rsv123

Without superlume this won't fly for me. I often get dials relumed, but the complexity of the lume job on this one will make that a tough job.

What is the problem with the inner bezel? Edit: Ok, I see the rotating bezel numbers aren't lining up with the hour markers...

Interesting article here: http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=6925 Covers the fake watch/handbag/etc industry and also some of the recent attempts to crack down on it (apologies if it was already posted, searched and couldn't find it).

In that case, I guess that unless you can persuade a friend to let you use theirs you are stuck.

The only problem is, there are no guarantees with PayPal - check out this thread: http://www.rwg.cc/members/Urgentpayment-Ca...led-t21585.html You (and the dealer) could end up with no money, and you end up with no watch. There have been increasing numbers of problems with PP over the last 12 months. I think the dealers are getting to the stage they can't bear the losses any longer.

This is the point that you realise they are just slapping a huge markup on everything to stimulate the impression of luxury. The £140 strap from IWC is half rubber/half nylon and likely make in a factory somewhere in Asia. I don't mind paying top dollar (or pound in this case) for a genuine hand made gator strap, but this is just taking the pi55.

Can you open 2 Moneybookers accounts and use 2 different cards/payment methods to transfer the money to MB?

I would agree, the chances of them starting the 'war on replicas' as a replacement for the 'war on terror' (whatever happened to the 'war on drugs'?) is very slim. In which case, any money transfer method is an option.

A couple of topics down we've already been discussing it: here

Found out that the strap costs a whopping £140 from a local AD. Since that is almost the cost of the watch, I think I will be looking for a 3rd party look-alike.

For anyone in the UK who wants to use a CC safely online, you could try going down the prepaid route (like the Visa gift card that another member mentioned in the US). Here are a list of companies offering what are effectively 'disposable credit cards': http://www.moneysupermarket.com/cards/card...Feature=Prepaid I must admit I wasn't aware that these even existed until we started having this discussion, seems like quite a good option for carrying holiday money.

No, I was thinking about the UK... The UK anti-money laundering regs are pretty strict. Even before the recent tightening, any transfer above a certain value (around £5K I think) into, out of, or between banks was automatically reported to HM government. I seem to remember the Inland Revenue gaining unrestricted access to bank accounts in the UK when they merged with HM Customs (who have rather frightening powers in the search & inspection department). Did you know that an HM Customs (or Inland Revenue now) officer can search you, your house, place of business or motor vehicle without a search warrant? Not many people do... Unless you are tranferring money from your numbered swiss account, or your bank in the Virgin Islands... If they want you, they have you.

I don't think any electronic money transfer system offers much in the way of anonymity. After September 11th the anti-money laundering legislation was tightended considerably - if the authorities want to see who transfered what and to whom, they can get this info with a wave of the pen.

Yeah, I noticed this as well. If it bothers me enough I might get the datewheel from my GST swapped with the one in my Pilot Chrono (when it arrvies).

I think you are thinking of the IWC Big Pilot. Ryaku is talking about the new 42mm Pilot Chrono. A group buy is too late for me, I've got one on order already.

Pay up, put this one down to experience and make friends with someone in another country that has less strict customs.

Would love this strap as well - I might end up buying a gen strap if there is no rep.

I agree wholeheartedly about the forums going a little deeper underground. When I first got into reps about 3 years ago there were no storefront websites and no blatant ads, just a few posts in the photo gallery and a nod and wink from the dealers. The higher our profile, the more likely we are to attract the attention of the gen community, the legit watchmakers and the payment companies. I would say that last year (2006) has been an extremely good year for quality reps. Let's not forget: the PO (multiple versions through to ultimate), the Brietlings, the HBB, numerous IWCs, some good Tags + the promise of the Mille Miglia and Cousteau, and now in 07 we have the IWC 3717-01 - we have never had so much choice!

I think this is the natural rep collector progression... Stage 1: You discover that high quality replicas exist, sometimes with Swiss movements and often very, very close to gen. Excitement grabs you (and your Visa card) and you proceed to fill your boots. Stage 2: The excitement of buying 1,2 (or more!) watches a month wanes - you may even have a good rep of your 'grail' watch- and you start to worry over minor details, get fussy about movements and start making mods. Stage 3: You enter a rep-buying sabbatical period, selling some of your less loved watches and continuing to improve your favourites. Probably either buy, or think about buying a gen or two. Stage 4: You regain an interest in reps, far lower than stage 1, but also continue to consider gen pieces, sometimes even buying a rep before a gen to see how you like it. <-- You (and I) are here.

You would be oblivious, up to a point...

Wow! What a great watch - I have been waiting about 6 months for this and it looks good. Just need to save the pennies now..

Enjoy your time with your gf, life > watches. Cue panerailord...!

Don't take it too hard, you were the 4,947th person they sent, we all suffered the same fate

Here's a pic of the gen, looks the same as lovepanerai's rep to me?

Hi Frank, it was always my belief that there was no AR coating on the gen PAM029. I will wait to be corrected...!