TJGladeRaider

It's interesting to read thru the posts, since I spent so much time here so many years ago. It was a hoot ... trying to get an MBW vintage was just crazy. You had to work thru contacts, to find a guy who knew a guy, pay wait and hope. Back then, everything came with a Swiss ETA movement ... I have reps from 20 years ago that work just fine. Once the sources got to know you, you got first crack at things like the Rolex GMT with a 2893 movement, or the Panerai Sopras with the 2892. There were guys (Like The Zigmeister) who seemed to know everything about everything. I dunno how things are now, as I just got started reading thru some of the threads, but I'm sure glad to see some names I know here.

Hey Nanuq ... why am I not surprised to see that you're still here. It's amazing ... remember those Rolex GMTs that Josh had made up with the ETA 2893, mine still run perfectly. I also got that Paneria with the ETA 2892 Sopras and it's still perfect. To tell ya the truth, I have a lot of the old stuff that I cannot even identify. I guess my poor old brain has gotten old! Have they started to rep any of the watches with Tritium tubes? I spend a lot of time on my boat overnight so I really like the ones like Luminox. Bill

I just checked in for the first time in so many years ... I hope all has been well with everyone.

Has anyone had any experience with the Vintage Rollies that Josh and Andrew are currently offering? If so, how are they for mods ... how do they compare to the MBWs of old. They don't seem to be available with Swiss movements, but I have a few of the ETA 2836 lying around. I sure do like the vintages. Thanks, Bill

Nanuq ... Nanuq ... is that you Nanuq? If not, I suggest that you save that watch in a safe secure place til Nanuq dies ... you can easily claim that Nanuq modified that watch specially for you and it may have extraordinary collector's value then! Bill

Hey Nanuq ... I see you are still running around "fixing" things ... at least you're not using your hammer! You ever get down to Kentucky ... or want to. Since we chatted last, I've taken over the family estate here in KY, south of Lexington. It's really quite remarkable ... 150 Acres right on Lake Cumberland that has been in my family since 1916. The property has a little shack in the woods ... LOL Hope all is well with you and yours. Bill

I've had a couple of MBWs [the old guys here are laughing] and I had gen crowns and tubes put on many of them. I don't know about the tubes that came on them ... I was always told to replace crown and tube. The difference was always very dramatic. I see that the cartel is offering vintages that they say are vastly improved. In my wildest dreams, someone produces vintages as good or better than the MBWs. Has anyone had any experience with these new ones offered by Josh and Co.? It looks like they are not available with gen Swiss movements, but I have plenty of those if they are a direct replacement for the Asian clones. Hope all is well with everyone. Bill

Hi Ken, I had no idea ... thanks for letting me know. That's sad ... he was a really decent guy. Bill Are ya doing watch repair stuff. Jack, that Ubi referred me to for my gen can handle it but it looks like a long wait. He doesn't do anything with reps. Bill

Thanks, I sent him an email. Bill

I'm not retired but pretty much so since it takes almost all of my time to deal with everything on my plate here. How has everything been with you. Still haunting the board I see. Any good recommendations as to whom one would send watches to be repaired/modified since Rob retired? I have an O&W Mirage III with a Valjoux movement that needs to be repaired. It's a fabulous watch but too much vibration on the Harley broke the screw holding the rotor on. I have some other things that need repair as well. Thanks, Bill

Hi Freddy, glad to see you're still around. Check the ballistics of a hot loaded 500 grain 45-70 round ... a real shoulder killer. As far as Nanuq "missing," I dunno whether he can shoot worth a flip or not but I do know he is a serious threat to anything that ticks. LOL Bill

I have a wonderfully nice 45-70 you could use ... trajectory like a rainbow but the impact necessary to destroy the evidence. Funny thing about the 45-70. There are so many old rifles out there chambered for it, that most manufacturers sell what amounts to a cowboy load. The ammo intended for modern 45-70's is some pretty extreme stuff. Bill

Ohhhh, that's bad ... very, very bad. How have you been? You still vandalizing watches? Has anyone filled the MBW void ... I sure wish I had all the MBWs I liquidated when I got divorced. Bill

Sorry, couldn't help myself It's been a while since I checked in ... lots of developments in my life. For my old friends, I'm spending most of my time in KY these days. I didn't sell my home in Florida, but I'm heir to our family estate in KY (since 1916) and I have to be here to manage it. Quaint little shack in the woods! I'm disappointed to hear that Rob has retired. Ziggy has been a wonderful resource for many years. He certainly did some fabulous work for me. I just got back from vacation in Jamaica where I ruined a rep Panerai (that I wasn't particularly fond of) leading me to conclude that I needed a new gen dive watch. I ordered http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00725FCMC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00 and Amazon delivered it today. If the government could just be half as efficient as Amazon! I chose the solar option because I wanted a watch I could leave set until I needed it without having to set date/time. My first watch was a Seiko automatic dive watch, a high school grad present in 1975. That thing performed flawlessly for at least 15 years ... maybe 20. I hope this does as well. Anyway, good to see that so many of the old regulars are still around. Bill

I love this place! Bill

Yup, quite right, and I am so VERY glad I kept all the watches I had no use for that had real ETAs in them. I have enough of them that I'll always be able to transfer one into anything that will accept them. Bill

