Jetsons

Sorry to hear about your Lemania 5100. Those movements have one hell of a cult following and seem to be getting rather pricey. I should have known when a friend began collecting them as soon as he heard the movement was being discontinued in 2004. I'm not sure how bullet proof they are compared to the more common Valjoux calibers but they do have a reputation for their toughness. Chronos look neat but not sure about sexy unless it's a vintage beauty. Chrono movements are relatively expensive to service and I can't help believe their complexity affects reliability versus a simple workhorse movement. I prefer to keep it simple and usually consider the date feature to detract from a fine looking dial. Added: A couple with a vintage flair.

Beautiful 16600, Stephane. It is one hell of a watch and IMO, a bargain compared to the cost of the vintage, or any rlx sport vintage for that matter. The detail of the gen is something else. The brilliance of the 18K WG surrounds and hands isn't possible to replicate in a $300 watch. The 904L steel is also considerably whiter than whatever is used on the reps. Of course, as with most upper tier gen dials, the print quality is top notch. The frontal rehaut depth of the rep is thrown off as it uses a thinner inner ring versus the gen. The crystal may also have something to do with the effect but it is hard to be certain w/o correcting the first issue. This aspect is darn good on the old TW/MBW cases but, that was then. BTW, the photos are fantastic, as usual. :thumbsup: Thanks for the photo tour of a remarkable watch.

The tool kit has been mentioned here & TRC several times. The first I read of this was from Gioarmani a few weeks ago. The tool kits are flying off the shelves on Ebay so others must be doing this as well. I wonder where all the supply is coming from but the pair I received are 100% gen. The gen extension fits the SSD clasp perfectly. All reported issues are history with the very easy installation. Other than this, inserted a gen pearl on the SSD insert and may shave the CGs down the road. The rep crown & tube are very good so there shouldn't be a rush to change.

Excellent little franken you built and it is fun! All you need is a gen case and call it the day. Once you polish the case, the lug holes should look better finished. I like your idea of installing the gen T-19. I did the same to my 1680 and it looks much better, at least to my eyes. The watch looks cleaner plus the new crystal lowers the profile. I'm very tempted to do the same to my gen Tudor. Is the 1665 next? :biggrin:

Here is to dreaming! Tudor 79180 Big Block Chrono. :w00t: and Zenith De Luca:

Victoria, it may not be the steel that's inflicting the rash. This is usually a problem with genuine rlx watches which use the high nickel content 904L steel on cases and bracelets. Who knows exactly what the different rep manufacturers use but nickel being expensive as it is, I doubt the content would be high. Do wash the watches with soap & water before wearing if using cleaners or polishes. Those chemicals can be nasty on the skin. Hope you recover pronto!

Great work, Tribal! I rather enjoy the SSD as well. It's very nicely built, finished and looks tough as nails. With all the hoopla surrounding the bracelet, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality. Once the clap issue is corrected & links cleaned/lubricated, it feels darn good & works great. I've managed to install an OEM Tritium pearl on the insert (enlarged the hole with a bit). I like the look! Merry Christmas!

WOW! A very yummmmy collection you have there, J! The rollies go without saying but I couldn't help being smitten by the Roamer. :thumbsup: Very interesting and unusual diver. Does it have the Venus? Man, I love those T-39 superdomes! :biggrin: Thanks for the photo album!

The dial looks darn good to me. It sort of has the guilt dial look. :thumbsup: Very nicely done!

PP, I don't find the bracelet to be crap at all, at least not from my experience. No stripped screws (in my case) and SELs fit darn near perfect. The problem lies with the divers' extension and that can be easily replaced with a gen. SD toolkits are readily available for approx. $35 delivered which include the necessary parts. The gen extension fits the SSD clasp perfectly and all issues of properly closing are history. Credit goes to Gioarmani who came up with this brilliant idea. :thumbsup:

With this particular seller, seeing is believing. I ordered a red/black 16710 insert which hardly resembled the photo he advertised. His photo & description were damn good bait. You take your chances with this chap. Perhaps you will receive something decent or perhaps not. My wager is on the latter.

