freddy333

Link is not working. Can you post the auction number?

I suppose these watches could be repaints, but I doubt it

Based on the pictures, seller's asking price & overall story, my gut tells me there is something amiss here (you can buy rep or gen Rolex boxes & paperwork all over the web these days, so showing those in the mediocre pictures does not move me). To paraphrase Alligoat -- buy the seller before you buy the watch. If the seller has a long history of successful high end watch sales in similar or higher price ranges, that would give me more confidence. If not, then I would follow Alligoat's recommendation of basing the sale on the seller's willingness to have the watch authenticated by a knowledgeable & experienced (in Rolex watches) third party.

The watch is owned by one of the more senior & well respected TZ members and there is a good deal of documentation indicating that the Rolex factory had themselves repainted the red on top of white lettering on some of the DRSD dials. I think there is even a blurb about this on doubleredseadweller somewhere. But, to me, it looks as gen as anything can possibly look when viewed on a computer monitor.

Great pic, Nanuq. Gen (on left) vs MBW (on right).

I am not especially fond of the strap (I prefer an Oyster bracelet), but the owner of one of the most beautiful gen Double Reds just posted this shot on TZ & the image is so striking that I thought the members might appreciate seeing it here. This is a prime example of what a gen Double Red should look like & it provides a good benchmark to compare your rep or franken against since the MBW Double Red was probably based on this version I do not have a pic of a stock MBW in a similar pose, but here is an older pic of my modded MBW for comparison The 3 most obvious inaccuracies on the MBW dial are the pointy 'A' fonts & the color and spacing of SEA-DWELLER (strangely, the color of the screen font I just selected to display the words 'SEA-DWELLER' looks more like the gen than the MBW does). As you can see, the tracking is tighter on the gen font and the color contrasts considerably better against the dial's (faded) black background. I have often heard the red color used on Double Reds and Red Subs referred to as being very dark, nearly the color of blood. But I think the MBW more closely fits that color description than the gen does. The gen's brighter, almost orangey. Anyway, if the factory could improve just those 3 details (without screwing something else on the dial up), I think that would be a significant step forward. And by the sullen look on his face, it appears that Groucho came to the same conclusion......if only...........

Golfman - Nice Steinhart. Love the case & tools. It even has my number (333). For me, serious work requires a serious watch

All vintage gen Daytonas (prior to the 16520 release in the late 1980s) were powered by the Valjoux 72 base movement. The pushers on these movements were spaced unevenly (asymmetrically) from the centered crown. This picture illustrates the difference

Actually, all things considered, it was the best (of 3) watch GTG I have attended. Even though we both arrived a bit late & this particular bar/restaurant was not the best environment in which to talk (or be heard) & see watches, we were fortunate to have been able to get a nice table with plenty of room to spread out, even if most of the room went unused since it was only the two of us. It would have helped had the GTG notice been able to be posted here earlier, as I had only been made aware of the pending GTG a couple days prior to the event & after having already made previous plans. Otherwise, I would have arrived earlier & better equipped. As it was, I only had time to grab a couple watches. The mall where the GTG was staged is probably a good place for a future GTG since it is very accessible, has a good variety of nice restaurants (any of which would be great meeting places), plenty of free parking & tends not to be very busy (even during a pre-Xmas weekend, the mall was only sparsely inhabited with holiday shoppers). One correction I would make to DuDro's otherwise excellent meeting recollective is that the Newman I brought along was a model 6241, not 6262 (watch on right) And as I mentioned elsewhere, the GTG is good for allowing collectors (I mean those who collect as opposed to those who sell) to actually handle & see watches that you might not ordinarily consider adding to your own collection. Such was the case with DuDro's brilliant MBK/MBW Patek Nautilus (someone already posted a good picture of the same model above, but it looks even better in person). While my collection is already represented by Patek, I tend to gravitate towards that brand's more stealthy models like the 5107 on the right Like DuDro said, it was too bad neither of us brought a camera, which is a definite must for the next GTG -- though I would limit photos to the watches only (I do not think it is a good idea to post members' faces on a website that deals in contraband goods).

Diesel -- Looks outstanding & I agree with Jetsons - 1000% improvement. NOW it's starting to look the way a gen vintage Rolex is supposed to look. I would also agree that you would do well to toss that rep rivet bracelet out & replace it with a gen folded or hollow link Oyster (I think the additional money spent here pays off) or hollow link rep Oyster with gen 93150 clasp or just a good rep hollow-link Oyster.

