By-Tor

Visa Versa what reps should be avoided like the plague.

Just try to avoid this Daytona and you'll be fine.

Great purchase.

Perhaps you'd like to write a bigger insight review of this replica, so I could link it to my Omega Guide. You're among the first ones who received this rep.

@Ken: Yep, it's Aeronavale Transatlantic Type XX. Perhaps Neil can post more pics of his gen.

Two gen pics:

I'm sure all other dealers will get this too.

Now this is one amazing looker. Yeah, the subdial spacing is off yada yada, etc. but damn it's nice.

Briliant work. Big thanks for this amazing guide!!!

I have updated my MBW + vintage Rolex reference guide with this link.

YM today.

Great rep, and SMP Chrono is an excellent choice. This is one of the reps I will never part with.

You seem to have the bezel correctly aligned, too. Very nice.

Welcome Paul!

Glad you have enjoyed my articles. Have fun!

Wow, glad to see this old review still gets read.

Besides the bad crown, the new ETA version has a bad screwup on the dial. It reads "AUTOMATIC" under the red GMT text, and it should read "CHRONOMETER".

The rep also has double-sided AR, which is inaccurate for this model. Gen GMT doesn't have any AR.

Stay away from that one, if you're looking for an accurate rep.

Everybody knows what are my 2 favorite chronos. Ah well, Omega and TAG aren't the most expensive ones, but very believeable... and both are superb replications, and look excellent on the wrist.

Don't confuse the "frozen" version with standard cheap Daytona reps.

The crappy Daytonas (usually very inaccurate) have constantly running stopwatch and faux 3' & 9' subdials. The one that I (and a few other members) have been talking about has the high-end replica case, and completely frozen stopwatch + 3' & 9' (all hands pointing at '12) subdials, and running seconds at '6. That particular replica model has nothing to do with those usual cheap Daytona reps.

The "frozen" version with high-end case is the one that might interest the members, not a cheap faux chrono Daytona with running stopwatch seconds and/or laughable calendar subdials.

Watchhonpo and Eddie Lee were the only ones (that I remember) who offered that very rare "frozen" version.

http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showtopic=25053

Excellent review. Thanks for taking the time.

There's no superb replication of the "McQueen" Explorer II, but this is fairly nice one. And just like you said, only the Rolex nerds would know. Enjoy!

Here's Pugwash's tutorial how to post the pics in "full size":

http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showtopic=8844

I merged the two wrist check threads.

Back from Stockholm, wearing my Explorer II. It has been on my wrist since Thursday.

Good (very) early Wednesday morning. Let's get this going.

My Wednesday watch:

Come on guys... EU, USA or Asia aren't very specific locations.

I'm not asking you to post your birth certificates or anything...

It would be nice if all members updated their LOCATION line in the profile (shown below the avatar). No specific location is needed, just general... such as:

EU

USA

Canada

Asia

Australia

When members sell/trade watches, or ask about customs, etc. they often forget to mention where they're located. If it's mentioned in your profile things will get much easier for others.

You can update this info in your "My Controls -> Edit Profile Information"

Please do it. It will only take 10 seconds.

Thanks.

With Asian 21J it's always bit of a gamble. I've had Asians that are COSC accurate, and ones that are +/-50 secs. But generally they're ok, and the power reserve is often excellent.

When you have many watches you rotate, the extreme accuracy doesn't even matter.

Impressive and versatile collection.

Thanks for sharing.

Glad to see you still have the Explorer II. I have the same one, and find the white dial the only way to go with this watch. I really think it's the most striking of all rolex dials, my opinion of course.

I agree. The black Explorer II is very nice as well... but it's the white one that really resembles the Explorer II.

Same with the GMT. I wear my red/black quite a lot too, but the Pepsi is the classic. It's nice to have them both.

I believe this watch could be a rather good investment in the long run, too. They're now producing the SMP only with the Co-Axial movement, and many people aren't too crazy about the lower bph. I suspect the classic Bond Seamaster might get more valuable in the preowned market.

Anyway... this is a great classic. Congrats!

There was a MBK/MBW version of the vintage GMT, but it was utter crap.

I have saved Kenzo's old sales pic. See here:

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i243/BT2112/gmt_old.jpg

Sorry, I'm not following here. What do you mean "dead giveaway"?

What's so blatantly wrong with the GMT insert? I thought it's fairly good quality.

And besides, how can an insert be a "dead giveaway", when most older GMT's in the preowned market have aftermarket inserts installed?

Thanks guys.

Yeah, I guess almost all longtime members remember when this watch came out. It was a smash hit... one of the first "super reps".

@TeeJay: They never produced this standard Bond SMP with correctly positioned HE valve. It was the 007 Seanaster version, which had the infamous SeaGull movement inside. The HE valve is too low on my watch. Strange that the gen SMP chrono has lower HE valve position, which is correctly positioned on the rep.

Aquaracer today.

Fantastic watch By-Tor, I currently have mine in Asian 21J (with pins instead of screws

Apart from the pins in the bracelet, are there any other key differences between the 'old stock' SMP and the current ETA SMP's offered by the dealers?

Actually, I have no idea.

I think some members have managed to get this exact same version (save the bracelet pins).

I don't go to the dealers' websites much. Maybe they still produce and sell this one?