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Hi chaps, I'm relatively new to Omegas but have found one that I love and am hoping you might be able to assist me with a few noob questions! I've read through pretty much every related thread so hopefully they won't be too painful. Big thanks to everyone for the info/reviews, particularly Cougar and Khashayar. This will be my first rep. I came to RWG for a Breitling Navitimer but the inaccuracies and the fact that there will be a new model in circa 6 months put me off. The Omega model I'm looking to purchase is this one on Trusty: http://www.ttw888.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35_114&products_id=11114 Firstly, is this model the new rep from the noob factory, or the older one from BP just updated with a new strap? I understand the noob one will be of higher accuracy and that there has been a delay in their rep coming out. If this is the BP one, would you advise I wait? This one looks pretty damn good to me! Secondly, is there anything I should keep an eye out for when it comes to QC? I've seen that the pearl being as close to centre as possible in the triangle is something that can vary and also the straightness of the '12' marking. Is there anything else I should ask Andrew to try to avoid for me? I'm a bit of a perfectionist so would like to pick up the best possible version. Thirdly, could anyone advise what the correct box would be for the gen of this model? I'd quite like to pick one up to go with it and found the following two on Trusty. Wooden: http://www.ttw888.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35_102&products_id=2056 Leather: http://www.ttw888.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35_102&products_id=727 Lastly, it may sound ridiculous but for clarity what is the correct term & acronym for this model? I've seen a large number of acronyms (CrPO, POLM, ti) related and also some numbers, e.g. 300. From what I understand, this model is made from titanium, has a ceramic bezel (on the gen) and is made from titanium - does that make it a POLMCrTi?! Many thanks in advance for the help/patience, much appreciated.

I recently replaced the bezel insert on my BP Omega PO Cr Ti 45mm and thought I would show you guys what it looks like inside and share some advice. Differences in the bezel I bought my Titanium PO in October 2013 and BP updated it with a new batch in November, so I was a little unlucky! Andrew @ Trusty has confirmed that these were updated and said that BP claimed everything was new. I’m not sure I believe the case has been changed, but the bezel insert clearly has been and perhaps the dial too. The pearl is now centred and much improved, but the most important part is that the bezel insert is now made from CERAMIC! For me, the insert was the only thing that didn’t quite sit right with this rep. It wasn’t really the right colour – too dark and had a greenish blue colour – and lacked the Liquidmetal shine as per the gen. I was still pleased with it but having fitted the new insert, it has made a HUGE difference to the overall appearance. The bezel now shines like it’s made from glass, has that greyish hue to it in low light and the brighter paler blue colour in bright light. The numbers/markings are also slightly finer. It has really improved the watch to no end and it feels far more gen-like to me. To anyone who bought their BP PO Cr Ti before November 2013, I seriously recommend doing this. Anyone can do it. Andrew sold me the bezel insert for a reduced price since the original I bought from him was so bad, but I think it normally costs $30-40. The only negative is that the grey markings are still only painted on and are liable to be scratched off through bumps and general wear/tear, as dredd0606 (on RWI) has found out. No clear coat on top. If you want any more convincing on whether to change your bezel, have a look at the other thread I have posted with pics and a video in the Omega section. How to remove the old insert I tried to take the bezel insert out by warming it up with a hair dryer (to soften the glue) and levering out the insert with a razor blade, following advice from forum members (thank you Sputim!). I attempted to lever out the insert with a knife but couldn’t get the damn thing out. Worried I was going to slip and scrape the watch, I ended up drilling into the pearl using a gimlet tool and pulling it out. This worked extremely well, once the gimlet’s threaded part had a grip it came out easily. Warming up the glue no doubt made this much easier. How to attach the new insert I used Unibond Extreme Power Glue and spread this using a wooden cocktail stick. Using glue was a BAD IDEA! This was because: a.) it left a residue in the gap around the insert (looks like dust in the pictures), although most of this dropped off over time and it now looks fine b.) it’s too permanent, if anything isn’t right when you’re done, you can’t change it without damaging the bezel c.) it doesn’t lift up the insert to make it properly meet the crystal/bezel. If you look in my photos, you can see the bezel now sticks out slightly over the insert, particularly near the pearl. It’s more obvious in these photos than it is in real life and I’ve learnt to live with it, but it’s not perfect. Sputim mentioned in another thread that he changed his bezel insert and used double sided tape. This is what I would recommend. The factory appeared to use a circular adhesive insert rather than wet glue (the type that has a glue on both sides) and this evenly lifts the insert by about 0.5mm, thereby eliminating problem ©. This is also helpful as this new updated insert seems slightly thinner than the old one, so it needs the extra lift. Double sided tape would also