Toadtorrent

I just got my DeWitt catalogue. Crap...if that jacketted, hard cover book doesn't make you fall in love with their watches, you are blind and wear a Timex. The book is beautiful. Nothing can replace a beautiful, hardcover bound book for browsing factor.

The panda is definitely the one to get. Did you get a catalogue? I tried ordering one via email, and they said they can't send them to Canada.

The Watcheden.com one is all wrong. The subdials are too small...so the whole thing looks all squished. You need to do By-Tor's proper version...costs more...but hey, the results speak for themselves:

Ditto on that...great comparison shot!!! A very expensive Rep...considering it's gen.

I hear you about the research being so interesting. I feel I'm just starting my journey now...will start some basic work on watches...and then move on to the next step of assembling one of these mixed-source watches. Amazing. The context for the watches is a great thing. If you can dig up some photos of the watch in action...that would be amazing. I have done a bit of technical caving in the past...but not in the caves for days sense. For inspiration on where this watch could be used...check out the latest National Geographic. There is a piece in there on caving in this big crystal cathedral. To describe it in text would not do justice...you have to see the pics. Outstanding, extreme, severe. Everything the 1655 was (or is being) built for!!

Aaaawwww...shucks. Thanks...

It's amazing how much research has to go into deciding what to do. Awesome stuff...now stop answering posts and get that sucka to The Zigmeister so we can see the final product.

I'm assuming you are talking about a 3717-01/04 vs. the 3717-02/05 : 01/04 on the left, 02/5 on the right (aka Spitfire) It sounds like you're just starting your rep journey. I would suggest you read the first few posts in this thread: Swedish Ordering Thread - applicable to Europe in General As well...for info on reps in general: Great Info on Reps For straps, etc: RWG List of Links For who to buy from: Trade Reviews (Including Reviews of Collectors) General Rep Collecting and Forum Info: Phoband's intro to collecting Edge's Guide to Rep Forums Pt I Edge's Guide to Rep Forums Pt II Back to your question...if you're talking the 01/04...the V1 had the better dial...but you need to swap the datewheel with the ETA one to correct the black on white font to white on black with the proper font. It looks like they have corrected the colour of the datewheel, but there may be issues with centering and the font...you can decide with the one you get whether or not it's an issue for you. If you're having work done on the watch anyways...it's a cheap upgrade. You are correct that the older V1 had single AR, and the V2 has double AR...but the AR provided by folks on the board here (namely Chieftang and Jakub) is really tops, and often better than the gen. The V2 AR isn't bad...but not as good as what the AR masters on the board can provide. Both versions have the A7750 movement. The rest of your questions have been answered many times in various posts on the board. Do yourself a favour and search for all the 3717 info you can find on the board. You will uncover lots of posts that are real gems of info that will guide you towards what you want. As to dealers, many folks in Europe deal with the European based dealers only: Eurotimez, Precious Time, and I can't remember who else. Search for these dealers and you will find which one will best serve you in Europe. A critique of the V2 is that the markers @ 3-6-9 are too thick, and I think there is lume on the Arabic numbers as well...and that's why people often like the V1. The markers at 3-6-9 are often crooked, and that's something you'll have to discuss in advance with the collector of your choosing. Welcome aboard...do lots more research and you'll be in good order.

Welcome aboard. This is the most knowledgeable and coolest forum on the net. Sit back...browse, search, read, learn and have fun. Make this your community and post back your findings, questions, etc. You might find these intro topics of interest: [url=http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showtopic=9703&hl=who+has+the+best+sub]Phoband

Nice score on the catalouge!!! I'm eyeing this one as well...especially after BT's review!

