gillorin

Careful here... I bought some ultra cheap cufflinks from iOffer (just needed some for one time use, cheap) and I started to give them a polish... they looked better for a second (I suppose I polished through the Rhodium into the .925 or something) but just as fast as they stated to look better, the brass started to show through! Big mistake. So, my friends, tread lightly

I believe even earlier than that. This was the first "Genuine" watch I purchased, when I was 16, and I believe then it was around 5 years old. (that would put it from around 1994-1995) I paid something like $400 for it... they came up once in a while and usually cheap... I didn't really know why back then nor do I now, but they're worth considerably more. Sort of like the Omega Dynamic, those were in the $500+/- range for a while too, then got quite a bit more expensive. Never bought one of those, though.

I agree.... why use a potentially dangerous method, whether it works or not, when you can just never suggest it in the first place? The fact it works doesn't make it a "good" idea! Harbor Freight Tools (if you guys have them near) has Jaxa type caseback wrenches for $4 or so, with 12 different bits included. You won't slice your fingers or palm, and you don't have to take caution not to do so Just don't let slip from the indents or it will mar your watch. Maybe lay some tape down first to protect it. I have one (have a couple more complex tools now) but when I didn't want to bother with my larger opener I have used it to open Pam's, Breitlings, Omegas, Heuer's, gen and rep, all fine. Good luck.

Yes they would put that much work into a fake, this one is actually not considered a very good fake either. There have been models made from solid gold and diamonds, some of the people making these fake watches buy the real (very expensive) models and dissect them so they can make very accurate models. Some are great but none are perfect. Point being your watch doesn't have the same functions as the real one does, and none of them have a clear back. If you still have any doubt, look here: http://www.watcheden.com/breitling-for-bentley-tourbillon-chronograph-automatic-with-white-dial-s-s-i-45363-p-1.html

That's a Breitling Navitimer Chronomatic.

Not sure if you guys remember but it wasn't TTK's conjecture that Blade bought that Acura with forum money, but he posted on another forum bragging about it, I remember the thread clearly. He talked about how cool it was he had an Acura, and that he was taking it back to his country, where not many had them. He did say it was advertising money he was earning from the forums but I bet a fair bit(most?) was the RWG watch money. Anyhow... the history that I can remember (ends before R-W-G's demise)... I started out when some of the first forums (blue and grey ugly mess) were dying, but still a good resource... I then joined TRC because it was more active and most of the membership was migrating... it was active for a fair bit but not terribly so. Then some of the members started posting about the "new" forum... RWG of course, that had opened. I was one of the first few hundred members, posted and read actively there for a few years. I had a lot of good dealings with some of the awesome membership, some of whom are still around, until I entered my senior year of college and gave up posting/reading due to workload. Now I read and post occasionally, and don't buy near enough watches Mind you... when I migrated over to TRC, Submariner's still didn't have O-Rings around the crown tube! This was a standard feature around 2002 I seem to recall. Everyone not buying reps more than 5 years is in my opinion spoiled rotten and doesn't know how good they have it!

Looks real to me but the photos aren't good enough to make me 100% positive.

No... It's an actual wheel that is solidly in place, with teeth on the underside driven by a gear... there is no "slightly" moving the position unfortunately.

I have mine around somewhere, but are there really screws in your bracelet? I am 99.9999% sure mine has pins.. Haven't seen it in years though, so I could be wrong!

I have never used locktite, but have used the tape you do in the same fashion. I have a tool I use for setting hands on, and if they come off I just assume I didn't put them on correctly in the first place. I have really not had too many hands come off after I've worked on my watches before though- I guess I've been lucky!

I believe that not only does it signify where the movement is marketed, but the gold movements are distributed as ebauches and then assembled at their destination, while the silver movements are whole.

Looks like the crowns that came stock on vintage MBW's

@ Baldrick- That's a 7750 Montblanc Time Walker on some sort of Stingray strap- Don't know whose. I'll PM you info on that watch at a great price.

My reason for keeping this topic alive wasn't necessarily all about TTK in particular, rather the era when he was one of the driving forces on the forums, for better or worse. Some of you might not understand it if you weren't around back then or didn't participate in the forums very much, but all it is to me now is reminiscing. I remember a lot of the top contributors now when they were the ones asking the noob questions, watching the reps evolve so drastically over the last 5 or so years, and dealing with the lunatic dealers that had such character. Eddie Lee with his high prices but phenomenal customer service, and an inbox full of ridiculously enjoyable banter with every sale, River with his Taiwan Best Sub's everyone wanted (cheaper than Eddies!) as well as higher end watches no one else could source, Paul before, during and after his empire imploded, I even remember the Cartel before they were the Cartel- and the very first watch that made Josh famous (a Swiss PAM 111 for $200 when everyone was charging at least $300). Also all the great friends I had back then, especially a couple I haven't seen in years, since life got a hold of me and I had to graduate college then grad school, returning to see they're nowhere to be found. All in fun fellas

Funny reading all of this TTK stuff... back when he was posting nightly there wasn't this much love for the guy, to be sure!! I always did enjoy his now infamous banter, picking on anyone and everyone he saw fit or felt deserved it. At first his goods were typically $150 or less, 21j reps that he made look like supermodels with his digital camera and Photoshop. He hated any mention of MBW until he started sourcing them. His prices weren't actually that bad as some have said- I believe he was charging $350 when it was neigh impossible to obtain MBW's for most, but when they were readily available they were $300 right from George or Vintaga Master... so not too big of a deal, honestly. In the very early days, he did deliver within a reasonable time frame... he liked to use standard airmail (cheap reps, post included) so it would routinely take 3 weeks to a month to get watches from him... but several times he let that go to several months at times, and his membership was revoked (first TRC, then when RWG came along he went there, and not too long after he was unbanned from TRC) so yes he was never known for his speed by any means, but there were not too many in those days that really did never receive a thing, and I am not sure if those who claimed that really did get fleeced, or I just never heard the end where they got the watches they paid for. I never got into it with the guy but saw plenty who did, I enjoyed him for the most part, and bought two watches from him probably 7 years ago now. He could be abusive and was sometimes not easy to deal with, but was indeed a character who livened things up, if nothing else. I do miss his signature typing as well as rants, and it is indeed sad news to hear he's at the minimum having health issues and may have passed on. Lots of fond memories of the forums from back then.