TeeJay

Looking good Would I be right in thinking that the dial is more of a cream/off-white rather than pure white? There's a special magic to a white-dialled watch

Sorry .. not judging TJ... thought of the statement as 'young boys' in which case I would have a problem with that.. not the choice of gender.. but the age

No problem, I just like to promote tolerance of all lifestyles and sexualities Under other circumstances, I would have just said transsexuals, but given he's in Thailand, I thought best to use the local vernacular

I've never owned...

An IWC: And would rather like to get a Slevin

A gold watch: Wouldn't want to... I've never been keen on the color, and wearing one brought me up in a rash... Easier to avoid

A DJ of my own: Maybe one day

Of course.

That's what I thought Awesome result

Out of curiosity, did you use the same paint on the bezel insert as you did on the other ceramic insert mods?

That's an excellent collection, with some real variety to the pieces

Absolutely fantastic review This isn't a watch which has taken my fancy enough to buy, but it was a pleasure to see one so well presented and photographed Some interesting points, you raise as well, such as the bottom of the dial letters being a bit 'light on ink', which I'm sure is only noticeable under macro/loupe inspection, and indeed, the use of a glide-lock clasp. Absolutely top notch review, thanks for taking the time to put it together

Ignore the blurriness, I'm talking purely about the color... How does this green match up to the text and hand on the GMTIIC?

Thanks in advance

Just lost ma appetite..

I don't judge the company a man keeps, just suggesting a likely entourage given his location

Seriously what ever happened to TTK ? did he just fade away ??

(just keeping this thread going to irratate )

Probably sitting on a beach in Thailand surrounded by ladyboys

I was lucky once, and was able to use electrician's tape to remove printing on an Omega AquaTerra dial. Since then though, it's been a case of inking over the lettering, which is itself still visible to a degree Best of luck

I didn't do nuffin!!!!

I, like many others, found this place through the 'email, buy this exact replica for only$xxx' route. I thankfully googled and found this place before my bank account emptied into some scumbags pocket!!

I was a 'Noob', even if one with a slight disadvantage, a noob none the less. This place is pretty daunting when you find out that all that cool stuff you knew about watches and could impress girls with, was nothing in comparison to one iota of the knowledge found in here!! Just take Toadtorrents guide to stealing said girl you are impressing, with one swirl of his sliderule!! I knew then, that all I knew about this great passion of mine, was squat! But, with some reading, (or listening in my case) and some help from some truely amazing people, I have learned more in the time I have been here than most would in a lifetime, outside of a forum such as this, that is.

But it's not all watches, as Hackr and others have alluded too, there are a whole plethora of skill sets on this board, from photography to pen making, from working out to walrus cruelty (man I swear that Walrus is more famous than any amount of film, TV and music stars!!). I won a Rolex in a raffle early this year, it was to try and get the 'noobs' more involved, to get them to take control of their forum, for we all contribute in some way or another, there for it is everyones board not just guys with 4 figure post counts!! In my wee thank you post I stated that this community (which is what we are!) is way more than just watches and that raffle was for way more than a Rolex. It is about reaching out to people oceans apart, to get some help from the most unexpected places, friendship when you least expect it but need it the most, help with anything from changing a strap to fixing a computer (yes that means you By-Tor!!) to fixing a car, a motorcycle, even finding who is the best person to tattoo you in NY!! (haven't forgotten you B!! ) Try getting that kind of help on facebook or myspace without having to sleep with the other person first!!

I know I'm not the most popular member on here and that sometimes my views and opinions are slightly "wild, yet direct" (aledgedly), but if I talk to you, you can be sure I won't say anything to anyone that I wouldn't say to your face, or interface in this particular case, but it is true in real life also. Given that, I'm one of the first people to chip in and help anyone who asks for it, even in some cases when they haven't!! heh heh!! I'll go out of my way to do anything I can to help my fellow members and frequently my own member, but thats slightly off topic!!

We have members that have forgotten more than some of us will ever be able to learn, this is the same the world over with some people, it doesn't make them any better than the rest of us, just better at certain things than us! It takes all sorts to make something work, aswell as all sorts of subject matter, it doesn't always have to be about "who does the best sub", we had one of the weddings of the year, with our very own TeeJay marrying his very own CJ, we all got to share in it and it made us a part of it, even if some were many thousands of miles away! We had one of our most beloved members almost die just a month or so ago, we all held our breath, then we all celebrated in his recovery. Then we have that f**king walrus and his 5 secondly bucket saga!! But still, we all wait to make sure he gets it back, just incase, one day, *gasp* he doesn't!!

Bottom line is, yeah there will be guys who will come onto the board, buy a rep and never be seen again. You get that in any type of forum, in, find what they want, leave. Great, we all helped that person in some sort of way, but there will be the guy like me, who blunders across this place and thinks "Hey, I kinda like it in here, there is something for everyone!". If it's bang for buck you want, there is Chargod's 'Top ten best for under $150' there are some pieces in there that I have proudly in my collection, not just because they are cheap, but because they are awesome value, like the POrikka, amazing watch for the money! Then we have the pieces we drool over in the sales thread that cost upwards of $800 that someone has spent months, sometimes years, making! Yeah we may not be able to afford them, but we can admire, even aspire to, one day, being the person who is putting one of those watches up for sale!

