TeeJay

How about a Rose gold Radiomir?

The only issue, as mentioned in the thread about Jakub's disappearance, is, to be as polite about it as possible, Ziggy is very 'selective' about not only the projects he will accept, but also the people he will accept them from. Now, that's his choice, and his right, but, it leaves people who aren't in that circle of trust, pretty much out in the cold with regards finding a reliable watchsmith who is well known on the forums, so with regards the bigger picture, I think it is not only fair, but a necessity, that there be more reputable watchsmiths who people can bring their project enquiries to in addition to Ziggy PS Those really are awesome watch shots, I only cropped them out to save space, no disrespect intended To all in general, to stave off the comments about not answering emails or PMs for fear of being over-run with questions, or helping people and not getting the courtesy of a 'thank you' afterwards, to anyone who fears such a situation might occur, I would respectfully suggest that you do as I do, and charge for your time as a consultant. Make someone pay you up front for X amount of in depth emails, or an hours uninterrupted phone call. That will get rid of time-wasters right away, or at the very least, make sure you are compensated for taking the time to talk to them... Just a suggestion

Okay, I got the white queen's caseback off with my thumbnails still attached, and finally managed to get some shots of the movement. Now, I'm sure I know a crown release when I see one, but please can folks just confirm that the smallest depression just above and to the left of where the stem is entering the movement, that I've been jamming a screwdriver in, is indeed a crown release...? No matter how hard I press down, the stem simply will not release. Should I try removing the crown from the stem and then sliding it out of the case with the stem still attached, or, should I just ignore the consequences and rip the movement out? I am planning on a movement transplant if necessary, but equally, if I could keep the movement intact, that would also be acceptable... What do folks think?

Thanks I bought it from Tonyxkf, via his Rolex2u site. As always, a flawless transaction

Thanks, I'm certainly very happy with it It fogged up on its first immersion, but, I then realized that the caseback still had 3/4 of a rotation till it fully locked. It was silly of me not to make sure it was secure before first immersing it, but just one of those mistakes which can happen from time to time. Once I stripped it and fully dried everything, I made sure the caseback was properly secured, and it was fine. I also had a half-hour soak in a hot tub, and there was no problem at all. Next test, will be to see how it stands up to swimming With regards the AR, it does show a slight bluish/purple tint in some lights, but, it is not as obtrusive as on my 004, so it might be an AR coating rather than the standard blue rinse which passes for AR in China That said, I'm not really an expert on AR so I would not like to say 100% for sure. However, my friend's Radiomir had no coating at all under the crystal, and I think the coating on this one does add a certain depth to the dial, so I'd call that an improvement

A hundred and eighty days ago, I wrote this review on a Radiomir I bought for a friend's birthday. Well, I got one for my birthday, and just wanted to do a quick follow-up review. I covered pretty much every aspect of the watch when I initially reviewed it, all except one thing. Extended wear... Having worn this watch solidly for about a week now, I can honestly say that it has really won me over. Not just because it's 'my new watch', but because it is so ideal for my immediate requirements. At the moment, I don't need the additional complications of a second sweep or a date wheel, so a base dial is all I need. The case is no larger than a Luminor case, but the dial itself is larger, so I'm getting the benefit of a larger dial, without the need for a larger case Now, I love my Luminors, but, the symmetry of the Radiomir case is much more elegant, and it slips under a shirt sleeve without even a hint of snagging. It looks ideal for wearing to the most formal of events, yet was designed for wear in naval combat, where functionality was the only requirement. Okay, so the Radiomir can't go on an SS Bracelet, but with a case that looks as good as these do, who cares? This Radiomir was purchased from the same dealer as the first (although the price had either gone up, or I got a considerable discount on the first) and they are identical in every way, except one. Mine has an AR coating on the crystal. By preference, black hands would be nice, but, the silver hands remind me of my 127 The only issue of water resistance was remedied by completely screwing the caseback down. Slightly sloppy assembly in that instance, but, considering that with the caseback secure the watch is waterproof (so it is not a mechanical flaw) I'm not too concerned. Unlike the Radiomir I bought for my friend, this one is being worn with leather straps. I have fitted it with a 26mm Caoutchouc-style rubber dive strap to test its water resistance, and it is very comfortable on it, but, as previously reported, the shoulders of the strap do somewhat overpower the flatness of the case, and a leather strap is much more fitting. On my 26mm Andy strap, it is a fitting homage to the original Radiomirs of the Italian navy. On my 26mm BOB strap, it is casual, but elegant. A watch of taste, not ostentation. It's quickly become a firm favorite, so much so, that my original plans to transplant the movement into a PVD Radiomir case have been shelved. Oh I still plan on building a base PVD Radiomir, but I won't be disassembling this one to do so For a feature by feature score, feel free to read my original review

