Tim

TTK just posted a message about having a very well done Ferrari. I think in the dealre forum.

/Tim

No, a dude.

But that is not funny and witty like my statement. Did they hear in Europe about all the hoopla around Ann Coulter calling John Edwards a [censored]?

/Tim

A beautiful rep, but with all due respect how do you guys get past the continual QC issues, particularly the reliability problems with the movement?

I've been collecting reps for a while now, and I honestly can't understand why that is so readily accepted. What am I'm missing? Seriously, I don't get it.

The movement is good. Read The Zigmeister's review. He was very favorable towards the new 28800 bph version. It is the rest of the watch that will have QC issues.

/Tim

I kind of like the CF version. But I can wait until the price drops. I really REALLY do not need any more watch (but can always make room for one more). Wonder if the rotor is still a sticker.

Maybe I'll make this the first watch I buy from Neil.

/Tim

Sorry, I've seen DW before but EE?

/Tim

Let's hope not.

By the way, anyone want to start a political discussion, something that will pitch conservatives vs. liberals?

Ann Coulter is a dyke.

/Tim

No, but if they screw up the bracelet, at least their insurance will cover replacement costs. If you screw up the watch yourself, you're left with a screwed up watch...

A new rep bracelet costs about $25. The next time I order a watch I just have them through in an extra bracelet.

/Tim

Oh, and you might try boiling it too. The heat would expand the metal and the water might be able to loosen the clogged threads.

/Tim

What, professionals have better screw drivers? If it ain't coming out, it ain't coming out.

/Tim

I was really thinking about getting a 1000 piece run of them made. The are attracting a really nice price for them right now and it is to the point where they are scavenging them out of lesser models for parts for the more valuable models.

/Tim

I've run into this problem as well and blew out the blade on a screw driver. The best I can figure out is that they are doing a finishing polish on these bracelets after putting them together. When I finally do get the screw out it is pretty gummy with a powdery residue. It looks like polishing compound is getting into the threads and locking it tight. I ended up writing off this particular bracelet and ordering another since they are not very expensive.

The test to see if you are going to run into this problem is to try and unscrew it using medium light finger pressure. If it doesn't budge, you are probably running into this problem. If you put any heavy torque on the screw you'll end up destroying the screw and probably the screwdriver as well. And from what I can see, the screws in every one of these bracelets are different so you'll never be able to get just a replacement screw if it is needed.

First thing to try is go to another link and see if that one will come out any easier. Other than that, I think you might be onto something with the WD-40. Next time I run into this problem I am just going to dump the whole bracelet into WD-40 and let it sit there for a couple of days to see if it can penetrate.

/Tim

Wow Neil, talk about cornering the market.

Bravo bravo!!!

Nanuq,

Did you go skiing down the mountain after taking the picture??

/Tim

I think the watch looks good, but I honestly thought it was an alternate variation of the Noobmariner. I was shocked when you said the price was $400+.

I learned my lesson already with the overpriced YM that I bought. I got two of them, one for me and one for a gift. The one I got for me I thought what the heck, I paid the double price for the "serviced" YM for myself. They were purchased on two seperate orders, and I was amazed when I compared the two. The non-serviced watch keeps better time, has a better dial, and the cyclops is better positioned. I would have thought that the serviced watch would at least have been QC'd better than the regular version. Never again.

/Tim

I don't want an iPhone because I've just bought (got free upgrade) the latest Sony Ericsson which I'm happy with for the time being, but if I did want the iPhone, even if I desperately wanted it, I would not succumb to the [censored] hype and be queuing outside the store for one with you and the other lemmings, I'd wait a few months until the hype dies down and the price drops, I've never been a consumer sucker and I don't intend to ever be one.

Oh and I wasn't partially joking, and I don't need a marketing lesson from you, thanks.

I have family that works in an Apple store. Homie don't do no lines!

/Tim

Someone really needs to inform ebay about this listing ( 130095779411 ) Read what he says about being carefull to look out for scammers selling reps. Then look at his pics..........SCAMMER!!!

Or you can go directly to the page- http://cgi.ebay.com/Panerai-PAM-177_W0QQit...1QQcmdZViewItem

Your right. It is a rep. I guess when they spend half the listing talking about being careful to not buy a rep, I guess that means it undoubtedly is a rep.

/Tim

Has anybody sent a rep to a military address?? When I punched in the zip code the automated teller id it as a military address and is saying it cannot accept the request and I need to see a teller.

What was the Zipcode?