Nice Longines, TTK! Dutchy. of the two, the chrono looks terrific. I've checked it out in the flesh and it is a darn nice watch. There is also the Logines Conquest Diver which I believe is currently only offered in Europe. It is a recreation of the 1960s original. Perhaps your Dad may also like. It resembles the rare and hens teeth Jaeger LeCoultre Polaris which can run a small fortune.

Ditto what FxrAndy stated. I will add that when you initially receive a watch, pull the crown all the way out & gently clean the tube threads with a moist soft cloth. There is usually dirt/dust from the factory which is not good. Apply a thin coat of silicone grease to the threads/seal (tooth picks work for this). It would be best to remove the crown/stem which would make it easier to thoroughly clean all the parts. I have the SSD and have zero issues with the crown operation after cleaning and lubricating. :smile:

Nice watch, J! I have looked at many since I'm also interested in a gen at some point and your looks 100% authentic. They are lighter than one would think given the super slim case of the 1675 and plexi crystal.. The folded bracelet sounds just about right for the gen; light, thin and flimsy but expensive. Enjoy the new toy! I'm sure heavy weight champions Nanuq and Euno might just chime on this one. :cool:

Great card, narikaa! :thumbsup: Merry Christmas to you and the family as well! All the best in 2008! Cheers, J

Nice thread starter, BT! I remember having reservations about picking up my Pam 029 and did so only because it had the 2893-2 engine and the rare individually numbered correct case back. The big ugly thing is heavy, rock solid and the movement is fantastic. It can look totally different with a quick change of straps which is a nice feature. I don't wear it much but it's a great piece that has grown on me over time. It's one of the few that in my book, would qualify as a super rep given it uses the same moment as the gen.

Fantastic Pam, Kruzer! Had it not been for the title, I would have thought that you splurged and gave yourself a little present. :biggrin: What can one say, the man is an artist. My congrats to The Zigmeister for another fantastic piece of work. :thumbsup: Enjoy!

Diesel, the 1665 looks to be about 1000% improvement. Very nice work!. I suspect the OEM crown/tube is slightly better than the after market $%&#@ that was recommended by the original modder. :ohmy: If you tire of the rep rivet, try a vintage hollow mid -links bracelet which looks more authentic, IMO. Otherwise, just wear that beauty and enjoy. :biggrin:

Bruce, I can totally relate, specially with the SEL bracelets. The non-SELs are a cake walk in comparison. It takes a great deal ot time and perseverance to finally get the darn SEL bracelet to perfectly line up with the drilled lugs when installing gen spring bars. If anyone thinks their work is basically done when the lugs are finally drilled, they have a little surprise waiting. :ohmy: I couldn't agree more, that "click, "click" sound is magical!

I sported my GW 1665 upside down for a month and srprisingly. no one asked if it was a double red.

I stumbled across a gen on TZ where someone had done exactly this.

A Ubi & Palpatine joint effort. TT, that looks awesome! Have a terrific time :thumbsup:

I can't believe I missed this. This is one outstanding outstanding review, SD 4000! :thumbsup: I've always been a fan of the Explorer I. The gen is a bit over priced but it a timeless design and its simplicity is terrific. Thanks for taking the time and sharing! Cheers!

Parts of the watch appear to be MBK but the dial and case back look different to me. On the dial, notice the rlx crown and the 12 marker. The MBK/MBW hour markers have always been ivory unless this has very recently changed. Judging from the profile photos, Joshua's watch looks to have a different case back. It seems thicker to me but perhaps that just the angle. The MBK's case, between the lugs, should read "Orig Polex Design" and stamped 5513.

Darn nice way to start a collection, JoJo. Awesome SD with my fave lug hole case. Gotta love the patina on the Tritium! Congrats and enjoy!