crystalcranium

I want them to rep this amazing watch and throw a venus copy in it that will be VERY close to the original http://forums.timezone.com/index.php?t=msg...d=0#msg_1822180

They are working on gettini it just right.

I agree that posting about how stupid a salesperson is and how your replica "put one over" is contrary to what we believe in here but I think the original poster was just sort of reveling in the joy of how good his replica is, not what a dope the guy was for calling him "Mr Planet Ocean." Someone posted that the thrill of walking into an AD with a rep and walking out unscathed wears off pretty quickly and I have to agree, but it is thrilling and re-enforcing that we have spent money well when it happens. The discussion that I had with my jeweler about the replica Tag was one that was sparked by enormous pride. I was not jerking them around nor was I saying "lookie what I have here". It was a sober discussion about the state of the art in both replica manufacturing and high end genuine pricing. I showed them my replica because I am so satisfied with it. As for cluing them in on our little secret hobby, I think what we do is still soooooo small. The huge majority of the replica watch business is cheap canal street reps of submariners. When I hear that my Tag Chrono or Breitling GT were produced in a couple of runs of 1000-1500 watches, I feel pretty safe the replica police aren''t coming for me first.

Nope, in fact they were blown away. My jeweler said they would have to open the caseback to sniff this one out.

Great. God Luck. Let us know what you think. Thanks for taking the plunge.

I have not seen the brand new generation yet. I have been told it is a 1-1 copy and the photos look flawless. The older version was a mess.

Congrats!!! Not to pee in your Cheerios but, most sales people are pretty woefully inexperienced in picking up a rep from a genuine on first glance. Also, I would imagine they are told in their sales training, "You are going to see people come in here with fake watches. Don't embarass them by calling them out in front of their significant others". The real test is when you hand it over to a jeweler, the person who runs the store and buys the stock. Rolex requires training for their sellers that includes practical examinations where they have to pick out the genuines from the fakes that are laid out on a table in front of them. My jeweler was able to pick out my 99% Submariner not visually, but by feel when I handed it over. She had a much harder time however with the Tag Link Chrono though. Sorry, I'm not trying to bring you down. Putting one over on a salesperson is a thrill alright but you might want to consider what they have at stake in telling you you are full of [censored]. Loss of potential sale....

I have not had the inclination to treat my replicas with anything other than gentle kindness. I had too awful an experience with the generation of replicas I purchased 5 years ago and wore like they were daily beaters. Crowns snapping off, hour markers falling off, bezels popping, screws coming out and watches flying off at the worst "concrete under my feet" times,...all have contributed to my paranoia about my replicas, and my expensive genuines in general. I rub these things with a diaper and display their pristine state proudly on display pillows under glass! Yes, this generation of replica feels very substantial but I'm not taking any chances. I treat them like classic cars. Garaged and rubbed most of the time and taken out for a ride only on warm dry days. My daily banger is a Bulova Marine Star that's about 12 years old. Looks like [censored] and runs +-5 sec/month. I confess, I recently bought the exact same model (I was surprised as hell to learn Bulova was still making it) and it's under glass as well. Yes...a sicko. I've got a place on a pillow for the FA Jones that's coming all fluffed up and ready. Rest well my new beauty!

Not from what I was sent in the email. just the white and black dial versions. No word on the limited edition.

Josh said the strap, although the right shape, was of poor quality so it's being sent back for a re-do. This is the cause for the delay in release. They are also manufacturing an allen wrench tool for strap removal and I think he said the screws on the final version will be black. Should be awsome for the B&R enthusiasts. Still looks like a bedside table alarm clock on a belt to me but....so does the genuine!!

It looks like Josh and Andrew are working as a conduit for customer feedback from the most discerning collectors back to the manufacturers. The results may be some of the most accurate replicas we've seen yet. They are working on getting a Swiss version of the Instrument B&R perfect. I don't know how much this team contributed to the production of the second generation Omega SMP Chrono Diver but it looks to me to be spot on, at least when I hold up my genuine to the computer screen. The last attempt at this replica was a mess. The dial print was wrong, the crown guards were incorrectly shaped, the crystal was domed and thick resulting in tons of dial distortion and the caseback was engraved "speedmaster". This one looks pretty faultless. About the only thing I can come up with is that the bracelet has a screw instead of a pin at one position close to the lugs. The dial print is exactly right in its font and position around the date window. The pearl is correct. Josh told me this is a 1-1 copy made with a genuine on hand. It shows. Now if I can just get them to make a decorated Swiss Unitas for the FA Jones!!!!! I've been told the economics of that make it un-attainable. Too much to be made from the asian unitas decorated and too much cash up front to bulk order the swiss for modification.

Is this true? I have heard mechanical watches require running to keep oils from drying out and to insure accurate running.

