jmb

Sometimes when I have too much time on my hands I start thinking about stuff, and that often gets me in trouble. Last night I started wondering (I don't know why) why these watches are referred to as "replicas". I think maybe what started the gears grinding was all of the recent comparisons between reps and gens, the multitude of of versions (that are almost too numerous to keep track of) of certain items that still aren't perfect, and comments like, "it's a rep, what do you expect?", to people complaining about this or that flaw. According to strict definition by Webster a replica is "a copy exact in all details". We all know that none of our copies is, or is ever likely to be, 100% correct in every detail. We also use the term replica to denote vintage and/or antique items. Having (at one time) been quite active in automotive restoration when a "copy" was made of an obsolete part, or of something else that was no longer produced, it was referred to as a "reproduction". A reproduction can be defined as "implying an exact or close imitation", notice it's still not perfect. What we currently refer to as a replica is not a 100% exact copy in every detail but a close (some closer than others) approximation. I would define that which the majority of us sport on our wrists as a "facsimile". Facsimile coming from the original Latin "fac simile", or to make similar (again, not perfect). It would make more sense to me to refer to our the currently available objects of our interest (which reflect currently manufactured products) as "facsimiles" and the vintage items as "reproductions". I would think the term "replica" should be reserved for that/those possible future item(s), that when inspected and scrutinized in the most critical light, should prove to be indistinguishable in form and function from the original item. I really don't know where I'm going with this, and it probably doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, it's just something that popped into my head and made me start thinking about it...

If it's good quality stainless you could be a while with a pin vise, better to use a drill press... If you run out of options I may be able to help...

highoeyazmuhudee, I may be wrong but I got the impression (somewhere above) that there was no "no-date" Noob dial and getting them to make one is likely a non-starter. I'm gonna build me another one using the dial I posted above...

My wife really likes her Ladies Datejust. I think that although it is a very basic and simple watch it's at the same time rather classy looking without drawing too much attention.

Hmmm, the 2mm springbars I got from ofrei are rounded on the ends.

You need to host the image on-line somewhere accessible via the internet and then put the link to it in the post with [.img] in front of it and [./img] after it. remove the . from withing the brackets of course...

Offshore, my DSSD V5 from Eurotimes has showed "despatched from sorting center" for a couple of days now and earlier it popped up as being in customs on the USPS site where EMS still shows the earlier status. Go figure...

My eurotimez "upgraded" V5 is in Customs right now so I should know if it lives up to it's hype in a couple of days! I'm getting edgy!!!!!

TeeJay, looks to have a few of the more important bits missing!

Hopefully someday I'll get 'round to it! Sux to have to wait 4-5 weeks for a movement that I'll probably put me in the de-motivated zone by the time it gets here!

I'm ashamed to show mine. It looks like you piled a load of crap in the middle of the floor and locked Taz in there for a few hours...

:thumbsupsmileyanim: :thumbsupsmileyanim:

Hopefully it'll serve you well but I'm still scared of 'em. Someday I'd like to figure out a way to "freeze" the sweep seconds and 3 and 9 subdials so it'll look more "realistic" on the wrist...

Lookin' good, Hike! Your latest Daytona is similar to my idolreplicas Daytona except mine has arabic numbers instead of stick-markers. I think the red on black dial scheme is dyno-mite albeit kinda hard to see in low light. TeeJay, thanks! When you average about $45 per Sub you can get a whole sack-full of 'em for just a wee bit of money! This is better than a thumbnail...

I think that top10brand is what shows up on your CC statement with a purchase from any of Tony's sites. I usually order from idolreplicas as the prices usually reflect a $20 discount off the other sites in his "chain"...

I wuz gonna say I bet I knew where you got it from until you linked it, it's nice to have a kindred spirit on board! I'm sure it won't stay a "virgin" for long, "The mod side calls to you, Young TeeJay, it is your destiny"! As far as budget, demsey has it about right in that it is a relative thing - to me, high-end is anything costing over $100. I like the "budget beaters" because it might show people without deep pockets they can have fun, too - plus I'm a "cheap ba$tard", at least I am according to wife.gov... TeeJay, I have it's second cousin, a $32.90 Explorer II, on order (from same place my no-date came from) and I have no idea what I'm gonna do with it! Oh, Happy Birthday!

