RobbieG

Now that is a switch for you Stephane...

Exactly. Consider myself as an example of a guy who has gone pretty far into the gen camp. In fact, at the moment I don't own any reps and I own 9 gens. And yet I'm still here looking to start my first vintage Rollie mod project. Gen snobs are [censored] as BT says. They are all over at TZ and have nothing to say, nor do most of them really love watches as we do here. Reps are where the passion is. That passion and education here is what fuels my gen purchases. Given that you bought a PAM it was no doubt spawned of knowledge you gained here after owning some PAM reps. Good for you. I think owning a rep and falling in love with it is a good reason to want to own the "ultimate" version of it - the gen if you find yourself with the cash burning a hole in the pocket or whatever. This may sound funny, but I actually view my gens as the "ultimate 1:1 super reps". I judge the quality of many gens by using it's reps as benchmarks. So I highly advise repeating the process over and over that you have just done. Enjoy the 8-days for a while, then come back, buy another few reps, fall in love with another one and get another gen of that one if you decide you have to have the best "version" of whatever that watch is. The journey is the destination as they say...

Reached for this instead this morning...

Welcome to RWG. I'm sure it will provide years of enjoyment to you as it has for many of us. Feel free to post questions such as your in the appropriate forum and you will get answers you need which are both timely and accurate for the most part. We tend to know our watches collectively here. It is virtually guaranteed that someone here will know the answer to any watch mystery - rep or gen. The A7750's as we call them are really fine movements and you can take anything Rob (The Zigmeister) says as gospel when it comes to replica movements. I would advise just buying any watch with that movement with confidence as long as the rest of the watch is deemed to be good in other respects. They are dirty out of the gate sometimes, but sometimes not. They do have noisy rotors though, as do genuine 7750's, although these are much worse IMO. If that bothers you there are some easy fixes to help that. As far as cleaning and service I would advise just hoping it holds up out of the box. If you should happen to really love the rep you buy and intend to mod it or otherwise keep it for some time, you can always have it serviced later if it breaks down. I would advise finding a local watchmaker who is rep freindly who can do things like that for you. Basically speaking, if a watchmaker can service an ETA 7750 he can do one of these too. Keep in mind that if it needs parts you are out of luck unless you can establigh a relationship with a dealer who can either sell (or give as some do for good customers) the parts you need or sell you a complete movement for cheap so you can rob parts from it. Good luck and God Speed as they say and again, welcome to RWG.

PO on rubber for me today...

Happy Birthday D. Now I have to sit through another year of you breaking my b*lls...

I don't blame you Arty. I think a gen Navi is on my list to buy some day as well. I'm personally into the version with the silver on silver subdails and with the thick OEM Croc in black with the white stitching.

Some follow through for Saturday with the pajama series. I woke up this morning, came to work, changed into the silks and tried on this... Tomorrow I go to get measured for a wedding suit so I'll wear this again until I figure out what strapped dress watch to buy for the occasion - need more suggestions guys...

Always amazing Laz. Very envious collection and newcomers should take notice of what joy this hobby can bring if you emerse yourself all the way as you have. Bravo and keep the pics coming!

Yeah I do actually. I have a big high backed leather chair and it does get a little slippery sometimes. Actually the worst is if I should happen to be sweating a trade or something and perspire, the material sticks and feels terrible... The UN MMD is the nicest made watch at any price I have ever owned or even touched - and that includes certain East German masterpices at $40K too. The bracelets are just divine. He will be really happy with it. The value for the money is off the charts... Whatcha gonna get?

I'm not sure what exactly is jibberish? Nor did anyone say that movement was complicated nor is it a reason to buy the watch. All it is really is an escapement that has big enough teeth to avoid traditional lubrication. Personally, I could care less if it had that or not and it isn't a reason to buy or not buy the watch. It may not be a perfect idea, but it most certainly isn't a bad one either. The bottom line is whether people think it is worth the cost or not, or if they even like it visually or hate it, the value for the money as compared to everything else from every major brand in its class is typical to better in many cases. IMO, only a few Breitling watches rival it in the value department. Many pieces of similar style sell for up to 6K and are no better and some are not equal quality-wise. The watch is simple, unique, and elegant, yet masculine. The AR just makes the watch BTW. Best in its class by far AR-wise.. Oh and BTW, to be correct a tourbillion is not really a complication, it is just an alternative escapement. Complications are things like perpetual calenders, minute repeaters, flybacks, moonphases, and even simple chronographs. Actually, a date function is techinically a complication.

Just as a side note guys - does anyone know where I might find a nice smoking jackert for a reasonable cost. Kidding aside. I'm dead serious. I'm not ready to spring a grand or more for one of those custom tailored English jobs, but I'm ready to try one out seriously so I don't want crap either. Smoking Jackets are SO comfortable and I may be ready to supplement the PJ's with the ultimate piece of loungewear...

Great, now we need that in a side by side with somebody's modded lumed UPO pumpkin on orange rubber with a charge for artistic effect. Lani?

Serta. I'm pi*sing myself... Funny... No. Nothing like that. I work for myself. This is a good thing as I doubt any employer would put up with me anymore...

Yeah, let me see what I can whip up. I'll try and get creative with a tripod and self timer next week...

