chad

No aftermarket double ar? Shame on you

Seems like the cartel scene is totally dead now for new high quality pieces. Not our modding scene of course but the cartels are just not putting out anything but color variations of old pieces and junk. It's been nice to perfect some old favorites but I wonder about the future of the scene. A few months ago I thought it was a dry spell but after a few more months of nothing it seems here to stay.

Sorry I had to clear something up on a purchase before I posted this.

I am a panerai guy at heart. I have a gen and have found the rep game frustrating. Nothing I have managed to get my hands on really look like a gen. I have owned and sold a gen 5004 and 3717 and one area I have not been disappointed in is IWC. Thanks to the likes of The Zigmeister and chief these watches surpass the gens on my wrist. More pop and presence. Gen Dial 5002 with chief AR The Zigmeister and Chief swiss 3717 and Aquatimer.

"tool watch (for tool use only)" I am sure many tools will be wearing one. There is nothing I hate more in the world of watches when people start using the expression ""tool watch"" to describe high end watches. Drives me crazy!! I like the watch. Its a very expensive fashion accessory though for 99.9 percent of its buyers. Not a "tool watch".

It is pretty common knowledge that iwc oem straps are sub par, especially the latest ones in the past few years. The new big pilot straps are terrible.. Crooked stitching and rivets etc. The 3717 owner complain about how thin and flimsy the croc is that comes with it. The ingy gen kelvar comes apart as fast as the rep one. Makers like ABP, simona etc are around the same price and 4x times the quality. You would go with this over a GEN dial anytime? I hope you are joking P.S. The strap in the photo does look nice on the watch but ordering a custom from ABP would destroy it.

Been wearing this one for months now and just popped a ted su on it. Gen dial and chief AR are a nice combo.

Every year as far as I can remember around and after the new year has been an exciting time to see many new UNIQUE watches pop up on the cartel sites. Its been junk and different versions of junk for as many months as I can remember. Sure there is hope of the proplof etc but what is going on this season? Are we finally out of watches to rep? Cartel catering more to the local chinese market and not our more discerning tastes?

I would get the issue fixed. The AR looks great and it is a good looking watch. Why settle with that on a modded piece? It would drive me crazy!

Something is off.... Dial is crooked in the case or printing is off. The first photo it is really off.

Wow, looks like I should open my eyes and see what kind of hobby this is, haha.... What a creepy thread.......

i agree about dsn and some strange things going on with certain proportions on his casesets.

Sure I will try and post some pics today. The FGD example I gave you is not subtle though. It is far more visible than a flattened CG pin or an "L swiss vs T swiss" or a crown that is .1 mm off in thickness. (i notice those things also) Have you wore a gen for an extended period and then a rep of the same watch?

WOW!!

Take a look down the page at FGD's collection. It is fantastic do not get me wrong, i am just showing the problem extends even to the finest pieces out there. now look at this ad on risti. http://www.network54.com/Forum/611718/thread/1246568373/last-1247506236/Only+for+the+fellow+Risti-+FS-+low+price-+201-A%2C+1BT%2C+25A%2C+127+%28GerardfromHolland%29 The difference is not subtle IMHO, and appears almost twice as deep from some angles. The dial appears to be right up on the crystal at all angles. I say "appears" because I still do not know if the dials need to be moved up or the rep crystals are giving a false optical illusion.

Yea but it is still deeper than my gens. That looks pretty good though as do most of the automatics/chronos (daylights do not have this problem at all) I am speaking more of the handwinds. Chad

I have a pair of real great base reps and have owned the gamut of pam reps and gens. I have been wearing my 176g gen for a while and went to the 112 rep today today. I have seen one or two luminor cased reps without this issue but most do. Even the most highly modded. The dial appears sunken too low on the reps. Can this be fixed in anyway? I am talking about a very very small amount but it is noticeable even on the wrist of another person. Here in NYC on the subway I use it to tell pam rep from the person across the car. Anyway, is there a way to raise the dial slightly without too much trouble? Anyone else notice this? Could it be due to the angle the crystal is cut and false magnification?

Who referred you to this site to order from them?

I cannot do any pam searches by number anymore. Always shows no result...... ?? Chad

New one today. Gen tritium The Zigmeister lumed 009 on a MP Pav 91

What's with the wrist shot with a plastic protector on? I ask because I saw someone on the NYC subway wearing a panerai with the plastic on and I wanted to leap across the train and punch them

The base 176g is a gen. The others are reps.. I just got the big pilot. It is very impressive. One the wrist feels like the gen. Chad

Of course I know that.... I just was talking about it if I bumped into one of you guys on the street.

Here in NYC I find myself second guessing reps and gens around town even if they are horrible ones sometimes and it got me thinking about what people can really tell on casual encounters. I know almost every little obsessive fact there is to know about the watches I like and still I have to take a second look at Chinatown junk on the subway. So here is a shot of my watch box. I have owned or own gens of 3 watches in this box as well as there reps. Either could be in there. I made sure the IWC power reserve was in the right place to correspond with the rep or it is simply a rep. Picture was taken to simulate a quick look and not an examination. Do not look at them for more than 15 sec or so if you want to play fair. What do you think guys which are which? Could you call me out on the street or in a restaurant?