Victoria

Because most men have it dinned into them that any sign of homosexuality is equivalent to weakness. They don't want to be perceived as weak, which is feminine. It's a cycle. Also, remember that I'm guessing the majority of men here are 25-45 years of age. Some guys are secure about who they are at the age of 16 -- nothing will faze them. But men seem to take a bit longer to mature than women. Marriage helps... EDIT: Oops, wait. This made it sound as if guys here were insecure or touchy about the topic. NOO. Sorry that was not my point. But anyone to whom this whole "when does a watch become/is gay" is REALLY important (which I think was posted as an exploratory subject, like any other) has emotional issues way outside of rep watches. It kind of reminds me of Ahmadinejad's absolute conviction that gays do not exist in Iran.

Mindreader! I was going to post that when at 9 PM or so, I saw it had passed 960 members. I knew that was going to beat my original number above. @TT: I only just now clicked on the Joe-bashing thread. I had to hit Search to find out who he is.

I'm almost 100% sure it is an HKTAN strap. I've heard Euno say it before, and he was very pleased with it, indeed. However, please note that sadly, very sadly, Aaron's dad was poorly recently, and there were various complaints on Risti about the lateness of his work (which usually takes a very long time anyway). But from everything I've heard, and from my own experience buying from him, he's 100% reliable, and good. FWIW, I PMed him on RWI recently, and he responded much faster than he did when I was buying from him via email. Maybe his email is swamped. All I know is, an HKTAN strap is apparently a very good deal, and worth the wait.

I know hundreds of those guys. They usually all wear Rolex. No, a guy who wears a SPECIFIC kind of IWC (not the more "covettable" 3717 chrono, either) is at least half-way aware of what he is buying, IMO. @Ape: I did think he might've been wearing a Rep later. But I dunno. I think not. Mind you, anyone looking at me I KNOW would never think what I'm wearing is a rep, unless it's one of those gaudy gold Rolexes. Hehe.

I've heard this schtick three times now, Lanikai! Change your material, you sound like Joan Rivers! "Elizabeth Taylor, she has more chins than a Chinese phonebook!". Okay, you mentioned something very apposite, Lanikai. Some completely heterosexual men can today pull off things in the past reserved for women, like ladies Versace sunglasses and pink suits. And some gay men don't look as "gay" anymore, because of that. I was going to place below my usual photo of Man United football player, Cristiano Ronaldo, but speaking of changing material, I've beaten that horse to death on RWG. I'll do something different. Perhaps a little indiscrete. Here is a photo of a friend of mine back in England. Some of you may recognise him, because he was on telly briefly (he's not famous, per se). But 99% of you will not. Straight or gay? EDITTED OUT -- Thought about it, and realised this wasn't a good idea on my part. It's a friend, and once you put a photo out there in the public domain, it stays there. Sorry guys. Those of you who saw it, saw it. For the record, it showed a young blond guy wearing Gucci ladies glasses, a pink shirt, making a moue with his mouth, next to another very effeminate-looking boy. I guess the question stands, even if awkward. EDIT: Oops, sorry. I realised you don't know which of the two is my friend!! ...it's the chap on the right. He's not bi, so that's not an option. Later, I'll tell you what watch he wears to make it on point.

Yes, that's a possible and perhaps a more common reaction than many men would cop to here. I myself brought up that point many times, when I started wearing Panerai watches. Each man has his own definition of gayness. It seems your buddy might have deeper psychological issues than your average guy. Bad experiences growing up perhaps. Sorry to hear it, if true.

Narikaa's beloved Gaytona. Or is that Puggy's? My nomination for a "no doubt-about-it" masculine watch: Sober (dark) colours. Functional. Mechanical. Chunky. And an example of a gay watch for a man. This was actually sold on QVC for men last Christmas. As I said, too vibrant and shiny. More fashion than function. And wayyy too frisky and light.

