what is current state of art in rep 1950/217's

[kenneth2]

wondered what is currently the best way to go for a rep 1950?

old Eddi lee

DSN

or some other options

what is the most accurate looking E movements now available?

and or is it easer to go the 217 route and get an h style movement

all things considered what is the way to go now?

have read every post on RWG and others

thanks

[archibald]

The state of the art all-rep would be:

#117 Case rebrushed to match gen

Relumed EL dial

DSN hands

DSN Xtal w/ chieftang single-sided AR

Best version engraved bridges Asian Pre H-series movement

Gen strap

You can expect to pay a pretty penny for an EL dial, but the rest of the stuff is readily available for a few hundred bucks all in. If you are going to source gen parts, I'd rank them in order of importance:

Movement

Xtal

Dial

CG

Hands

Crown

Buckle

Good Luck!!!

[deltatahoe]

now that's what i call a helpful response. nicely done archibald

deltatahoe

[fishgodeep]

now that's what i call a helpful response. nicely done archibald

deltatahoe

Ditto ....that's a recipe for a fine dish for the wrist!!

[kenneth2]

thanks ill put that list on my refer

[babola]

Fiddy geek signing in...

Just to add few more "hard core" bits to this great conversation.

Take this as you wish, this is just a view from a person that owned 5 different Fiddy rep versions from '05 until now.

My 6th Fiddy verion is now a mixture of what I personaly believe to be the best mix of rep Fiddy parts from the last 3 years of manufacture. I was lucky to be in Hong Kong during the opening of Panerai AD there last year. There they had both the original Fiddy from 1950-es as well as a shadow Fiddy from 2002 (no serial on caseback). I actually held the new Fiddy in my hand, and tried to sponge in as much as I could in those few minutes.

Anyway, this is what I found works best as the 'ultimate' Fiddy rep combo. Again, this is my personal opinion, as a person that used to OCD over even smallest bit when it comes to these watches.

FYI, the picture in my avatar shows the 4th Fiddy of mine, which is now long gone.

Preffered specs:

- EddieLee Fiddy from 2005 as a base. These were copied from the genuine piece, and came in two versions, with squared ETA6497-1 bridges and very first edirion of ERAIPANERAIPAN E-series mov't decorated bridges. I bought the suare bridges version, guys like BBB (Big Brad) on RWI bought the one with E-series. While he's not active in rep fora anymore, you still can see his Fiddy pics over on Dark side.

Ehat is so great about EL's Fiddy? Well, as I said it's repped from the genuine Fiddy, all the dimensions are spot on and visually fit the genuine article. His dial was closest to 1:1 of any rep Fiddy dials produced afterwards. An his case is spot on, no re-brushing required here.

- Relumed EddieLee dial to C3 (if the base paint on the bottom brass disc is white, or whiter mixture of C1/C3 if the relumer decides to apply the lume directly to the brass disc without lighter base color. This is simply due to the fact the lume is opaque, and will ultimatly show the base underneath. Hands relume as well, of course.

- DSN Fiddy hands are actually a tad nicer and closer to gen, and if you're not bent on reluming the hands these come already spot on. However I suggest matching the lume color and intensity of the hands and dial.

- Either EL or DSN version 1 or 3 Sapphire. EL was great, and if you have one there's no need to look elsewhere. DSN V1 and 3 are great, correct distorsion break point and lesser amount of A/R blue/purplish hue applied. Version 2 was bad, it made the dial actualy look smaller as it would tend to "squeeze" the dial numerals and marker towards the cebtre of the dial, as well as leaving a misty appearance alongside the xtal edge where it joins the bezel. My avatar shows the Fiddy with DSN v2 xtal, as you can see the dial appearance is sub-optimal. Any xtal you choose would definitely benefit from Chieftangs single-AR treatment, as the AR is better and the hue much lesser in appearance.

