alanytical

Sorry if this is a dumb question, I don't have the special HBB screwdriver yet, so I haven't experimented taking the watch apart. Is it just as simple as unscrewing the bezel screws, or is there more to it? Thanks.

We HOS knows better. It's still a big pimpin' watch though.

I caved in and bought the RG bezel, AR, CF dial, and I attribute it to everyone's fantastic pictures on this thread. I wonder if the band will smell like Vanilla....sounds weird that the gens do. Well it's better than burnt rubber smell.

Be prepared to wait a while with Silix. It took almost a month to get my order. I guess some have said they got theirs much sooner, but most say it ain't quick. Great prices for most things though. Cost vs. speed.

Man, that watch is so pimp. I think I might pull the trigger on one tonight.

Hublonium Ridiculous Maximus

There are so many that are good. The first one I bought was the updated 092 Arktos with the SS band. Now I'm feeling the historics with brown vintage straps. There are a lot of different looks with Panerai. You should do picture comparisons of the gen and rep of the model you like, then search the site for threads on it.

I have a blue SOSF and a graphite V2 BCE, and I'd have to say that the polished BCE gets more compliments.

I placed my first order with Silix and am looking at about 3 weeks from order to delivery.

I think it depends on what you want out of reps. If you only want one watch to pass off as a genuine, then you should get the absolute best rep there is with double AR coating (if on the original), accurate dial and date font with a swiss movement. If on the other hand, you like several models of watches and would like to have a variety to change with your wardrobe changes or for different occasions, then maybe go for a few different "lite" versions. I recently started collecting and only thought of buying one Breitling Chronomat Evolution (The so called Ultimate 1:1 version) to pass off as a gen, but then I started taking notice of other brands of watches and started thinking of where and when I could wear these other watches. Well now I'm hooked. I now have a Panerai Arktos new version, another vintage model Panerai, a Breitling SOSF, the BCE, and will be picking up a uPO, Bell & Ross, and Hublot in the near future.

Congrats s.dupere. You're very lucky. Enjoy it. So far I've been very unlucky. 1st Breitling Chronomat Evolution came with 3 glaring cosmetic flaws, tried again 2nd one was DOA 7750 movement half frozen. I'm still waiting on the SOSF that I ordered a while back from another collector. Geez. I hope my luck changes....

The original thorough review of this watch showed the dial enlarged and the flaws dissected. It showed flaws in the curved "S" in Superocean, distances away of the numbers were different, and the date box was too big. So I found a picture of a Gen and was comparing it to the Rep, and it looks like that isn't necessarily the case. Other than the pearl and date font, the dial looks very accurate to me. All the talk about it being the best rep ever, just may be the case after all. I've got one on order and can't wait to start wearing it.

Fantastic pics TWP! What mod are you doing to the dial? Reluming?

< The Gen Pictured> Now I know the reps are flawed, but even with the small numbers, big subdials, etc., this watch is starting to really grow on me. Any owners out there want to chime in and post some updated pics for others to admire...(like me). I wonder how it would look with an SS bracelet, has anyone tried this unholy combination before?

I wanted to get an SS bracelet model and have a smaller wrist. I think a 40mm would be better suited for me, and it seems that the 0050 looks pretty accurate and might be a good project. I might also reconsider going for a 44mm SS "Daylight" chrono, because it also looks pretty accurate. Although I've noticed that the bezel numbers w/ black paint they use can sometimes smear and look bad, and of course the date font and dial depth problem. The other 44m bracelets are off because of the half titanium in the gens. Here are some questions I had: 1. Are the 00050 models that are floating around the different vendors here possibly from the same factory? Meaning, it wouldn't really matter who I choose it from per say. (I understand that there is a heated debate about trust and honesty with some "cartel" vendors and all) I just wanted to know if the product would basically be the same across the board or could one have a better rep than another. 2. How close to accurate do you think it is to the gen, and what mods would I need to consider to make my franken watch look top notch? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 3. I definitely want to super lume it and hear that the Zigmeister is the main man. Would luming it change the color or make it look like flawed in the sunlight? Any other master lumers for North America region I should seek? (PM me if you'd rather) Thanks a mil guys.

Those are all great tips that I would not have thought of. Thanks again!

So I get this new Breitling BCE and it has lint inside and a droplet of something on the dial. Maybe it was oil spray that dripped, but I'm not sure. What product would you recommend to wipe the dial clean? Thanks!

Great, thanks guys. So use a toothpick, press the nodule and then gently pull the crown straight out with a slight twist if necessary. When reassmbling just push it straight in and then will the release nodule button sort of click back to indicate that the crown is in securely? Well, I'm going to give it a shot as soon as the watch tools and blower get delivered.

I know this is covered but a search results in many posts. I'm wanting to remove the crown on a Breitling BCE and understand that the crown release button needs to be pressed gently, but what I don't know is.. once I press the release button, does the crown just pull straight out, or do I rotate it left, or right to unwind it? What should I know about this? I read of some members having problems when reassembling the crown back into the movement. Any tips or tricks to reassembling it? I need to get to the dial to remove a big piece of lint that's stuck on one of the hour markers. Thanks for your help.

Just got a graphite colored Chronomat Evolution Ultimate and to my surprise, they fixed the subdial colors to match the dial! Fantastic. It looks just like the 742 now. However, I looked closer and found some QC issues. There are lint strings attached to 3 of the hour markers (one is very noticeable), the applied wings emblem is off center to the right, and there's a tiny dot on the dial that looks like it may be an oil mist drop. These flaws give it away easily (well, besides the bad date font of course). I contacted my vendor to see what can be done to remedy this, and am waiting to see if it can be replaced. Too bad, because it was so close to being perfect... A thought came to me. How hard would it be to have a pro like ones mentioned on the forums, take it all apart to tweezer the lint off, rub the oil drop clean, and could the applied wings emblem be ever so carefully removed and reapplied correctly centered? Has anyone heard of or tried a fix project like I just mentioned?