subzero1

Driving into the Rockies, figured I should have a high altitude watch:

Maybe a psychiatrist should have a complicated PAM, such as a texture-dialed chronograph 253?

These types of issues actually make me feel good about the level of QC offered by replica watches.

I'm still down for 2, right? I have 2 Santii coming from Silix, one SS and on TT. After upgrading to the dial, I think I'll also get the crystal AR's (wrong though that may be), and get the TT bezel and clasp replace with solid gold. Should look good when done.

Sign up for a photobucket account and upload the images there. Then just link from there. Easy peasy.

Curious, how many of you are actually happy with your rep collection? I know a lot of people are "ecstatic" at the quality of their reps, but is that a long term feeling? Are you happy with all the pieces you have purchased? Or is there a nagging doubt at the back of your mind everytime you strap on one of these reps and walk out into the public eye?

Sorry if I came off a bit peevish there - I have a hunch that a lot of people think that the high end reps are easily spotted by others, but I do not think they are. In fact I would submit that most good reps are VERY DIFFICULT to spot in person (as opposed to on an internet forum with experts well versed in the world of rep-dom). As long as the fit and finish is a reasonablly proximity to the real thing, the crystal is gen sapphire and sufficiently clear (ie, AR'd), and the person wearing it looks like they could afford it, then I submit that a rep will NOT be called out in the vast majority of circumstances. The fear that it is "obvious" to others is a result of the fact that "we" know that it is a rep, and we are projecting our fears. Most people simply don't know and don't care.

Goin' w/the single AR coated (thanks Chieftang!) SMP Chrono:

Tight in the summer with short sleeves, loose in the winter with long sleeves (so you can still see it!).

How about the reverse, when a watch becomes your favorite when it shouldn't? My SMP Chrono is in this category - I have so many watches more deserving of wrist time, but the SMP Chrono gets more wrist time than any other watch, including a "better' standard SMP, Double AR 3717 and Inge and GST, DSN 111H and 082 and 183, 3 Breitling Evo's and SFSO, 2 uPO's, etc..... And this despite the fact that the date changes at 4 am instead of midnight, the crown spring is limp, and a gap in the bracelet between the clasp and first link. Despite all this I wear the heck out of this watch, and I'm not even sure why:

Yes, exactly right - the 177 (which I have, as well as a 111), definitely is more sporty with it's darker case and brushed finish. A 111 on a black gator is much dressier than a 177 on the same black gator.

Uhm, how? Unless he's "very" familiar w/the line, it's unlikely. Even some of the reps posted on paneristi are not called out immediately, it often takes someone that is an expert on reps (notice I say an expert on reps, not an expert on gens) to call it out, even given unlimited time to review large high resolution picture files. Without this I would say it's almost impossible to spot a really good rep, particularly given the year over year variations most manufacturers have in all of their lines.

Get the 111, it dresses up nicer for an office setting, the 177 is pretty much a casual watch no matter what strap you put on it. The 111 can dress up or dress down, the 177 cannot dress up.

Maximillian, not following you around, I promise! Red dial Breitling for Bently GT for me today (with double AR crystal):

One other thing that might not show up on pictures is that the dial should not be matte, but rather a semi-gloss. If you check out a gen at the Cartier boutique down at Cherry Creek mall, you will see what I mean. Same with the numbers and printing, should be somewhat glossy black.

177 on black strap = hawt

I've heard the Graham Swordfish is coming soon. I'm getting one for sure when it does.

The scotch brite pad works OK on the big all-brushed clasp, but it too bulky for working on the small links that alternate brushed and polished. For that, you really need this:

Well, I've discovered that it is fairly soft metal, which means it does indeed scratch easily. Luckily, this also means that fixing the scratches is relatively easy too. I has several scuff type scratches on the links that were very visible. I just took an old "scratch pen" I had laying around in some of my old tools and tried it out on the brushed part of the links, just to see how it would do. 5 minutes and it's good as new

Hi, I now have both a SMP Chrono, and the traditional non-Chrono bond SMP and the metal straps seem to scratch and scuff extremely easily, moreso than other metal banded watches I have (Navi's, Evo's, 3717, Inge, GST's). I was wondering if the gen bracelets exhibited the same susceptibility to scratching that the reps do.

Yes, the Santos is a classic watch, and the new version has a much better case than the old version. The Silix price cannot be beat. Just make sure to have him check the crown - on mine it was kind of jammed and I'm sending it back for a replacement. Dial is not 100% accurate to the gen as it is guilloched, but it actually has more presence with this dial. As an accuracy freak, I'll probably end up replacing the dial with a flat tyle one, but overall it's still a great watch out of the box. Also, the strap on the new Santos is a lot better than the ones 6 months ago. It's "real" leather now, and even though it's a bit too matte and dried out looking out of the box, a touch of mink oil gets you very close to the gen look and feel.

All these white dialed PAMs, I figured I'd join in:

Hi all, I added some more tableshots with groupings by brand, as well as a few new wristshots.

Glad I could help

There are small metal tabs at the bottom of the endlinks on the bracelet. Take some pliers and bend them down about 30 degrees, then try installing it. Worked like a charm for me. If it causes a gap between the case and the top of the endlinks, take it off and bend them back to around 15 degrees. By adjusting these tabs you can adjust how tightly the top of the endlinks fit against the case.