Mike on a bike Posted June 7, 2014 Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 Well as the title reads breezed in the high end mall in my travels today and hit some ADs. Tried on Tudor Pelagos was underwhelmed , nice watch but looks to muck like so many divers I have. Did notice one thing while looking at Rolex subs and Tudors, SELs on Rolex were dead on the Tudors well excellent rep quality on the fit and I mean one of our best but I have seen a few of ours that good. (a lot of watches pass through my doors) In truth was looking for the BB in blue wanted to see the Gen color on the bezel so I would know if the rep was close, no joy not in yet they told me , soon. (two months) Oh and the explorer II well the gen looks so much better , the black was stunning or should I say more understated then ours. OK across the way Omega, most models in window so just studied them, one more beautiful than the next. It was fun to see so many that we talk about in the flesh. Would I lay down that much for one watch, the debate rages inside me even now. Was just on Joma almost pulled the trigger on a Omega speedy Schumacher but stopped myself, this happens a couple of times a week. One day one day............................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dusk Posted June 7, 2014 Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 Well as the title reads breezed in the high end mall in my travels today and hit some ADs. Tried on Tudor Pelagos was underwhelmed , nice watch but looks to muck like so many divers I have. Did notice one thing while looking at Rolex subs and Tudors, SELs on Rolex were dead on the Tudors well excellent rep quality on the fit and I mean one of our best but I have seen a few of ours that good. (a lot of watches pass through my doors) In truth was looking for the BB in blue wanted to see the Gen color on the bezel so I would know if the rep was close, no joy not in yet they told me , soon. (two months) Oh and the explorer II well the gen looks so much better , the black was stunning or should I say more understated then ours. OK across the way Omega, most models in window so just studied them, one more beautiful than the next. It was fun to see so many that we talk about in the flesh. Would I lay down that much for one watch, the debate rages inside me even now. Was just on Joma almost pulled the trigger on a Omega speedy Schumacher but stopped myself, this happens a couple of times a week. One day one day............................ I just don't know if I would spend that sort of dough on a watch even if I had the cash, I've collected 9 reps (2 of which are in transit) for the price of a middle of the road used planet ocean. I'd much rather have my reps. Quantity over quality? There ain't much in it to me when it comes to look and finish. I was at a rolex ad (just window shopping). The 3 people I was with were wearing two gens and a rep datejust and even from display distance they were all the same. If I was rich I'd blow the $10,000 on a jet ski or some shares I recon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike on a bike Posted June 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 dusk when you get past quantity ( I have so, so many) you start to think about what your chasing, the verdict is not in yet for me............... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dusk Posted June 7, 2014 Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 dusk when you get past quantity ( I have so, so many) you start to think about what your chasing, the verdict is not on yet for me............... Well when my ten box is full I'm stopping. I think tens enough.... Or is it.... :-S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kernow Posted June 7, 2014 Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 Well when my ten box is full I'm stopping. I think tens enough.... Or is it.... :-S Ten enough! I started collecting reps a year ago and have upwards or 30 reps and several gens too. I need a bigger watch box next (and a secret room to keep them from prying eyes - also known as the wife!) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docthor Posted June 7, 2014 Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 Well...I second what Mike said...I had about ~400 watches during the last 7 years and yeah...there comes a time you start thinking alot about your next chase. This time I'm confident enough to buy (already bought) an all time favourite. A Seiko Marine Master 300 Sent from my wooden drums using Tupperware Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rek001 Posted June 7, 2014 Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 I was thinking about the same thing, is it time to pop for a gen? For me it would probably be the GMT Master II black bezel. But then I think, would it bring $8,000 of happiness to me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraggle42 Posted June 7, 2014 Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 About 40 watches now and more than half of them are gens of one sort or another. 3/4s the gens are under £300, the rest upto £2k, so nothing "expensive" but there are only a couple of my reps that come close to gen fit, finish and quality. The differences are almost intangible, the bracelet link fit, the SEL fit, the bezel fit, all may be 0.25mm better which sounds like nothing, looks like nothing, but when the gap is only 0.5mm it makes a huge difference to the 'feel' of the bracelet fit, quality, etc. Same with the printing on dials, etc, differences that are damned hard to see without macro pictures and using a computer to overlay the pictures, but your brain can just "see" or "feel" if the symmetry is bang on or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike on a bike Posted June 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 fraggle, "but your brain can just "see" or "feel" if the symmetry is bang on or not." I think you captured my experience there could not nail anything but the SELs but just different, even just visually your brain knows............ PS New respect for Datejust they had a bunch awesome: blue dial ,Arabic,fluted wanted one bad! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpz5142 Posted June 7, 2014 Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 For me in the end it's about having a quality dependable timepiece on my wrist and less about having a particular brand on my wrist. I have had my fair share of reps that pass thru my hands but most of them leave. When I start feeling left out in the cold as far as quality I start buying micro brands. Usually even then I buy m2m from WUS. Most are outstanding quality and a really good price too! That said I have a few moderately priced gens, PO, Tag Link Chrono a Raymond Weil Nabucco. I never worry about will those watches work the next time I want to wear them. I usually have that worry with my reps for some reason or another. Currently 4 of my 6 reps have an issue with them at the moment! One just up and stopped on me the other day, it had been serviced previously so who knows what happened, so off to get looked at! The others have smaller issues that I just live with but keep them from being 100%. So yes I prefer the price of the typical rep that allows for me to flip them and move on when I get board but it's hard to flip a broken watch! It def feels like a ball and chain with so much tied up in just a few higher priced gens, but like I said I know that there is likely not going to be