Victoria

Actually, I will love this brand-new Toscana Light Chestnut Bone Crocodile strap a very SHORT time, as it's on its way to its rightful owner, TeeJay! Promise kept! Here's a little preview, a mini-Caper if you will, since I would never mount it on one of my PAM 111hs, even if just to show him how it would look. But I thought he might like a sneak peak. The overall quality is GOOD. The croc Toscana one I got from Rolli is completely different, being more glossy and though more expensive than this one (albeit by a few dollars), I think this is perfect for a classy every-day strap, but not sombre and formal. The colour is somewhere between dark honey and molten gold, but it is much thinner in the "long" end than I anticipated. So thin, I wonder if one can wear it with a Panerai deployant? So guess what, TeeJay? Just in case you don't have one, I am throwing in a Diver strap with deployant for your use, as well as a Pre-V Panerai buckle. And maybe another strap, but which one is a surprise! Just let me know your colour preferences.

I'd be lying to you if I knew exactly what was wrong, but that's the one I like best. Tell her what prize she gets, Don Pardo.

Love love the watch. But Jesper's eternal stovepipe-Teddy Boys-Mick Jagger trousers have GOT to go. (They're as annoying as the late Payne Stewart's "knickers")

Boris Johnson, Conservative MP for my dad's hometown of Henley-on-Thames. Think of your country's most outlandish, outspoken, outrageous but yet lovable politician. That's BoJo. (My hair is also wispy fine, but I can't get it to be like his...not sure if that's good or bad) Boris confusing soccer for rugger. Boris = Legend.

This photo did nothing for me. But I suggest contacting Narikaa for his delectable Hublot Big Bang Aspen.

Just one word, Dave -- RED! Oh, and welcome to the forum, of course.

I think a lot more people would question me (in my own home!) if I were to hang a Picasso on my walls. Heck, even a Hockney. BTW, just to throw this out there -- as I observed the other day to my boyfriend, it is women who keep the replica business afloat. For every guy who buys a Breitling Navi TT, there have been two decades worth of women who have bought fake Le Must de Cartier watches and fake Christian Dior bags. I remember them being very big in the mid-1980s. My mother had a local rep bag seller who actually went to gaol shortly after the big crackdown (late 1980s-early 1990s?). Somewhere I read that Aldo Gucci would go up to American women in NYC, and question them about their bags. If he found a fake, he would chastise them very strongly, but in that gallant Italian way -- "Nonono", shaking his finger.

I'm nearing 130 straps now. With that kind of strap rotation, even if some are now "married" to certain PAMs, it's hard to get any patina on them. Speaking of V, his fabulous Greek hide is still as light beige as it was when I first received it. It just doesn't get more than a fortnight's wrist-time, but that's all right! Knowing I have these straps, makes me feel good. P.S.: Agreed about the softness, and lack of stress lines on my OEM calf. The OEM calf black looks MINT, but it was worn by a gen 112 owner for a year.

Maxmillian, this may be THE PERFECT strap for the PAM 082. It makes the blue of the dial (already so beautiful) POP OUT. It's wonderful. Guess what? I'm interested in getting a blue-faced PAM now. Gosh, thanks. P.S.: OH! I see you got those two "lines" to the sides of the stitching too. I thought it was only me.

Whew, getting that poll sorted was like giving birth! Sure! I buy OEM straps to legitimise the look of my reps. There. My honest answer. Whilst I saw how nice the OEM Bordeaux was in the Orlando Bloom Fiddy thread, and how much I personally like the look and feel of the OEM calf tan which Raymond searched for DAYS to buy, I cannot say they afford me the same pleasure as a PAV 91 or a Simona Cherry Bordeau. In fact, the OEMs are no where close to quality and looks as the aftermarket straps, that I have seen. Since I got into straps because of my Panerai interest, I by force got into aftermarket straps first. After quickly buying the OEM calf tan and OEM calf black, I have no interest in OEM Rivas, and the like. I'd rather save for more Pacis or a really nice V strap.