I have made some of the best friends anyone could ask for on here and I truely care for the place, a lot! It may seem a pretty steep climb when you first come in, but take the time to look around, talk to a few people, then make your choice of whether you just want that one rep or whether you want to be one of the people named above and call this place home!!

Sixx

Couldn't've said it any better myself, bro

Oh man, I hope Day Two picks up If not, keep drinking

--Cropped for PG Rating--

From now on, all LV bezels must be set to this time, in honor of this pic

Yes. Just saw that myself.

Cool It's funny how the light can play tricks with colors and whatnot Either way, a fine watch

I agree with you TeeJay. Im not saying gens are not worth the outragious prices they ask, Im saying that I dont think they are on a personal level. A rep will do just fine thanks. One day I would not mind buying a Breitling SW or a Omega Po chrono. They can be found on the secondary market for around $2.500- $1.500 respectively. Although I would have think about It long and hard as I really like my reps. As far as building my own one day, well Im not quite ready for that Mike

Yeah, that is precisely what I was meaning, it's just my own personal perception, but all the time reps provide a recognizably similar watch, with a reliable movement (my vintage sub only gets set once a week, if that) that I don't have to worry about getting wet, that will always satisfy my desire to 'wear a watch', so quite simply, I have no need to get a gen

As for building your own, I'm sure you will, when the time is right The fun part, is trying to come up with a trick custom design

+1 to that!

(although I still don't understand the seal/bucket avatar lol)

To the respondents to my post, I would love to do a guide on best reps under $xxx but I fear my knowledge is still too limited and I wouldn't want to mislead! I'm not too worried about looking silly (I usually manage it at least once a day lol) but I don't want to get things too wrong!

I will see what I can do though - if I can cobble something together to start from then hopefully we can all produce something good

If you feel like collaborating on that guide, I'll certainly have some material to contribute, as not only will I be referencing my wife's DJ (or it's replacement ) but I've also got plans to get a very cheap LV Sub as soon as I'm able, which is way below the $108 figure which seems to be the lower threshold of 'recommended dealers'

I don't claim to be an expert photographer, far from it in fact.

I can take a decent pic some of the time and I'm generally pleased with the results.

However, sometimes something unexpected happens when taking a picture and the results can be quite

interesting.

For example. On macro setting and zooming a little too close to my Aerospace, the camera was unable to focus on the

watchface and locked onto the bush over my shoulder reflected on the sapphire.

Is anyone else brave enough to post pictures they would otherwise delete.

Now that, is a cool effect

(all I can say to that )

There's not a gen which I wouldn't be satisfied with a rep...

That said, I would like to build my GMTIICSub out of gen parts, just to make the AD freak out

Should we take the time to have a "Best [insert watch here]" thread but broken down into cost bandings?

Such as "The Best sub is..."

under $100 it is X

under $150 it is Y

under $250 it is...

This banding would also allow cheap watches in the lowest band to be included in the higher bands when modding is taken into account, so comparisons can be made with out of the box more expensive watches. This would also show the relative benefits of modding.

e.g.

Best under $100 = Noobmariner

Best under $250 = 'Best sub' from dealer Z, OR Noobmariner with gen bezel + pearl, gen crown, reshaped CGs and Clark Crystal (assuming work done by a watchsmith).

Just an idea!

That's precisely the kind of thing I had in mind, but even better and more detailed

We've had some discussion recently about the reduction in postings from, say NOOBS, and also from the "regular" members here.

A couple of reasons for the fall off among regulars have been proposed:

The change to the site layout.

The time of the year.

The economy.

These could be factors but I think the posts are down for other reasons.

But let's move on to NOOBs.

Why would a NOOB who is looking to purchase a first rep come here?

To find a safe and inexpensive first transaction. Maybe fifty or a hundred dollars/euros. Something safe. That just does not exist here any more as a concept. Five years ago, maybe.

Today a NOOB can't avoid seeing the rep world here as a system where the entry level is 300 dollars for a starter watch which will need to be extensively modded up to maybe a thousand dollars or whatever, just to get a pass on this board. About the dollar value touted as the greatest rep watch rip off on the internet. Which is the rip off at this point? I'm not surprised that NOOBs are confused and put off.

I know that great reps can be had in a variety of price ranges, but my point is that the price range here has escalated to where a NOOB is offered nothing in the price range of a first purchase, and that first purchase will never be good enough here. Read your posts. It's become a rep modding board.

Yes, NOOBs want to know who makes the best sub. If you want to get NOOBs who will buy in and stick around, put out at least a monthly thread about who is currently making and selling the best sub in the different price ranges.

