Simon 69

bttt

scoobynutta555

How often do you send yours off then?

Freak

Any info on that?
Need my Heuer serviced, and tag uk were a) very rude on the phone , b) want to charge me a lot and cant even give me a quote the bare service- let alone a ballpark figure for replacement plexiglass without seeing it, and c) said it will take a minimum of 8 weeks.

Im also darn sarf.... so that could be useful if you know of anywhere

[-(o)-]

iTrader: (1)

Just taken my TAG in for a new battery and its going to take 4 weeks (and at least £45 for the pleasure)

I'm lost without it and sure last time it only took a couple of days. Its amazing they think this is acceptable for any watch, let alone a 'premium' brand like theirs? Any normal make and it would take about 2 minutes and cost a few quid.

I have since found watchdoctors.co.uk, so might give them a go next time...

[Davey]

No need to get Tag stuff serviced by Tag, they use ETA movements and the parts supply are not heavilly controlled like Rolex. Any independent watchmaker can service the watch.. And if its a Quartz model a genuine ETA movement is only about 12 quid so you might as well have it swapped out every 3 years.. Even the 2836/2824 movements used in the automatic versions are £50/£40 respectively...

Freak

Lemania 1873 manual movement plus need the plexiglass done.
I don't object to the cost- I just object to being watch less for 2 months

[Davey]

Ahh a Chrono getting difficult to find independent watchmakers who are skilled enough to take on a job like that.. I know a guy in Wokingham, Berkshire who could do it, but he's stupidly busy as hes one of very few decent skilled watch makers left in the area.. He's just done a Valjoux 7750 for me for my Replica Vintage Paul Newman Daytona.. Can't afford a real one of those lol!

Infractme!

It can't look very convincing if it's using a 7750, surely the subdial spacing is all wrong?

[Davey]

7750 has normally got subdials at 12, 9 and 6 so it would be completely wrong.. Its got a bridge ontop that re-locates the dials to 9, 6 and 3 with the right spacing and running seconds in the correct position at 9 for this particular year .. Its pretty convincing with its correct 19mm bracelet too

Its a nightmare to regulate beacuse of the extra load from the top bridge but it keeps pretty good time.

Infractme!

I've seen watches like this but usually they have problems with the chrono operation due to the extra gubbins. That's why you see so many with faux chronos or incorrect subdial spacing.

Personally I don't see the point of replicas as I can afford the genuine versions of all the watches I desire and I can't help thinking that with something as rare as a Paul Newman most people are going to either have no idea what it is or correctly assume it's a fake. Still they are a classic so I can see why you'd want one.

GT40 replica? Not for me I'll wait 'till I can afford one of the real ones.

[Davey]

I have no problems with the chrono functions, this is why I had the movement re-built by a skilled watch maker, they are normally very badly lubricated..

I appreciate the design asthetics of the real thing, I can not afford one (looking at up to £20k for a good one) and if I could I'd probably not wear it and leave it locked in a safe! If I buy a replica I can wear it and enjoy it.. As its such a good replica only I know its a fake so theres no problem there I own several genuine Rolex sports watches as they are my main interest but I also own a LARGE collection of high end replicas.. several grands worth If they were real they would be several hundred grands worth..

[Davey]

A few photos for anyone who is interested










A small insight into my collection, 3 of the above are Genuine.. Rest are replicas

Infractme!

What do you mean by 'high end' replicas?

You mean watches with mostly ETA movements in them and that are reasonable facsimiles?

It's very hard to tell from those pictures which are real and which are fake. However I'd be prepared to bet that if I had them here in front of me I'd be able to tell.

Of all those watches the only 3 I'd be prepared to take a stab at is the vintage Explorer I which looks very good, artificially ageing the dial and hands like that would be a lot of hard work. Plus the crown looks good so I'm guessing it's real. That said it's an easy watch to fake. I've seen some fantastic replicas of that and the later model.

Second the DRSD, I reckon it's a rep despite all the ageing, mostly because they cost a fortune these days. Plus something doesn't look right about the bezel pearl, the dome doesn't seem quite right and the helium escape valve looks wrong. Could be the angle of course.