Here is a cheesy point-and-shoot, flash, low-rez pic of my motley collection - we've only had one day of sun in the past two freakin' weeks... The only really "good" sub I have is in the upper left which is my unmodified Noobmariner which will soon get a better looking crown. The Daytona in the upper right is one of idolreplicas' budjet a21j models and the other Daytona is also a budget a21j version. The bottom row is the bargain basement section: from left to right we have my "Super Submariner" project, Sub used as victim for first lug-hole experiment, no-date Sub project, virgin cheap Sub, Pepsi GMT Master II used in "crown and tube tut", and last virgion Sub. I have a eurotimez DSSD V5, Silix Turn-O-Graph, idolreplicas vintage black/red GMT Master, and "unapproved cheapo" Explorer II on the way. And I guarantee that's gonna be it for quite a while, if I order any more somebody please slap my a$$!!!!!

Interesting. I've been selling on ebay for about 8 or 9 years and have never had any communications like that. I FEEL CHEATED!!!!!!!!

lani, I got the impression that the alert was for amounts pof money coming INTO his account! I wish a hacker would give me some dough!

Hike, thanks, but no O-ring. They are a plastic ring with an "L" shaped cross-section - pretty specialized...

OK. I have a couple of cheap Daytonas because the A7750 used in the better ones is a POS. I have two that from outward appearances look very nice, pretty good subdial spacing, sexy lines, except ... second hand sweeps all the time. One has as running seconds at 6 which is in sync with the sweep seconds hand and the other uses that dial to cound in "military" time. I know the question has been raised about "deactivating" the sweep seconds along with the 3 and 9 subdials but I haven't seen much activity. I was browsing ofrei's movement catalog and there is a chi movement with no sweep seconds hand and a small running seconds at 6! I have one on back-order and should get it in 4-5 weeks. I'm thinking the pins for the 3 and 9 subdials could be soldered to the top of the movement so if the small seconds at 6 line up properly (ofrei has no dimensional specs on the movement) I'll just have to figure out how to afix a "dead" sweep seconds hand at 12:00 and set the 3 and 9 subdial hands to the 12:00 position - all will be good! Or, then again, I may just be dreaming again... Anybody have any thoughts on this madness?

highoeyazmuhudee, thanks. I like having some spare gaskets on hand but ofrei is out of them and say 4-5 weeks for that size! If I had a diamond wheel (like for polishing stones) I'd be really tempted to grind the slightest hint of a bevel on the inner edge to help it get started easier. I'll just have to be super careful when I put the correct crystal back in my "cheaper 'n' dirt" no-date... Too bad, helfands no longer a registered user...

Everything you always wanted to know about 316F but were afraid to ask... AISI Type 316F: Category ------- Steel Class ---------- Stainless steel Type ----------- Austenitic standard Common Names --- Chromium-Nickel steel Designations --- United States: AMS 5649 , SAE 30316F , UNS S31620 Composition: Element Weight % C ----- 0.08 Mn ---- 2.00 Si ---- 1.00 Cr ---- 16.0-18.0 Ni ---- 10.0-14.0 P ----- 0.2 S ----- 0.10 (min) Mo ---- 1.75-2.5

Why do we have to do this when my DSSD v5, Turn-O-Graph, Vintage black/red bezel GMT Master, and Explorer II are in various states of order/shipping/transit? I'll put together a cheapo-Sub "rogues gallery" tomorrow...

I personally think they look kinda cheap and,rather, industrial from pictures I've seen. I just sent a couple of pics of the band and clasp and he told me he'd see what he could find. I'm more interested in non-SEL Sub bands and "modern" sub bands. He did find the DSSD bands w/Glide-Lock clasp but they're rather pricey...