A poll where we determine just how RWGers react to genuine versus replica watches. Perpetual Poll. Multiple Choice possible. See --> Anton's post or Dieselpower's post for replies.

I'm going to post a Poll-only thread regarding this phenomenon. Hope Anton won't mind!

Personality-wise, I seem to be closest to Kruzer00 in this. He already predicted that I would buy a Panerai gen sooner than later, and I fully intend to next year (God willing). I NEVER would've bought a gen Panerai, if I hadn't already bought 16 PAM reps and counting. I guess like so many people, I'm tired of the minor and some major "issues" one has to deal with in the replica watch world. Things I love about reps: - COST - Good cosmetic similarity - Decent movements - Peace of mind in losing/or having one stolen (though it doesn't lessen fears of being mugged) - Having found a great forum like RWG! Things I hate about reps: - The lack of quality control and general HASSLE of the rep world - The feelings of scuzziness in dealing with an underground activity - Nitpicking details; incorrect or hard-to-service movements (which take away from ultimate enjoyment the more knowledgeable you become) - Increased risk of being mugged (as recently heard on RWI), whereas before we weren't able to buy SO MANY expensive watches Unlike Kru, I'm going to continue buying reps and not thin out my collection FOR NOW. It's fun and you can have unimagined variety in watches. But like Kru, I am also going to start buying more gens of those I genuinely like and admire, as time goes on. I have no problems with paying a comparative king's ransom for a gen watch I could get on the cheap, because I honestly believe that intellectual property is not to be dismissed as mere capitalist excess. There is nothing wrong with charging a high price if you believe your R&D, your marque's high performance record and history demand said price. But not being rich, I cannot do so. Should there ever be a serious crackdown with the hobby, however, I wouldn't have any problems with that either.

LOL. First, thanks World Traveller! A good read. Yes, a very interesting article, but not too in-depth. I wonder how in-depth one can make such things, but it strikes me that without Chinese investigative reports WITHIN China exploring the piracy issue, it will never be solved or controlled. The real failing of the East is not quality control, customer service, and little white lies which foment such problems for us on RWG -- but the very real problem of institutionalised bribery. Bribery exists in any country, from the US to Japan. But public accountability and systemic breakdowns are what separate the First World from still "developing countries", and always will. Haven't you ever wondered if our collectors slipped EMS officials a little extra so that certain packages could go on their merry way quicker, and more safely, than others? BTW, World Intellectual Property Day? I see a funeral pyre of DVDs, CDs and Rolexes going up in flames in Shenzen Town Centre, you? OMG, Kyoto Treaty abuse, run for the hills! P.S.: Anyone wonder how much money our collectors will make during the Beijing Olympics IN China? Everything is pointing to a greater crackdown during that time. That and other already mentioned factors, and I'm not now surprised they've been raising prices right-and-left. Get it, whilst you can.

Guys, thank you for your concern. It turns out it's a little more complicated than we anticipated. Without going into personal details, it seems it's a reaction to some medication I have been taking this past month. Certainly touching petroleum-based products like Cape Code Cloth, and the added misuse of leather conditioners, and diamond paste in a short span, didn't help -- but it wasn't that, apparently. Part of me still contends it was, because the problem started on my hands, which became reddish and full of bumps the day after using these products. Being vain, I inspect my body thoroughly every morning and night, as many women do. I didn't notice ANY problems save for my hands, that day. Unfortunately, I'm not in a position to argue with medical doctors, so there we are. Bottom line is, I am dealing with a problem which will be around for 2-6 weeks. Those of you who are physicians probably already know what that is, and those who don't, and have made it up to here, are probably just going, "Gee, Vic, hope all is well, but don't bore us any more with all this." Don't worry. I won't. And thanks for all your help, DBR, Sssurfer! I appreciate all the good wishes and prayers thrown my way.

