TeeJay

Absolutely fantastic collection

It's an awesome strap, I think I'd like to get one for my X-33, but at that price, certainly not for a while

I have to admit, I can't tell the difference between them, but, if I had to guess, it would be that the top and bottom were the Zirconia. You have to check out the ring in the link, as the rings themselves are actually made from Zirconia ceramic, not just a ring set with a Zirconia

Yes and no. I have a (not particularly accurate ) rep of that Seamaster, but it's not the precise one I was refering to That's the Co-Axial SMP which Daniel Craig wore in Casino Royale, from the beginning of the journey to Montenegro for the rest of the movie. The SMP I'm meaning, is the 2531.80, which Pierce Brosnan wore from Tomorrow Never Dies, onwards. The main visual differences, are that in the new 2220.80, the lume is surrounded by metal, as with the markers on modern Submariners, and the word 'Seamaster' is in red above the hands, where the 2531.80, it is in white, and below the hands. The other difference, is that on the 2531.80, the Omega branding is printed on the dial, but on the 2220.80, the Omega branding is in the form of metal attachments. Comparing the two together, while it is a pretty smart watch anyway, I think the 2220.80 is smarter, as in 'more formal' than the 2531.80, but, that's just my own thoughts on the two watches, and something I factored into my choice when it came to my 'only one watch' decision, as, while the 2531.80 can 'dress up' easily, the 2220.80 is not as easy to consider as 'casual'. [Edit to add] Here's a side-by-side comparison of the two I have (the watches are next to each other, the line is the overlap of paper, not a photo-merge, also, my 2220.80 is inaccurate as it does not have a '3' marker, and the dial brandings are printed on, rather than the correct attachments, but, there is a v2 rep available which corrects those flaws. Either way, I still think mine is a nice watch in its own right, I just feel that the 2531.80 is the more versatile of the two )

Likewise, bro We have the same birthday, is it any surprise that we both ponder such minutia? Some things in life, I'm not fussed by, and 'good enough' will often suffice, but others, it's a case of specifics being specific to what I want, or not at all. It's like my example of the wedding ring. What I want, is an engraved Naquadah ring. That's not a possibility, so I'm going for the closest visual equivalent, so Titanium is the metal of choice. However, with regards things like the Pepsi v Coke debate, yes, I can tell the difference between the two in a blind taste test, but, at the end of the day, I'm happy to drink the generic stuff which tastes just as good, in its own unique way I have to admit, that would certainly be an awesome wardrobe, and certainly along the lines of my own stylings, in that I would be quite happy to wear the same clothes day in and day out (well, assuming they wouldn't get dirty of course ) just so I'd always be wearing what I really liked. That said, I think there's something to be said for variety, and having one thing better suited to a particular situation than another, but, then again, how efficient to just have the one thing, and know that it would be suitable for all occasions PS: What do you think of the Zirconia rings?

It might still be worth looking, as I've heard that folks have seen PAMs, not only at reduced prices, but actually being offered the 'store watch' for sale, rather than being told they could look at it, and have their name added to a waiting list If you wanted to wind your partner up, you could treat yourself to a Patek rep, and then just wear it without saying anything, and see how long it is before she twigs that it's a new watch, and what it is Of course, you'll then have the justification that as it's a rep, it's not a huge expense

