learn in a full time watchmaking school. What you could do with the TZ education and some practice is service mechanical movements on the most basic level, ie minor repair, std movement swaps, hand replacement etc... You are lucky that in Lancaster County Pennsylvania, there are several watchmaking schools that provide the whole smash, a swiss watchmaking level full time education.

Zenith El Primero Open Class. Near the upper spending limit but an iconic movement that will last a lifetime

Seiko is an amazing watchmaking company. They have to be considered one of the most influential horology houses in the history of timekeeping. In house mechanical movements, innovative creations, the bringing of high quality watches to the masses....this company has done it all. My Seiko automatics are my most reliable watches. I can pick one up after years of non use and it will run accurately and strong.

I've got a bud who has one of the first Seiko digitals that had a screw off hatch for a massive battery that fit into the case back. He paid $900 USD for it in Japan in 1970. He pulled it out of the back of a drawer and let me see it once. In pretty good shape and heavy as lead. I told him an ebay auction might be in order!!! ...and the Accutron vibrating tuning fork was a bridge between a fully mechanical balance wheel and spring and the vibrating crystal in a quartz watch. It was an actual vibrating tuning fork connected by gears to the mechanicals of a watch drive train. Wow! Some incredible "halfway there" inventions in the late 50s and 60s

Thanks JTB. And it turns out the Hamilton Electrics of the late '50's and 60's were battery powered mechanical watches, the first hybrids!. Simply facinating what one learns here.

What about it sounds "cheap" to you??? I don't quite understand how being able to hear the rotor on your automatic watch operate translates to a judgement of cheap. I've got on my genuine SMP Chrono today and I can hear the rotor very clearly when I shake it close to my ear. Anyone calls this watch cheap, they can dig it out of their skull!!

My Genuine Rock Love this watch

Mechanical watch, mechanical sounds. This thread smells like the OP is scared to death something is going to give away his precious fake to the ignorant peanut gallery. "OMG, my replica is whirrrring, the girl I'm trying to impress is going to notice!!!" Relax man and enjoy the watch, don't abuse the illusion!

This is a bum rap. Neil is not a dealer. OK "10 reasons to order from TTK" might make him look like hes asking for business but, he is primarily a procurer and screener of fine replicas. This expectation that he be like K-Mart in customer attention just because he advertises is misguided. If hes such an a-hole, why is he still a sought after conduit to replicas??? Because he delivers a terrific product to a select group he screens and deals with.

Who makes a better cracker, Keebler or Nabisco? The technology to make a quartz watch is so simple, I think there's probably nothing to choose between the two. Seiko invented the quartz watch??? I thought Accutron/Bulova did. Were the Hamilton Electrics in the late 1950's quartz?

When you decide to re-sell your Rollies, I'll be sure to put in a low bid!!!

The amazing quality and fidelity of the better replicas sure do sell themselves. I have had several friends who have had Canal Street replica experiences and scoff at the prices offered by out dealers...until they see the quality first hand....then they're blown away!

Thanks for the full disclosure. Going to be a lot of disappointed campers out there. This watch was highly anticipated. I wonder if the clamor for it (several hundred posts in the original thread) had anything to do with an adjustment in price from the supplier that caught all of the interested parties including Angus by surprise?

That's fine, all I'm saying is that I don't like risking my investments by taking them into battle...that's all. If I owned a 1963 Vette, it wouldnt get much road time either and I certainly wouldn't take it out in the rain or drag race it down on Delaware Avenue. Some people wear their fine watches daily, some wear them only on special occasions. If it's a rainy day in watchland, I go out in my Seiko or Casio.

Hamilton, Waltham and Elgin vintage PW, all restored and Chronometer certified,..... solid gold PP and GP watches for less than $3000....what the hell am I doing collecting Wristwatches???? These things are beautiful and most dispite their age, because of design and size are chronometer quality. Oh boy, a new obsession. Honey, we need that second mortgage!!!