TJGladeRaider

Now that is PRETTY. Justin used a dial I got from Maria at MBK years ago. What crystal is that? I really like that look. Bill

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhh! If I keep it, I'll be sending it to Vac for super lume! I know everyone seems to love that aged look, but I like mine to look like safe queens. Bill

Ditto. All of mine were acquired back when Maria was running the shop and NONE have had any crown issues - I put gen crowns on everything I intend to keep. Are you sure that the watch you have is an MBW? I ask because, unlike the old days when MBWs were the only thing out there with gen construction, there are a lot of watches floating around out there that could be misrepresented as MBWs. Bill

What are you comparing them to? I have been looking at the gen 1675's on the net and the cartel 1675 case we used here looks pretty close to me. This is pretty interesting: http://doubleredseadweller.com/gmt.htm This particular watch came with no cg's, pointy cg's and blocky looking cg's - all gen versions. Considering how old the watch would be, and how many times one would expect it to have been polished, I don't think anyone could say for sure what you could expect a gen to look like. Having looked at a world of gen pictures, I think the case itself is excellent - the pics must not have been as good as I thought they were because nobody could possibly mistake it for a vintage sub or vintage sd case (He valve?) if they were actually looking at the watch. The ones below are gens. Bill

We used the basic 1675 cartel case - it's a very thin, almost "dainty" looking case. The SD's and Subs I have are MUCH thicker - it's hard to imagine that it should be thinner than this, but I don't know. I can mic it if someone has the correct spec. Bill

Here's pics of the 1675 Project - I think it looks pretty good. I've not made up my mind what to do with it, but I wanted to see one done without the incorrect "date" on the dial. If I decide to keep it, I'll have to have it lumed - VAC did a fabulous job on my PAM 028. In addition to the better dial, it has a gen crown, lugs drilled, and the Swiss ETA 2836 has been tested. Bill

There is no way in this world I'd go for that. I'd do a charge back and find a different dealer. Bill

This has been interesting. Our member asks for some honest critique. Our member gets some pretty brutally honest critique. Our member apparently appreciates the honesty he asked for. Personally, I don't know squat about tattoos, but it's nice to be with a group who can talk to each other like family. For my part, I'll just offer one comment about the wife - more specifically, a comment about the previously offered comment about the wife. I think most women I've known who would go for a tattoo like that would be much more satisfied with their husband's best work (assuming it is decent) than a masterful job by a professional artist. Considering the way that you take brutal honesty and criticism (and the fact that she undoubtedly knows how you are), I'd just see what she says and accept whatever she says as heartfelt. Good luck with this hobby, or vocation, whichever it turns out to be. Bill

I suppose that everyone has opinions, but I would certainly agree with the prior reply - get an MBW if you can find it. They accept gen parts. By the time you source the watch (make sure it really is an MBW), and then spend the money on the mods, it is really easy to have $1000 invested, but the end product in my view is well worth it. The gen crown installation and drilling the lugs are the single most important mods in my view - those pinhole lugs are an immediate, obvious tell, and none of these rep crowns has anything like the feel of a gen. Also, it looks like these may turn out to be an even better investment than was previously thought. Read the latest threads on MBW and MBK - we may never again see the watches that Maria used to put on the street. Bill

I'm prepared . . . "I dunno, I took it off a dead guy." LOL Bill

I've told the story a few times on here, but it's a good one so I'll tell it again. I wore my Ziggied MBW DRSD into the Rolex dealer at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. I wanted to see the new (at that time) GMT with the ceramic bezel. The young lady showing it to me asked what I was wearing so I handed it to her. She looked it over, twisted the bezel and then asked it it was broken or a fake. I asked why and she observed that the bezel twisted both ways and didn't click. The old guy at the end of the counter perked right up. He hustled over, took one look and got out a pair of white cotton gloves. He snatched the watch out of her hands and looked it over carefully. Then he asked if I knew what it was. When I told him of course I knew what it was, he said he couldn't believe I was actually wearing it. I assured him that I only wore it when I knew it would be appreciated! LOL When returning from a biz trip to Panama, the young Customs guy asked to see my watch. I took it off and handed it to him and told him that I didn't get it in Panama - I told him the watch was probably older than he was. He looked me straight in the eye and said he knew EXACTLY what it was - he just never actually saw one in real life. Double LOL I was at Sports Authority here and an older guy pulled in next to me with the identical Corvette convertible in yellow. We got to talking and I noticed his watch - a very impressive piece but I cannot recall what it was. He had a pretty strong accent (I thought maybe German) and told me that he has been in the watch business most of his life. His factory made the dials for Tudor watches years ago. I showed him mine, a Ziggied 1680, and he was very impressed with it. So, "Yes," you can most definitely wear the vintages without concerns. Bill

Stranger things have happened M8. Bill

Tis a lovely day in Paradise! Vac reports that the PAM 028 w/2892 is safely with him. He promises that I shall soon be able to read the newspaper in the dark with it, and I can expect to be banned from theaters unless wearing long sleeves. When it's done, I may have to drive over and pick it up! "Oh happy day . . ." Bill

Ahhhhhhh soooooo, but which direction adjusts which function . . . . it do make a difference! Bill

I'm gonna have to steal that from you. That's hysterical. Bill

Apology accepted. Nobody wants to see anyone screwed out of $500. Bill

Relax Dude. Where did the bid start? It never occurred to anyone involved that . . . well, you go back and show mw where anyone ever said something negative about dealing with me. We're having some fun here - if you got that Frog Mariner package for $500, you'd have at least two members that I know of begging you to sell it to them already. Do you really think Thomas would have allowed any member to play this game and screw someone just so he could put a few bucks in the til? Don't you wonder why you're the only one crying foul? Just relax. Bill

I felt like I had to send the Frog Mariner since the other thing I included in the package didn't work right. Stu - tell them what happens when you try to set the date. (I know at least two of our bretheren just said, "Oh shit") "And we'll have fun, fun, fun til Daddy takes the T Bird away." Bill

Yo Pho, You know we live close to one another -- can I buy you lunch? I'm sorry that life hasn't been good to you, but it sounds like you are on the up swing. Bill

bread

I'd like to say I was drunk -- at least I would have some excuse for not spending a few dollars to insure something that cannot be replaced. It looks like PAMs are bad for me. I had a 063 GMT with a gen Swiss 2893 in it and let someone talk me out of it, and then this . . . arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Bill

Whatever rep I'm wearing generally gets wound up in the morning while I jump rope. Further, although I usually take them off, I have been known to wear them while working out on the bags. If they can routinely survive that, I cannot imagine that shifting gears could hurt them. I have nothing but gen Swiss movements. I must admit, this thru me as a joke post for a moment, since I never drove a car you could shift with your left hand, but I realized that other countries drive on the wrong side of the road and position drivers in the passenger seat - as compared to the U.S. Bill

Have the watch professionally serviced. ANYONE in the biz can servie a Swiss ETA 2836 Bill

I cannot imagine what I was thinking. I think maybe I was suffering from residual alcohol. I sent my favorite PAM, an 028 with a gen Swiss 2892 to Vac w/o tracking and insurance about ten days ago. We are just three hours away from each other. If I had it to do again (heard that before?) I'd have just driven it to him. NEVER entrust anything valuable to the USPO. That really hurts my heart! You cannot imagine . . . all my Rollies and this one PAM that I wear so much. They aren't available any more. Bill

The closest thing there ever was to trusted government was tribal council figuring out how to deal with saber tooth cats! Even then, you had to watch out for backstabbing politicos, but you could cream them with a club. Bill