Victoria

Nomination for Best Or Most Comedic Title in a Post for December. I confess, I prefer my 112 to the Fiddy. Don't get me wrong -- I love the Fiddy. It's not a gorilla watch at all, as one member uncharitably puts it. But the 44mm PAMs are perfection. Whatever hoodoo that they do, visually, makes it look slim on one's wrist. Even my 5.7". But yeah, I've been buying more and more Rolexes, Cartiers, Chopards, Guccis, a Tag, etc. The reason has to be size. You grab a 35mm-40mm Rolex or Cartier when you're in a hurry, and with one click, it's on your wrist. You don't have to worry about it raining and wearing a pricey leather strap, etc. And it'll be discrete peaking from under one's blouse (shirt), or dress (suit). Although Slai's peek-a-boo PAM crown shots are great. The trend of big watches won't abate soon, though. Boomers need the hockey pucks as their eyes grow older.

Welcome back! A member was asking about Vacheron Constantins the other day, when I linked to your collection, Pix.

The Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon watch is perhaps the world's most covetted luxury watch, certainly one of its most expensive, sometimes reaching a staggering U$1.5 million. Having 301 components of complications will do that to a watch. It's not a timepiece where you can saunter into an AD, and plunk down your Benjamins, though. A gentleman from Miami waited over 2 years to get an interview with the President of Patek Philippe's son, VP Philippe Stern, who then questioned him intensely about why he wanted to purchase this watch. The answer he gave was precisely what Patek want to stand for, in terms of watches -- tradition. The elderly chap said one day, he wanted to pass it down to his grandson. He was approved. If you want to know why I myself bought this rep watch of a hideously expensive gen, the answer is simple: I truly like it. Visually, it is a rather stunning watch, even in rep form. When you consider that it cost me only, if memory serves, $108 shipped, from a collector who no longer carries it, it's amazing even if it has never gotten ANY wrist time. Without further ado, the Patek Sky Moon Tourbillon (Ref. 5002) in Rose Gold. GENUINE REPLICA WATCH SPECIFICATIONS AND PRICE AT ONE SITE From: hxxp://www.gemnation.com/base?processor=viewWatchDetails&watch_id=1463 PATEK SKY MOON TOURBILLON OWNER From: hxxp://www.orbita.net/pages/12141.htm (story on getting an Orbita winder specially built for the Sky Moon) ...hope you enjoyed the pictorial review.

No worries, Rodwc. None of us is, but as you say, getting feedback from one's forum members is sometimes a great thing.

Wow, I think so. Let me rephrase, Rodwc! You posted a very good suggestion (as read on 'Geeks) about giving feedback to members, which promotes a more positive atmosphere in the forum. I was going to rate your post with one of my little ubiquitous ratings instead of actually replying to it, which would therefore be rather ironic. Get it? Like I said in the further reply, Admin had virtually pleaded with the membership to give more feedback, especially to people who had posted say, a review full of photos, which obviously must've taken hours, but which got precious few replies. That's sad to see sometimes. I totally agree with what you're saying. Just so that you know, I already gave your thread 5 stars before seeing your reply.

I WAS going to rate this "good idea", Rodwc, but then I realised that would be too ironic about your thread's intent. Instead, I'll just post this link to Admin's recent "Spoiled & Uninterested RWG Members?", where he said virtually the same thing: http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?s=&amp...st&p=311649 "Maybe this sounds silly, but it is always great to get feedback from the membership when you have spent hours writing up and interesting post, no matter what it is. Same goes of course for great photoes or other posts you just like for some reason. These posts are also a part of making this into a living and breathing community and sometimes can spark interesting discussions. So please, post your opinion or at the very least use the rating system on great posts. No matter what you do, it will make the posters feel their time is worthwhile and it will also make it easier for other/new members to find these great articles. " After he posted that, I took him at his word. I thought it better to give a rating than not, to at least show some feedback to said person who took the time to post a good photo, review, or funny comment. It's one of the best features of this forum, IMHO, though an actual comment is always better, as you point out.