- For visual atractiveness and closeness to the gen, E-series Asian 6497-2 mov't if you can find one these days, these were the closest to 1:1 withthe gen, but now very difficult to procure as new. For that gen mov't feel and satisfaction, Swiss ET 6497-1 E-series mov't with "incorrect" looking balance wheel spokes and incablock anti-shock assembly. Again, just as Asian ones these are now long gone with the wind. Alternatively use what you can find, really...

- caseback and crown/CG...well, this is the bit that you just have to accept as the fact. Casebacks have been made in 3 serials so far, e0851, e0117 and the third of which the number escapes me at this moment, but the engraving along the rim was much wider and deeper compared to gen. Rep crown miss 4 teeth compared to gen's, and the CG while very 1:1 is a little slimmer at the outher edge (part where the lever pin sits).

My Fiddy is now a mixture of the best parts described above, it wasn't an easy feat and it will only get tougher for peeps getting into the game these days, but the ride was both frustrating and enjoyable

So there you have it, this is all my personal experience as I said, took a long time to get there but I'm now more than happy with Fiddy rep I currently own.

cheers,

babola

[kenneth2]

thanks, this just keeps getting better and better

[deltatahoe]

one more tidbit of useful information-- there is an interesting post here by PAMman about creating two frankens from a rep pam 127 and a genuine pam 111

deltatahoe

[kenneth2]

i saw the post about making two super reps from a gen 111E, and am looking for the gen now

also need a B case back.

what do others think of this swap

thanks

[klocklind1]

Any chance of a picture of that "super" Fiddy ?

Fiddy geek signing in...

Just to add few more "hard core" bits to this great conversation.

Take this as you wish, this is just a view from a person that owned 5 different Fiddy rep versions from '05 until now.

My 6th Fiddy verion is now a mixture of what I personaly believe to be the best mix of rep Fiddy parts from the last 3 years of manufacture. I was lucky to be in Hong Kong during the opening of Panerai AD there last year. There they had both the original Fiddy from 1950-es as well as a shadow Fiddy from 2002 (no serial on caseback). I actually held the new Fiddy in my hand, and tried to sponge in as much as I could in those few minutes.

Anyway, this is what I found works best as the 'ultimate' Fiddy rep combo. Again, this is my personal opinion, as a person that used to OCD over even smallest bit when it comes to these watches.

FYI, the picture in my avatar shows the 4th Fiddy of mine, which is now long gone.

Preffered specs:

- EddieLee Fiddy from 2005 as a base. These were copied from the genuine piece, and came in two versions, with squared ETA6497-1 bridges and very first edirion of ERAIPANERAIPAN E-series mov't decorated bridges. I bought the suare bridges version, guys like BBB (Big Brad) on RWI bought the one with E-series. While he's not active in rep fora anymore, you still can see his Fiddy pics over on Dark side.

Ehat is so great about EL's Fiddy? Well, as I said it's repped from the genuine Fiddy, all the dimensions are spot on and visually fit the genuine article. His dial was closest to 1:1 of any rep Fiddy dials produced afterwards. An his case is spot on, no re-brushing required here.

- Relumed EddieLee dial to C3 (if the base paint on the bottom brass disc is white, or whiter mixture of C1/C3 if the relumer decides to apply the lume directly to the brass disc without lighter base color. This is simply due to the fact the lume is opaque, and will ultimatly show the base underneath. Hands relume as well, of course.

- DSN Fiddy hands are actually a tad nicer and closer to gen, and if you're not bent on reluming the hands these come already spot on. However I suggest matching the lume color and intensity of the hands and dial.

- Either EL or DSN version 1 or 3 Sapphire. EL was great, and if you have one there's no need to look elsewhere. DSN V1 and 3 are great, correct distorsion break point and lesser amount of A/R blue/purplish hue applied. Version 2 was bad, it made the dial actualy look smaller as it would tend to "squeeze" the dial numerals and marker towards the cebtre of the dial, as well as leaving a misty appearance alongside the xtal edge where it joins the bezel. My avatar shows the Fiddy with DSN v2 xtal, as you can see the dial appearance is sub-optimal. Any xtal you choose would definitely benefit from Chieftangs single-AR treatment, as the AR is better and the hue much lesser in appearance.

