archibald

This remains an open question. Our original idea was to see if there is a way to create a very cheap, durable, easy-to-install and accurate solution ito the datewheel problem that works on a wide range of (or even all) watches. It's been a process of trial and error but we're 99.9% of the way there. At this point, we've determined that our technique is 1:1 accurate, is durable, and easy to install. Now we just need to find out which movements it is applicable to. We know the technique will work w/ some versions of the Asia 21J but we're still working on finding out if it will work on all variations (PR, etc). The asia 7750 may be able to be ordered as soon as the end of next week. We've gotten our technology, materials suppliers, craftsmen organized so that once we release the first wheel, our turnaround will be a less than a week for each model we decide to do....and the more we print the lower our costs get at all phases of the process. Since this is a hobby we all love and not a business, we're not going to double up on anyone else's project...although if we find ourselves having to compete on any versions we release first to avoid taking a loss, we can become businessmen real quick.

Yup, it's in the car---give me five min....

Chad, the font itself is not wrong. There are several ways to "set" a font that makes it look different from its "base" look. You can tell by the A the P and the N that Davidsen figured out the right font. He just did a wholly inadequate job of setting the typeface, thus the spacing and size problems you're seeing. The color problem, I bet, is because Davidesen does not have the capability to print using a pure white spot color--when that happens people use the lightest shade of yellow or gray they can.

Absolutely. But, hey, the house next door apparently has a wireless network.....

I believe these are the same fonts, but different kerning and boldness applied to them. Maybe OP uses Bold Condensed? Davidsen's letters should definitelyt be squeezed a little--not the spacing between them, but rather each letter itself. Also, it looks like the gen definitely uses the bold version of the font while davidsen tried to copy the thickness by adjusting the letters. Doesn't provide the same look. If anyone can tell me what the OEM font is, I'd be happy to make a 1:1 vector file and email it to anyone w/ dial printing capabilites by the end of the day. Below is a side by side of a Davidsenjpn dial and a gen.

This problem can be fixed at the same time the font is fixed...

That's one small step for mAn, one giant leap for mAnkind. Wrong font or right font..Davidsen has gone where no repmaker has dared venture before, the uncharted territory of the correct A's. Is it the wrong font? I've looked at so many fonts recently, I couldn't tell the difference beteen Arial and Wingdings. ON EDIT: On the downside, Davidsen seems to be charging a $40 per "A" premium over comparable models...

Thoughts and sympathy to you and your family, Neil.

No, Jimmy's CG's are correct for the 44mm A-F series, auto and handwind. They're not correct for any version G-I series or for the "Pre-A" models. God, it'd be great if finepics' 1:1 G-H guard project comes together. Aside form the "reg -tm" watches, some of the subs, etc they would make a bunch of reps infinitely better!

As far as new PAMs go, unless it has a blue or anthracite dial, I won't be feeling much christmas cheer, but I'd be totally up for an improvement of some of my existing reps. Man, w/ the Chpoard and whatever else they put out, I smell a 5 grand christmas--2500 on reps and 2500 in bribe jewelry for the missus!

Can't wait to see the pics. An interesting note. My dad who fought in Korea bought a Rolex on R&R in japan. Wore it for years, till one day, in the late 60's, he took it in to get fixed. It was a rep! They were making Rolex reps in the 50's (and probably back then there really were Japanese Rolex reps). I'd almost think an early rolex rep would be worth more than some of their more common and inexpensive gens from the same era.

Noobs: The tape or other covering of the brushed surfaces is very important--don't try to blow that off. Hit the polished surfaces w/ cape cod, and the brushed w/ a normal polishing cloth. Another tip: I've found the finish on almost all rep crowns to be underwhelming: One of the first thing I do is take them out of the movement leaving the stem on (an easy job on most watches), give them a going over w/ that really fuzzy dremel polishing pad and some rouge depending on the crown's roughness, and then wrap the cape cod cloth around a thin metal object (the thinness depends on the space between the crown's teeth-the dull top side of a fine bladed knife usually does the trick)and do the spaces between the teeth. Lastly, wrap the dry polishing cloth around the metal object and repeat. You'll be amazed at the improvement.