To take your points slightly out of sequence for a second, I totally understand what you're meaning there, after all, the metals do have very different appearances and tactile qualities, which, although something someone uninitiated might not notice, something that once aware of, you'll never be unable to notice. A while back, I was considering having a signet ring commissioned, which would have featured a stainless steel insert in a sterling silver setting. Not much difference in color, someone might think, after all, both metals are 'white', but, when SS is put next to silver, it's very obvious that the SS has more of a greyish-blue hue to it. Same deal with Platinum, or Titanium, as I was mentioning with the wedding ring plan. Off the top of one's head, someone might think that Platinum is just a 'white metal', but, it's quite a bit darker than silver, with a much deeper luster. As before, I was looking for the appearance of engraved Naquadah, which is much darker than Platinum, and closer to Titanium (or possibly Tungsten) So from that point of view, and bearing in mind that you're not talking about the precious metals for their 'bling potential', but an aesthetic appreciation of them (better not flash the watch at that cop ) then I'd agree, a rep would not satisfy your requirements, because you are looking for a requirement in the aesthetics of the watch which is intrinsic to that specific metal being used, rather than one that just 'looks similar'. Of course, by choice, an engraved Naquadah wedding ring would be awesome, and that would be exactly what I want, but sadly, as the element doesn't exist, I'm having to settle for the closest existing equivalent I know what you mean there, and I completely accept that you're not buying the watches for the prestige of the price tag, but the aesthetics of the metals used in the watch itself. With regards the Planet Ocean, I'd have to make a compromise on the point that, no, the reps are not identical to the gens, but, I do think that they are very close, so an acceptable budget alternative for someone who likes the aesthetics of the watch design, but isn't so concerned about the metals involved. As I've mentioned before, my favorite aspect of the Planet Ocean design, is the integrated crown guards. A perfect blend of form and function, and, something which the rep duplicates just as well as the gen For me, as much as I can appreciate the metallurgical differences between watches (and other items of jewelery) it's not something I personally consider important enough for me to make the jump from a rep to a gen. Say for example, I was to go out tomorrow, walk into the AD and buy a brand new 2531.80. Yes, it would be a gen, but, it would only be 'a watch I bought'. There would be no sentimental value attached to it. My 2531.80, on the other hand, might not be gen, might not be a perfect rep, but, it's still the watch I bought with my Gran's inheritance money. It will always have that sentimental value, so from my point of view, that would always make it more valuable than the genuine item. I think personal tolerance is key to collecting. What one person tolerates, another might not, or, what one person considers important, another might not even consider as a consideration... It's all the different points of view which make this such an interesting community On that point, I agree 100% There's never any need to waste money, and, if someone considers something important enough for them to spend that extra cash on something, then that's good enough reason for them to spend the money You're not wrong there, brother So many interesting wedding rings out there... Something which I think you might appreciate on an aesthetic level, is a Zirconia ring. My wife and I looked at a pair, (as when she saw them, she had to have one, regardless of the previous plans for the rings ) but, when she tried it on, I can't begin to describe just how foul, this utterly gorgeous ring looked on her As mentioned, mine was

Question 1: For me, as I said in your previous thread, it's my 2531.80. If I had to lose all my watches and never have another, that would be the one I would keep. It has sentimental value due to the funds used to buy it, and while arguably, the 004 my wife bought for my birthday last year also has sentimental value, I can wear the SMP with just about anything, and it will always look good. I can only wear the 004 with a few things, and even then, it is a case of 'personal preference', over it actually looking good. At the moment, I think the only thing keeping it [the SMP] from having non-stop wrist time, is that I have a collection of other watches, so still rotate them depending on my wardrobe. If I got rid of them, I'd be happy wearing it all the time. But. Then I wouldn't have my collection, which I enjoy for other reasons All the other watches in my collection, barring the 004, the 45mm Planet Ocean (bought with cash from the same source as the 2531.80) and my Submariner (the first expensive watch I bought) the others are all just 'collection watches'. The ones I've listed, are the only ones which hold true sentimental value, but again, the SMP is the only one which I would consider as the 'personal watch', as that is the only one which I would 'be satisfied with', if it was the only one. [Edit to clarify] As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter if the 2531.80 is a rep or gen, due to its sentimental value. I would not have bought a gen 2531.85 with the inheritance money, for the same reason I never bought a gen Submariner when I had the chance: I do not pay artificially inflated pricetags just because something has 'a brand name' on it. If I buy a branded item (which is in itself rare) then it must be because the item is (in my view) truly exceptional and justifying that price tag, and not possible to be substituted with a rep or generic item Question 2: This is a tough one... Just because someone is prepared to pay a high price for a watch (or anything else) I don't think that that means that the item is actually worth that much. That's why I buy reps and drink generic cola However, I feel that if something is truly what a person wants, then that justifies them spending that money. To move away from watches slightly, I'll use my engagement and wedding rings as examples. This is my engagement ring. It's a sterling silver court ring, and it only cost

Sadly, he lives too far away for the bag-trick to really work, and laying him out would just get me in trouble Even though he knows that he's due an ass-kicking, he's the kind of pussy to run to the law, rather than accepting that he had it coming and taking it like a man... Oh well. He's going to get his comeuppance one way or another Thanks I think drawing a line in the sand and moving on is the best way to go with this He is, it's hard to explain just how much of one he really is. It's hard to believe that someone could actually behave as he does, but, he's the proof that it's possible... Indeed, it'll be a good day, even better for his absence

That's just savage I like your boy's style Thanks, and indeed, that's why we never invited him to the wedding itself, although in all honesty, we could have invited him at the expense of other guests, but, that would simply have been a case of inviting him to placate him, and in all honesty, he simply doesn't deserve any such consideration, and indeed, letting things play out as they have, has simply made him show his true colors. I think it will simply be a case of having no more contact with him, which I'm quite happy with On a more positive note, I'm going to the jeweler's tomorrow, for a final consultation on my wedding ring which is being custom-made for me It's going to be a titanium recreation of my engagement ring, which is a sterling silver court ring, with engravings reminiscent of the patterning on the Stargate

