By-Tor

@Ubi: Too bad I can't make any mods with my clumsy big hands. But if someone had a franken-BCE for sale in EU, here's a buyer.

Honestly I don't think BCE is a great option as a gen... very expensive for what it offers technically. Great finish and details but it has "outhouse movement" and all... I'm not a movement snob but $4K is still way too much for a ETA7750 watch for me. You can get a Ebel BTR with wayyyy superior inhouse movement for the same money.

@db2: You're right, new SO is not my thing. Not impressed with that one at all. I prefer the classic Breits.

The main thing I dislike on all "graphite" BCE's are the sticks. No matter how accurate the watch is, the lume and sticks aren't up to par with gen. v2 might have a little whiter and nicer sticks but they're always a bit sloppy. This became very apparent after handling the gen just recently. The sticks on gen dial are stunningly smooth.

How about this version? It never got much attention... v3 with Arabic numerals. Eliminates the "stick issue" completely.

Are the numbers on the dial accurate to the gen... and how about this watch overall? Doesn't look too shabby to me.

Anyone owns v3 with arabic numbers... pics please! I need more 'Lings but I have to decide what to get next. BCE or blue Seawolf on Pro2, decisions decisions...

BHEAUTIFULL!

Brilliant (review and the watch).

I will add this to the TAG Guide asap. Thanks for takin' the time, it was fantastic read.

Poor Rolex. I hope they can survive from this. Does this mean they have to increase their service costs now? I was quoted €500 for a full one... maybe those "bargain days" are gone now.

It's also true that there haven't been many popular reps released lately. I mean, all the most popular Breitlings, Omegas, Tag Heuers and Rolexes have been repped very nicely.

If you think about the current selection, it's nearly perfect. One factor is that new watch designs from say, Breitling and Rolex aren't very desirable, at least not for me. Both brands have released weird looking models and moved away from their traditional design. I mean, who is overly excited about the new fatlugs Submariner or Chronomat B01? Not many...

It's just you man. I love my reps and gens, although I haven't bought anything new in a long time.

However it took me years to get to this point and find out what I really want.

My best reps and frankens feel every bit as nice as my gens. Well, 95% anyway. The key is to appreciate what you already have, and not what you don't have.

They're just watches, reps and gens. They won't get any more exciting than that.

As for that Rado, I think it's quite nice.

Yeah but not on a '8 wrist.

It'd be a good looking LADIES watch, imho.

Breitling!

Here's another version.

Pics from Breitlingsource.

Check how the lume has been applied at '12 '9 and '6. Doesn't look that convincing to me (if you remember how expensive watch this is).

It's interesting that ANYTHING below 40mm is not desirable by the collectors today. At all. But those big vintage watches like PloProf are a hot topic now... those very large and clumsy looking old Seamaster chronos demand pretty high prices too. Any 40mm vintage sports Rolex costs a ton, but good luck on landing any decent cash from your vintage DateJust or Precision.

When I was a kid I remember thinking how thick and clumsy DateJust looked. Those slim and feminine models like Rado used to be trendy and cool. What would you say if I posted a watch like this to the next wrist check?

Transformer from bklm1234 (if they're still available)

Read this.

Good luck!

The next big trend is forecast to be the phone watch I think things will progress from that in terms of what the wrist piece we wear will do....

That might very well be possible in the future, but I doubt that kind of watch phone would be in the same market competing against the luxury brands like Rolex and Breitling.

The thing is, mechanical automatic movements are yesterday. I mean, they don't make any sense technically even now, as they're less accurate than quartz and require expensive servicing. That's why practical and "cheapish" solutions like digital watch phones don't possess a threat (imho).

I'd place that kind of invention to the same basket with this one.

I was just browsing some old models of the luxury brands, and found stuff like this.

Old Breitling Chronomat.

Old Omega Seamaster.

Rolex Precision.

Old Ebel Discovery.

Old TAG Professional.

You know, watches from the 80's. Not very desirable by today's standards. All of these look very, very dated to me.

Except for this TAG which is an exception... probably because it looks a lot like Submariner (which has maintained its attraction over the decades).

Sure there are nice watches from the eighties too... but no one wants these ca. 38mm models right now... if you like smaller watches you can find very fine watches for very cheap.

I was wondering how the watches are going to be in the next 10-20 years... will our oversized watches look silly again when the trends turn back to smaller watches... or maybe the XXL watches are here to stay?

What are the 80's models, besides sports Rolexes, that have stood against the test of time?

And what current models will be future classics? What models are trendy now, but despised by the collectors in the future?

Thoughts?

Still not liking B getting away from the styling they are known for.

Ditto. Not a big fan of these new models, either. That pimply pearl and large date ruin this watch for me.

If it's your car forum, I would simply ban this joker. It's definitely a rep, and a bad one at that.

I love the AP but the seconds at '12 is a shaky movement. And how could you resist the WM9 I wonder...

2893-2 doesn't have a correct hand stack. Unless you use your 12h hand as the 24h hand (and vice versa).

Hi Stephane! Good to see you mate...

This big boy today.

Oldschool Seamaster Chrono.

Mine has gen insert, pin bracelet and ETA dw though... but the base watch is pretty much perfect.

It's a ok looking watch but why would anyone choose this one over the XL Steelfish is beyond me (unless you have small wrists and Fish wears too big for you).

The dial isn't very attractive to my eye, either... Invicta-style, while XL Fish has an amazing 3D Guilloche dial.

I think I'll pass...

It's pretty and more reasonably sized than the SA. Is this newer model or what do you think was the reason they never repped it?

This blue beauty today.

There WAS a replica of this watch. Ironically it was A21J Automatic while the gen is quartz.

This was the rep.

I doubt it's available anywhere now. Narikaa is your best bet... ask him to source one for you from his China trips.

Happy hunting!

$1300 neg

That sounds very reasonable to me.