TeeJay

That's a really nice watch, interesting that the dimensions are accurate and not just a re-dialled DateJust, it looks like a really nice quality build

As stated before... those new Subs look like our old reps with those gigantic crown guards.

That green is pretty terrible but then again it has nothing to do with the watch design... that color would look terrible on any watch.

New "fat lugs" Rolexes leave me cold. Not that the new Sub case is ugly or anything, it's just not the same classic anymore. Just think about it guys, current Sub case has been on production since 1680 (over 40 years) with virtually zero changes. Why touch something that's perfect just for the sake of it? I don't get it.

+2 As Gorillladame said, they just look nasty... Something of an irony that the rep manufacturers had the Ceramic Noir Sub out way before Rolex, now the gens are copying the 'copies'

Automatic ma brotha..

Much appreciated

and to you my friend T, i can speak for me only but i dont think im alone with this point im a singel man (girls here and there ) and thats because i didnt find the right one for a wedding.. but i tell you this,for the right one, i would sell more then only my watches to make the one happy who makes me happy

you did the right thing my friend...

and you know what? comes time ..comes watch.. maybe sooner then you think

Thanks, bro, absolutely, although there are certainly some watches which I miss, I don't regret selling the collection at all, as it really was worth it I'll be sure to keep an eye on the post

live by the sword.. etc. etc. ..... those who know TJ .. know that he does not speak out to flame any thread.. but speaks his true feelings..

and that is to be respected in a day and age self gratification and keeping neutral to issues that some think but do not speak out on.

Thanks, bro, always good to know you've got my back

Thats quite a collection, both of reps and gens I had to sell my rep collection to finance my wedding a year ago, and am still trying to work my way to a financial position where I can start indulging the addiction again...

First time I have ever heard you speak out of anger TeeJay, corect me If Im wrong. It sounds to me that this guy could really piss some people off big time,wow

Correction: I wasn't angry when I wrote that, just stating my feelings about Neil...

{Edit to add}

As I said before, my level of 'sensitivity' directly equates to the level of courtesy which Neil showed towards others and myself...

Thanks, T, yeah, I'll probably leave it pretty much the way it is I suppose.

Any time, bro As above, it's 'consistent to itself', in that all the parts are from the same era, so nothing really looks out of place

That's absolutely awesome as well

I've smacked myself in the eye with a PAM while sleeping and had a nice shiner for a few days

well lets give it one...

How about Coke Zero?

Ken

Oooooooh, now that I like I had an idea for a rather tasty Rolex GMT the other day... Regular GMT or GMT II dial, GMT hand stripped of paint to bare metal, as on the rootbeer GMT, then fitted with an aftermarket black and silver insert I think it'd look good

T, Yeah, this one is pretty much custom all the way and will never even come close to passing off as "real" but that wasn't the point. Perhaps I'll try to remove the coronet and "Rolex" from the dial and add something else? I just figured it'd be neat to have a no-date that was easy to read without my specs on! I also wanted to experiment with removing and installing the markers so I got a lot of my objectives accomplished with two, actually, left - machining a movement spacer/ring and "lightly aging" the insert...

I want to add just a bit of fading to the insert so that it will look a few years old so as to lend legitimacy to the nicks, dents, gouges, etc. produced by being clamped in a vise, filed and drilled on, etc.! I'd rather the watch look well-worn and several years old then me look like a ham-handed careless twit!

I have a "nekkid" date dial, you want it for a future project?

Bro, you say that it would never pass as real, and with someone who 'knows their Rolexes', I'd agree... However... I bet most members of the public would accept it as a genuine Rolex if presented as such, as it looks really nice and very 'consistent to itself' You could always try and sterilize the dial, but I think that would take away from the custom/trick nature of what it actually is, and that's a damn nice project A little light buffing with a nail file should put the right amount of fade to the insert Thanks for the offer of the dial, but I'll have to pass, simply because I seem to have a nightmare getting datewheels and datewindows to align when I get building, which is why all my major projects have been no-dates The only exception being one of my Tudors, which might require the movement servicing, rather than replacing, just so the alignment is still good Very much appreciated though, many thanks

Maybe it's just me, but personally, I'd tolerate it... I've had reps with movements which jumped as badly, but kept good time, and I think it's noticeable when you sit and watch the dial, as opposed to under normal wearing conditions... I admit, the ROO is definitely jerkier than the Daytona, but personally, I wouldn't write the watch off... I agree with Gran's comment above: Ship back for totally different watches, if you can't tolerate it in 'regular wear', as opposed to 'under observation'... Sorry to hear you're not happy with your purchases...

yes they have bro, the black one i call coffee GMT and the silver one red bull GMT :p

I was just wondering, if the black and silver GMT bezel inserts have any 'nicknames', like the Coke and Pepsi Rolex inserts?

[Edit to add]

I was meaning inserts like on the Omega GMT which are both black and silver on the same insert

That's looking nice Nothing beats a little custom work

Welcome back

You're going to need an entirely new bezel, not just a new pearl, because with the crack in the insert, another pearl is just as likely to fall out...

