chad

At the AD near me in NYC at a very tall building in a circle named after an explorer.... The people who work there can just barely tell the brands apart. I have heard them time and time again explain how the manual panerai do not need to be wound, I have asked for certain watches by model name or number and gotten blank stares, etc,etc,etc...... Do not wear your reps in there out principle but do not think for one second that 8 out of 10 these low paid employees know much of anything about watches or care one bit about reps. Only someone with a serious personal passion for watches could spot one of our modded reps off the wrist. AD's are not those people in most cases. The community of modded high end reps is very very small. Most people in the business would be stunned to learn about modding etc.... In NYC they care about one thing. Selling watches to make commission. That said....Still do not wear your watches in the AD to prove a point. P.S. On the same topic....................... Hello to the guy in front of me in pinkberry in the same area tonight around 8:45 who was wearing the new PP aquanaut that the cartels just released.

I had the same concern about this procedure on the aquatimers and got into the same type of debate which lead to no good a year or two ago. The only thing I will say is when I finally saw one in person, I felt I had overreacted about the appearance of it and it looked great in person. Macro photos do not always tell the whole story.

It's stuff like that that almost makes me walk away from reps.

Here is how it works for the Galapagos lovers.... Buy version 1 shiny pvd 278 - June Buy version 2 matte pvd 328 -July Buy version 1 rubber coating that wears off after looking at it wrong 378 - August Buy version 2 rubber coating that lasts a few months and realize they changed the bezel and the version 1 pvd was better 428 - October Re Buy version 1 pvd and swap bezels. Cry....

Dear rep makers, We do not like that shiny glossy crappy PVD. We did not like it on the PAM 292. We did not like it on the Blacksteel. We do not like it on this Aquatimer. Gen Makers do not use it because it looks like a turd. A shiny turd. We know you will come out with a matte version in a few months for $125 more but this time how about skipping the cheap stuff. Thanks

Nice one. Just to let you know it was probably no safe queen. If it has an early service, panerai will not do a full polish without it. It was probably banged to all hell and then he sent it in to be serviced and polished at the same time. Either way I would not care but an early service like that would be random unless it was done to refinish.

Just to say a few words in his defense......... The guys at the AD's here in NY are underpaid people who know very very very little about watches. The guys at tourneau here could not spot a fake if it hit them in the face. People on RWG treat the AD like they are gods. 4 out of 5 times they have NO idea what they are talking about. That 5th time you are in trouble though....

Does this apply to the top gun also? I have mine coming to you at the end of the month.

The old gen...

Hot one!!!

""Also, the best quality reps in the world are Patek. The movements are better. The dials are better. Real 18K gold cases."" uh....no.... The movements in standard factory made patek reps are trash. The movement in a frankenwatch is as good as he or she would like it to be depending on availability, compatibility and cost. You mentioned VDB. I would say that the Rolex mvt in some of his watches is better than the mvt you showed for the patek. I guess that would make vintage panerai the best reps in the entire world.

update at top...

I understand that completely but the ratio of my purchases/local referrals to this type of stuff makes it very stupid for him not to send me another watch.

Very true, but... The watch I sent back will get opened up by the guy I addressed it to and get "fixed" or mvt swapped and be heading right back out to one of you guys after a little shrink wrap. So in the end you could probably send 4 replacements and still be out ahead.

Just a few words about Josh in case I was not clear. He has always been a great dealer for me and sending replacements quickly when needed and responding to email very fast. I have recommended him to many non forum people over the years. but.... I feel like implying that you do not want to do business with someone because they are not willing to accept two seriously non functioning watches is crossing the line after years and years of personal business. Does someone really deserve to get two bad watches and get blacklisted for complaining when prices are always rising? (this is not the first time I have heard of someone being "threatened" for being too much "trouble") I can say 100 percent that Josh would never leave anyone high and dry though. Maybe expecting loyalty and a desire to really make something right on all levels is just too much. Maybe I am unreasonable in my expectations.

Some The Zigmeister magic will help the situation I am sure.

I just received my replacement Top Gun from Josh. He sent out a quick replacement after I provided photos of the return shipment. That is GREAT customer service for a long time customer. Josh has always taken care of me well. I have had some bad watches in the past but I certainly have not returned everything I have bought that had problems. I know how the buisness goes. I have returned a few though that were DOA or had massive problems. No doubt about that and if I get one that is a mess even if I do not return it I certainly let him know about problems. Actually my first two orders with him(years ago) he sent the wrong watches all together. (remember those great PAM G series bases??..I got the second hand versions in the mail, an 036 and a 111).....I kept them. My last super rep had screws falling out of it all over the place from stripped holes(well just 2) but I never asked for a replacement. I ordered the first HBB's with screws falling out also. I never asked for a new watch but did ask for screws. I pleaded with him to examine the watch before he resent. I have spent a silly amount of money through him over the past 2-3 years. $$$$'s and recommended maybe 6 people in NYC to him that have spend a fortune also. The Top Gun I have now has a dead day wheel. I cannot set it accurately.(it sticks between days when setting)It also does not move with the date at all. I have tried the usual tricks of banging it against my palm etc. I could tell this watch was non functioning within 10 sec when I tried to set the day.(ANY TIPS OR HELP WOULD BE AWESOME!) QC could have easily caught it. My first watch hardly kept time (+ 20 mins )and died after a few days. I wrote a calm email to josh. I asked for another watch again. He wrote back and said that we are not meant to do business together and offered me and refund. So while he "takes care of his customers" I have now sent one watch too many back and I am on a list of his that we should not do business together because he sends me NON QC'ed watches and I am not stupid enough to not notice. What can I say...looks like I do not get a Rep I have been looking forward to for six months. He did offer a refund....... but with the sentiment that it is somehow my fault he sends out junk. I'll keep the watch and drop a 7750 in it before I admit that I am being too difficult in this matter. Prices go up but standards go down. This is not a crooked marker or dust in the case. These are $500 broken watches out of the box. UPDATE: Josh has agreed now to send me another replacement. I will cross my fingers on this one and thank you Josh for your efforts.

176g gen

Looks AMAZING!!

They are giving the gens away now in the US...... I hope you are getting a good price on those parts

Whatever effect it is... It is does not look accurate or pleasing to the eye from a design point of view. No offense to the maker because it is a great project but just being honest.

nice project! I have seen these in the flesh and many pics. There is something wrong with the rehaut on your dial. It is too low. Looks strange. Sometimes it can just be the angle that the crystal is cut that makes it look that way too. Either way I might try and fool with that. For example in your more side angled photos...the "3" and the "6" are getting cut off slightly in the image. On the gen at that oblique angle the 3 and 6 would not be getting chopped like that in the photo by the inner edges of the case. The dial is set a fair amount too deep it looks like. In the photo your dial looks a little like it is at the bottom of a well compared to the very small distance between dial and case edge on the gen.