:wub: But something about it draws one...I hate how Fascists have the most alluring uniforms and symbols (consciously, of course). I am also reminded of Sssurfer calling people "fascist enthusiasts" in the case of that horrid new Panerai-type watch. Well, I'm afraid I may qualify, because I collect WWII German memoribilia (don't worry, I understand what you meant, Sssurfer!). Some of that attitude is present in Bernard-Henry Levy's book on exploring the US, in the footsteps of Alexis de Toqueville, "American Vertigo". He went to a military memoribilia convention, you know the kind of thing (not very common in Europe, as you can imagine, but VERY common in the US and Canada), and walked away disgusted. Well, everything he saw in America disgusted him, but this one really did. He wondered out loud if the people who collect WWII German military watches, etc., secretly had a yen to put them on? I presume he meant "do the funny walk", and give Hitlergrus, whilst wearing their collectibles...oh boy. Some people just will never understand.

For the past 10 minutes, since I clicked on the thread, I've been looking at Euno's photos. Just phenomenal...you're lucky EUNO. A military watch AND a Breguet. Rarely am I jealous. I am jealous now! @Eunomians: Did I ever tell you that I thought you were a Yukio Mishima type -- err, that is a Imperial Japanese military enthusiast? I honestly thought, when I first joined, that you were Japanese (in Japan), who had a love of the quasi-samurai ethic!

OMG. I exchanged emails with him on Risti, IIRC. So he's on there too??

And that "Unikat". AND from Thailand... Germans stick together, Helmut. (I think I'll pass, save for a VDBroucke one -- though that particular strap looks really cool)

Like many kids, I had childhood allergies, including to leather and dogs! Outgrew those, thankfully for my Strapitis. I have been thinking about this a lot, since I posted. I've used Cape Cod cloths many times, and I admit, each time without gloves. I had also cleaned my straps with conditioners before. Could the clincher have been the diamond paste? It says to use goggles, in fact, in the directions. The guy in Timezone just swirled around some paste with his finger, so I took the chance... Anyway, using all 3 in the space of some minutes was surely brain-dead of me.

Oh darling, thanks, and to WT too! I think I've seen that, and didn't know what that was about. Be careful, TeeJay...thanks again. @World Traveller: Actually, that was my mother's first reaction when I told her that we would be buying rep stuff from China, back in June. Perhaps when winter rolls around, I'll cut back...yes, I understand how virii work, DBR! *g*

That's exactly the peppering of questions my father made on the phone! It started on the palm of my hands, and fingertips. Then spread to my wrist. Then this morning, there were tiny bumps from topside to underside of my arms, until not quite my elbow. But my chin area also has smaller, blistery bumps. Nothing else. If I were itchy or blotchy all over my body, I would've gone to Emergency, as my father suggested right now. I declined, and he wasn't amused... ("well you've obviously diagnosed yourself. On your head be it"). You know how doctors are. Just came from CVS pharmacy. Did you know that Claritin-D is over-the-counter, doesn't require prescription or anything, BUT in the State of Florida at least, they will not dispense you any without a driver's license? They scanned it and everything! Wow, I felt like I was buying cocaine. Very dodgy. (Reason, apparently kids open the capsules to make their own little concoctions. The till lady mentioned crystal meth, but that can't be right can it? Brave New World...)

Aww, I would, Jfreeman. I'm just scared of your squirrel's nutsack. It looks like it could knock me out. And then...what? You'd steal my bling ROLEXES! You think I was born yesterday!?

I don't even have the Prince Harry excuse of barely scraping by my A-Levels. Obviously female anatomy is still giving you problems. That's because Al Gore's documentary on the inappropriate use of antibiotics was shot down by Hollyweird execs. -- Over the phone, he said to calm down (which I was!), not to eat proteins today (right, well, there goes my SoBe diet), and that he is bringing me either Cortisone-10 or Benadryl cream for the itch, and Claritin-D. Obviously, if you're in my condition, guys, one day, consult your doctor before using any of these -- Seriously, DBR, thanks a lot. As for payment, tough noogies. I'm still on the NHS.

I knew there was a reason you had "doc" in your ID. Thanks, DBR! Yes, that's what I meant about Keflex. Now you know why I stopped attending Med School in 2nd year -- for my future patients' own safety! (I am more concerned with Wrist-check photos, than anything else. What this hobby has done to me is INCREDIBLE. I'm off to veg for a few hours)