EMM

About 4 years ago I bought a franken DJ on the forums for my wife. According to the seller it it a franken datejust with gen 16200 case, gen crystal, gen crown, gen tube, gen bezel, and gen caseback. Basically the entire case is gen. The movement is a tissot stamped eta 2824-2. The dw overlay and hands are wm9. The dial is rep and the bracelet is aftermarket." So, fast forward 4 years - I was moving a dresser in my wife's closet, and rigth after I moved I looked down and there it was sitting underneath. She and I had forgotten all about it. Then I looked at it, and I remembered all the problems that kept her from ever wearing it 4 years ago. First, the hands are just bent all to s***. They actually touched each other. I untangled them enough to get it to run, but they're still not in very good shape, to put it mildly. Second, the dial is jacked. It's not connected to the movement at all - it will spin around if you decase it with the movement. I think the hands are the only thing holding it in place. Next, it's too small - someone filed down the edge of it and now it flops around in the case unless the movement holders press it down hard (which may be how the hands got so thrashed). Finally, part of the dial text was worn away by the hour hand sitting too close to the dial. Third, the case back gasket is just not there. So it's not even pretending to be water resistant. Fourth, the case is pretty "vintaged," with scuffs and dings throughout. Last, but most important to my wife, the bracelet, case, and bezel were really just nasty- all covered in gooey, sticky crap. Like you left masking tape on them for too long and it left residue. Here are some pics: I was really [censored] at the time I got it that it was so beat up. But now it feels like a new toy. I'd like to figure out what to do with it. Can I go gen dial or is the ETA DW in the wrong place? What do gen DJ dials run - especially older ones? Should I go gen on hands or are the rep ones good enough? Anyone have suggestions? Thanks

I know absolutely nothing about this topic generally, but the movement pictured is awesome. Amazing that it's 112 years old and it still looks like that.

Can I switch my dial to a 201/A matching? Just got a good idea. I think the full list is as follows: 1. ikequebec (201/A non-matching) 2. ikequebec (202/A non-matching) 3. Sergeant_At_Arms (201/A matching) 4. Sergeant_At_Arms (202/A non-matching) 5. torresp (201/A matching) 6. ubiquitous (201/A matching) 7. ubiquitous (201/A non-matching) 8. dropbear2008 (201/A non-matching) 9. dropbear2008 (202/A non-matching) 10. altesporsche (201/A matching) 11. altesporsche (201/A non-matching) 12. altesporsche (202/A matching) 13. altesporsche (202/A non-matching) 14. m3amg (201/A matching) 15. air (201/A non-matching) 16. air (202/A non matching) 17. boston909 (201/A matching) 18. NTB (201/A non-matching) 19. NTB (202/A non-matching) 20. Korneevy (201/A matching) 21. deanr (201/A non-matching) 22. torresp (201/A non-matching) 23. torresp (202/A whatever) 24. milesd (201/A non-matching) 25. coolfire (201/A non-matching) 26. coolfire (202/A non-matching) 27. NiLo (201/A non-matching) 28. NiLo (202/A non-matching) 29. mir36 (201/A non-matching) 30. chrisser88 (201/A matching) 31. civic4982 (201/A matching) 32. civic4982 (202/A non-matching) 33. EMM (201/A matching) 34. ogladio (202/A non-matching) 35. dleerious (201/A non-matching) 36. dleerious (202/A non-matching) 37. fitch (201/A non-matching) 38. fitch (202/A non-matching) 39. HikeUSA (202/A non-matching) 40. Jakob (201/A not specified yet) 41. zhoon1129(201/A non-matching) 42. trans_lux (201/A matching) 43. trans_lux (202/A non-matching) 44. Watchmeister (201/A non-matching) 45. Watchmeister (202/A non-matching) 46. Grimlocktime (201/A non-matching) 47. blizzard (202/A non-matching)

I've only seen one such box in person, and I was struck by how rough it looked. I've made a few custom humidors out of the same mahogany wood OP used, and my boxes were a lot smoother and cleaner. The finishing on the Teak box looks a lot like what I remember. I assume you've read this 'risti post on the boxes: http://www.network54.com/Forum/638808/message/1330527764/The+Pre-V+box+post

If there's still room I'd like in for a 201/A non-matching.

You stole my watch! I have had a gen PAM 111, a 112, a sub 11610, a gen Speedmaster. Let them all go eventually. Have kept 2 - the 42mm PO and my white/cream/silver SOSF. Just can't get rid of those. Still look at the Fish and marvel at the detail.

There is no 45mm Liquidmetal PO. They only came one way. 42mm, black, gloss bezel, closed CB. If you like something else with a ceramic bezel, it's the updated regular PO, also known as the CrPO, CUPO, etc.

Dude. Hope English is your second or third language. Those are words you should know. Especially "vacillate." And if you've ever worked with plants, fabric or metal, "variegated" comes up a lot.

I have one. In general, it was worth the investment - it's really a head-turner, particularly with the ladies. It looks very expensive. People ooh and ahh. It might be a problem if the crowd knows Rolex - it stands out. Not many flaws, but there are some. Personally, I think the dial is slightly off color-wise. The first one I had (sent back for a flaw) had a definite purple tint, especially in fluorescent light. The new one is less so. I compared it to a gen in an AD (in the display window), and the newer one's dial still was a little more pink/purplish, but the display lighting was only on the gen. But it still looks off to me. FIt and finish is OK, but the spring-loaded part of the clasp doesn't really snap closed, it just sits there. It's probably fixable, but since it's gold plated I won't be messing with it. Once you flip over the other part it's fine. The "ceramic bezel" is actually just a thin snap-on cap over the actual bezel, and it places if you turn it sideways and look real close, it doesn't fit exactly - little gaps along the edge. Almost loupe stuff. Strap is just awful. Like the old Panerai rep straps. Worst thing about it. I went aftermarket immediately. Not all that worried about the sec@6 issue. Wear it only about once a week.

