rek001

Sorry, can't agree with you on the Palmer House, that place has seen better days.

Water damaged ceilings, worn out carpeting, pretty seedy.

The Chicago Tourneau is also in a very small space - located on the 3rd floor of Water Tower Place, a vertical shopping mall on N. Michigan Avenue. I go in there occasionally to see what they have and try on a few watches, the salespeople have always been very accommodating.

I find their pre-owned pricing to be way out of line compared to the sales section of Timezone.com

I don't believe it - FINALLY!!!

OK, Pugs & Euno, hope you get yours quickly, looking forward to your reviews, I know you guys will do a good job of it.

This watch will fit my 6.5" wrist so nicely.

Hi,

Please keep it PM, since he works on reps, I'd like to keep his contact info private.

Oh yeah, you have no idea how proud I am every time you post another Pam or strap pic, V!

To think I had some input, well...aw gosh, shucks.

So, I think the Tag Mercedes is a great choice for your BF, on steel bracelet, I assume? Very sharp.

As for Christmas, for myself, probably the Chopard GMT chrono, white dial/black subs (panda) on steel bracelet. TWP helped to decide, he says it's his most satisfying rep.

For gf - a custom DateJust from Ruby, all SS, dark blue dial with arabics, smooth bezel, oyster bracelet -classic.

Also a few nice reps for friends and family, undecided about which models.

You know what, V?

You're alright in my book, thanks for the kind words. It feels very good to reveal a bit more of myself here.

I've been on these rep forums for 4 years now, and I can honestly say that there's never been a member quite like you (heh, I mean that in a positive way!)

You're a priceless addition to our forum, and I hope you're around a long time.

So, do you have a Christmas watch for yourself in mind?

Hey V, I was wondering when you were going to reply, LOL. I always take a keen interest in your posts as, you know, you and I are "special" on this forum, in a good way.

To answer your question, we live in Chicago.

Here's an interesting twist to this story. My gf is on the condo board, and this jerk is running to get on the board, elections are next week. He wants something done about the "landscaping" (cough). Little does he know that the board has its hands full wrestling with horrible issues such as court orders for evicting owners due to extreme non-payment of association fees, supremely unpleasant. He will find out soon enough.

So I tell her about what happened, and she says "oh great, now at board meetings this guy will look at me like I'm some ultra wealthy doc who can buy the gf a very expensive watch" She was mildly miffed, she doesn't like the wealthy doc label at all.

She is a remarkable person, very humble and unpretentious, and when asked, always says she works in the medical field, not specifying she's a doc, unless she's pressed about it. She doesn't like that people look at you differently after you tell them you're an MD, all they see is dollar signs. At her hospital, there are a lot of docs who all day long remind you how important they are, and how much revenue they bring in. She abhors that attitude, and is one of the truly kindest, approachable, smartest, fun, wittiest people I've ever known.

And, if that's not enough, she supports my rep hobby 1000%, 'cause she knows how much I enjoy reps and the forums. I've spent thousands on these silly watches, never a peep from her, only encouagement. Always interested in what's going on in the forums, always drily asks "so what watch are you buying next, it's been 3 days since you got the package from your chinese penpal. Aren't you overdue"? She has a few reps I've bought her, but prefers a gen DateJust I bought 6 years ago.

I lead a very charmed life, I think.

I think what makes me a bit uncomfortable about this encounter is mis-representing myself, making it appear that I can afford a watch like this. Although it doesn't bother me too much, cause this guy's not very nice. But the guy knows exactly how much this Daytona costs. My GF is a doctor and between us we make a decent living, but not THAT decent.

I know this topic has been covered before, I was just not ready to have to respond to someone who knows the cost of the genuine. I guess I'm asking for it, walking around wearing fake watches that cost over $20K.

@TeeJay

Ever since the cost of the high quality reps has gone up, I've got my fix by buying some remarkably nice reps from Tony: an AP ROO, a PO chrono, a TT Navi, and now the BW Daytona, average cost: $85 shipped. LOVE IT!

But, I'm thinking of splurging on a Chopard GMT chrono as my Christmas watch present from my GF, or the Slevin if it ever comes out.

Yeah, Corgi, I'm sure he didn't notice the seconds hand running, otherwise he would have made a comment like "oh, you run the chrono constantly?"

Also, he stumbled over pronouncing the word "chronograph", so I know he wasn't a knowledgeable Daytona fan.

I've seen him wearing a Cartier Roadster, so the guy is into nicer watches, obviously.

I think this would have been a nice opportunity to expose someone to the fab world of reps, if he'd been a nicer, more friendly type of guy. But I got the impression he would have sneered at me if I'd told him it was a rep. Too bad for him.

This is what happened to me last night.

