lanikai

@kruzer.... the markers you are referring to are actually enabled with what looks like the two sided tape.. (no joke)... I'm skipping my training today.. (first time in months)... I was actually nodding out in front of my lap top .. whilst drinking coffee.. so needless to say.. I gotta listen to my bod. .. and use today to clean the dial and let the body recover.. Man, the irony of this biz ..... hind sight is 20/20 though... the case is gorgeous.. the base of the dial.. the finish is like the gen. .. but the markers.. sheesh.. Well, I guess it keeps the hobby challenging to say the least..

Believe me MP.. I will not even bring it our until I 'CLEAN' the dial first ... it's like looking at mold.. .. i cannot really see it with the naked eye.. but knowing it will show up on the macros.. shooooooot !!!!!!!!! it is a shame...... like wearing a nice suit with a defectively sewn Dress shirt .. one sleeve longer than the other.. buttons misaligned .. is the comparison to GZ's straps

@Mickey... you are correct 100 Ma Man... although you cannot see the dust with the naked eye... I was using a lot of verbage (my own word) to describe how I felt... I quit taking dial shots.. in fact dumped all of the ones I took.. granted I could use PS to get rid of the dust... but let's be real.. it is apparent under macro lens .. therefore it is there.. the reality is .. if you want a "Super Rep" .. it is hard to find one out of the box .. but to have the best of all worlds .. mmmmm if only.. it will need some minor work.... but the good news is the ceramic and pushers and crown are spot on.. the dial needs Ziggy fo sure .. the strap issue.. well unless it's a bracelet.. have we ever seen a great strap... other than the SOSF.. being very good ???? as you say .. it will take modding to become a super rep !! Cheers Lani

Hey W ... I think they did a great job on the ceramic !!!!!!! Like the Black Steel... the dial needs work.. as you surmized .. the "blocks" used for the markers need Ziggy's attention ... then it will be "all good".. or "all great" elegance is not in the markers until it sees Nova Scotia's lights from the cargo bay

FYI.. these pics were done with more lighting as to illustrate the Ceramic finish... the true colour is darker (of course with less lighting) but I wanted to show the even texture of the ceramic finish but notice the dust on the dial.. to say I was frustrated is putting it "gently" I realize it is the luck of the draw... but yesterday was not a good day to be unlucky but life goes on, today is a new day ... PAM1A Posted Today, 02:56 AM

Chad.. check with your dealer before attempting this.. but if you get the green light.. open the case back.. find the regulating arms.. and move them apart with a toothpick .. and with the toothpick give the balance wheel a "touch" .. it should start movement again.. I have had this issue with all the Breitlings except the Seawolf.. which is an ETA.. the recent batch of A7750's have this issue and is a very simple fix.. mine have been running spot on since I did this to all 5 of them.. moving the thicker arm toward the 12 increases speed.. and lowering it to the 6 lowers it.. the smaller arm should be around the 5 oclock position .. I'm no watchsmith by any means.. but this has worked well for my A7750's I find the thicker arms "sweet spot" to be around the 2 to 3 oclock position.. good luck.. btw.. be sure to get the go ahead from the dealer first.. that way if it does not pan out.. you can still return it..

IMO.. the only issue holding this replication back would be of course the STRAP.. as the balance of the case set feels great .. the HBB maker did a wonderful job with replicating the full ceramic case.. but imagine what would happen to the overall FEEL.. with the genuine strap.. there is no way around it really..

Yup, .. and Dani brings up the major "tell", that is noticable at a glance.... that could be fixed with a genuine strap. that's the only solution as the rep strap and probably all after market kevlar straps have in common.. the pin position on the after market straps are too close to the end of the strap.. the genuine strap looks thicker at the end before the pin hole..

The rep comes from Joshua @perfect clones The Ceramic quality is first rate. Of course the strap is stiff it needs breaking in .. it will soften with time.. if you plan to use the rep strap that is..

good eagle eye Dani.. this is the genuine close up.. it appears it has to do more with the strap... the width of the end stiching rather than position of the lugs.. dunno Edit add:.. to clarify .. it is more with the pin position on the strap not the case.

Genuine Rep Gen Rep Gen Rep

oh boyyy... not enough sleep.. I saved genuine pics and didn't even post it.. I'll do that now.. thanks for reminding me Mwee

Thank you ! the Top Gun logo is laser etched it is very well done.. the case back is as you say.. like the CD the emblem is under clear plastic.

