peepshow

Excellent choice, Mickey! Mine is waiting for me at home as I type this. DSN shipped mine on Monday and it was delivered yesterday - lightning fast for HK --> USA!!! Glad to hear the datefont and mag looks good IRL! All it needs is a t48 crown, eh?

Uh..... why? So it's a 005 with a different solid caseback. What's the significance of the Brooklyn Bridge? What's the OPXXIX movement?

l3x, that looks like a t48 crown to me, my friend. Add the gen dial you've got there and wear the snot out of it! Nicely done. That's a helluva first PAM rep....

As long as you can recreate those scratches/dings on the edges of the CG and around the bezel, I say go for it! It was my understanding that DLC was nearly impossible to scratch, avitt?

But by that logic, there'd be no need to bother with a FGD dial, t48 crown or LH or V crown guard. I assumed that with all those parts, the object was to have the most accurate 202/A rep you could build. As such, having it PVD coated makes more sense than DLC. If you're not worried about accuracy, just go with the DSN out of the box and be done with it.

Not a complaint about your coatings, buddy! DLC is fantastic, and the scratch resistance is a WONDERFUL thing about DLC. However, when trying to replicate a 15 year old PVD watch, not the ideal route to go. It'd be like having a shiny new case/crystal on a 6152-1 rep. Everyone out there - go to Avitt for all your DLC needs! When I get my gen Zero, it'll be off to Avitt for the DLC treatment...

If you're going to use all those aftermarket parts and have the case re-coated anyway, why bother with a pricey rep from DSN in the first place? Besides, Avitt's DLC is all wrong for a Pre-V watch. Avitt's DLC is AWESOME, but DLC isn't the choice for a Pre-V watch, as it won't scratch/age like PVD would.

But the watch is actually stainless steel right? (Your rep, not the gen) It's a flaw, either way you slice it and people can tell from looking that it is brushed SS and not Ti, so I wouldn't sweat the case back, honestly.

I'm pretty sure Hont doesn't have any access to a 202/A rep. vaccum's 202/A would be using DSN's parts. Again, I don't believe anyone besides DSN is selling complete Pre-V watches (with VERY few exceptions). If you're talking about PVD Pre-As, no one else even comes close, since DSN's PVD is miles ahead of "standard" rep PVD.

http://www.rwg.cc/members/search.html&...ite=%2BFGD+dial

Why are you trying to remove the CG?

If you're looking for a complete watch, Davidsen is the only game in town. FGD's dials are better, but he's only selling dials. Oh, and the darkening of the tritium has more to do with the lacquer that Panerai coated the dials with after the tritium was applied than the actual age of the lume, IIRC.

Project, I hate you. J/K! What an amazing watch. Seriously. I agree with FGD, that gen case set puts it in the stratosphere of "gen-ness" for look (and I'm certain feel, as well). Truly a one of a kind piece and something that should bring you years and years of enjoyment. Absolutely beautiful.

Those look like the same watch to me and knowing how close Josh and Andrew are, I expect they both get that watch from the same place. Personally I wouldn't buy from either of those two, so I'm no help with choosing a dealer.

OEM hands would be nice but not necessary, IMO. That watch is a stunner!

Fantastic watch and a more than worthy addition to your impressive 47mm stable, Project! From the pic above, it looks like that is not the OEM cannon pin for the movement (appears pointy like an out of the box replacement from ETA). Perhaps it's just the light playing tricks? If not, get that pin flattened and polished and be DONE! An absolutely wonderful watch!

Yep, sure does...

Yeah, me too. I dunno why Panerai when away from the "graffiti" decoration. I don't know what gen owners said the difference wasn't very big, but it certainly wasn't me! Does the difference justify the difference in MSRP? That's another question all together...

I disagree. The LH dial looks slightly too bolded to me, project. Compare the negative space in between the prongs of the "E". It would take the rep and the gen side by side for someone to be able to see it, though. Even then, they'd have to be REALLY looking for it. Great watch, Miles! Enjoy the heck out of it.

Congrats! Base dials are where it's at. Was that an AD purchase or 2nd-hand? I had a 002D that I regret selling, as well as a 210I. Yep, I like bases. Here's the "cousin" to your watch, 114E:

Small details like that matter to some people but not to others. Neither answer is right or wrong, simply a matter of preference.

Well the ETA movements in question are "Swiss" enough, by the letter of Switzerland law, to be labled/sold as "Swiss". Who's to say the "Swiss" ETA movements used by Hamilton, Tissot, et al are any more "Swiss"? There are no such laws surrounding "Honda" or any other name brand. If these movements aren't "Swiss" enough with you, take it up with the Swiss courts and have them change the legal requirements for what can and can't be labeled "Swiss". That responsibility doesn't fall to the dealers, IMO. Hell, we can't even get some dealers to stop calling mineral crystals "synthetic sapphire"! The point is that these are genuine ETA movements. As such, spare parts are available and will fit/work. Is that worth the $80 premium? Only you can answer that question for YOU.

A very valid point, Rob!

While Avitt's DLC coating is SUPERB, I wouldn't do it for a Pre-A 009 for one simple reason - DLC will not scratch/age like PVD does. This is a good thing, except when you are trying to replicate a 10+ year old PVD watch. It will look pristine and brand new for a long, long time. A real Pre-A watch wouldn't. I would DLC a rep 005, Zero or 111 (heck, I'm going to have Avitt DLC my gen Zero when I get it), as that is not uncommon in the gen world. However, NO gen Pre-A owner would have their watch DLCd. It would kill most of the value. It would be like putting a fuel injected modern V8 in a classic car. Food for thought...

This is an example of the discontinued Zero dial that I was talking about on RWI. Your only chance is on the For Sale forum, and these do not come up often...