I think there is a requirement that the package be hand delivered to the Post Office. Iraq and Afghanistan might also have special requirements. And I think a special customs form needs to be filled out. I would just list any watches you ship as watch returned from repairs. This site might be useful:

http://www.oconus.com/ZipCodes.asp

/Tim

They had the best rep posted in an earlier message. I think a dealer named TTK sells them.

/Tim

They do mention that the rep is significantly lighter. Anyone ever compare?

Since the CEO himself is on the forum, I am so tempted to ask what precisely about your watch makes you feel that it is worth 1000 times the cost of actually making the watch. It is the major reason I am disgusted with the gen marketplace. I have a gen chronograph, made in Switzerland, that contains a nice Valjoux 7750. I paid $400 and it is very nice; exceptionally well made and keeps perfect time. Mr. Bivalve can take the same movement, shove it into a different case no better than the one on my $400 watch, and slap a $8000 sticker on it. I just never figured this out with mass produced watches. I guess you charge what some fool is willing to give you.

I obviously delude myself by thinking that there should be some reasonable correspondence between the price it costs to make something and the actual list price.

/Tim

Another perfect example of why this place is what it is,.. and will remain so..

Hey Admin, If you should ever immigrate to the US, I would vote you into a Govenorship !

Eh, he'd end up getting BJs in the Oval Office wearing nothing but a bad Daytona rep.

/Tim

Good summary Neil. I'd go along with your proposal, but I'm not sure how that would work for Josh and Andrew. Remember, they have a huge catalogue of stuff, and their dealer sections would go on forever. Without a link to their sites they would be ineffective. How do you think it would work for them?

I actually think that this is easily solved. Every dealer has a section in the Trading Zone. The first post in every forum is a sticky note that contains the current price list organized any way the dealer wants, by brand by price, by type of watch, whatever. The dealer then posts individual messages in the forum for each watch, doesn't matter the order just dump them all in. In the price list there is a [CLICK HERE] button hyper linked to the specific message containing the particular watch. The code for that click here thing could be written once and then the dealer only has to change the message number for each one to correspond to the correct message contain the watch. Simple. Makes shopping easy. Easy for the dealer to maintain. Easy to comparison shop too if the dealers use a similar nomenclature for the message title like <Brand>, <Model>, <Movement>, <Revision (gen1, gen2, whatever)>

A rough outline could be constructed for the format of each watch listing. Kind of like what they do on their individual web pages already where they start each listing with basic information.

/Tim

jeez everyones so fkin defensive lately, and to compare a cheap chinese copy watch to an iPhone is just ridiculous.

I know you are partially joking. The point of my comparison was to say this is how marketing works. Something that Apple knows VERY well. So so you are saying that some dealers are using the same tactics that Apple uses, I'd say that's damn smart!

So will you be in the long line at the Apple store laying down your $850?

If you say yes, then why will you play Apple's game but not some guy that has a hell lot less money than Steve Jobs? If you say no, so why are you willing to wait out Apple to see when you can start picking the phone up on the cheap on eBay?

/Tim

I think it would take something very serious for the dealers to leave here, there's no better place on the net to sell rep watches than here, this is busiest rep forum bar none.

so is the price gonna fall (to sensible levels) on the HBB now?

Do you think that the price for the HBB is too high?

Then don't buy it! There is no right involved that says you must have the newest releases at the lowest price. Think about it, doesn't it make sense that when there is a new release the price is higher and distribution limited? I suppose that Apple is going to sell me their new iPhone for $50 and I'll be able to walk up to my closest WallyWorld which has a mountain high stack of them just waiting for me. In and out in 5 minutes with my nice new phone that was cheap as can be. Riiiiiight........

/Tim

Or...perhaps she joined the so called cartel

Just stop. Are we going to tear apart every dealer? This keeps up there will be none that will want to work with us. There are other places to go to sell watches.

It should be a perfectly fine thing that some dealers have this and some have that. It helps everyone to see a variety of sources. What does it accomplish if every dealer has the same products?

/Tim

@TJ...et al......I'm not going to rant anymore on the rights or wrongs of what has transpired....it's there for everyone to see......most people have their own thoughts......I have mine...which are based on acquired information.....that I am not going into too deeply here......suffice to say there is only one thing to do......!

etc.etc.etc.etc

I think this makes a lot of sense. Now we should just do it and close down the conversation. Problem identified. Problem discussed. What seems a fair resolution to me should finish it off and we as a group move on.

/Tim