For those of you who don't view the "History Channel" .. the Top Gun fighter Weapons School was founded during the Vietnam Era .... with the advent of long range weapons the Powers that be thought that classic "dog fighting" was obsolete ,.. ergo we were getting our arse kicked after the Korean War when the kill ratio was something like 10-1 in favour of the good ole US of A .. anyway, here are some fast Macro's of the IWC Top Gun Ceramic timepiece ... very short and sweet, I was getting too frustrated at the dust on the dial, you cannot see it with the naked eye, but with the macro lens it sticks out 100 times more .. sorry ... the dial needs radico .. but here are the pics. Summary~ The ceramic case is definately first rate.. as is the dial finish the lume will improve out of the box .. I'll give it a few day's before I take some lume shots .. remembering it is a "rep lume" the crown and pushers are Titanium and has a nickel finished look .. darker than polished ss. nice... the strap is really not bad for a rep. watchboys has the better quality strap (fyi) .. and the buckle is Ti. and appears to be bead blasted the excess dust on the dial is IMO the "luck of the draw" not a big deal.. as with the naked eye it is invisible.. but I will clean it none the less. so far the movement has been running good.. we'll see if it needs regulating .. thanks for viewing Aloha~Cheers Lani

fyi .. I believe the PVD version is: numerals green and the triangle marker @12 is blue

thanks indy .. Phong advised me to wear the watch for a month.. if after that I want to swap for the ss which as TMG and you note makes in technically a 7032 he will do it for me n/c .. so I have a month to see... I really like both "looks" to bad they are not easily interchangable

Thank you S..!! I think I'm going to end up with both bezels... and order a rally strap from you know who.. edit add ... thanks pole !!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks B !! I'm on it.. just replied to an email from westcoast.. I was ordering for another watch so.. thanks to Pole ... fo sure his Nato looks custom made for the dial !!! thanks Jimster .. yup TMG is the member "again" that give inspiration.. although .. never say never.. cause this is the last one outside a genuine that I thought I would spring for.. it is kinda "abstract" dial art...

yeah Wally.. who asked you ?? .. your not in the club... . . just kidding ma man, I think I' leave the black bezel on for a spell but source the SS,.. these franken parts are not cheap!! ... the "ring" belongs in all the wristis .. and btw.. the proper way to wear jewelry is so the logo can be read by peeps facing you.. in case anyone thinks I got it on backwards... edit add: ... pole ... that is a very cool strap.. the colours...nice... i gotta email westcoast and ask him about more straps.. like I don't have enough.. sheesh..

thank you P.. but .. ya had to go ahead and post the beautiful SS bezel.... oh well, it's good to have variety in the club... ... Phong made me an offer I jus couldn't turn down.. .. He's willing to sell me the SS bezel.. I think I may take him up on that .. although he say's the black is more accurate for this model.. I should get it ..another good offering from Phong man.. thanks again L

thank you very much Samu !! these tudors were made only for a very short period.. so nailing any history on them is challenging .. and yes, the black bezel is growing on me .. like the 1655 the SS bezel was available when the watch traveled to the service center.. so any genuine with the original bezel in good condition is worth a lot more.. so for accuracy sake.. thanks for your validation !! Aloha~Cheers Lani

this is the 7159 (still questioning the validity of these pics) and this is the 7169 (supposed) both have very different dials (same anthracite colour though) and were produced after the 7031

thank you SC.. it is the valjoux 7734 and it is a Franken .. the 7159 MC has the SS bezel, the 7159 also has a little different dial, there is a 7169 with a divers bezel without the chrono numerals.. .. so I am thinking the SS bezel may have been added to the 7031 at the Rolex Service Center at a later date.. so it is still accurate.. the black bezel is the original bezel for the 7031., it comes with the riveted bracelet, but a leather strap was also used for the 7031 .. so if I do swap for the SS bezel, it would not be the original bezel for the 7031 It sure looks cool with the SS.. but maybe for accuracy I should keep the black one.. thank you for your post though.. Lani

My 7031 arrived ... I have the more vintage bezel mounted for now,.. the black bezel is first version.. the SS was put on later models.. I am in the process of sourcing the SS bezel also.. what do you guy's think ?? The SS makes the case look a little wider and kinda flows .. whereas the black vintage bezel is a little different.. It may be I'm just used to viewing the SS.. so I am asking for thoughts.. from those that are versed in the vintage lines.. I think having both would be the answer .. but what do you think ? thanks in Advance Aloha~Cheers Lani edit add: actually I couldn't find any pics of the genuine with the SS bezel, although it does exist on the genuine.. I'm not sure if it was added at a service center, later after purchase ... Pics of the genuine from an offering.. http://10pastten.com/2008/08/27/ta359.aspx

Wednesday ~