anyone ever done a review on comparing a

[horologist]

I am no where near as watch savvy as other members here who have done some great modification projects with their replicas which would label their works as work of art that should be acknowledged in an art gallery.

I was searching through the reviews and could not find one which would possibly guide a newbie like myself in what to look for when trying to make modifications to convert a good rep to as close to the genuine?? . That is because I have only had replicas and never really had long term access to a genuine to analyse and make these comparisons .The only review I could find which somehow helps which mentions modifications is on the 1680 , but it seems like another language to me as there is no one to one comparison. Is there such a review on the 16610??? To me the replicas are very good to start with but those with a fine detailed eye would leave me to shame as I really have no idea as to what a genuine has and what a replica has on appearance that would require these modifications. I am not concerned with the internals. Is there a tutorial which would point out these differences. This site has been the best thing to me since the invention of sliced bread. A world of thanks for your help.

[alligoat]

There are comparisons from time to time, but it more of a collective experience. You begin to develop an 'eye' after looking at various watches over time. It helps if you study pics of gens for instance and then compare them to reps. From there you begin to isolate certain features or 'tells' as we say, which are indicative of the gens and learn how to recognize them. You also learn about the various reps out there. You begin to recognize the use of gen parts on reps to help improve their appearance. As the reps are modded, they become more like the gens and it becomes difficult at some point to tell them apart. There's gen, franken and rep, so there's plenty to look at.

How long does it take to develop an 'eye'? Well, maybe a year, maybe 3, maybe 5. It all depends on how hard you work at it, and how quickly you pick it up. But there's no one tutorial, no one comparison. The 16610 has been out for over 20 years now, and the watch itself has changed over the 20 years. It really is a learning experience and like a lot of things in life, you're learning everday, something new, everyday. Enjoy the trip.

Here's a dirty pic, a 16800 gen left and a ETZ 16610 A serial right:

So what are the differences between a 16800 and a 16610?

[fakemaster]

First you start by going to an AD and looking at the real thing. Then look for gen reviews on gen sites. They generally tend to have better pics in the sense that they're not trying to play up certain angles. As ali said you eventually pick it up. But you will also find as time passes that many of the flaws are hardly as critical as they are made out to be. That is why it is important you look at the real thing. Macrophasia is the biggest detriment to rep collecting.