TeeJay

Much better with the Dauphine hands

I'm no expert on these movements, but if I recall, the a7750 is only unreliable when modified to put seconds at six, but very reliable when left in the original configuration of seconds at nine

As Ken's said, if that was a gen item, it would be priceless As a rep item, it's still awesome for its uniqueness, that would definitely be a keeper for me

They're what matter the most

It looks really nice, but I'm not 100% on the hands, they may be a tiny bit small... Dauphine hands should be fine

100 % pure class

After once wearing a Casio so tight it left an imprint on my wrist (and during the summer, the sweat made exzma flare up) I've always worn my watches a little loose, just to allow for a bit of movement and for air to circulate. I can just about get the first phalange of my index finger between the strap and my wrist. The only straps I will wear tighter, are NATO or velcro straps, as I find they need that extra tension to keep the watch in place. My biggest thumbs up, has got to go to the silicone Tropic-Style strap I got a few weeks back. The totally flat silicone strap I bought last year (and somehow lost ) used to trap moisture or sweat just a little too much to be comfortable, but with its vented back, the Tropic-Style has none of that issue. In terms of aesthetics, the raised sides of the strap give it a real feeling of thickness, almost like a PAM strap, without being over the top, and the basket-weave texture just gives an interesting finish, and is surprisingly classy, if worn with a DJ-sized watch. Obviously not as good as a leather strap with a 'dress watch', but certainly better than a smooth rubber strap, and that little bit more durable When I first got the strap, it was only my intention to wear it on watches during the summer/hot weather etc, but I'm contemplating making it a permanant feature

Fantastic vintaging work

It would also help to know what functions you require in a watch, and the kind of conditions it will be subjected to, as these are crucial factors as to what might be the best watch for you

Personally, I just consider it all part of the same problem: Person pays for X, dealer deliberately sends them Y. I appreciate that sometimes a mistake in order packing could happen, afterall, human error is always a possibility, so it should always be considered, but anything other than human error, it is not acceptable. As above, there have not been many reported instances of this in the last 12-18 months, so that is a positive thing

There have been several threads in the past about dealers claiming to be selling ETA movements, but there being something quite different 'under the hood'. I got sick of wasting my time trying to discuss the issue, as at the end of the day, no-one wanted to hear that their favorite dealers were pulling their pants down. To be fair, there have been less complaints of this happening in the last 12-18 months

Should be fairly easy to repair... If there's any damage to the movement or stem, then they might need replacing, if the crown came unscrewed, it could be a sign that the threads in the crown and tube have worn, so it might be necessary to replace the crown and tube. Best of luck

I kind of like the PP Nautilus, but never liked it enough to actually buy a rep. At the end of the day, I guess I just don't like Genta's designs. APs don't do anything for me either. There are one or two models I like, but mostly, I just think they're really ugly and overly cluttered dials. Likewise, the Hublot Big Bang has never appealed to me either...

I've heard a similar thing said about that's how Rolexes are viewed in Spain as well.

It looks fantastic

The things I don't like about them, are that they mar the line of the crystal, and unless you're looking at the watch at the right angle, they can often obscure the date window rather than magnifying it

Never had a problem with any Omega rep, (or any other reps, for that matter) in conditions from showering/bathing, to swimming against a wave machine. I've read that a watch is more likely to leak under slight immersion, such as under a faucet or bathing, than it is under greater pressure such as diving, as if there are any 'micro leaks', the increased pressure closes them. I've found that if it doesn't fog up from holding under a running faucet, it's not going to leak under other circumstances (not tried diving/scuba with a rep yet or had one pressure tested...) Only ever had one Panerai which leaked, I sent it back for replacement, and the replacement was fine. All this "don't get reps wet" rhetoric is mostly BS. As long as the watch is well made, and well maintained, there shouldn't be an issue

Cyclopses. Absolutely hate them

Given the comments Freddy has made about Kent Parks, ie delays in communications and the necessity to remind him of the particular requirements for the commission, (or incorrect work can occur) I would not feel comfortable considering him for any of my projects...

Very nice There's definitely something about YMs, very versatile watches I predict the 1655 will be the first to leave Interesting that the Cartel boys have put a movement with an independently adjustable GMT hand in it, but hey, it's increased functionality, tracking two timezones is better than one

Once you find that perfect combo, there's no need to swap to something else

I quite agree with what you mean, with regards the customization of a known item. What I was meaning, using the GT as an example, is that while the owner might indeed like the wheels they put on (and at the end of the day, that is all that matters, as they're the one driving/wearing the item) there are other styles of wheels, if they had to have custom, which could have been fitted, which would have been 'more complimentary' to the original design What I was meaning, is that there is the fantasy project which is still 'in the style of', and the fantasy project which is less congruent to the original design [Edit to add] Here is an example of how 'customization' can be positive: If someone were to build a project of this watch, someone might think that it was 'just a fantasy model', where it would in fact be a recreation of an existing custom piece. I suspect this piece to be 'the missing link' of design evolution between the 1655 and the modern Explorer II, so that in itself, is an illustration of customer feedback and requests, being made into company policy, such as how the Submariner and Sea-Dweller lines have evolved

I can see what you mean, and of course, to each his own I think the Abyss might be a 'less controversial' project if it was simply a case of 'future-aging' the case and components, rather than modifying and replacing them with other parts.

+1 I agree with everything you've said (and am very much the same in that I prefer 'custom' over 'stock') but I think that boldened part really says it all, and I think that by simply 'building to an established design', people are not fully utilizing their creativity to the maximum. I would agree that the bottom car is probably not the best suited for that model of wheels, however, if it was to have a set of these wheels instead... ...while still custom, I think it would be more 'in keeping' with the overall aesthetic of the car than what is currently fitted