Welcome aboard. I just re-read these classic posts you might find interesting: [url=http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showtopic=9703&hl=who+has+the+best+sub]Phoband

Service is always the tricky part. If you have an ETA movement in the watch, your easiest bet is to check out watch repair folks in shopping malls...strike up a conversation and ask if they would work on replica watches. If not...ask if they would work on such a watch that has an actual ETA movement...this might make it easier. Some may tell you to go away as they don't like "fakes"...but you'll eventually find the one that wants the business. If you have an Asian movement in it...it's likely not worth repairing but replacing the movement with a datewheel swap. Replacement movements can cost about $12...so it's pretty cheap...but you'll need some tools and guts! Buy a few movements, as you will bugger up the first couple. Try using your yellow pages and calling around to see who would work on replica watches. They'll likely refer to them as fakes...not being used to our "rwg" lingo.

When fully wound (a day with reasonable amount of arm movement), a properly functioning A7750 should have around the same amount of "power reserve" as the gen Valjoux 7750...which is around 44 hours...give or take a bit. Most of mine run this amount...but if you read various posts on RWG and elsewhere, you will see some people have PRs that last only a little bit...maybe 24-36 hours. I have one that lasts only around 30 hours. This low PR should be fixed when it heads to The Zigmeister for a servicing. The problems with a LOW power reserve (i.e. <40) might be due to various things. You can check out these posts for more info: A7750 Power Reserve and Rotor Spinning Problems A7750 Spinning Rotor...is it a problem? Care and Feeding of Automatic and Manual Watches Care and Feeding of A7750s Like Cornerstone said, you might be used to a quartz battery powered watch which runs until the battery dies....which is years. With autos (aka mechanicals), they have to keep moving to keep running. Inconvenient? Yes...but that mechanical marvel is the "soul" of our hobby. You may find the watch loses or gains more time than a quartz based watch too...this is normal. Yup...you paid a chunk of money for a watch that needs more "hand-holding" only to produce less accuracy than your $25 Timex. Hah hah...sucker. But at least you didn't pay $4000 for the genunine...which has EXACTLY the same issues.

Yup...that's the big Milgauss thing. Nice pics. I like this watch as well. Thanks for the write-up.

First off...some nice pics, and a fun write-up. What did you have to do with the crystal?? You don't by any chance have any pics of the removal and re-install do you? I haven't really seen many good pics of that process. Looking good, and I look forward to your diving pics.

I missed this before. Great pics as always. Your write-up has re-ignited my interest in this one...

It should look almost perfect...it's a gen watch.

Follow this thread...there was another talking about options on this as well...can't remember where...but try searches with the various gen GMT movement calibers: GMT Movement Swap

That is beautiful!!

I just received the dark brown moo-croc on deployment from Angus...it's great!!

Did you lume that yourself judging by the bottles in the back?? How did you do the pearl given the glass layer on top??? And...did you have to scrape the hands down to get enough space for the lume? It looks amazing!!

Aaah...Eddie...good 'ol days. Thanks for the clarification! It's a nice piece.

Well done...and I look forward to seeing the pics. As to the kid front...I just take pics if I'm lucky when the kids have gone to sleep.

If it's stuck in the same place...or a consistent location...it could be the hands are bent...check that. Or...it could be a certain wheel or cog is out of whack. If it's an ETA movement, a servicing and repair at a local watchsmith should be able to repair it...or, if it's an asian movement...depending on the existing movement size, you might be able to get away with doing a movement swap yourself if you've got the tools and the know how...given the movements for a DG2813 would be about $15, and a high beat DG4813 would be about $35. BTW...like most on their first attempt at work...expect to botch it...but have fun learning. You might pooch a hand, scratch a datewheel, lose a screw, lose a mystery part, etc...but hey...the watch wasn't working properly anyways.

Good words by Robbie and BT. I knew a guy who was president of a local watch club years ago...and now, doesn't even go to the meetings as all they are about is the next purchase...the next purchase...and it became just a big show and tell group. Unless you were constantly buying gens to bring in and show-off...you weren't part of the "in crowd". The rep forums however, are filled with passionate people all 'round...not just rep owners, but gen owners, watchmakers, modders, etc...and that's what makes it interesting here. RWG is an outstanding WATCH forum...that just happens to have a lot of rep info (and gen info for that matter)...so I would think you would be back!! Just because you bought 1 gen...doesn't mean you are no longer passionate about watches.