bbell6

I'll be the first to admit that I don't know a whole lot about movements, but I thought blue screws (the real ones) weren't blue in the gap where the screw driver fits. I thought that part of the screw was machined after the screw was blued (heated) and that only the asian copy movements had screws that were completely blue. I know this is the case with my decorated ETA 7753. Someone please correct me if my understanding is wrong.

Done. Sorry I was late to the party.

I read on one web page that there is a 40mm Ferrari chronograph by Panerai. I also stumbled across a cheap 42mm quartz replica. However, I haven't ran across a anything other than a 45mm Ferrari on Andrew's or Josh's websites. Did I overlook something or is the 45mm all that is a available?

Today Tomorrow

She looks a lot like Estella Warren (actress/model - planet of the apes) Estella Warren

I wouldn't know where to find her, but I think you need the gf to meet her.

Started with a gen Rolex sub in '94. Outside of the month or two that it was gone for a routine service it pretty much never left my wrist (shower, sleep, ocean, pools). In fact, you could probably count the number of days on your hands that I didn't wear it from '94 to '07 (except for the servicing). Earlier this year I decided to pick up another watch. I liked the looks of the 5513's but didn't really want to spend that much so I decided to buy Tudor Rose sub. I had intended to buy it on ebay and stumbled across this site while I was looking. I joined as a non-paying member to see if I good gather enough information to keep from buying a copy. I finally took the plunge and purchased the Tudor Rose sub on ebay ($1600). Then realized that something wasn't quite right about the watch (with help from individuals on this board and timezone). Luckily, I was able to get out of the sale. However, knowing that the watch was fake, if the guy had offered to sell it to me for $800, I would have bought it. At that point I realized it wasn't about wether the watch was a gen or a rep, but rather if I liked the looks and quality for the price. Since that time I have bought several MBWs, a Breitling Navitimer, and a couple of PAM reps. During this same period I have also purchased a Breitiling Navitimer Montbrillant, and a couple of RXWs (MM10 and Plasmir Milgraph). I am now trying to decide wether to upgrade/mod the Breitling Navitimer and/or the PAM 112 or to actually purchase one of these as a gen (my wife has offered to get me either one for my birthday). Therefore, in some sense, I'm like Anton in that I use the reps as a demo for a gen. However, I really appreciate the quality of some of the high end reps and am completely satisfied with them (ie MBW great white).

My avatar is of a girl my wife met on line. Eventually we were vacationing in an area close to where the girl lived and we met in person. As one might have guessed from the photo, she was an exotic dancer (I say was - we haven't kept up with her). It made for an interesting visit to say the least.

You probably won't even have to take a hit to your feedback. Assuming you haven't paid yet, send the seller an e-mail telling him that you have reason to believe that the watch isn't authentic. He will likely just go away. From what other members here are saying, he knows that his watch is a fake and he probably won't push the issue. I purchased a rose tudor sub that was a replica. I realized this only after I had paid. I got lucky and the seller either didn't know he had a fake (he was a regular watch seller with great feedback) or realized it only after he had put the watch up for sale. He refunded my account and as far as I could tell, never relisted the watch (I kept looking for it to resurface for about a month). Good Luck

I have a PAM 112 which I purchased from another member. If I recall correctly, I paid around $230 US (I think it originally came from Andrew or Joshua). I'm not really a PAM person, but after having this watch for several months it is starting to grow on me. I've decided that I want a good one, and am wondering if I should modify the one I have, or if I would be better off to start from scratch with a new one. As stated earlier, I'm not a real PAM person and not up on all the ways to spot a replica. My particular watch has the (I don't know the proper terminology) short post problem and the lume is almost non-existent. I would like to have both of these issues corrected and I would also like to have an accurate working crown (as waterproof as possible). Even with the crown lever in the closed position, the watch can still be wound (is that accurate?). However, if you want to set the time, you have to put the lever in the open position and pull the crown out. Based on my description of the current watch, what is the best route. Should I just have these things fixed, or would it be better to start with a more accurate model (both in terms of cost and accuracy)?

Count me in for that. Actually, you could probably charge extra for a XXX VIP membership

I've stumbled across his sight on several occassions over the past six months. He lists a Panerai look alike called the Marine Diver (black and blue dials). He says that there is only one left. However, the black one has been there since my first visit. That seems kind of odd.

Just send all the ads and avatars that others complain about to me.

Happy to hear about the new feature, but I'll stick with the old skin since I like the Adult Friend Finder girls. I just wish they would give us some variety.

@TeeJay After your comment, I reread my post, and my description of the event does sound like he was being a smart ass. I edited the conversatiom for this post. He was actually telling me that I could get a high quality replica band on ebay (they all used the word "fake" but not in a derogatory sense). He was attempting to educate me on the quality of these items and letting me know that no retailers could take the risk of selling these but that they were in fact worth considering. Sorry that I made the salesman sound like an ass. They were all rather nice and helpful, not the least bit snobbish.

