sssurfer

Still, I'd be expecting the Panerai lawyers to get in on the action, Italian style.

"You-a give us-a da money or ... oh, or those delightful petit-fours and a decent pair of socks and underpants. Gracci"

Barely needed to point out that Panerai has almost nothing to do with Italy now, being just a trademark currently owned by Richemont-Vendome. Which management board is composed by 14 members: 4 South African, 3 British, 2 German, 2 French, 1 Swiss, 1 Belgian, and 1 Italian.

The Italian one is the Group Art Director.

Mahler, thanks for your contribution too!

Your nice idea of a cardboard for the holes makes me wonder if it does exist somewhere sort of a pin line (metal pins lined up and firm at a metal bar like a comb or rake) that can be pushed all at once by the hammer.

I seem to miss any real difference between the one-needle and the two-needles method. If it is, please would anyone explain it?

As for the side painting, I see that a Don's strap here has sort of a gum/rubber paint.

Thank you all again!

It's about scratch resistance. Sapphire crystal shouldnt scratch while mineral with. I'm not sure of the relative strengths to breakages though it would follow that sapphire is tougher.

I read that sapphire high hardness (2nd only to diamond) applies to its surface hardness, i.e. its resistance to get scratched. But that, as for hardness against breaking, mineral glass is thougher.

(Yes, I know I am replying to old posts, but this info could always come useful ).

OK, as the OP, let me chime in here again.

For those of you (there are several) that have claimed that you wear reps just because you love fine watches and don't give a rip about what other people think, I call BS. MAJOR BS.

Reps are, at best, tolerable watches in terms of the quality of the movement. Be honest, the vast majority of you here are buying reps to make people think you have spent more money on a watch than you really have. Myself included. Don't pretend otherwise. Nobody is buying a 7750b1 rep because they love mechanical watches or other such crap.

My favorite response so far is this one: "I dont give a toss what people think. I buy reps because I like them." WTF?? What a load of utter crap! And my wife buys a fake LV purse because she likes the fine leather quality found in the fakes and doesn't care what other people think. Uh huh.

It's just getting a little thick in there with all the pontification about not judging people by how they look or dress or what car they drive, and this coming from a guy that's wearing a fake watch?? Don't make me laugh

eye.surgeon,

This is what is called "argumentation based on personal unbelief" and it is a weak argumenting point. The fact that you don't believe it does not make it less real.

Even if it seems hard to believe for you, you seem projecting on others what must be essentially a mental attitude of yours (in my country we have a saying that goes: "a thief thinks everyone a thief").

You are even making me wonder if what you really wanted to stress with your post was your total income. In such a case relax, we don't care about it, we are more interested in your thoughts.

Here noone knows what a PAM is and noone even notice them (uhm, ok, maybe 1 out of 100). Should I want people to notice my watch I would wear Rolexes, not PAMs. Just like you do, I seem to understand.

BTW, please give my best regards to Jetmid.

We do not have weapons here...

But we have something even more lethal

WOW!

Exceptional tutorial, Pubus!!

THANKS!

Thanks, Andrew, for your explanation.

And thanks, Slay, for your witness.

While this topic's starting consideration is a thoughtful one, it seems assuming that everyone is wearing reps to foolish people.

I care very little if people wonder about my watch being a rep or a gen. I wear my watch not for people but for myself, and because of two different (actually, almost opposite) reasons:

1 - I like the look of that watch and I have better ways to spend a 90% money difference for a 10% quality difference (if any).

My next rep is likely going to be the PAM 147 from Joshua, i.e. the most unaccurate and (to me) most beautiful watch ever. And I'm thinking about reluming some of my reps in blue as it is my preferred color.

2 - Because sort of an intellectual challenge that brings me to say: "See, OP, I got this rep, it has same movement as gen, I putted in it same datewheel as gen, same cyclops as gen, same AR crystal as gen, same waterproof as gen, same everything as gen, it even has box and cards and bells and twistles as gen... same feel and look as gen... then how came that you sell it at 10x what I paid for it?"

