freddy333

1 hour ago, automatico said:

"Sometimes, it pays to be a hoarder."  

 

I wish I could convince my wife of that.  Ha!

When I go toes up there will probably be a yard sale a month later with everything $1 each...replicas and genuine, all in one pile.     

There IS an alternative -- Kevin O’Leary Wants to Be Buried With His Watches

1 hour ago, automatico said:

On a related subject:

The Feds dropped the $600 limit for selling items using PayPal, Venmo etc. before having to file a 1099K again...after doing the exact same thing last year.  A couple years ago it was $20K.

Looks like they are keeping the law in limbo to kill the incentive to make a few $$ on the side, like selling stuff on eBay...watch parts for example.

If I did not know better, based on their actions (for all but 4 of the past 15 years), I might think the US government is a domestic enemy.

"I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God." -- US Army oath of enlistment (Title 10, US Code)

I think there are a lot of DJ & Explorer builders/collectors today & a dwindling pool of decent gen 7206/58s. Hence, the skyrocketing prices.

As has been said, today's 'insane' vintage Rolex price is next year's missed opportunity. The last cherry gen 7206/80 I purchased a few years ago cost me $2,200. Today, similar condition steel Oysters are running closer to $3k+ -- & rising fast.

Complete 7206/58 = $2,500

Sometimes, it pays to be a hoarder. 

Wearing 1 of Nanuq's old favs today --

Wearing the Pagani today --

Wearing the Big Kahuna today, but would have worn Goldie if I had not been out with a friend today & unwilling to risk the unwanted attention such a watch attracts.

I wanted to accentuate her red-handed highlights & I think this does the trick.

Denatured alcohol or Windex/glass cleaner.

22 hours ago, Mike on a bike said:

I tried everything photo contests, raffles with outrageous amounts of watches to take a chance on for a few bucks

You are making my point.

8 hours ago, Mike on a bike said:

We were always the store of knowledge and expertise for modding , movements, vintage whatever for the rep world.  i doubt we are deficient in that area

"Were" is the salient issue. We no longer are, nor have we been for several years. I think a simple perusal of RWI's daily postings will demonstrably illustrate the point.

I think what the forum needs is more members with watchmaking knowledge/experience.

Strapped on The freddy333 Daytona today

I have had this press for many years, but, to be honest, I rarely use it. Most of the time, I use a rubber-jawed vice & the nylon spacers. Obviously, you have to use care with a vice (ie, check your alignment BEFORE starting & do not press too hard!), but I think it makes it easier to apply even pressure. But, in general, any press will do as long as you have a proper, well-fitting, set of spacers.

Wearing the old Comex today

Wearing my 1st ETA 2846-powered rep/franken from the 1980s

23 hours ago, iggi said:

Of all the watches in my decades of collecting, there is only 1 watch I have never been able to pull the trigger on -- the Coke Sub. Every time I see 1, I get that familiar itch. But because they are a fantasy model, I just cannot rationalize wearing it because I do not spend money on watches I do not intend to wear -- at least occasionally. So I will have to envy yours. Thanks for posting this classic.

Wearing the Pagani today

22 hours ago, automatico said:

Cit-Eco HULK...

Cool and Green...with a Punch!

Shooting that watch against that background absolutely nails it! Well done.

I am surprised he did not post it as an auction. But it will be interesting to see if he actually gets $1.7k for used aftermarket parts.

In an somewhat related matter, I am in process of updating my 1st franken. This was 1 of the 1st reps made with a good, Swiss-made (ETA) movement back in the 1980s. Shortly after purchase, I figured out that its dimensions were the same as the gen DJ of the day, so I took a chance & purchased gen two-tone end links & steel clasp (at that time, you could walk into an AD & order Rolex parts from the mothership without a problem -- other than the cost). As it turned out, they fit perfectly. The watch has since been upgraded with gen crown/tube & I am awaiting the arrival of a gen xtal & bezel. Once received, I will either update that original thread or post the result to a new thread. Now, with 4 decades of natural patina, it is interesting to hold it next to my gen DJ of the same vintage & see two genuinely vintage Rolex watches.

2 hours ago, Big L v2 said:

Hey guys, is Zigmeister still around?

No.

Sorry to hear the sad news.

As for sourcing the watch in question, try here or here or here.

RWG's original draw was the sheer amount of engineering/watchsmithing knowledge & talent that tended to coalesce here. There were numerous technical breakthroughs that could only have occurred here due to the braintrust that was literally drawn to RWG in the early 2000s.

Unfortunately, after management made the decision to initiate games & then seemed to turn a blind eye to new members (including some mods) who were systematically post-padding to get their post counts up, many of the original crew felt disenfranchised & left. Not sure what you do about that, but you cannot fix a problem until/unless you 1st acknowledge it.