Tim

I think the thing is ghoulish, tacky, and ugly to boot. I know the Titanic is a legendary story, but the thing is a grave yard. We ought to leave it and the people that went down with the ship in peace. How about a watch made from Hiroshima rubble? Or maybe steel from the World Trade Center? Chernobyl watch anyone? Of course that said, they'll probably sell every one because there are enough tacky people out there with too much money to buy them. Probably Middle Eastern Sheiks will snap them up. /Tim

Yeah that seems to be a definate trend in watch manufacturing these days. How many stupid geegaws can we jam onto the dial. I am hoping for one with a micro rotor that would measure how vigorously the watch is being shaked back-and-forth; I call it an erectomatic. When confidence is high, well I'm sure you know what happens. Think I'll apply for a patent. Maybe I can get Jean Claude Bi-valve to fit it into a Big Bang. /Tim

Nanuq, Did you hide the Noobmariner you were wearing in shame? /Tim

The Zigmeister, Is there a way to adjust the beat of a watch by trial and error (i.e. without a timing machine)? I have a DJ rep that doesn't start on it's own after you wind it, you have to lightly tap it and then it will start. It is also running significantly slow. I had mentioned it once before in a general message and you suggested that the beat was off on the watch. I am trying to find some low cost way of addressing the issue since at $150 it isn't really worth servicing. Another possibility is that I think this thing has one of those who knows what it is ETA Chinese Franken movements in it. They claim it is a 2836 but it is just a DJ so I don't know why they would put a day-date movement in the watch. I have some know Swiss 2824 date only movements that run perfectly. Can you drop in a 2824 into where a 2836 was? Would the date wheels be interchangeable? Thanks for the info. /Tim

Well we're Movin' on Up! To the east side! To a dee-luxe apartment in the sky, We're movin' on up! To the east side! We've finally got a piece of the pie! Fish don't fry in the kitchen, Beans don't burn on the grill. Took a whole lotta tryin' Just to get up that hill. Now we're up in the big leagues, Gettin' our turn at bat! As long as we live, It's you and me, baby! There ain't nothin' wrong with that! Hooray, We're Movin' on Up! To the east side! To a dee-luxe apartment in the sky! We're Movin' on Up! To the east side! We've finally got a piece of the pie!

They are both good ways to buy--with a couple of caveats. Any of the co-ops or condos generally lag behind sales of town houses or detached houses. When values are going up, condo/co-ops don't go up quite as fast. When markets go down or sales slow, condos/co-ops slide faster. Generally. But it depends very much on the market. In someplace like NYC this would be entirely different because most of the properties in that market are condo/co-ops. In Manhattan I don't think ANY property is a bad investment so far as investment in real estate goes. The three "L's" of real estate always apply. Location location location! That being said, it is not considered a very strong real estate market lately, but again depends where you live. Sometimes you have a more difficult time getting a loan for a co-op because ownership of all the properties is shared among all the owners. In the past you could not get a VA loan for a co-op but that may have changed. You are not finding a 2bdr in Manhatten for that price are you? Sounds like the Bronx! /Tim

Generally what does it cost to get a dial re-done? Just curious because I have a couple of vintage pieces that need new dials. /Tim

Thanks a lot for posting this article. I read about it somewhere else and remembered seeing a thread on the article here. Was glad I could read it. /Tim

Zeetan was selling this one, a NOS at $3200. It seems from checking around that that is a fair price--not killer but OK. If you can pick up a new one for $2600 go for it. Or tell me about it! Only wish I could have found one with the color dial since that would be more "me", but the black dial is nice as well. I am having some second thoughts though since there seems to be a lot of discontent on the Zenith forums around with where Zenith is going with the product line. Everyone fairly well despises the new CEO. Reading lot's of information that the El Primero movement is a cranky beast as well. Hope I have good luck with the watch. What does everyone else think, is $3200 about right or too high? /Tim

