Ronin

Great update...

I am still holding out for a "Conquistador"... (Wishful thinking, I know)

I picked this up for $1180 + $350 Service = $1530 for a fully functional daily wearer.

If it hasn't been serviced, like all factory fresh A7750's, the cannon friction is virtually nil, no friction, means no drive to the hands... When you move the crown you also move the cannon gear and it "grabs" every now and then.

When properly serviced, what increases this friction? Oil? -or some mechanical tweak on assembly?

OMG Cat cannot unsee the horror...

Very Nice.

I just threw up in mouth. Sorry. (I would expect that 'style' from a Seiko, not Rolex)

My AD has a TRANSITIONAL EXP II in the case. It is essentially, the previous model with Orange "regular GMT" hand. I have searched the web for it, but the only place I have seen it was at my AD.

Sea Gull is doing some very good work.

will fit the clark's 127 plexi without modifications?

I have found some modification is always necessary in this dept.

A Dremel with sanding barrel is probably required if too tight. Someone may be able to comment as to weather any of these are actually to over-sized.

Firefox has 2 add-on Extensions that I could not live without - Adblock Plus (which blocks ads from appearing or being downloaded to your computer) & NoScript (which removes potentially dangerous scripts & allows you to manually remove others). The two, combined, allow pages to load much faster (since advertisements & unwanted animations tend to be the largest components of web pages) & reduce the overall noise, which makes web browsing much more enjoyable.

Does Safari offer anything similar?

I can not live with out Firefox extensions either. Although Chrome is close, AND Chrome and Safari both use Webkit as their engines -vs- Mozilla engine on FF.

Extensions I can not live without:

Adblock+

NoScript

Ghostery (might be unnecessary in FF 4 with do not track features)

Repagination (this makes browsing our Dealers pages much easier, as well as eBay) (no more Next, Next, Next, Next)

FireTorrent (for when I need to do a quick, leech of a torrent)

Does anyone actually still use Microsoft Internet Explorer other than Grandma?

Not a Rolex, but....

Here is a some recent Rolex Action.

... when I began this thread, I was thinking more of the average, modern Rolex & the increasingly prohibitive costs Rolex levies against the average Rolex owner for regular maintenance. In previous years, an owner always had the option of taking his/her Rolex to an independent, Rolex-trained watchmaker, who, while perhaps not within the official Rolex service network, was still able to access it for parts. Sadly, with Rolex's recent clamping down on these independents, that option no longer exists. Or, at least, the door of opportunity will close as each watchmaker's parts supply runs out. Imagine having to sell your 5 year-old Datejust or GMT because the AD never made it clear that Rolex recommends (& requires, if you want them to honor the warranty) overhauls (that only Rolex can perform) every 5-7 years, the cost of which may soon exceed the purchase price of the watch. Even for Rolex, which has often been known to try to squeeze every last cent out of their customers over the years, that is pretty poor.

Exactly. Resulting in a future powder keg, of Rolex/Rolex Fanatics -vs- John Doe who simply tried to keep it running, used aftermarket parts, lists it on eBay or elsewhere only to get flamed for their actions.

Funny thing is, if you rolled into a Doxa, Ball, Sinn, forum, and said: "My moment blew up. Went to Ofrei and swapped in a regular ETA 28xx.", you would probably be applauded for keeping it running and your skills to do it. Roll into TRF and say your 3135 died, and you cleverly retrofitted and ETA into it, and you would probably be banned... (Which is why RWG is THE BEST watch forum.)

Nice job.

DW looks fine to me.

I'd rather wear a functional franken, than have a totally gen paperweight

Love this line!

There is a very big difference, as I see it, between modified Porsches or Mercedes cars & modified Rolexes - Porsche & Mercedes copies are rare [ ...... ] I think it was fair & reasonable to leave control of (localized) parts distribution up to the individual members within the Rolex service network.

Deep down, I do agree, and TJ's quote below mirrors my feelings. I spent a lot of time in automotive hobbies and racing, and seeing the consumer protection that does exist in that arena makes me happy -vs- what is going on with the likes of Rolex, Apple, and Sony. The modern world is creating serious ownership and property rights issues. (I love the watch repair story where ?Breguet? kept a solid gold rotor as part of service - who owned that gold?). Can Apple or Sony "Brick" my property because I installed something they do not approve of? (Yes, because I have no choice but to accept their 60 page TOS, without objections.)

I see the point you're making with regards there being less copies of the cars, compared to the more frequent copies of watches, but that's not really the main issue under discussion re: 100% pure factory stock, and aftermarket modification/replacement parts... [....] As mentioned before, when the availability of parts dries up, people are going to have to make that decision between functional franken, or dead gen...

We appear to have come full-circle as this was exactly my original point.

+1

I think it depends what model we are speaking... Yes some Porsche must be in Collection condition and with all Genuine parts to be sold at the Max Price... Now a 911/997 with different wheels stays a Real Porsche 

But a Submariner vintage (1680) for example with aftermarket parts would not be a Good Deal for a Collector but stays a Real Sub... But depend which parts have been changed, not a Good Idea to change the dial or movement 

Agreed, but if read above, the point I was making for keeping-- the GEN Case, GEN Dial, and GEN Movement. All other parts are 'technically' user serviceable. The issue becomes, OMG! the insert and hands are not Genuine and people flip out and flag down auctions on eBay, ban them from forums, and think the watch if fake and think these items are tells. Rolex however is preventing even "trained professionals" from getting the CORRECT GEN parts to do the service.

Let the market speak, the collector would not pay a premium for it because they think it has been molested -vs- someone who would be content saving a couple thousand dollars because the insert, hands and maybe bracelet are not OE.

Like it or not, that is the definition Rolex uses, so their 'fans' (like me) have little choice in the matter.

Exactly to the point of the craziness by both Rolex Corporate and (some) of thier fanatics.

Is my vintage Doxa no longer a Doxa or 'real' because it has an aftermarket crown and bracelet? Is a Porsche no longer a Porsche because you changed the turbo, exhaust, chip, cam, wheels?

I can think of no other consumer goods that go to such extremes. Although, Apple products are getting close.

The saddest part about this is that with Rolex tightening restrictions on the parts supply, independent watchmakers, many of whom were Rolex-trained & who do not have the luxury of spending hours/days/weeks trolling ebay, are no longer functionally able to repair a Rolex watch. This, increasingly, leaves the average gen owner with no other option than to bend over & repeat that famous line from Animal House - 'Thank you, Sir. May I have another?'

I looked up the word 'monopoly' in the dictionary & it said 'Take it to your local RSC'.

(monopoly reference)

As far as them tightening down-- all the more reason for an ACCEPTED aftermarket parts business. Rolex is one of the few brands where their fan's, (fanatics), say it can only be a Rolex if contains 100% Rolex parts. IMHO, if the watch has the following three GEN items; case, dial, movement -- It is a Rolex... Crowns, Crystals, Bezel Inserts, Hands, and Bracelets should all be free game... I said it in another post, "muddy the water = good for our hobby".

My hands are off an old Chronotac GMT/Explorer II "Homage" watch.

A friend of mine spent $500 on a Rolex service a few years ago. Luckily I stay away from the RSC.

You'd figure a clasp at $200-250, so where's the other $200? More replaced parts?

Tax?

My AWCI guy with shop, and parts account (don't ask, he WON'T even sell to me, he is by the book) charges $300 + parts for a Typical Rolex service. So figure $300 + 250 for clasp = $550 for an independent shop... [edit to add: 1 Week turn around]

FYI, my AD charges $1100 for a new 93150 complete bracelet...