Awesome props

First off, sign up for a free online hosting like photobucket and load you photos onto it. Then, when writing the post, copy and paste the 'direct link' information into your post clicking the little landscape icon below the 'Fonts' tab, and then pasting the information into the pop up. You then just submit the post as normal

That's very true. I saw a discussion on replica goods on MSN Homepage a few months back, and some people didn't have a clue about the quality of high end reps available. They certainly didn't know that a lot of it was because the gen brands outsourced production to China to save on costs... Some of them even still thought that buying reps funded terrorism Then again...

It's either a 074 or 196. I can't remember which was worn in which film... It was a Daylight in one, and the other, well, in the other...

The obligatory cream sweater wrist shot (haven't worn it in a while ) Visible in the background, is the LV Messenger I got from Ken. It got quite a few comments while away, mostly from a friend of my father in law, who doesn't look down on reps or fake goods, he just lumps them all in as 'snide' He doesn't actually care if they're snide, as long as he knows

Sounds like a plan

My feelings on the subject are essentially as posted in the thread on the current situation. I can appreciate that Admin might not want the responsibility, or being held to account of any 'endorsement' which may be infered or assumed, from a person having a presence as a dealer or a modder/watch smith, but, given the amount of historical incidents of people 'going AWOL', given that it is the forums which facilitated the meeting of client and modder, I personally think it only fair that the forums equally have more detailed contact information, to be able to better facilitate resolutions to issues which may arise but be unresolveable by the two parties themselves, as an impartial third party. That is not to say that it's the fault of a forum admin, as obviously 'buyer beware' must always apply, but it would be good to know that, should incidents occur where someone stops responding to emails, there would still be someone who could have a more definite contact point which could be used in such incidents (which inevitably become group problems, rather than just a single botched transaction) This is a community, in every respect of the word. In the real world, sometimes people need 'state support'. In these incidents, sometimes, people will also require 'community support', so I just feel it would be prudent if such support/mediation be available, should it ever be required. Just my .2c Peace

If you really want it, fantastic, but don't feel obliged, amigo

It's pretty stealth, isn't it I think it's fair to say it's under 'deep cover' The dial and hands are waiting to be sent for a re-lume, and the movement and case are with my watch smith. I took the watch in to get the movement serviced, and kept the hands and dial for re-lume. Sadly, I don't have the available cash at the moment to get the re-lume done, and there's not much point in me getting the rest of the watch and putting it back together until I can (as I'm too lazy to strip the watch again ) Indeed, I've seen some pretty big collections, with every variation of the individual models. I don't think I could justify a collection like that, as there would be so many 'paperweights'. I admit, much of the rest of my collection (my Rolexes and Omegas) are already pretty much paperweights, but, my PAMs do still see an amount of wrist time each Congrats on the dial project, they're fantastic Indeed, I have some interesting plans for that one Thanks The 113 is on a Ferrari strap. I ordered it without a watch from my dealer and swapped the Ferrari-branded clasp for a standard Panerai-branded clasp, which I've polished up from the standard brushed finish. Of all the watches, even my favorite combos (my 104), I think that is the combo which works the best, keeping the watch well and truly smart but casual

