BobM

Bill Vest is necessarily away from Houston for a few more weeks. We want to wait for his return before holding the next Houston GTG. Expect the next Houston GTG in mid-November.

Looking forward to seeing y'all, especially all our new members in Houston.

Corum makes a watch that uses the U.S. gold "double eagle" coin as a dial and case. The have machined out the coin and (I don't remember) maybe make use of the other side of the coin for the back of the watch. It is a nice watch.

I have a "knockoff" (not really good enough copy to be called a replica) of that watch which was made about 1968. It was given to me as a gift from a client I had at the time. As I remember it cost about $200 at that time and was purchased out of a catalog. Obviously, it is a manual wind and I use it on occasion even today.

Well, Wingtai78, ... Welcome, indeed! Seems like we will have an enlarged GTG meeting in Houston. Looking forward to meeting you.

It was nice to see another Houstonian while deciding whether or not to intro myself.

Hope to get some good info and meet some interesting people.

Welcome, GokartMozart!

I am looking forward to meeting you at the next Houston GTG, which should be coming up soon.

I am especially interested in visiting with you about your pursuit of watch maintainence and repair. I am currently pursuing similar interests.

See you at the GTG! We'll have a fun time!

Hello all from a Houston area new member.

Smart move, Bill. We will all look forward to a re-scheduled event. Give us 10 days or so notice, if you could, of the re-schedule.

Looking forward to seeing the "houston Gang" soon.

Salivating over the Rolex platinum president was what got me into reps in the first place. This watch was my first pursuit in reps. Since I couldn't justify the $40,000 to purchase the real thing, I went after the rep. I just wanted "that look"!

This watch is probably the finest "business dress" watch I have. Mine keeps excellent time. I enjoy it very much and wear it regularly. The only thing I am ever concerned about is the dial color. The gen dial color is called "Ice Blue" in the catalog but called "Glacier Blue" on the Rolex website. The gen dial color is much more subtle than the rep, almost etherial. But I like mine and plan to wear it for many years to come.

Thanks, By-Tor, for another fine review.

As I approach beginning to tear down and repair my watches, I realize I have many watches which are asian 7750-based. I have knowledge of sources for almost everything I will need ... EXCEPT ... I don't know where to buy Asian 7750 movements, if and when I may need them.

I have researched on the forum, but - to my surprise - the closest I have found is a reference by The Zigmeister of having to buy 7750s at $125 each to scrounge them for parts, but he doesn't say where that place is to buy those movements. Ofrei does not offer them, I have checked there. Maybe there is a site I haven't found/checked yet that you may know about.

Can somebody help with a reference to one or more sources?

Thanks.

You might also look at http://www.alpha-watch.com/

These are "knock-offs" (not replicas ... not branded as gens) of high end gens and look like decent timepieces. Prices in the $40-100 range.

Bill, what's the count? How many do you expect will show?

Bill,

I'll be there again, but this time - rather than just seeing and showing watches - I hope we can get into an environment at the Black Lab where we can talk together about things like: What has been your experience with the various dealers? What has been your experience with asian movements versus Swiss movements? etc. Where we can hear one another. Does the Black Lab have any small meeting rooms? Maybe upstairs?

Looking forward to it ... and I'll be there with a stack of watches, both reps and gens.

... bur does take me to our pre-existing login where I CAN successfully login.

But the question is: Should I - at this time - be able to successfully login from the new Front Page?

Bill,

I will be there. Thanks for organizing the event. I live down in southwest Houston, but let me know if I can help.

Admins, FYI ...

I am unable to successfully log in through the new front page but I can, of course, log in okay through the forum. Is that something intended/expected?

I purchased this very watch - as a rep - from Josh (Perferct Clones) several weeks ago and it sure looks just like the watch shown in your link.

See it here: http://www.pc-80108.com/iw10001-chrono-bla...7750-p-194.html

I am very pleased with my watch. I hope you will enjoy yours.

Josh's announcement says of the movement, "first of its kind .. Asia 7750 28800bph with functional regulator". What does that mean ... functional regulator?

I have received the Omega PO I purchased from Mark at timeshop.net. The service was prompt, professional. and the watch was really more than I expected. I am very happy with the tranasaction.

I wanted to buy a PO as a "fashion watch", just a cheap, simple example of the orange PO to wear for flash on some occasions. I chose the version with the orange diver rubber strap. My wife hates it, but it is exactly what I wanted and expected.

Here is a URL to the presentation of the watch that I purchased from Mark:

http://www.timesshop.net/Omega_Seamaster_p...ssional_769.htm

Cheap enough, I think. And it runs, too! By the way, although the ad says the diameter is 40mm, I measure this one as 45mm. Fine with me.

I have a Seamaster stainless bracelet I can put on it, if I want not to look like a pimp! That is what my wife says it looks like.

Mark is a good addition to our options for good, honest vendors.

First, I laid out the parameters for the kinds of watches I wanted. That is, watches to match certain [mainly] dress needs: dress, business wear, smart casual, sport, elegant vintage pieces, most precise timepiece, and then a category for "I just like them". I also included in this analysis the several modest gens I already had.

