freddy333

You might want to read up on Rolex 'clones'. My 'Big Kahuna' threads might be a good place to start.

Still wearing my GMTIIC

I can understand why you did not install gen (white gold) hands on your beautiful Zenith Daytona. Gen handsets are VERY pricey, often costing thousands, which is why you should click here (& do it soon!). &, if you had a profitable Xmas, you should click here too.

Steel 116710LN today --

Sorry, I can't help you there.

Reported yesterday.

Just completed a grueling insert swap on this 116713LN (details here) --

You might want to watch this --

DRSD today --

Wearing the Big Kahuna for the holiday

The incorrect O font in ROLEX is about the only tell. Other than that, it looks nearly perfect. But I expect nothing less from the Tribal factory.

Nothing but top quality, as always.

Euno! Long time (years). Good to see some of the original rwg crew. I hope all is well with you, my friend.

Check the Dealers listings. I have used Trusty Time (Andrew) over the years as he is a reliable, long-time seller.

Wearing my new Patek franken (case is generic, but the guts are gen). Not really happy with the case, but it was all I currently have that could be made to fit the 23-300 movement. This watch must have a display caseback, so I am not sure whether I will try to locate a generic display caseback that fits this case or if I will continue searching for a case that comes with a display caseback? I had to mod the crown guards to get the crown to fit, but still not happy with them, because they are too close to the crown & get in the way when manipulating it. But, overall, I think it works.

Same here. I fell into the world of clones by mistake & that mistake was an eye-opener. But be careful because not all clones are 'clones'.

GMT

I still need to sort out the gen balance issue so I can install the display caseback, but, other than that, thing is DONE. & what a beauty! Looks, feels & times like the waiting list game version.

I am not a Paneristi, but I AM a big fan of that 1. That is 1 of the most beautiful watches I have seen in a long time. Definitely a classic. Wear it in good health!

UPDATE -- For those who have not been following the frustrating & near daily trials & tribulations of this build on RWI, the work has been painfully slow, but is nearly complete. 2 items remain on my to-do list -- 1. The (very accurate) bezel insert in the pic is just sitting loose in the bezel channel. On this particular 'clone', the insert is held in with a ring of adhesive instead of being pressed into the bezel like the gen. I am awaiting the bezel adhesive ring, which should be here by tomorrow or Friday. I would have preferred a (gen style) press-fit insert, but since there is no difference in the external appearance & pressing these ceramic inserts is a risky (ie, expensive to replace when they crack) proposition, I can live with it. 2. For some reason, unlike the 1165xx Daytona clones I have worked on, although the gen balance/bridge fits perfectly, it does not function properly in these 3186 'clone' movements. I think the balance rim may be coming into contact with the main plate, which suggests that either the gen balance staff pivots are shorter than the 'clone' pivots, or the cap jewels are positioned differently, or the pallets or pallet stones may be oriented differently. So, for now at least, I will not be able to install the display caseback since the lack of a free-sprung balance is a dead-give-away. My plan is to disassemble my original 3186 'clone', fit only the balance to the main plate & see where the problem lies -- & fix it. But with all of the externally visible gen parts installed, this thing definitely looks & feels the part. In addition to eliminating the very minor tells that existed in my original ETA-powered 116710LN franken (a few months ago, I swapped the ETA for a generic '3186' I sourced on ebay that mostly fit), it also feels a bit weightier & more solid. I am not quite sure what is causing the greater solidity, but it is definitely something you can feel when holding or wearing this watch. Like the Big Kahuna, even out of the box, Andrew's GMT is quite wearable with a degree of confidence. Where the out-of-the-box 'clone' falls short is the AR coating on the cyclops, which is described as 'With light AR on Cyclops like Genuine'. I did not see any AR below or on the cyclops. Having done a bit of research & experimentation on this subject a dozen or more years ago (there is a thread or 2 on RWG if you care to spend the time to search this forum), if there is AR on the cyclops, it is insufficient to create that very identifiable (from across the room) 'black hole effect' over the date that gen crystals are known for when light hits the entire crystal -- & that unmistakable rainbow you see in normal (non-reflecting) light (see pic below of my watch with gen crystal installed). Also, like the Big Kahuna, because this is the original style of 116710 with the plain black bezel insert, it is no longer 1 of today's IT watches. So I think most who see it in the wild assume it must be gen because those original ceramic GMTs are now several years old & no longer a fixation of youtubers, flippers & grey marketeers. After the bezel insert has been properly installed, I will post some wristies of the finished watch.