lhooq

Going casual today:

Hot afternoon in the tropics:

No snow around these parts, but an Explorer for me, too:

I spent half a day going to the second-hand watch stores in Singapore. By far, the best visit was at Heirloom Gallery (near Clarke Quay), which had an amazing selection of vintage Omegas, among other brands. I was very tempted to get the SM300 I've long wanted, but their prices were on the high side. Other highlights include trying on a PAM 082 at Visiotime (Raffles Place), drooling over a JLC Polaris at Passions (Funan Digitalife), and staring mournfully at a not-for-sale 1016 Explorer at Top Hour (Lucky Plaza). The last stop did have a practically-new 1655 for SGD 20,000, which wasn't exactly in my price range! It was gone a day later. I wouldn't have known about these places if it weren't for unregistered and a bunch of other locals helping me out. Of course, I didn't buy anything from the stores above, since I was after a watch I've wanted for quite a while. Took a bit of work and a lot of luck, but I finally got my Diver:

Gorgeous! I've wanted this particular model of the Anti-Magnetic for a long time (the rep, obviously--and realistically!) but none of the usual sellers have a decent version of it. Where did you get those subdial hands? Give us the parts list!

Almost all of my Oakleys are in good shape, since I store all of them in ballistic nylon cases. (I have several aluminum Oakley Vaults, and they're not nearly as good--a few of them are very poorly designed.) Much as I love them, Oakley lenses are scratch magnets and demand a lot of care from the owner. The early plastic frames are also notoriously brittle. I went through five separate frames just through normal wear and tear. Good thing their warranty was very generous at the time; I didn't pay a thing for their replacements.

Agreed. All the manufacturer sites will tell you to avoid reps since they're not UV-protected and will end up frying your eyeballs. I really don't know how often that's true, but I do know that the distortion you get in most rep lenses is pretty terrible on shades with complex geometries. Buy the rep for the frames, if you must, but don't cheap out on the lenses. As for the 90s coming back, I'm gonna keep rocking forever... forever... forever... for...ever.

That's the Breitling Asiamatic, isn't it?

Good stuff. I'm very interested in seeing how the T22 sits on your case, and I'm looking forward to all the other changes, too. Sounds comprehensive.

Lani, did you ever advance this project with a dial or strap change, or did you leave this as is? I was reminded of this thread as I recently had the chance to see a genuine 1016 and 5500 Air-King up close (Top Hour in Singapore--I was very tempted to buy the Air-King; the 1016 wasn't for sale!). I've got to say that the profile of your MBW case is a very good match for the real thing. Compared to my Datejust-based rep the lugs of the MBW curve much more gradually, and the bezel is angled steeper. As I've said before, the MBW really is the best 1016 out of the box. Guess I'd better start planning a trip to Bangkok after all!

I love my Speedmaster, and it's my most frequently worn watch. However, if you're not wearing it, you should sell. If you change your mind again, it's not as if there's going to be a shortage of Moon Watches anytime soon!

I was just in Singapore last week, and the place is terrific if you're shopping for gens, both new and second-hand. I didn't spot a single rep, unless you count an RXW Marina Militare. Maybe you could go see Spinmaster about an old Daytona? The Singapore guys were extremely helpful when I asked for their help.

I wish people who seriusly interested!

I should probably wait for your picture, but I don't think that's the serial number. It sounds like the reference code to the endlinks. It most likely reads '633', which goes with an 1171 bracelet, which goes with Speedmasters made anywhere from the late 60s to the late 70s. Well, that's my guess!

Does the watch actually show 'Speedmaster' on the dial? Omega didn't start making them until 1957. A pre-Speedy chrono could be very valuable, though.

Thanks! I love the heft of the X-Metal frames, and the VR28s are probably the most versatile lens Oakley makes. Yep, and the suede's still in excellent condition. The Mars on the right is actually a lot rarer. The 'Emerald' lenses are factory-installed, not aftermarket. Back then, Oakley Irvine would produce tiny batches of special models that you'd never find in any catalog. I still regret not bidding on a pair of black leather Mars when I had the chance.

My long-time standbys have been my Oakley Juliets, which have gone with me around the world: Part of a larger collection (including a couple of Ray-Bans, for when I want a more timeless look). Not shown are the glasses I'm presently wearing, which are a converted pair of Why3s: As you can tell from the styles, I haven't bought a new pair in years. All my spare cash goes to watches now!

Looks good, thogaa! I think it's just about ready for a dodgy eBay listing!

Attended a Vacheron Constantin event yesterday. This Malte Tonneau Skeleton is the most expensive watch I've ever worn, at around $200,000. Two minutes of wrist time must be worth something, right?

Don't any of you recognize the incredibly rare Rolex Hell-Dweller?

This isn't really such a problem when you consider the dials you see on SM300s newly serviced by Omega, or on the Watchco Seamasters. These have the bright Superluminova glow and fonts more similar to those on this rep.

Thanks! The bad news is that the lugholes look too high up for a gen Speedy bracelet to fit... The good news is that a mesh bracelet would fit just fine! The bad news is that an Omega mesh would cost you over $200... The good news is that it looks very sharp with your racing strap! Grab a seat, this could go on for a while...

Looks good from the front, and looks very nice on the wrist. I think that's worth the price of the rep! Small favor: Could you put up a picture of the lugholes? I'd like to know if a real Omega bracelet could fit on this thing. (Mesh wouldn't be a problem, of course.)