omeega

A few thoughts on your original post... I have been into reps for several years now, and I think you're overestimating you're ability to spot a rep. At least not the decent reps on these boards. I've owned nearly every make - Rolex, Breitling, numerous Omegas, IWC, did all the research and looked at every photo of gen vs rep, compared them directly in the stores. It is still relatively difficult to immediately spot the better reps without having the person take it off and really inspecting it. I just saw a 50th anniversary submariner but I couldn't tell if it was real, and I got a decent look at it. And a the original batches of UPO's?! You basically need to look at the Omega logo up close to differentiate the rep. The second thing, I think it's somewhat overlooked at how difficult reverse-engineering a complex, highly crafted piece of machinery/jewelry is. I think they do a very good job with the reps well known on the boards. That said, you're right about small things like screws in the Seamaster bracelets, and for that matter the damn UPO logo. But overall, we're really lucky we have them at all and aren't busted for wearing them (in the US at least).

Great review, but the one flaw that led me to give this rep to my friend was not mentioned. I've brought it up every time this watch is mentioned, and people seem to blow it off. But the gen bracelet links get taller (not wider) as they approach the case. This gives the gen a much more rugged, beefy look. If you don't believe me, go try on a gen. The bezel on mine eventually died on me, it turned smoothly in either direction. But I wore mine in the shower, etc, and probably rusted the inner workings

I don't know the answer, but I'll gladly let my slevin be the first "correct" lume job of yours! Seriously...

Just kidding. kingwatches.net, trusted dealer here, has this rep.

Exactly. I would even look into the 007 SMP from precious time as your base, acquiring the aforementioned cheapo just for dial and bezel insert. This would probably be extremely close to gen, assuming everything fits (which is a big assumption).

OOPS!! I said 'blue gen' when I was actually referring to a good blue rep from one of our trusted dealers. Funny, after a few years our reps become the 'gens' of the rep world....

http://www.ioffer.com/i/James-Bond-007-Ltd...29-99--85177196 Here is some cheapo version, I don't know if I would even trust the dealer... But you could get one of these and a good blue gen from one of our dealers and swap face and bezel insert for a high quality rep.

And the top left "button" is the helium escape valve, essentially functionless on a replica. Yes, the middle right "button" is the normal "winder" known as a "crown" that adjusts the time and date. The top right button starts and stops the "stopwatch" (chronograph) and the bottom resets the stopwatch hands.

The large second hand which looks like a normal second hand is what you would consider the second-hand of the stopwatch. Push the top chrono pusher and it will start running in a somewhat smooth fashion. Push the top one again and it stops. Push the bottom pusher and it will reset to zero. You are essentially correct about the minutes at 3 and hours at 6, push the top pusher and these start along with the large chrono/second hand. The running seconds at nine subdial will be running all the time as a regular second hand on a watch would, smooth motion without ticking, keeping track of normal time. This does not change with the chronograph/stopwatch function.

I agree that this is probably legit. I researched this very listing last night, the regatta has further spaced subdials than normal chrono.

Best post in a long time. I took the final question as being rhetorical, because obviously it will never stop, that's the point.

I've never been over there, so I can't actually answer your question. But if I were going over there I would find 5 or 6 six watches I knew I wanted and research all the flaws in the best reps, get to know the watch better than if you had the gen. Only that way will you be able to wade through the piles of junk you'll no doubt encounter. There's going to be so many different watches that even if they were good reps you'd never be able to spot the key flaws that even the best reps can have.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again; the SMP Chrono black has a completely different bracelet than any other Omega, the links essentially get taller near the case. Some of the chrono's have polished middle links, some are brushed. Although the clasp from the SMP bracelet may be more accurate, the bracelet as a whole will not be.

TOP THIS: I went swimming and put my SMP in my pants pocket, and as I was carrying my clothes back to my friends dorm room I dropped my pants on the floor as the elevator opened. The SMP fell in the crack between the elevator and floor, falling 4 stories in the elevator shaft. After finally retrieving it, I found the band was torn off, the crystal missing, and the hands were completely bent. I wonder if the ETA movement still works?

I had, and now my friend has, this rep. It is excellent quality for the price. The overall look of the watch is accurate, the bezel and pearl are great, the dial and subdial were textured very well with so-so lume, and mine kept very good time. The suddial spacing is annoying, primarily because it affects the size of the hour marker at 3,6,9. The 'Omega' logo is wrong, the gens I've seen have the letters extending through middle versus the bottom. The chronograph on mine rarely reset exactly to zero, which I've heard is possible even in the gen. I think I bought mine from Josh, may have been Andrew. The watch stopped a day a two after receiving it, but my local watchsmith fixed it for like $30. Unfortunately I don't remember what was wrong. My primary issue, which led me to sell it, was the bracelet. I even replaced the clasp with a correct seamaster clasp, but the bracelet tapers on the rep getting narrower at the clasp, whereas with the gen it remains wide at the clasp like the blue smp or PO. The links are also thicker towards the case on the gen. NOT wider, but thicker, giving it a much beefier, tougher look and having the thickness of the bracelet match the size and thickness of the case. If you just like the look of this watch I highly recommend it. Personally, this has been my favorite watch for years and I will be buying the gen soon, so I sold mine to make room for reps of other watches I'm not as in love with (Slevin).