Not if the store isn't busy. They have to be there anyway, and they might just talk me into buying one. However, if the store is busy, or if there are more customers than salespeople, I will tell them that I am only looking and suggest that they help the other person. If I frequent the same store more than once in a month, I try to make sure that the same salesperson isn't working (unless its a hot saleswoman - she has a better chance of talking me into purchasing something, so I'm not wasting her time).

I had an interesting experience in a tourneau store a couple of weeks ago. I was wearing a RXW MM10 (PAM homage) and was asking if they had any aftermarket bracelets that would fit (I was looking for an oyster style with endpieces that would match the squared case). The salesman, initially making the assumption that it was a PAM, or just being polite, asked "so you don't want a genuine." I replied that the watch wasn't a PAM, but rather a homage and tried to explain a little of the history behind the RXW brand. Most of this seemed to be lost on him because he was obviously thinking replica. He stepped backwards and to the side to confer with another salesman. Salesman two then stepped forward and said "so you are looking for a fake PAM band". At this point, I didn't think it was going to be worth the effort to reiterate that I was looking for an oyster band. I just replied that I didn't care who made it, I just wanted a metal bracelet for the watch. He told me that I might have more luck on ebay. As this was occuring another salesman (salesman 3) walked up to the first salesman and they start whispering. Then salesmen one and three joined salesman two at the counter and salesman one introduces me to salesman three. They informed me that up until recently they (several of the salesmen in the store) were aware of a web page where you could buy extremely accurate "fakes" (their terminology). The web page was no longer up at that point. Apparantly, quite a few of them had purchased replica PAMs that they wore when they weren't working. They said it all started when I customer came in to have his PAM worked on and it was sent back to Panerai for servicing. They said the watch was returned to the store with a note from Panerai that it was not a genuine PAM. The salesman said that this was unusual for a company to send back a fake, but that the note went on to say that the watch had fooled the service tech until he opened the case and realized it wasn't one of their watches. Impressed by the quality of the watch Panerai had supposedly sent it back to the store because they didn't want to destroy it. This last part of the story seemed a little far fetched. Has anyone here ever heard a story like that.

Carl, Thanks for your input. I'm keeping an eye open for a Wakmann dial, but as of yet have only came across a couple of manual winding 7736s. However, based on the looks of these Wakmann 7736 dials, I feel that there is a good chance that the Leonidas is also a 7736 dial (I don't think the feet are in the right place for it to be a 7753, but I could be wrong). I guess the question is whether a 7736 dial will fit a 7753 movement. Thanks

If this question is in the wrong location, I apologize. I'm trying to piece together a custom watch and I'm having trouble sourcing a custome dial (I already have the movement val. 7753 and access to a case). If anyone has any ideas regarding custom dials your input would be appreciated. Since I haven't come across any custom dial suppliers I was looking for an old dial that might work and came across this one, which appears to be the proper diameter for the case I'm considering. I'm not sure what movement the dial was made for, but from what I've found on the internet, most of the older leonidas watches with this dial configuration used some sort of manual wind valjoux 77xx. Just wondering if there is any chance that this dial (subdial spacing - I assume I'd have to remove the feet) would work with a 7753. Does anyone have any thoughts? Thanks in advance

I've read the 30 minute thing before. However, as previously stated, reps don't hold the lume long (5 or 10 minutes). I've got two of the Ken's Trading Company watches (RXWs - dial similar to a PAM). I can charge them for 5 or 10 minutes and they shine like flashlights at first. One of them dims relatively quickly but is still somewhat visible all night (it also has H3 tubes though). The other one dims much slower and still has good lume the following morning. In fact, it is brighter in the morning than my PAM rep right after a charge.

I was asked to remove mine at RWI, so I did. I hope that doesn't happen here, but I don't want to break any rules. She has her clothes on, she just has a good body (her personality wasn't as good, but that wasn't as important - LOL)

Looking to source a case and dial for a custom watch. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

This is a genuine breitling croc: (the newer rep bands look really good, if I'm able to shave one down to fit the 20mm lugs, I will post pics)

I just won an old 22mm breitling deployant on ebay for $10. I'm going to see if I can make it fit the Rolex 20mm lugs. I'll let you know if it works.

A breitling black croc (tang or deployant) looks great on this watch. Unfortunately the genuine bands are quite expensive. The newer rep deployant crocs look good but the smallest they come in is a 22mm and you will need a 20mm for the Rolex. I'm not sure if these bands could be trimmed to fit the Rolex lugs, maybe someone else can chime in on this. I have a MBW 1665 on the Tang version. I will try to post some pictures tonight.