JohnDorian

Has anyone heard from him? I've emailed him a few times about a project he is doing for me to check progress.

Crooked 0 on the rep like all spitfires

The 0 on the 10 on these are all slightly crooked, kind of ruined it for me.

In the used market. I was thinking about picking up that 3717 Spitfire on TZ recently that went for 2850 with bracelet and sellling the bracelet for 600 to make it a 2250 spitfire.

I bet you can get it for 600ish.

Hmm to me, as a owner of a gen and previous of a rep, the case detailing and finishing is the biggest difference. The rep case is not bad but doesn't have fine edges. It's probably only really apparent if you're comparing side by side but that's what stands out to me. The AR on the gen is also not the best, I've seen far better even in older IWC watches. The hands are also pretty different in that the V3 rep hands don't seem very well made to me. There's also a slight finish on the dial that's very hard to describe, it's very finely spotty like it's been sprayed with something. The numeral printing is also finer in the gen. The main 4 markers can probably be relumed and shaped well as well as straigtened by a modder. Oh also, no glue spots by markers which is the biggest tell IMO.

After international shipping it's close to $300 from what I recall. The $110 gen alligator TWB is the closest in quailty and look to the IWC OEM. The rep bracelets are very inferior compared to gen. Yeah, Swiss ETAs 7750 seem to be in the 300 range and about 500 or 600 something if you get an IWC spec one from Concepta. I might be underestimating the labor a bit. It seems gen 3717s with full box and papers go in the $3000-$3200 range in mint condition. I have a gen 3717 but I've been thinking about picking a rep one to get DLC'd.

$300 rep donor case $110 gen TWB alligator $300-$600 Swiss ETA 7750 or IWC ETA 7750 $500 for gen dial, hands if you can get them $200 for labor of double AR crystal, install movement, fit hands dials and shipping both ways You're half way to a gen. I guess you could recoup some cost by selling off the rep movement, dial and hands

Thanks guys! got my money's worth I guess

Too lazy to read your multiple walls of text with little actual factual information.

Claimed genuine by the dealers, would like some verification!

Just buy a gen, you are insane for what is a $400 watch, it's not worth the energy you're putting behind this, jeez.

You are already saying "ish" you can't make any conclusions from what is -ish in color. Only way to know real color difference is to have rep in hand and gen in hand and compare side by side in identical lighting. Nobody has done that yet. Second, the lume on the rep is amazing for a rep. I can't believe how good it is so again, you need to compare directly and the slight difference in hand color isn't going to make a difference at all as far as a "tell".

Is anyone else's back not totally flush?

I think the dial color thing is way overblown. First, white balance of photos even slightly off will show different shading. Second, unless you work at a Jeweler or you're a dentist who sells jewelry on the side, nobody is going to be that under that intense of a light with a gen dial next to it at all times. As in, it'll be almost impossible to tell the difference. Third, depending on the level of charge on the lume on the hands, the color will be different at all times... It honestly sounds more like you're trying to talk yourself out of purchasing this watch which I can understand... too many watches! MORE IMPORTANTLY. Anyone notice there's no rubber gasket for the caseback?

Okay i think the originals didn't have AR anyway but maybe if I end up liking it a lot, I'll get The Zigmeister or vacuum to lume it and send the crystal for chief AR. How is the dial printing? Very sharp? Alignment of indexes? I wonder if a genuine dial would fit.

Still a good buy? Thinking about ordering one as a beater watch. What are the major flaws?

Can you try opening the case back? Does it take standard straps or does it need special ones?

Anyone get this yet

I did but who knows if ebay will do anything.

Well looks like it wasn't even a super rep. He is also selling a Panerai. Thanks Ubi. Always sad to see a high rating seller do this. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180524692616&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Can people post the rep serial numbers? I'm double checking a suspected super rep being sold as gen.

Hmm every rep photo I've seen has a creme colored seconds hand.

Couple points on the 1911 Discovery differences from gen on the panda dial. See pics of gen: http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=378590&highlight=ebel The gen has a silver seconds hand at 9. The date window is beveled The subdial circles are lighter gray not dark gray or black. The "AUTOMATIC CHRONOMETER" lettering is smaller and thinner Some quality problems from a lot of rep pics I see is the space between the bracelet and the lugs is kinda huge and the B is crooked. The crown on the gen is also more shaped.

Oil may actually cause more resistance sometimes. I think that is why graphite is used.