Toadtorrent

Believe me when I say Josh is fast. It's nearing peak mail period outside of China so expect another couple of days. Depending on where it's coming to...in North America 7-9 days is a good rate. You should have received a tracking number for this. If not...email him and make sure the order went through. Depending on slow downs...even 2 weeks is still considered quick.

I too don't have some of the display problems with Firefox where I have problems with IE. The problem with Firefox is that if I have problems loading up a page filled with externally hosted images (either because of firewall or slow access to the external site or slow access through my ISP / wireless connection because of range / interference, etc), the page takes FOREVER to load up before I can read a post, whereas IE is more intelligent in that it allows me to view the text and scroll the page while the images are gradually populated on the page with successful download.

Big congrats and nice pics. I like the hairy mesquite too...can almost smell the searing cow!

That thing is a beauty. I saw the rep on Andrew's site and was drooling. Beautiful!! That one really had my jaw drop. Big congrats on this.

Most excellent...thanks so much for this. Great stuff!! @Steen...nice avatar!! BTW...I would love to read the article on "Ain't Life Grand" for the guide to grand complications also listed on the cover. Let me know if it's possible to get that scanned up.

I think I had loaded it up on the links section already...but good to have again.

Wow Lani...your dedication and generosity...what more can be said than that your support of the forum is truly reflective the support it and the team that runs it and keeps it alive deserves. Thanks for giving endlessly to this great place. You know I'm in on this one...let me know if there's any way I can help.

And this to me, combined with Lani's references of finding a community here...sums it all up. We should contribute to RWG or ANY cause we believe in NOT because of pressure or wanting to be elitist...but because we believe in the cause, or see the value it generates. I don't question the financial need to maintain the board, as communication with the mod team here has proven to me of their integrity. They are not the ones asking for money to support the board other than having the option of upgraded membership. It's folks like Lani and myself who try to encourage folks to participate because we think people should be aware that this place does take resources to run it, and it's not a corporately sponsored, profit generating enterprise...so if you value it...take ownership of it either by engaged activity or money or both.

Well...now that money is refunded, desired watches and bracelets are on their way...can we get back to just being one big dysfunctional and sometimes happy family? I was going to say Dems, that your signature gif was inappropriate too...but then I realized she was talking about the Speedmaster Pro rep desire...so it's all ok now.

The Steelfish is a good rep and being non-chrono easier to deal with technically if things go wrong. The size and design mean you can wear with anything, anytime. As mentioned above, the Super Avenger is a great rep, but really big and a 7" wrist may find it too big (though there are many with that size who wear watches with this diameter). The Blacksteel and Skyland reps are awesome...but at 18mm are quite thick. The Blacksteel is more of a sporty watch...not the best for a suit...but wearable depending on the suit. The Skyland with strap and bracelet options is one of the most flexible and adaptable watches around...sporty, casual, classy, anything you want. Read the Skyland review linked in my signature for pics of the watch on various straps.

That is a nice collection. I wish I could slim my collection down and sell the ones I don't wear much...but I can't...I keep thinking I'll get to the lesser worn ones sometime in the rotation...but rarely do. I'm a hoarder.

If he told you...he'd have to kill you.

The massage is for Platinum folks...by the woman in Demsey's signature...problem was...she left my place before she gave me her name. On a serious note...I try and help out anyone that asks...and encourage to support the forum if they find the info useful and to ensure continuation of the community. I think the constant reminders are necessary to promote awareness that while the service is available without the requirement to pay...that to remember that someone is paying for what the "other guy" is getting for free...so people should want to put back if they feel they are getting value. It's kind of like the torrent principcle...keep seeding if you downloaded something...because somebody had to seed for you...so why should you keep leeching. Without the reminders people won't stop and think that this place could shut down and a valuable resource and community be gone. I always say that contribution could be time and participation...but in the words of the lounge lizards "your love can't pay my bills...I [need] money".

Excellent...likely just needed a hammer and bracelet pin driver...glad it worked out.