The two tone GMT-Master II's crown guards don't look right so I'm guessing a fake. Again it could just be the angle......

Still all look to be nice pieces but from my point of view it's the genuine article or nothing.

[Davey]

Bingo on the Explorer I .. I'd say you'ed be very hard pushed to spot the fakes even in your hand, the finish is impeccable; give you a case opener though and you'll spot them all.. The GMT watches are both fakes and theres only one real noticeable flaw on both of them.. The guards and crown are correct though for a GMT model, most people assume the GMT/Explorer II should have the same guards as the Submariner.

Dont worry I understand why you feel that way.. Some people just feel better to have the real thing..

Brendan Hughes

Davey, what's the possibility of putting a Sub crown on a GMT II? At all possible? The main problem I see is the fact that the GMT has a two-stage, erm, spindle (?) thingy...

[Davey]

Why would you want to do that first? ... Secondly the case tube is bigger for the sub..

I do have some sub crowns and tubes but it all depends on how big the hole in the case is and if the crown will fit between the guards.

Brendan Hughes

I've never understood why, for the Sub, where you expect to use the crown very occasionally, like once in a few months, it's a high crown - and for the GMT, designed for Pan-Am pilots who would need to change the hour on their watch every twelve hours or every day when they land in a different time zone, it's a wimpy crown. When I read TURF many years ago, other GMT owners were similarly puzzled.

[Davey]

The crown is so large because its a divers watch, you need to be able to do it up tight so the trip-lock works correctly

Simon 69

As thi has gone completely off-topic..... I do not understand why a person would want to own (or collect) a counterfeit watch. You can dress it up all you like; you can tell me about the craftmanship and the quality ETA movement, but its just a fake... (It's Mickey Mouse. Spurious. Not genuine. And it's worth......f*ck-all!).

Ive often thought that people who are happy with fake watches are the same people who built "Porsche 911" & "Countach" kit-cars out if old VW Beetles.....

[Davey]

Theres a difference between a Replica and a Fake .. Most people have Reprints of famous paintings on their walls, they want to enjoy the painting without spending thousands or millions..

chameleon

Davey, could you give me the address/tel of the Wokingham guy as I have a vintage IWC that needs some TLC...

Thanks

[Davey]

Wellingtons
24, Market Place, Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 1AP Tel: 0118 978 2162

Ask for Alby..

Simon 69

Youre kidding yourself. They say 'Rolex' on the dial, but they arent Rolex watches. Its a fake: (It's Mickey Mouse. Spurious. Not genuine. And it's worth......f*ck-all!).

NACRO

I wouldn't buy a fake myself but it isn't true to say they are worth 'f*ck-all!'. There's a thriving trade in this sort of item and high quality fakes are particularly sought after. Values can be anything from £100-£300 for those with ETA movements even secondhand. Possibly more than some people would consider paying for a watch of any kind.

Simon 69

That was a quote from a film Alan; hence the brackets. I broadly accept your point though.

Simon

Brendan Hughes

A replica is something that is a copy of something else but has no intention of claiming it's an original.

A fake is something that tries to pretend it's an original.

I could buy a replica, but try to sell it as an original - then it becomes a fake.

It's all in the mind.

NACRO

Nicely put Brendan.

Dragging this off topic somewhat: Do you have any recommendations for hotels in and around Lisbon or must see/do things, good restaurants etc?

How about some of the beach resorts around Lisbon? Worth a visit?

[Davey]

Its funny to see peoples opinions on Replicas/Fakes.. Especially when the high end ones actually contain better components and are made of better materials than most of the £500+ watches you see in jewellers windows

Some people go out and buy a GENUINE Tag with a £10 quartz movement and about £10 worth of stainless steel for £800.. whos the mug

Brendan Hughes

Nacro, PM me and we can talk. The really short answer is I don't know if I do have many recommendations, as I don't seem to play the tourist in my "home" town, IYSWIM. I might have some suggestions, but I know some of your personas can be quite demanding, so I wouldn't want to disappoint Have you been to Lisbon before? Not sure what you've seen/done already...