The Rarest Reps

[Victoria]

I just saw PAM192Mex's DSN 177h in the World's Longest Wristcheck thread, and it sparked a thought -- increasingly certain reps are becoming rare. Perhaps not QUITE the Titanium PAMs, but...

...which are the rarest of the reps?

Those very infrequently or never seen: like DLGates' Blancpain, perhaps. Which ones do you foresee becoming very rare, sooner than later?

[StormTooper4]

Intersting thought Victoria

Well first up would be the elusive Pam 27 and 28. I would really of liked to have got my hands on one of those. Fingers crossed 192 will be coming my way shortly. As for Blanpain there was once a nice fifty fathom out there wish those were around. Rolex wise Vintage Milgauss with the lightening hand. I think anything with a Hobnail type dial will always be appreciated and ltd. Can't help but think there should be more interest in Radiomir Chronos.

Who can tell??

Well that's my limited wish list.

ST

[mezzanine]

I think that the old factory Omega SMP "007" is one of those rare pieces that are highly sought after and rare.

I would put the discontinued Breitling Seawolf Titanium into that category as well.

There is a pre-DW vintage daytona case referred to as the "EE" (I think) that is very rare and something of an early herald of the MBW's.

While not 'rare' as such, there are some very highly modded vintage rolex pieces that are essentially genuines with an aftermarket case that are very few in number because of their high cost of investment.

[Watchmeister]

I would add:

- 28 and 29 2892/3 Honpo versions. Less than 100 pieces each and with significantly better dial and complete engraving on movement and spacer. Look at a Honpo 28 Dial and the hobnail is 100% better

- Honpo 187

- Old case 196 and 188 with 7753 movement

- 4rth gen Eddie Lee Fiddy

- Josh 036

- 1st generation Breitling ti Chrono Avenger

- Original MBW Nautilus

- DW 6263 with functioning mysery movement

- FM Conquistador with 2892 and proper date ring bezel

But the true rarest are the Frankens and ones that take modding to a new level and get the watch as close to accurate as possible. I even collect based on prior ownership/modding. Palp's, Ubi's, RepAustria's, Madasboot vintages and of course Ziggified pieces. I enjoy watches with a history - rep or gen. A state of the art modded rep of the appropriate piece can even maintain or increase in value - at least in the current environment. And that is not always true of gens.

[piratedzeus]

- Original MBW Nautilus <--- why is this rare?

[piratedzeus]

Oh yes.

OLD TW Best cases with lugholes *IWANT*

[Watchmeister]

On the Nautilus I thought it had to do with pins versus screws on the bracelet or how it joins into the case. I also thought the dial was a little different and the first "batch" had better brushing, etc. As we all know MBW is a job shop with good and less good batches. This is all coming second hand though as I have never owned the gen.

[Seadweller4000]

I'd throw in the oldskool Avenger series (both: seawolf and chrono). Maybe the Seawolf is even a lil more rare.

Also the old SMP with pins and correct HeV

Some Pams, mostly with ETA 289X movements

White dialed BCE "ultimate"

HBB with correct swiss 7753 with regulator

FM full gold

DW Paul Newman Daytonas

El Primero Daytonas

even the SMP chrono with correct datefont

Vietcases (Okay, still available - but at what prices?)

I am sure there are more, but those are the ones I imediately had in mind

[anton]

I would consider the rarest to be the Roger Dubuis Easy Diver.

I've seen it in websites and am surprised to see that it has rarely appeared in any threads and never in wristchecks.

Surely I thought someone would appreciate the design of it and purchase one.

[LordRasta]

- Original MBW Nautilus <--- why is this rare?

I would say because it is a rep that has been repped. How many reps can say that?

I would also add the "closed factory" Omega Electric Blue to the list. It obsessed me so bad I bought the gen.

[andreww]

Moonwatch with correct crystal

Old factory Avenger & Seawolf

Pam 192

[Jetsons]

The rollie GMT Master 16710 & Explorer II with terrific lug hole cases and 2893-2s are also rare birds.

I believe TJGladeRaider cornered the market on these.

piratedzeus, the old TW 16610 with the correct lug hole case is indeed one super rare bird. I have one from around three years ago & other than Tribal's, I rarely see another. . This is one rep one never sees offered for trade. The 2893-2s GMT are also very rarely seen offered.

Good thread stater, V.

