Toadtorrent

Just reading this old review and loved it. Nice job.

The usual mantra is...when you make your first purchase...if things aren't quite what you wanted...sort it out with the dealer then post back your experiences here WITH PHOTOS!! Then...upgrade your membership to support the board!

Just kidding. Most AD folks only have knowledge in a particular brand...if you're lucky. Outside of their brand, they don't know much. If you got good service...go with that, and feel good.

First one's free...just remember where you got it from. Precious Time and Eurotimez can both ship from the EU. The others for the most part don't. Many of the dealers here are the same as on RWI, Repgeek, etc...not all...but many. Use the "links" link at the top to get to the dealers sites. Some dealers here are still slower for email response than others. The best for email response are undeniably Josh/Andrew (Perfect Clones and Trusty Time)...but they ship from China and as with any dealer, they have their own quirks...read the reviews in the review section of people's transactions with them. Other dealers are slower to respond...lots slower...Jay (Silix) is definitely slow and sometimes Angus (Pure Time) can be slower...but both deliver in the end and support their products as much as any (which is definitely NOT AD level support of course). In the UK...definitely go for either Precious Time or Eurotimez. Eurotimez can take up to 3-4 days to respond to emails (he says 24-48 hours...and if you have problems, send him a PM on this board).

NICE SHOT!!! Amazing light! @TooMuchGear...is that a PAM belt buckle?? It looks like the buckles on the PAM straps. Slick wristie!

The Speedy's are good in the 40mm size too.

If only the pics were operational.

I don't think anyone meant to come off snarky or hostile either in this thread...or at least in the PM I sent you. The fact of the matter is, there are many people on the board who do "mods"...but very few who can really work on movements. The rarity of having somebody with The Zigmeister's expertise in watchmaking who is equally versed in Asian reps is rarity on a whole new level...and is a golden resource that those who have had the privilege of working with him are fierce in protecting. When you start reading some of the past threads on this board, you will find that there have been times in the past that The Zigmeister has had to claw back his involvement in the board, and working with members because of extremely bad experiences he has had with some clients...time wasting...reputation slamming, etc. Nobody's trying to lump you together with some of the other folks as nobody has had a chance to get to know you on this board...we're just explaining the situation as it is. So...don't feel turned off by any sense of hostility...not intended at all...we're just a little protective. Stick around on the board...contribute...engage...have fun...and eventually you'll be able to find the services you need. As to recommendations for others who can work on the watches...really, the best bet is often to go through a yellow pages in your local area and calling folks to see if they would be willing to work on the reps. Unfortunately, there aren't that many people who can work on complex movements like the gen Valjoux 7750's...and fewer who understand the idiosyncracies with the A7750...and even fewer who can source parts to repair them...so it is a risk we all take with the rep game.

If you can't repair the movement yourself...don't bother getting someone else to do it...it's not worth it. The part as listed from Ofrei is cheap. You're better off doing a movement swap. You might have to swap over the datewheel...or re-glue the date overlay.

Go to the different brand areas if a particular brand is of interest...or serach for reviews...there are too many to list. Under 40mm is pretty small in the rep world. It sounds like you're really starting from ground zero...save yourself some aggravation, and head to an AD...start looking at the different brands and see what you like. If you haven't tried on a gen watch before, you'll have no idea what you'll want in the rep world.

Agreed...I love reno pics...bike pics don't hurt either! Have a great trip, and happy luming in France!

Once he buys his first one...it's going to end up that way anyways. Hah. Welcome aboard and have fun. A senior member here has written a lot about his Tag's. Check out LordRasta's pics of his limited edition Senna Link Chrono...NICE: The Tag Carrera is a great watch as well...a bit smaller due to the rubber strap, and a definite "sportier" look so likely not the best choice for an "all 'rounder". Check out By-Tor's shopping guide to Tag Reps as well. You could also look into the Omega SMP Chrono...awesome rep and suitable for both dress and casual sporty wear. I would avoid the Franck Muller's until you get some other basic "starter" pieces in your collection first. They are fun watches...but more as "add-on" pieces than a first piece. Like others have said...get down to an AD and try things on to see what works for you. I have 6.5" wrists but have reasonably muscular arms, so the wrists don't appear that skinny and have no problems wearing 44mm. 42mm is a good size for a leaner dressier piece that may fit better under shirt cuffs.

No sweat...it happens...glad to help.

Very interesting. Thanks!!

Bob on Breitling is a very popular addition here.

Great introductory post...and great title...one of the best I've seen. Have fun...you already sound like you know what you're getting into an that's a good thing. I love that blinged out Chinatown Rollie...reps like that should remind us of our roots compared to the high end ones we've been seeing lately!!

That...and the gens often feel fake too. The big thing is that their movements are bomber!

