PAM Modders or dealers for "mere mortals"?

[PaulVanDyk]

I am not sure if any of you guys realize but many of us (newer) members have no way of getting onto any V.I.P. lists for getting our watches modded. In fact, I was recently dropped from such a list by one of the modders due to “priority given to older members etc etc”. The other popular modder would not even return any of my e-mails even though we live in the same state. Now, I am not trying to talk [censored] about any of these people. It is what it is and I am just stating the facts here.

Recently PAM’s have grown on me to the point where I absolutely have to get one. I thought DSN would satisfy my craving for one which would be close enough to a gen and would not need to be sent anywhere to get “lumed” or receive other modifications. This would’ve been especially helpful considering I have no way of getting these done. But, yet again, I recently stumbled upon a long thread which heavily criticizes him, his watches, and QC…so now I am back to where I started….

This brings me to my question. VAC/DSN/ Zig aside do “not so privileged” ones have any other way of getting some quality reps or are we stuck with average dealer (crappy to no lume, lots of inaccuracies) ones? Are there any others who do mods and are not as picky when it comes to choosing their customers? Or dealers with REAL quality reps?

I am sure many of you would say - well, just build your own. To that i'll say - not everyone is mechanically inclined or has enough time for these kinds of projects.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[thumpr]

I've faced the same issue.. my suggestion is go with DSN - he will take returns no problem if there are any QC issues.

Check out this thread..

http://replica-watch.info/phpBB3/viewtopic...115&t=24081

I am not sure if any of you guys realize but many of us (newer) members have no way of getting onto any V.I.P. lists for getting our watches modded. In fact, I was recently dropped from such a list by one of the modders due to

[projectologist]

One alternative is to buy from other members... those that have done the mods or had them done. Most are not into making a profit, usually just getting back or close to what they have in it. It's part of my routine to check the F/S's at the forums before I head out in the morning and when I get back at the end of the day. WTB's are another route. Although I have several projects going on, most of my favorite pieces are ones that have come up for sale. No customs to deal with or having to wait for their return from a modder.

[siesta181]

+1 with Projectologist. Buying modded watches from members here is the way to go especially if you can't get in touch with the modders on the boards.

[P4GTR]

I am not sure if any of you guys realize but many of us (newer) members have no way of getting onto any V.I.P. lists for getting our watches modded. In fact, I was recently dropped from such a list by one of the modders due to

[PaulVanDyk]

As i stated previously in no way am i taking this personally or anything. Though i do consider such situation slightly unfair but then again - life is generally unfair. Im just wondering what others like me are doing and how they go about acquiring nice pieces. Ever since being denied service by aforementioned individuals i too have been checking the FS thread pretty much every day. Even more, i became a member over at RG as well so that i would have a better chance to succeed.

The problem is timing. Every time there is a watch FS i'd like to buy - i have no money and vice- versa.

Furthermore, watches that i like (000, 201A, 176 etc etc) come by very rarely and by the time im ready to pull the trigger they are gone...

In any case...thanks for everyone's input...definitely some food for thought.

[Pre V]

One has to bear in mind that watchmakers like *z*i*g*g*y* are swamped with mod requests and orders --- this requires a Queue number.

That said, private messages are often sent out in loads and filtration/replies takes time.

Services provided by a lone-ranger (very often) is a taxing affair --- concentration and time.

I doubt that "Singling" out new members is the issue here. It's about giving watchmakers/modders ample time for replies. If you are in search of perfection, this process takes time --- no surprise here at all, as this logic applies to all matters in general.

Alternatives such as buying "out of the box" perfection are often hindered by "snipers" who are swift in their online transactional communication. Missing out on a piece is alike to losing out to an auction on eBay. So be Quick and spend more time on the For Sale forums if you possess a "no luxury of time" mentality with regards to replies from watchmakers.

Patience is the key here....it's like fishing. Yearning for the "catch of the day" --- that my friends, is on everybody's minds.

[PaulVanDyk]

I doubt that "Singling" out new members is the issue here.

the only bone i'd pick w/ Zig is the fact that i got on the list and was later kicked out because of "seniority bs". what really sucked was that by then i already acquired a number of parts and watches which i was forced to sell at junk yard prices because i no longer had anyone to assemble/lume/ etc. But no biggie...called it a part of the learning curve and moved on...

so, essentially there is no other way but taking a chance with DSN or waiting for the right place/ time...

[OmegaPOFL]

I've got 1K+ posts and live an hour away from Vac, the guy won't speak to me either. Try not to take it personally, but definately move on.

damnn! that sucks.. *sigh* i wonder if there are other modders in CONUS that can do the work?

[PaulVanDyk]

I've faced the same issue.. my suggestion is go with DSN - he will take returns no problem if there are any QC issues.

Check out this thread..

http://replica-watch.info/phpBB3/viewtopic...115&t=24081

DAMN DUDE! thanks for the thread!!! It just reminds me that sometimes we get caught up searching for a perfect rep. There is only one perfect rep - and its called a GEN. lol

im guessing DSN is not too bad of a choice after all

damnn! that sucks.. *sigh* i wonder if there are other modders in CONUS that can do the work?