- For visual atractiveness and closeness to the gen, E-series Asian 6497-2 mov't if you can find one these days, these were the closest to 1:1 withthe gen, but now very difficult to procure as new. For that gen mov't feel and satisfaction, Swiss ET 6497-1 E-series mov't with "incorrect" looking balance wheel spokes and incablock anti-shock assembly. Again, just as Asian ones these are now long gone with the wind. Alternatively use what you can find, really...

- caseback and crown/CG...well, this is the bit that you just have to accept as the fact. Casebacks have been made in 3 serials so far, e0851, e0117 and the third of which the number escapes me at this moment, but the engraving along the rim was much wider and deeper compared to gen. Rep crown miss 4 teeth compared to gen's, and the CG while very 1:1 is a little slimmer at the outher edge (part where the lever pin sits).

My Fiddy is now a mixture of the best parts described above, it wasn't an easy feat and it will only get tougher for peeps getting into the game these days, but the ride was both frustrating and enjoyable

So there you have it, this is all my personal experience as I said, took a long time to get there but I'm now more than happy with Fiddy rep I currently own.

cheers,

babola

[sonny127]

I"m new here so excuse the newbe question...

What if im not so mechanically inclined and just want a really nice replica of the PAM 127? Where do i go for that...Who has the best one?

[slay]

I really miss eddie!

[promotersf]

I miss eddie to

So, basically if you have the EL 127, you're in good shape. I still have mine and trying to confirm what mods need to be done if any.

[babola]

I miss eddie to

So, basically if you have the EL 127, you're in good shape. I still have mine and trying to confirm what mods need to be done if any.

Me too...however the whole EddieLee "thing" had not much to do with Eddie himself, it was his Hong Kong rep disti that had sellection of reps that were a step above the rest, sort of a "mini-Honpo" source, if you get my grip.

Promoter, I'd at least relume dial and hands in Superluminova, upgrade the cannon pin/hour wheel set, and shorten the minute hand tube. While you're at it why not flattening and polishing the cannon pin top.

I'd leave the mov't as is, being square version or E-series version ETA 6497. At least the ETA mov'ts back then were exactly that, an ETA.

Good luck

[promotersf]

Canon pin and superlume completed by The Zigmeister 2 years ago, and on a oem black calf 26mm strap so I guess I'm in good shape. Haven't worn it forever, but I think it needs to come out and play :victory:

[babola]

Canon pin and superlume completed by The Zigmeister 2 years ago, and on a oem black calf 26mm strap so I guess I'm in good shape. Haven't worn it forever, but I think it needs to come out and play :victory:

You're sweet, then

[archibald]

promotersf, the only thing I'd do is maybe give the Xtal a single sided AR. When you compare gen and rep xtals side by side, there is a tremendous difference in the look, both of the sapphire alone and the look it created when installed. Other than that, you're fiddy is as good as a sane person can own.

[babola]

To add to what archibald said, problem with rep Fiddy xtals is that they're made by diferent factories, some are thicker than others, some have flat underside some concave. This fact alone will influence the infamous Fiddy xtal "break point" position and intensity, majorly affecting the correct distorsion required.

If you're lucky to have one of those early EddieLee Fiddys then you can consider yourself lucky. Those xtals had smaller amount of pinkish/blue A/R hue applied, almost unoticeable under most lighting coditions, as well as 'correct' distorsion break point, not too close to the bezel (making numerals and indices look smaller, squashed and squeezed towards the centre), not too far towards the centre of the dial (artificially enlarging the numerals and making them look pushed out towards the bezel).

Well modded EL Fiddy would be extremely hard to point out as rep, even by the pickiest gen 127 owners, unless they're wearing their one on the wrist at that moment or ask you to flip it over