BobM

welcome.

Im new too and i wanted to know wich are the best safe sellers, im afraid of the scams websites ;(

If you buy from the sellers "recommended" by this forum you will be okay. None are scams, but you still must choose the seller that best suits your needs ... and some are more responsive than others. I suggest you take your time to come up to speed with a little knowledge, all available here. Hang onto your money for a while. Don't buy anything right away. (You are going to have that watch for a long time!) Read the postings on the forum for a couple of weeks. Browse through past posts. Explore topics of special interest.

You should become a VIP member to get to the complete data. VIP membership requires a modest cost ... about $50/yr, I think. Participating in this site has saved me thousands of dollars and a heap of embarrassment!

Most of all ... enjoy!

welcome!

I am sure you will enjoy browsing around the forum. There is a mountain of great information here. Do take the timne to do that.

However, to get to you question, take a look at this string: Reps closest to gen... Take your pick!

I`m on the west coast and never had a problem through Frisco customs. Only problematic area I have heard is customs through Texas.

I am in Texas. However, a watch I purchased last month came thru SFO customs, was in customs processing for two days, came out on the morning of the thrird day. Once out of customs, the package came screaming right on through USPS, was deliverd two days later.

I think US customs probably has a lot higher priority tasks looking for terrorists packages drifting into the US. I suspect they don't spend a lot of time chasing watches.

I bought a Rolex Day-Date rep from Trusty. I asked for a custom adjustment on the dial. I was trying to get as close as possible to the Glacier Blue (aka, Ice Blue) of the Platinum President Day-Date. At Trusty's request I set pictures of the dial I wanted. He said he could deliver that. When I received the watch it was a standard light blue pearlized face. Close, but no cigar! Now, the dial had another, more serious flaw. Trusty is taking steps to solve that for me; he is sending another dial. However, I do not have confidence the dial will be as close to the Glacier Blue dial that I am want, to really satisfy me.

By the way, the watch, as received, was GREAT! Runs well and, other than the dial, looks for all the world like the Rolex Platinum President, which I believe is just a gorgeous piece of machinery.

Now, I want to "fix" the dial problem. The color and sheen of the Glacier Blue is very subtle and will be a challenge for even a skilled and dedicated dial artist to match. I will need to find someone who is a fine watch dial artist and willing to "understand" the original which he/she must copy. I have made enquiries around Houston. I am lead to believe no one in Houston re-does watch dials. (I find that hard to believe! I am still looking.)

Ken Everest of Everest Watches is swamped with work. His web site reports he has months of work in his queue and is accepting no new work.

I have found a dial artist in Iowa, www.dbrooker.com/coolwatches.html, but I have not approached him yet. My regular watch shop says they use a place in Seattle that probably can do what I want.

Is there a better source or method known to the community? ... Is this something I am going to have to learn how to do for myself? What is the proper approach to solve this problem?

Also, one of the reps I want is a Breitling for Bentley GT ... but I want the green (spruce) dial. I have seen none with that color dial. So, that is another candidate for a non-standard dial, for me.

Thanks for counsel.

I remember when I went into the AirForce ... Let's see ... that would have been in 1956. I went into navigator training. Actually, I became an Electronic Countermeasures Officer. That was a speciality within the classification of Navigator. Anyway, we were issued watches. Navigators required good watches which could be "hacked" to the precise time, and we would use the time in our calculations of celestial navigation.

I remember that watch. It was a simple round, stainless case with a plain blue dial (what other color for the Air Force?) ... no date, anything like that. It had a simple blue nylon band that laced through the band pins on each side of the case and under the case ... with a plain silver colored buckle.

I think that was the first watch I ever "owned". I was really very proud of that watch. To this day, I like watches with a blue face and I think that is the reason why. (Hmmmmm .... I also like watches with a siver dial .... or a black dial ... or a ....)

What about those of us who do not use or have access to Skype service ... those of us in the U.S. ?

Will this work for us?

What about those of us who do not use or have access to Skype service ... those of us in the U.S. ?

Will this work for us?

Okay. I have re-read Mr. Pugwash's post on MBWs, and all the postings in that string.

Pug's article

Now, let me see now if I can answer my own questions?

Okay. MBW = "Mario's Best Watches"

Actually Maria's Best Watches

But, what does MBK stand for?

A "short" reference to the MBK Center in Bangkok. Wikipedia has quick information about MBK Center.

And why are they supposed to be "the very best quality replicas"?

Not really sure about this, but it seems - originally - the watches were modified to make them closer to the gens, before sale. Now, I suspect, they are simply subjected to a high standard for fidelity to the gens and good quality control.

Are all reps out of Thailand MBKs?