[mezzanine]

Something I've observed with some of these rarer pieces that I find quite interesting is that some of that have actually decreased in desirability over the last year or so. I believe that with the 'super reps' and the evolution of the hobby, there is a little less interest in the pieces that were so legendary a year or two before. The rep hobby is more like the technology sector and reps are like commodities. Some pieces transcend the advancement and that characterization with their quality.

Sometimes that value comes in the form of a valuable movement (GMT Pams), some are rare and sought after because their quality was so good. But some were more desired because they were discontinued and there was nothing else comparable left in it's place as an alternative for that particular model. Now, conditions are such that you're better off to go with a different, more recent watch, rather than tie up your expectations in an older watch whose quality is probably not actually that great.

I would echo kruzer's comments about the "rarity" of some of the frankens. The frankens have much more personality, in terms of the process of modding and assembling one of them and the association that creates with the watch over time. There is a very organic quality to 'growing' a franken. It's not the out-of-box experience that a HBB is, but once a watch has some basic aesthetic mods, the rest of the journey can be done as the relationship with the watch develops. If one finds that a particular part bugs them over time, it can be specifically addressed. Even if you want to go for the full-boat from the start, it's still going to take you a long time to assemble the necessary parts.

I believe that these frankens, from whatever brand, represent the true rare and valuable pieces, if you were to really look at the "favourite" piece of members that have been here for at least a year. They're the pieces where the most energy and soul of the community exists in it's most vital and creative form. Some ordinary and available 'bases' can be used to for extraordinary results.

[TomRiddle]

there's two I can think of immediately..

-the legendary FM Conq 2892

-the Brreitling 1st gen? Swiss SFSO.. one could tell by the "4" on the datewheel.. the rarest one have like a cutoff 4 or something, i forgot exactly what..

but yea

[freddy333]

(rare 1st gen secs at 6 Daytona, which came with a gen-like low profile case shown at right compared to current (thicker) Daytona rep case at left)

(7750-powered DW with proper asymmetrical pusher arrangement)

[LordRasta]

No fair freddy.

[freddy333]

No fair freddy.

Hey, I did my best -- I left out the heavy guns (V72 DWs, etc.).

[Jimmythree]

quote =

...which are the rarest of the reps?

Those very infrequently or never seen...

/quote

I think the 'rare' replica watch I have is rare because no one wanted it...

A 38mm eta 2824-2 powered "Breguet" in a rose gold plated coin edge case with see through back and deployant buckle.

With a fancy silver dial with date at 6.

It was sent by mistake and I had to eat it.

I wouldn't wear it to a dog fight.

[robertk]

Some of the early reps were really interesting. I think some of these would qualify:

[vric]

Try to find one like that:

hint: no Automatic on the dial.. Couldn't believe that when I got it

the ETA "2892" 007 SMP is probably the hardest to find.. GOOD Titanium Chrono Avenger is also impossible to find anymore.

Edited March 26, 2008 by vric

[anton]

In a sense, wouldn't you say that all our reps are rare?

Consider this oddity that I've calculated myself:

Let's say you own a watch no one else has. How rare is it?

World population = 6.6Billion people (as of 2007)

1% of that population = 66Million people

You = 1/7000000 of 1%.

How rare is that?

[scoobs1971]

To me this is THE ultimate dress watch. Understated, classy, elegant.... you name it.

Freddy, would you happen to have more pics of this beauty?

[vric]

anton.. you are waaaaay overthinking

[ubiquitous]

Can frankens really be considered rare reps? I feel that since they're not exactly a production item, it's not exactly fair to categorize them in the same sense of distinction...

A few of my personal favorites that I've built, owned or have owned, etc...

16520's with El Primero 400s

DW 6263 franken with Swiss V23 transplanted

FrankenDJ built from a genuine case, dial and ETA

Franken Tudor built from an old 1680

Franken Radiomir built from an old 183 case and watchmaster dial

A very old self made PAM4; PVD work from IWW with a nice Dirk fitted

An old TW Best Omega Constellation with skeletonized ETA 2892

'Old Factory' Ti Seawolf with 2824 and genuine dial installed

And, perhaps the 'rarest' of the frankens? Might not see another one of these (but for good reason )

I've built a number of others, but these seem to be the ones that stand out most to my recollection. Some of those have gone on to other homes... I miss them (and oft times wish I didn't let them go).

Have some more projects for '08; some are near completion and some are still in conception. Enough to keep me busy for a few months...

[TomRiddle]

not sure what makes it "rare" freddy, but that A Lange and Sohne RG/Black watch is a BEAUTY

seriously.. it's like woah!