Indeed, happy birthday, amigos

Like it or not, I think every watch enthusiast should have at least 1 classic Rolex - either a Sub or DJ, rep or gen. So 1 of my 1st rep watches was a DJ & my 1st gen was also a DJ. I have sampled just about every type & style of wrist watch over the past 25+ years - big, small, flashy & plain, but always come back to Rolex. Fashions may come & go, but a classic (gen) Rolex will always command attention.

And, in the end, I think the old axiom is true - 'When you feel you have finally made it, you owe yourself a (gen) Rolex'.

+1

I fully accept that having the R Word on the dial is the most likely to attract attention to the watch, and potentially get the dreaded "Is that real?" question, but, I must agree with Freddy's comment that every watch enthusiast should have at least one classic Rolex as part of their collection. I started off with a modern Sub, which I soon substituted with a 42mm Planet Ocean, before getting pulled into the lure of Panerai, but in the end, my interest returned to Rolex. Not so much as a brand, but more a case of the range and variety available, of both the models available, and the historic variants available within those model lines. There really is something for everyone, whatever their requirements or tastes may be

It has nothing to do with "getting called out" for me. It's about being a WIS.

You really like some watch model and you want the best available model of it = you get the gen. Simple as that.

I agree, but only so long as the best available model is a requirement What would a gen 6200 cost? Upwards of $10K? Upwards of $20K? I simply couldn't ever justify spending that much money on a watch, on general principle, even if I had so much cash that the amount itself was not an issue. I think the gen option only really comes into play if someone would never be satisfied with the best modded rep or franken, but that is when I wonder, how much of it is a true love of The Watch, as opposed to a love of The Brand... I have a friend who I bought a very plain AP as a birthday gift, who works in a video store.

He once said (actually, at the time I took the photo, the day before my wedding ) that someone did once ask him if it was real or not, but it sounded like they were genuinely interested in it as a watch, rather than trying to call him out about it. Of course, he could buy a gen (or rep) Sub and wear it to work, and constantly be asked if it's real or fake, simply because it's a Rolex... I could put a $50 Sub and a gen Sub in front of him, and chances are, he would not (nor would anyone else he would come into contact with) be able to tell the difference between the two, so that's when it becomes a matter of perspective and perception: Of course, one watch is real, the other is not, but, if no one really cares either way, and the only goal is a 'similar aesthetic', then it ceases to be an issue, and to me, that's when getting bang for the buck, is more important

[Edit to add]

As a little bit of trivia, the bracelet and dial of the GMTSub I'm wearing in that photo, are the bracelet and dial of my 6200 project (after considerable vintaging to the bracelet, and a complete re-finishing of the dial )

1. I have yet to feel that need.

2. See #1

3. See #1

Maybe I am the only one here in this situation.

Or maybe I am the only genuine rep lover here, not lusting for any gen.

I have some gens that I wear from time to time. A couple of Bucherers.

They cost me what a very high end rep would cost. But I have never spent that much on a rep. It's just a hobby with me and has never transformed to an obsession.

I'm not being judgmental, it's your money, your hobby, and your watch. I hope there is still room for some actual out-of-the-box rep fans here.

Carl

You're not the only one, I totally agree with you

I'll preface my little rant by saying that this is not aimed at anyone here. When I say 'you', I mean the generic 'you', not you/anyone personally

1. While all the watches I bought when I was younger, were gen, they were all mostly of easily affordable brands, Accurist, Casio, Timex etc. To be brutally honest, gen watches bore me to tears in terms of discussing them. Sure, they are nice watches and look great, but perfection is inherent in them, there is no need to modify or build for improvement, only personal taste, so very little to actually say about them, other than 'nice watch'... I suspect that many would not customize a gen watch (ie Rolex, Omega etc) for fear of devaluing it... I find much more pleasure in looking at photos of a $50 Submariner, than a $5000 gen, as the anti-consummerist in me knows that the cheaper item was actually value for money, where the expensive one simply is not. If value is all you care about, sell the watch, and buy the equivalent amount in gold. That will never devalue, and at least someone else will use the safequeen in the way in which its designers and manufacturers intended... I remember seeing the photo a while back of a safequeened SeaDweller which was so flawless, it looked fake. Not a scratch, not a scuff anywhere on it. It saddened me that the watch had never been worn as intended, and when I mentioned it to a friend who appreciates watches, but is not really 'interested in them', she just said "What a pathetic waste..."

If I was to ever buy a gen, it would have to be because I had won the lotto, had a ludicrous amount of money to spend, and then, I would be buying the watches to use as parts donors, not as 'out of the box' wearers. Never having enough money my entire life has taught me the value (or more accurately, the lack of value) in 'prestige brandname' goods. Winning a load of money (or earning it, for that matter) would not erase a lifetime's conditioning to always look for the best value (not necessarily the cheapest item, but the item which is the best value for money. The best 'bang for the buck', as is the expression in the US) Besides, who would ever dream of thinking that the guy who won the lotto and lives in a replica of Tony Stark's Malibu Mansion is wearing clothes from the supermarket and wearing fake watches?

