Motoman4540

Lange & Sohne Datograph Flyback with a nice Croc strap... Super-classy and my only non-AP watch and the one I wear with a suit for work..

It's my favorite, with Imaknockov's forged carbon parts.... Fantastic!

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I've had my Datograph RG for a year. I put. a Hirsch glossy croc strap on it and it is a stunner dress watch. Highly recommended. It keeps perfect time and looks great. I've not had any problems with the screws on mine either. I'm an AP guy, but this is the dress watch!

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I'm a returning customer and no matter what vac says, it's always three months. Seems to just be the way it is....

I couldn't appreciate AR until I had it done on my Don Ramon. Seemed like a waste of time and money, but I figured that the "experts" have more experience and are gungho about it for a reason. So while it was at Vac's anyway, I took the leap of faith. The AR adds a difficult to quantify quality to it. The dial seems to pop out more, and the watch looks more gen-like. Now aim in the process of having each of my APs AR'd. They just look better, sharper. Try one and see how you like it. I'm happy that I did!

Beautiful! Out of curiosity, how long did it take to get back?

I would check with Ryan at intime... He is my "go to" guy for AP watches. . . Email him and he'll tell you what is available . . .

I was going to post a similar question. My brand new AP A7750 will advance the date with the quick-set and when I advance the hands manually, but will not change the date just by running . . . Is this a simple issue or a big issue to fix? I am not sure of the mechanism, but maybe whatever changes the datewheel needs a little too much pressure for the watch to supply itself, which might explain why it changes when I advance it manually . . .?

I'm coming a little late to this party -- just picked up a GP RG with Imaknockov's FC parts from another member -- I have to say that this project is sick beyond words!  With the gen strap, it is magnificent! It looks like now, after shelling out big bucks for this rep, I'm going to have to shell out even more big bucks for this strap as well!  Well done, Mr. Z!!

The blue dial model is not available, unless you can find one from another member.  I have the titanium, which is my regular casual AP.  With the faceplate mod, definitely get the double AR -- huge difference -- and you'll need a relume, since the lume is, at least on my RB2, virtually nonexistent.

Depends on how you take care of it.  The Don Ramon lies flat on your wrist, so the caseback is where the wear is. I would think that you can coat the case back with a thin layer of acrylic or similar so that the plating would not come into contact with your skin.  On the Montoya, which I also have, the main point of contact is the  largely the crystal portion of the case back (although the crown probably gets a decent amount of wear from having to set it all the time), and would probably last longer just for that reason.  I think that of the two, I like my Montoya "more" than my Don Ramon and it gets more wrist time, but they are both beautiful, as Sardonix's pictures accurately show!

I have a Montoya, and it is a very sweet watch.  I highly recommend one. 

I love my Don Ramon (if I ever get it back from being serviced, that is).  But Sardonix, why didn't Domi put the crystal back on your watch?  Isn't that bad for it?

Nice!  I am lusting after that!  Ryan is definitely my "go-to" guy . . not only great service, but also super fast shipping because he ships from Shanghai rather than Guanghzou.

Thanks!  I like the watch enough that I will probably just send it off to Vac for a full service and possibly AR and in the course of the movement service, he will fix this issue . . .  But if you know a god watchsmith in Miami so that it does not disappear for 2 months, let me know!

I just got my RB2 in titanium from Ryan a couple of weeks ago.  It is an amazing rep. For true authenticity, the plate mod must be done, but unless you own a gen to compare it to or you frequent these forums, I doubt that anybody would know the difference. Let's face it . . . there are only 1,000 in the wild. Unless you are on these forums, you would never know the specific "tells" for this watch.  I have several friends that all have various AP gens (Tourbillon Concept, T3, Alinghi Carbon, Panda) and they have all looked at my RB2, RGRC or Don Ramon de la Cruz at a party or over dinner and not had a clue that they were reps.  

Come on, guys.  You are being unnecessarily harsh.  It's clearly a Rubens Barrichello RG with a Grand Prix dial . . . the guy probably didn't like the skeletonized dial on the Rubens.  When he replaced the dial, he probably lost the hands and had to get some new ones wherever he could.  Only 500 RB2's in RG . . . how many of those do you think have a GP dial? it's probably ultra-rare!  And the spelling error on the Tachy ring . . . Look at how valuable stamps are when they have printing errors on them . . . $3,000 was probably a bargain for such a rare piece!

There are a zillion places to get straps.  HKTan, Donerix, Serge D, all have great reputations.  Your mileage may vary, as I have not ordered a custom strap for any of my AP's,  but check the straps section here and on the other forum sites. They may also hook you up with the hardware, or you can contact a TD that you bought from and see if the TD can source the screw for you, or possibly one of the watchsmiths like Domi, since you're in the UK.  Matter of fact, send your Rubens Barrichello to Domi for a top plate mod to fix the readily obvious "tell" (or at least the major one) and I'll bet he'll put the new strap on and get the missing screw as well!

My prized AP RGRC worked perfectly for a month.  Yesterday, I tried to reset the time (it had stopped overnight) and although I could pull the stem out to change the date, It would not "click" into position to change the time.  It just springs back to the date setting position.  Fiddling with it a little (i.e., trying it a few times) finally got it into place, but it's my favorite watch and I am now worried.  Is this something that is an easy fix for a local watchsmith, or is it serious enough to have to send back to the TD?

Too late!  Already addicted!  Only took seeing the RGRC on my wrist and that was it!

Glad to hear it!  I just hope that it doesn't take too long!  

I got mine last week and it is gorgeous!  The rep strap is not even that bad, although I think that an expensive watch needs a step up in band too . . .

Quick question: Is the Don Ramon supposed to be lumed?  Mine has none at all . . .

    I love the Don Ramon, and so I have no problem getting it in tip-top shape.  I just hate to see it go for a month or so. . . . I may have to buy an AP Panda to alternate with by RGRC while I'm waiting, LOL!

I told my TD as soon as I opened the package, and so he knows about it.  He said to keep an eye on it and see what happens.  Still keeps fine time and I actually think the noise has improved a little since I removed the caseback.  Nonetheless, I was going to take it to a local watchsmith that works on reps, but I figured that since I love the watch, I already reached out to Vac, thinking that I might as well get it serviced.  Also, it doesn't look like the Don Ramon comes lumed, and I thought that maybe I would have him lume it while he had it, killing two birds with one stone!

I was on Andrew's site looking at a couple of AP's and noticed that he is offering a full watch servicing for $120, which includes seals, waterproofing to 5 ATM, tearing down the movement and cleaning it, re-lubricating, etc . . . Has anyone used this service?  Since I only buy reps with A7750's, the idea of being able to not only buy from a TD but also get the watch serviced quite reasonably before receiving it seems like an excellent idea.  Has anyone used Trusty Time's watch servicing?  How is it?