TeeJay

I know that several people have bought J12's for their Signifigant Others, and, I know that the various reps available are of varying degrees of quality and accuracy. The one I bought for my fiance, had a bracelet that was rather inaccurate to the gen. (moulded, shaped links rather than individual links, white-coated links rather than ceramic...) After a while, the bracelet was starting to get pretty beaten up, with the paint chipping off where the links rubbed against each other, and there was a single ding on the bezel insert that had also chipped away a small fleck of paint. I thought this watch might have been doomed to relegation to the underwear drawer, but, a local clothes store was selling ladies watches on a variety of different styled and sized white 'leather' straps. For

No wrist shot, but last night I put my Daytona on , and decided to keep it on for a while. Have to admit, it's quite a nice watch, so it deserves more wrist time than it's got so far.

If I recall, I've had parcels get to China in about 7-10 days on regular post.

i'd keep the 42mm watch (unfixed) and put the dollars towards a new one. then when you eventually send one of your watches to ziggy for mods/servicing/whatever, see if he can fix it for less (ziggy does incredible work for much cheaper than you'd expect).

That's an excellent idea, that way I wouldn't be totally getting rid of the 42mm altogether... Thanks

i'd keep the 42mm watch (unfixed) and put the dollars towards a new one. then when you eventually send one of your watches to ziggy for mods/servicing/whatever, see if he can fix it for less (ziggy does incredible work for much cheaper than you'd expect).

That's an excellent idea, that way I wouldn't be totally getting rid of the 42mm altogether... Thanks

Just got a call back about my dead Planet Ocean. It is repairable, and shouldn't take too long to do, however, will cost

I had another idea for the SubGMT while walking to meet my fiance from work, and a little tweaking of the photoshopped image brought it to life. When I showed her, this was the variant she prefered (compared to the Black on black and traditional Pepsi bezel inserts) If I were to go with the LV option, it will wind up on my black NATO strap (Having seen a similar watch in a member's signature and liking the look) If I were to go with 'black on black', it would either be a dark brown leather Daytona deployant, or the existing SS bracelet. If folks would like to compare the two and give a preference, that would be equally welcome as other suggestions or experiences with the build.

Thought of it quite a while back but i think the sub has the timing markers on the bezel for the purpose of diving

I think that is indeed the case, but, it would be possible to use the GMT bezel in the same way while diving (which to be honest, I do not do very often at all ) and the watch would have the GMT bezel. Essentially, it would be an untouched GMT watch, but with the dial swapped for the Submariner dial. The second phase of the plan is to fit a Tropical crystal and no-date Submariner dial to the dial-less Submariner, so I'd then have a dateless sub as well

I had the idea while on the bus, and thought it should be a relatively easy project, simply swapping a dial over. I knocked up a photoshop concept image, and wondered what people thought. Should I go for it? Has anyone else tackled this build before? If so, please share the pics and any difficulties that arose

Until my new SMP arives, or my Planet Ocean is fixed, I'll be wearing this:

Let's see...

Watches:

A vintage Rolex Oyster Perpetual Circa 1953. This was the watch that became known as the Submariner.

A French Navy Issue Tudor Submariner (Blue bezel on black dial with 'snowflake' hands)

Rolex GMT Master II (Black on black, on dark brown leather deployant)

Vintage Omega 300 (forerunner of the Planet Ocean)

Omega Planet Ocean 45mm on Rubber

Omega 2531.80 on SS (Have one on order)

Omega 2531.80 on brown leather buckle strap (How my project watch will be when it's completed)

Omega Speedmaster X-33 on Omega Double Ridge rubber deployant strap

Women:

My fiance, obviously

Peta Wilson

Elizabeth Gracen

Maria Grazia Cucinotta

Tyra Banks

Cars:

Dax Cobra (Custom midnight blue metalflake paint)

1967 Chevrolet Impala (Black)

Mazda MX 5 with custom Dodge Viper body kit (Custom Diamond Black paint)

Speaking of pearls, you've seen the pearl on my 6536 ... it's a lot greener than the gorgeous lume job Ziggy did. Is there an easy way to "vintagize" the pearl too?

I found putting my project watch under a daylight bulb aged the lume of the markers and pearl (which fell out due to the glue baking) but left the material on the hands untouched. Might be worth a try, just be sure to have the bezel insert on it's own though, so nothing else gets baked

Like this?

Not quite, I was looking for one on the deployant clasp as per the Rolex issue strap.

I'm looking for a dark brown leather Daytona strap, and wondered the best place to try as Google hasn't been much help... Thanks in advance

The bezel insert and pearl of my Submariner have been replaced with a new insert, and a few days ago, I noticed that the material of the pearl had been 'smushed' sideways... As it was flat with the pearl surround, when I got home, I used the tip of a jeweller's screwdriver to gently trace around the smeared material, removing the excess until it was once more a perfect dome (lower than the surround) I was surprized that it the pearl would deform like that, but also that it would be so simple to repair. Any ideas what the material would be?

I'm going to getting the 22mm rubber strap from silix and was wondering how to remove the bracelet. Is it possible with a jewellers screwdriver? Thanks!

