RobbieG

Thanks CF. I always liked that one. It looks really processed but isn't. The DOF makes it look oversharpened as well. It looks like a whole other image reoriented vertically with the open flower on top and the closed bud on bottom coming in from the right...

This has always been the only watch forum man. Such questions. What were you thinking? Welcome back.

One of y favorite casual piece for shorts and T's on weekends. Nobody ever did Ti this well IMO. The bracelet system is the stone nuts. So light and comfortable for such a substantial chrongraph. I was very surprised at first how much different it wears than "The Slevin" in steel though that is great too.

...and one more focused on finishing in general: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQHsWTx7lw4

I found this and had never seen it, maybe others have but I thought I would share it. Someone was mentioning something in that Patek thread about the Lange & Sohne balance [censored] engraving. There are some cool images of that process in this video...

I had forgotten I did this. There are a few additions regarding these movements I'll add soon and I may try to do a whole post on Saxon/Dresden column wheel chronos as well if I can collect enough histroic research. Everytiem I start spending more time here I start thinking "projects". lol...

I still own one watch with a 7750 movement - an Aquatimer. I bought a spare 7750 some time ago and intend to keep it so in case I ever need parts for the watch I will have them and not have to deal with IWC or Swatch. I'll never buy any watch again from any manufactory based on an ETA ebauche no matter how much I like it. Too much future risk of headaches. Such a shame as they are great movements. I already have an impending isssue with one of my favorite watches - a 2892 base - - my UN GMT. They now at least have their own version of that complication that will fit in the case so I think I may get away with that one and I do love that watch and can imagine keeping it 20 years. I think that many don't realize that even the source brand service departments won't be able to source parts for them. Imagine you are IWC or Breitling and you have all those watches out there built on ETA ebauches never thinking about future service issues. And many might add "why should they" as all those watches are out of warranty so it isn't their problem anyway. Sh*t happens is what they will say. And don't think Swatch isn't fully intending to stick it up Breit's and IWC's a*s at a 45 degree angle and break it off. What a great way to make your competitor lose cred with its customers. Meanwhile Hayek is such a hypocrite because he profited millions selling to those guys in the interim and took that money knowing full well this was the end game. But you know I don't have sympathy on the other hand because Breit and IWC had to know full well not being in control of that impending doom was going to bite them. They didn't react fast enough and it is going to continue to hurt. Quick and the dead. Just business. Speaking of UN they were one of the few who really took it seriously and moved quickly to squash their dependence on 2892s. Just in time. But they have thousands of MAJOR complications out there - big money watches with ETA ebauches that could become a big issue for them. I heard they are literally copying the movement and all the modules though so that they can swap them out 1:1 basically. We shall see...

Yeah, no doubt. Gives you more of a sense of the finish level on Rolex movements throughout that I mentioned being pleasantly surprised with in that Patek thread. Even though I have owned several of them over the years I guess I always thought of them being decorated about equal that that of say, an ETA decorated by Breitling or Omega. Not even REMOTELY the case. Rolex movements are finished a whole big step up from there. Like I said, as clean as anything really. I share your sentiment on the 3185 being special and all, but it is nice to know that such a strong "tool" movement is finished as well as most haute complications from the "snob" brands...

Yeah, like I said the designs never knocked me out, nor has JL really. Of the Swiss royalty only Vacheron and to a lesser extent AP ever really grabbed me. Although I don't love the sports watches enough to covet one - did have a Millenary though which was weird but nice. When it comes to haute dress pieces the German contingent has grabbed me more. I want a Langmatik Perpetual like I used to wany pussy when I was 18... ...I wish it was as cheap as that was when I was 18 though. Fifty grand plus for a watch is going to be a pretty big psychological leap for me - or anybody I would imagine.

...or maybe it should be "merely leave it at the service center until the next generation"?

You guys may all have seen this I don't know. I never did so I thought I would share it. Makes me remember two things: 1.Why I have such respect for watchmaking and watchmakers 2.Why I never became one. lol http://www.youtube.com/user/SeikoBest#p/u/14/GDOGWVgnU6Y They also have a 7750 assembly video as well.

