Watchmeister

I think it looks really good. Here are a couple of gen comparison shots. You decide:

I don't have a Pre-V but I also really like the earlier white t dials. The whole dial finish is very different from later white dial models. The gloss on the dials makes the fat black numbers jump off the dial.

Very nice project. The strap came out nicely. wear that one well.

Great flashback. Love all those Fu builds. Must have done 6 or 7 back in the day. Still have that one case set left for that rainy day.

Back in the day many companies took their basic pocket watch, added strap holders and voila.....a wristwatch.

I am with TX. If the crystal is actually sapphire they are fairly resistant to scratches . So unless you purposely tried to scratch it with a knife the crystal may well be mineral glass.

AP RO Paris Boutique Chrono, Hublot diver after it passes muster with the Hublot experts

Welcome. Have some fun. save your bonus and use some of that "rep money" to buy a brand you might otherwise not buy in gen. My 2 cents.

Welcome. Strap on the skiis. It is a slippery slope.

I would assume that whatever Andrew is stocking Josh is as well. Just order from whichever one you know or like better.

Great collection. Hey Slick- Is that one of the original Eddie "13" in 18k? Archibald was the architect on that one. As I recall he had the largest collection of gen dials around. He had a close relationship with Tuomii back in the day when she was getting them left and right.

Listen to Madred. By the way, he started as a Panerai guy.

I never seen one in the wild but supposedly it is a working He valve so you would definitely want to try and preserve it by pressure testing the case. At least that is my plan when I finally give in.

As long as the topic has come up, can anyone tell me whether the noob factory and the H factory both use spring loaded crowns?

Unfortunately all the the things that make this a dive watch -:cheesy: he valve, inner bezel rotating button, etc. are exactly the things that make a rep not waterproof. :bangin:to actually take this one swimming will require some real checking.

It becomes even more obvious when you have it in your hands. Wear it well.

In short, for the average wrist 115/75 covers everything from 6-7.5" wrists. And yes, they should have a long strap option but so should every other manufacturer too.

I fully agree on the older Hirsh straps. I love the way they are made. And they have held up very well. Years ago I stocked up on a bunch at a reasonable price and have never looked back. I don't have a lot of the newer OEM straps other than the 24x24 or 26x26 Pre-V type straps but they have been fine. I have never tried an aftermarket Hirsh strap though. I have to agree that there are a lot of talented strap makers these days but as someone who regularly wears his watches under dress shirts the longer Pre-V straps are more the exception than the norm for me.

Don't know how they picked the original size but the basic 115/75 strap will fit a 7" wrist and these watches were being sold to Europeans - not as fat as Americans. Also remember the original smaller straps were coming with tang buckles which IMHO don't work as well with long taild straps. Pre-V straps were thicker, tougher and longer. Whether you like the Hirsh straps or not they are very well made straps. That is about all I wear when wearing a PAM under a suit. I save the longer Pre-v straps for weekend wear.

I don't know about the reps but as far as I know all gens have the built in spring. But some crowns "spring" up far less than others. On two of my gens it is almost imperceptible. I would suspect that which reps have springs will be a function of the factory making the rep rather than a particular model.

Actually all watches were originally 45-50mm. That was why they were called pocketwatches.

Your video makes the crystal look substantially better than I have seen everywhere else. Congrats on the new piece. It looks great.

Dream on boys. Panerai are making new sizes to sell more watches. They can't go bigger so they are going smaller. Every Haute Horologie maker, never mind the standard premium brands like Rolex, are increasingly making bigger watches to hold ever more complex movements and show off cool new materials - carbon, ceramic, etc.. There will always be a great market for the elegant "dress" watch but the average watch from 99% of the makers is gettting bigger. So start doing your wrist curls.

Yes, I would buy a gen. I buy them for those I think are life time keepers and also those which I think will maintain value. For everything else reps or frankens.

Really nice work. Enjoying this thread.