Remembering 2008 with RWG .. Time Capsule ~

[lanikai]

ubiquitous Posted Today, 04:57 PM

As always, I appreciate the kind words, Lani... And I feel the same about your projects and frankens as well! Now, if only I could do the reviews you do!

the difference which we all aspire to do,... is you assemble the frankens yourself.. after Robs magic touch.. and quality is your buzz word fo sure..

it is what it is .. and your talent and knowledge is only overshadowed by your humility..I am fortunate to learn from members like you !!

The BIG PROJECT of 2009 will definately be the RWG Calendar.. there was just not enough time left to do it properly before the New Year.... so now we have most of 2009 to work on it.. .. it's gonna be a blast .. I'm looking forward to all these frankens .. and being able to view them on my wall ..

[KB]

I am glad that Ken came back from the dead this year.

Thanks buddy but that was 2007 when my number nearly came up.......still the thought is very much appreciated.

Ken

[fotoman]

i finally got off my ass and put together a franken of my Grail - the one that started it all for me - looking for reps that is. This is also my most expensive rep - and i can honestly say i get the most enjoyment out of wearing it. a close 2nd is my seconds at 12 rubberclad

pictured with some other fine pieces -is my crosswind franken (with improper pushers)

between the dial, strap and AR this thing took almost 8 months start to finish

[RobbieG]

These are all great Pho. I especially love the strap choice on the CW. Perfect...

i finally got off my ass and put together a franken of my Grail - the one that started it all for me - looking for reps that is. This is also my most expensive rep - and i can honestly say i get the most enjoyment out of wearing it. a close 2nd is my seconds at 12 rubberclad

pictured with some other fine pieces -is my crosswind franken (with improper pushers)

between the dial, strap and AR this thing took almost 8 months start to finish

[dluddy]

Some of this year's completed projects:

Panerai

Rolex

My vote for Rep buy's of the Year

[RobbieG]

Man D, that is a really enviable collection - of just this years stuff. I always say to myself when I look at your watches that your collection is pretty much what mine would aspire to be if I were a guy who enjoyed to process of doing projects like you do. Instead I have my own method where I use reps as an inexpensive way to learn and to evaluate what I like which ultimately just fuels gen purchases lately. But I wish I enjoyed the process of modding and waiting and hunting more than I do. I think it must be much more rewarding than just buying something that you know is going to be perfect. I look at your watches and the first thing that comes to mind is there is absolutely no reason to ever buy a genuine watch if you take the time to fix a few things on most any high quality base watch. Again, congrats on a great fleet of accomplishments.

Some of this year's completed projects:

[dluddy]

Man D, that is a really enviable collection - of just this years stuff. I always say to myself when I look at your watches that your collection is pretty much what mine would aspire to be if I were a guy who enjoyed to process of doing projects like you do. Instead I have my own method where I use reps as an inexpensive way to learn and to evaluate what I like which ultimately just fuels gen purchases lately. But I wish I enjoyed the process of modding and waiting and hunting more than I do. I think it must be much more rewarding than just buying something that you know is going to be perfect. I look at your watches and the first thing that comes to mind is there is absolutely no reason to ever buy a genuine watch if you take the time to fix a few things on most any high quality base watch. Again, congrats on a great fleet of accomplishments.

Thanks Robbie. Definitely a labor of love and not for the faint of heart

But much more fun for me than walking into an AD and plunking down my CC

[lanikai]

"INSPIRING" Collection and Mods DL !!

Let's make this a little more interesting and motivational..

The Best "Remembering 2008" post (pic) will win a BCE V2.. SS/Black Dial... (never worn.. I was saving it for a raffle.. my own collection).. and it will come with a never used Lello Date Wheel

Modded watches.. or Unmodded ... And quality and originality of the pic will count

The watch and DW will be auctioned off (or the winner may choose to keep it) .. especially if you are outside of CONUS .. The money will be turned into a "gift Certificate" with the Dealer that has contributed the most to making RWG 2008 raffles a sucessful way to fund out cyber space..

Edit Add: Or you may just want the cash... .. also no entry fee... so get out your artistic thoughts and get busssyyyy

I will work on Pics later (of the BCE V2 and Lello DW) and post this in the raffle section.. and a notice in the GD section

I have to think about judges as I feel the Mods should participate .. So I will select an "impartial" panel of Judges ..

and the winning Post and or Pic will be represented in the Calendar to be worked on in 2009

So you thought I was going to post an ordinary "Remember 2008".. well,.. I'm not Normal.. ... more like the Mel Brooks.. "Young Frankenstein" .. brain of

"abi~normal"..

[RobbieG]

You are most welcome D. I just wish I could get as much pleasure out of the process as you because you are right, there is nothing fun about buying a gen. More fun ordering a rep and waiting for it to clear customs in the early days. Remember that - speaking of rememberance? In your early rep days being so excited waiting for your order to arrive? Those were the days...