Personally, I don't like gold watches, although there are a couple of the wrapped 18K gold/stainless subs in that collection from back when the really good wrapped versions were available. I'm often in questionable places with nefarious people ... I don't want to get shot over a watch, especially some counterfeit that got some punk confused. The watch on my wrist at the moment is a classic (lug holes in the case) Rolex GMT Sub with a gen Swiss 2893 GMT movement ... just try to find one of those these days. The watch smythe who serviced my other one told me that the 2893 is a better movement than Rolex used in the gen back in it's day. I can tell you that they both keep perfect time. For dress, I have two gens, a Pam 088 GMT and an Ollech and Was Mirage T3; I believe that both have some version of the venerable Valjoux movement. They go quite well with other fashionable mens accessories by Colt, Kimber and Springfield Armory! Bill

And the man said, "I'm no alcoholic, I'm a drunk." The other man responded, "Well, what's the difference?" To which the man replied, "We don't go to those stupid meetings." The line between passion and pathology can be a fine line indeed!

Yes, I have seen the posts, I am sorry to say. On the other hand, the posts about the garbage being sold as Swiss movements are not consistent with my personal experience, but that may be because I have bought a few reps over the years, mostly from the same TD, and I would be very surprised if he sold me anything that was not as he described it to be. In addition to these Rolexes, I have Pams, Omegas, Breitlings, etc. Over the years, I have developed good reason to trust my "Trusted Dealers." I've had many of my watches worked on and I've yet to be told my "Gen Swiss Movement" was actually some sort of cloned junk. The GMT 2893s, ETA 2836s, Lemania, and 6497 movements have always been legit. We also have guys who hand build their products, many of whom have come and gone over the years. It would be hard for me to imagine them risking their reputations by pawning off junk as Swiss. I've never dealt with TC (Thomas Caddell), but I have read much of his published work, and I suspect that the recommendation by someone responding previously was a good one. Still, sad to say, many of our members that I consider to be perfectly credible have complained that they have not gotten what they paid for from dealers on this Forum, so a newbie may very well have something to worry about these days. Bill

I interpreted his question differently ... I think he was asking, "Will other college students recognize it as a fake." If I were a college student (Lord was that ever a long time ago), I'd just find the watch I liked best and say it was a graduation present from my parents. I have a bunch of college students of my own now, and that's what I suggest they say if asked. Now, bearing in mind that everyone has opinions, I'll answer the question the best I can but first I'll try to steer you in a different direction. My advice for the guy wanting to spend <$600 who doesn't need problems and issues would be to buy a nice Seiko - they have some exceptionally nice mens sports watches in that price range. Then, when you can afford it, I'd buy their top of the line spring drive ... that watch is (IMHO) a really incredible piece. That MarineMaster with the power reserve indicator is on my list! If you must have a rep, keep in mind that you can lose your money entirely if customs takes it, it may show up dead on arrival, or it may have other problems, no matter which trusted dealer you buy from. That being said, I'd go for a rep with a REAL SWISS MOVEMENT, and I'd stay away from the complicated designs with sub dials, push buttons and such. Check to see what the rep watch you like would cost as a gen - a college student wearing a $50K watch is not very believable. Something like a Tag or a basic function Breitling might be a good choice, and there is always the ubiquitous Submariner, but when people see a Sub on a college student, expect them to assume it is fake. There are also a number of nice Pams available with Swiss ETA movements. Don't overlook the possibility of M2M (Member to Member) purchases. A well known member is unlikely to take advantage of you (we have some truly incredible people on here), and a purchase that doesn't have to clear customs is one less thing to worry about. Good luck to you. Bill

I think it's largely the "rest of the picture," coupled with two facts: 1) Most people are not aware that there are really good reps ... ever see someone study a Rolex to see if it "ticks" 2) Most people don't care one way or the other Mostly though, I think people look at your age and your lifestyle ... if you're sixty, drive a Bentley, and pay your bar tab with an AmEx Centurion card, people would assume that your Kermit Rolex was some fancy, uber expensive, version commissioned by Rolex. If you're twenty-five, drive a beat up old Yugo, and pay for your Budweiser with a handful of pocket change, you could have a gen but nobody would believe it. Bill

I'm looking forward to the pics. I'm not clear on how this actually works - does it take a special strap to match the end links or can you use any strap. I use shark or stingray straps with deployment clasps on most of my Rollies. This looks like a much more finished look. Thanks, Bill

I was looking for a rep for my girlfriend and asked Josh (Perfect Clones) for his advice a while back and he recommended a Date Just. It has a genuine Swiss ETA movement. I also got the box set. The watch is exceptionally nice, and she loves it. It keeps perfect time. Now, the only problem I have is that she is as fascinated by this whole rep thing as I am ... I fear I have created a monster. Bill

Now that's a Gen worth the money. My first dive watch back about 1970 was a Seiko that looked a lot like this, although I'm sure that this is a MUCH more expensive version. I was living in Guantanamo Bay, the US Navy Base in Cuba at the time, and diving every week. When I left in 1976, there is no telling how many dives it had been on and I wore it for many years after that. What can this watch be bought for these days? If you decide you don't like it, please let me know. Bill

Oh yeah. Absolutely. I'm reminded of a quote. "Being dead isn't so bad. You don't even know you're dead, and the only ones suffering are the people around you ... it's much like being stupid." Bill