2. I don't believe there's a branded gen which would make me want to drop the cash on it. I had something of a 'moment of clarity' while browsing a sales site a few days back... I was mentally re-visiting my idea of maybe getting a PP Nautilus when I can scrape the cash together to do so. (Money is still as low in income for me as it was a year ago, but I have at least got rid of my creditors, so there's less stress, and what little I do get in, I can actually use to live on, not just hand over in repayments. This is not a sypmathy 'send me some cash' plea, I accept my circumstances, and live within my means: See the concepts of giri and the greater jihad for my mental acceptance, I am simply pointing out that my income is certainly not the healthiest it has ever been) Anyway, I was looking at the various color variants, and thinking they were nice, but not really my cup of tea, when I suddenly thought "I might as well just get a white-dialled DateJust..." I don't consider a Nautilus functional enough as a diver's watch, and certainly would not meet my requirements for use as a daily beater (must have timing bezel and diver's extension on the bracelet) and in terms of a 'smart watch', I'm not overly struck on the case design, I think a DJ has a more elegant case... The point of this little mental ramble? I mentally rejected one thing thinking "I might as well just get..." I believe that even if I had the cash to afford a gen, I would still mentally reject it thinking "I might as well just get a rep, and put the rest of the money towards something else..." People see 'Rolex' on the dial and automatically think Rolex = Fake. As Fakemaster's signature says, people are more likely to think a gen is a rep, than to believe a rep is a gen, so why waste money on something to try and impress strangers who most likely do not care anyway? The rep will do the same job just as well, and look just as nice on the wrist, so to me, that's the best value for money. Many may argue that their gens 'just feel better'. I'm sorry to disagree, but given how someone went ten years thinking their rep was a gen, that just shows that that "just feels better" mystique is nothing more than personal perception, based on a person's personal connection to a watch (ie as a gift received, a gift purchassed with bonus pay, won in a competition, etc etc) it is the experience itself which makes that watch seem that little bit better, not some alchemical process of its manufacture which imbibes it with that little 'magic extra'. The first time I tried on a gen Sub, I was so underwhelmed by it, I decided to go out and buy a rep. I've tried on a gen white EXP II, but was so unimpressed by it, I practically tore the thing off my wrist. Of course, the next guy who walked into the shop probably thought it was the best thing since sliced bread, bought it without a second's hesitation, and probably thinks that it feels 'soooo much better than any cheap rep' simply because it is a gen... Nothing more than perception. Perceptions differ from person to person and perceptions change, and of course, opinions change as well, but I would believe that people's 'core values' would remain constant...

3. I think my above musings answer that question, but to summarize, as long as there is a rep available of a watch I want, I don't think a gen would ever 'be worth it' in my opinion, in terms of making me want to part with cash. Received as a gift, is a different matter, but in terms of actual purchasing one, it's just not going to happen, and, additionally, if there's not a rep available of a watch I might want, chances are there's a rep available of something which I would consider a satisfactory alternative

Thanks for reading, sorry for the rant, I'll get off my soapbox now and sit back in my corner To paraphrase Carl: I'm not being judgmental, it's your money, your hobby, and your watch, so enjoy it your way

What do you think of my plan for my collection? can you guys suggest any good IWC watches?

Nice selection How about an IWC 'Slevin'?

I have a few food and drink related photos

[Edit to add]

I just remembered that this photo was taken while we were out a while back. Makes me wonder if I should invest in another Y-M when I can spare the cash...

I'm going to suggest a Rolex DateJust... Dive watches like the Submariner or Planet Ocean might look okay with a suit, but at the end of the day, they are intended as tool watches, not fashion items... A DateJust on the other hand, is a much more understated watch, and is ideal for wear with a suit, and also looks good with jeans

Absolutely - there's a lot of snobbery hereabouts where the Ford Martin's are concerned; I can't speak for everyone, but if I was offered a new DB9, I'd probably not refuse it, and I know that, given the choice of old or new for everyday use, I'd be hard-pushed to accept that sitting on the hard shoulder of a motorway looking at an achingly beautiful car steaming itself toward oblivion would be better than sitting inside another (also achingly beautiful) newer car wafting along in the outside lane.

Sometimes soulless equals reliability.

The perfect scenario would be a new one for everyday and an old one for high days and holidays.

In much the same way, I have a couple of expensive watches and a larger number of reps. They all do the same basic job - letting me know how late I am, some make me feel better than others, but that's all personal preference, and it's not always the gens that make me feel better.

I also have a number of "Austin Martin" Omega's which I wear most days, the everyday watches if you like. My gens are all vintage and my reckoning is that by using the reps for everyday wear, I can still use the genuine SM and Speedy on high days and holidays without them leaving me on the horological hard shoulder, wondering why they've stripped their drive belts.

Or is that an analogy too far?

+1