perry563

The TW best review by Bytor is an interesting read. I bought a GMT from Joshua maybe 6-7 years ago. He only offered it for a short time and then it was gone never to return (to my knowledge). The watch had all the characteristics of a TW/MBW.....lug holes were small and looked the same as my MBW Subs and it also had an off center "swiss made" on the dial which is another characteristic I knew from my old TW best subs. Rehaut is also just like Bytors watch. It looks very similar to the watch Bytor reviewed EXCEPT.......it contains a swiss ETA 2893 movement, crown is centered on the case and the bracelet is a hollow link type with polished link sides just like the gen. Wish I could post a few nice pictures buy my cell only takes crappy shots. Anyone else familar with the watch I have?

I was going to get the Yuki case initially but the pics I saw the rehaut is SOOO wokky! This is why I stayed with the much cheaper $188 6538 the cartel offers.

Pbdad got me a 8 mm crown and tube I believe from yuki for 150. Its thicker than the one that watch comes with and well worth the price. If I remember correctly Pbdad also installed a Clarke crystal which he shaved down so it looked more gen like. If the Clarke crystal fit I assume the gen would also. Contact Pbdad and I am sure he will give you all the details.

I bought Joshua's 6538 with the big crown. Then sent it off to Pbdad for a full mod job. Problem everyone has is noone has a correct rep 6538 case....they are all incorrect. BUT if you take that 188 buck watch...shave down the crystal since its too high, reage the dial because its too yellow, redrill the lug holes, install gen size springbars and finally install a correct 8 mm crown...the end result looks great. Oh yess I also bought the Corvus Bond nato to give it the look I wanted. The major tell for me is that the lugs are too curved and as such they look "short". The true 6538 has case lugs that are straigher and only curve at the very tip. This gives them a longer appearance while on the wrist.

WM9 subs are a thing of the past because George has stopped communicating with his customer base. Even if he did resurface who in his right mind would ever deal with him again? SOO WM9 subs are dead since no one can or in their right mind will source them again. BK NOW (and still) makes the best sub with his modded TW best. My feeling however is that the V3 was the best rep sub ever made. Its the only sub I have retained and I have owned them all.

I handed my V3 to a knowledgable watch enthusiast and he never blinked an eye. I remember handing my modded TW best to another friend who called out the solid links in 5 seconds! The V3 has the correct crown position which also gives the watch a real gen like appearance. The other subs just dont look correct with the crown sitting so low between the CG's. The V3 has flaws but they are small ones but certainly gaps in the end link fit would be a nogo for me also. Luckily my end links are real tight just need to be ever so slightly more recessed. One thing for sure is that the WM9 subs are a thing of the past..Bks new sub is NOW the best rep sub available in the world.

Ive had them all and I still say that my V3, the only sub I have kept, is the best rep sub ever made. Mine came with the WM9BK LV pearl which was excellent. My end links fit very tight although they could be ever so slightly better recessed. The TW best comes with a solid mid link bracelet which is an instant tell although the end links do fit very well against the case and lugs.

Hate to do so.....somebody talk me out of it!!!!!!!!!!! I bought it from Joshua and its like new.

Nobody including myself is saying anyone should not post their opinions/views. The point is that insults should not also be included. Every rep watch forum is dedicated to discussing the pluses and minuses of specific rep watches. Its because of these very specific discussions that rep watches are what they are today.

"The point was oblivious. Sorry my post failed to make it's point to you. Picking apart the minute inaccuracies of the best rep Sub out there is informative? How about enjoying the watch your lucky enough to have? No insult intended in the woman comment. Humor, eh? And expressing my opinion is what I did the first time. Clear to you now?" If you have not discovered already "picking apart the minute inaccuracies" is what is mostly done on this forum. Without such critiques the rep industry would still be in the dark ages. An informed customer base pushes all dealers to sell the best. This in turn pushes the factories to make better watches and so forth. By-Tor is one of the most informed posters on this board and he desreves a good level of respect.