Thanks Robbie. Definitely a labor of love and not for the faint of heart

But much more fun for me than walking into an AD and plunking down my CC

[lanikai]

I will try to add more items to the (total prizes) refer to the contest thread . http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showtopic=87679

.. then post here on this thread

[RobbieG]

Here is another fond memory of 2008 for me. The last of the project watches for me. This started as a regular old ETA 2836 version IHS Noob factory GMT. It ended up getting its insert channel sanded down to recess the insert like the gen and got a nice OEM quality insert as well. Although the pics didn't get the colors right at all. The red is a real nice maroon color just like the gen. This version had really bad CG's so those got done too. The watch always had a near perfect magnification as compared to a gen I had at the same time and I got lucky in that the datewheel was pretty much perfect and centered really well on all the days. I have to say (and Bytor will agree as we had both exchanged views with each other about this) that this rep was every bit as nice as the gen. The only real notcieable differences were the end links and the Rolex steel is definitely whiter and brighter. I don't think the pics do it justice, but it was a fond memory from this year just the same...

[RobbieG]

I also got lucky and scored some great straps to go with my finally completed Ti Marina homage project. An old friend made me a trio of beauties that covered most of the ground I wanted for the watch. A creamy Louie V leather which I distressed. A vintage tan camel suede beauty. And the old standby, a distressed chocolate brown bomber leather with off white stitching. All three make a nice, simple watch jump right off the wrist...

[RobbieG]

You outdid the gens on this one Toad. I have a gen AT as you know and I have been meaning to take a lume shot of it. The gen lume is as weak as most standard rep lume believe it or not. Really marginal. Not that I care, as I have a few other torches in the box, nor do i dive with it, but the Aquatimers lume was ceratinly way less than I expected it to be. . Actually the double AR is too. Kind of has a slate blue tint to the AR and it is nowhere near as powerful as the PO or the UN. A relumed rep Slevin or Cousteau will actually have both stronger lume and AR than the gens. Hahaha. Is yours the only one to ever get that shaded section done? That must have been one tough job to do that.

I think you have to include classic first time mod jobs...well sort of first time...first time brutally tricky lume job on this watch by the Lume Master:

[Toadtorrent]

You outdid the gens on this one Toad. I have a gen AT as you know and I have been meaning to take a lume shot of it. The gen lume is as weak as most standard rep lume believe it or not. Really marginal. Not that I care, as I have a few other torches in the box, nor do i dive with it, but the Aquatimers lume was ceratinly way less than I expected it to be. . Actually the double AR is too. Kind of has a slate blue tint to the AR and it is nowhere near as powerful as the PO or the UN. A relumed rep Slevin or Cousteau will actually have both stronger lume and AR than the gens. Hahaha. Is yours the only one to ever get that shaded section done? That must have been one tough job to do that.

It's actually not my watch...but SQL_PLs. The Zigmeister obviously did the lume job on it...and a handful of others have had it done as well. I'm scheduled for my turn in January and will post pics when that gets done. Getting the lume and the AR treatment done on this one has generally had the feedback of going quite beyond the gen in this case.

[By-Tor]

This was truly a great read. I was absent from the forum when this was originally posted.

So many amazing watches, everyone... Dluddy's no-date Sub is Thanks for the thoughtful posts... esp. RobbieG. Great stuff!

My rep review made you to buy the gen SFSO... well, your pics of the amazing blue dial really make me think about getting the gen. If the rep of the SFSO wasn't so good I would own it already... such a great watch. I'm kinda sad that you sold it.

Getting the genuine GMT II was definitely my best watch moment in 2008. This is such an amazing watch in every way... and I don't really know why it took so long for me to purchase my "dream watch". Now it's completely impossible to even THINK that I didn't own this.

[RobbieG]

This was truly a great read. I was absent from the forum when this was originally posted.

So many amazing watches, everyone... Dluddy's no-date Sub is Thanks for the thoughtful posts... esp. RobbieG. Great stuff!

My rep review made you to buy the gen SFSO... well, your pics of the amazing blue dial really make me think about getting the gen. If the rep of the SFSO wasn't so good I would own it already... such a great watch. I'm kinda sad that you sold it.

Getting the genuine GMT II was definitely my best watch moment in 2008. This is such an amazing watch in every way... and I don't really know why it took so long for me to purchase my "dream watch". Now it's completely impossible to even THINK that I didn't own this.

What would have been really cool is if you and I actually traded the watches. Your rep Fish review made me buy the rep and then the gen. And then my Fish pics made you want to get the gen for the dreamy blue dial.

Meanwhile, your original Noob factory GMT review made me buy the rep and then the gen and then even mod and keep the rep for a while. Then you got a gen GMT and wanted a gen Fish a bit as well (kind of - for the blue dial - but ended up getting the Aquaracer Chrono instead).

So with that timeline it would have been really cool if I had sold you the gen Fish and even the gen GMT, as if you recall I was selling mine just about the time you were getting yours! I remember telling you for years that I thought you should have a gen GMT. You resisted saying the rep was good enough - and it kind of is - but I knew you would break down eventually. Its the movement really - and the 904 - although I know that doesn't mean as much to you as it does me.

Funny how we all kind of work in sync around here. We see pics and reviews from other members and they conciously and unconciously spark even gen purchases because of things like really specific dial stuff, etc. I bought the gen Fish just because of the dial really as the rep is spot on besides that - even has the same movement. And I bought the gen GMT from your review of the rep as well mostly because of the crystal seating. I never knew what bothered me about the rep until you pointed out the tell tale white line on the China reps.