GenTLe

2750€???

I wrote a PM to Matt yesterday and it was ok. Maybe it's a matter of your post nr. Let me PM him about this thread. Cheers, GenTLe PS: +5 minutes a day? It's A LOT!

Well, as I wrote somewhere, 1st thing I'll do once received it will be open the case and look inside

1 piece (also advisable if living in a country with badass customs)

LOL Name approved for me too! Funnily enough, since I purchased a BP GMT II Pro Hunter from Andrew, that comes with a modified 2836-2, I asked him about these problems with the POS clone. His reply has been: "Its not the BP factory. Just that some dealers they want to earn more by scamming customers. I work very closely with the BP factory and they never dare to do that." I'd like now to understand what he means by dealers: some of the subcontractor? Other dealers like other TDs we have here? It looks a bit odd sentence to me...

Hey, we got together to the same purchase (see my PVD related post in the General Discussion area) or you just got greedy after the pictures in that post? I also went for the A2836, but the one modified to look like the Rolex. Hoping not to get a bad "new asian breeding" selecting the standard A2836. But now I hope that the modified one will work fine...

Sorry guys, here in IT the only thing a "POS" is, looks like this: What the heck "POS" means in your language?

Hi Gents, as from title, I'm looking for a good (possibly updated) book explaining (qith good graphics) the procedures and tips/tricks to service (and eventually do some minor reparations) watches with common movements like the ETAs or the Venus. I've some mechanical and "do it yourself" skill (just to tell you I started repairing engines when I was 12, last things I did were: completely build the power system of my house; replaced timing belt/waterpump/accessory belt of my Alfa Romeo 156 etc etc) and I'd like to start taking care of my watches by my self (eventually practicing on some crappy asian 21J). But as I'm also an information tech guy I know pretty well that you need to start with knowledge before than with hands, so I'd like to study something before to do disasters... Any advise on some good and updated book for a watch newbie? Thanks, GenTLe

Thanks Man!

Ehhh, this is my problem too. More: from around 1 year I'm heavily refurbishing my house, so I had to go back to live with my mother (well yeah, I'm Italian in the end ), which is just 200m from my house, and I'm carefully hiding my watches not to have a proper war in here

Hi Vega, I think you're confusing the material with the method. PVD stands for Physical Vapor Deposition DLC stands for “Diamond like carbon” and is a type of PVD applied coating Therefore DLC is applied with PVD. But a PVD treated object could use a different material for the treatment. Ciao, GenTLe

Must have one

It's a very nice one. But to me a bit too black. Yesterday I pulled the trigger for this one, let's see it next to the gen (in the 2nd picture): Major flaws is the coating: the gen is much more matt. But the gen producer says that it comes in 3 styles: "original, matt and stealth". I can't say the differences as there're no pictures indicating the style used... Second thing is the GMT hand: on the gen is OVER the hour hand, on the rep is below it. This is valid for all rep GMT, and personally I don't care much :-) Finally I also purchased a black Nato strap for mine, and while the gen (Nato is optional too) has the "Pro-Hunter" written on the tang buckle, mine obviously doesn't. But 75$ for a gen nato strap are a bit too much. And also mine has SS rings in it because I don't want to worry about the PVD getting faded off. Cheers, GenTLe

Definitively not my type of watch but man, you're doing a GREAT work! Superb!

The one like the IWC is this one (don't know if still in stock anyway): http://www.ttw888.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=30_238&products_id=6875 Ah, and note that both the IWC and the rep are 55mm diameter!!!!!! Otherwise if you want a proper gen (not such expensive too: 790€ with ETA 2824-2 TOP grade), from the most famous brand of Pilot's watches (meaning they were really doing them during 2nd WW), look this one: This is really "sexy" for me: More info here: http://www.stowa.de/lshop,showrub,14033796973144,en,1403379802-3857,flieger,,,,.htm

As said in a post some time ago, I have a friend from teenage period (we both were in the same scout group) that worked 10/15 years or so as watchsmith in "THE" Rolex AD here in a near 50000 inhabitant city. From some months he opened his own jewelry shop (independent watchsmith too) and it happened that I met him after some years just one month ago. So I asked him if he could service my reps (for around 95$ each) and he was telling me "If you want, but just because you're a friend.. I can give them a look... They are such bad that they fall apart even unassembly them... I've seen some of them from other friends... Such sh_t..." etc So today I went there with my BP Pam 164: He saluted me and ironically told me "So have you brought here your crap?". And I was smiling within my self. Then he proposed me to open it (it's a closed case back) to see inside, asking me firstly if I've already gave it a look inside, and when I said "no" he smiled and replied "Ahahah, so you still don't know what mess there is inside, eh?". Again I was smiling within my self. So he went in the back shop to open it and staid there some 5 minutes, during which I heard a "Jesus!" from that side. Now my smile was quite open He came back and told me "YOu know? This movement is indeed a good one!!! How much you told me you paid for it?". At that point I was laughing openly (no other customers in the shop) Then, as final axe in my cuff, I said "You know? It's also real sapphire glass that one...". Point - Set - Match! He'll service it no problem, and will do also for my incoming ones He still don't get why I spend my money in fake watches considering that 5/6 of them + service and I could take an used gen that may keep value with time, but ok, we all know why we're going for these, isn't it?

Gosh, Andrew is incredible... Pulled the trigged yesterday (Friday) at around 10.30PM. Sent further mail telling him "please please please check it will not come with one of those bad new breed asian clone of the clone" Got reply at 2.xx AM This morning re-replied to him and got reply within 10 minutes. Then, at 5.35 PM (SATURDAY) I got QC pictures... Accepted them telling also "Man, you should take some rest/relax, it's Saturday, I could have waited 'till Monday! :)" And here some nice pic:

Hi Pp, for what I see the same watch claimed with Swiss ETA is sold from ToroBravos, from Anrew (ttw888) at same price. They both are from BP factory, and they most probably both have the "refurbished" ETA inside. I'd stay away from these refurbished ones. BUT I see that Angus (http://puretime-asia.com/) has it with Asian ETA (anyway it's a 2005 model, not the latest 2013 one). If you like that version I'd personally go for it: http://puretime-asia.com/product/seamaster-300m-chronometer-on-bracelet-a2824/ Here the differences (gen pictures) between 2005 one on the left, and the 2011 one on the right (note that they have the same diameter: 41mm): Ciao, GenTLe

Always wondering how did they made these things with such "primitive" tools like the 19th century ones!!

Pulled the trigger :-) Let's hope tjat, as indicated, I will NOT get one of those bloody "new breed asian clone of the clone"!. Also ordered from UK (eBay) a black nato strap because the main problem with the PVD ones is the PVD black bracelet: I can imagine how quickly I can damage it working at my desk in the office... Let's hope I'll not get "burned" this time...

+1

HI Gens, one of the (unfortunately for my wallet) many watches I felt in love is this beauty here: I'm a bit scared of the resistance of this finiture and on the movement (Nickle Plated Eta 2836-2 Modified to Rolex Calibre 3187). Can, someone that have a good wrist time with a PVD coated watch (doesn't matter if a Pam, and IWC, etc), comment on the durability, resistance to scratches etc of this finiture? And, does anyone have experience with this Nickle Plated Eta 2836-2 Modified to Rolex Calibre 3187 movement? Tnx! GenTLe

Ready to flight from Naples back to Varese

Isn't it this one? http://www.torobravos2014.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=72&product_id=998

That IWC is indeed nice, but today I've received this one (still to get it as I'm away for work now), so I'm ok from that point of view