garethsm

Obviously I didn't at the time, no... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The AP Conversion was necessary since the lugs on the rep strap that came with the watch were permanently fixed, and the shark strap didn't come with any. Luckily I didn't pay full price on them (even though I listed their full present retail in the 'value' calculation) and in terms of the sale price, I've basically considered them thrown in, based on ~$425 for the head and ~$100 for the band. Of course, I expect negotiation from anyone over the prices I've listed, and would hope to end up with about $400 for the head or $500 all-in, so it looks like I'm about right based on the suggestions offered... for now! Thanks again for all the advice!

Thank you Legend and 508Fanatic for the responses! I'm glad to hear I wasn't somehow way off on price, and waiting it out was my plan anyway. I'm not desperate to sell so I can afford to give the perfect buyer time to find their perfect watch. This alone makes posting in the AP room worthwhile! I will correct the listing posthaste. I didn't pay much attention to the model name when I bought it, I just loved the contrast design. I wonder if Joshua knows he has it listed incorrectly? Re: offering an option to sell separately, I was thinking along the same lines and added that to the listing with my last price reduction. Thanks again! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hello! I have a ROO White Themes for sale in the trading section (Disclaimer: I'm genuinely not trying to plug the sale - just get some advice). I thought it would sell quickly, but other than a few messages of interest that didn't go anywhere--two of whom even made offers I accepted but then didn't reply--I'm at a bit of a loss. It's a White Themes from Joshua on an AP Bands shark strap with deployant, and is currently priced at $525 shipped to CONUS, which I thought was pretty fair. I've sold a load of watches on here over the years (albeit most of them before the feedback system - hence my relatively lower score) and they've always moved. My question is this: am I just off on my price expectations, or is it simply the fact there are fewer buyers at the ~$500 price point? In other words, should I be reconsidering my price point and/or buying a cheaper rep strap so I can sell watch and band separately, OR should I just wait for the right buyer to come along? Again, I'm really, really not trying to plug the sale, which is why I'm not linking to it here. I figure most people who frequent the AP forum will have seen it already, anyway. But as a casual collector, I'd welcome any advice you can offer as people who undoubtedly know the deal with AP rep sales! Thanks in advance for any constructive advice. Gareth

Hi all! I just received a IWC Big Pilot 5019 Miramar from Joshua and I love this watch. It looks great! However, the automatic winding rotor makes a clicking, grinding noise with every movement. It sounds like a manual wind (amplified by the big case), except it happens every time I move my arm! I have plenty of other automatics and am used to the whir of a winding rotor, but have never heard this gear clicking before. And I've tried searching the forums and online for a solution but it most of the noise complaints are of the whirring or rattling kind. It's a little hard to describe, so I've attached a couple of videos to show what I'm talking about. As you will be able to hear, it is so loud even when moved gently, that the watch is basically unwearable right now. Any advice anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated... Thanks in advance! PS I asked Joshua about this, and sent him a video: he said it was normal noise and just louder because of the big case... but none of my other Autos have ever done it, so there must be a way to at least improve it! IMG_4507.MOV.mov IMG_4516.MOV.mov

One thing that no-one seems to have mentioned is the design. Parts and labor obviously come into it, as does marketing and development, but most of us love our watches for their beauty as much as their function, and Rep makers don't design anything. They just copy someone else's inspiration. Coming from a creative industry (I work in the movie biz) I know that the few people who rise to the top are generally true geniuses, one way or another, and they don't come cheap. That beautiful bezel on an AP Royal Oak, the crown guard on a Panerai, the hypnotic dial on an IWC: those things come down to more than just materials. And even though current designers may only be creating variations on themes most of the time, that original design, and the heritage that comes with it, is what, IMO, makes the gens so valuable. An infinite number of monkeys given an infinite amount of time might be able to come up with Shakespeare, but even given the very best materials and skilled laborers, I'm willing to bet there isn't a factory in the world that could come up with a watch we would consider half as beautiful as the watches we would gladly pay thousands for if only we had the disposable income.

This is indeed sad... both the retraction of the trades, and the fact that it's possible replacements are being discussed openly for the Swissies to see!!! I still plan to upgrade to VIP regardless, though - this is a great forum full of information, and has guided me toward GREAT reps versus the 'just okay' ones I was buying before. It's just a shame I can't now sell my 'orphans' through here now, which I was planning this weekend simply to fund the next couple of purchases. Trading among members of the various forums keeps the industry alive!

My first rep was a horribly bad quartz Cartier Santos, picked up for $50 on iOffer (which, by the way, is certainly the Internet's closest approximation of Canal Street!) But it did give me a taste of the replica world and created a habit which has led to a full watch box not more than a year or so on. I didn't wear the Cartier for long once I started getting some truly good watches, and I will never show it in public again - but as the one that started me off, I'll always be fond of it! Remember, Jacobsen, most of the world has no idea what a Panerai looks like; and the majority those who do won't know much about them beyond the crown guard and size. Just enjoy it!

There are a TON of reps advertised on ioffer.com, ranging from the high end to pure rubbish; but when you look at the feedback sections for the most prominent sellers on there, they seem to be shifting dozens every day. Now, I would think even that site represents only a small area of the marketplace, as it is not particularly well known, so the actual volumes shifted worldwide must be huge...

Hello there - I'm a newbie to the forum (first post!) but have a collection of about ten good reps already. Will post more soon, but wondering, is this the 089 from Joshua's site? I've been looking at it longingly but had doubts about the anthracite finish in his pictures, but yours looks fantastic! Congrats, and thank you! Gareth