I selected from the availlable gens those watches which I liked for each of the categories. When I then began studying the replicas, I found a few of the gen watches I wanted were not replicated so I had to scratch them off my list and find repped substitutes. I also included in my purchase plans a couple of very modest gens.

Along the way, as I learned more about the reps, and listening to the chatter on the forum, I selected some watches I learned about from others (mostly from Viictoria Barrett). I also scratched some which I originally selected because I had selected too many and had too much overlap in style. This shift in my collection plan occurred over several months.

Then, I began to focus on who I would buy the watches from. I originally thought I would try to experience every recommended collector available on the forum. I quickly sorted out the would not work. Buying from many of the sellers was just too frustrating an experience. I pretty quickly homed in on one main supplier.

I have purchased about 2 watches a month, working through my list. I have accelerated my purchases lately, wanting to finish.

I have one more buy of 3 watches to make and I will be essentially finished with my collection ... not that I might not buy another one or two ... or some more to give as gifts (I have purchased two which I have given as gifts).. I will complete that buy by mid-month this month. when I have finished, I will have purchased 17 watches, including two gens, one new one used.

I am very happy, so far with my plan and collection. When I have completed the collection, I will report on it, including pictures ... in another couple of months.

I'm trying two days now to find information about older air-king dials with no luck.

Does anyone know* if this air-king dial ever produced in black color?

notice this is the older non-chronometer air-king.

You can currently order this version of the AirKing with blue, silver, white or black dials ... for about $3,000. I believe grey was also a dial color in which the watch was produced.

Maybe this is already collected up in one place but I haven't seen it. If it is, please point me to it.

I have gleaned some information over the past several months from postings on the forum. And some of what I have recorded may be wrong. Here is what I have ... and don't have:

Swiss ETA Asian DG ST (Seagull) SW (Stellita) other?

--------------- ------------- ------------------ ---------------- -------------------

2824-2 DG2813 ST18 SW200 Miyota 8215 is clone

2826 DG2816

2834-2 DG2812 SW220

2836-2 DG2803 SW240

2892-2 SW300

Unitas 6497

Unitas 8598

Most of the DGs are available from ofrei.com I do not know the source for others.

Among my notes I also have the notation: ST19 = venus ST-1902=Venus175

Please help me fill in the blanks and add items that I have not even included here.

Is the any open source for asian 7750s?

Thanks.

Raijor<

Let's settle this. would you please go to some fine watch dealer ... ask to see both a platinum and a stainless watch ... Then you come tell us what YOU think.

I will be looking for your judgement about how similar or different you think they are, after having seen them side by side.

Based on what you have said ... the colors of our stainless steel reps can make an adequate stand in for platinum, assuming they are not put side by side with the real metal of weighed. Is this a reasonable assumption or am I going too far? The reason i ask is because I am contemplating the new platinum Big Bang model and would just like to know how close the color will be to real platinum. Thanks

The color is close. Platinum is whiter than SS. SS has a blue cast to it. Howver, you really cannot tell the difference when you have it on your wrist. You can tell the difference when you have them next to one another under a light source. As platinum ages it gets a grayish look. But, again no one will know.

Go to a Rolex dealer and ask to look at the Rolex Platinum President Daydate and ask to see also one of the rolex SS watches and look at them side-by-side. You will see a diference, but fairly subtle.

Bob,

Don't know about part 4.... but this which I posted recently makes great viewing.

http://www.alliancehorlogere.com/en/index...._Loupe:ETA_7750

Hope it may help.

Offshore

I have been browsing that site. That cache of information is truly awesome!! Thanks for that reference.

I have been ready The Zigmeister's series, "How does a 7750 work". I have read through "How does a 7750 work - Part 3". Clearly, the expectation is there is (or is intended to be) a "part 4". I cannot find Part 4. Have I just failed to find it ... overlooked it somewhere, or was there no Part 4 written? ... Maybe Part 4 was not called "Part 4"?

???

I see what the problem is; the question is whether it is practical for me to fix this or to have my watchsmith fix it.

Here is the problem: The movement is loose and turns in the case. It is supposed to be held fast in the case by two flat spring metal pieces each held in place by a screw, each one of those positioned opposite one another around the movement frame. When the crews are screwed down, these spring pieces press against the side of the case and lock the movement in place so it cannot move laterally.

In this watch, one of the spring pieces is broken across it just at the edge of the screw that holds it. A piece of the spring is still under the screw. The other spring clamp is loose; there is no screw to hold it in place, but the spring clamp is okay.

Therefore what I need is one spring clamp and one screw to hold it.

Now, ... the questions: Are such parts readily available to me? If they are, what should I be asking for (spring clamp thingy) ? How do I specify that screw ... size, length, thread, etc. Alternately, are these parts common such that my watchsmith will have them? If he is going to have them among his supplies, them I will have him handle it. If he is going to have to order them, I may as well do that and learn something in the process.

I will be very grateful for your kind counsel.

The Zigmeister... Rob,

You, sir, are a gem!

There are many, many reasons for anyone interested in replica watches to be a supporting memebr of this forum, but you - by yourself - are worth the price of admission.

That simple procedure worked perfectly ... and was required and effective for the screw back to both come off and and go back on.

I sincerely thank you.