I was waiting for the elevator in my condo building when my neighbor, a guy who lives down the hall gets on. I say hi and flash a brief smile at him and he barely mumbles a response in my direction. For some reason he doesn't care for me, I've seen him having a nice conversation with others but never myself and my girlfriend when we run into him. OK, whatever.

So we're on the elevator and he glances at my wrist and says "may I see your wrist?" (uh oh)

I'm sporting a new rep Daytona Black Widow from tonyxkf at cqout.com, it actually looks pretty nice but the large seconds hand is always active (it's an automatic), this watch cost me a whopping $60.

He gives a long, low whistle (now I'm panicking) and says "I really want a Daytona so much, I keep bidding on eBay but they get bid up so high, that is such a beautiful watch!"

Now comes the moment of truth - what should I say?

I quickly think, "should I tell him it's a rep, and he should save his money and buy one from Joshty or someone?"

or

"Oh, so now he's all super nice and friendly to me since I'm wearing something he wants".

Well, I decided not to enlighten him to the wonderful world of reps, I dunno, the guy has been a pretty snooty jerk when we've run into him.

So I just said "thanks, I really love this watch, I think the Daytona is the classic chrono, good luck with your eBay bidding".

We parted ways, so now the guy thinks we are super rich or just insane to buy a $23,000 watch.

I"m curious, what would you have done in my situation?

Ah yes, B. Ginnings in Schaumburg...where we used to go hear Cheap Trick in the late 70's, loved catching Rick Nielsen's guitar picks...

Excuse the thread crap.

PM sent

Slay was scammed out of $500 by them.

I enjoy viewing watchonpo site about once a week just to see what they have, sometimes they are the first to show new reps.

Well I finally got over to RWI and it's all screwed up, they have a bunch of old posts up, I don't get why they had to do this re-vamp.

I really prefer this place, it truly rocks with knowledge, sophistiication and wit. I check in on RWI just to see wassup, if I missed anything. Usually not much.

What I don't get is this new sister site of RWI, what is it called, RWC?

I mean, what's the point? How many splinter rep forums can you have? It's all geting a bit silly.

Josh carries secs @ 9?

The only dealer I've seen who carries 'em is King, and the subdial spacing is SO wrong.

Vic, come on now, why wouldn't you go to a GTG? I'd go, and I know I'd be the only woman there. So what.

Maybe at first it would be a bit awkward, but after awhile I don't think it would matter really.

You'd miss out on a wonderful opportunity to meet some nice peeps and try on watches, get ideas for future purchases.

BTW, we did try to have a Chicago area GTG once, 5 people absolutely promised to come, and when it came time, there were only 2 of us who showed, and Trusty Andrew sent gifts for us, about 10 sets of watch repair tools. It was a real shame, and I soured on trying to organize a future GTG.

How fun!

I wonder what the waitress and bus boy thought about your tabletop.

Thanks for the pix, some gorgeous watches there.

When I see these shots I'm so jealous - I'm sorry but Chitown peeps are a bunch of slackers, a GTG has been tried about 4 times and nothing ever comes of it, bah!

Thanks much for your help.

My goodnes, the old RWI shut down between Friday and Sunday PM? I thought nothing happens that fast in the rep world, the makers of the Slevin need to take a lesson here

I tried the link you provided me but when I register, it doesn't "take".

I'll try again later.

Thanks again, you guys are the best.

Sorry to bother but, I can't get on RWI, first error message I got was that I was "forbidden access to this site" err, excuse me?

Now I'm getting message that its server can't be found.

Last time I logged on was Friday afternoon, I know they were going through some changes, a new site and whatnot.

Did I miss something?

In advance, thank you for helping me.

Thank you for such a good review, Pix! Very thoughtful and good critical thinking.

I agree, for the price it should have been much better finished.

You actually know a Rolex AD that will look the other way to work on your rep and do it for free? Amazing.

I wonder how much gen screws cost, I bet a lot.

Bracelet screws have always been such a PITA for me, I have slim 6.5" wrist and have to remove 2-4 links from every bracelet.

Good for you, watcher, your curiosity has been rewarded.

Wow, I was expecting a lot more criticism, and comments like "the Noobmariner is better, you could have saved $400". How about it, we finally have an answer to who has the best Sub!

I dunno, seems to me that if you're going to take it to a watchmaker to have it pressure tested, might as well have him waterproof it again, even if you think or dealer has told you it is waterproof. Can't hurt.

Then have it pressure tested.

Whenever I encounter someone sporting a nice watch I want to walk up and compliment them. I've done it once or twice and gotten a bewildered but polite thank you, with no encouragement to begin a conversation.

I guess it's because I see so few people wearing decent watches in public that when i see someone I get excited, so I can understand Vic's behavior.

Incredible, I just saw this watch in magazine recently.

I think these pics are from Watchonpo site, accessible only to those living in Japan.

Often these watches are a preview of what becomes available to our dealers.