Some of my reps are here on reason 1, some on 2. But both those reasons are essentially self-oriented.

Forget the band, movement is wrong

Yes, the 183 has the swan neck regulator.

I wonder how that guy dares trying to pass that watch for gen.

And he got 20 bids too!

Folks, maybe we really are strange people (just not to say weird nuts ). But if I were going to bid 1200+ USD on a watch I think I would do some homework of mine before bidding...

I enquired the seller and got this reply:

Hi,

I am Andy, Andrew's partner.

So it seems that Andrew focuses on watches on his website, and this Andy devotes himself to accessories (buckles, clasps, bracelets and so) on ebay.

I seem to remember this Andy already mentioned somewhere on the old forum (which I am currently unable to connect to because of a 'forbidden' error).

Not a great issue, but do anyone remember about him, by chance?

As far as I know, he just has a photobucket album

(psw: hktan)

Hey Marco-

I discovered the same thing.

Warren, I just hope we did not bid against each other

31 million euro in taxes? holy [censored]! how much does a soccer player make?

It's not they make that much, it's Italian taxes that are high.

I recently won some ebay auctions on buckles and deployant clasps from azimuthmecha.

Right now I noticed that his email is trustyandy@gmail.com, and that he is shipping from Malaysia.

That given, he could be 'our' Andrew 99.9%.

Anyone has info about?

Should you think that this post could result somehow harmful to Andy, please lmk or - mods - delete it.

The t-mobile guy's story smells fishy a mile around. Would you take a watch your dad gave you to an AD in order to verify wheter is genuine or else? Mmmmm....

Still, I would not have called out the poor guy.

@Nanuq: exhilarating story!

Thanks Dadog, I missed it!

Puzzling to notice how these things seem to come out together in same time.

After being always a bracelet guy, I too have recently been biten by the strap bug and began wondering how to mod straps, make my owns straps, etc...

So I am now really anxious to read your future posts on this topic!

As for the current time, I've already:

- gotten 2 Don's and waiting for 4 Hirsh;

- bleached one Don's with excellent results (going to post pics as soon as I'll also have the cyclops replaced) -- thanks to Pugwash's, Tanfo's and Enzo's great posts!

- just bought markers and stuff to try new mods on stitching;

etc.

Btw, did you all already have a look at this post?

31 million euro in taxes? holy [censored]! how much does a soccer player make?

If it were on me, they all would make starving.

From here, the only watch I paid via WU resulted in a scandalous 30% fee!

Never again.

I am more than glad to use my CC and get a 10% discount now.

Your wife loves you and thinks about you, and that's all that matters most.

Lurk around here again, tell her about the differences between the various reps, let her have looks too, and see what she comes out with, next time!

A LADY?!?

YOUR ASSETS??!!!????

...or Finepics.

He made a terrific work on my PAM.

I contacted the host. Their reply:

"I am sorry but in order for us to further check this IP, we need to have

the Customer ID for validation purposes. Please contact the owner of the

forum so that we can make necessary actions. I apologize but I hope you

understand, it is company policy."

Does anyone know how can I contact RWI's admin?

Thanks,

sss

Which Luminor model are you talking about?

Anyway, Davidsen should be able to provide hands for all Luminors:

- manual models (ETA 6497 movement);

- automatic chrono / GMT (7750 movement);

- automatic with the Asian Auto 21j movement (which turned out to be a replica of the Miyota 82xx movement).

As for the latter one, I may witness first hand, as Davidsen has been the source of the gold hands that I put on my 104. His hour and minute hands fitted perfectly, while the small second hand required some trimming by a watchsmith.

Davidsen's hands are very good in quality and with a good lume. I think that their quality/cost ratio is better than hands you can find on ebay -- where you also won't find small second hands.

Couldn't resist. But you gotta love those cyclops.

You lucky .......!

But I'm coming too!!