You guys will get a kick out of this. So I'm bored this afternoon and decide to take a few wristshots to pass the time. Usually, I always put on some sort of black button down shirt for my wristies, so as to frame the watch with considerable contrast. Not that this is a stretch since I most always wear that anyway so it works out well. But after I shot my watches today I realized that I had skipped the step of changing before shooting and in the process have revealed a funny little quirk of mine... I am the subject of a great amount of ridicule in my company in that the boss (that's me), arrives at work in street clothes and changes into silk pajamas before 9:30 AM every week day. Kind of like Mr. Rogers or something. Yes, that's right, I work every day in silk PJ's. Yeah, yeah, I know, what a loser. He probably thinks he is Hugh Hefner or something. But there are never any chicks around here - except my assistant who thinks I'm crazy, and my finance' who knows I'm crazy. I swear it is only for comfort and never for effect. Plus, I figure now that I am the boss I can do whatever I want so why not if it makes me feel good, right? If the staff thinks I'm too eclectic they can go somewhere else. Thankfully, they don't. But they break my ba*ls just the same about it on a regular basis. Maybe they would all leave if I didn't pay them so well. LOL. Anyway, when clients come to the office I rush to change and as soon as they leave I change back. I always think of that scene in Casino when Bobby D. has to put on his pants before the meeting with County Commisioner Webb. But anyway, if you have never tried it, I highly advise putting on the silks for work. Nuf said. So without further delay, here are the watches I shot today. Check out those sleeves...

Cool man. Very cool. I always wanted to do a sterile Mini. You inspired me to put my Marina homage on this afternoon...

Trick or treat? Treat of course...

Hey, this reminds me. Did anyone ever entertain the idea of transplanting a Tricompax ETA into one of these? Should fit, no? Broaching aside...

Freddy, your 1665 is making me want to marry it instead of my wife. Yeah, yeah - just kidding but man is that nice. And yes, I will check out the Calatrava's again. It may be sacrilige to many, but Patek's don't usually trigger any emotion in me. I have always steered toward Vacheron for delictate and or elegant Swiss dress watches as opposed to Patek. I think of those two being the top of the heap in that class. Of course, I love the East German contingent too - although I never think of them as being delicate or elegant. Weird to hear myself say that, but I really don't think Lange's are elegant. I think of them as truly masculine despite their size, like thoroughbred sports cars. Actually all watches kind of have an automotive equivalent to me. A Vacheron Patrimony or Patek Calatrava is like an Aston Vantage or a Porshe 997, but a Lange is like an 550 or a Murcielago. And a Lange complication is like an Enzo or a Bugatti...

Lately when people notice my watch and compliment it I say "Why did you want to buy it?". Belive it or not a good deal of my recent collection shrink campaign was accomplished by that method. All kidding aside, I can't remember the last time anyone noticed any of my watches outside an AD or something. I run in pretty narrow circles and they either don't care because the have everything I have times ten or they have already commented on anything in my collection that caught their eye a long time ago. Seriously, I only know and interact with like ten people. LOL. Plus, even outside my small circle, expensive watches are a dime a dozen where I live so nobody cares anyway. I could wear a totally iced SA to the beach, an 18 year old kid could walk up to me and ask for the time, he could watch me raise my wrist in slow motion and all he would say is thanks and walk away. He probably had the same one custom made with pink diamonds and sapphires for his 16th birthday. SA's are like totally 06', dude...

I just figure I'm only gonna do it once ya know? And yes, biz has been real good. It sure wouldn't be if my biz involved borrowing anything though. Tough stuff all around in those camps. We may come out of it quicker than thought though. Weirdness afoot and good things spawn of that as well as bad so you never know. If I were a postion trader (and I'm not) and I were holding overnight or longer I wouldn't want to be short right now. Then again I wouldn't want to be long either...

Yeah - not just suits either. Anything made exceptionally well falls into that same category for me. Furniture is another example. I just love nice stuff I guess. I'm not a fashion victim though and I'm not a brand guy. I despise Prada and Tommy and many others that are hot as examples. I just like simple elegant stuff that isn't trendy. Same goes for watches. I guess that explains why I still wear 36MM watches despite the fact the big watches are "in". Classic is never "out" - especially if you are at least middle aged. It is much harder to look cool when you are 20 than when you are 40...

Wearing my DJ again, but today I had a reason to wear a dress watch. A suit fitting. RobbieG is getting married...Can you believe it? Here is today's wristie and stay tuned for the back story... So the back story is that we are having a small ceremony at Stevie Wynn's new Encore in LV. Small guest list and then dinner at SW Steakhouse for 25 in lieu of a reception. So what is the significance of the dress watch slant in the wristies today you ask? I long since decided I wouldn't wear a tux at my own wedding. Bad enough I have to wear one at other people's weddings from time to time. Anyway, I did decide yesterday that I was going to have Armani do a make to measure suit for me and it turns out that they are coming to Saks by me in a couple of weeks. Perfect timing. So I did some fabric picking and some other consultation type stuff ahead of the fitting today, which was fun but exhausting. I am passionate about suits - almost as much as watches. Like watches, suits are very much a product of ones taste and even if you like the look of something, it might not like you. As an example, I love the look of both Zegna and Canali, but they just don't fit me well. But Armani? Most look like they were made to measure off the rack for me. Always have been. It is a strange thing. Anyway, I can't imagine how good custom Armani will be for me. Never took that plunge before so it should be fun. I know I'm not the only watch guy that enjoys dressing up once and a while and looking like a million bucks. Moving along to the front story, one can't have a new custom suit to get married in without having a new watch to go with it right? Right. So I think I have decided on a nice simple, elegant piece that suits the occasion. As many of you know, I have had my sights on a Lange 1, but being that I want a white metal and for that watch unfortunately platinum is the only choice, $40K for an L1 is to say the least a bit out of the budget given all the rest of the stuff I have to spring for. I can have this VC for much less than half of that and I think it is timeless. If anyone has any other suggesstions for dress watches in a WG in the $15K range I would love to hear it. Wish me luck. OK, gotta go meet my attorney and work on the pre-nup. LOL...

Congrats Laz. You are a good friend to many and you deserve it. Enjoy it my brother.