I got my Glashutte and PAM catalogues.

I like this shot Corgi. I may have to be "inspired" and do something similar down the line.

Weights and dimensions of the good reps are so close, the balance will be identical. Unless your ARM can feel the difference in <5g, there will be no discernable difference. On the big guns (SA, Skyland), you will notice a big difference in feel going from a bracelet to a strap (rubber/leather)...and may notice that the straps make the watches feel so much more balanced and as Lani says "less top heavy"...but the bracelets add visual presence and "bling". Comfort may be different on some of the reps as the polish is not the same as the gen (some bracelets have sharper edges)...but this can easily be fixed with a few minutes and a Scotch Brite pad and careful polishing afterwards. As to where to wear them...that's personal preference. Some people them close to the hand, others higher up...some like them snug...others loose...some left hand...others right, and some crystal on the top of the wrist and others crystal down...personal preference.

You got it!! I've never had one test to 5atm...others have had consistent luck. That's the world of the rep...luck of the draw. Caseback, crystal and crown are generally fine...the chrono pushers as you have said are the weak point. Some of the current reps have the double gaskets on the pushers (which is all I have on the pushers of my camera scuba cases) so they should be fine...but often tolerances in manufacturing may lead to leakage. The designs themselves are sound...the tolerances and QC/QA (e.g. forgotten or dry gaskets) are more common in the rep world. Here's the home brew pressure tester...cool. I've wanted to try it...have the parts, but haven't had the time to build it yet: Home Brew Pressure Tester With Nalgene Bottle

There are a couple ways to pressure test...some don't involve water at all so there's no risk of water penetration. You can do the home brew pressure tester (do some research to find the post...can't remember where it is off hand) using a Nalgene bottle and bike tube parts...or go to a watchmaker/repair guy in a shopping mall. A test costs between $30-$50 usually. Even the tests with water are safe for the watch if done correctly. BTW...you test the case really...and not the A7750 movement.

Indeed...well done young padawan. It's not that people are trying to be elitist or exclusionary...it's just that this is a funny hobby/passion that has legal and illegal sides to it resulting in something that you can't just walk into a shopping mall and expect top notch service, with consumer protection from the State in case something goes wrong. Too often, there are fly-by-night users who simply want one watch (usually a Submariner)...post a question without doing any research or reading...get a couple responses that may nudge them in the right way like Adrenalin has said...and get ticked off and start a flame war. I'm still pretty Noob in all this...not as Noob as some...but Noober than others. I've tried to follow my old edict from the pre-GUI forum internet days of considering that the Internet is not 'FREE'...it costs in sweat equity...contribute back to the forums more than the information you glean, and a better community is created for everyone. I've tried to help those whenever I've could...taken the time to post reviews, photos, etc to share my knowledge and research as others have shared theirs with me...and in doing so...exactly like Adrenalin has said...over time, relationships have been built and other forum members have bent over backwards and gone well out of their way to help me...even when I have not asked it...The Zigmeister certainly being one of them...and there are so many uber and senior others out there who have done the same I can't name them all. You'll hear stories of (and hopefully in time experience) people sending watches, parts and service gratis as their ways of saying thank you...you'll see people donating large LARGE items to the board to support it...it's that kind of community. With a lot of these craftsmen, they do the work for a hobby...for passion and certainly not for money. Too often they do work only to have simple complaints turn into reputation slamming and slandering in public vs. sorting things out in private like civil folk, or simply don't even get a thank you for information or service received. Time is valuable and these folk know they can engage in their hobby quite comfortably with existing client bases who they know with mutual respect...so they don't advertise or publicize for new clients. So what do you have to do to get these doors open? Remember...this is a hobby...not life saving...so don't moan and whine too much if things don't go your way. Spend only what you can and remember to have fun. Contribute contribute contribute...either upgrade your membership if you have the money...it doesn't cost much...and helps keep the board running...or if you can't contribute money...contribute time and effort in posts back to the board. And...most of all...remember to have respect for others...and say "THANK YOU". This beyond all else, has really probably done the most!! No joke. Again...welcome and have fun. Can you tell this is a hot topic for me...having just been a beneficiary of a couple senior forum folks (The Zigmeister being one) who have again, gone out of their way to help me. I say thank you by posting reviews like my Toad's Review of the Omega SMP Chrono...others in turn say thanks back by pinning the piece or extending my Platinum upgrade beyond what I've paid...I say thank you to that by posting long responses like this one...etc, etc... A lot of back scratching goes on here.

It's hard to tell the colour of the lettering as the whole picture is a bit yellow. The pearl looks good to me though...surprising given past pearl issues. I know the price is going to come in high...so I think I'll probably stick to my Noob and spend the $300+ mark on getting something like the Skyland or Ebel Discovery.