Watchmeister

My first franken was using a Concord Ventu several years ago and I paid close to $800 for it. My subsequent ones were with the Tag above which you can find on the bay all the time in good shape for $500 or so. I have bought individual movements for less than $300 but now the two sellers who always had them seem to all be missing the canon pinion and hour wheels. On the hands you can use the rep hands but it takes a skilled watchsmith to fit the 7750 rep hour and second hand on a 2892 Canon pinion - and have it look good.

The gen diver definitely has AR. I stopped by the AP boutique last week and took a quick look.

Fabulous review. I hadn't noticed this watch before. Although it is not traditional Breitling styling I actually like it. Thanks again.

For anyone who comes upon Gen AP's in real life you are going to have to factor in a relume on this one then. The gen glows like a torch every time you walk inside from the outside. http://www.audemarspiguet.com/s/roo-diver/ I keep looking at the case. It is stunning. Looks like they have gotten the case edge bevel perfectly.

I wonder how the date lines up on the ETA movement versus the AP 3120. I am always fascinated by the little tricks the manufacturers use to keep it as aesthetically accurate as possible versus the gen when using a different movement. Will definitely buy one.

The gen is very well lumed everywhere - unlike the C1 Offhsores. Would you really want to be diving with a watch with no glow on the timing bezel?

Absolutely gorgeous. I trust you will treat that baby better than you treat your watches.

It is 2892 based but the issue is that it has the dd chrono module on top of it so that the canon pinion (or tube coming off of it which sticks up through the dial hole and holds the hands) has to be a very different height than a standard 2892. Tall enough to clear the movement and module height but short enough to properly position the hands. I am simplifying it but you get the picture. And it is not like there are many watches being made with this old school Lemania set-up anymore so no one bothers to stock it.

On the date section it is definitely bigger on the gen. But the other thing is the gen almost looks layered (it appears to have a date window below the dial similar to the LWO 283 equivalent in the Offshore). The funny thing is the calibre 3120 which I believe is what AP uses as their standard automatic movement has no provision for a cyclops or date window so I am wondering how they do it on the gen. The rep looks like a standard 2824 so I guess the cyclops is truly mounted in the dial? Here is a pic of the gen date section. See what I mean? And now that I take a second look at Angus' close-ups I see the date section on the rep also looka layered but the whole date section (dial hole and cyclops should be larger). Having said that it is a stunning rep and I think I will end up giving in.

Edge- Have you ever been able to find complete movements separately? I have always had to buy complete watches for more than $300. All the watches I have ever found that were running properly started at $500 or so depending on brand.

As Beano says without the hour wheel and canon pinion that movement is worthless. You can't get those parts separately. I bought a few from the seller years ago and ended up having to buy additional older watches just to get the parts. Keep your eyes out for Concord Ventu, Tag Heuer 2000 Professional Chronograph, etc. In short there are a number of older watches that have the LWO 283 movement in it.

I am very grateful for the QC process. On my most recent purchase the QC pics enabled me to opt for a different watch with a little better aesthetics. Or put differently, if I were buying a $500-700 second hand gen watch I would demand to see it before buying it? I have no idea what the level of inspection is at a factory level for rep watches so having a look at what I am getting before it is sent is important to me. I haven't had to return a watch since the QC pics program was started. And now I will only buy with QC pics. I used to focus on the trade section because at least you knew what you were buying. Now I feel it is much more that way with the dealers. People were often paying a premium for used watches for exactly that reason.

Actually on the dealer side the increase in prices seems to be driven as much by the factories. The factories charge real prices for their product and I have been wondering if the factories actually tell dealers what the retail price should be. Even the "discount" dealers are not cutting price more than $30-40 when a watch is relatively new. I suspect being a dealer is nothing like the good old days when there was anything but perfect information. I have long suspected that being a dealer is increasingly looking like a traditional retail business with 50% type mark-ups and the cost of doing business rapidly rising. I am not crying on behalf of the dealer but it seems it is headed that way.

It will eventually come. I gave up on figuring out timing a while ago but as I think about it 99% of those watches rumored to be repped ultimately are. Patience is a virtue. Here is a blast from the past - the original Honpo/7753 combo Ziggy did for me a few years ago.

The man, the myth, the legend. Glad to see you got a little free time. I know how busy you have been. By the way the Daytona is on my wrist as I write this. This is the first different watch I have put on since putting a strap on the AP. The PAM's are starting to gather dust so it is time to start wearing those as well. As you know I got one more one-off AP coming in a couple of weeks. Who knows perhaps there is an AP in your future.

Sorry to hear it but a very wise move if the watch smith is getting overloaded. Too few folks do the right thing when this happens.

QC pics help everyone. You get to see what you are getting. The dealer will hopefully have less returns. I now think of buying reps the way I would a second hand gen. You would never buy a used gen without seeing it first. And when you get a second hand watch there is no ongoing warranty other than if the watch truly arrives not functioning. It is the same for reps at some level. I have always assumed that the QC pics coming after receiving the tracking number just reflected the fact that the dealer has a pre-printed tracking number. The one time I didn't like a particular watch I was able to swap out for a different one even though I already had a tracking number. I assumed that is why they give you 24 hours or so after receipt of the pics.

Well then let's just say the bigger somewhat pricier dealers do it automatically.

I agree. I have never seen double sided screws on the 187 - too weird. I am now wondering if there is a new version. Everything else on the watch looks identical to the one offered a few years ago.

Not all dealers send QC pics. It is not a requirement to be a dealer on the forum. I am not familiar with TimesShops pricing but generally those that don't send QC pics are cheaper and it is your choice whether to use them or someone else. If you do have an issue they should be responsive in any case.

I am in the white handkerchief camp for suits and tuxes only. I agree with your wife on colored pocket squares.

The Honpo version hasn't been offered in years. And when it was offered it was as expensive as the 7753. Also dial/tachy ring combination from 7753 does not fit in the Honpo case. You have to use the inner tachy ring which comes with the Honpo and it actually drapes over the dial cuting off a portion of it. I would wait to see what the new version looks like. By the way the functionality on your 7753 is the same as the gen other than the He valve.

162 (and 196) are all silver hands. 188 is all black hands (including subseconds).

One other cautionary note - I can't remember which is which on the reps but one of them has the bezel markers pressure fit in rather than attached with screws so make sure they are firmly in place.

Awesome loop. I am surprised the date from the ETA movement lines up perfectly with the window on the gen dial. No surprise on the bezel insert. The construction on the gen is very different.