The most satifying vintage rep out of the box is a MBW GWSD. First off it has that great wrist appeal in general with the superdome crystal and nice fit and finish. Now if you take that watch and do the following you have one incredible watch at a relativly nominal price: Shave the CG Drill the lug holes and install the correct size springbars Install a PMW insert and Ofrie pearl Install Clark Superdome or flat top. (I prefer the superdome) Install correct tube and crown So we are talking 400.00 for the base watch and another 400.00 or so in mods. So thats 800.00 bucks for a near perfect GWSD.

If you want a rep Rolex contact Bk. (look in the dealer/collector section) ANYTHING else and you will be disappointed. Bk sells only the very best and if anything ever goes wrong he will fix it. There is a long line ahead of you to get a Bk watch but the wait is worth it.

Although advertised as a 5508 this watch looks more like a 6538 with its larger domed crystal, thicker case and 8 mm crown. The 5508 came as a thinner case, a lower domed crystal and only a 6 mm crown. Its a 6538!!!

It has a 8mm crown but a thicker case than that picture. Supposedly a 38 mm case with a very large dome like crystal. I cant post a pic but its the last sub listed in Andrews "VINTAGE SUB....." section. Similar to the MBW Bond sub but with a centered crown.

Anyone?

Does anyone have a set of gen size springbars they can send me? I sent my watch to someone on these boards a few years ago for modding and I now see that the springbars he installed were NOT the correct gen like type.

I bought my MBW 1665 from TTK years ago. I had someone from the forum mod the watch and he did a less than perfect job and because of it I have not worn it much until just recently. What I did was take apart the end links, rebend them a but so they now sit perfectly as they should below the case lugs. Amazing how such a simple change makes all the difference in the wearability of a rep watch! Ive been wearing it non stop since! I now realize however why the modder bent the end links like he did........the gen sized spring bars cause the end links to pull the last link on either side of the watch too tight so they tend to bind. I also installed a Clark Superdome, a PMWG insert and ofrei pearl. All I need now are a gen sized crwon and tube as well as someone to redrill the lug holes so the ends of the spring bars stick out from the holes. Anyone in the US a good sourse for these simple but critical mods?

I am waiting to recieve the latest BOND sub from Andrew. I also bought the correct Corvus BOND strap for the watch. I always wanted a Bond sub and to me this looks like the best out of the box version available. Can anyone who has this watch tell me about its pluses and minuses as compared with the gen? Are the lug holes drilled the proper size? What are the obvious flaws? Does the Davidsen Brevet crown fit without further mods? Is the bezel the correct thickness and if not where can I buy the correct size bezel? Does the correct size bezel fit without further mods? Any other info that will help me out making this watch look closer to Gen I would greatly appreciate!

Can you temm me exactly which watch is this? I have not seen that dial matched up with that bezel with the large brevet crown. Which watch on Andrews site is this?????

I though that the WM9 sub dials were the best? I have a v3 and its the best I have ever seen and I have had them all....noob to TW best, MBW etc. The noob dial was the best prior to WM9 but always had the out in left field "S" that stuck out like a sore thumb.

Ive had all the major rep subs....MBW, TW Best, Noob, Beginer...all modded fully by Bk himself. I have sold them all once I bought my V3 from Bk. To me its the best. Best feel, fit and finish of any rep sub I have ever seen....period. My SEL fit tight with no gaps. They could be ever so slightly more recessed but its close enough that it does not bother me at all. Date mag may be ever so slightly less magnifying than gen but its so close and the gen varies also. In terms of the crown sitting a bit too close to the case this may be true but again its very close and in my mind gives the watch a better fit and finish appearance. I have seen many rep subs with just the opposite issue....the crown sits too far away from the case and the result is a sloppy appearance...not gen like at all. I dont screw my crown all the way down....I back it off three quarters of a turn. The watch is still watertight but this lifts the crown slightly away frrom the case.

If you dont screw down the crown totally all the way it looks much better. Just screw down all the way and then back off one turn.

Bk Just sold that watch unfortunatly. Tough losing ones job in this lousey economy.

I am in the midst of selling most of my sub collection in part because this V3 sub is that good. I finally have a sub that is so close to gen that I am close to 100% satisfied.