Does anyone remember Tourby's "Is Panerai a gay watch?" thread? http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?s=&amp...st&p=275960 Most of your questions were touched on, tongue-in-cheek most times, in that thread, Anton. I think I went on record by saying that a man's masculinity, across all cultures, across all times, is defined by how unfeminine he is seen. Whereas a woman's femininity is not predicated on how unmasculine she is. We women can wear trousers, but apart from Celtic peoples, and the odd Greek soldier (Evzones), most men in the West can't put on a skirt without derision or aspersions on their sexuality arising. This is especially true in the post-modern Western world, but in the East, overt homosexuality is streng verboten either implied or otherwise. That "shaming" factor of "you run like a girl!" simply does not exist in the opposite gender. If anything, being told I run like a guy was a compliment (I was into track-and-field when younger). Fashion is mutable. Some men wear manpurses, and many metrosexuals take more care of themselves than many women I know. But there are some hardcore ideas of what masculine is. Anything implying daintiness is out. Anything too pink is out. Anything too vibrant and shiny is out. And good rule of thumb is, if a gay man like Liberace or Elton John likes it, it's out for a straight male. That's just the way it is. I'm still trying to get my boyfriend to wear a pink shirt. No deal so far. I can't even get him to watch The Dying Gaul, which is a wonderful film.

A member known as Navigater (from Belgium) is your best bet. He is an ace for lume jobs in the EU. Please PM him and I'm sure you'll have much better luck.

Thanks so much! Here is how it looks like. Your pic replaced Jiro's lovely PAM 005. I download all the wallpapers offered here by members.

2,369 about my parents or my life. 1 about watches.

Hey Kenmasters (just noticed you were the newest registrant over at RWI, today). I was thinking of posting a thread about this very thing! I'll try to take photos of my Steinhausen by Thursday, so you can see. Please note, the watches are splayed all over the house, in case of prowlers. EDIT: HEYA XIM!! I see you on, reading this. Long time!

Hey Deep1, wassup! Just to pipe up and wish you a good, fruitful, and happy stay at RWG. A great place, with awesome people, one and all! PM in case of any need, however, don't expect much. I'm just a newbie too.

UB7, I love this shot! I've seen it before, and I've been meaning to ask -- any chance of a wallpaper? Any size. A friend of mine just came from visiting family in Tennessee. She sent me a BAG full of leaves, typical autumn folliage so cruelly missing down here in Sub-Tropical South Florida. I'll pick it up on Friday and hopefully take a Wristie pretending I'm up North where there are actually things called "seasons". EDIT: This is the closest leaf-changing-thingie I've found, a long way away from my home, but so pretty it reminded me of Washington D.C./Georgetown for a second.

Remember our TeeJay recently said I should get an UV LED torch/flashlight, the better to get the brightest lume on my PAMs? Check it! Photo #1 UV Led torch (140 "bulbs" strong) brought out a strange pattern, never before seen on my Fiddy using either ambient or artificial light. The hands seem Superluminova'ed and Hulk green, but seemingly the light blue numbers and markers (?!) are not! Photo #2 LED torch held on the DSN Fiddy for the same length of time, and under the same conditions to take the shot. The green is evenly coloured throughout, with not a hint of blue, and may I say, MUCH brighter than the UV LED torch. Lasts longer too. Wow. Is this normal, a fault, or simply chemical properties brought out by one torch, and not the other?

I am always nicely dressed. And by nicely, I mean, well-dressed in a relaxed manner, never overdressed yet always in fashion. One thing though, I haven't put on a pair of jeans in 10 years -- they don't suit me and my ex-runner's thighs. There are some people, regardless of money, position, or even personality, who just project a certain something. And I'm vain and arrogant enough to tell you that I'm one of them. I think the most accurate thing anyone has ever called me is "regal"...less kind people usually say "frosty" or "standoffish", depending on their degree of dislike. I'm just reserved, but beneath that distant layer lies a very approachable, even tender person. So, that puppy Bridget Jones attitude ascribed me is not the case. What is the case is that I was too forward, too soon, about an unusual topic such as watch appreciation to a total stranger, and a foreigner to boot. Too many cultural signals were crossed. Wow, interesting! Poor white trash girls, eh? I've never met a gold-digger in my life, from either side of the track, but then, I'm usually not the target of that side of their personality. Whoa. But hey, thanks for the frankness! It doesn't diminish you in my eyes, Defacto. It just makes me see that there are all kinds of viewpoints in this world, even ones which didn't occur to one. P.S.: I'll give my typical 70s liberal parents this -- they never raised me with one ounce of preconceived ideas about people, including about what boys and girls should like. In one way this is very bad, because I lack utterly any kind of street smarts. But also, they didn't tell me that certain things are in the "male" or "female" spheres. Whatever enthusiasm I had, they thought was great and encouraged me. Hence, my love of guns, militaria, pens, watches, sport as well as my love of fashion, stuffed animals and dolls, jewelry, and handbags. Sucks.