Many articles on watches and collecting as well as an article on counterfeits. The article focused on the rip off aspect of counterfeits, ie people sold and gifted fakes as genuines. The showed an awful Submariner LV with a 21J movement, a non hologram case sticker, empty pearl recess, lousy green bezel, poor date mag, no maxi dial, as an example, I guess, of a typical counterfeit. They characterized these watches as poor in quality when compared side by side with a genuine, but getting better, I suppose in their ability to fool the un-informed, all the time. The most interesting thing they said is that counterfeit watches are assembled using poor quality asian movements and buyers are cheating themselves out of the opportunity to own a Swiss piece of mechanical craftsmanship. I guess what I heard through all of this is that, not too many people know about us yet. I never have considered the replicas I have collected as low end knock offs. I think what we discuss, buy and trade are high fidelity copies, right down to the quality and origins of the movements, of some of the finest timepieces produced today. I'll stack up my serviced asian 7750 Tag link Chrono or my 2836 SS Submariner against anything mechanical produced at 2 to 3 times the price by Hamilton, Swiss Army, Tissot, or Oris. The fact that those in the know about the counterfeit trade still think it's a business of selling fakes as genuines on the internet to rip off the un-informed means more time for us and our interesting niche hobby.

Yup...see, I know nothing about these watches. I do know that I lived the look of the genuine in the WT article and thought, "Say, there's a Panerai I might be able to wear!!!" As far as the choice of movements, accurate decoration is lacking in both the swiss and asian versions. I was thinking more in terms of smoothness of operation. My genuines with 7750 movements are a joy to wind and operate. I have had some problems with the new 7750, winding problems, chrono re-setting issues, etc. I just thought getting a swiss 7750 would give me a more reliable and smoother operator out of the box.

So, is the base metal important to plating gold over existing gold? I think my primary purpose in using the kit would be to "thicken" existing plating on arrival from the factory 5 mls (yeah, right) to a wear resistant level.

http://caswellplating.com/kits/plugnplate.htm Looks like an inexpensive way to keep gold plated watches looking great. The video demonstration is very good. It shows how to use the kit to both brush and dip plate small items. I assume you would have to disassemble your watch to the smallest possible components, ie take out the dial and movement, remove the stem and crown, pop out the crystal, remove the bezel etc...but it looks loke a great way to do home maintainance of poorly plated gold watches from our asian friends. Hey, couldn't you gold plate a decorated rotor on an otherwise steel movement for a "two toned" look. Am I missing something here as to why this can't work? For less than $50 for a gold plating setup, it looks ideal. I'd like to think I could brush plate the case of my gold FA Jones until I get 25 mls of plating.

Actually, the case engravings and the double deployment buckle on the 212 Regatta Chrono are more accurate. This baby is about $650 delivered. Hmmmmmm...trouble brewing in the budget!

You guys have finally gotten to me. I'm going to take the Panerai plunge. The Luminor 44mm flyback chrono with a genuine swiss 7750 caught my eye. Is this an accurate replica? I believe it is the flyback reviewed in Watch Time in a head to head with Blancpain's flyback. The photos on Joshua's site look pretty close. Rotor hub is wrong, decoration on movement is not accurate and caseback engravings are a little off but the dial and case front look good. Is the swiss 7750 model at $600 worth it? I think the buckle on the rep is innacurate. It's a bi-folding clasp on the genuine. What kind of lume is standard on these reps All opinions welcome

Sorry for my tone in the original response. Little cranky yesterday. Bad back and some percocet are not a good combination for posting on the internet. I did think the post smelled a little bit like a lecture on info that was well known here. Sorry for reading other motivations into it.

I don't think I even heard a question in there. My question is why such an exhaustive demonstration of your knowlege base to ask such a simple question which, I think is, are in house movements superior to modified or un-modified outsourced movements? It might come as something of a surprise to you, but most of the replica devotees here are not in need of an education about movements, their origins, and the history of "haute horologie" watch houses. Unfortunately, there is a personality type that asks a question only in service of hearing themselves talk on the subject.

Only 4 seller feedback references. Pushers and crown look tarnished to me. Lousy pics. Anything about it that jumps out as genuine or fake to the experts out there? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...mMakeTrack=true

I think that's the Longines Harry Connick pitches in their ads. Beautiful, classy looking complications.

Genuine on the wrist for the traveling and usually 2 reps wrapped in socks in the carry on. When we go some place where water activities will be on our list, a Seiko diver gets included.

Tried the search engine. Lack of information here. Is it possible to re-plate a replica? Doesn't there need to be a nickel base to plate? Can gold stick to gold? Would any of these "home plating kits" that use a brush work? I see that several jewelry replating services might not work on reps. Has anyone tried purging the watch case of parts and just sending out the case/bezel/crown to be plated?

understood