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OK. Here's where the whole argument breaks down. RWG mods are a bit like pub regulars who think that because they spend most of their life in a pub they could run one themselves.

Good luck to you guys. The only reason RWG exists is because there are (or were) people willing not to rob you of $$$$ (or

Yes, but is this just a shameless cash in or will Craig be sporting a non-007 branded black SMP in the film after all? I have to admit, bar the cheesy 007 logo, the watch does look quite sexy. Should be a piece of pi55 to rep.

The special editions never feature in the movies for reasons obvious. There's a fantasy black SMP with the correct bezel font already out there in rep-land so this should indeed be a doddle, once we get to see what the caseback looks like...

Edit...

Apparently the caseback carries the same 007 medallion as the last, swirly-face special edition, so mix these two and you are 90% there already...

Also noticed that I got my explaination from you, not Neil. Faster in communication as usual.

..and you have had the reasons explained why. Try covering your eyes and see how quickly you can type the above and send it.

FUD!

(some people just don't get it - selfish to the last.....)

How many flamewars like the ones you read about TTK can you find concerning Joshua or Andrew for example?? I haven

Jeezus.

I reckon if RWG had been posting Neil's obituary, first reply would be Hike saying 'I don't care if he's dead, where's my f'kn watch'.

Hike - you are not the first and certainly won't be the last in a queue of selfish bastards with unreasonable expectations.

sounds almost too good to be true.

Indeed.

Pricing is going to be interesting........

One other piece of advice that has been mentioned before but is worth repeating here. When removing the stem from ETA28xx series movement use only a correctly sized screwdriver that will fit the cutout that surrounds the release pin (1.2mm). Anything smaller and you risk pressing the release pin in too deeply and disturbing the keyless works when removing the stem. You'll know you have done this when the pin remains stuck down and the stem will not reset.

Right now I am wearing a Chopard GTXL. Skyped the order into Neil and had the watch within 2 weeks. It hasn't missed a beat.

I once bought a watch from Trsutywatchguy. The strap didn't fit and the movement was corroded. The replacement was also corroded.

Personal experiences count. Vendettas are something else......

Another giveaway is the moveable stud on the beat regulator arm on the ETA movement. The ST18 simply has a couple of brass rivets there instead.

Just so that you know - the rubber strap is the 20mm Seamaster Pro strap cobbled-to-fit job. The watch is the 45mm but with 20mm lugs Asian movement rep.

If the seller actually delivers what is pictured (and with 379 positive sales and no black marks there is no reason to think that won't happen) then this seriously undercuts the two cartel sellers who carry this piece, before you even take into account the box.

The seller's ETA stuff is well pricey though....

now moves are afoot on TRC to report this to the Police et all !!!!!!!! Now watch this fiasco turn into a disaster.

But hang on... Didn't someone say earlier in here that there was no way to 'police, prosecute or jail'.....?!

every $$$ sent to this scammer........was a further lack of investment in those dealers who have been working hard over MANY years to give you the best of service......the shame is on you all......and I won't even go into Admin....!

'Nuff said.

By due dilligence do you suggest that the Admins buy watches first??

What exactly is so reprehensible about that suggestion?

We are going round in circles here. Surely the whole situation serves as a warning to every forum that has an official or implied dealer approval system, therefor it is equally valid that it be discussed here?

I don't really see why you are calling for the discussion to be taken elsewhere, except perhaps to try and distance RWG from TRC......

some visit to improve their fortunes.

Unfortunately there are a few of the latter, who come to do so, through theft, deception, trickery and cunning. And we move them on, once they become known.

I repeat, no dealer should even be let in the door until the forum leaders have performed their due diligence. In the above case that clearly wasn't done.

However in the spirit of open discussion, which we do not seek to quash-

When you read the promotion in your local news, for "Slimming Tea", which doesn't work, or "100% pa return on investment", which you never get, do you contact the newspaper, and ask them to protect you? And would they be one bit interested? No way. Is the editor now the local police chief?

