Watchmeister

If people really believe that QC pics are of random watches rather than the watch they are sending than it may be a waste of time - or maybe not. In my own most recent experience with an AP I was sent the pics - the screws looked like crap. I rejected it and 3 days later got a new set of pics. I accepted based on those pics and of course I can't tell you it is the exact watch in the pictures But I can tell you the screws lined up with the pics both in terms of how they were set into the case and even which screw had a slightly skewed screwdriver slot. I got what I expected. If I had gotten the first watch I saw I would have been out $500 and unhappy. I had a similar experience with a PAM where I rejected it because it looked like the dial was off in terms of how it was set into the case. The new pics and the watch clearly had it in straight. So with a total of $800 invested with 2 different dealers I am grateful for QC pics. I will never be able to prove to anyone it is exactly the same watch but if all it did was to make the dealer make sure the one I was receiving was in better shape than what he was initially proposing to send - than QC pics achieved my objective.

Unfortunately, this is no longer a hobby. People still have to do their due diligence to pick the right model. However factory runs for the more popular pieces are in the thousands and when it comes to the standard reps the big dealers are selling hundreds of one particular model or another per month and with too little manpower. So without the QC pics I am convinced that at least some of the dealers have no idea what they are sending. IMHO, it is now a necessary sanity check for any dealer other than those who still actually check everything that goes out themselves. Also the dealers want it as well as it abrogates some of their responsibility. So I don't see QC pics going away. And in truth I wouldn't buy a standard rep without them - but that is just me. I have always gotten what was pictured and on more than one occasion I would have been unhappy if I hadn't requested a replacement piece. So long live QC pics. I am a happier pussy for it and saved myself at least a couple hundred bucks in shipping costs to China. Hey wait a minute, that is another rep.

If you have the budget I say go with whichever has the better case and coating. Then save up for a relume if necessary. You can't change a case.

There is an element of truth to those words. But the other side is that when you are looking for a 3rd set of QC pics because someone has noticed a non-existent problem you may find their receptivity to your order is gone. It does happen. When members have written to complain for a situation like that I tell them to go find another dealer. The most important thing is that you use some common sense. Know what you are buying. If you have genuine concerns try a knowledgeable member first and then post up the pics on the forum if you are not satisfied.

TRC is obviously gone (subsumed here). I have to say that I can't for the life of me remember what WT is.

Straps are as much about your preferences as anything else. A number of folks swear by specific strap makers. I actually like buying second hand OEM's. The one benefit to buying second hand is that you can resell them for reasonably close to what you paid if you buy something and don't like it when you get it. Obviously if you wear it around that is not the case. There are dozens of excellent strap makers here and elsewhere. I don't think I would bother buying a high end rep strap. There is no reason to fake a strap. Beyond the forums go take a look on Risti. You will see everything from high end to low end and every size, shape and material.

In NYC IMHO the baller watch at the hot clubs at the moment is the AP ROO. The stars wear them (thank you Jay Z, etc.), the big time DJ's wear them, etc. And any hot woman in an expensive dress knows exactly what it is.

I believe McQueen had been wearing the 5512 as his primary watch since the mid to late 60's. I know there are a lot of pics of his wearing his personal one at Sebring around 1970. Back in the day the 5512 was a very elitist watch. It was not as widely available as the standard 5513 and more than $1000 more back when $1000 was really $1000.

Congrats. At some point many of us wake up and conclude a gen is the only way to make yourself "Rolex" happy. It has always amazed me that the most repped watch of all time still has no great rep. Wear that one well. I will be curious to see if you ever buy a Rolex rep again. You may well be ruined.

Although not a dealer here, Robert was someone who had been in the rep business for many years. I met him a number of years ago when he was operating more as a distributor. It wasn't until a couple of years ago that Robert got involved at the retail end. You could love him or hate him but he was always the same colorful character. We wish his family the best at what is obviously a tough time.

Guys, as far as I know every dealer who supplies QC pics makes the same request not to share pics. If you have genuine concerns about your watch share them with a knowledgeable friend if possible or post them up on the forum.