If there is more than one factory in Thailand producing watches, the answer would ne "No" If there is only once rep source out of Thailand, the answer would be "Yes".

Is there only one "factory" producing MBKs?

Yes.

How to spot MBKs ... what to ask for when trying to ensure that is what you are going to get when buying?

If you want an MBK, buy from and MBK 'collector'. Make sure you ask questions about what you are going to get,

... and what to be careful about?

Only to ensure there is an agreement with the seller about what you are going to get.

I take it there are MBKs of certain gens and non-MBKs of the same gens ??

Yes. But logic suggests not all rep models are produced as MBKs, so MBKs represent a subset of options among the reps available.

I have been able to discern that certain of our dealers get their supply out of Thailand. For a dealer that does, do they, therefore, get all their supply out of Thailand? ... some of but not all?

Probably depends on the dealer.

Are all reps produced in Thailand these high quality MBKs?

I have not found an answer to that question.

And just how great/significant is this difference in quality? What is the character of the quality difference?

seems that probably depends on the eye of the beholder. More important to "purists" than to some others of us. To the purists the differences will seem great, to others they will be inconsequential.

Is it the external presentation and fidelity to the gens? ... Is there a quality difference in the movements?

As best I can tell it is almost exclusively external fidelity to the gens.

Is it worth paying a premium for those watches?

... in the eye of the beholder ...

One more piece of data to tie this off (for me):

I have the impression - though I have no personal knowledge of this - that the quality of replicas is improving, year-by-year. If so, then any difference in quality between MBKs and other reps is diminishing and becoming less significant, however signicant it may be or has been.

Welcome, Machote!

Tell us more about you and what your interests are in this hobby ... what watches you may want next?

Take your time here. Enjoy browsing all over the forum. There is a mountain of high quality information here. Soak it up!

I think you will have fun here. After you have been here a little while, you may want to become a VIP member to gain access to just a little more information ... and to support the forum.

Best regards.

MBK and MBW are the same watches, for all intents and purposes.

You'll see a lot of people using the term MBK instead of MBW because it's more accurate. MBW is actually a very inaccurate term.

Okay. MBW = "Mario's Best Watches" But, what does MBK stand for? And why are they supposed to be "the very best quality replicas"? Are all reps out of Thailand MBKs? Is there only one "factory" producing MBKs? How to spot MBKs ... what to ask for when trying to ensure that is what you are going to get when buying? ... and what to be careful about? I take it there are MBKs of certain gens and non-MBKs of the same gens ??

I have been able to discern that certain of our dealers get their supply out of Thailand. For a dealer that does, do they, therefore, get all their supply out of Thailand? ... some of but not all? Are all reps produced in Thailand these high quality MBKs?

And just how great/significant is this difference in quality? What is the character of the quality difference? Is it the external presentation and fidelity to the gens? ... Is there a quality difference in the movements? Is it worth paying a premium for those watches?

I know about MBWs ... sort of. I have seen and read a post by Pugwash about MBWs, at least the history of Mario's Best Watches. However, I am uncertain how that relates to current day circumstances and sources in Thailand (or elsewhere). I do not know what MBK stands for nor how that relates to my interest in finding best quality reps.

Thanks for your help and counsel.

BTW, would you believe I searched for "MBK" and for "MBW" and the search found nothing. !! ?? I don't understand that. I know there has been a lot of discussion about these issues.

Fugly watch if you ask me.

"fugly" ... ... Wonderfully expressive term! Never heard that before. Hmmm. I learn something new every day on this forum.

Just a regular service, I have heard anywhere from 100-500 USD.

Good Lord, I wouldn't think so! I had my 1975 Seamaster day date (has a omega calibre 1022 in it) serviced - cleaned and oiled - at my regular local watch shop within the past 60 days. Cost for routine service $60. They also replaced a bad part, $25. Total about $94, including tax.

On the other hand, I had another watch shop tell me he would give me a "good deal" on servicing my Rolex rep (ETA 2836) ... at $100. I elected not to have him do that.

Take your watch by your favorite watch shop and ask.

In defence of the system - not in defence of Andrew and/or Josh - I am obliged to point out ... a sale is a voluntary transaction between two parties.

I don't see anybody twisting anybody's arms to buy from Josh/Andrew. Those who, for their own reasons, believe buying a watch from them is a good thing for that buyer/person, will buy the watch. Those among us who believe it is not in our best interest to buy a certain watch from Josh/Andrew, will not.

We have choices. Hooray for RWG! We have choices.

Make you own choices. Why is everybody hammering at those dealers? You don't want to buy from them, don't buy.