Personally I'm all for it. Now that we have had the mechanical watch explosion and the popularity of fine mechanical brands is so much more widespread, the crutch of ETA will only serve to raise the bar for all the brands still using ETA ebauches. A couple examples come clearly to mind first being UN. UN has probably been the most 2892 centric (and dependent) of the luxury brands and has recently created their own VERY 2892esq in house offering. It is well thought out to be modular, the finish level is of course created from scratch without the usual limitations and of course it is unique to the brand. IWC is another that has used the ETA crutch and yet has some wonderful movements with more on the way that will now make their way into all the watches. The wonderful 80111 movement in the Ingy and another watch on my list, the Jubilee Vintage Aquatimer might not have been created were it not for (as Freddy said) the long time impending doom of the day to come with no more ebauche sales. For those sad to see them go in reps I would echo what someone else already said, the Chinese have had them cloned for years which in my opinion is the biggest "unsubstantiated" (yeah, right) GZ scam of all. The notion that they would make all these complicated decorated movements for individual brand & model $50 reps and do 1:1 replications of all these genuine watches down to the last wonderful CNC detail, but no, they didn't rep an ETA 2824, that is "Swiss" made in a Chinese non-rep factory only. They couldn't possibly rep that, what were we thinking. lol! Anyway, the point being the Chinese ETAs seem to be of reasonable quality - at least for a sub $300 watch in most cases so what does it really matter. Any serious modder that really wants to hang onto a rep forever can always source a real Swiss ETA. There will be plenty showing up. In fact, old ETAs may become a bit of a cottage industry in of themselves before too long given the coming rarity...

Each balance [censored] on every Lange is unique. Hang engraved with patterns specific to each engraver. Cool stuff you have to see in person to appreciate. The cocks are done like that on all Lange movements...

Speaking of perfection... The Lange 951 - the handwound column wheel chrono in the Datograph has yet to disappoint:

Yeah no doubt on the Rolex computer finishing. But damn, that to me is a marvel in itself. The brand really is ahead of the rest in that department. It is harder than one would think to have a machine make something that perfect. Their dials & hands too. Just something about them. But yeah, 68 week. And yes as a matter of fact the guy did say the watch was new. I forget what he said - not weeks, but some months only for sure. Within the warranty period... The thing is 90% of Patek owners wouldn't know what they are looking at anyway just like any other brand. The patrons aren't like us. The movements no doubt dazzle all of them who can't see past the shine of the perlage and Geneva Waves. I'm talking minute details here. But again, any movement from Patek, Vacheron, AP, or Lange should be dead perfect or as close to it as any human can get it after going over it with a fine tooth comb again and again. I mean even Rolex assemblers (they are stocked undialed, unbezeled and unbraceleted in the vault prior to order filling)keep each watch for almost a week before boxing and shipping after assembly and several people check every part of it several times to spot mistakes. That Patek could let stuff like that out blows my mind.

All exhibition backs guys. They look fine to the naked eye and OK with a loupe...unless you know what you look for. Subtle, but unmistakeable. Screw head perfection is 101 stuff as is consistency of polish. I hate to think what the movement parts I can't see look like. They are cutting corners no doubt. If you ever get a chance to really look at a Rolex movement I think you would be surprised how well finshed they are since they aren't really known for it. In their case that is because of superior automation as opposed to hand finshing like everything they do in that respect but still impress nonetheless. And if you really want a sexual charge similar to that first time you saw a naked chick in a girlie mag when you were 12, look at any Lange & Sohne movement with a loupe. Make you wanna smack yo mama...