Yeah, I have about 10 sets of endlinks here to try. If it doesn't look like it fits I'll go with a Yuki rivet. Or a strap.

This is purely an opinion question. Got a couple of vintage builds (6200, 6204) that came on proper 7206-style rivet bracelets. One of the bracelets is the cartel "screw-in rivet" version, though, and I don't care for it much. But I have a real nice 7836 bracelet (source unknown) just sitting here gathering dust. Assuming I can fit it, how big a faux pas is it to wear the 7836 on a watch that came 10-20+ years before it? I mean, it seems possible that a 6200 owner showed up at an AD in, say, 1972 and bought a bracelet. Or does it make the whole package look like I arrived on the last plane from GZ?

Woody Allen was the best Bond.

Well, so much for keeping this embarassing episode private. Seriously, both of you guys were fantastic about this. I really appreciate it. It clearly wasn't my best day, and things could have (and with some people, certainly would have) gotten ugly. But neither of you even acted like it was a big deal. I only hope that I would have acted the same in your shoes. I hope you actually like the watches you're supposed to receive. Let it be known that when you deal with me there's at least an even chance you'll get what you are supposed to!

What about a Wojtecki combo strap/ watch case? http://www.network54.com/Forum/353393/thread/1137156963/last-1139171871/FS-+Wojtecki+Pre-W+straps+and+Maialelogo+cases Or a roll-up pouch. Lots of them out there - here's a Meister. http://www.mstrwatches.com/WATCH-TRAVEL-POUCH-at-PID11243-WTP101.aspx Here's a smaller one: http://www.beast.com/watch-roll Here's a cheapie: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Watch-Roll-Case-Holds-22-watches-travel-storage-/170633061310?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27ba85e3be#ht_720wt_1037

If you are very skilled, gold leaf works. You'll have to figure out how to keep it out of the CdG grooves. But I agree, this really bugs me on the rep.

I bought a gen bracelet for my "v1" and called it a day. Lume on the dial is subpar, rest is good enough. To me, the first tell is the dial text. On the "v2," the dial text looks a little blurry - serifs on the fonts are gone, spaces between lines on letters like "E" are smaller - as if the print was just done too bold and too dark. You noted it in your review - the word "BREITLING" on the dial looks like it's arial. On mine the serifs are much more apparent. Not as clear as gen, but a lot closer. I can tell you my crown is now going on 2 years old and has had no issues.

I really think there are two distinct versions of this rep. My blue Abyss is from the first batch, circa early 2011. It has weak lume on the dial markers, but the numbers on the bezel and the text on the dial are sharper than in the version van_damme1988 reviewed here: http://www.rwgforum.net/topic/151809-breitling-superocean-42-abyss-yellow. The lume dots on the rehaut on mine are also less rounded off. The newer one has better dial lume but seems to have more build issues. All three I've seen with a stripped crown have been the version with the better dial lume.

Yeah, I had to Loctite all my bracelet screws. I lost one but found it two days later. Just luck.

Thanks for the replies and pics!. You can actually see the screw that fell out in your first pic. If it holds the tube in, I may be screwed. My compressor ring (the silver part with the white and red arrows) actually came loose (it was just spinning and the crown would pull out no matter how you turned it) and this screw fell out when i started fiddling with it. Was hoping they were related. The compressor ring was actually a really easy fix. If you remove the stem, you can unscrew that whole silver piece from the tube. It's threaded backwards but otherwise mine came right off. There's a little metal ring inside it (basically like a lockwasher) and an o-ring. I reseated the metal ring and o-ring, then screwed the whole piece back on. Works fine now.

Today the tiny screw next to the crown on my JLC Navy Seals just fell out. I screwed it back in, and now i can't get it to tighten or loosen. It just turns. I guess it's stripped, even though I hardly used any force. Anyway, does this screw have any function or is it simply decorative on the rep? Everything seems to be working fine now, so I'm hoping decorative. The screw is tiny amd sits right to the 6:00 side of the crown. It's normally covered by the little "handles" on the compression ring. To be honest, I didn't even know it was there at all until it fell out.

Wow. Need any beta testers?

Yeah, I appreciate the confirmation. The lack of a bracelet for this near-perfect watch kills me.

Tired of the vanilla scented rubber on my Blue Abyss. Saw this obviously rep bracelet on the bay and wondered if the end link would fit the abyss. What say the experts? http://www.ebay.com/itm/BREITLING-PILOT-STAINLESS-STEEL-20mm-MENS-WATCH-BAND-/290747332507?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43b1e4379b&_uhb=1#ht_4953wt_1106

I'm a little confused about these. Did some gen SM300s have lumed bezels or did all of them have them? I've seen two gens in the wild and both had lumed bezels that still glowed a little. And they were both date models, but as I recall, one had a black on white DW and the other had white on black. What's correct?

I think it's an issue with the fit of the gearing. It's fixable, but only be replacing some of the gears.