jkerouac

Hyped up bass and good sound systems -- at least for great music -- are contradictions. They do not coexist. Great sound systems reproduce the nuances of a violin string's vibration, the texture of an oboe reed, or a crisp voice. Hyped up bass might be OK for a shoot-em-up movie. But for music, you've got to be kidding. Too much base just makes me want to take a shotgun to the loudspeaker -- so beware if you drive by my house in a ride that has been turned into a boombox on steroids.

Jay, That is an awesome selection. You have good taste. Wear it well.

Regarding that oboe concerto, I noticed the CD in the background as well. I was going to ask you about what kind of heavy duty subwoofers you are using ( ) but that would be cross-pollination (or cross pollution) from an Off Topic thread that I chose to avoid. As for the Weekend Wrist Check, I just arrived home from work and retired the GST for the weekend. And since I don't plan to do any more heavy lifting or chores until tomorrow, I decided to stay with something fun but classy, a YM.

Congrats on your first rep. You picked a beautiful watch and a solid dealer. This watch should make you happy for a long time to come. Regarding tools, a lot depends on how many watches you think you will be buying, how skilled you are around small watch parts, and how much you want to get involved in such things. If you are only planning to buy a few reps, and don't feel completely comfortable working around such small parts, having a watchmaker adjust a band for $5 or so is a small price to pay for avoiding nasty scratches, time spent, or other frustrations with what is, even at rep costs, still a piece of jewelry that you have invested good money in. Even if you only plan to buy one or two reps, then some decent quality small screw drivers can be useful. I bought a small, inexpensive set by Stanley at my local hardware store that are suitable for bracelets or watch bands that are held together with screws. For pin-style bracelets, a small plastic device such as in Joshua's kit is probably sufficient. You can probably find one outside for a kit on e-bay or some watch band sites for a few dollars. Some people place duct tape on the back of their reps and simply use palm pressure to remove case backs. Again, how often you figure to do this will in large part determine how much you want to spend for specialized tools. I just bought one of the kits similar to Joshua's. The screwdrivers are inferior to the Stanley set that I bought, but the pin tool is OK, and I used the caseback tool on my Omegas satisfactorily. A few of the other tools will probably see some use, while others will not. But that's true for almost any tool set you buy, isn't it? So would I recommend it? Again, the answer is, it depends. If you plan to buy only one or two watches or are really hesitant to get mechanical with your jewelry, then don't bother. If you plan to buy 10 or 20 and tinker with movements, then be patient and build your toolkit gradually with better tools as your skills evolve. In any case, welcome to the fold, have fun, and by all means share your experiences, ideas, and questions with the forum.

Lately I've been giving my IWC GST (white) more than half of my wrist time. When I'm not wearing the IWC, it's usually because I'm sporting one of my at home "beaters." Pugwash, mine came with a loose (lower) pusher and a wobbly crown. So when the upper pusher jammed, it was clearly time for some service. But instead of popping for a total overhaul or new movement, I asked a local repair guy to fix the existing problems and to determine whether a more thorough overhaul/cleaning/lube were called for. He fixed the problems and otherwise gave the movement a clean bill of health, for a relatively reasonable $45. That isn't a guarantee, of course, but it bought me some piece of mind, hopefully for the next few years. Since then the watch has performed beautifully.

With gas prices as high as they are right now, doesn't it feel as if the car owns you rather than the other way around -- even if it's paid off??

Perhaps the best advice is to study up..... then buy one from each dealer. I generally suggest starting out slow, but since there are many Omega models to choose from, and you might have trouble deciding between Joshua and Andrew AND all of the available Omegas, then what the heck. Don't go for the most expensive models, but pick one reasonably nice adn unique model from each dealer and you will come away happy.

I certainly hope I don't offend anyone, but that name is certainly not as boring [cripe, some people are going to assume that is a pun] as Replica Watch Group or The Replica Collector or Replica Watch Guide. Imagine an AssOrologi Collaboration Watch. (I think not) Are members AssOrologists?