I've been hunting one for a while, and I finally found a Zenith Rainbow Flyback Chronograph. Zeetan just posted one and I was sure I didn't ask for it soon enough, but I just heard back from Zeetan that he put it on hold for me. I didn't appreciate Zenith watches until I understood more about the El Primero movement, and by the time I learned more about them they stopped making this model. I don't care so much for most of the current Zenith models but I was hoping I would eventually find a NOS Rainbow. I don't like the cutouts they are doing to a lot of them and the Defy line is nice but the price would break my back. That this one is the Flyback is just gravy because I'd have been happy with just the regular chrono. Oy vey my bank account! But I cannot resist. Resistance is futile you know.... Woohoo! /Tim

How do you handle all that snow around your house? Do you have to shovel off your walkway AND your roof? /Tim

Bad boy. Down down....heal. /Tim

Oh really? Gold Bracelet Ringer Rings Ear Ring(s) ....and that is only the stuff you can see! /Tim

This is why there should be a law that states that no man over the age of 25 can ever wear any sort of one piece outfit. The second law should state that no man over 40 should ever wear any fabric containing Spandex or Lycra. You would have thought they'd have learned these lessons after the first season of ST:TNG. /Tim

Anticipated price between $80,000 and $120,000. Like I said, GAH!!! I registered for the auction just so I can watch! I might bid on one or two, though I'd like to figure out what the models marked "So Called" are all about. /Tim

Maybe a dingo ate your dealers. /Tim

...and what is a Jedi Seamaster? Was Obi Wan wearing a Seamaster or something? /Tim

I don't particularly know why this one is special. I thought that all manual wind Speedmasters with an acrylic crystal were "Moon Watches". Was this one sold to NASA or something? /Tim

Just don't try and go through Heathrow with more than two carry on bags. /Tim

Just posted a message about the Omega auction, but Antiquorum in Switzerland is probably the premier auction house for high end time pieces. That would be your best bet. eB*y would be a waste unless you sell the watch on consignment through someone like Jeff Hess (Hess File Arts). If you belong, the NAWCC also runs a sales market. Since it is a Cartier, you might try to get in on one of Sotheby's general jewelry auctions. Hope this helps. /Tim

Antiquorum is running an eB*y Live Auction and they have some jaw dropping pieces in the auction. All Omega, and I think that these pieces are on consignement via Omega itself because they are all carrying an Omega warranty. Lots of Omega Speedmaster Moon watch special editions (Snoppy Award, Moon to Mars, Apollo XI, etc.). A skeleton Speedmaster Moon in Platinum! Military Omegas galore--an Aviator Omega sold in 1935 to the German Wehrmacht!?!?!?! An Omega Dinosaure which I think still has the trophy of thinnest production watch ever made. It is almost like Omega is selling off their watch museum. Antiquorum Auction /Tim

Nahhhhhhhhh! For that rusty old thing? Can't even read the time. Who wants it! /Tim

I cannot find a Swiss 6497-1 using a shock mount configuration like in that picture. Unless they are changing the way they have it setup. This movement uses a Novodiac shock mount, but I can only find examples of Swiss 6497s that use the Incabloc. If it is a Swiss movement and they have started using Novodiac mounts, then these are not accurate to gen Panerai's because they all use Incabloc in the Historic models. The other thing I am confused about and am still researching is the difference between the 6497s that have curved bridges and the ones that look squared off. I'll probably figure this one out, and where I have seen the 6497 use what might be a Novodiac mount has been with the squared bridges. I say might because I am still looking for close-ups of all the examples of the 6497s and trying to figuring out their time line and how the design changes. I know I am throughly confusing myself and if someone can offer the straight scoop I'd be appreciative. /Tim

I need the same thing, a new pearl. I posted an earlier message about getting a new bezel insert, but I just need the pearl. Does anyone have some sources for good ones??? /Tim

The PAM 177 H was the first Panerai that I bought and unfortunately I think I got caught in one of our dealers little white lies. I ordered the watch with the Swiss movement and this is what I got for $300: It doesn't look all that bad but it isn't a Swiss movement. Once burned.... I've ordered a PAM 036 from Davidson a week ago and I have high hopes for the accuracy of the watch although I don't particularly know what modifications have been done to the watch. Davidson isn't the most descriptive when it comes to the technical execution of the watch he sells. /Tim