Watchmeister

Out of the 243 for sure. You can also look at the 199 Regatta as it has the improved date mag and font. 243 is still my favorite out of the box sub. The other cool one but is a modest project is the 24A but you have to polish the bezel. To quote another member it has a cool deco look.

I agree that bargains are rarer. I use the second hand market to buy some watches because there are QC issues on the originals. I will pay closer to initial cost and take a ding or two to get one which has been functioning correctly on someone else's wrist. It is true that more and more people are trying to get as much as they can. After all you know that next purchase is only going to be more expensive. The modded prices astound me though. It is clear that folks will often pay more than what you have into a watch to get it already done. I have been offered $1,000 + for more than one watch on an unsolicited basis. Someday when I find that must have gen and don't have the money I will give in. But for now I am very happy.

The watch that has caught my eye lately as a daily wearer in that price range is the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. Don't have pics but they cost around that and IMHO a much more elegant version of a Rolex Sub with vintages as the exception of course. Gunnar- You always struck me as a JLC type though.

Well mine has arrived as well. Can't wait to see it on Monday as I am still out on vacation. I could get used to do this. Although I did run into the gen in 3 different stores which just made me lust all the more. I am going to have some fun. I already have the original second generation in white with cross mod and Chieftang double AR as well as a spare black dial. I ordered the latest white one and a spare black dial and hands. Could lend itself to some fabulous mixing and matching (dials, crosses, logos, hands, ar crystals, etc.). This is one of my favorite gen watches. And in spite of all the noise, big thanks to Jay who always kept me up to date and got me all the exact parts I wanted. Three weeks to get everything I asked for is more than reasonable. As far as I am concerned a fully trustworthy and deserving collector Everyone enjoy their watches.

On the gen there is a specific module which causes much less drag on the mainspring and movement. It may be doable but the results would be questionable as the rep gears are very inefficient. Seconds at 6 are largely luck and proper servicing as to how long it lasts. If your watch is currently working I would save your money and count yourself lucky.

Agreed. When you resize the bracelet add a little blue loctite. If it is good enough for the Harley...

If you are referring to vintage they are the Watchmeister overlays. They look great (IMHO) but they take some skills to install.

Get in line. I have already offered him a blank check and I am sitting behind Wheaton and god knows who else on this one.

You mean you don't check your watches every morning before you head out? Actually I do. I have never had a rep fall apart but I did have the springbar on a metal bracelet gen pop out and didn't notice. I heard that awful clang as I was dashing across 57th street. I wish it had been a rep. But now you know the secret of Rolex bracelet reps. Collect them but don't wear them. Those crappy bracelets fall apart all the time. Happens all the time on my MBW's and DW's. The gen bracelets aren't particularly great either.

Here is the first listing on the bay. This may answer some questions or raise some. http://cgi.ebay.com/Brand-New-IWC-Aquatime...1QQcmdZViewItem

I read the first entry about it being in near perfect shape and was still believing what I was reading.

It is priceless. I have seen the tapered single button clasp and that is very rare. I have been trying to buy that for a couple of years. If yours does taper and has 2 buttons it is either genuine or someone got smart and started producing them. Is someone actually selling them or did you buy it from a forum member?

Well, I actually went to the AD with my VCO with double AR coat from chieftang the minute I got mine back. The AD had the gen model in the window and I thought the resultant dial "tinting" from the AR matched spot on. It didn't before the AR coat. At the time I thought the hue looked very similar albeit it was under typical AD indoor low voltage lighting so who knows what it would look like in natural lighting. I am doing double AR on my next one as well. I am sure single AR would be fine too.

Guys, mellow out. In well over 100 shipments in and out of the U.S. I have had all of 2 held up. Unfortunately the second one is still hung up.

I actually have both DLC and tiAln PVD coated gen crowns. The DLC could pass for ti it is so light. It has also afforded me the opportunity to compare gen old School PAM PVD with a Davidsen and Palp case. Palp is way too dark and the Davidsen I saw is approximately the right color but just too dull (oops matte). By the way the DLC coating is very cool in its own right. It looks entirely different from the current PVD methods.

Actually I got so tired of waiting I concluded that the real procurable 47mm holy grail is the 194 with ti case. I do hope one of our dealers starts sourcing these.

Got it. If anyone else is interested please email me at watchmeisters@gmail.com. Based on past projects I have learned to ignore posts on loops. After all, based on the last loop I would have been stuck with a lot of crowns.

The tough part on this one is that you would have to put the final coating on the beadblasted case to see whether it is right. In general there are really only 2 or 3 PVD processes used for most watches -Ti (earliest PVD), TiAln second generatoin PVD and typically on PAM's (don't remember the 3rd) but the bead blasting is what makes the difference and I can't even imagine guessing right on those specs. I will see if I can get Finepic's person to fess up on the beadblasting since he is no longer doing it for watches.

Nothing like the post above. Here is the seller's actual ebay offering: http://cgi.ebay.com/ORIGINAL-PANERAI-WATCH...1QQcmdZViewItem Quick Update. I have received and shipped the first batch. The second batch is on the way and is largely subscribed as well. Big thanks too all participants. With the exception of one or two everyone has payed and I am willing to keep the excess so no worries from my end. So far no money lost (or made) and everyone is getting the maximum discount I could negotiate. I am not inclined to order any more as the supply and demand equation has worked out well. I believe I still have a few left but will have to sort out next week. If someone is dying for one or there is substantial additional demand please let me know. - Kruz

Asian 21j was already available on the Power Reserves so it wouldn't be a stretch to add to other 21j's. 2893's - I wouldn't hold my breath on. This is just rolling out the new technology on the new 199 to other 7750 based PAM's.

Virtually all steak houses are priced like Gallaghers so be forewarned. Jetson's place may be more reasonable. As I am not the leader but merely an attendee I would vote for Manhattan and I would probably go with something more kitschy. Something like Acme Bar and Grill for cajun chicken or chicken fried steak. It is a louder and more rowdy environment but prices are pretty reasonable. Not end all or be all but I think we may want to think more along those lines. Also, someone should actually start the actual date discussion so that we can firm up who can show up when. I am ducking that responsibility as I am out of the country.

IMHO, it is very good quality relative to the gen. It sits nicely on the wrist.

Very nice watch - wear it well. I had one as a daily wearer for a couple of years but lost it along with an RGM chrono in one of my more expensive summer rental moves. When it came out I thought it was the coolest bracelet out there. IMHO, Breguet and VC make the nicest bracelets.

Well the 194 titanium does exist for sure. If you speak Japanese and live in Japan or China you can have it in four days. On the 187 7753 I am with Willith - Bigfoot. But wouldn't we all like to discover Bigfoot? And if it ever does, if the going rate on Swiss 7750 reps are approaching $1,000 what are the implications for the price of a 7753 187?