a glaring quality issue with them so I don't mind the occasional gen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted June 7, 2014 Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 I have owned a lot of genuine watches...if I told how many, no one would believe it so I won't. Here is a hint...since 1990 I bought 340 watches with the brand name starting with the letter 'B'...not counting quartz watches or watches for parts. Exceptions: a new quartz Breitling Navatimer 3100 from Alan Marcus Co June 1990 and a new quartz Breitling Callisto from Tourneau in January 1992. . Anyway...me buying a new genuine 'keeper' watch will never happen again because there is no longer any such thing for me (keeper). They all end up traded away or sold and the ones I can not get rid of wind up in a box in my safe. I have not stepped inside a rolex, omega, breitling etc AD in probably 15 years. I do know what I like however...vintage steel or solid gold with acrylic crystal, manual wind or automatic, on a croc or lizard strap. Watches like this have always been my favorites. Note: I have owned a lot of new stuff in the past 10 years 'by default' because a friend had a retail/wholesale watch store and some of it ended up with me when he closed out brands or models. Got a lot of junk too...last Thursday he offered me a used Citizen Promaster 3745 needing a battery. He asked how much I would give him for it and I said 'ninety one cents'. He gave it to me and paid for my breakfast. That's how to buy quartz watches. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffindodger Posted June 7, 2014 Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 If you want my opinion At the end of the day us blokes just like collecting stuff. Be it watches cars women or anything else. we just can't help ourselves when we get the bug for something we find it hard to stop. Or could i just be talking crap And Coffindodger,s not even been on the beer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezio Posted June 7, 2014 Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 If you want my opinion At the end of the day us blokes just like collecting stuff. Be it watches cars women or anything else. we just can't help ourselves when we get the bug for something we find it hard to stop. Or could i just be talking crap And Coffindodger,s not even been on the beer Haha good point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy1880 Posted June 8, 2014 Report Share Posted June 8, 2014 dusk when you get past quantity ( I have so, so many) you start to think about what your chasing, the verdict is not in yet for me............... Mike interesting statement, I am way off hitting quantity. Can I ask will you forgo some or all of your reps to fund a gen of your final shall we say grail choice. Or will you stay in both markets?? Regards D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike on a bike Posted June 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2014 Degsy, "Can I ask will you forgo some or all of your reps to fund a gen of your final shall we say grail choice." you sure can ask but I do not know the answer struggle w/ it daily. I will always be in both heavier right now in Gens having just sent out what 8-9 reps, but one gen ,one rep on the way in. It is a sickness........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy1880 Posted June 8, 2014 Report Share Posted June 8, 2014 Degsy, "Can I ask will you forgo some or all of your reps to fund a gen of your final shall we say grail choice." you sure can ask but I do not know the answer struggle w/ it daily. I will always be in both heavier right now in Gens having just sent out what 8-9 reps, but one gen ,one rep on the way in. It is a sickness........... ha ha ha fair play Mike good luck to you and your sickness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted June 8, 2014 Report Share Posted June 8, 2014 About 40 watches now and more than half of them are gens of one sort or another. 3/4s the gens are under £300, the rest upto £2k, so nothing "expensive" but there are only a couple of my reps that come close to gen fit, finish and quality. The differences are almost intangible, the bracelet link fit, the SEL fit, the bezel fit, all may be 0.25mm better which sounds like nothing, looks like nothing, but when the gap is only 0.5mm it makes a huge difference to the 'feel' of the bracelet fit, quality, etc. Same with the printing on dials, etc, differences that are damned hard to see without macro pictures and using a computer to overlay the pictures, but your brain can just "see" or "feel" if the symmetry is bang on or not. I totally agree. Right now, I have probably around 30 watches,about half gen, half rep. The one thing that I would add to all the above is the quality of the movement. Let's face it, unless you buy a movement and have it swapped in, the days of the brand new, serviced ETA movements are a thing of the past. The movements that are going in reps today just don't have that same feel when winding, setting, and with complications, reliability. Not to say that some are not adequate, because if you get a top end clone like a Seagull or Miyota, they will be as good as an ETA, provided they all have the same level if service. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraggle42 Posted June 8, 2014 Report Share Posted June 8, 2014 Couldn't agree more about movements. I found out today that the movement in my new Pam 389 I got from a 'TD' here (who ignored my message about the first problem), as well as having chewed up rubber from a vibration mount inside it, has swarf from the holes they drilled to fit the stupid P9000 faux plate which has snapped two teeth of one of the common winding gears. Absolutely crap assembly and zero QC from the ZFactory and zero customer service from the TD. Could be fixed but for the cost, a replacement movement is the same price or cheaper. If I'd received decent customer service I might think about sending it back, but not a chance at the moment. [censored] to it, I will never buy another new rep. The gen Sinn U1 might have cost 4 times as much but it's lasted 10 times longer (running) already and I've only had it a month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike on a bike Posted June 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2014 "[censored] to it, I will never buy another new rep." you do not know how many post I see in this vein on other boards, factories better not kill the goose that laid the golden egg. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted June 9, 2014 Report Share Posted June 9, 2014 Mike, They will never run out of customers!! There are too many noobs entering the game every day as well as experienced members who either can't resist having the " latest and greatest", and the only easy way to feed that habit is by buying new. The other group are people who are looking for a particular model, and it happens to be something that seldom or never shows up on the sales forums. I'm a case in point for that group. I just bought a PAM 063 new because they hardly ever show up on the sales forum.Naturally, it arrived with a problem! The GMT hand is hard to set, and probably over time will become impossible to set. Supposed to have a Swiss 2836 movement, but I seriously doubt it. So like a lot of others, I succumbed to the "siren's song" and got burned as well. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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