I think none of us should expect our dealers will act other than in their own best [long term] interests. However, that doesn't mean their interests cannot be aligned with ours, with their customers. Indeed, that is the only way it can work, in the long run ... that our interests and our suppliers' interests are both served in every traansaction.

And aren't we all pleased when - most times - it works like that.

... And we WILL be interested to know how you make out with Brand9Avenue.

Welcome.

Sir: I - and, it is obvious - this community wishes you and your family well.

@ Bobm,

I remember when I 1st joined the forums, (@TRC), this (acronym) idea also came to me.

I spent quite some weeks compiling such a list, and forwarded it to the admin.

Ther were some questions as to my interpretations, and finally it never saw the light of day.

However, by that time, I had answered all my own queries anyway

(I also spent months compiling a FAQ) which is around here somewhere I think, and is a compilation, of FAQ's put together by a number of members.

It is amazing when one revisits these things, how dated they become, and need constant updating and attention.... which we tend to "put off" as we are too "busy". Our "Links" section here is another case in point.... something I and others put many hours in to, but it really needs a makeover again.

So I say to you, and any others who are inclined, by all means construct and submit these types of info packages, and your admin will consider creating an area, or pinning them.

Or as smilingbear has said, we can get the RWiki section going, (when time allows ).... actually, until it was pointed out, I wasn't even aware it existed.... but it is all about time.... or lack thereof.

Offshore

I understand ... and, of course you are right; no piece of documentation remains useful unless it is maintained. I understand.

I guess I am doomed to continue asking dumb questions ... but, so long as somebody takes the time to answer, maybe the posts will be useful.

Thanks.

If you wish you can still work with Josh.

Try connecting with Josh through his direct email.

Hang on. You are doing it right.

Just keep digging. You will be right at home here!

Oh! ... and Welcome!

Okay ... if nobody else is going to ask these dumb questions, I guess that will have to be my lot in (RWG) life.

I have seen the term before. I have seen it twice in this batch of "new posts". What exactly is PVD, and why do I care?

We throw around a lot of slang and acronyms on the forum. This one is the kind of term that someone should capture in a general glossary that can be built up and pinned in General Discussion, I suggest.

Thanks.

You can appeal to ebay customer service, explaining the circumstances. Given that the seller calculated the cost of shipping differently than as presented on the product page, ebay will probably allow you to back out of the deal without penalty or a negative score. I made a similar appeal with this result on an ebay tranasaction that "just was not right".

They will not/cannot cause the seller to change his pricing, but they may give the seller some grief.

I'm a little worried here Bob on a few of points the first is the shockingly bad photo's, second is that it seems very cheap for a gen Cartier tank to me and lastly it clearly states it is a manual movement and to my understanding they are supposed to be Swiss quartz.

Ken

I appreciate your concern.

However, it really is not a 'super' price. I have tracked more than 10 that have sold as low as $219 to as high as $917, but most - until very recently - have been around $450 plus 50, minus 20.

Later models do have a quartz movement; however, we did NOT want the quartz model. The quartz versions seem to sell for, perhaps, about a $100 more. Also, remember this version of the Cartier Tank is not solid 18k gold. It is gold plate over sterling. The solid 18k versions sell around $2300.

This is the version my wife wanted. (God bless her!)

And, - thank you again for your concern for my welfare - I am not concerned about the 'fuzzy' pictures. I have seen many times that a nice, crisp presentaion ... or a particularly nice presentation by a 'professional' seller will draw higher bids than bids on items presented by amateurs ... those selling onezies.

I am surprised y'all feel this is such a great price. I actually had earlier hoped to buy this watrch for about $450, but was willing to go a little higher for this one because 1) I could finally get this nailed down and behind us, 2) I expected it to sell for a little less because of the bad pictures and because of the discoloration on the back of the case. and 3) besides, there is another one in auction now, with that auction ending in about 3 days. So I could get another shot at a Tank, if I failed to close on this one. But I expect that Tank to sell for about $700 because of the nice crisp presentation on it.

It will be a week-ten days before we get this watch. I will let you know how it works out.

What a bargain, baby! I am so happy for you. I have a 1975 Cartier tank, very similar in style, and it's BEAUTIFUL. I am so happy for you both. Pics! Pics!

Your happiness for our little 'victory', I can tell, is heartfelt. You are a very kind person. Thank you.

A Cartier Tank for $505!

Um Bob can you show us the auction listing please.

Ken

Here is the url to the Transaction page:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...A:IT&ih=008

When I get the prize I will take pictures and post them. You should have the pictures from the transaction page; however, the trx page pics are not good. I think that and the "discoloration" on the back of the case is why it did not draw higher bids.