Best way to remove the bracelet is to hold the watch in your hand, with the index finger resting against where the bracelet touches the case. With the precision screwdriver/spring bar tool, flick the end of the bar down, and simultaneously press your index finger against the bracelet so it shifts it slightly out of alignment. Repeat the process on the other side of the bar, and you can then slide the bracelet down and out of the lugs. The trick to doing it is to shift the end out of alignment so the springbars don't relocate themselves in the lug holes. Takes a bit of practice, but once you've got the knack, it's easy. A few days ago I managed to fit my bracelet back on my Submariner despite being rather drunk. Practice makes perfect, and then it becomes a matter of 'muscle memory' and you'll be doing it without thinking about it. Best of luck with the rubber strap, I know you'll be impressed with the feel

I know you are right, but not only my money has been collected a long time ago, but Paul first told me my watch was on it's way...

And I can't believe he does not have the financial power to pay someone to simply send an email telling to his customers what's happening with their order ;-)

I know it is being illegal but when you buy from his site it doesn't say that you gonna have no service at all but rather to expect a very good one !

I actually misread your post, and saw it was someone else who had payed and not had the money picked up yet, sorry about that...

He probably does have the ability to pay someone to send an email, but don't forget the Personal Business. If that's something like a death in the family, he's going to have more important things to deal with than regular business, so allowances have to be made for that... What you're thinking of as poor service, could simply be bad luck of timing... Best of luck with your watch

$100 from TTK in March 2006. It's the famous Noobmariner.

Yes, it's got an etched sapphire crystal, a 120-click bezel, near perfect bracelet, cleanest modern dial out there, good crown guards ... all for $100.

ps. Over a year old and still running very well. I'm about to buy one for the father in law.

That's definitely a good price for the watch then. Out of curiosity, does it have serial number and whatnot etched between the lugs?

Yes you are right ! the site says he is back.

At least he is still alive ;-)

That is just the poorest customer service ever...

Please remember that you are purchassing illegal goods. 'Customer Service' is a concept you have gotten used to from dealing with regular shops and businesses. With reps, it's not something you should expect or insist on. Should people be poplite and professional? Of course. That does not mean you should expect instant responces to emails and enquiries. Did Paul not say he was out of town on PERSONAL BUSINESS? Did his site not say that he would be back on the 18th. Whatever the reason he was out of town, perhaps it took longer to deal with than expected. Chances are whatever the reason Paul had to go out of town for, cropped up while your deal was going through, so that would explain any problems with communication. You did post to say that the money had not been collected, so that in itself should reassure you that you were not being ripped off. Yes, waiting can be hard and frustrating, but please remember that you are not dealing with legal goods here, so 'Shop fast' service is not something you should expect... Bearng all that in mind, bedst of luck, I hope your watch arrives soon

Has anybody had a problem with the crown on thier 45.5 PO not screwing down and holding?

I took the crown out and looked down inside the crown and examined the crown tube (inside & out) and for the life of me I can not find any threads at all! I was looking where one would look on a sub, but I did not see any threads? Any one know whats up or how to fix this problem? It worked a few times then quit catching and holding.

Thanks in advance...

This is a very frequent problem with the Planet Oceans. The only way to fix it, is to replace the crown and tube. You could always ask your dealer for an exchange, or a repair, but the exchange watch is as likely to have the same flaw (a LOT of people have had PO crown failures) Best of luck

I'd be interested to see the actual watch rather than a photoshop rendering of it...

I can see why people dislike it, but, I rather like it. I probably wouldn't wear one myself, as it's not the style that I like to wear, but, I think it's a nice looking watch. Do you have any other info on it like the make or cost?

This is the problem Teejay, most people that order from Bluefakes never receive any kind of product. You place a credit card order with them, they send you an e-mail a couple of days later indicating that they do not accept credit card orders for Canadian or International customers. They request that a wire transfer be done instead. The info they give you for the wire, contains multiple routing implementations and money gets routed 4-5 times. People don't get any product, period. I agree with you Teejay about the perceived value of what you buy. This is what makes the world go round. If you think it is worth what you have paid for, then you will be content with your purchase. I am in sales so I know all about that. This however is not the case. These sites are out there purposely to rip you off. I want to make people aware of them and forewarn any newbies to the rep world. Thank god for these forums which helped me from getting completely scammed too.

If that's the case, and they are 100% rip off sites, then by all means, name and shame. I think though, that a distinction does need to be made between sites like Bluefakes that are 100% fakers, to sites like Eurofakes/Rarereplicas that are simply expensive (but do provide a Top Notch product) If that exact product is indeed available cheaper elsewhere, then all well and good, people need to be made aware of that as well, as it's pointless to pay more for a product than necessary. This is why I'm keen for people to post pictures of watches which have been purchased from the 'expensive sites' like mine. Is it worth $800? I don't really think that any watch is worth more than $200 tops, so in that regard, I would say no, it's not worth that price. But. It is a very close rep that has passed as genuine with an experienced watchsmith (until he opened the back) To me, the fact it is not immediately identifiable means it's worth a fair price. Would I be satisfied with a $20, $200 Submariner? Depends how accurate they were and how they compared to mine. I'd certainly have been happy to pay less for mine, but, at the same time, I'm satisfied that the price I paid went for a quality product, and it has certainly never given me the kind of problems that people frequently report on their SMPs or POs which are supposed to be the 'ultimate versions' of those watches. Sure, a piece of lume came loose. Could happen to anyone. Since then, it's been fine. The bezel was only replaced because it got scratched, not because it needed a more accurate bezel fitted... It's all swings and roundabouts, but, I'd still be very keen to see other watches people have purchased from 'expensive sites'.