First, thanks Kruzer00, for the excuse for a rant...why can't they or won't they make an accurate crown guard in china is not the question. I've modified my intentional flaw theory. I still think they purposely stop themselves shy of 1:1, but their attitude is, "Get a life, you anal-retentive, cheap ass jackasses. We make these thing close enough to sell thousands of these things a month. The hell if we're going to worry about cg levers or parts of letters or a couple of numbers on a caseback. You want a 1:1 guard, you make it." The question is this: are there enough no-life. anal-retentive jackasses like us for an enterprising small-businessman w/ access to a CNC shop to generate a tidy profit for themselves making a truly accurate H series guards? I think that answer is yes--especially since the current H series rep guards are more off than the rep guards from the A-F series were. Can someone please do a run of these? I don't know what Jimmy's per-piece profit margin was, but whatever it is you would make 100X that in three days.

Nicework! I agree that that most pins on gen PAMs are flush. Question: I'd like to do this on one of mine, but it has a milled lever to accomodate a lello crown--will this pin mod affect the operation or the position of the lever in any way?

I got an out of the office autoreply from the email addy I have last thursday so I be he's traveling...

Need to tap the RWG Rolex brain trust... After a looooong time looking, I finally found a rose gold TOG bezel from a usually reliable source. Man, that bad boy is expensive. Anyway, before I shell out well over a grand on the bezel & a RG/SS bracelet, and go through the hassle of tracking down a RG crown (or having a SS one plated) I want to be sure there's a way to make the bezel fit. Watchwatcher believes the TOG is 38mm--if that's true, it's a no go. I still have a thread of hope, though, because every Web Rolex reference except one says the TOG is 36mm like the rest of the DJ's. So, can anyone verify the dia. of the TOG and/or confirm a gen bezel can be made to fit the rep? Also, do they make RG DateJust rep hands (for a RG president, maybe?) or will I have to have the YG TOG rep hands plated to match the bezel?

What I find hilarious (if it weren't so dumb) is the arrow pointing at the phony screws, telling me "these would be 1.3mm if they were real. The good news is for $3,56 we anals can buy 4 of the 1.25mm hex screws below, dremel off the threaded part, drill a round hole using the phony screws as a guide, and glue the head in place.....maybe. But it would be nicer if the factory, as long as they're milling cases anyway, would just do it. I guess the 5 bucks of additional overhead would double the cost of the case....

That's a pretty watch. Wonder if they'll do an asia 7750 version of the round chrono, which is another nice watch.

Not to mention the futility of paying that kind of money for a watch that 99.999% of the people wouldn't appreciate and which the .0001% of the people who do appreciate it would assume is fake anyway.

Personally, I'd buy a great sub rep and a gen that can't be repped (I operate under the principle that a rep is truly just a rep, but that buying a gen of well repped watch is flushing money away) but if you're dead set on a gen Rolex the seadweller is the way to go. I wouldn't be surprised if an excellent rep of the Seadweller came out tomorrow, but so far, they seem content to use the (incorrect) sub cases for them.

Normally, I'd be w/ clive on the back, which I rarely sweat. But, as tvt points out, the issue is the 1:1 crap that has become way too common even among our best dealers. Want to call the rep you're selling 1:1? Great, make it 1:1. Otherwise say, "1:1 except we opted to save .85 cents by drawing the hex nuts on the back w/ magic markers." Or whatever. If anyone ever did see the back and those cheesy drawn-on screws I'd be embarrassed, not for having a rep but for having a rep with cheesy drawn-on screws--with a little arrow telling me the cheesy drawn-on screws are 1.3mm in size!. The good news is that it there may be a possible mod. I bet those yellow drawers at the hardware store are filled w/ hex screws very similar to the ones found in the gen. Shave off the screw part, drill the case a little, and glue the heads in and I think you'll have a back that looks like the gen. A couple of bucks. In the meantime, I wish the 1:1 [censored] would finally go away.

If enough people want these, it can probably be done. Just depends on whether 30-40 people would be interested in shelling out $15-20 for the fix.

ajoesmith, if you're willing to pay for it, I can direct DN, who lives in my area, to an excellent rep friendly watchsmith.

I bet an enterprising aftermarket parts supplier will offer an orange dial/PVD coat service package deal for the 46mm rep...easy profit IMO. But if the factory opts to save 85 cents by not milling out some (non-functional even) hexegon holes on the back, there's no way I pay even close to what they're going to ask for this watch. BTW, is the gen caseback different on the PVD than on the SS?

Granted I'm the guy who told my brother it was throwing money down the [censored] to buy Microstrategies @ $80, but I see no potential for this brand to take off--it has no "look" of its own a la Muller or Panerai. Itjust looks like every other one of the Grade C swiss "fashion" watches--not even as interesting as the half-interesting Ritmo...to me it looks like they're trying to knock off technomarine it you can believe anyone would want to do that.