There are plenty of other strapmakers that are every bit as good as Panerai straps. Panerai, like most watch companies, subcontract out the strap making but an OEM or gen strap will, as people have said, have Panerai branding. In terms of buying second hand straps I usually look on Paneristi on their Accessories Corner or buy from folks I trust. Most offerings on risti have pictures and a fake would be picked up pretty quickly.

It is helpful to hear from folks who have had real issues. Hopefully Puretime will see this. He has gone large scale and may be out over his skis. But for everyone who is unhappy and no longer doing business with him there are hundreds of happy customers. I suspect that is true with all the large scale dealers. To his credit Puretime has done the best job of letting folks know what is coming (yes, I know it is somewhat self-serving) and more importantly taking suggestions for watch improvements directly to factories and that is invaluable. I have never had an issue with him nor any of the other large dealers I have dealt with over the years- Angus, Josh, Andrew, Connie, etc. Some watches have needed repairs or returns but I have always found that as long as you do as they ask you have a happy ending.

Great stuff. As long as you are having fun keep dismembering those watches. And of course, welcome to RWG.

A contemporary sub has great lume and remember lume does not degrade significantly like tritium. And even on the older tritium vintage watches Rolex generally always had the best bonding agent and the longest lasting tritium glow. My '66 5512 glows much better than my 10 year old Panerais.

All hail the 5512.

Now I never would have guessed that. A gentle reminder why I stay away from my own watches.

That is a great question. I would have thought that a 7750 with an additional module would be a lot thicker than the 2893 set-up so at a minimum you would have to reposition the movement closer to the crown hole in which case either the whole movement dial set up would shift down or if you need to add space between the dial and the movement to keep the proper rehaut you would also potentially need longer pinions to keep the proper 2893 hands at the proper height or adjust the original hand tubes on the rep hands to fit on the new movement.

If you are taking your watch off the wrist and showing it to a PAM afficionado the rep movement is a give away no matter how good the movement is. if you really have that concern then buy an earlier solid caseback version.

The box size is standard. The tools range from a simple screw driver for earlier years. Later years have a push tool for the watches with a quick release strap pin system. There is also often a band to hold another strap. On the plastic warranty card itself usually the actual details of your specific watch are filled in by hand when you buy it but often the dealer or AD will have a stamp of some form. At the boutique your bill of sale is a printout these days,The COSC form is usually printed. At least that is my experience with G and earlier series standard hand winds. I do understand if you want the box for aesthetics but don't bother with the paperwork. That is just silly and serves no purpose other than a bad one.

Picoweb- Good to hear that your transaction is proceeding as it should. And your transaction is a prime example of why QC pics are a valuable aid. Don't forget those wrist shots when you get the watch.

Dealers do post pics for their own protection and to stimulate sales but it is also for your own protection. If you get a watch which is clearly different from the QC pics and the dealer's note specifically states that the pics are of your watch then you should complain. IMHO, if it is a different watch and you are unhappy he should be talking it back. That is not the forum talking - just me. If he doesn't you shouldn't be doing business with him. And you should post it in the reviews section. The broader membership wants to know if a dealer is abusing the QC pics system. That way you know to either ignore the QC pics of that specific dealer or the dealer altogether. I had no idea this was happening. In my limited experience the QC system had worked both to the favor of the dealer and me at the time. It saved both of us a lot of aggravation. It is one thing if a dealer does not offer QC pics and you can decide whether you are willing to buy on that basis. It is a whole other thing if a dealer is using bogus QC pics to abrogate his responsibility. The membership should know and it will help each individual make their own decision. We are here to protect each other - not the dealers.

Wow! Looks incredible. I gotta start begging.

If all the clamp screws and stem are removed and it still won't come out check on the chrono pusher extensions as well. You may need to remove them.

Virtually all dealers who offer QC pics ask you not to post them elsewhere. Just use common sense. If you have concerns about your particular watch (not the model you picked) try and reach out to someone who is knowledgeable on the brand on the forum. Most are happy to help out as it only takes 30 seconds to inspect if you know what you are looking at. If you are not comfortable reaching out to someone individually and feel you have legitimate concerns about the particular watch shown then post them up. As long as you are intelligent enough to ignore any silly comments it will all be fine. In a world where some dealers are still small enough to inspect watches individually and others ship hundreds or thousands of watches a month from different locations the QC pics do play a critical role. Just use common sense.