jkerouac

Depending on what applications you are running, a four-year old laptop might still be fine. But you obviously need to figure out why your system is slow, even after you reinstall.

For what it's worth, I've been running Windows 7 for some months, including on laptops from Toshiba, Lenovo, and HP. A definite step forward from Vista.

Excellent work, Herr Admin.

My initial impression (before I go looking around the new digs) is extremely positive. I like the new look, and your initial description of some of the changes you made. Thanks very much on behalf of all the members.

I can't add a thing to what has been said already, except that I share in everyone else's sentiments. Your recovery is exceptional news. Every member of RWG should say thanks and lift a toast to your return to health.

Live long and prosper.

Disco watches?? You mean like this one???

My parents gave me this watch (with a brushed gold case and very unique and hard to find dial) for my high school graduation and I kick myself regularly for not taking better care of it.

Fortunately, my father recently gave me his Geneve Dynamic, exactly like the one in the picture, because he hadn't worn it in years and thought he couldn't find the custom strap. But Taikonaut carries a replacement strap, so this is one of my prize watches.

The Luxury Watch Bust

Last week my watch broke. Fixing it would have cost more than the $200 purchase price (it was a gift) so I decided to look for a new one.

I eventually found one I liked. But when I asked the price, I was told it was $1,500.

That may be inexpensive in the world of high-end watches, but it is far too rich for me. So I asked for a discount or upcoming sale.

My first encounter was in the parking lot of a Houston Dennys (or similar), when a cowboy walked up and offered me a "Rolex" for $20 bucks. Even from a distance you could tell it was a piece of crap (even the logo was crooked0.

Next sightings were in Tijuana, where the options were not even remotely tempting.

Flash forward to ab. 7-8 years ago when my brother gave me a Rolex. After getting over the immediate rush of thinking what a great brother I have, he told me it was a rep that he purchased during a visit to Hong Kong with his Chinese girlfriend. A decent watch, certainly better than any reps I had seen before, but not like today's standards.

A few years later, following a visit to Switzerland I wanted to buy a decent watch and started to research the options on the Web. I started to consider reps again, and was fortunate enough to find RWG 1 and TRC, and that was the start of rep collecting for me. In hindsight, it would have been a lot cheaper to just buy a nice gen, but of course it would have been far less interesting.

For all the reasons one buys reps, I still think you are comparing apples to oranges:

I buy classic designs (albeit at rep prices).

I buy quality movements (the 7750, Venus, or 2836), albeit with generally less quality control than a regular manufacturer supposedly exercises.

For the price, I am prepared to let the watch die at an early age, sell/trade it for something more interesting, or invest in a quality service and possibly other mods to bring it much closer to gen standards.

From the sell/trade, service perspectives, I think reps win out over their Seiko/Casio counterparts any day of the week. And if they just happen to keep going and going, then reps stack up favorably. On the other hand, if you consider reps as disposable die at an early age items, then yes, I think you would be better off with a decent quality Casio or Seiko.

Aug. 8th looks best for me, anyplace near Southcenter (need to pick up the wife at the airport late afternoon or early everning). Sorry Hike, I'd love to meet you, but we'll be in the San Juan's the last weekend in July.

Has anyone run or use Win7 yet? I have since the last Beta and the RC version......and I'm totally impressed!

Has anyone installed/run Win2008 Server yet? I have and it's way much better than the other Version's!

IMHO!

I've used both Windows 7 and Server R2 prerelease editions and have also been impressed with both -- a few gaps in drivers from hardware manufacturers early on in the beta, but those gaps have been filled.

The one time I purchased a watch from a Canadian seller it took just over 14 days to arrive. We were about to start discussion on an accomodation (probably split the purchase price) when it arrived. Although he used tracking, the post office never asked me for a signature, so I suppose a dishonest person could have scammed him.

Another time I sold a watch box to a buyer in England. Compared to the price of the piece, tracking would have been prohibitive, and I realized that if the buyer was dishonest I could get scammed. But he wasn't, so all was well.

I can't fault someone for not wanting to ship internationally, even though I sometimes lust after a watch being sold as EU only. Between the trust issue and general hassle of having to fill out customs forms, life is much simpler close to home.

Suggestion: If you are Canadian and interested in a watch advertised as CONUS only, perhaps have it shipped to a friend or relative on this side of the border and have them cross ship or hand deliver it the next time they visit.

P.S. When people say CONUS, does that mean they won't ship to Hawaii or military addresses?

Notice how even the guy in the hard hat is averting his eyes. You could be blinded if you looked the wrong way.

And by the way, Ken, your suggestion sobered me up.

that watch is awful yes, but at least the maker was able to do it and still have the date center in the window, and its 10bar WR...

