scotty

Right Wobbly Goolies ..................considering some of the avatars........

Hi all. Well we have $60 here plus whatever I contribute. The bad news is that the PI agency has quoted 1,500 Euros for a first report - whatever that turns out to be. No compromise over locating Jakub, and no indication of what they're prepared to do ie.. actually make contact with him over our property. The cost here seems much higher than I'd anticipated. Seeing the lack of interest now from those affected, I doubt we'll generate the support to use an agency. So unless we find a Polish speaker willing to help, do a few phone calls, or even better someone else in Warsaw or the area, I think we've no chance of anything else happening. Looks like J has gotten away with it...... Personally - since I see so few others seem really bothered now - I'm hanging up on this thread and things in the background.

Sent the enquiry today, and spoke to the agency. They'll provide a quote and some details on Monday. When I have something, i'll post....

Well.... Some 39 people were affected, of which 11 got something returned (as at 14/11). No posts of any other returns since. Not sure how many RG specific members are also missing something. And the only indications of interest and support come from 1 member who got his stuff back, and 1 who wasn't even affected. This really is a great community. I've always been amazed by some of the support and help I've seen. But i'm a little dismayed at the lack of interest here from the other 27 people (mb1 excluded as he's resigned to leaving the situation as is). The Finepics fiasco a while back resulted in notably much more activity and attempts to contact him by various members. It was resolved in the end. I'd asked here before for advice over aproaching the PI in Warsaw or not. I've never done this before and don't really know the do's and don'ts. Nothing... So - I'll contact them and provide the basics of what's happened, without including any reference to members names or this (or other) forums. The Pi said that any enquiries were in confidence, and that no information provided would be disclosed to any third parties. So I have to assume there's no form of risk in providing the basics and asking for a quote to locate J, determine the status of our property, and if still there a first idea over how to return. If anyone's against this, please let me know this AM - I'll be logging on at times. Otherwise I'll go ahead and follow-up with any details I get. Scotty

The Finepics fiasco took a year to sort out, with communications nulled for about 5 months. But in the end I think everyone got their items back...

I've spoken with a PI agency in Warsaw today asking about locating someone. They were one of the first ones I found googling - Asvalia. To make a quote for their services, they have asked me to provide whatever available information. I'm told this is in strict confidence, with no potential repercussions, and purely to evaluate what's needed and costs. As yet I haven't done anything. Is anyone still interested that we pursue such a route? Will mean sharing costs. But more importantly means providing information upfront - J's name and whatever details we have (tel. nos, shipping address, family restaurant name etc), a list of what's missing etc. I've never gone down such a route before. Thoughts / advice??? Like I say - I've not provided them with any details as yet.

Actually a member who was affected had contacted a PI agency, and we were waiting for the follow-up over costs and details. Another Polich speaker had said they'd try the second number that we have. I'm hoping that'll be followed up soon. @ therooster - Didn't know J's family had a restaurant - can someone PM details for 'the file'. Every little helps. We may yet be able to glean something - hopefully.....

Hi. For whatever reason I've become interested in finding a gold PAM. Trusty has a 140, but I seem to think the dial isn't right. Shouldn't the 140 have a hobnail/waffle dial, with gold plated borders round the hour markers? The Trusty one looks like a standard dial. Can anyone give any feedback - what do you have, where's it from and faults compared to gen? What should I be looking for here??? Also how does the plating hold up? I've read that in some cases the problem can be the crown, where winding quickly wears down the plating leaving quite an ugly crown appearance. Be gentle...! OK - I've found that the dial should be CF.......yep; searhc function does work But I'm still interested to knwo if anyone ever found a decent rep of this with a CF dial. How does it compare towards GEN, and where did it come from? How's it holding up??