For those of you who think that we are already doing this, or that the information is easily searchable, please continue to rearrange the deck chairs on the ship you are riding down.

Rant over.

Carl

There is a point Noobs sometimes seem to miss, and the call for Video reviews seemed to remind me of it. That point is that no-one here is paid to do this. Reviewers don't gain anything apart from the respect of their peers. I don't mind which Seadweller or Skyland you get and I don't benefit in any way from your choice.

There's only so much you can expect us to do. What the Noobs have to do is take it upon themselves to write and post. It's how you stop being a Noob.

Too many Noobs come here with the intention of buying a rep, and not with partaking in a community. We can only spoon-feed them for so long until we just give up and leave it to the next generation of enthusiastic members to hand-hold the Noobs and teach them how it works. The problem is we've had a drop-off in activity from people patient enough and forgiving enough to tell 'em how it is, gently and kindly.

Oh, and telling people who do this for a hobby how to write and present their reviews will lead to one outcome: Less reviews.

I agree with both these posts:

If I was a n00b, and I wanted to know 'who had the best sub', only to be pointed in the direction of BK (when I was really only looking to buy something for much less) I probably wouldn't stay around too long to find out what the community was like. I'd also see posts like "What do you expect for only $.....?!" and think 'screw you guys, I'm going home..."

I think the time has come to actually find an answer to the question: "Who has the best sub?"

I know... Rolex

But I mean not only rep-wise, but also 'entry level-wise'. And by that, I mean entry level for Joe Sixpack who doesn't give a damn about rehaut depth, CG shaping, pearl construction, but just wants a watch with Rolex on the dial, which isn't going to crap out after a few months, or fall apart at a pool-party and cause embarrassment. If someone wants to get into the fun of modding, then by all means, point them in so and so direction, but I think there also needs to be a direction to point someone who doesn't want to get into any of that, but which is still going to provide a good quality product, which would meet their requirements in a watch, rather than the requirements of someone who buys a flawed watch with the intention of modifying it.

The dealer I've been dealing with most recently, seems to be able to provide that level of product, with the level of service and customer care which people expect to find in a 'forum trusted' dealer. I'll make my next purchase from them (when I'm actually able to afford it ) an LV Sub, and I'll then do a detailed review of it, which I haven't done in a while. How does that sound as a suggestion?

I noticed the low forum contribution as well. It concerns me quite a bit as the Forum has become a second home for me over the course of the last year or so. I feel good here! So if interest in it declines, this is a bad thing. It reminds me of the shock I had, when a few days after joining TRC the place closed down!

Reasons for low contribution? I don't know about the new design or the economic crisis being responsible. If so, it's of no concern to me as I can't change those facts (I know Admin can, at least with forum software. Maybe Lani can fix those darn world economics once he's back to full strength).

What concerns me directly is that I myself can make a difference in posting. So looking at my post score of the last weeks I'd say I haven't been outdoing myself. I need to ask myself: Why is that so?

I have many reasons:

1. 
   
   
2. I want to post pix of some new watches, start contributing to the wristies threads, but I still don't have a good cam.
   
3. I'm still a noob and I don't know too much about reps or watches in general to post really interesting stuff.
   
4. I'm sometimes humbled by all the knowledge on the boards, so I rather shut up and learn.
   
5. I'm extremely busy at work and feel uncomfortable using my work computer surfing RWG.
   
6. My girl isn't too happy with me sitting in front of the notebook every night.
   

Hmmmm. All reasons are true, but somehow they don't seem to be a good excuse for not posting:

1. 
   
   
2. Community, even the grumpy seasoned members are very appreciative of noobs posting pix, even if they suck big time.
   
3. If I don't know much I can ask smart questions. Smart questions are the ones that are still unanswered after a few days of reading, I guess.
   
4. Being humbled doesn't drive the community, helps no one and is basically senseless. Admiring yes, not humbled.
   
5. I can't be too busy to take a minute or two to pass by and post a funny finding in "Off Topic".
   
6. My girl is lovely, but I must get her to understand that a bloke needs to stare into his screen for at least six hours each night to feel at ease with the world.
   

What I mean to say is, we all (exc. Pugs and TeeJay and some, of course) have to get a grip and start posting again. So in the end it all comes to the point where I realise that I should stop finding excuses and just POST! I will try and do better from now on. Promise.

Kind regards

Val.

At the moment, I'd say you contribute more than I do

Wow, coming in late to this post.

Maybe I am crazy, but I AM a fan of the bluing, and sheared off pearl. Here is my MBW 1665 in my project bin/queue. DRSD dial, lugs, super dome, and silver flat 3 datewheel are on the to-do list.

Hmmm, add a Blue NATO strap perhaps...

That is a fine piece The first Snowflake Tudor I saw had the same faded blue inset, and it's an awesome look I've got a sheered off pearl in my project sub (I didn't realize that was what they were called) and I love it, no risk of it catching on something and getting knocked out

I'd actually suggest a grey NATO, rather than blue