LastDiplomat

Hmm. No waves?

These are two different watch models. The easiest way to spot the rep is knowing that an accurate rep of the 2220.80 has yet to be made. Heh.

I've never understood these posts asking for suggestions on a watch. For starters, if there isn't a watch you can think of that you want, why would you want to buy one at all? It seems that if you're really in the market for a watch, you might already have one in mind that you'd like to buy; otherwise, you're just spending money for the sake of it and won't really care about whatever you purchase. And secondly, after everyone makes a suggestion, the original poster generally thanks them and then makes up his/her own mind on a watch and many times it's not a watch that was recommended by anyone else. (Example: "Thanks for suggesting the Air-King. While I like the look, I think it's just too small for me. I'm going to go with a Sea-Dweller.") No one here can really suggest an appropriate watch for someone else since tastes vary widely and we don't all know each other personally. Why not cut out the middle man and let us know when you've decided on a watch instead of asking everyone else's opinion on their favorites? I'm not mentioning this here to single this post out but I'm just making an observation I first noted several months ago. These threads tend to pop up quite often and I just don't get them. This entire forum is made up of watch suggestions and lists of pros/cons of various models. Why start a thread about something so general when all you have to do is read the forum and make up your own mind? [/soapbox]

Not a bad rep for the price. I've started seeing this one for sale here and there along with the new Daytonas. It even has the "Rolex" writing on the rehaut, which I thought rep makers would have missed the first time around. The only obvious downside is that "Air-King" is written in the wrong style font and it's missing the all-important hyphen.

It could be a broken date wheel, but here's something else to consider: The date could be changing at noon instead of at midnight. Automatic watches work on a 24-hour system. So set the date to yesterday's date and keep advancing the hour hand until the date changes. As soon as it does, you know that you're at midnight and not noon. Then just set the time from there keeping in mind that you're starting at 12:00AM. So if you want to set the time to 3:00PM, you have to go all the way around the dial once to get to PM. Just something to consider before trying to repair it.

This has all been discussed quite a bit on the forum. The SMP is a very popular watch. So it's worth doing a search about to get more info. The short answer is those 3 dealers are selling the exact same watch. One isn't any different from the other. So you're best bet is to go with the dealer offering the best shipping option or one you think you'd like to buy from again. Also, I believe Silix sells the exact same SMP for a better price.

Do you mean Charley Boorman from the "Long Way" series? I don't know what he wears on their bike trips, but I saw Boorman wearing a black Sub on the first episode of "Long Way Down" last week. But I'm pretty sure he's wearing something else in the second ep during their trip. Probably the watch you mention. And that looks like Bear's Emergency watch on the cover of "Outside." The b&w image may be throwing you, but you can clearly see the digital display screens. I used to be a much bigger fan of Bear's until I saw this video clip: Now I watch "Survivorman."

Ha!

I agree it looks nice and matches well with the SMP design, but personally, one of the main selling points for me on the SMP is the gorgeous SS bracelet. I can't be the only one who loves the design on it. Classy yet sporty.

I wouldn't worry about buying something that's worth thousands as a gen. I can't tell you how many rich kids I ran into at college who didn't dress the part. Also, never underestimate the "graduation gift" story. You can always walk into an AD, tell them you're graduating in May and that your parents promised you a nice watch and you're interested in browsing their selection. They'll show you anything under glass.

I'd just like to add that it's a little unfair to view super close-up images of a dial and say the lume is flawed or that it's ruined the watch. The fact is, when viewed from the wrist, whatever slight flaws may exist are virtually invisible. Another reason why slight flaws like "Seanaster" on some Omegas are generally unimportant to the overall look. You can barely spot them unless you're using a loupe. Great job, Zig.

I agree that Photoshop should be avoided in trades/sales. Unfortunately, many dealers use Photoshop on their pictures to some degree. Softening reflections and giving watches a polished look that they may not have in real life. While it's usually easy to tell when an image has been manipulated, it still makes it difficult to see what you're really going to get when you order.

I have a hard time believing watch companies work in any way with replica makers. It sounds a little too Fox Mulder/conspiracy theory for me. I think replicas sometimes have obvious errors because there's no QC and the people who work on these watches aren't the same during each variation. One guy in one building may make a great Omega rep in March while another maker in another building makes a poor one in May. Also, these watches are probably sourced from parts that are available. Maybe they had everything needed to make a new Daytona except the correct 3, 6, 9 markers. If you were running a bootleg operation, I think you'd just slap it together and put it out on the streets. My .02 dollars.

