freddy333

My guess is that gen parts will not fit your case, at least not without alot of modifications to the case. If you are good with a dremel & have alot of patience, it might be worth getting a couple of crystals & giving it a try.

Stephane -- I think you got it now. Great pictures & beautiful watches. Those are worth waiting for.

Precisely. Have not seen you around lately. Been on a buying binge or something?

That is what happens when the marketing guys take over an organization -- the line separating aesthetics & advertising gets removed & the design, itself, becomes the advertisement. It is just a logical extension of the ROLEXROLEXROLEX branding around the rehaut or the network ID/advertising animations which have taken over the corners (for now) of our tv screens in recent years. I think Rolex's recent design trends will ultimately hurt them in the long run, but, hopefully, they will realize this before things get too out of hand.

If the case dimensions are the same as the gen, yes. Otherwise, no. Vietnamese & MBK/MBW 551x cases usually have the correct dimensions. Other reps usually do not.

Stephane -- I am only interested in pics of grail watches that you already own. Or stories about why you want a particular watch that you do not own.

I was hoping that my picture would spark others to post pics of their dream watches as well. I guess I was not clear enough. Does anyone have pictures of their current dream watch -- gen, rep or franken -- collection? Those grail watches that took some extra work, time and/or effort to acquire.

The latest 5513 I saw recently had a slightly yellowish print. MBK may make another dial with whiter lettering or offer it as an option, but I do not believe the 5513 automatically comes with 2 dials. I would recommend that you contact Eurotimez to see what is available.

If the MBK/MBW does not meet your rep standards, they you should consider 1 of the Vietnamese frankens. Because, below that, the MBKs rule.

Have you sent the seller a photocopy of the proof of delivery yet (showing the time, date & signature)? If not, that should always be 1 of the 1st steps. If you have, then I would post full details of the sale (name of seller as well a timeline of what you said or did & what the seller's response was) to the relevant Trade Reviews section. Once we know the full details, we can provide more specific recommendations.

Go to your local AD (Authorized Rolex Dealer), try the Explorer on & familiarlize yourself with the way the watch looks & feels -- both its operation & its fit & finish. Then go to rolex.com (& any other sites that post pictures of genuine Explorers) & download as many pictures of the watch you can for comparison to the reps. Then, once you know what the gen looks like, begin your search for the best Explorer for YOU. If you need more info, use the Search feature. Good luck.

I would give the seller 2 weeks from the date the defective goods arrived back at whatever address the seller instructed you to return them to. If it has already been more than 2 weeks, I would email the seller with a short, simple & polite note stating what has occured, what you did (return the watch as per his instructions) & request a firm date for a resolution. End the note by stating that you will wait 2 business days to give the seller a reasonable time to respond, after which you will post a formal complaint (listing names) in the appropriate forum here (this is not the appropriate forum). Then, once the beans have been spilled, publicly, see what other members think & decide from there. I would use Visa as a last resort.

I appreciate the compliments, but the purpose of the post was to poll others on the state of their hunt. How is YOUR search going?

Great read. Too bad you cannot post pics (which is understandable), but thanks.

I have a couple of projects on the table at the moment which should complete my (20 year) Quest. Good luck with your unveilings.

I have done pretty well in finding most of mine

Men want wings, birds want Yamahas.

I agree. Black dial Explorer or White dial Explorer II would be the least likely to be identified as reps because of their simplicity & they can be worn with just about any style of dress.

I am not an expert on the more recent metalized dials (those with metal around the index markers), but it looks aftermarket to me.

Click the small, blue UPGRADE link at the top of every page to upgrade to Supporter status. Then you will have access to the Collectors section, which is where all the goodies can be found.

RWG is definitely a great community (as is TZ).

Ending the work week (as usual) with the trusty beater But I may break with recent precedent & risk being seen wearing yellow gold (the VC) around my wrist at a posh party tonight TGIF

I will just say a senior executive in high tech & publishing.

Love those stories, Nanuq. It is experiences like yours that make these watches so valuable. Due to its plain-jane mien, I often receive similar reactions with this. The initial (understandably) dismissive attitude when asked for the time, followed by that unmistakable deer-in-the-headlights double-take never fails to inspire

I remember when you posted this -- definitely all gen, so either the lug holes were drilled wrong or the end links (or loops within them) are slightly bent.