RickHiC Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Hi guys. First post here. I'm just getting into reps after I almost dumped $500 USD on a scam site and found rwg in the nick of time. It's been like living in a dream world ever since. (Rep watches are going to be an obsession problem for me. I'm a guy with roughly 17 pairs of prescription glasses. Did you folks know those are repped as well? I learned of that before watches.) Anyway, I knew I was going to be in Chicago over the holidays, so I planned ahead, researched the brands I wanted to sample, and brought a good camera. It's not New York, but the jeweler's district of Chicago might have the highest density of ADs per square foot anywhere. I made it through 8 floors of a single building with each one packed with tiny dealers before my wife reigned me in. A typical experience: I have to knock on the door in this tiny hole in the wall shop as they buzz you in. Once inside, I see absolutely no inventory. I ask, got any Panerais? Sure, he says. I kid you not, the guy puts down his sandwich and pulls out a rubbermaid bin from the back packed full of loose watches. At least a dozen pams inside. On the street, I'm shooting through shop windows as most places won't allow photography inside (though they were kind and let me, a regular looking guy, try on beautiful pieces). In one tiny window of a tiny tiny shop I counted 3 pams, 3-4 pateks, and at least 3 AP ROOs complete with gold and bling. Here was another highlight. This dealer had the ultra-limited HBB all black in stock (only 25 pieces made), and she even let me try it on. I couldn't take a pic, but I think this is it on the sign visible from outside: I'm not sure if that's the one Josh and others have. In person everything is much darker. The hands are literally black on black with just some faint shine. Stunning. I'm trying to get my wife excited about this while she's infatuated with a F. P. Journe tourbillon (also pretty incredible, and they keep it wound so you can watch). Anyway, good times, and when I get home, this is in the mail from Josh: It's not a flawless rep, but I'm sure excited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Looks like you had an eye-opening journey. Your targets are not my cup of tea, but welcome to the fold & congratulations on making your 1st 'kill' (rep buy). I hope the new incoming watch lives up to your expectations (I suspect it will). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadtorrent Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 What a great first post. Welcome to the club. You'll have to PM me more info on those repped prescription glasses. I'm running about 12 pair myself...unfortunately...all gen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Welcome indeed Not the Mecca I was thinking of, but awesome pictures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickey Padge Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Welcome to RWG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironmarshal Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Great story....discovering all the great brands and watches out there is endlessly fascinating. Welcome to the obsession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sql_pl Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Great first post, welcome at RWG! I have to say these repped prescription glasses got me interested - I mean i have seen some of these but they were usually junk - do you have any links for some good stuff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dluddy Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Welcome aboard, Sounds like good fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demsey Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 At first I thought you had just returned from the Hajj. If you consider the comparison to the Windy City, I think you probably maximized your vacation dollar. Good post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mardo Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Ok, I live in the Windy City and I have never been to the row, my wife is going to hate me now, I can just see how this is going to go: Wife: Its Saturday what do you have to do today? Me: I thought I would run a quick errand downtown Wife: How long are you going to be? Me: Not too long, I should be back in the afternoon. . . Me: Honey I am home! Wife: You've been gone 8 hours where the @#*$ have you been all day! Do they just have gens or reps there too? How much where the PAMs and which ones did you see. This is Mecca! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cableguy Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Welcome to RWG!! I would like to know about these repped prescription glasses as well....!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corgi Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Phenomenal post! I always enjoy investigating what jewelry stores look like in civilized parts of the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickHiC Posted January 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Do they just have gens or reps there too? How much where the PAMs and which ones did you see. This is Mecca! I would say take your wife. She can shop at the Cartier store across the street. Some of the dealers could be "shady" I guess, but they all had "authorized dealer" signs and such. Not a whisper of reps, and all prices quoted were believably close to retail. Lots of pre-owned stuff for sale as well. I'm not sure about paperwork, but you could at least research the serials. I was in one particular building which was very wholesale-ish and no-frills, but all around that are traditional high-end dealers with regular showrooms. I knew I