NEGATIVE!!! if you find one though, definitely PM me

[projectologist]

I think that the only thing that is keeping you from getting the reps you want is your lack of patience. I found that PMing sellers, even though their item sold to someone else, and letting them know that you were bummed that you missed out on it can go a long way towards their letting you know directly the next time they have something else FS.

Close to half of the reps I've sold I didn't even have to list. When I've posted a new rep purchase or finished a project, I usually end up getting 5 or 6 PM's asking me to keep them in mind if I ever decide to sell. This has a networking effect as well. I may not have something at the moment FS, but I know somebody that does, so I put them in touch with the potential buyer that had PM'd me earlier.

The key in this hobby is to get the word out, form friendships with members with similar tastes in watches... acceptance has more to do with attitude, not join dates or the number of posts.

There is no real hierarchy here. That's only the perception of those not willing to put in the effort to make a real contribution to the community. Make that effort and all of the doors will open. Trust me, all of us, at some point, have had to wait in line.

[Pre V]

the only bone i'd pick w/ Zig is the fact that i got on the list and was later kicked out because of "seniority bs". what really sucked was that by then i already acquired a number of parts and watches which i was forced to sell at junk yard prices because i no longer had anyone to assemble/lume/ etc. But no biggie...called it a part of the learning curve and moved on...

so, essentially there is no other way but taking a chance with DSN or waiting for the right place/ time...

The last time my brother's Watchonpo's PAM 187 was sent to Zig took quite a while as you can only imagine the number of watches he has to undertake. There are only so many "waking" hours in a day.

Having said that, how does one defined seniority? From the day or year I registered on RWG? or from the numbers of posts that are made? Perhaps the real key question all boils down to : Friendship. Will you help out a friend who is in need as opposed to a stranger? The answer is crystal as sapphire, or mineral if you will.

Now, there's no need to sell off your parts because you couldn't find someone to assemble them. I know that time is of the essence but it's the process of modification that is the Creme de La Creme. So take your time, there are other watches out there. Keep a project or 2 close to you --- incomplete as it may be, it's one that dwells on your mind.

In short, Zig or any other watchmakers cannot satisfy the exponential watch nuts that are expanding by the seconds. It takes time for communication to build the foundation of a friendship. Everyone is individualistic by nature, we want to "hit and run", get our watch together and holla "sayonara". Sad but true, but this ideology will only be a one-way street to a dead end. Don't fret, find a solution to whatever problems that you may have --- what's the worst that can happen? Go the DIY route, try it for yourself, you might just enjoy the process of such micro-technology.

......it's sooooo much more than a watch, that's my point.

[Member X]

This is certainly an interesting read for a n00b such as myself, and does make me hesitant to pull the trigger on a less than perfect rep that I would previously have thought "ah well, it's not perfect, but I'll just get it AR'd and re-lumed after I've got it and have a bit of spare cash".

I appreciate all the points though - I guess that I, too, am partly guilty of wanting that perfect watch now and must learn to bide my time, but my fear is that I won't be able to find the time to become a 'fully participating' member of the forum and therefore never have the opportunity to get mods done as I've not 'been accepted' due to not having the time/self-confidence to network enough.

This is probably just n00b paranoia, but with only so many hours in the day and such a vast amount of people and information on here, one does wonder if getting the rep that one desires is achievable if to do so requires more time and input that is available...

Anyway, I'm still hopeful I need to get speaking to my local watchsmith to see what he might be up for! That and actually speak to other members on here

Thank you to all the older and wiser members who offer input on these threads, it's very useful indeed

Edited April 16, 2009 by Member X

[dluddy]

Just to echo what has already been said and add that my average project takes well over 12 months to complete, so patience is the KEY

[PaulVanDyk]

Just to echo what has already been said and add that my average project takes well over 12 months to complete, so patience is the KEY

it's not the lack of patience that im having but rather lack of options. im guessing most of you misunderstood my point.

after reading for a WHILE when i first found this place i became aware of the time required to complete a project. and i am perfectly fine with that.

I don't need the PERFECT REP RIGHT [censored]ING NOW. Being patient, however, doesn't solve much when there are NO OPTIONS available to get stuff done.

And yes, i did checkout the watchsmiths in the area and none would work on my "projects" so i ended up selling them.

Anyways....thanks everyone for the input....

[Brodie]

Your options are the same as everyone else:

- Buy a pre-modded dealer watch (a la DSN)

- Buy a modded watch from another member

- Learn to do things on your own

- Find someone else to mod your watch

There are enough posts and resources on this site to help you do any one of these things. But if you're hell bent on finding a "modder" to do things for you, have you looked outside of this forum? People here are among the most helpful and I'm not suggesting that as a slight to the community, but if you don't find what you need here, there are other places you can look.

