Toadtorrent

Good job...and great first posts! Shrink the pics down so they are a bit smaller, and upload them to an offsite photo site (photobucket or whatever) as per the link from By-Tor...and you'll be all set to post as many as you like and have them embedded within your post...which looks much better. Welcome...and a great start to the hobby!!

What you do for your kids is amazing. My son loves the bus...it's a big treat to go on it...sings a whole song...talks to the driver... In reality...as far as the genuine population goes, it's a very rare case for someone to be into luxury watches...let alone those who can afford them.

That's good to hear about the lack of lettering. I've read that you can replace the rotor with an ETA one...don't know anybody who actually has tried it...you could ask Takashi...he's the mod master of the Cousteau's. I wouldn't worry too much about the timing being off...it's an easy and fun starting point to working on your rep. With my gens, I expect them to work properly...so don't really get to have "fun" with them. With reps, I get to tinker, research, buy tools, etc...making it far more fun to own a rep than a gen. As to how to regulate the watch...I rely on the help of the expert's here on this board. Hah hah. It takes time to find what you need...but when you do, it's usually better than what I can put together: Gioarmani's Guide to Regulating Timing and Beat I've read elsewhere that it's hard to get the timing adjusted to under 10s without a timing machine...but it's possible...just keep the movement running for 30 days to allow it to "break in" before going that close.

Wow...it looks just like my living room....hah hah hah. It's commonly referred to as the Not-That-There's-Anything-Wrong-With-It-Tona. It's the most stunning piece of style and design next to Tammy Faye Baker's eye makeup. It's pretty funny...wouldn't be caught dead wearing one...but I can absolutely see the humour in buying one. I hope you didn't pay too much for it though.

The Luxury Institute saying that the top luxury brand in the US for watches as being IWC is funny though...as IWC is the American branded Swiss watch company...so I'm sure there's some degree of national pride involved in the selection.

You will like the catalogue...it's awesome!! The PDF version has it's purpose, but when you feel the heft of the real thing and flip through it? Niiice!! @ Freddy...those are CRAZY prices...WAAAAAY over estimates. I'm surprised the Comex lot sold so high...mind you...good papers!! The no-HEV prototype DRSD at $210,000 I thought was the standout piece in the auction. That's as close to a one-of-a-kind Rollies as they come.

That's awesome...much better coverage than I can get from any immediate media available here. Thanks!

Is that a PAM in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? I have a crappy car because I'm not into cars...in fact I don't really like them at all, but I have enough pedal bike to buy me some serious bling if I wanted to. So, what do I usually wear, cycling clothes, gore-tex, softshell workout stuff, or business "very" casual. Mind you...I also don't wear a gold HBB or a diamond encrusted gold Rollie either...

I would take one in black. Looks pretty good to me...big improvement over the zit that's for sure...and to buy from your Avatar would be an honour.

I actually think it would be kind of fun for a rep. I'm not too sold on the design, but like was said earlier, as a conversation piece of what could be done by the rep makers, I think it would be amusing. Can you imagine the threads on the quality of the rust application...rust dust under the dial, etc. I liken it to the back of the 2006 Cousteau Diver being fun for conversation, even though it's a sticker unless modded.

I saw the GTG pics with you wearing yours, and that sold me on it...after your review of course. Thanks for the feedback!! I screwed up mounting the caseback gasket and thus, needed a replacement. Offshore, true gent that he is is mailing me out something that will hopefully work. RWG has such amazing supporting folks, it blows my mind. @Alant - I was expecting the sticky letters, and cracked open the case with toothpicks in hand waiting to scrape them off to be surprised to find there were none. Maybe they all fell off and are sitting in the movement mushing everything together. Hah hah. Nothing The Zigmeister can't fix. The watch arrived way out of regulation...5 mins/day fast...but with a little work, I have it down to 10s +/- per day...I'll work on getting it better after the movement has run a bit longer.

I'm thinking things like the Slevin (~$4500 CDN), even the limited Cousteau's, 3717 series in most flavours (~$4600 - $5400 CDN) in Canada are a lot less than a SS Sub. The Big Pilot or specialty ones obviously can't be compared as Rollie doesn't make any tourby's or perpetual calendars or anything like that. Mark XVI and a SS DJ are about the same...Ingy's (~$6500 US) and Yachtmaster (~$7850 USD) are about the same (platinum bezel aside of course)... With IWC though, you get more watch...interesting complications for the higher priced pieces...with Rolex, you just get more bling with little movement innovation.

Crazy...I've never heard of the burl wood dial...wild. I just bought my mother a MOP lady DJ...that was pretty slick.

Yes it is annoying. This happens...even with other dealers. However, if you can get any dealer to pay for return shipping (even though it's their mistake)...well, you'll be the first. This is the game with reps...buyers have to pay for mistakes, be it in terms of time or return shipping. This is similar to most mail order businesses...not places like Costco...but smaller shops with tighter overhead. Send the product back...wait...and they will ship you a new one. If you can't handle that...unfortunately, the rep "game" may not be for you. It's aggravating...not fair...but if you read through the thousands of posts here...you'll find this is common experience until you actually build up a sales history and relationship with a dealer.

Many of the IWCs are cheaper than the Rollies...that's weird. Many of the limited edition special movement ones are pricey...but no more so than the solid gold rollies...

Taka's the man...and WOW...that k2222 AR is even better than I've heard...where's the crystal?

I didn't realize it was coming up to my neck of the woods...I should look into a timeshare option on it. Nice piece...fun auction to watch. When you're ready to unload it, I'll save you CONUS shipping, and walk to your place to pick it up.

Nice flags in your sig Pete

The CD will help...but learning watch movements using one of the most complex movements around is going to lead to disaster. There are a whole pile of tools to get, and there is a learning curve associated with using them. Factor in the small size, complexity, an new tools, you are bound to lose something and A7750 repacement parts are not really available. Start with a simple movement based on the Timezone watch school series...and then move up from there. The TZ series should be available from the same member.

That tourby cage looks amazing...too bad the rest of the watch looks kind of clunky.

Looks great. I have a renewed appreciation for rubber straps after actually wearing a big piece with one.

That's interesting...they left out one of the most important ones...Solaris (Graham, IWC, JLC, Corum, Glashutte, and a few others)

Mine is because Ajoesmith's was already taken. Just kidding...it's because I like murky water, eating flies and going to Burger King.

Yup...I totally agree with you. The piece I received from Silix just this month had much of the QC issues addressed, but the common complaint for all the Aquatimers (misaligned inner bezel) was not addressed. I do think it to be technically, a much more interesting piece than the SFSO, and with the rubber strap more comfortable. Taste and design? Well, that's a personal opinion. @ Mickey Padge - A "super rep" at $400 when it was released...and now for $275 water resistance tested...a "super value rep". I wrote a review of the one I received here: Toad's Cousteau Review