To be honest the brand never turned me on design-wise. I was always more partial to VC and have now owned two (still own one) but of course like any sane person always had the absolute unwaivering respect for the brand and its traditions. It is after all one of the big three and to say its contributions to horology are vast would be an understatement. When I bought my Patrimony Traditionelle a 5119 Calatrava was the other option and VC won out by a narrow margin for reasons not really important to this post. But two things I witnessed today have really changed my opinion of the brand. So I'm in the AD hanging with the owner and the watchmaker there both of whom are friends and it is summer and dead so we have the loupe out and are checking lots of watches out for details. I didn't want to insult the owner, but I scrutinized several Patek movements including two Calatrava watches, a "cost more than the GNP of a small country" perpetual calendar, and a 5070 chrono and I have to say I couldn't believe how sloppy the finsish work in the movements were. Flat spots on the bevels, unpolished spots, nicked screw slots - I mean BAD. Really bad. Couldn't believe it. Without letting on as the owner was raving to me saying "see how amazing they are, etc." I asked to see a Rolex movement by comparison. My buddy the watchmaker had a modern sub he just bought nearly new so we took the caseback off and checked that out. I have to say, though of course I had seen many before I never looked so closely and it was dead f'n perfect. I mean we all know the 3135 isn't finished anywhere near so fancy but the stuff that counts to me, bevels, polish consistency, perlage consistency, no trace of screw damage, etc. was way better than any of the Pateks. Again, I couldn't believe how bad they were for all that money. They also had a used VC Malte Regulator in the store and that was also pretty much perfect in terms of movement finish. Not to pick entirely on Patek I looked at a UN Sonata movement and that was so bad I'm taking it off the list. Horrible. Actually the 2892 based movement in my UN GMT is way better than that but still nowhere near the 3135 or VC stuff. Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that. Pretty amazing really for a brand that loves to blow its own horn so much about timeless perfection... Here is the other thing that blew my mind. While I'm in there a guy brings his Patek in for service. Not sure what it was exactly but it wasn't a high complication that is for sure. I think one of the Calatrava watches, just not the hobnail design. Anyway he tells the story that he had the watch on the closedt toilet seat upside down on a towel while showering and when he got out he forgot it was there, moved the towel and the watch fell a couple feet down onto a padded bath mat. I have done similar moves many times with ETA and Rolex watches and of course that is really nothing for those to withstand as we all know. No surpise the Patek stopped since they have a reputation for being fragile but it wasn't destroyed or anything. No damage to the case or visible movement damage. Probably nothing too drastic really. Anyway get this: He asks how long to get it serviced at Patek, they make a call and come back and said what sounded to me like 6 to 8 weeks. So the guy gets ready to leave it and says again "OK, 6-8 weeks then - you will call me?", and the owner goes "No, 68 weeks.". Sixty-eight weeks - more than a year to get a simple repair on a watch. Just hearing that made me even more sure I would never buy one, even if I did happen to really like one of their designs in the future. Imagine what they might quote for a complicated watch. I didn't catch the cost of service but I remember hearing somewhere that just basic service and cleaning of a handwind starts at $900. Anyway, I thought some of you might find all this interesting though I'm sure many won't be surprised. I sure was - mostly about the level of finish...

Yes I did BT. I have had several DJs over the years gen & rep and in fact I had the exact rep of that newest gen of mine first and that was the catalyst for getting the gen this time. It was really good actually. As accurate as it needs to be and they really nailed the bracelet and new rolesor clasp. Silky smooth and solid/substantial. I had it in the same exaxt config (actaully I tried a fluted bezel too but prefered the domed). The new design really feels totally different with the all solid parts on the bracelet and polished centerlinks. President bracelets feel really a lot better now too. IMO the biggest improvements Rolex has made across the board is the all solid bracelets. They still feel the same except not so cheap and rattly anymore...

BTW Daniel is that circular disc in the movement some special new kind of solid balance developed by Omega? Must be "co-axial"...

Love the attention to detail in the movement. Lange, Vacheron & Patek take note. The perfect beveled bridges and fine brown patina on those Guangzhou Waves just take the breath away...

No doubt there are too many in most categories to name just one. But it is fun to contemplate and remember our core members...

Actually, I'm not sure it is a pure scam in the sense of nothing delivered. Note the little clues of broken english that let you know it is Asian rep sellers running the sites. They probably do send watches - reps. That is why they don't get taken down. They do deliver products and some poor saps never know the difference... Tell tale Asian English mistakes we are so used to seeing - no plural on the words "instruction" and "offer": Authenticity and Dealer status OmegaWatchStore.com guarantees all OMEGA watches sold through our website to be 100% brand new, in the OMEGA box & with all papers (including the warranty card/Operating Instruction) & with the original serial number intact & unaltered. 3 Year Warranty OmegaWatchStore.com provides warranty coverage of generally 3 YEARS from the date of purchase on the Omega watch (the manufacturer only offer 2 years warranty which will take several months each time).

Also Lani would be a contender for anything but Rolex and Omega especially...

Crap, you know now that I think of it there are so many other Rolex contenders. Alligoat comes to mind. Stephane and Nanuq too - and there are others which I'll let someone else think of...