[Toadtorrent]

Like Brodie said, if you're stuck, you can see what's available on RWI or RG or the other forums. Some have had ok experiences with other modders, others have had nightmares...so it's kind of hit and miss.

Servicing and modding as a requirement is the biggest turn-off I think, for entering the rep scene. If you have access to a resource that can do the work, you're set...if not, then you either have to buy pre-modded and hope you don't need servicing, learn to do things yourself, find somebody locally who can do things for you, or just treat things as disposable and let things run until they die, budgetting and hoping for 2 years or so of useful life (possibly more but 2 years is a good start point).

Lume work is the toughest to find talent for, as it really is art, and the talent of the artist is what you're paying for...and that varies greatly from person to person.

I know locally in Toronto, there seem to be quite a few resources that will work on rep watches...so I guess the other option is to move here.

[Dani]

I was ditched by my modder, so i just sold my projects and moved on.

Its lots of nice modded watches for sale maybe you should begin to scout for them.

Cheers,

Dani

[PaulVanDyk]

I was ditched by my modder, so i just sold my projects and moved on.

Its lots of nice modded watches for sale maybe you should begin to scout for them.

Cheers,

Dani

yup, thats the plan from now on.

[red]

Another vote for the sales section.

Watches are QCed, and are shipped quickly. Pictures are right there for you to examine.

[fishgodeep]

I think that the only thing that is keeping you from getting the reps you want is your lack of patience. I found that PMing sellers, even though their item sold to someone else, and letting them know that you were bummed that you missed out on it can go a long way towards their letting you know directly the next time they have something else FS.

Close to half of the reps I've sold I didn't even have to list. When I've posted a new rep purchase or finished a project, I usually end up getting 5 or 6 PM's asking me to keep them in mind if I ever decide to sell. This has a networking effect as well. I may not have something at the moment FS, but I know somebody that does, so I put them in touch with the potential buyer that had PM'd me earlier.

The key in this hobby is to get the word out, form friendships with members with similar tastes in watches... acceptance has more to do with attitude, not join dates or the number of posts.

There is no real hierarchy here. That's only the perception of those not willing to put in the effort to make a real contribution to the community. Make that effort and all of the doors will open. Trust me, all of us, at some point, have had to wait in line.

Totally agree

It's only a matter of time

FGD

[tanya]

Rex is as good as it gets!! He has no inner circle list ( which is fine for those that have one as it is perfectly withing their rights to do so!!!)

Rex is a movement Maestro, His Lume work is stunning, He now does AR, his mods are terrific and he is a great guy

I have also had excellent work done with Vac!

Give Rex and or Vac a try

[PaulVanDyk]

Rex is as good as it gets!! He has no inner circle list ( which is fine for those that have one as it is perfectly withing thier purview to do so!!!0

Rex is a movement Maestro, His Lume work is stunning, He now does AR, his mods are terrific and he is a great guy

I have also had excellent work done with Vac!

Give Rex and or Vac a try

I'll definitely give Rex a try. Thanks!

[Ronin]

Obviously we have a limited resources, but perhaps as a community we can figure out a way to work smarter.

There is a lot of talent here. Although, we have masters like Ziggy, who can do everything, perhaps we need more people specializing, and it becomes a win-win. When you need new tires for your car, you can go to the dealer, or to a shop that just sells and specializes in tires.

For example, if you break things down;

Movements (simple out of the box, regular maint., clean & regulate)

Movement modifications, transplants for Frankens.

Lume

Case Modifications

Dial Modifications

AR

etc...

Let's just say, for example, I became a wiz at just Movement Maint. I make it known, and thus provide ONE specific service-- clean, oil, and regulate. Meanwhile, (insert user name here) is king of case mods like drilling lug holes, replaceing tubes, crown guards, etc. (insert user name here) is a Lume Guru, and of course "Chief" is already the AR king.

It becomes a money maker for those interested in a little side work.

This may actually be happening, just not very well known. I guess it becomes a case of how motivated people are to provide a service and make it public.

Just some random thoughts.

[PaulVanDyk]

Obviously we have a limited resources, but perhaps as a community we can figure out a way to work smarter.

There is a lot of talent here. Although, we have masters like Watchdog, who can do everything, perhaps we need more people specializing, and it becomes a win-win. When you need new tires for your car, you can go to the dealer, or to a shop that just sells and specializes in tires.

For example, if you break things down;

Movements (simple out of the box, regular maint., clean & regulate)

Movement modifications, transplants for Frankens.

Lume

Case Modifications

Dial Modifications

AR

etc...

Let's just say, for example, I became a wiz at just Movement Maint. I make it known, and thus provide ONE specific service-- clean, oil, and regulate. Meanwhile, (insert user name here) is king of case mods like drilling lug holes, replaceing tubes, crown guards, etc. (insert user name here) is a Lume Guru, and of course "Chief" is already the AR king.

It becomes a money maker for those interested in a little side work.

This may actually be happening, just not very well known. I guess it becomes a case of how motivated people are to provide a service and make it public.

Just some random thoughts.

Couldn't agree more =))))