I'm not so sure...I think it looks alright. The pics are hard to tell for sure. It could be modded. The pearl position on the insert is fine...proper for gen, even if it's missing the pear (but could be a gen insert on a rep). The caseback looks to have the proper wave depth from casting or forging or whatever it is they do to make it vs. the flatter engraving on the rep. The colour of the hands looks to match the older version of the rep and the date font looks ok...but the pics aren't clear and don't show the more important numbers (any with #4 in it)...and the links on the bracelet look alright to me...but to be sure you really need clearer pics and more closeups. I can't tell with the crown because of potential light issues hiding the taper of the crown on the top. The subdial spacing looks weird though...too tight...need a pic of the movement. The dial is more the real tell but you need a pic taken at the right angle to determine the depth of the waves...and the finish on the inside of the bracelet...which again, you need better macro pics to tell.

Excellent info Mike...right up there with the GGG thread...and that is no slight compliment!!

No updates...still waiting!!!

Hi Noel...and welcome aboard. There are really good versions available for less (around $100 USD mark)...but they will have a cheaper Asian 21j movement (like a DG2813)which is generally reliable but feels cheap on the crown (i.e. winding, time setting, and date setting), and can't be serviced if it breaks so a replacement is necessary (at about $12-20 for the movement + labour). The Swiss movement will be serviceable and maintainable with parts readily available if they need repair. The Rolex clone version has a movement that looks closer to a gen movement which Lani has said is not really the issue, but more that it feels like the gen (not cheap) and seems to have good performance. Others elsewhere have noted serviceability may be an issue as no parts will likely be available for this movement. BUT, it's main strength is that the steel used in this more expensive version is higher grade and matches closer to the gen (but 99% of the population will NOT be able to tell the difference without an immediate, side-by-side comparison), and have improvements (e.g. bracelet clasp, general finish, lume, etc). Hope this helps.

Sixx is not a dealer...so no website. These are reps he has in his personal collection. He has some good ones!! As to good Tags out now...I would recommend looking at the Aquaracer series ...high accuracy, nice weight and feel...look great as well. The Carrera date is nice too...but the newer Carrera Day-Date (not the older one...but the larger case size one) is nice. There's a new Carrera-Day-Date released by Josh and Andrew with the black dial and green hands that looks awesome. Budget options that are nice are the quartz F1 and F1 chrono for around $120 USD. Welcome aboard...and please read the Noob Guide linked in my Sig to guide you through the rep process.

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Hi Folks, A BIG thanks to Zig for spending the time to work on, photograph and write this up. These write-ups take time, and this one takes some serious specialist knowledge, skill and chutzpah to put together. I ordered this one directly from the Sea Gull factory in China. A little bit of a cludgy order as a sample collection of movements. I don't have my docs here...but I believe this is the ST21 movement (it was not on any of their corporate literature but I was able to order one on spec from my contact in China). As Zig stated, this movement has been showing up in his observation with ETA stampings. Whether or not this is being done by Sea Gull directly, or after the fact by the rep factories is anybody's guess. Zig wrote me that the movement can take ETA datewheels and has the same hand sizes as the gen ETA, and has the same diameter and thickness so is technically a substitute option. The movement costs a little less than 50% of the cost of the gen ETA movement at a little more than $50 USD shipped. Is it a good value alternative? Hard to say given lack of spare parts being readily available, and immediate requirements for servicing for reliable operation. Better than an Asian 21J DG2813/48i13? It's 28.8 so at least the beat is ok and hence the sweep will be smooth...and it seems much more robust and serviceable rather than the disposability of the $20 DG2813 or the $40 high cannon pinion that seems to be charged for the DG4813...so in that sense definitely better. Thanks again Zig for the great write-up as always. EDIT: This movement is the ST21 (aka TY2130) and is often referred incorrectly as the ST24. The cost was $48.40 USD shipped which compared to a DG2813 at $20 shipped...or the rarer high hand DG4813 which costs at minimum $40 USD shipped and will still have the choppier 28.8 sweep compared with the Sea Gull is a better movement...and can take an ETA datewheel which is great for Omegas and fitting other aftermarket wheels which are usually made for ETA movements and not necessarily made as overlays.

Very cool. How different is the rep vs. gen blue??

Ditto...don't have too much time here...winding position...on re-insertion...doesn't matter as winding position is all the way in hence no ability to knock anything out by pushing too hard. The screw in position is essentially winding position without the clutch engaged on the spring inside the crown...so yes...it goes all the way in.

Hybrid

Indeed...hey Zig...how 'bout one with the black lume you had displayed awhile back??? That would be something...