First, and foremost, check out ERWINNER'S 177h strap/buckle thread: http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?s=&amp...st&p=297717 PM TWP. He sells them at a handsome discount, or at least used to. Haven't heard him mentioning SC in a while, and his 25% off discount thread is missing. Some guys, like the wonderful Slai, love their StrapCulture straps. I, however, dislike them a lot. The quality is abysmal -- cheap, tough Asian leather which pales in comparison to the Italian leathers. Buy the cool pirate buckle, and just swap it around better straps. Oh and Kenmasters, I think I sent you a PM about straps some time ago, no? I don't think you replied, but perhaps I'm mistaken. If correct, I sent you a lengthy list of strap merchants to peruse. Here's a handy cheat sheet of PAM straps: http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/showpos...amp;postcount=2 And check out the Daily Specials over at TC: http://timeconnection.biz/page/timeco/CTGY/Special (The Siena Carbon Fibre strap I show in this weekend's Wristcheck is again on supersale, but only for the 26mm size) That's the OEM Coramid strap. You can get them at the Risti Accessories corner, below. They cost about $120, avg. hxxp://www.network54.com/Forum/353393/ (please change xx to tt) Here's the Christmas-holidaying V wearing his in the beaches of Sardinia: I have a Coramid strap too, but I don't like it and rarely wear it. Doesn't suit my fairer skin. Abt the Stallone Strap: No clue. Looks oddly like a Zulu/Military/NATO strap, which is not common for Panerai. Maybe someone has mentioned it before though. If I know him, since he's gone on record saying he loves Manifatture Firenze straps, I'd say it was one of theirs, perhaps the odd GrigioVerde. https://www.manifatturefirenze.it/home.php/...at/65/idart/141 But they're not waterproof, so...anyway, MF straps are not cheap but they're fantastic. https://www.manifatturefirenze.it/home.php/sel/3/rootcat/1

Honestly, Corgi, even if I were a Rolex or Louis Vuitton exec, I'd think it was extreme. I read it, and I thought, WEB DuBois said the main problem of the Twentieth Century was the colour line (the question of race, IOW). Some thought THAT was hyperbole, but at least it certainly was UP THERE. Intellectual property theft being the main cancer of the Twenty-First Century? If only we were so lucky... It's lawyer-talk. No one takes it seriously.

A part of me, hopes so too... China has a shaming culture, like most Asian cultures, right? Check this out: This is what happened to sex workers (good to see men are turning tricks in China too...), who were caught, and paraded in the same streets of Shenzen last year. Article which states there has been a two-month long crack down on "vice" in the booming town of Shenzen, around this time last year: http://shanghaiist.com/2006/12/08/shenzhens_prost.php Perhaps that's what the Hello Kitty lady turned to, after. @Chris5264: I guess the people at gen forums have compassion issues, or never rooted for Robin Hood when Errol Flynn was on screen. But also, though the Hello Kitty lady is tokenism at its worst, and won't affect rep watches proliferating, the Chinese are damned if they do, or if they don't. Do they try to make an effort? Or just turn a blind eye AGAIN and AGAIN? If we in the West didn't make some people into examples, crime, corruption, and abuses would be like in developing countries. I'd rather some cop pull me over for doing something wrong, even though I'm a careful driver, than not. And I like that if I offered him a bribe, chances are pretty good down here, he'd throw the cuffs on me immediately. EDIT: One more link, before I shut RWG down for the night: hxxp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5693207 Chinese Crackdown Fails to Stem Counterfeit Goods (August 23, 2006) ""I personally call counterfeiting, piracy, the cancer of the century," says Jack Chang, a lawyer who heads the intellectual property committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai. "We need to cut it as soon as possible." [...]" "When you buy counterfeit goods, you'll actually be viewed as a supporter of child labor and violent crimes. Do you still buy it?" Chang says."

No, Luisik. As I said, long before I bought any reps, I've been hearing of the terrorism angle. That's pre-2001. My mother told me she heard something similar in the late '80s, and that was in South America when we lived there, when counterfeiting was then at an all-time high. This terrorism angle isn't necessarily American-centric, 9/11-centric, US-government centric, though the world's perspectives will never be the same afterwards. I think journalists in the newspapers I quoted you, including the ones at the IHT, would be shocked to hear that they were carrying this administration's water, in this or in any other matter. On the contrary, they would set out to repudiate these claims, whenever possible. So why don't they? Another inherent question in your "marketing" angle, is that this presupposes all journalists are against counterfeiting, as a moral stance and their editors only want them to publish articles which are negative in scope. I doubt that. Even for the advertising revenue.

Before I bought any rep, I had read in news articles that counterfeit goods funded terrorism. Instinctively, I think this either is hyperbole, misrepresentation, or just wrong. Organised crime? Of course. They have their hands in any illicit activity, anywhere in the world. So the question becomes, why are journalists so insistent in advancing this "terrorism" angle, in almost all the serious articles I've read on the matter, in journals of record (like the NYT, WaPo)? The answer CANNOT be that their journo hands have been greased by Rolex, or Richemont or Louis Vuitton, etc. Some perhaps, but not all. And funding terrorism is injected in ALL the articles. Again, I ask why? Mischief-making? I'd like to see the evidence too, but there has to be a concrete reason that goes behind cynicism about government, politics, and tired Bill Maher schticks.