was in the right place when I get into the elevator of this run-down building and see a guy with an IWC and two with Pams step in. To my untrained eye, they could have been reps, but I think now I know what "real" crocodile leather looks like. My jaw dropped. That guy with the rubbermaid bin, he shows me a bunch of $5-10k models, then he pulls up his sleeve and reveals a beautiful yg Pam with carbon fiber dial (140 I think). About the glasses, can I post direct links here? I'll try an anonymizer. They usually have "fake" (and funnily translated) logos and emblems, but all the major styles are copied. The quality is better than you'd expect, and the prescriptions have been as good as from my local optician. AR coatings, progressive bifocals, etc.; you can get it all from folks in china for, I don't know, the price of a couple of trips to starbucks. Between my wife and I, we have about 30 pairs. (ouch) Average price: about $26 USD (that's with plain lenses, and neither of us wear bifocals). I think maybe 3 have broken, and 2-3 looked good in pictures but terrible on our faces. You have to do your homework, measure your current frames, and do a lot of imagining about how they will look on your face, etc. because you're going to have a very hard time returning them. (Heh, kind of like rep watches I guess) Here's one I do a lot of business with. Terribly disorganized, but there are plenty of gems if you're willing to dig. Goggles4U Here's another one with a little better organization. Glasses have been similar in quality. ZenniOptical Oh yeah, did I mention that Hublot shop had three Richard Mille models on display?!? I wished they would let me take photos. Never seen that in the US before, but maybe I don't get around much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rek001 Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Hi, another Chicagoan here - welcome to the forum, you've found the right place. Now, I must ask, what building were you in, the guy with the rubbermaid container of Pams? Was it the Mallers Building (5 S. Wabash)? There are a lot of cubby hole businesses there. I mean, that sounds kind of unusual, storing expensive watches in a plastic container, as if they were reps. I'd like to see this for myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mardo Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Maybe we can go on a fact finding mission soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickHiC Posted January 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Now, I must ask, what building were you in, the guy with the rubbermaid container of Pams? Was it the Mallers Building (5 S. Wabash)? There are a lot of cubby hole businesses there. I mean, that sounds kind of unusual, storing expensive watches in a plastic container, as if they were reps. I'd like to see this for myself. Yes, I think that was the building. All the little shops are a riot. Each little stand has a bunch of rolexes, diamonds, etc., a little safe, and a guy on the phone too busy to talk to you. At the shop in question, it looked like the guy was moving in/moving out or something. The watches were carefully wrapped, but definitely in tupperware. Obviously I don't know all the facts, and that's what made for a good story. I would guess the whole truth is much more mundane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rek001 Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 The truth being mundane or not, who cares, great first post and write-up. The Mallers Building would inspire some creative writing, the dark corridors, small jewelers showrooms with the faded, dusty displays, you just know nothing here has been re-modeled for 75 years. Perfect set for a Sam Spade detective novel. And Mardo, there is no way rep watches are sold there, I just can't imagine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xanthos Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Welcome to the forum, I was in Chicago as well. I have been living in London for the past 15 years and went back for the holidays. Thanks for the great pictures I forgot all about the Mallers Building. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rek001 Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Mallers Building and Iwan Ries tobacconist a few doors down are two of the remaining gems from days gone by in downtown Chicago. So many remarkable, high quality, family owned businesses I remember as a kid are gone: Altman Cameras, Kroch's & Brentano's Books, Lyon & Healy musical instruments, Stop & Shop gourmet foods. Anyone here from Chicago remember these places? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribal Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 This is what I call a first Post Welcome in the land of Milk and Sugar...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadtorrent Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Here's one I do a lot of business with. Terribly disorganized, but there are plenty of gems if you're willing to dig. Goggles4U Here's another one with a little better organization. Glasses have been similar in quality. ZenniOptical Great spec links. Thanks!! What do you use to store 50+ pairs of glasses?? I've been looking around for a decent watch winder display box with a drawer that could be used to hold glasses for awhile...but haven't seen anything I really liked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drhydro Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Really appreciate the links to the specs, Rick. I gotta look into this- need real titanium because of allergy issues, and these folks might be the ticket! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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