teddy boy

The weight that you're talking about was obvious just holding the watch in my hand. I think you would need a pretty snug fit on the band for a watch this heavy. Something that heavy moving around on the wrist would drive me crazy. So far as the feel of the band was concerned, I really couldn't get a sense of that. As I said, there was no way that I was taking my rep day date off in order to try his submariner on. My rep is really pretty good and would fool all but the best trained eye. I don't know if this guy was that astute, but I certainly wasn't anxious to find out. I know that the white gold is shinier than the stainless, the difference just isn't obvious with a casual glance. This watch could easily be mistaken for a stainless model selling for a mere $8000 or so.

The wife and I were shopping today so I went in one of the jewelry stores that sells high end watches. I was wearing my rep white gold day date which was about 1/3 visible under my shirt sleeve. When the clerk eyed my watch, he couldn't pull rolexes out fast enough for me to examine. That was the good part of having the rep on. The bad part was that there was no way I was taking my watch off to try theirs' on. All I did was handle the watches that he showed. The most interesting model that he showed me was the new submariner in white gold. The watch is really heavy, much heavier than I recall the old solid gold model. The clerk indicated that the extra weight was due to a new ceramic bezel and completely solid links on the band. The band itself has been redesigned and no longer has the sheet metal type design at the clasp. The clasp design seems more in line with the overall quality of the watch as compared to the original. Overall the watch was very attractive. However, I'd have to say that the blue dial and bezel don't look as striking against the white gold as they do against the old yellow gold. That's not to say that I was a fan of the older yellow gold, it was a bit too much bling for me. It's just that the white gold on the new watch doesn't complement the blue as well. The watch prices out at around $29,000 U.S. That seems like a lot for a watch that most people can't distinguish on sight from stainless.

I'm regularly astounded by how little the salespeople peddling high end watches know. I don't consider myself an expert by any means, but I invariably know way more than the salesperson. It's gotten to the point that I don't even ask what movement a watch has now as the response is usually something idiotic.

They always mess the rehaut up on the fake boobies so it will be easy to tell once the pics are posted.

No love for the newbie?

Planet ocean or IWC ingeneuir

Thanks

Does anyone know where the watch trade occurs in Hong Kong?

If you want a highly accurate IWC, the ingeneur is the best choice. Most of the other IWC models have major flaws as compared to the gen. Don't go for the white dial version ingeneur as it is a phantom. You may decide that the ingeneur looks too similar to the ultimate P.O. The ultimate planet ocean is an excellent rep. The only meaningful flaw is that the bezel is one click off. That is, when the pearl is centered at the 12:00 marker, the 50 is not centered over the 10:00 position. It's not major, but it is a flaw. By Tor did his usaul excellent review of the planet ocean including an explanatio of how to fix the bezel problem for the more technically inclined. At one time, the dial on the orange version was off center; I don't know if that's still the case. If you want a highly accurate IWC, the ingeneur is the best choice. Most of the other IWC models have major flaws as compared to the gen. Don't go for the white dial version ingeneur as it is a phantom. You may decide that the ingeneur looks too similar to the ultimate P.O. The ultimate planet ocean is an excellent rep. The only meaningful flaw is that the bezel is one click off. That is, when the pearl is centered at the 12:00 marker, the 50 is not centered over the 10:00 position. It's not major, but it is a flaw. By Tor did his usaul excellent review of the planet ocean including an explanatio of how to fix the bezel problem for the more technically inclined. At one time, the dial on the orange version was off center; I don't know if that's still the case.

A friend of mine bought one from Eurotimez, my watchmaker validated that it was a genuine swiss eta movement. I can't say for sure that it's from the noob facutry, but cosmetically it is an excellent rep.

Thanks for the input, I'll warn my friend and suggest one of our recommended dealers.

A friend who is a collector of gens asked me about the rep site tswisswatch. I had never heard of it. Does anyone know anything?

The Zigmeister could answer this question better than anyone, but I'll take a stab. My understanding is that not running the watch at all for months on end is bad for the movement. Other than that, it doesn't matter whether they're run a little or a lot.

I would expect better treatment than that buying one watch. Not one watch per week or per month, but one watch period.

what he said!

One of our computer techs took the picture, the other posted it here. No way I could have done either. This is my first posted picture on the forum so be kind. Is it gen or rep?

The two that immediately came to mind for me, Patek Phillippe and IWC FA Jones, have been posted in this thread. I don't think you could go wrong with either one and either can be obtained in your price range.

Thanks for all of the input. I chose Eurotimez for my friend because what I've read here seemed so positive. I have also corresponded with Eurotimez on my friend's behalf and they were very responsive. I'll post to let everyone know how the transaction goes.

He is going to buy a rolesium from Eurotimez. He can either get the 21J Asian for around $120 or the Swiss ETA for $280.

My friend has already selected the watch, it comes in Asian and supposed genuine Swiss ETA varieties. The difference in price for the two movements is $160. The watch is a gift for the guy's dad and he wants to get the best possible. Obviously he doesn't want to pay for SWISS ETA and end up with something of much lower quality. I know that he's going to ask my advice before he orders. Informed opinions as to the chance that he would actually get the Swiss ETA would be greatly apreciated.

The spitfire watches are generally not considered particularly faithful replicas of the original. The recommendation to go with an Ingeneur is probably good advice. Realize that the white dial version is a phantom so if you want the most faithful rep to the gen, go with the black dial. I own the white dial and like the watch very much. Paraphrazing someone on the board, I have a greater likelihood of winning the powerball than encountering an IWC expert.

I actually like the look of the DeepSea, it strikes me as an updated version of a classic. Their other new stuff looks as though it should light up and give you a free game.

I paid $1500 for my gen automatic, new. Bernard watch has gen automatics in new or nearly new condition for around$1400 all the time. Having said that, I really like my SMP.

My experience is much like Southcoast. The people I work with know that I collect watches and that I have both gens and reps. One day I took our computer techs to lunch and one of them asked to see my watch. It was a rep white gold, day-date, one of my two or three favortie reps. He asked if it was genuine or a rep, but asked in a non-offensive way. (He had no idea that the gen retails for $27000 now that the dollar has fallen). When I told him it was a rep he responded "wow, that' really a nice watch." It then got passed around the table. The story ends with the guy asking me to help him locate a rep Rolex for his dad. I wouldn't feel obligated to tell people that you're wearing a rep; the number of people who can actually spot the difference is miniscue and mostly confined to this and similar forum.