The watch isn't very convincing with the rotor removed, so why bother? My recommendation is to just enjoy the watch instead of trying to trick people with it.
Yep. All too many complaints exactly like this from the Paneristi crowd as well... but at least the majority of those people are "only" out $5k to $10K (on average) for the 12 to 16 months....
I'm going to go out on a limb and say $269 for that strap is absurd. MPs are nice, yes. But are they any nicer than greg straps or vintager straps? IMO not at all. And at $150 new for a greg or $110-$120 for slightly used (95%), it just doesn't make sense to pay 2x for an MP.
Definitely sounds like the chamfered f.l.a.n.g.e. on the gen tube won't work, and as others have already said, you'll need a gasket. You should be able to find some thin neoprene that you could cut to the right size to do the trick.
Edit: Admin, why is the word f.l.a.n.g.e. being censored?
I wear my reps almost everyday. And so when I go into ADs, one rep or another is usually on my wrist. Do I have any concerns about wearing them to ADs? None at all. But do I flaunt them? Never. I usually just take compliments and go about my business. No big deal.
I have been a fan of the Roadster for years. I have a good ETA Roadster rep in a 1:1 case that was discontinued 4-5 years ago, and it still sees wrist time every so often. Now, though, they have jumbo Roadsters, and while the size is more to my liking, I don't like what they've done to the dials. The marker fonts now look stretched and goofy to me. But, in any event, it's still a nice watch and one that gets noticed early and often in my experience.
I can say without reservation that US <-> Canada customs risk is near zero. "Broken mechanical wristwatch for repair and return to sender" is not only an accurate description, but one that has not yet in all of my shipments attracted any suspicion. Kruzer can attest to this as well. USPS Global Priority (not even Express) from the West Coast USA gets things to The Zigmeister (East Coast Canada) in 3 or 4 days. So that tells me the packages are sailing right through customs.
Of course, as is the case in life, there are no guarantees. But in this case, history is on your side.
I wonder if a Chinese copy of a Chinese movement results in further quality loss, kind of like when you used to have a VHS tape that was a copy of a copy.... For those old enough to remember VHS tapes.