I have to admit, it would be fun to torch his place, but the jail time wouldn't be worth it Thanks for the support, bro, it's much appreciated

If I had a set of 1mm needlenose pliars, I could probably do it. Sadly, I don't have a set of pliars that small I think my best bet is to leave this job to a professional, as I can't run the risk of killing the movement

I've re-cased the watch, as I didn't want to push my luck before killing it The indentation you've mentioned, is where the pusher contacts the movement. I'm not too sure about a movement serial, but, the first three letters I can make out, are "JYD". The watch is an Omega Speedmaster Professional X-33, which was purchased from Silix about a year ago. I'm not sure if they are available anymore, if I recall, Silix was the only source of them at the time...

Couldn't've put it any better myself

That's certainly a possibility I think I'm going to have to admit defeat with this one though. This is the first time pretty much since I bought the watch that I've actually wanted to wear it, so I'd be pretty frustrated if I was to kill the movement while the watch is still 'in the zone' Not only that, but it's not really replaceable, so I think any work to it will have to be left to more qualified hands than mine

I'm still a Space Cadet today

I think you're right, crown removal might be the only option. Sadly, I don't have any pliers small enough to actually grip the stem inside the case (the crown is fully extended in the pictures ) Indeed, I've tried pressing 1, and as you say, it might just be a locating pin as that doesn't move at all. Number 3, again, is just there to secure the circuit board, but what you've marked as number 2, is not actually a screw, that's just a trick of the light and the shadows making it look like a screw... Or, as you say, it might require removing the circuit board all together to get to the release, and, although I'm confident in my ability to deconstruct the parts, I'm not so confident that they will work once re-assembled Thanks for taking a look though, it's much appreciated

Here're some photos, but I have to admit, I'm stumped... I can't see anything which resembles a release stud which actually moves, as all the screws and studs are solid. There's an opening in the circuit board which has some kind of 'workings' underneath, but they don't appear to be part of a release mechanism (and I didn't want to kill the movement by jamming things into it ) I've re-cased the watch, and it's working ( ) but I'm no further forward to my goal

That's use full to know, thank you I'll have another look at the movement, and if it looks too awkward, I might just give the project a miss and live with the factory hands (hour hands has no lume at all ) Thanks again

Thanks for the advice Is it possible that the release might be closer to the middle of the movement than at the edge? The sides of the movement aren't really accessible while the movement is in the case, so I'm guessing the release would be on the upper surface, as per other movements... There is a small silicone 'stud' to the left of the stem, pretty much where the release stud would be on an automatic movement, but it does not actually move when pressure is applied... On the right hand side of the stud, in a mirrored position, is a small screw, but, loosening it does not release the stud, and I suspect is just anchoring the circuit board in place...

I know that removing stems from automatic and manual movements is pretty much a case of depressing the release stud or loosening a retaining screw, but how would one go about removing the crown stem of a quartz movement? I only ask, as I want to strip down my X-33 to try a hand-transplant, and this obviously requires removing the crown. I've looked at the movement, but the only 'stud' and 'screw' by the stem, do absolutely nothing... Any suggestions?

Just to add a little extra info, my Planet Oceans, 45, 42 and 42 Pumpkin all have the same chamfered edging on the date window, but they are not 'stepped down' a level from the surface of the dial, as the dials in Robbie's and dluddy's watches are. All my Planet Oceans have the original 'Asian' factory dials, so neither 'ultimate' nor gen dials... Hope that's of help

Thanks for all the support, amigos, it is all very much appreciated. After a night's sleep, I'm feeling better about the situation, but the underlying anger that a 'parent' could behave that way towards their child is still there. I just can't believe that someone could actually be so utterly failing as a human being as to behave that way. He doesn't have to get on with, or even like me, so that's never concerned me, but to treat his own daughter that way... It just makes me furious... Of all the suggestion, this stood out the most: For some reason, I really like the sound of that plan. Ironically, he actually services watches (if swapping quartz batteries and straps counts as 'servicing' as we would understand the term ) so sending him some dead reps would certainly have some kind of perverse irony to it Thanks again, amigos

That's precisely what I was thinking. He's a lying, conniving SOB who, when texting my mother in law (his ex wife) to find out about the reception, he lied and put words in his daughter's mouth to try and shift the blame away from himself. To say he's pathetic is an understatement. Equally, to say I'm glad we're rid of him is an understatement. I'm just furious at the contempt which he has always treated his daughter, all the while maintaining the facade of being a considerate and caring absent parent... To say he'll get his comeuppance (in this life or the next) is also an understatement