Good point, freddy333. I agree. I also wonder how many gen Rolex owners try to get the battery replaced after a few years? Heh

Indeed. I do the same. Much like drinking the proper wine out of the proper glass, I'm appalled by anyone who does it any other way. Snob? Perhaps. But it is a replica. And my wine is cheap.

I can still see the "Seanaster" error in the pictures posted. The SMP Chrono rep is missing a vertical line on the letter "m" in "Seamaster" which makes it look more like an "n." Definitely not something someone will spot with a cursory look, but something rep builders may want to fix in the future.

I understand BT's points, but I think the idea for a vintage forum isn't just about a place to post pictures. At least that wasn't my understanding of it. What if there were an area in the Knowledge Base section for vintaging tutorials? For example, how to get that perfect "aged yellow" for a Rolex or a Panerai. I assume there might be different methods for each brand. There are members here who have done a lot of work in this area and would be great help to others just starting out. I think this would have been the essence of a vintage forum. The idea that there would be a specific place on the forum where people could go to get tips for creating vintage reps based on gens and share information and How-To's.

I'm not entirely sure. I don't have any GMTs. I'd assume it's like adjusting the date. Pull the crown out to a certain point and adjust. By the way, the top pic is the GMT. The bottom pic is the De Ville Power Reserve. One subdial keeps track of the power left on the wind and the other (at 9 o'clock) is for running seconds. Whether or not they both work on this rep is another question.

The extra hand is the GMT hand used for keeping track of a different time zone. I believe it's generically referred to as the De Ville Co-Axial GMT on Omega's current website. However, the watch you have pictured isn't the Co-Axial version since it's labeled Automatic. My guess would be that this is a rep of the previous, non-Co-Axial De Ville GMT model. I'm actually trying to hunt down a De Ville without the GMT and a silver stainless steel bracelet in an Asian movement (no gold, please). So far, no luck. Though some dealers have said they'd try to find one for me. I'm a big fan of the De Ville stainless steel bracelets -- they've got a classy weaved look going for them -- and those hands are great.

I spotted a Yacht-Master at a flea market last week. I don't know enough about Rollies to be sure, but I'm fairly certain it was a rep and likely an Asian one. The same dealer had two black Subs and a few vintage watches which were likely genuine (they appeared to be from the '50s or '60s, mostly brands I'd never heard of). He wasn't only selling watches, but had a hodge-podge of items. Almost like a curiosity shop. Old coins, old photos, old books, etc. When I asked the dealer how much the Yacht-Master was (it was the blue dial model), he told me $60. I must have looked surprised (this was a flea market after all and the watch was clearly well used) and he told me, "It's an antique." Which I've come to learn is flea market speak for "overpriced." I didn't have the nerve to ask, "A fake antique?" But what are the tell-tale signs of a fake Yacht-Master? The crown guards, perhaps? I'd like to double-check and know that I'm not passing up the real thing or an ETA for $60, but I'd also like to bone up on my replica-spotting skills.

Wanna sell a rep on eBay and get away with it? It's simple! Just describe it like this one does: http://cgi.ebay.com/PLANET-OCEAN-CASINO-RO...0QQcmdZViewItem It's not a fake watch, it's a collectible reproduction!

What's with these new Rolex designs? Think about the kind of people who wear gen Rolexes -- or at least the people I know -- they would hate these designs. I always thought Rolex was about understated style. This is just, damn, I don't know what. The new Air-Kings are just as hideous. It all reminds me of grandpa trying to act 50 years younger than he is, decades too late. Imagine an elderly man using phrases like "Groovy, man!" or "Jive turkey!" and that's what I think of when I see the new Rolexes.

I've read testimonials from those who have shipped their watches to Bienne, Switzerland for servicing and they were treated like gold. Avoid Jersey and head for Omega's homeland. Testimonial Link: http://www.rolexreferencepage.com/seamaste...egaservice.html

Josh's watch is actually trying to be a rep of the 2221.80 model, which is the quartz version of the watch being discussed here. Aside from the incorrect crown guard and the awful pearl, the Omega symbol should be a metal attachment in order to be accurate. On the automatic model (the one Craig wears in 'Casino Royale'), both the "Omega" name and symbol are metal attachments and the word "Seamaster" in red is located in the top half of the dial. It's also labeled Co-Axial. Compare the photos above to Josh's pic and you'll spot the differences.

PM sent. Please let us know if you decide to order and give us all a review. I'm still debating whether or not to order one myself.