Not all people that state, "they are a scamsite", say so just to jump on a "bandwagon". That is highly presumptious on your part.

If they are not jumping on a bandwagon, they will have no problems posting pictures of their poor quality watches so people will see what X price buys, if they feel it was worth it, and if they want to risk using the dealer themself. There is nothing presumptious at all about asking people to prove the point they are making. I am not trying to catch anyone out here, but trying to use this as an oportunity for those who have purchassed from 'scam dealers' to actually display their watches, all in one place, so they can be compared.

So where

If I say it is a scam site, it is, because I have either purchased from them or investigated "ALL" of them in deep, lengthy detail.

Unless you have actually purchased from them, then what would your investigations prove other than questionable business practices? As I said, I have no tollerance for liars. If a dealer is proven to have misrepresented a product, I'll have nothing to do with them. Please can you post pictures of the watches you have purchased from such dealers? That way, we can all compare them to the cheaper alternatives available and draw our own conclusions from the experience.

Bluefakes and all their companies are a complete scam, period. The specs on their watches are non existant, and they grade their replicas. Just try calling their 1-800 number. You will be lucky to get anyone on the phone at all. If you do, it will be some idiot named Chad. Ask him a few questions about reps. He doesn't know jack. There are multiple people that got scammed by these guys, and that is a fact. Hundreds of people for that matter. If their financial institution knows they are commiting fraud, and have frozen their accounts, that is something to be said.

So their business practices suck. Fine. I never disputed that. I said I wanted to see the PRODUCT THEY SELL. Is that too much to ask for?

Teejay, it is funny how you are one of the biggest bashers of the cartel but defend rep companies that sell $800+ watches.

I am not defending any company that lies about their product. I am asking for proof that the PRODUCT THEY SELL is as poor as people are claiming that it is, without any photographic evidence to back up those complaints.

I dare you to buy a watch from bluefakes.

If I had the money to spare I'd be happy to do that. Problem is though, I don't have the money to spare. Chances are I would never use the dealer I bought my Submariner from again, purely because I do not feel the need to spend that much money on a watch again, and I don't really want another Rolex (and that is all they sell). Doesn't mean they are scammers, or their product is poor, it just means they don't have what I want.

The thread starter references Blue[censored]s, that's who I am talking about.

Okay Please can I see a photo of the watch you bought from them?

Just like you, I replaced the bezel insert. Just like you, the only other mods are a NATO strap.

Will that do?

Okay, so the crown guards are slightly wider at the base of the crown. Other than the flaw with the crystal I previously accounted for, I honestly cannot see any difference between that watch and the one on my wrist (other than a better quality NATO strap [mine is generic] and a better photographic setup)

Where was that watch purchassed from, and for how much?

I too was nearly taken in by their clever web. First of all, I believed their fake review site that had BlueFakes as the number 1. Then I went to purchase an Explorer II, but got a bad feeling when I went to pay for it. I backed out just in time, but not before giving them my Email address. They must sell these addresses since I have being getting SPAM every day since.

Luckily, I found RWG and have bought some great reps for a fraction of the Bluefakes price.

With the greatest of respect, how is this any different to Corgi's comment? You didn't buy the watch, so how can you judge their product quality?

With regard to spam, I too get spam. I got spam before I bought my Submariner, and I get spam since buying it. Are you sure that you are only getting spam because of that website? If so, then indeed, bad mark against them, but, in all honesty, that could merely be a coincidence...

I think the point is really that providing one is happy with the price paid and the goods delivered that is all that counts.

I agree entirely. With anything, I think the product quality should always match the price paid. I'm very excited about my SMP that I have on order for three reasons. 1. It's a watch I've been after for a while. 2. It's a dealer I've never used before. 3. The price was very low, so I'm keen to see it the quality reflects the price, or if I might have got a good bargain... Only time will tell

The thing that gets me is the people who say "Don't buy from SuperSwissWatches, they're scam artists!" but don't actually provide proof of this scamming for others to be aware of. It comes off as bandwagon jumping rather than informing from experience. Just because the deals from The Cartel are cheaper, that does not necessarily mean the more expensive deals are scams if that other product is of good quality. As I said, if a dealer lies about their product, then they are a scammer. Doesn't matter if they're charging $8 or $800. If what is delivered is not as described, then that is wrong, whoever the dealer is. Please folks, let's see some more watches from these expensive dealers. Let's hear the stories both good and bad, and see the product that goes with it. People can't make informed decisions without all the information.