Sounds like an awesome combination, jtb. Thanks for the referral.

Damn. I spent 12 years living within a few miles of that address -- in Oak Park. Too bad I haven't been back in years.

Calling a rap star a musician ... or an artist

Probably a function of the browser and browser settings you are using. I don't have the problem entering passwords as you are, but IE 7 beta keeps popping up warnings that this is a potential phishing site due to the redirection that is being used.

Care to translate that into English? I suspect that this dealer had you pegged as a pretender even before you handed your watch over to him. Schoolboy with a YM and "cheerleader chick" take a bus to the mall. Please. No offense intended, Folex, but in comparison to you -- or at least based on your story -- Shady comes off as a Saville Row sophisticate.

The picture Jjah posted is actually of me. The amazing thing is, as long as I wear a Pan, I can still pick up the chicks. But I'm having trouble remembering what to do once I get them. Can somebody help me out here?

If I had the wherewithal and resources, I would create a special GMT moon-phase watch for Gunnar. It would have three moon-phase subdials, so at least one smiley sun could great him at any time. I think that could be his watch from hell. :cc_surrender:

I have the GST in white and I have a PO. If I had to get rid of all my other watches, I would probably keep the GST. The 7750 isn't the best movement, so it will probably need to be serviced sooner than a nice ETA in the PO, but it is simply a beautiful all-around watch, which can be both elegant and sporty.

Congrats, Subfrog. Great news that things are returning to normal. But considering your circumstances, be sure to have it waterproofed.

Welcome to the forum, Stevie. You are going to have me looking at pics to refresh my memory. But I don't recall ever seeing a crown guard arm swing out from the top. To be clear, on my 192, the tip of the locking arm ends up in the vicinity of 4 o clock. "Swinging out from the top" suggests to me that the tip would be around 2 o clock. And what do you mean by "a proper way" -- do you mean a proper way of inverting the crown guard?

JTB, If you really expect to be taken seriously on the music scene, isn't it time that you scored some serious bling jewelry? I mean, you can't go on MTV wearing plain Pans. Bring on the diamonds and gold! :

rmcsherry, In addition to Silix, Andrew and Narikaa always seem to have interesting watches at attractive prices. Good luck.

But where are the Pans? Where are the Rolexes?? Where are the Breitlings??? And you call this a collection???? Just kidding, Gunnar. You have great taste, and can serve as a model and guide for anybody who considers the remote possibility that there are other ways to express one's individuality and taste than with Pans and Rollies.

My wrist is 6-3/4" and I can pull it off. But sure, a 44 mm watch stands out. To my eye, the perfect watch size for someone with a wrist size similar to mine is 42 mm -- for example, the smaller version of the PO. But isn't it amazing how sexy a big watch like a 44mm or even 46mm can look on a woman's wrist???

How about a third option, coming up with your own logo -- a Veni 1 Commemorative perhaps?

You are correct to ask questions. I -- and I think almost everyone here-- would not pay those kinds of prices for a rep. Having said that, Joshua, the proprietor of this web site, is one of the favorite dealers for members of this board. I have dealt with him several times myself and have been a satisfied customer both times. In my opinion, if Joshua said that these are actually genuine Swiss 7750 movements, and that the rest of these watches represent the highest of rep manufacturing standards and accuracy (sub-dial spacing, etc.), then I would take him at his word that these watches are worth the price. That doesn't mean I would pay close to $900 for a rep, but I would at least take him at his word. I have not studied Daytonas. They -- and most Rolexes-- don't particularly interest me. But past posts and other board members can fill you in on what you need to know. My suggestion, if you are indeed a newbie to Rolex reps, or reps in general, is to start out by buying something well regarded in the $200-300 range. There are many great, well-reviewed choices. If you like what you buy, perhaps buy another one or two-- perhaps Rollies, perhaps another brand. For $900 you can get three or four truly excellent reps. One of the points of buying reps is to stretch your dollars and your creative purchasing power. Enough suggestions. Welcome to the board, and enjoy your search.