Victoria

JOSHUA! Just for the record.

That women look great in them, I can't deny. But neither I nor my mother are in the least bit interested in buying this one (says me now...watch me change my mind in a sec!). Maybe for the reason you mentioned, TeeJay. Everyone wants one, and is wearing one. We just bought a Tankissime from Andrew which was awesome. Much rather that one, for summer or winter, than this one for now.

Now the links I quoted don't work! But if you go to my very first post, you might have more joy there. I'm out the door, else I'd upload again!

Ack! (goes to check) Hmm, well they worked for me just now, Eunomians. Try clicking on them again, see if maybe they were overloaded at that moment...although I do know there is a max quota of around 100MB transfer? I forget.

Wow. It's impressive that board members are SO eagle-eyed, that after such a magnificent post (with gorgeously photographed pics) they would catch this one flawed piece! P.S.: Congrats TP!

Tease! That's half a million dollars for about 30 Rolexes, not including the straps, which if my experiences with Elliot are anything to go by adds another half-million to the total. Awesome!

That's my worry with another dealer. As I said in another post, it's interesting to see how a dealer behaves not when things are going right (I find that all the ones I've dealt with have been almost UNBELIEVABLY polite by Western standards. That is really refreshing, especially if you've ever dealt with tetchy vendors in NYC, or even London, you know what I mean?). The clincher comes when things go wrong. How do they behave then? I suppose in your particular case, you have your answer. By the way, the only thing which prevents me from ordering from King, is that I believe emails are very slow on her end, and my personality is just not suited to that. I like to buy something, and in one or two emails, have the transaction over and done with. They don't bother me, and I won't keep bothering them. I'm happy to report that's been the case with Andrew and Joshua (with my mother), WITHOUT exception. The others...not so much. But at least I wasn't given the runaround with Jay. Again, that's just my example. Sorry for your bothers, ryaku. I will send positive energy your way so that you don't have probs like this again. Victoria

I am reliably informed by Master Kenberg that this is not a record. If that is true, chances are there is some male member who is even chattier than I, at an even more alarming rate of posting. I have a question though. When is a newbie not a newbie anymore, in your opinions? I mean, I feel like I mention this status of mine every darned post here, and I'm sure this is wearing thin on some members' patience. In terms of timeline (I joined 17 June), I'm obviously new to the game, but I have condensed maybe a year's worth of experience in less than a month -- by sheer volume of purchases. So is newbieness a state of being, or a state of acting? Maybe, like Dante's Purgatory, there is a middle level I can wait in.

Happy Birthday!! Looking hot there.

They're like potato chips/crisps. You just can't have one! It's ungodly. There's good news about my personal addiction. Due to all these frustrated wranglings, and the

What a great tip, Mastergod. I might just do that. I don't want to link to it, as it may contravene some forum rule, but I actually "hooked up" with Elliot on *bay and got his Toscana distressed brown strap (however, it's not the original as sold on his site). Dead cheap it was too. Anyone else here bought this one? I just can't get into the whole distressed look of straps, as they look hobo-chic to me. But we'll see when I get this one. P.S.: You too Ole!

Wow, that's an awesome watch, and photo. I'm not much for a man in jeans, but that photo screams rugged, manly, yet laid-back. P.S.: My favourite part of these boards are the wrist-checks. I can't wait until I can contribute when my straps have arrived, and I have a nice manicure. Don't laugh.

Wow, sorry to hear that. He does read this board, so maybe he might reconsider. A few thoughts -- maybe by posting this, it forced his hand with my item. Or maybe he feels you didn't make it clear with him before, that you wanted an SS bracelet instead of a strap (not saying that was the case, but who knows what goes on in a dealer's mind). The two other times this happened to me, with Andrew, and my mother with Joshua, we got it no questions asked, or charges submitted. I know I've been singing Hosannas a little too often to Andrew and Joshua here of late, but honestly, if I can spare ONE newbie the teething troubles I had in my newbie rep career, I'll feel it a public service on my part. Go with the best guys. Pay that extra $20. It's SO SO worth it.

I'd like to nominate Febus' "but by great caesar's ghost" as Best One-liner of the Week.

LOL! I think...if that's really true (the "reward" part) that's scary. I have only myself to blame. Everyone and their rep-loving mothers told me to stick to Joshua/Andrew on the first tier, and other valued collectors who we have here, like Narikaa.

Apparently, he is staying by his computer late. He just emailed me. And this is my final update about this matter here. He asked me to ship the fantasy mini-Fiddy to him, to fix the broken "parts" (it's the crown guard, if you recall from my huge thread in the PAM forum). I declined, stating that I have been told by knowledgeable people here not to send back the watch, and that also my gut instinct was not to send it back. At least he offered a solution, and for that I am grateful. But his entire behaviour when something went wrong with his watches (and all his other watches have had some kind of problem...), not to mention his sending a USED RUSTED plasticky Mont Blanc pen for $35, inspires little desire to return to him. I'm sure a lot of you have figured it out by now, but the dealer is Paul of Wo-Mart fame. He's a nice guy. His prices are fantastic. Just don't have a problem with his goods. If you do, you might get what I experienced above. Or hey, maybe not. It all depends on the item, the problem and many other factors, I'm sure. But...n00b lesson learnt. Thanks for reading, guys.

Dude, I've bought 14 watches in 3 weeks (and 13 straps...). Welcome to my pain.

Jay emailed me the EMS with the replacement AP RO bracelet today. God willing, all will go well -- but I trust Jay enough to buy another watch from him because he stands by his items!

Thanks for the encouragement, FxrAndy. Here is an update, purely to make you guys laugh/scratch your heads/make you go, "Aww come on now Vic!": The dealer contacted me LAAAATE his time again, asking for more info (8x). Then I get another email saying that his power went out, and he can't stay by the computer 24 hours a day. I have to admit, that one made me laugh. I'm just glad his dog didn't eat his homework.

Don't hate me, but the white dial PAMs do nothing for me. And that background does make the watch look a little fey. You half expect the wearer to be in a Laura Ashley summer frock...

Incredible, heart-meltingly beautiful watch! Look at that movement. The watch is a cross between a Breguet and a Blancpain, and that's the best of all worlds. WOW.

Ahh, interesting. Let me just say that if any newbie is reading this, when you buy a PAM from even the elite dealers, you're almost certain to need a new strap. The ones I've gotten have been substandard, down to the buckle. Well, I don't blame them. As you can see, the straps are as dear as the watch themselves! But there is no way you can buy a rep Panerai, and expect to walk out with your new PAM on your wrist, if you don't want to look a fool. Cool. Thanks! Didn't know about the GeF ones too. By the way. $55.55? $77.77. $88.88? Is Elliot a numerologist or what?

I am not a lady, I am a young grande dame! Well, guys, the dealer sent me yet another "Please explain to me again what has happened email?" for the, oh I don't know, 7th time in a row? He always does so LAAAATE in the day his time, so that it's closing time, and another day passes by without resolution as mentioned above. I got tought. I told him in an email that if by tomorrow, my time, he doesn't give me definitive info on whether he will be sending me the replacement parts for the CG (not to mention, acknowledging a payment I sent him for a new watch, stupid stupid on my part to have bought another watch from him during this...), I would reveal his name and a run-down of what has happened to date. Let's just say if that happens, from what others told me here 3 weeks ago, it won't come as a major surprise. *bangs head on monitor*

The female of the species can speak twice as much as the male. She has to. He never listens.

Both shots are stunning, TWP. That strap goes well with the lume!