Richard Tracy

Mbw is an Mbw, no matter the go between,.. imo...

Angus, this is a fantastic course you are setting,... an actual first,... I just want you to know that I see, and appreciate !

Nice to hear from Demsey,... even if by proxy....

Agree totally,... most newbies, know nothing but Rolex,.. but learn as they go, via sites like this one,.. When I came in a few years ago,.. I had owned a few genuine Rollies & an Omega or two and knew the names of some famous brands,..thus my first rep purchases were three Rolex and one Omega,.. Soon after full immersion into this world however,.. a huge variety of brands opened up to me,.. and with them my knowledge expanded so far past what ever it could, in the genuine world, to the point where I can see Rolex in perspective....and that view, now places them on the bottom rung of a ladder that I have climbed into replica heaven....

Great read and true .... However all path building, at least for the mechanical watch, which is how Rolex made their mark, from the highest mountains, the deepest oceans, temperatures from sub zero to desert heat,.....have been paved long ago,.. What remains is simply time-keeping,...and though I can appreciate their mechaincal innovations, they go way over the head of the vast majority of the watch buying public,..who crave first a name, then style, followed by reliability & a sensible price tag. So in a world where the mechaincal watch is under attack by time itself,... where electronics are clearly the future,.. the question is,.. will Rolex's steadfast course, carry them into smooth water, or onto the rocks of break up ? I suspect the latter is true,... as the last generation that knows what the name of Rolex stands for,.. of which by the way, I am one,. gets old and dies away,.. the next in line, who value style and function over historical ad campaigns and mechanical jargon, that though unique and beautiful,.. falls far short of it's electronic offspring who will one day deliver live, high def pictures and live sound, instant communication,.. and atomic time keeping as it's most basic function.. thus the mechanical watches which will survive this onslaught, escaping the museum, if only for a time,..are now sailing different courses combining bold new style with function...

Though not one of the choices in question by this thread...True,.. Jay cannot be beat,..

I think that the style of Rolex which once stood for stability is now turning stagnant,... If Rolex would take a chance, and come out with something bold, unusual but still Rolex,.. the gears would start to churn again...

Totally separate category of dealers.... Paul is like buying from a bubble gum machine,... cheap trinkets yes.. instant gratification,..but if not careful, you will end up paying for a watch that would not pass the scrutinization of a bum in the park for a sip of wine.... Andrew is like going into a mid to high replica store and spending some time with a knowledgeable friend that will point out his best, then gift-wrap your choice and walk you to the door... and later that evening you will be able to attend a black tie affair hold your champaign glass with your watch hand,... and pick up the ceo's daughter,...

It's the first Casino Royale version... I am impressed by how much detail Jay is looking to copy,... looks like he will turn out some amazing reps,... Back to his latest request however, can someone locate some serial number photographs... ?

Beautiful Tudor Jet,.. who did the lume job ?

Hey Guys,.. Jay is now requesting photos that have the serial numbers clearly photographed... Does anyone have them ?

Though I have never purchased from Angus,..I'm willing to give a chance to any dealer that's willing to try, to make improvements in QC,.. and overall quality. If he can pull off what he's attempting,.. then we all win. In my experience, his attitude, and board participation is rare and much needed,... I have also noticed that for a small dealer, his prices are very fair in comparison to others of his volume. ... I say Keep it up Angus,.. I'm rooting for you...

I have owned a 42mm po and two 45mm,... sold them both,.. what remains is my 'old factory' smp,.. a classic, with style that I suspect will outlast the po.. by miles..

Oh man,.. guilty as charged,... I can't remember how many times I have totally lost the conversation with people, as my total attention was on their watch, following it with my eyes, like a fly, as they moved their arm while they talked,...

I have known about this project for quite some time, but wanted to keep the surprise secret for the sake of the dealer... Personally however, not my cup of tea,.. I don't go in for third party logo releases... It is, however, as r11co stated great for anyone waiting for that 22mm rubber strap,.. which may outsell the watch itself....

Funny thought ... I think it depends upon the watch.... though I tend to polish off the corners and edges regardless for the sake of my loved ones...

Thanks Gents,.. I'll send them right over....

Ditto Admin,... rest and sleep sweet,...You deserve it ! For anyone browsing with Netscape, I had problems with it,... but with I/E,.. perfect !

Hey All,.. One of our dealers is almost finished with his version of the latest Bond PO,.. w/ the rubber strap.. He now needs some help repping the back to perfection... What he's looking for is high resolution photos of the anti-copy sign on the caseback. Any help would be appreciated....

1. Give her a careful shake to check for loose parts. 2. A few winds if necessary, then Check for a moving second hand & listen to her heart. 3. Check the alignment of the dial,... 4. I set the time to 6 and check the date wheel,.. 5. Wind her up, and set her aside for few hours to check timekeeping,... Finally if all is well,.. I check her strap or band..then I size her and mount her.....

Angus, please make sure that the wings are aligned directly over the T,... QC problems will send me to the first version, no matter the other improvements... Thanks...

For me,.. Mis-Aligned markers are the worst and most obvious mark of a replica,.. I don't care what others may think, .. it's a matter of personal preference,.. Have you heard that the mark of beauty in faces of people is closely related to alignment of features ? The face is also the most important aspect of a watch,... after all,.. it's the Face,.. that we look to our time keeping....many times a day.. I can overlook a bucket full of flaws,..won't even bother to look at cg's .. but for me,.. unlike my taste in women,.. which the body plays an important role,... a watch is 90% face,...and genuines have above all.. aligned markers,...

Wisdom as usual.... I would like to point out however, that it seems from past experience that some dealer's eyes, may not be up to the task to what we may personally expect, be that due to optical weaknesses, time contraints or whatever,... people, are people and like watches, prone to fail you... Add that to the fact, that it seems that most small operators have limited selections, or buying power, to compete price wise,.. makes for a complicated issue that will continue to plague the most thoughtful buyer...

Two points,.... and imo only,.. though I have owned over 150 reps... 1. A large collection of loved pieces means that wear will be shared and will be minimal,...as long as you stay clear of winders... 2. Constantly turning your collection i.e. buying & selling also is a method of staying away from servicing fees...until such time that you find your perfect collection, which for me is no larger than seven pieces,.. one for every day and occasion. Then, and only then,... it's a good idea to contact The Zigmeister,..

So True,.. 12 or 6.. sometimes both are always off,... 12 is usually to the right or left of center, and stuck up too high touching the minute lines., and 6, though usually pasted center is always pointing at 11:58 or 12:02,.. I have yet to Own or See one rolex in the trading forum that does not suffer from this flaw....and it has totally turned me away from most rolex reps,.. I just wish the vintage rollies weren't so small otherwise I would have alternatives,...rather than purchasing genuine dials which are so expensive... Iwc gst also suffers from this at 12 or 6 but they can be fixed in a jiffy even by a moderate modder like myself... Breitling reps seem to be fine though.... Anyone have reports on VC ? I have only owned one, an overseas, and the 12 lume triangle was twisted,.. I plan on buying two more of the 42mm new version overseas,.. and hope for the best....