Conisdering the pastiche of "design" elements they used, I think centered date window is actually a mistake. Since it seems they were going for a patchwork Frankenstein effect, the date window should have been off center.

My favorite was always the version with the snow white dial. Absolutly breath taking. The rep version of the white dial never came remotely close. Mypersonal second choice would be the blue dial with the white gold bezel, then the black dial.

Good luck.

April 28, 2009

In China, Knockoff Cellphones Are a Hit

By DAVID BARBOZA

SHENZHEN, China

I wonder if the problem is not with RWG itself but with certain DNS servers? I use three to four different computers throughout the week on different networks, and on one (alas my primary computer) the connection always ends up becoming unavailable after viewing two to four threads. This happens even when I switch browsers, and only happens with one other site besides RWG.

The flip side is that I've spent less time on RWG and more time working.

Very classy watch, and nice pictures. Thank you for sharing.

Ah, the joy of a delicious fresh purchase.

High-end watches haven't been strictly about time keeping since the advent of quartz and subsequently digitial watches. The ubiquity of cell phones makes it even more superfluous to wear a time-keeping device on one's wrist.

Having said that, I don't think the takeover of the liberal Democrats will have one jot of difference in the market for luxury goods. Yes, the state of the economy will impact luxury good purchases, particularly by the middle and upper middle classes, but as long as society's value systems remain as they are today, then luxury goods manufacturers are safe, at least for the long term.

If perchance society's value system turned away from materialism and displays of affluence as expressions of identity, which has been talked about, then you would see a shift in the fortunes of the luxury brands. But I don't see that happening, unless there were a much more cataclysmic event than the current recession, as bad as it is. Sure, people talk about the venality and excessive pay of executives, entertainers, and athletes. But I don't believe that these expressions represent any change whatsoever in peoples' values regarding the possessions that they desire and rightfully deserve.

Mostly, though, I cannot wear any of these watches because I am an Omega man. I have worn a Seamaster for years, not because James Bond has one and not because Neil Armstrong wore something by the same maker on the moon but because on the day I went away to school my parents gave me a Gen

Three years. Think of all the fascinating watches that have come out during that time, the number of vendors who have come and gone, the number of vendor web addresses that have come and gone, and above all the great members who are here with us either in presence or in spirit.

And on top of that we have an incredible, steady core of moderators and admin that make it possible.

Agreed great review! Which of the rep makers in your collective opinions are making the finest IWCs? Ive been looking for an "ultimate" model but have yet to see one. Thanks! Tony

Tony, The Ingeneur sold by most dealers is an ultimate (with date wheel swap and AR), and the GST is fantastic as well. Many people also rave about the Cousteau, although I've only seen one Cousteau rep briefly at a get-together.

If I had to reduce my collection down to only one brand, it would be IWC, no contest.

If I could only buy one new rep for the rest of my life, this would be the one -- if I could feel comfortable with the reliability and survivability of the movement. As it stands I have held out since the first generation of the Portugese came out.... and I will likely wait longer.

Thank you, though, for your excellent review, and for reminding me why I love this watch so much (or perhaps despite reminding me why I love this watch so much).

He's asking for over list because he can. If someone is willing to pay more than list, I don't think the factory can do too much about it.

Either this guy figures that someone will pay extra for a somewhat hard to find watch..... or he has given himself extra negotiating room to come down.

I have a BCE with bracelet but prefer to wear it with a nice leather strap instead of the bracelet. On the whole I prefer bracelets, but somehow I find the SS BCE to look a bit cold with the extra SS of the bracelet. Also the bracelet adds extra weight compared to the strap.

Don't get me wrong, I love my BCE (slate dial), but for a Breitling with bracelet next time I would probably go two tone rather than straight SS. All of the two-tone Breitling watch-bracelet combinations (especially the BCE and Navitimer) are absolutely stunning showstoppers.

Awesome way to start in the hobby.

Congratulations, Scribblah. I look forward to reading about your next purchase, the one after that, the one after that..... and on and on.

Who knows where the quest will lead you.

First Breitlings, then....

Some brands always have more cachet than others, no matter what category you talk about. Rolex has great history and marketing, and some very classic styles. Panerai also has an interesting, unique history, unique look, and the marketing "hook" of scarcity (ADs can rarely keep Pams in stock).

Having said that, there are a lot of great brands and mdoels once you get beyond the big names, just as there is a lot of great music when you get beyond the top-selling hits.

Hell, I don't even know hardly any top 20 tunes of the last 20 years and frankly I don't care. The musical gems that I discover and add to my collection rarely make the charts.... and in my opinion that's the way it should be.