chum_2000_uk

Don't be rubbish... go for the chrono... superb out of the box, and IMO look so much nicer than the non-chronos. Have owned gens of both chrono and non-chrono. Now just own rep chrono and love it to bits.

I've had similar problems with other TDs to be honest; you point out a potential problem spotted in the QC pics, they gloss over it and tell you they have checked the watch and it's actually fine. Watch turns up, and as you suspect, the problem is in fact there. Very frustrating... as OP said, why even bother sending QC pics if they are not prepared to change the watch for you. I understand some people are unreasonable, but when you are talking about high value reps then you want them to be as right as other peoples are.

I understand they aren't going to be perfect, but when there is something silly there, and you are paying $300-$600 for a replica, you kind of want it to be as decent as we know they can be.

Have to agree with the non-nutcases here... put it to good use rather than having it lay around in the loft gathering dust. What's the point in it going to waste just for sentiment sake?

I reckon your friend should punch you in the ovaries until you MTFU! LOL... just kidding. I'll spend my last penny on things I don't need... totally addicted to buying expensive or perceivably expensive things, in the quest for happiness. I'll never be happy with what I have though. Please help!

Most of my friends and colleagues know nothing about watches, so probably know Rolex and that's about it. A colleague did comment on my SMP chrono the other week, he has a Rolex sub himself so has a little watch knowledge... he assumed mine was gen, which to be fair unless you know the obvious tells such as slightly poor bezel pearl etc., is not surprising. Think I'm at the age now (late 20s) where I can get away with an 'expensive' watch or two so people will likely assume gen. Think someone might twig at some point as my collection grows though!

Franken's always tempting, but I'd keep an eye on the costs - I have a gen SMP chrono, cost me £915 including B&P. It's a few years old now, but being an Omega it's as good as new still

Is it the older style with all white writing on dial?

May be worth speaking to Mary, she often gets parts like bracelets for people here

In the first images on the white drawing background, the case back has a complete "T" in the word PLANET. On the black leather background pictures, the top right hand side of the "T" is missing on the case back. Why?

Good spot, looks like two different watches to me

I wouldn't personally worry if your first rep is a chrono... mine was and I've never looked back. At the end of the day any watch can become faulty. Just read up on rep movements and how to look after them and job's a goodun.

Having said that, I'd personally go for the PO out of those two, but that's just personal preference.

Guys, thanks for all the useful and constructive comments. I'm actually really happy with this watch now they've sorted out the happy feet. The pearl on the bezel is the thing that bothers me the most, but as some have said already - once you start modding a watch it must be hard to stop.... I guess it seems almost pointless having some parts that look spot on as they are gen, then other parts that are glaringly rep. 2nd biggest gripe is definitely the colour of the lume.

In a way I'm surprised the rep factories still haven't got these things right - I mean people have been complaining about the bezel pearls for years and how hard can it be to use the same white lume as they have on other reps (I think a lot of the rolex reps etc. now have nice white lume). They obviously take notice, I mean the happy feet on these was a biggie. But then I remember that we are talking about rep factories here... you do have to wonder sometimes if they could get things much much better - if they wanted to! Anyway, that's a different story I guess.

I guess going franken does make a lot more sense on models that are a fair bit more expensive to buy 2nd hand, like PO chronos etc. I just think with a few mods this watch could be sublime, even if it wasn't 99% accurate. On that front, I am definitely tempted by lume, bezel and AR. Problem is I wouldn't be 100% confident taking the crystal out myself for AR, and not sure about bezel changing either. I messed up a bezel removal years ago on a really cheap Seamaster rep, and I've never tried taking a crystal out (well only once, with a hammer though ).

Oh, and I like Hugo Boss "In Motion" by the way

What Is It exactly...do you find a joke....just curious.

I couldn't actually be bothered to read any of the posts... just thought it sounded like the start of a joke

fairly gay thread though

Gents,

I just bought an SMP 300 chrono off a fellow member here, and would like to know your thoughts on going Franken on it? It is the newer revision of the watch without happy feet logo:

Biggest let down for me is the bezel pearl - if this was more accurate to gen I reckon this would be a properly accurate rep now that they've sorted out the logo.

Other tells are:

- Colour of the lume in daylight, its a touch green instead of white.

- Subdial surrounds are not thick enough, and look a bit wrong.

- Clasp engraving is not very deep like gen.

- Polished sections of end links are not recessed like gen.

- Subdial hands are a touch short, as is the hour hand I think.

So, what do you guys reckon? Worth going franken? If so what would you replace?

I've had a little look on ofrei and cousins uk and I could get genuine:

-Bracelet for £250

-Dial £230

-Hands are about £50 for full set

-Bezel £175 (but may need other parts?)

-Case £529 (including all gaskets, pushers, crown, HE valve, crystal, bezel) However the caseback will be wrong I think, old one.

I think one thing I'll definitely try and change at some point is the bezel. Also tempted to get the lume sorted out and the crystal AR'd (assuming I don't go gen dial/ crystal etc).

I reckon bezel, white lume and AR would make this a 95% rep. What would you guys do? Ideally I'd like to go for best value for money in terms of how the watch looks in comparison to gen, and cost of parts. I'm thinking those 3 things could be the way forward in that respect?

Cheers for any thoughts and ideas guys.

My new daily... bought from fellow member here:

Is this a joke?

This is, in my opinion amazing:

I dunno... when I first saw the flying tourbillon movement a year or so ago I was like, wow that is the most amazing thing I've seen in a watch ever. Now I've got used to how they look I think they just look cluttered and awkward. Not massively impressed with the look of that dual tourby if I'm honest. I think if I had one, the novelty would wear off. Don't get me wrong, I do sometimes quite like a busy-ish dial - pretty much all the watches I've ever owned have been chronos, with the odd plain dial here and there... but I just think tourbillons are over-the-top and quite ugly actually.

Some of the really stupid expensive tourbillons that other watch companies have made are impressive though. Fair play to seagull though, for making these movements.

Your sister single? :-D

Oh and I couldn't agree more with the oiling comments... rep bracelets can definitely be stiff and rattley when you get them, and feel a bit rubbish. Some rock n roll or other dry chain lube on them sorts them right out. Much more gen like feel.

Not owned too many different reps, but I've had a couple of gens as well in the past - Omegas and Tags. I find my Omega SMP 300 chrono rep very comfortable - just as comfortable as the gen which I owned a few years ago... and not too far short of the mark quality wise. Think the endlinks are better finished on the gen, links obviously aren't stiff like they can be on the rep bracelets and there are no sharp edges on the gen. Aside from that I'm very impressed with the rep SMP chrono bracelet.

The Tag Calibre 16 day/ date rep has a lovely looking bracelet - better finished than the SMP chrono bracelet, but nowhere near as comfortable to wear. Found the edges sharp, and even after I did a bit of work on the bracelet to get rid of all the sharp edges I still found it digging into my wrist after a few hours wear. Not horribly uncomfortable, just not up to the same comfort level as the SMP.

GMT-IIc rep bracelet seems somewhere in between the two; a lot better than the Tag, but not quite as comfortable as the SMP.

So overall, a big thumbs up for Omega SMP 300 chrono bracelets. The POs look like they'd be just as comfortable too.

I reckon it's a gen. Oh hang on have I joined the party too late again?

My god the LM is stunning... and my god those reps are bad.

Good choice I reckon... better than regretting selling it a few months down the line. Just like women.

Get the standard SMP 300... ones with 007 spattered all over them are awful.

Really need to get me one of these one day! Have they started doing the PO chronos without happy feet yet?