RobbieG

OK so does anyone dispute what we have for sure so far? Rolex - Freddy Tag - By-Tor IWC - FXRAndy Tudor - TeeJay UN - Me Not sure about the PAM/AP/Hublot spots and Breitling is contested. I would pick Andreww hands down there myself...

I would agree Tee-J on Freddy, FXR, Dani, and I suppose me on the UN. Don't know the others very well. I'm thinking BT should get the TAG spot, no?

Here is something I thought might be fun. Lets elect a member for each brand subjectively that is the most "nuts" for a given brand. They don't necessarily have to have the most reps or gens of a brand per se. Just who we think really loves each brand the most and posts, mods, collects, has a lot of knowledge about, etc. Respond by quoting the list and filling in who you would nominate. It will be interesting to see who comes up for each one. It will also help me get aquainted with new members who I have missed and as such have no idea what they like in my absence. I'll try to limit the list to those brands there seems to be really good quality reps of. If I missed something, add it... Rolex Omega Breitling IWC Panerai Tag AP Nardin Hublot Vacheron Sinn

Cool stuff D. Did you buy my old super modded 177? I can't recall if that was you or not. I have never been much for taking pics of watches when I'm away. I usually just shoot them in my office while bored waiting for trade setups in my pajamas like Hef. Oh wait, here is a journey shot I found. On my way to Publix up the street from my office to get a sandwich in my everyday beater the mighty Mini. IMG]http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q255/RobbieGWatches/Rolex%20Datejust/DJmini1.jpg

I don't own the watch anymore but seeing BTs made me want to dig out the gallery. Not everyday you see a Fish on a blue Sirtoli ostrich...

I gotta echo Ken here too. I have NEVER had a single problem with any rep I ever purchased, nor any gen. And for the record I don't buy gens exclsively now for any other reason than just wanting the watches I find I truly love (as reps) to be all they can be. Granted, my biggest rep collecting was in what I call "The ETA Hayday" when every good rep either automatically came with an ETA movement or you could get it. Of course now they are either fake ETAs or you can't get them at all. But then that doesn't account for QC problems like hands falling off or whatever which I have never had either. I guess the rep Gods have been good to me. I have never sent one wacth back - ever. I did have a hairline crack in a MOP DJ dial and the dealer sent me another dial for it. My Dada still has it - an ETA Datejust and it runs like a top. Clean and oiled movement out of the box and it has got to be 5+ years old now.

More from the macro Ala Wai garden series back in the day...

Supermarket cashier with a Submariner huh? Maybe you should take a closer look at his watch the next time you are in there. He may just be a member here...

Yes it is. The dial in particular was really great on that watch. And of course you can't beat the price...

I'll be damned. That is why I love this place. You guys are f'n insane! In any case, the portion of the bezel I would be interested in if I were a rep collector is the top of the bezel of course where if it is two pieces certainly doesn't look as if it is. The point being of course the reps very obviously have an insert system. Even now that I see this two piece phenomenon, I wouldn't call that part of the gen bezel an insert...

If anyone would do it WM9 would be the one. Certainly not practical to mill a solid insert-less bezel for one watch. But then again nothing that is done on any of these super reps is practical. They obviously go to all the trouble cause there is a big enough perfection crazed market out there. Anyway, that is about the last improvement that could be done on that watch as it is otherwise very good.

The problems you speak of are common. Some enjoy the chase of it, others either don't right away or do in the beginning and tire of it. I am in the later category and eventually got to the point where I didn't want to settle for anything but the relative perfection of genuine pieces. I haveno interest in the snobbery of them, but rather the precision of the details mechanically and fit and finish-wise. But if you have a genuine love for watches there is no reason to leave. In fact there is every reason to stay. Many of us are also genuine collectors and some exclusively. So let me wear Lani's ambassador hat for a moment and say that if you love watches - rep or genuine, there is no better place in terms of knowledge or a better group of non-snobby people to interact with. So stick around. You don't have to buy reps to hang out with us... Also you might consider adopting a strategy I have employed with great success over the years: Use reps as a sort of training ground for gens you have interest in. If you think you love a watch, buy a rep of it first and see if it really suits you before buying the gen. If it does, sell it and buy the gen. If it doesn't sell the rep and move on. It will actually save you money, not waste it. If you buy a gen and find out you don't like it the likely hit when you sell it will be more than a thousand. If you get the rep and flip it the loss will be less than a hundred in most cases. Wors like a charm. I discovered a love for the Yachmaster, the GMT Master, Datejusts and Day-Dates, the Planet Ocean, the Aquatimer, the Kairos, The Vacheron Malte series, and many others I'm sure I'm forgetting this way which led to great gen experiences. And I saved a lot of money on others not listed here by trying the reps and realizing they are not for me such as the Big Bang and ROO to name two. Food for thought. So stick around, if nothing else Offshore still has a lot to teach you about boats!