And I have d/led your .xls spreadsheet too! I had had SOME intimations of what you say. There are certain models they obviously rate over the others, in that snobby what's in-what's out way of gen forums. IN: 292, 249, 127 OUT: 232 (getting there), 104, 217 (maybe; seems to suffer from the "Oh you couldn't get a Fiddy" syndrome) The other historics are rated much higher than any 005, which rarely appears there in Wristchecks. My dad would tell me that getting such a pricey watch is an investment (anything over $100 for him is an investment). But having no goolies, the 005 just sings to me. I can't explain it, Sssurfer. It can't JUST be that logo because if it were, I could get better DSN models. Anyway, this was going to be a topic of conversation soon. Glad you caught it, and any tips would be appreciated.

What "not so good". Very good! Effort in finding the right background, too. My two favourite. That Bob carbon is flawless on this watch! I just posted a Fiddy Toscana carbon strap in the Wristchecks, and it's easily as nice, if not nicer than mine. The stitchwork on the Bob looks better. If I had to give you a suggestion for your next strap, Reklamkillen, this is the one: That is a gen 253, on a custom-made Manifatture Firenze strap (Sportech, with specially-bought blue thread). They can custom-make straps, but they must be pricey. Another suggestion, is the Greg Steven's Toro Moro with blue-stitch: Thanks for posting shots of this beautiful PAM.

Something occured to me yesterday, but I didn't think it right to cast aspersions on the buyer. Still, I wonder if he really bought an 108k Patek Philippe OR if it is a duplicate account of the guy selling the Fiddy? That way you can leave yourself good feedback on a pricey item for future (larger) scams. -- The one logistical hole is that there were plenty of others who wanted to buy the watch, but maybe the seller got nervous, and decided to bail on his own item. It also presumes a third dupe account, WRT the Patek -- This must happen ALL the time on Fleabay. Ironically, dupe accounts as we have seen daily here for a while..., are immediately removed I presume by targetting the IP of the member trying to cloak himself on RWG. Fancy that, a rep watch forum has more care in protecting its members than the world's largest boot sale. Not to mention its membership are trying to protect others from being scammed. Not Fleabay, that's for sure.

Well, that's easy. I can send you the 2 or 3 extra links which I won't need.

I see. Well, there's a language barrier. I don't know like you know, but something in my gut told me not to get it. It just doesn't sit right with me. I do have to say his u112 that I got is excellent, though. Very good. I've never bought from Josh (my mum has) but I may turn to Andrew if things don't work out. Decisions, decisions. Gen 005 in Summer '08, or rep 005 for Christmas, and gen 111 in Summer '08? Either way, thanks for the input, Chad! It's quite simple, and it's all about one's personality. 1- If you buy reps for their accuracy, perhaps don't go to Davidsen. 2- If you buy reps for their quality, Davidsen is your man. I understand that accuracy is part of quality, but I mean in terms of heft and sleekness. Oh, and another thing is that there are people who don't want to spend hundreds more and wait, and possibly get their watch ruined by a modder. Of course, there are gold standards of modders on this and other boards, who you could entrust your watch with TOTAL EASE -- but I don't like modding. I don't buy rep watches because I necessarily want to pass them off as gens. This desperation to mod, to better crappy fonts, get datewheels, AR, and apply lume, when it's not to tinker with a watch like guys love to do, something inherently male I think, is just not why I buy rep watches. I have gens, I can get gens, but I love being able to possess 17, going on 18 Panerai watches, just because. I LOVE THAT.

I wasn't kidding when I said that was Wo-Mart International Headquarters.

Despite it, I can see the Navi's innate machismo rests very well on any man's wrist. It's the Breitlings, not the Panerais which I'll point to as having been converted to when I joined this forum.

Actually, any info, suggestions, or references you may have, Chad, will be greatly appreciated. I canceled the pending PM to DSN yesterday and was about to email him instead. Maybe it's a sign from on-high to look around a bit. TIA!

Okay, what is up with Daytonas in film? Everywhere I turn, whoopthereitis. From a French thriller I just saw, Ne le dis

No, nothing Rodwc. It's just that to bump you have to be the original poster. Just checked my last original post, a member trade review. I can still bump it (top right-hand side), so you guys who started posts should still be able to.

"Oh God, and in my Hello Kitty t-shirt too"

See. This is why I'm a NIMBY. Cute pink and yellow post boxes. Well, at least they have a fan. And a water cooler. Or is that Fanta? EDIT: Wait, whoa are the police moonlighting as counterfeiters? WOW! THIS IS THE WO-MART INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS!! Look ma. No drop-shipping. Sorely in need of: There but for the grace of God, go I. I'm sorry for them... Thanks, Corgi. Most interesting.

Today, 14 Dec 2007 at 2 PM EST in a ritzy area of South Florida. Still too darn high.