To be honest, it's not a section I spend much time in, but I'm sorry I missed it, as it's an awesome photo, and really nice watches. The strap on the Corum is awesome, it reminds me of a strap I saw about a year ago on a California Radiomir, which had been made from leather reclaimed from a rail carriage. Don't get too down about it, I expected the Planet Ocean canvas I did to sell, but sadly, other than appreciative comments on the artwork, no one's expressed any interest in buying it. I guess that's just the way things are from time to time

The way I see it, the observer needs to be aware of the cost of a watch for their suspicions to be aroused in the first place. When I gave my friend a Radiomir for his birthday, despite living in an 'afluent' town where a lot of the adults are 'city commuters' it wouldn't surprise me if he was the only person in town wearing a PAM, gen or otherwise. Now, I think the chances of a video store clerk wearing a gen Radiomir to be nearly non existent, but, it wouldn't surprise me (although I haven't asked him) if no one had ever passed any comment on it more than 'nice watch', if that. Of course, when it's a case of seeing someone's watch in a bar or club, if they're well dressed, unless there are noticeable tells, it becomes harder to guess if they could afford a gen or not. Personally, from the comments I've read from older members, being called out, I've come to see that it's not so much a situation for personal shame or embarassment, but a sign of a lack of taste and manners in the person asking, so in many cases, not worth dignifying with a response. As Pugwash has pointed out before, yes, they might be right, it might well be a fake watch, but all they're doing, is showing their own lack of class for bringing it up.

What is the work you need done on your watch? You might find an independent watch smith local to you who would be able to help... Best of luck with your search With regards Jakub, not to be the voice of doom and gloom, but to be honest, I don't see anything happening to resolve the situation unless people start paying a PI or people in Poland to actually investigate the issue, on the ground, in person, and see what resolutions can be achieved. Unless Jakub chooses to email an explanation to Admin, a moderator, or comes on this thread and responds in person, my honest feeling is that nothing will be resolved, and further discussion will be pointless as it will not achieve anything, and ultimately be cyclical. I'm really sorry for everyone who is affected by this situation, I sincerely hope people are able to come to satisfactory resolutions.

It's an awesome hide, it looks incredibly glossy

That's an interesting hide, what is it? [Edit] Never mind, I just saw your other thread

Stephane, a couple of 'from the heart' answers to you questions... Absolutely. 'Complain' might be too strong a word, but, if there is an issue with someone's work, it is only fair that everyone in the community knows about it, so they can use that as a deciding factor on if they might wish to contact that person with a commission in the future.... With the greatest of respect to Ziggy and his unquestionable skills, it is no secret that he is very 'selective' about the projects he takes on, and the people he chooses to take on work from. While that is absolutely his right to do, others might find his candor off-putting, and might want to find another smith to work on rather than approach him and be rejected, so that would indeed answer your question as to why folks might not have listened...

I have to admit, if someone had spent $1000 with me, even if the issue was down to customs, I think I would see my way clear to providing a replacement at my own cost, if for no other reason than to retain a potentially big client, but that's just me Who is worse, the crook who takes the money and runs, or the crook who strongarms the competition out of the way? (rhetorical question) True, but, when things like business ethics or personal relations become a determining factor, then it's still an open playing field. I mean, take TTK for example. Look at how abusive he could be to people. If I wanted to pay money to be abused and humiliated, I'd be paying a dominatrix, not an ex-squaddie with an attitude problem Think of the forum as being a good food guide. Not all the places in town will necessarily be included, but, that's not to say that the ones who aren't, aren't worth going to... Sometimes, it's the smaller indy businesses which can provide a more personal service You're bang on there, bro Indeed

For the simple reason that there are more dealers out there, than the handful who are given 'trusted status', and people are curious about them. I've always gone on personal recommendation, and that has lead me to an excellent dealer, who I use for the majority of my purchases. It's not a case of being a rebel or going against the grain, just one of thinking 'outside the box'

For what it's worth, if I had definitely wanted something ARd (such as the crystal to my 104, which really does need it done) I would not have considered sending it to anyone other than Chieftang, because of his reputation for excellence.