Not to diss your opinion, Estaban, but I'll take Babola's keen eye on all things Panerai over just about anyone's, save Enzo, Sssurfer, and Kruzer00. That we should talk about these problems is ESSENTIAL considering the misery Jawo, and I (as two examples) have gone through in getting a good DSN watch out of the box. But let's not kid ourselves into thinking that any other merchant doesn't have problems with their rep watches. There is NO SUCH THING as an error-proof rep watch from any dealer. As an aside, I am awaiting an modded PAM 005 from TWP, and I have excellent hopes it'll be fantastic. I know he'll take care of me, in case I have any issues.

Hi. What's your Star sign? I'm a Leo.

No, it's a package from China. I wonder what could be inside? (Sorry, this was all I could think of instead of just plain "bump")

I'm no fool. When you're freezing your no doubt pendulous manparts this January, I'll be luxuriating near my pool, shedding a mournful tear as I open my latest Brit-Mart bought PG Tips. There'll always be an England, sniff (suckazzz!). Oh DBR, for GOODNESS SAKES! Let people enjoy the fact that England are in the Final! Right, well, we're not going to win (though I think anything is possible on the day), and fair dues to the Springboks -- I for one wish them well. But why this self-torturous, po-faced, mealy-mouthed dose of castor oil whenever we do something well? Blimey, you think if Argentina were in the Final, they'd be this sour about their chances? No. They're be OVERJOYED, and praying for a win, whatever their weaknesses. It's almost as if being happy about your country's success, and the madcap exuberance and rah-rah patriotism which follows makes you unhappy. Well poo on you, Sir. Poo. Thank God, I'm not going to the Playwright's Pub in SoBe for this Final, owned by a perpetually soused Irishman who always calls me Virginia or Veronica. I might have to schlepp all the way to Ft. Lauderdale to be amongst my own, at the Fox and Hound, and it'll be worth it just for the hugs of joy when Jonny puts another one through the uprights. INGERLUND INGERLUND INGERLUUUUUUUND!

It's hard to stick up for the guy given what happened to Jawo, and I'm glad that TWP will probably have some new customers coming his way, because of it. But a good DSN watch is worth its weight in gold. I'm also fairly sure almost all other merchants recycle their watches, once they have been "serviced". I just was idiotic enough not to realise Davidsen was one of them (allegedly -- can someone please check the movements to see if our suspicions are confirmed?). They are. But I love 'em. Since it's hard to find an old MX logo buckle, it's the next best thing. I think I have around 10 now.

Through the same thermodynamics theories which made old tellies light up when you gave them a good whack on the side.

Thanks, Corgi! Though I didn't take your advice, I'll certainly take go back for the Conq. My mother has another older Franck Muller watch, but these are just perfect for me.

Never mind all this middle-class or lager lout business, Pugwash. This is the best advice so far in this thread for Dutchy. I was trying to put it a little more...well, kindly. But this is it in a nutshell. Dutchy, we British prey on the weak, because we're born bullies, for all our love of the underdog. If you're not quick on your feet, and can give as good as you get, you're soon dismissed as the worst of all things -- a bore, and a weak bore at that. So as my old Head used to say, "Shoulders back, girls, and head high!". Suffer inside, but never let them see you're hurting. Right, enough Agony Aunty for today. I'm off for a cider! And when I say cider, I mean champers of course.

I think he likes hearing that. I even showed him THAT famous photo of all my PAM reps plus straps that I posted once, which I had accumulated in just 1 month and 4 days. I told him, "Do you really want to lose a customer who could be spending this type of money on you?". Very inelegant on my part, but the circumstances looked dire at that point. For the record, I think whether a person buys ONE watch or 100 watches from a merchant they should be treated the same courteous way. But in real life, it doesn't work that way. The more you spend, the better a merchant likes you. Meanwhile, I'd take Hambone's advice if you haven't already. I never had to do that with a DSN watch, but on my other reps, you betcha. Gets them starting and so far, they haven't stopped (touch wood).