Watchmeister

I don't know whether it is living in a major urban area or due to summer approaching but for the last several weeks I have been seeing 6-10 PAM's a day. Starting to feel like I am wearing a Breitling or a Rolex. Not that I don't appreciate those brands as I do and happily wear them but I always felt PAM was a little different as fewer people knew what they were and folks asked about them. Now I feel like every twenty something in my town owns one. And I ain't twenty something. Anyone experiencing the same thing?

It isn't that the straps last longer per se. It just means you don't have that metal buckle leaving its mark on the strap as the metal contacts the leather (24 hours a day, 365 days a year) and nor is the buckle set on the wrong hole as is often the case.

You can find any number of articles here but the headline is that the gen and some earlier re versions actually load the movement, dial and hands from the top (i.e. remove the bezel, crystal and "drop it in" rather than the usual unscrew the case back and bolt in from the bottom. So I am with PrDubis. Either buy a specific earlier version or wait for the ultimate which is supposed to be coming out later this year.

Having been through a number of expensive boxes I ultimately decided on the lower cost 8 watch boxes from the dealers. The watches lay flat. If you are keeping a large number of watches you can have multiple boxes in the same storage space as one large box and your watches lay flat. So you are better preserving those expensive straps since they are not permanently buckled in around a ring. For me it also allows me to keep my watches ordered by brand and to carry up to 8 watches at a time when going on a long trip or a GTG. Here is the link from Andrew's site but all the cartel dealers carry them. http://www.yourtrustytime.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=108&products_id=5556

What a bummer. That was a good deal. I presume you got your money back.

The auctions are a lot of fun. If you live near one of the auction locations and stop by during viewing hours they will let you try a couple on. How many people can say they have worn a 6152 or a 3646? Well, I have. Seriously, you can occasionally find good buys on their lower end stuff. But of course it is "as is" so you have to look carefully.

Now I am curious. Sixx- Let's see that GMT.

Congrats on the big occasion.

Actually, I thought he does it more as a courtesy. When no one else could get MBK's a couple of years ago and I needed one for a project he did source it for me. If I remember correctly he lives there. He literally went to that mall checked on prices and he then got me one at a good price.

Nice to hear from you and great to hear you are feeling better.

04 Today

So sorry to hear that. I remember when you bought that one. In a sea of Rolexes I know you loved that watch.

Great info. I had never looked at the Bentley T. I didn't know Breitling had a 2892 based chrono. In that case yodap is 100% right. Rep dial won't match up with the movement and you would have to do the same kind of alterations required on the Ap's which means you are looking at a $2-3k franken of a watch you can probably buy for $6,000 used.

I wonder if it is a stock ETA movement. That might solve the recessed date problem.

I think it looks great. I have been thinking about monkeying around with a custom combination myself using a Chronopassion as well.

I am ready to faint You will have to post a wrist shot when you got it It will be one for posterity.

Very important point. Let's face it, if the manufacturers could save on the amount of metal used for the case back....

Thanks again guys. Now I am going to go strap hunting.

Thanks for your nice compliments. Agreed on the gen strap. Does a gen strap fit on the links of seconds at 12 case?

Thanks for the kind thoughts. In terms of the specs - Cartel seconds at 12, genuine parts - dial, inner tachy ring, crown & tube and subdial hands. The hour and minute hands are reps but have a lot of modifications to allow for proper fitment and shaving down the exterior of the hand tube to make the hour and minute hands in proper proportion at the main pinion. The movement is a stock LWO 283 (2892 with DD module). There are a number of older watches that use this movement so it is readily available. In terms of the "body work" the crown is relocated, outer bezel and case back shaved and of course the entire inner case is reworked to fit gen tachy ring into the bezel and to allow for a new movement ring to properly position the movement in to the mid case.

That is what I have been telling you guys. By the way a standard watchsmith will sell you the movement for well under 345 Euros. I still don't recommend doing it though.

I wonder if you are going to find anything other than the standard rep strap without first contacting a strapmaker. Typically I think about it the other way which is to try and find a good rep there and look for straps elsewhere. Hktan is great but I don't think he has a storefront.

Is there really anything else to say?

It is with great pride that I reveal my latest AP franken. Some of the older members may remember the frankens I built a number of years ago. They were based off those original MBW frankens and used seconds at nine cases which required using the rep inner tachy ring. Anyone remember the original MBW offering from George?: At some point along the way there was some other piece I had to have and so I let it go. And that was more than 3 years ago. Over the next three years I bought parts, lost parts, built one or two more and let those go too. I could never get over not being able to use that darn inner tachy bezel. Fast forward to today and at last I have fulfilled one of my grails a second and better time. This one is a keeper for me. (Ignore the white hands, I forgot to tell the watch smith the hands had to be changed so the poor guy had to take it apart and repaint.) And what better way to finish than with the obligatory lume shot. Finally, if you have read this far can someone please remind me which strapmaker's straps work with these cases. This one deserves a better strap.

I have seen beautiful Orloff JV straps. I thought they were embossed leather? Pete can you shoot me his photo bucket or email, Thanks