ThinkBachs

Not this again.........

Thank God nobody was hurt. Something that might be helpful, if you're not doing it already, might be to connect with people you know on Facebook. It's a great way to network with others who might be able to give you a hand when you need it. This is a time when you need help, so accept it when it's offered. Some people, like myself, thrive on being helpful! A sheet pizza and a cooler full of beer goes a loooooong way, throw in a cheap grill with some hamburgers and sausage on it and you'll have all the help you need and more. I'm praying that things work out for the best for you and your family. Keep in mind that the one thing the fire could never destroy is a positive attitude!

Probably my most favorite of all the Panerai's...

I have to agree about the hands. Wondering if it has gen spring bars? Polishing the bar ends looks really good adding yet another finishing touch that so many overlook.

I believe that's supposed to be the Hublot Cappuccino, but haven't found anything gen that looks like it- close, but no cappuccino. Drink this HBB Coffee

Here is the exact same image after processing it with Photomatix Pro: And here's a version by me. This took about 40 seconds all together using Photoshop and tweaking the exposure, saturation, then taking down the yellow a little. -Had to play for a second.

Bwahahahahahaaaaa!

Here's another US eBay auction... Mesh Strap

I was super excited to see they finally made this. Looks freakin' awesome on the mesh. The "1:1" version is supposed to be out in a few months, though this version still looks great as is- in fact, I'd take this over a gen Ocean7 any day.

Seiko rubber...

Finally, a fairly decent photo...

So far so good for all the versions I've had- none of them have broken. I always wear mine a little loose so I can't see how this would happen to mine, unless I got it caught on something. As far as wearing it to work with, I've got some nice "cheapie" watches to wear instead. A rubber strap will take care of that problem in no time!

Some more pics, florescent light is HARSH! Every teeny-tiny micro scratch (and not so teeny) shows up this way.... Another wrist shot- after cleaning...

I can't just have something that is the "same old same old" so I took the standard DSSD to the next level. Using a Rolex Yacht Master as my inspiration, I modded my DSSD to give it a little flair. I also wanted something that would contrast nicely with a rubber diver strap, so took the DSSD to my jeweler to have the lugs polished (it's tough getting under the bezel to get a good polish, and I didn't want to scratch the lugs trying to remove it), then polished the center links.... Some might think it's an abomination to do such a thing- that's certainly the look I got from the jeweler, but it works for me. I also considered comments from the Rolex forum where the subject was raised and the feedback was very positive. I should have cleaned the watch before taking the photo, but I guess I was in a hurry to share.

I had a great and lengthy post to reply with but lost it all when Firefox froze as I was previewing a couple images to add here. The summary: Thanks for the response. Unless you're checking every single watch you sell, you're doing the same as I as far as relying that person you're getting the watch from is giving you accurate information about it's construction. I trust the person who sold the watch and have no reason to doubt that all of the facts supplied were accurate. Overall the watch is very good quality with the best dial I've seen on any version, hands down. When I'm a little less aggravated about losing all that hard work, I'll post a review on the watch. If you think that after all the points are made, you still want to suggest it's another vendors watch, then I suppose that would be good news for them.

All I can do is share a personal experience. Whether it's a common practice for every watch, or every transaction, no one can ever say. I've also purchased from Josh in the past without a problem. Some may argue that because of his volume, he may have been fooled himself. To this I say that if you're going to claim something, there is an expectation that it's accurate, regardless of your sales volume. This is just my small effort to hold a dealer accountable for a false claim and to bring awareness to those expecting a superior or "Ultimate" product and the experience of others who have not received what they expected...

Adding fuel to the fire, here is a replacement insert from Josh for one of his DSSD Ultimates that another customer received with an off-center pearl...

As most of you may know, my journey with this DSSD started with the purchase from another member who received this watch from Josh. The description was: As we all know, purchasing a watch with an ETA movement is a bonus. Many know also that there really isn't much difference between the gen ETA and a clone. The clones work great for the most part and are cheaper than the ETA. What the dealers know is that they can charge more for a gen ETA than a clone. What many suspect, and fewer know is that some dealers actually claim that the clone is the ETA to take the most they can from their customers. What makes them think they can get away with it? First, the clones are very good copies of the gen ETA. For many, it's hard to tell the difference without knowing the tells.Second, most people don't open their watches, and even fewer have them serviced by someone who can tell the difference.Third, the odds of not being called out are on their side. Once someone does discover they've been had, there's a chance that they won't say anything because they're embarrassed or because they want to sell it the same way it was sold to them. Please note that I said "chance." There are many who are serious about this hobby and take pride in being honest. For them, integrity is more important than a few extra dollars. For this dealer, not having integrity adds up over the thousands of watches sold and a healthy bank account.The Josh watch I purchased from another member was serviced, and the ETA was proven to be a clone... I'm not crying about the fact that it's a clone Vs an ETA. What I am saying is that when this dealer charges a premium price for claiming that a watch has a different movement than it actually does, this cannot be a trusted dealer, and should be taken into consideration when deciding who to support. Some may ask, "Hey Andrew, how do you know that the watch actually came from Josh, and why trust that person over the dealer?" My response is that the seller is a trusted member here on the forum, and has a great deal of integrity. He sold the watch under the assumption that what Josh described was honest and accurate. He even opened the watch and it looked like an ETA to him. Many of the watches you will find in the member sales section will be sold under the same assumption. For those that are selling a watch claiming it's an ETA, this is why you are asked to take a photo of the movement. It's not that they don't trust you, it's that they need to be sure that what you were told is accurate. –noun reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence. In my opinion, any Josh watch that is claimed to have an ETA movement needs to be verified. Because there are questions about Josh's integrity, there's no way that he can be considered a trusted dealer.

I cringed as soon as I read the thread title... While organizing some of my parts yesterday, I noticed a nice clear space on a top shelf. Even put the container on it- with no top of course... but I've "been there done that" before, and decided to put it in a nice safe drawer instead. Sometimes we have to learn the hard way.

I look at it this way- to me, it's a nice looking what, and I would absolutely wear it. The problem I have with this version is the poor tolerance of between the hexagon screws to the bezel. I've seen much better. That makes it a fail for me, no matter what the dial looks like.

Now that it's warmer out, I can start wearing my usual watch without worrying about it getting caught in my coat... I've missed you old friend!

Looks awesome on that black rubber- for the life of me, I can't understand why we don't see more of those!

Rolex Submariner - Meteorite Dial - 16610 Just found this on the Bay... "Custom Made Meteorite Dial with luminescent markers. This is an original Rolex dial that we have had a professional lapidary apply a sheet of REAL meteorite to. The luminescent markers from the original Rolex dial were then reapplied. (Rolex is currently charging an extra $4000 to add meteorite to a dial) Wait... "Rolex doesn't make a meteorite dial steel Submariner" you might be thinking BUT Watch Empire does. For those of you who think the black dial Submariner might be a bit redundant considering the watch is ubiquitous everywhere you look (or maybe that is just because I'm a watch dealer and all I see are watches) here is the watch for you. The meteorite dial looks immaculate on the Steel Submariner and best of all you can always be assured that no one will have this same watch. Here is an opportunity for you to transcend the monotony of every day life or at a bare minimum simply stand out from the crowd!!!" Price:US $5,900.00

This has been one of the best reads I've read in a very long time. Thanks for taking the time to document this as well as you have.