Just returned from the joint RWG/Dark Side GTG in DC that wasn't (Dudro and I were the only 2 in attendance, but the watches were outstanding) wearing this (the watch, not the book) And on my way out the door to attend a friend's 40th wearing 1 of these (Sorry about the odd color cast (the dials are actually silver) - forgot to set the white balance (again))

Yes & thank you.

I think it is just part of the team or pack mentality. Everyone wants to show how they are part of the gen team by proving how much more sanguine they can appear to be when something bad happens to reps or the people that deal in them. And the first time I heard anything in the media about a terrorism connection with reps was a year or so after 9/11. However, for the previous 20 or so years (since I have been buying them), I have seen plenty of newspaper articles & tv news features about organized crime's involvement.

Nearly all of the profits coming from the manufacture & (wholesale) sale of reps have always gone to the guys at the top of the food chain. The workers, for the most part, tend to be used & abused. If they were not working on reps, they would probably be making the same bare-subsistence wages growing rice, making tofu or sewing replica LV handbags. Then again, I would wager a guess that paychecks from rep factory bosses, such as they are, are probably alot more consistent than paychecks from other sweat shop-based industries because business is so good.

Picked it up yesterday. Have every issue since 2001 or 2002 (I forget). For the newbies, this annually-published paperback contains a good sampling of pictures, stats & retail watch prices from almost every commercial watch brand, as well as industry news & general watch info. Get a copy.

After going to the mall for a day of shopping, now I may go postal

Organized crime, probably (they are into just about everything). But terrorists? All I can say is that if the government has convinced you that Marijuana is physically addictive, there were WMDs in Iraq in 2003 & God made little green apples, then you can help save the free world from terrorism by not buying reps.

They are air blowers, used to clean dust off delicate parts.

You gota problem with my rehaut, buddy? Well, do ya? TGIF

This question has been asked many times. The 1st problem is that you are trying to manufacture (or have manufactured) an aftermarket (unauthorized) item that is trademarked, which is illegal in most countries. China or Viet Nam tend to be the most lenient when it comes to enforcement of trademark laws, which is why so many reps & rep parts come from (or are funneled through) those 2 countries. If you can make the appropriate business contacts, you could probably have one of the factories there make dials to order. But that brings up the second and more difficult problem -- getting the factory to produce exactly what you want. I have twice attempted to get a dial vendor to correct some of the mistakes on their existing dials (which were good, but not quite good enough to satisfy a WIS), but after many email exchanges with very detailed pictures & clear, simple instructions, the pattern always seems to be 2 steps forward & 1 step backward - 2 things fixed (to varying degrees), 1 thing broken. Now things might be different if you were designing a dial from scratch or you could physically visit the factory to direct the design & manufacturing process. But the people who make these dials are either purposely missing the mark (which opens up a whole other kettle of fish speculation) or are just not interested in (or capable of, for whatever reason) producing high quality rep parts for serious watch collectors.

Ending the workweek with a beater

If I can make it, will you be booking a table at D&B with a particular name or where will the group be?

timeman.net

You might also consider a Chanel. I doubt you could go wrong by presenting your wife with a box containing anything Chanel. Once, for my sister's birthday, I gathered together a bunch of watch pictures from magazines and polled 6 female friends on what they thought she would like best. The responses were not at all what I expected. Based on a generalization of their collective choices & reasoning, their primary preference was for a watch with bling, the technology was mostly irrelevant to all of them (and, as I later found out, to my sister as well). They all said that a watch has to be 'pretty' & should carry a name they like & were familiar with. All preferred battery-operated quartz watches (over automatic/mechanicals) for their ease of use and simplicity. None of the women liked any of the Rolexes (men's or women's models), which was the biggest shock. I assumed at least 1 or 2 would have appreciated the Rolex mystique (which they were all keenly aware of), but none would bite. The most popular models were those that were shiny, feminine & had either mother of pearl or gemstones on them. The old, established perfume & clothing brands were high on all of their lists. Although it was by no means a scientifically valid test & there are always exceptions to every rule (yes, Victoria, I would include you in that group of exceptions), my little poll seems to have stood up well over time as most of the women I know well still have the same preferences in watches.