projectologist

Those things are almost impossible to determine via QC pics. The pin probably is flush but appears sunken because the pin itself is slightly rounded at the edge. This creates a subtle shadow giving the illusion it's sunken and gapped when it's not. Also the CP is ever so slightly domed, I have yet to to see one that is flat. Gen is not flat, but slightly domed as well.

Thanks... First 2 I'm trying out a new lense on my camera, the last 3 are my older iPhone which is still hangin' in there.

This one came together over a period of time. V3 Noob case set... re-polished per member w0lf's suggestions. Crown fine-tuned and re-polished as well. Case back is an HF V1 with accurate OP logo, Seagull movement (thanks m3amg) and Noob V3 hands (thanks Tanya). Dial is... well it needed some restoration as the edge had some paint missing (mostly between 5-7) and traces of handling marks on the surface. Luckily it cleaned up pretty well. The 2nd gen Dirk strap was re-stitched between the buckle and keeper to 1st gen spec. I love my logo beater... Crown teeth cleaned up and re-polished... Restored... Strap re-stitched. Only thread I had was white, so I had to try and match the original thread color. Used some watercolor paints and a fine brush.

The gold standard for frankens... as good as it gets! Congrats!

Absolutely awesome!

Impressive collection! Pics highlight it beautifully. Great 2nd gen Dirk. Mine sez Hello Looks perfect on your build.

Have had this 2nd generation Dirk strap for many years, but never had used it much. Then I found a pic of an old ad for a PAM 005 with the same colored strap on it. I think it will look great when I'm done with the build. To make it look more like a 1st gen Dirk strap I re-stitched the area between the buckle and keeper (the 2nd gen stitching wraps around the edge). I used white thread, so had to use some paint to match the original thread. I aged the buckle it a bit to match originals I've seen leaving a little of the coined surface. iPhone 4 and Snapseed... Here are some case set pics after fine-tuning the cg and re-polishing the crown and case set to OEM spec... iPhone 4 and Snapseed...

Would be nice, but only have the Fiddy size hands

Noob and mine came from Toro as well .... he's a great dealer to work with.

It's a 61D brown dial I put into a Noob V3 case set. Very similar to a sausage dial 111.

Got to play with the gen for a bit, with 6 months worth of patina...

Missed the last one I did, so did another on my lunch break. This time instead of polishing the pin as well, I decided to go with the current polished historic cg version that has a satin finish on the lever pin. I like the subtle contrast/detail it gives to the cg, like the brushed lever does.

I want it back... LOL... looks great on your wrist!

VDB build from about 4 years ago. DSN case and VDB case back.

So a local friend and member here texted me last week and said he had all the necessary parts for a Pre-V transition build, the 209. OP produced the Pre-V models from 1993-1997. The first model was the 201/A (1993) and this build, the 209 OP made in 1997 during the transition to OP's new owners. Panerai used the 201/A dial in the 209, but the previous cg was dropped in favor of a slimmer design, the precursor to the A-F/G series cg. And it was polished, not brushed. Also, the the double screw strap system was changed to the more simpler screw system used today... thank god. Finished it up today and took some phone pics (using the Camera+ app) at my desk and outside...

Like this?... Sold it quite awhile back, but really loved it the time I had it. As w0lf said, contact Nightwatch, he's your best bet for the watch.

I have a friend that had his gen 127 cg replaced with a destro version. I know of several others that have done the same thing. They were used to the facing-up lever tip of the 44mm Luminors and wanted the same for their Fiddy.

The poster was referring to the crown tube length which is an immediate tell, more so than the crown itself. And adding to that problem is the fact that the crowns usually don't thread flush to the tube as can be seen on the rep in the comparo pics. Lug wire length and angle are another big tell, but that can be fixed just as the crown tube length can be. Crown tube length on rep Rads has been an issue since day one, and the latest 292's are the only model that has it right so far.

I miss my 390 too, so your gold hands suggestion has me considering such. Yep, they were taken with my old iPhone 4 along with the Snapseed app which has an amazing Sharpening tool. Here's a pic of the lighting set up I used for the first pic... the lens in the middle of the light has 2x magnification so I can get in a little closer. Also, all other lights off so I don't get any objects reflecting on the watch. Then I just lay the phone on the light's lens to steady it and fire away.

? .... everything about my watch is rep except the strap. My friend replaced the rep 61 dial with a gen, so I bought the rep dial he replaced.

So when I heard a member here had a gen 61 dial he was putting into his newly arrived Ti 61c, I asked if I could buy the leftover rep dial, a week later it arrived with hands and movement Dropped it all into an extra Noob V3 case set I had (with a little fine-tuning of the cg), and what you see is the result. Love the brown dial with the Asso. iPhone 4 and Snapseed...

New arrival, pic taken with my old iPhone 4 and processed with Snapseed...

The original owner had it done, along with the DLC coating, by 2Geeks.

The latest 005 offering is of the same quality super-rep status as the 111N.

Latest arrival today with a few mods...