RobbieG

This time around let's see the softer side of time guys. I am just now coming around to really start appreciating fine and way understated beauty. I am getting really close to pulling the trigger on a Grande Lange 1. Classic, understated, yet elegant and unique. The perfect size at 41.8MM. So here she is front and back. Now show me yours...

Yeah the YM in particular is funny like that in my experience. I had the gen YM and I got the sense that it was perceived as a pretentious watch or something - weird. I would be in client meetings and the vibe on it was weird. I think any especially shiny Rolex has some kind of stigma. So I get a UN MMD in the same "color" combo as the YM mostly because it is more interesting and susequestly sold the YM. Still blingy in the same way and even bigger in terms of size and overall wrist presence. Now the first reaction is that it turns heads in the same way, but when they find out it isn't a Rolex it gains nods and acceptance in some new way even though it is in the same price range. Watches are weird that way in my experience. In my line of work fancy watches are common place so I'm never fighting the "Hey I wonder if that is a fake because I wonder whether that guy could afford that watch..." thing so that is why I find the so called "Rolex " phenom to be particularly interesting. It is like people thought my YM was still a fake even though they KNEW I could afford it. Weird huh? I would get comments like "Nice knockoff" and stuff like that. I bet if you asked a lot of non-watch people how much a stell YM cost they might think it cost much more than it does maybe? Meanwhile I wear an AP Millenary with the same crew and they don't even notice it and it costs twice as much as a YM. Go figure...

Well all are gens actually. I have a rep GMT just like that one. It is a gen but the bezel insert was replaced on the watch so I figured that may throw some folks off. I'm not aware of any reps of the UN MMD or the Aquatimer in Ti so those are pretty easy and the angle the PO is sitting at can make that one tough to tell also. The gen Steelfish does have a rep strap on it at the moment so I didn't know if that would throw anyone off. Funny thing is I had a Ti GST rep which sparked the Aquatimer purchase, I came across the GMT by accident and traded some stuff for it for so cheap I couldn't refuse, a rep PO that made me fall in love with that, a rep Steelfish for one day and then I bought the gen, and the UN, well I just always loved that so I got it and a Big Date GMT UN at the same time actually. But the moral of the story is that even though they are all gens I wouldn't have most of them if not for the reps making me fall in love with the designs first. Viva la China...

Thanks Fakey...want to take a crack at the guessing the reps and the gens?

Although my collection size ebbs and flows, it is at present approaching twenty pieces. However, it is getting so I have discovered that I love sports watches within a certain sort of broad style category and as such I always tend to reach for one of these watches. From casual to dress and in a variety of colors to suit any attire, one of these seems to fit nearly every occasion. So without further delay may I present the starting five. In keeping with tradition for group posts, tell us which are the gens and which are the reps...

Yeah Mike Disher is always posting great stuff like that. TZ gets some flack on the rep boards but it is a great resource for watch lovers and the snob factor is nowhere near that of the Risti's...

Yeah I'm not usually a gold guy but I just took that plunge funny you should mention. I opted for the MMD Chrono in rose with the black dial. It is backordered though andf I am told it may be three months or more wait...

I think I remember you own one of these don't you BT?

Rolex and Omega get a lot of press for historic contributions, and of course the grand masters such as Lange, Breguet, AP, UN for contributions in the 1700's and 1800's, but here are some interesting Breitling contributions from the 20th century: - Invented the first independent chronogaph pushpiece that we have all grown so accustomed to in 1923 - ...and followed it up with the return to zero chronograph pushpiece eleven years later in 1934 -Invented the first self-winding chronograph in 1969. Prior to that automatics were restricted to lesser complications

I gotta cheat and add one more. This is not my grail, but it gets wristtime like it was so I'm gonna give it a nod too...

The GST Ti is the best rep IMO. Owning that rep sparked my interest in this gen which I subsequently bought. I don't know why they repped it it steel but not in Ti since they already had it down materials wise from the GST like Pug's. Maybe they will release it next? IMO, no brand executes Ti as well as IWC...

What a steal! SOOO cool on the plug, BTW. I love nostalgic stuff like that!

Is the black 46MM the safest there? Kinda want the ETA(ish) version but I love the brown but just concerned that it may look a little reddish and cheap? Which one do you have?

I was wondering if most people here are like me in that gen choices tend to be simple sports watches or if your dream watches gravitate toward high complications. I'm guessing more towards the sports side. Anyway, let me start by saying the love affair with my UN Maxi Diver is just tireless so at the moment I am lucky to own my current grail sports watch. So simple, so unique, and actually not particularly expensive all things considered. Before this piece I didn't have anything I would consider a grail watch in the sports category and although I knew it was special, I had no idea it would end up being my favorite sports watch of all time. My collection is getting fairly substantial and yet I can't keep my hands of this one most days. It would take something special to knock this off that spot for me. We should do one of these for dress watches and a final one for complications too. Until then, please share your current grail sports watch and post a photo whether you own it yet or not. Let's make this a big thread...

King sells that YM as well with the 2892 clone. It is just a hair more accurate than BK's by his own admission but 50% more in price. I'm sure if you asked any of the dealers here could source it for you.

@bigmouth... The rep strap is fine for your Fish BTW - even on the gen. Very soft and comfortable. At $45, the best rep strap ever IMO. No need to buy the gen unless you insist on the exact thickness which I think matters less unless you want the gator in which case you must get the gen strap...

You guys should check out Exquisite Timepieces in Naples, FL. Easily 15-20 PAMs in stock many times. Also Droz, AP, IWC, VC, Glashutte, Dubuis, Mueller, and many more...

New Fins for da Fish...

They usually look pretty good, but if the stamps do look fake I'm sure that is easily corrected on the next batch...

Gen 42MM PO

That's what they all say there fruitcake...

OK, but I'm not going out with you and that's final...

I installed the matching blue calf strap on the Steelfish today. New Fins for the Fish as it were. I think the colors of both the dial and strap are subtle enough so as not to make the blue on blue an overkill. Opinions?