Those NYC shots are nice Daniel. Makes me miss NY. I gotta find an excuse to get up there before it snows again.

They are in business to make money? Come on man. You have to be kidding me...

Another from the same day moring the same little tiny patch of wild garden. One awake, one still sleeping...

Well Fakey the answer isn't always the same. They absolutely do care and they obviously feel they do have to. Otherwise we would never have the super reps we do have. The hyper sensitivity to details drives the high end of the industry and ground zero for that stuff is these boards. They listen and patrol these boards and that is where the multiple improved version spawn from. Why else would they remake say, a Planet Ocean several times? The "why they don't" question is rhetorical obviously. I'm making the post hoping those very people might notice yet another item not for me, but for the benefit of others.

I have seen it in person - in fact the store had one when I picked up my 36MM platinum version. As always the Glacier blue is amazing which is why I couldn't live without it and was willing to pay the premium. I mean you really have to think a dial is amazing to pay that much of a premium for it - it is IMO. But I have to say that the engine turning on the roman dial looks cheap as hell. Terrible really. The arabic is nice though I prefer romans. I would like to see a roman dial without the turning but I don't think they make it. I was thinking of you the other day at the AD when I tried on a 41MM in YG with champagne romans. Not that you would like the gold, but just that the size of watch and the simplicity of a simple roman dial you would like. That watch would really work for you as the ultimate dress watch IMO given that you are a bigger guy.

Something I meant to post years ago just occured to me again and I thought I would post it for the potential benefit of future YM rep buyers. Factory owners routinely patrol these boards for ideas so maybe one might see this who knows... Many know I own a genuine Rolesium Yachtmaster but I have had several reps over the years. On thing I never understood was the factories more complex and naturally flawed choices for the bezel construction. Most saavy watch lovers know that the Rolesium YM has a dial made of solid Platinum and the latest reps have done a fairly decent job of replicating the color and texture. But many incorrectly assume that the YM has a bezel insert of solid platinum set in a SS bezel. All genuine YM bezels are milled from a single solid piece of precious metal - in the case of the Rolesium watch platinum and the others in yellow gold. What I never understood was why the makers chose to use an insert system in the reps since it would be a lot easier to just mill a solid bezel making the rep more correct. Of course I know the answer which is that they want to use the same bezels as in Subs and GMTs and just have a YM insert. But with all the latest greatest super reps I think it would be cool if they made that change. It is one of those minor details but we all have our pet issues right? The gen bezel interior is very flat and all the reps I have ever seen have this sort of raised angle to the insert that could be easily corrected. Sure, it will never have that top heavy weight that the gen has (yes, believe it or not the dial is fairly thick and that plus the one piece platinum bezel really does add a LOT of weight to the top of the watch - much more than you would think...)but it would be much flatter and more accurate without that seam around the edges of the insert. I realize many don't really see the difference - to each his own. But I just thought I would put that out there in the interest of future improvements for all. The WM9 version is so good now there isn't much farther to go. Now if we could just get Rolex to make an improvement of their own - put the Daytona clasp on the thing already and get rid of that GMT clasp please...

Yeah the Dual Time is a looker for sure. Really happy with it in every way. The money thing is all perspective of course depending on how much one has at any point in time. If it isn't a stretch financially to buy something pretty much anything can become a "tool" item. Case in point, I have a close friend who drives a one of a kind custom 430 as a daily beater. Not something I would do, but for him he could buy a hundred of them and still not dent his net worth so I'm sure it changes his perception of value. Money and how people value things is fascinating really...

By the way R, I just found a photo I shot in our old stomping grounds. Remember the garden along the canal on Ala Wai Terrace just down the street from World's? Anyway I shot some macro Bird of Paradise stuff there 25 years ago & posted one of them in TT's photo of the day thread.

Abstract Bird of Paradise...

Same here on the Daytona basically. The Sub & YMs is it for me on the sport side and as you know I also adore Day Dates. I still have my DJ though too although it is kind of the same idea.

No forums - like you just hospitals. lol. Couple of sick puppies you and I have been. And besides, you all know by now no matter how genuine my collection, my horological home will always be here at RWG. I do like perfect watches, but I can't stand perfect people. lol...

Said much better than I did. They are just "right" and no words can describe it really...