Toadtorrent

Hah...nice tree bling!

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Read the Noob Guide linked in my signature for some good info on the rep buying experience.

The trick with the GMT's is that this movement is a modified one so the lower end models have a cheaper GMT movement which is not that great from what I've read. Some will have had ok luck on them...but for the GMT, it seems better to go for what's called the ICHS (Incorrect Hand Stack) modified gen ETA. This means one of the more expensive watches of its kind.

The Milgauss on the other hand can get you a great, reliable and easy to fix (by cheap movement replacement) rep that is very close to the gen for around $130!! The movement will feel rougher and cheaper when winding or setting the time compared to the gen or an ETA...but for $130 and a replacement movement for around $20...you're good to go on the budget and to get you introduced to the rep world.

Hah...Franscisco, I guess nobody would complain that one was dry!

Love it. I want to see more with your house too!!

Very nice!!

The post by Antomarty references pretty much the sell on this watch. It creates a great looking watch using the quartz movement. If your dad doesn't care about the tick of the quartz...this is the best way to go.

Likely your dad wouldn't care about the wrong subdial spacing either...but the movement will be either a reliable manual wind or finicky |A7750 that will need immediate servicing.

I've seen the gen. I'm not a big fan of the red...but I have to say, the caseback is beautiful.

I have my Skyland on moo-croc a lot...am not a big fan of the regular Breit rubber...but I like the Ocean Racer rubber strap. I'm not a big fan of that strap you have on there. I think it would be good on a PAM...but I think this strap needs a little more "class" because of the bling than "vintage" for a strap.

I like this bergundy gen croc:

Look at my "Free Graphite Dialed V3 Skyland" topic linked in my signature. At the bottom of my post are a bunch of Skyland pics with various combinations that will give you a good idea of the look of different straps and bracelets.

Royal Throne

2893-2 from 2geek.net

2893-2 from otto frei

2Geeks doesn't seem to have them on the site anymore...and try contacting Ofrei to see if they actually have stock.

My suppliers all had them in the catalogues...but couldn't get them in stock. Other prices I've seen for them have been very high.

Not sure where you got that info from, but I just ordered one from Josh and it is coming from China... maybe because I got the bezel-modded version?

There was another thread on this...that if requested to come specifically from the US, he can make that arrangement. It's not really advertised...so one of the beauties of the info sharing here on the forum!!

The cost is minimal...way cheaper than mail order if there's a watch repair person close by. If you bring in your watch to a little corner repair guy and say you need a stem for an ETA 2836 or 2824 or whatever it is...that should be pretty easy.

I've just gone to a watch repair guy locally in Toronto and they have either replacement stems or stem extenders.

Cool...keep me posted. Let me know if you need money now.

It's been like this for years. People are still buying it. Don't expect it to change anytime soon.

I just got a PM from a member on this, and the funny thing was...the rotor cap is what probably saved his movement.

His rotor came off...and the only reason it didn't jam up and wreck his movement, was because it was stuck between the rotor and glue on cap.

Ironic isn't it?

Pumpkin spice

Congrats...you're on your way to full on watchmaking!!

It's quite satisfying isn't it?

Well I don't have a GMT (yet), but I would like to get one some day, so count me in for one if it's around the 150 price. Thanks!

I believe if memory serves me (hopefully somebody like Freddy333 can confirm this) that the handstack is actually correct for some older Rolex GMTs...but not for the more current ones....

I think that part of it extends from the fact that people have gotten used to RWG being the defender of the rep interest with regards to transactions with dealers...and extends itself as some expecting this to apply to transactions between members as well. The bar has been set as to the integrity of this board...so people expect more and more for their $100 used purchase.

Personally? If I bought something off of Craigslist...I would expect nothing more from the seller once I paid my money.

If I buy something FROM a seller, I would expect things to be portrayed accurately. Some things, we can't expect the seller to verify because they might not have the technical expertise to do so. For example, opening the caseback and photographing a movement clearly enough to determine if it's a real ETA or Asian ETA. If the seller doesn't know how to open a caseback...and you are nervous about buying something advertised as Swiss without 100% verification...don't buy from them simple. If you do...you take your chance, and don't take it out on the seller to accomodate your error.

I think people as buyers, have to take ownership for some of the problems that occur with any second hand purchase. You can try and mitigate this by asking for things like shipping with tracking...but if the seller won't do this without charging expensive courier rates that we as buyers don't want to pay...we can't make this demand and have to accept the risks of non-courier service.

We also have to understand that hands can fall off in transit...and chronos can stop working. This happens...deal with it. If you find the 50% off bargain turns into needing more technical and expensive repair than expected and the dealer answered your questions to the best of their ability...well...deal with the loss and move on.

So...do I expect COSC specs on used purchases? No. If I bought something advertised as recently serviced by The Zigmeister...I would hope for more...but expect no guarantees as what happens AFTER The Zigmeister services a watch is anybody's guess.

Buy used? Buy with your eyes open and accept that certain problems can arise that we as buyers have to deal with.

Slims

Looking at that original, 1970 provenanced COMEX, it looks like most modders artificially age their "tritium" markers far too brown. This gen watch has more of a parchment tone to it than the golden dirt brown on the reps I see.

There are so many variations when I look in the auction catalogues...same as the tone of orange on the 1655...almost anything goes!!

Great stuff.

On the rotor...flip it over...pop off the silver cap and the screw should be there for you to screw back the rotor. I can see it in the second last pic. Just don't lose it...and you'll be good to go.

Here's Pug's guide on posting pics:

Pugwash's Guide on Posting Pics

Sorry for the confusion. I was thinking of the GMT IIc (responding to another thread. Yes...under the caseback will be another cover. This is the antimagnetic cover...similar to my SMP chrono here:

You pop this off I believe on the Milgauss, with a screwdriver (look for a gap around the edges between the "B" marked antimag cover and the edges of either the movement holder or the movement itself that can fit the slot for the screwdriver...slide it under and turn to pop it off).

After you remove the antimag cover, you should get something like the following.

The spinning half-moon thing with the curved slits is the rotor. Was this securely fastened to the movement, or was it loose?

If you note, in the centre of the rotor is a little metal disc. In the link from Thogaa I put in my first reply, the disc indicated by the arrow:

is the cover to the rotor screw. It doesn't sound like the rotor was securely fastened to the movement and could be lifted out? If so, the screw is likely between the rotor and the cap glued to the rotor, indicated by the arrow above. Remove this cap and you should find the screw in questions. Refasten the rotor and either re-glue the cap or toss it like Thogaa recommends.

Underneath the silver cap, you should see the screw which looks something like this (the following is an ETA nut assembly...but the gist is the same...it's a screw holding down a bearing assembly):

In a worst case scenario, the whole rotor bearing and nut assembly has popped off as in the following pic:

This would involve reattaching this assembly either with a press or glue (epoxy).

You should screw that thing back on. What's likely happened when you placed the rotor on top is that enough of the threads gripped to loosely hold it in place...waiting for the time it pops off again.

Hope this helps.

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fact or fiction...