lanikai

I ended 2009 with the Skyland Blacksteel And Usher in 2010 with the Super Avenger Blacksteel Have a healthy and prosperous 2010 ALL!!! AC/Lani

I'll end 2009 with what I started it with Skyland Blacksteel the last of the 2009 wristi.. I appear to be bringing up the rear of 2009

these reps had no lasting lume out of the box it would need a re-lume.. nothing short of that will keep the charge.. SOP for that version.. AC?L

Mule team

You know until I started digging into what the coating used on the rep SABS.. I thought PVD and DLC were totally different animals.. not so according to a little research.. "Magnetron pvd sputtering" is the method used for all coatings.. be it Carbon Nitride.. Titanium Nitride.. or a host of other amphorus elements or compounds.. amphorus meaning .. with no defined shape or form..whatever you chemistry dudes get from that.. so the coating that is used determines it's value toward colour and toughness.. it was explained in the early years of the DLC "coatings" discovery that to attempt to create a diamond's toughness was like trying to travel the speed of light.. not possible..that was over 20 years ago.. so to clarify .. DLC.. includes a lot of different coatings.. and "PVD" is the magnetron sputtering technique use to apply the coating.. so the maker was not wrong to to call the SABS coating PVD... it is another generic term for just the technique that is used. Carbon Nitride is what is used.. no amount of prep to the metal will alter the colour.. it can ..(imo alter the look.. ie. from one of more sheen to more of a matte look).. it is determined by the Carbon Nitride applied via PVD.. so the PVD of old had different compounds used is all.. ergo some of the cheaper PVD use different compounds in the coating... that is at least my understanding of this science.. like a paint brush is your tool.. but the paints are all different.. acrylic enamel.. water colour.. oil based.. water based..and lead paint which is illegal but still used on the bottom of boats.. and highly toxic... all different coatings. I hope I made more sense of PVD/DLC AC/Lani

To clarify.. these 3 coatings are different and as I understand them can be applied together or separately.. explaining the statement that I used form a genuine fora from someone who does coating work for watches... and as he states the SABS uses the Carbon Nitride.. but everyone has gotten so used to just calling it DLC.. there are many coatings under this one label. Diamond like carbon is DLC Carbon Nitride is not factually DLC.. but has come to be called DLC also Titanium Nitride a different colour From another member on the gen fora talking of DLC and Carbon Nitride I read from University papers on the net that these coatings can be deposited using the PVD method.. so it gets to be a lot of different coatings all for added strength and some used for colour as well as durability.. it is interesting to note that .. I believe it was a paper from North Carolina University where they were trying to combine all 3 coatings I mentioned above (DLC~ Cn~ and TiN into one coating.. too complex chemistry for me..

You nailed it D ... it's like a family of 10 kids.. they all look alike.. the one thing with the B-ling.. the generations of dials hardly change.. seen one dial.. seen em all.. Thank you TT.. AC/Lani

Thanks guy's.. I did attempt to scratch the underside of the lugs with a paper clip..it does seem that the DLC was applied via PVD method.. it did not scratch like PVD would..and the colour is that of DLC.

