Highflyingclive

I'll be in HK and GZ in October. I go there at least once a year.

This has to be the best value anywhere - Trevor's $75 (including postage) Pam 005:

First step: next step... assuming you have a 2497 movement... loosen (do not remove) the screw indicated: Remove the winding stem with a gentle turning motion, in order to disengage the gears. Edit, to state the obvious... you need to remove the crown guard before the winding stem cam be withdrawn. but you knew that already... Another edit, just for fun... our highly skilled replica watchmakers made three mistakes when they made this movement. Can you spot them all?

Today it was Trevor's 005 on polished stingray. Tomorrow? I haven't decided yet...

I like stingray. I've liked it ever since I tried on a Louis Vuitton tourbillon, mounted on red stingray, in an AD in Hong Kong. So I was delighted to get one at a sensible price from a geman site, www.watchbandcenter.com - for only 37.49 euros, including shipping. One of the few times that the strap has cost me a lot less than the watch I had to punch oval holes in it though... didn't do a very good job of it. Never mind... it wasn't expensive, so I can get another... Here you go:

@Bll... in Chinese towns, things get clumped together. So, In GZ, there is one watch market, one leather market, one strange-reptiles-for-the table-market... etc. Even the bars get clumped together... though, in GZ there is, thank god, more than one "bar street". But you get the idea... Edit to add... I'm guessing that you will be visiting the Canton fair. Phase One or Phase Two?

I found TVT's account invaluable, the first time that I visited the GZ watch market. However, I would like to know if anyone has visited the Shenzhen "World-wide Watch Market". No - I'm not talking about the Lowu tourist trap... Here is the address that I have for the Shenzhen watch market:

I believe that I saw a post stating that the leaking "waterproofed" watch issue was also resolved, months ago. So why is Teejay continuing his crusade... whilst ignoring these pertinent facts? Or as he would say, "FACTS" You have to question his motivation for wanting, or appearing to want, to do as much damage to Joshua's business as he possibly can. The only question in my mind is, "Which dealer would benefit most from Teejay's crusade?". I have my suspicions... but time will tell.

Sorry, Bigpockets... I wasn't having a go at you - by "Mr Big Bucks", I was referring to people who have more money than sense.

That's not a scratch. It's a scar.. (quote from a sticker that I saw on a Humvee, recently :-)) A fibreglass burnishing pencil will see it off... but I'd leave it. And fit a distressed strap.

Well, thank you, Delta... But to tell the truth, I have always been here. Just do more reading than writing.

I have lots of GMT reps. I just wish that more GMT Panerai were available as reps. I want a Radiomir GMT. Badly...

Too funny, really. With all the hundreds of scam dealers out there, Teejay and Slayer want to attack two of the best that we have. I understands Slayer's motivation... he got angry when Jos wouldn't give him the level of discount he demanded. TeeJay? Dunno. Sees himself as a saviour, I suppose, constantly repeating other people's posts, whilst never having dealt with either Jos or Andrew. Never will, now. His loss.

Dunno about wesson oil... can you use it on straps? But love the new avatar

I feel a RWG1 riposte rising, unbidden, to my lips.. But I'll behave...

In the gen world, it happens, Slayer, it happens. Even though a tourbillion is totally pointless in a wristwatch... it gives Mr Big Bucks something to spend his money on.

Smart lady on the board.

I hope so. The man has an astonishing talent for discovery of the bizarre. You may find that your time was not wasted, after all....

I am still in mourning... There are alternative treatments. Usually involving beeswax and turpentine. Good stuff. But The Zigmeister reccommends mink oil as the ideal leather treatment for straps. But he won't tell me how he gets it out of the mink...

You are correct, Ms V... When Andrew started, he was very shakey... if you saw his announcements today, you'd cringe. He came very close to being banned from RWG. Then Joshua took him under his wing and gave him a great deal of help. Today, they... and as is well known, a couple of others, pool their resources when buying. The manufacturers have big minimum order quantities for the good stuff. I prefer to think of this association as a consortium, rather than a cartel. Just my opinion. I have a small advantage. I have had the pleasure of meeting both gentlemen. And that is exactly what they are... gentlemen. I have been doing business in China for many years.. I can tell the good guys from the other sort. TeeJay and Slayer can rant and rave as long as they like. Neither of them, by their own admission, have ever bought a watch from Joshua. I have been doing business with Joshua since he started his business and will continue to do so whenever I have a few dollars to spare. Not exclusively... but he is my preferred dealer. My opinion - my choice.

Here is a horror story for you... in pictures. Well, probably one picture will be enough... A beautiful genuine alligator strap, ruined by sweat from my wrist. It was a hot day in Italy... Since then, I treat all of my straps with Lord Sheraton Pure beeswax Balsam... inside and out. It is a leather treatment designed for precious antique furniture... so it's probably good enough for my straps. It certainly helps to keep them supple. The exception is the glossy straps. Glossy straps are varnished... so there is no point in treating the pretty side. I still use it on the inside, though. Lord Sheraton products are available in the UK from Tesco... I think you are coming here soon, am I right, Vicky? Here is another pic... I received a nice Davidson strap from another member... but it was as dry as a bone. It is a before-and-after shot. Can you guess which part has had the Lord Sheraton treatment? :-) Treating straps makes sense. If you had a nice pair of hand made shoes... you'd polish them, wouldn't you?

I thought that I would never understan the attraction of the Radiomir. Now, I have to decide which one one to wear...

I love my Cali! And I'll grab any excuse to publish my pics again :-) I got this from Joshua last October... before the genuine was released. So it has a flaw. On the Pam website, the Cali was shown with "California" written on the dial at 12. But this was a pic of the prototype... the production model doesn't have this. Never mind. At least I got my 249 before the Paneristi did :-) I have mine mounted on H K Tan vintage distressed leather that Aaron stripped from a derelict railway carriage. I think it the perfect strap for this watch. I can't imagine ever wanting to change. Keep this next image in your mind for comparison... (you'll find out why, later) Wrist shots (on original rep strap): Details (love that high-dome plexi crystal....) Finally, here is my watch, photographed on the Cali page of the panerai catalogue. Hehe... my pic of the back of the watch (above) is much better than the pic in the catalogue. I love it when that happens :-)

That's what they said when the first Pam 111 rep appeared...

Get the watch pressure tested before you get it wet. Even Patek tell their customers to have this done annually. It needs to pass 5 atmospheres to be safe in a pool. This topic is one of the most discussed on this or any other board. You'll find plenty of information in the archives.