Well - it seems that there have been no more returns.... This issue seems to have run it's course. There are still many of us with items not returned, and I'd guess all those affected would be very interested in getting their property back or following some course of action if possible. Some Polish speaking members started to help (I have an alternative number for J, but when I've tried the person only speaks in Polish, but the name Jakub is recognised. Someone else tried this number and it seems it's J's mother) but that seems to have gone nowhere (a follow-up was planned but nothing happened). Other members had checked over finding a way to contact J in Poland, and see what the situation was (a non confrontational contact let it be said, via a third party). But that also seems to have died a death. A guy in RG was checking with a friend in the police in Denmark, as regardless if the items are reps, what we have here basically is a case of theft. He was seeing how the land lay regarding opening a claim. That too seems to have died a death. So from me, as the one who started this thread, it's just a last check to see if ANYONE can help us someway. Otherwise, I guess we have to close this and move on........ what a great scam in that case......

The one linked in the last post and the one from Perfect Clones.... * wrong date font (very wrong) * terrible pearl in the bezel insert * wrong size and font of numbers in the bezel insert - very obvious * the now famous issue of crownguards and HE valve placing - both wrong again. You can spot it's a rep very easily. I also have the gen black SMP, and gen PO. FYI - Perfect Clones and Trusty work together, and sell prectically the same range and the same watches....... You'll not find an accurate rep of this model right now....those that exist are due to extensive modding I believe.

Happy New Year all of us who had items stolen by Jakub................ Here's hoping there are more returns, or that we're finally able to organise something. We have J's mum's telephone number, so we're short of Polish speakers helping out trying to call and see how to locate Jakub....... Best for 2009 to all...

Please don't change the tone of this solemn thread. I'm still grieving over my loss.........Christmas just won't be the same without my PAM 250....... Who's still up to try for the personal contact route??

Just out of curiosity, and since I don't have a gen to compare to.... How good are rep buckles compared to gen ones? Any noticeable differences? Considering the materials and processes used, I just can't understand gen buckle pricing except for profiteering. But I was curious how rep buckles compared. I don't mean generic un branded ones, but those that are engraved or stamped with PANERAI.

Thus endeth the saga....?

Couldn't agree more, and this has been discussed before as an option to evaluate if the property can be recovered and returned on friendly terms. Some people were looking into the details and mechanics, but seem to have stopped short of communicating these to those interested...... And we're not talking about anything illegal, immoral, or aggressive.

we wish us a merry christmas (and our watches back)..... ......we wish us a merry christmas (and our watches back...) ..........we wiiish US a merry christmas (and our watches back) and a haaaappy new yeeeaarrrr...... I believe the pressure is getting to me

Mid week post check.....nada, zilch, nothing, zero, rien, Set the dogs loose or send the boys round? Forgive and forget? Let this die out?

end of the week comment (so this doesn't die).... NOTHING But we're all still here waiting and hoping. Maybe J has passed them all onto Santa to combine deliveries Countdown to Christmas....let's see if something else turns up. YM - PM me please.....

Start of another week. No reported returns since 14/11. Just posting to keep this alive......

The gen has lume spots at the hour markers.

All very nice and totally away from the point. Anyone have anything new to add re returns or communications?

Bought my wife the 38mm white J12 with diamond markers a couple of years ago......it was a weak moment. I compare the lume to my modded reps and gen Omega. On the J12 there is very little lume area - the hands are narrow, and there are tiny lume spots at the hour markers. Maybe different to the model without diamonds at the hours, but at the weekend we were out with friends and one of the wives had that model. looked like roman numerals at the hours, and again tiny lume spots at the hour marker. So I'd say probably the same lume effect as my wife's one. After charging it glows nicely, but the markers are just points. The hands are OK though. However it seems to fade fairly quickly. The glow is probably there, but due to the small surface areas you don't pick out the markers well. The hands better, but again they are just narrow strips. When charged the effect is similar to my 113 - hands and hour marker spots. If the rep only has hands, then it's missing the hour marker spots.

Well - if he'd sent everything at the same time, there should be more reports of returns. I don't see any pattern to what's been returned - like last received items, or first received items, or rystals only, or watch only. Seems random. Here's hoping that more items turn up this week.....mine included

Another one home. That's 11 returns to 39 members missing items. Hooky - when you say you informed Jakub over the missing crystal, how did you do that? E.mail to the ARcoatings gmail address? Did you get a reply? No-one seems to have received any e.mail or communication from J. I'm not even sure he's still looking at that gmail account.... Fingers crossed that we a lot more returns to list next week......

Wednesday 12th. No one with any other returns to report?