Congrats R!! Great choice!! AC/L

Ala Wai Canal

From the Noob Factory and Perfect Clones~ The Super Avenger Black Steel Before I get into the review there are a few issues I would like to address beforehand.. I named Perfect Clones, for the simple reason that Joshua is the "Senior" member of the "Factory dealers", some say the "Cartel", and has worked on this project.. as the Senior Member Joshua works with the Makers to produce some of the reps that are introduced into the Rep World.. and others have a hand also.. Andrew ~ Trusty.. King watch...these are the dealers that source the genuine models for the Makers to replicate, all dealers enjoy the sales after a short grace period.. some have world wide distribution and other dealers buy the rep for sale from the factory dealers.. there are many other variables.. so before anyone yells.. "Favoritism".. you all are free to choose which dealer you purchase your rep from.. I am giving credit where it is due.. "Period".. the choice is yours to make... I also purchase my own rep for review.. and do this like many others.. for the community that I am a part of.. "Period".. So on to the Review.. I could not get a definitive answer to the question of PVD or DLC.. as I was told the Super Avenger (which I will refer to as the SABS) finish was very different from the Skyland BS and the finish does affect the colour somewhat.. and the maker did what was needed to replicate the finish and colour to the genuine... and after viewing the genuine I was surprised to find the finish and colour are very different from the Skyland BS.. the Skyland BS was not heavily brushed and is more 'flat' in is texture.. where as the SABS has a heavier brushed finish and has more sheen, depending on the lighting.. In researching gen fora's for an answer I came upon this interesting explanation of the SABS finish that gives it it's unique colour .. so as my dealer was a little confused over what the maker actually did to the coating.. they listed it as PVD.. but it was explained to me that it is not strict PVD nor DLC.. this may explain how they arrived at replicating the coating on the SBS.. since the rep is not black; in certain lighting it is actually light ~ to dark grey, unlike straight PVD which is more black.. the coating on the SABS is certainly not Black .. which leads me to believe that like the description below the Carbon nitrate was deposited on the metal via the PVD method..(the treatment for PVD.. but the Carbon nitride was deposited onto the metal. Now, this is the only explanation I could find for the unusual colour and shine..as different compounds can alter the colour of the metal as describe below... Interesting theory, and as I said, my dealer could not give me a definitive answer, other than the SABS genuine which he procured was very different in colour and the maker did what was needed to replicate it..so I am assuming for practical purposes it was listed as "PVD" It's interesting to note that many science papers refer to "Physical vapor Depostion" as a "generic term" for a 'technique'. As I was perplexed as to why the first project was scrubbed .. it was being done by pics.. the prototype was not as it should be so... the project was started all over again with a different maker and a genuine copy.. and we have waited a little over a year for the results... I could not figure why they would do PVD when the Skyland was done in DLC,.. but as you can see below the 2 models are very different in texture and colour. This is the genuine SABS.. shinny finish This is the Skyland BS .. As you can see the 2 models are very different in the finish under the coating this may explain why the SABS could not be done with conventional DLC.. but the carbon nitrate had to be applied via PVD.. so the finish as you can see is very different from the Skyland BS It is grey, like the Skyland DLC and the sheen is rather obvious.. With the Human eye.. you will not see the splotches on the finish. Notice the sheen on the bezel.. as it should be This is not the colour of straight PVD Another angle of the genuine again not black.. not totally grey The colour replicated rather well.. IMO the pushers and crown are not brushed (on the genuine) The finish from another angle.. nicely done Dark Grey The Dial.. notice something totally out of context?? The bloody Markers are CENTERED The Sub rings turn from black to silver depending on lighting The rehaut.. notice the colour of the red of the rehaut the tips of the Chrono hands are matched a bit better than the Skyland BS was..still may be a very un-noticeable shade off The Sub dial lines are as they should be a better look at the texture of the dial in strong light The AR is a nice Plum in less direct lighting.. blue hue in stronger light The Case Back A pic of the Skyland BS.. the colour of the SABS is the same.. the finish is different though on the Skyland so I believe the maker did a good job with the coating of the SABS rep, same grey as the Skyland DLC The bezel has just the slightest play in between clicks.. just a bit loose .. not an issue though... I would double check these screws to make sure they are fastened securely, if they are faux.. (I have not checked) locktite super glue may help to keep them in place Nicely, there are no sharp edges to the case and tang buckle..the tabs on the bezel are a little sharper but not an issue..the chrono hand is nicely centered the sub needles work well...the pushers are solid, same as my genuine chrono's.. no issues there. and to repeat, the lume is centered .. excellent!!...the lume from what I see, without full charge is strong.. even my relume on my Skyland does not glow like a torch.. it is a very minute lume size on the Breitlings SA and Skylands.. IMO it will not appear as big as the SS Super Avenger due to the colour.. and with the rubber strap sits nicely on my wrist.. I do have the same HKtan black with red stitching that I used on my Skyland.. it has been waiting over a year for the SABS.. If anything I will drop a ETA 7750 in it.. the rotor on the A7750 needs a lube.. it is rather noisy ... sop .. In closing .. I think the coating was well done.. I believe some cleaning of the metal will be in order. fresh DLC/PVD could always use a polish without any petroleum by products .. just water and a toothbrush me thinks.. Thank you for viewing.. good luck with your SABS if you decide to go with it..I hope this helped shed some light on the rep.. AC/Lani

You may be wearing one .. weather you think you like it or not..

Green river

Your little one was a newborn ??..where does the time go.. now she's a talking bundle of Joy

It's from a parts maker .. the parts for the reps are sourced out and made in great quantities.. but the one I'm getting wasn't used on the Ultimate.. but hopefully from the pics that were sent to me the colour is very good the pearl and the 10 "look' good for the quality of pics.. but I like to see everything first hand and if this passes the acid test of actually placing it in the bezel and it results in a good fit then I will recommend ordering .. yeah,.. I am very disappointed in ETZ staff in the handling of the insert.. I requested a refund.. but will see how long they drag it out.. this is not Chris' style fo sure.. we'll see.. if you got your tracking and they tell me they are not ready.. something is amiss..especially when they said it was all good, and I made payment. but the benefit of the doubt is still in their court.. they just don't communicate very well right now..or at all frankly

No not ETZ.. they tell me that the factory does not have them yet.. after I payed in full and they told me it would be on its way.. after a month now they tell me they have none.. something is truly fishy hea.. but I have another source and the bezel looks good!! so I will let the board know soonest..

All Lume needs to be out of the box a day or so before it can start charging properly.. even my relumed watches need time out of the box to charge up.. after 2 or 3 days out of the box they will charge up much brighter.. placing it under a lamp when you first receive it will not suffice.. let it be for a couple of days and then revisit the lume charge..it should make a difference..and remember.. the blue lume is not like SL it will not glow like a torch.. Mine reacted the same way when it was fresh.. ....btw .. I have a corrected bezel insert incoming from another maker.. we'll see if it fits.. and if it does we don't have to worry about another version for a correct insert (the 10 spacing) AC/L Edit add:.. one more issue of note for the blue lume.. all my blue lume when fresh outta the box has been on the green side of blue.. after it's fully charged it is nothing but blue.. even my relumed BR was on the green side of blue it's fully blue now though..it is the nature of the blue lume.. no worries it will b etotally blue in a couple of days..

Boston

it should be in Hawaii next week.. I'll get pics up ASAP

Ray.. Ma Man I will always remember 2009 as the year you got your genuine grail Rolex .. and collected many more genuine.. your still one of us though And it made my morning to see you posting I wish you all the good things in life and more gen watches for your collection!! Happy New Year ma Brotha!! AC/Lani

:rofl: :rofl:

Theology~Doctrines

I have the model in question from Perfect Clones.. have not had issues with it.. Joshua's after service is impeccable, the ss bracelet is a beast .. and the AP will be very heavy with it.. I'm looking at sourcing the genuine strap..but I would suggest an alternative to the SS for your wrist size.. it is much larger with the SS bracelet AC/Lani

Teachers~Judges~Doctors~Priests

You can check out Nostalgia_2000 and Yuki's.. classicwatchparts has more inventory now.. nice.. but very pricey.. for the money I would go Nostalgia over Wholesale outlet.. and Yuki's over both.. Yuki's is around 35 usd..