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tankster

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Posts posted by tankster

  1. Just got a Blackbird (big pic)

    in The Breitling Area

    Posted

    Hi guys. I just got a Blackbird from Andrew and the watch is absolutely beautiful however the only way I can set the date is by setting the time. For some reason the first pull of the crown doesn't do anything but spin freely - does anyone know what the problem could be (is it me or is the watch defective) and how can I fix it?

    Mine had the same issue (and a messed-up pearl), and has gone back to the dealer. Waiting for the replacement - the AR looked awesome!

  5. QC Vs Drop Ship

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I think that the dealers who "QC" their products typically do a VISUAL inspection on each item before it is shipped. I often hear about dealers "hand picking" watches and this would fall under this catagory. Unfortunately I have received a pair of watches from a well-known, well-respected "hand picker" as I understand it, and both of the watches failed to FUNCTION properly. Both of course were accepted in return and will no doubt be fixed/replaced, but it is something that would slip though what I believe we are calling "QC" here.

    Bingo - I have had functional challenges with watches from more than one dealer on RWG even after they have been "hand-inspected". However, I'm happy to report that, to date, they have always dealt correctly and graciously with the issue and resolved it. My takeaway is that you direct your business to those who respond to such feedback, and play the odds that they will continue to do the right thing. As someone wrote in one of the more memorable FAQs on the site - buy the dealer, not the watch ;)

  7. Reps as Gifts?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I'm curious how folks gift reps. Do you tell the recipient it's a rep? If not, isn't there huge potential for embarrassment if the rep dies or the recipient is called out for wearing a rep? If you DO let on, how is the news taken? Who would you feel comfortable admitting "inside the tent" about the replica world?

    Bonus question - does your spouse/SO know you're wearing a rep?

    Ahh, angst in gift-giving season.....

  8. Lange 1 (Zeitzone)

    in Other Brands Area

    Posted

    Who really and truly knows a Lange but people who either have the money, or know watches? I bet you 99.8% of this world has no idea what this watch is, and how much it costs. The rest of the .2% wonder, or gawp, or both.

    Aha - but that's the entire point, yes - you'd want people to actually appreciate you have a Lange - but the same people who get what it means are exactly those who would wonder whether I could afford one ;)

  9. Lange 1 (Zeitzone)

    in Other Brands Area

    Posted

    This is a hard rep to "pull off" - not from "how different does it look from the gen" - but from a "position in life" perspective. A real Lange costs probably 3-5x that of gen PAMs/Rolexes/IWCs (or course, sans diamonds). I suspect most people could believe that you've splurged and bought a $5k PAM, even if you drove a Honda. But a Lange is a $20k+ watch, and unless the rest of you is similarly set up, that immediately screams "FAKE"!!

    I work in a pretty high-end environment, Ivy League types, lots of Bimmers and Benzes in the parking lot, but if I showed up wearing a Lange (or a Patek, for that matter), there would be some skepticism in the air ;)

    Having all that said, it IS an awesome rep. Narikaa has Lange reps, but not sure how accurate they are.

  13. First PAMs!

    in The Panerai Area

    Posted

    After wondering about them for some time, first not entirely convinced Panerai was really "me", and then reading how so many of you reported similar experiences before taking the plunge - I've gone ahead and opened my account. I decided to start sans mods, just to test the waters...

    Submersible 087 - this is on a monster strap, some 6mm thick, and looks meaty and very macho. I wore it all weekend after working out ;)

    PAM087-1.jpg

    Titanium 036, awaiting a GEF strap

    PAM036-1.jpg

  14. Real Ignoramus Q on A7750

    in Movement Q&A

    Posted · Edited by tankster

    So I'm staring at my new IWC3717 with the 28.8 A7750 - and wondering what the chrono @ 6 o'clock does? The stopwatch seems to work fine (counts minutes at 12), the seconds@9 works fine - but what about the chrono@6. Counts hours on the stopwatch function?

    Also, is there a downside to starting the stopwatch and letting it run all of the time, so that the big second hand functions as a regular seconds hand - ie, counts down seconds in tandem with the little hand at 9? Will this "hurt" the movement?

    I have been staring at it all day...what a beauty.

  15. 3717 Finally Here!

    in The IWC Area

    Posted

    This has been the watch I have pined for since I stumbled upon RWG - in fact, poking around online for info on the 3717 led me to RWG. I have since bought a couple of other reps, but always hesitated on this one given the issues around the A7750 and the "commitment" it seemed to indicate about modding it.

    But finally - ordered it a few weeks ago from TWP, and here it is - I'm wearing it for a day before it goes off to The Zigmeister for a full service/DWs/lume and possibly Chief's December AR run. Man o man am I happy today!

    iwc1.jpg

    Sam

  18. 036 On It's Way - Which Strap?

    in The Panerai Area

    Posted

    TWP's 036 is en route, and I'm debating which strap to get with it. Have seen BOB, SC, TC - but this watch has an interesting finish which makes it hard to guess. I guess I could always wait for the actual watch to get here and then order the strap, but that would be too logical a way to shop!

    So - recommendations welcome. And not just for the strap, but for the buckle as well, unless you think the rep buckle will "port" to a cooler strap.

    Sam

  19. A Noob's Early Loot

    in My Collection

    Posted

    Thought I'd show off the results of the early days!

    many1.jpg

    Gawd this is big - and it's only 42mm

    BRwrist2.jpg

    Patek Planetarium

    PP.jpg

    JLC Reserve de Marche

    jlcbox2.jpg

    Frank Mueller Vegas (the button sends the wheel spinning)

    vegaswrist.jpg

    VC - ?

    vacheron1.jpg

    Old Tag Monaco rep

    tagfront2.jpg

    This one's a Gen!

    baume.jpg

    And this a wannabe Pam

    wengerwrist.jpg

    Next on the list:

    IWC 3717

    Pam 111H

    Omega - Railmaster? UPO?

    It's been a blast!

  20. Watch Winder Doesn't Fully Cut It?

    in Movement Q&A

    Posted

    So - bought one of those 8-watch winders off the Bay to support my new addiction. Am finding something weird - certain watches seem to "be wound" and maintain very good time on it, while others don't seem to be getting the juice they need and run down and stop.

    In the former (working well) category are a gen Baume&Mercier, a rep BR, and a rep Patek, and in the latter (not working) are my new rep JLC Reserve de Marche and an older rep Tag Monaco. Both the JLC and Tag work just fine on my wrist, but the winder's rotations don't seem to cut it. I can actually see the JLC's reserve meter gently run down over the course of a day on the winder, despite the rocking to and fro!

    Any thoughts? Do certain movements need more torque/speed to continually wind the springs?

    But they do look nice in that winder! :p

    Sam

  21. 3717 - Economics of Swap v/s Service?

    in The IWC Area

    Posted

    I love the 3717. Just LOVE it. Am trying to understand the most sensible approach to proceed here:

    1) Buy new Asian 7750, get it full serviced (+~$200), should work well for ?? years

    2) Buy new Asian 7750, swap out for ETA movement (+~400 including labor), should work well for ?? years

    I guess nothing is certain in the rep business, but would love this forum's guidance on NPV!

    As I read through the discussions, I'm also curious whether anyone offers a one-stop shop to the many mods - e.g., most people refer to chief for AR, The Zigmeister for service/lume/other cool mods, joe or others to procure the Swiss 7750 movement. Seems an awful lot of shipping and hand-offs to get a pristine mod. Anyone had experience with an expert who can procure the Swiss movement, swap it, mod the watch, and sell it all at one shot?

    Apologies if this feels like a real noob Q!

    Sam

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