No, you are right. I'd go to Trading Standards instead. They would have the power to punish the sellers, stop the misleading adverts and sanction the newspapers who carry them......

Calm down, Ken. I'm just commenting!

Plus it is no secret that RWG and TRC are like VW and Audi, Coca Cola and Sprite. Two brands under the same umbrella.

What I am saying applies to both, and any other forum that sanctions dealers for that matter.

The precipitating situation is a warning for the future.....

I agree with the above sentiment, but this forum and (AFAIK) TRC charge fees to dealers in exchange for recognising their dealer status. In effect, a license to trade on the board.

That puts a certain onus on the licence issuer to vet the seller.

That's one hell of an accusation there, I'm am pretty sure TRC had no intention of using their members as guinea pigs, but like it or not the only way a new dealer can be tried is to let him sell.

The mere act of a 'trusted' forum introducing its members to a seller will imply to those members a certain level of approval, even if the introduction carries a disclaimer.

Setting up a section for a dealer sends the same message. No dealer should even be let in the door until the forum leaders have performed their due diligence, either through several verifiable recommendations from trusted members who have purchased from said new dealer, or by risking their own hard-earned.

Well folks, it looks like the 'buy at your own risk' approach failed.

The temptation to add new 'approved' dealers to a forum is a strong one for a variety of reasons, but the approval process can't be shortcut by using the members as guinea -pigs.....

Anyway, back on topic....

Hooray - Blu-Ray won the battle with HD-DVD, but it has already lost the war with (SD) DVD.

It isn't a big enough capacity jump over DVD-R to justify expensive upgrading (from a data storage point of view), and with the competition gone Sony will have no incentive to drop the prices to anything below premium-market levels, so we are now faced with a two-tier market with the overwhelming majority of people choosing to stay on the lower tier.

Blu-Ray will go the same way as SACD, and increased broadband speeds and VOD content, increased capacity and reduced footprint of hard-drives, and ever-reducing solid-state memory costs will eventually conspire to render (SD and HD) discs obsolete (except in the short term for the quality 'conscious' niche market snobs).

The stem will need to be shortened slightly. A relatively straightforward job for someone with a decent level of watch repair experience, but not something to be attempted by an amateur as you can screw up the keyless works on the ETA movement very easily if you use the incorrect tool to release the stem from the movement.

This thread is a good starting point for info.

Incidentally, the Silix PO seems to have improved somewhat over the version Jay has photographs of on their site. The pearl now looks much better. All that's needed to turn the above watch into a real 'ultimate PO basher' is a datewheel with the correct font..

I think I paid $159 from Abay for mine.

That was the 'for 2 weeks only carzy sale' introductory price!

I still have the birthday card Paul sent with mine

I recall Paul used to sell this for $178, with ETA movement... those were the good times.

$175 to be exact (when he was still known as 'aBay').

We're talking about whether a given product meets the expectations of a particular individual, and I'm sorry but you can't be RIGHT when it comes to that. Your opinion is your own.

Basing your expectations on a photograph is senseless when there is more information available to you. You wouldn't judge a restaurant from a photograph, or judge the driving experience of a car just by looking at it parked at the side of the road.

My opinion and every else's who has praised this particular strap is based on actually owning, touching and wearing one. Who's opinion is likely to be more accurate?!

Sorry, but I am sick of this 'you are so right, but...' approach that we have to take in order to avoid offending someone who can't handle the truth. If someone has the weight of opinion against them then they should accept it.

The weight of opinion bearing against you shouldn't be mistaken for aggression (but we are all so soft these days because 'wrong' has become a dirty word).

The Silix strap is good - one of the best rep straps there is. Plenty of people have said so. To disagree is to wilfully counter the statements of dozens of reputable members in here!

Review.

More 'opinions'.

OK, so it won't be 'perfect', but then if someone's standards are so high why are they even considering reps?!

How ironic that people use the gimmicks and frippery to 'reply' to my post above. Who says the art of intelligent conversation isn't dead....

PS. Welcome back, Randy. Hope you don't find the new ambience here too off-putting.