allow you to change it if anything isn’t perfect, thereby eliminating problem (b.). Of course no problem (a) either. You just need to make sure you use a very strong tape to avoid the insert falling out and clean out all the old glue to get the height of the insert right. Right, I hope that helps anyone who wants to attempt this. Here are the photos of the process. Be sure to check out the photos and video I have posted in my separate review thread to see how it looks in various levels of light. Full res photos available on Flickr here: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjSUkgZt (full screen the photo then right click) You can see the adhesive ring/glue they have used here. Part of it has come off with the old insert, which is why the new bezel now doesn’t sit correctly, as shown in photos below Comparison of bezels Bit of glue residue on the crystal that wiped off - another reason for not using wet glue! The unevenness of the insert is most clear in this photo, with the rim of the bezel sticking out over the insert. It’s not anywhere near this obvious in real life but still something that could be easily avoided/corrected by using tape or less permanent adhesive. All that glue residue that looks like dust in the gap around the insert has now fallen out. The finished job:

So after a shaky start with my BP Omega PO Cr Ti, I have finally got round to replacing the bezel insert and taken some pics now I’ve got rid of the awful original pearl. I’m not going to post a full review as khashayar has done an excellent job of that here, but would like to share a few thoughts. The titanium weight is great. At first it reminded me that it was a rep in the way that a lightweight quartz model would, but now I find it so comfortable that I can’t imagine wearing anything else as my daily beater. The lume is exceptional, I’ve never seen anything like it. The AR is excellent. Crystal disappears at most angles and has a pale blue hue from others, which is apparently true to gen. Only slight disappointment is that the crystal or AR has picked up a few scratches. The rubber strap is honestly the smoothest rubber I’ve ever felt. In fact the inside of the band doesn’t even feel like rubber, it has a sort of powdery feel. Apparently some gen bracelet owners have purchased the rep strap and I can see why. The detail on the stitching is exceptional and the clasp is very solid feeling. The bezel. This is my favourite part of the watch now that I have updated it. I bought my PO in October 2013 and a new batch was introduced by BP in November 2013 with a much improved ceramic bezel. The original was aluminium and a bit dull/dark. This new version completes the watch and is incredible. BP has done a fantastic job to replicate the Liquidmetal finish on the gen and the way it changes colour from a bright blue to a grey in different light. I have tried to show this in my photos, hence why there are so many. The only slight disappointment is that the grey paint is still liable to be scratched off the bezel. You can see on the triangle on mine that it’s already had some damage in the factory. This is only a minor negative though. If you bought your BP Ti PO before November 2013, I definitely recommend updating your bezel insert. More info here: http://www.rwgforum.net/topic/167544-how-to-replace-bp-omega-po-ceramic-titanium-bezel-insert-updated-batch-november-2013/ I have had a few issues with the ‘ETA’ 2836-2 movement (documented on the forums), resulting in the date not changing under its own steam. This is something I will be fixing when I get time. I always wanted a ‘Swiss’ movement though, so no regrets there. It keeps great time. Overall, the detail on every part of the watch is incredible. Now I have updated the bezel insert, for me this watch is a super rep. Everything is gen-like. I took it into an independent watchsmith and they thought it was a gen, particularly due to the decoration on the rotor and movement. Obviously this was ironic as it is the biggest tell to those who know their Omegas, but it shows the quality finish of this rep. A few of my friends have gens and they are all envious of this watch. I should note that I have changed the bezel insert myself and it now sits slightly unevenly, meaning the rim of the bezel sticks out, particularly above the pearl. This is shown in some of the photos but new purchasers won’t have this problem as this isn’t how they come from the factory. I need to work out how to remove the insert without damaging it so that I can re-fit it correctly. Please also excuse the slightly scratched caseback. When you’re a noob, use a stickyball, not a caseback opener like me – d’oh! My next project is to repair the movement so that the date changes under its own steam again (problem with the calendar wheel/gear) and file the hands slightly. I’ll post a tutorial once I get time to do the job. A big thank you to everyone who has posted their experiences or helped me directly, I have had quite a few issues with my first rep but am now extremely pleased with my purchase. Here is a short video showing the reflective qualities of the bezel. It would be great if more members could make video reviews, as there is really no substitute for getting a feel for a rep. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KNyUl5r7oE A selection of my photos are below. I have taken loads to show the colour-changing of the bezel in different light, but can’t really post them all! The full set is available on Flickr here: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjSULzk9 . If you want to save any full-res photos from there, just click on the full screen icon, then right click and select ‘original’. You should then be able to save the image. Enjoy!