I'm not against buying a real one, just not from these guys. Maybe an old used one is in my future though :considered:

Only thing that stands out to me is the numbers are too fat... I compared directly with some watches at the Panerai store, and if you compare directly, you'll see it. But the rest of it is so good, I don't even care. I love this watch man

The only other replica I would really consider is a replica of the "Rolerai" (Rolex 6154 without the dial changed to Panerai) I posted a few pages back. A guy in Ukraine is making these with period accurate Cortebert movements that the Rolex 618 is based upon for about $700 (they even mod the movement to match the Rolex 618, as that's the only major difference). As much as I love the Panerai dial, I think this is a really interesting watch.

https://clickpix.org/images/3QseCp.jpg

Edit: It's crazy that the original sold for "only" about $200K, considering how much people spend on "rare" watches (and fakes, like Omega's own employees making a frankenwatch and then buying it AS OMEGA for $3 million). There are known to be around 35 of these watches ever made, and 21 of them ever showed up publicly, only ONE of which had the original Rolex dial. That is highly suspicious, but it looks to be legit.

Rolex released a "Paul Newman" Daytona homage today.. That one watch made them SOOOO famous, even though they were always way up there. Omega tried to replicate it with a $3 million Speedy that turned out to be a fake LUL

https://i.imgur.com/TjzlgpT.png

Not bad. How much they want for this ? Like 30k ?

You mean $300K

MSRP is $51K, so about $9000 more than a regular white gold Daytona

Of course you'll need to drop about $100K on other shit at an AD to even be considered to get one :fuckthatshit:

51k for a steel Rolex….. Jesus. My 5711 was cheaper back in 2018

It's also white gold. But even if it was steel, I would buy it at that price if I can get it :lol

Panerai released their first tourbillon model, PAM1284:

https://i.imgur.com/COox9Rh.png

https://i.imgur.com/2ZTYhtG.png

You can own their version of the most pointless watch complication for just $166K :fullofwin:

I am getting my feet wet on my first ever watch of any sort of heritage tomorrow... as well as my first ever automatic.

Nothing too crazy, but I am excited! Will post if I successfully grab it, don't want to jinx it like it's a done deal.

Can't wait to see it!

TUDOR!!!!!!!! / OMEGGAAHHHHH

^
Hahaha I am now realizing that my definition of entry level is not the same as yours :D

I wanted something that ticked off a few boxes:
- Automatic
- Classic Look
- Date Window
- Clear Back
- Some Kind of Heritage
- Less than $1,000

I found it in a Seiko SARX031 from Japan... it's a 60th anniversary watch with 1959 pieces made to commemorate the first year Seiko produced an automatic watch. This one had all the paperwork and original box and tags in beautiful shape and the watch is pretty much flawless. The photo doesn't show it quite as well but the numbers have a copper or bronze colour to them which looks super nostalgic to me somehow. Makes me think of cognac.

I also really enjoyed that the (private) seller was passing it on to fund his grail purchase and he told me it was actually his very first automatic watch he ever bought as well which kind of felt like it completed the circle of life for me in some way with it now being my first as well.

Anyway, I'm really enjoying it so far didn't hurt that the seller and my wrists were exactly the same size so it fit perfectly from the getgo! He also had an E30 BMW in is garage and I spent a good deal of time talking about that with him too. Really enjoyable transaction all around.

Obligatory fist photo:
https://i.imgur.com/X3ixOlg.jpg

That's an amazing Seiko! And with hydrangeas in the background are you kidding me? I wish I could thank the post 100 times

Those digits are so nice, I really like the "2". The slightly enlarged 12 and 6 is a nice touch, and I like the perfectly sized date window, the minute and second track. POGGERS

HOLY SHIT thats a great find!!!! wowowowoow i can see the panerai influences in its design.

how was this guy able to keep it so nice and new? it looks friggin MINT.

Nicely done bro, NICELY DONE.

You can see the pilot watch influences actually. It looks similar to the Hamilton Field Murph which I'm a big fan of so probably why I like this one so much lol

Time to start buying straps!

For leather I highly recommend RIOS1931, a German brand... I think I've posted this before, but this place in Germany sells them for like half the price of other sites I've looked. Be sure to use their discount code NEWS10 to get 10% off, and email them to refund the VAT for another 19%. I'm not sure if that gator strap you're using now is real, but they have real ones.

Of course you can spend a lot more than $40ish for a crazy high quality leather strap, but the quality for price on these is very good.

For NATO I recommend Crown & Buckle premium for about $13. They have nice low profile loops but still give some nice NATO bulk. But the $7 ones on AliExpress are fine enough too actually. I've bought a couple from this store and they have been good, with fast(ish) shiping. You'll want to get a decent spring bar removal tool, although most AliExpress sellers will include one that will work fine. Be sure to remove the bars from underneath so you don't scratch the lugs!

Edit: Here's that leather strap in the jungle. I greyed out the stitching since I wasn't into the pure white. After like one day it conformed to my wrist perfectly, and it makes the giant watch extremely wearable.

A tour of the Hanhart factory in Germany


This is a must-see if you're a fan of Hanhart, pilot chronographs, or military watches in general. I time stamped it because the host is pretty obnoxious, but after the intro it's more about Hanhart and less about him.

I've never heard of Hanhart before, but that was really great to watch!

If I ever go back to Europe I will definitely have to consider throwing a few watch factory/museum tours into the mix since I've done a lot of the car ones already :)

I've brought them up before.. Their TwinDicator chrono is pretty much my 'attainable grail' as in if I am ever to spend that much on a watch, it'll be this one

https://i.imgur.com/o8MsRFD.png

They are most famous for the 417 ES, but I prefer the older design used here, with the asymmetrical pushers, cathedral hands, and subdials pushed all the way to the edge of the main dial. And I prefer a 30 minute dial over 60. Plus it's bigger, which I have a preference for.

Then you see the factory tour, and despite being a tiny brand, they're not just an 'order a case from China and drop in a Selita movement' kind of watch company, and it makes them that much more appealing. Of course it makes them much more expensive though lol.

Hey watch guys, I might be in Japan soon for a short trip... any suggestions for watch related places to go? I know there are some bomb-ass secondhand stores there for luxury watches.

I plan to go to the Seiko museum in Ginza. I wanted to go to the Grand Seiko factory way out in the boonies/mountainside but it's impossible to get a tour date there. Might still try to go just to see the location and factory store??? Depends on logistics I guess.

Anyone got any suggestions?

Nakano Broadway should have a bunch of vintage watch stores, among all the "everything you can imagine that is awesome" stores.

Watch collecting is serious business in Japan (remember the Rolex Bubbleback thing I posted a while ago, and that is where Panerai collecting all began in the 90's) so you will see some serious vintage watches there.

Speaking of serious vintage watches, I went to the Museum of Art for my bday and they had several pocketwatches on display at their "Canton Market" exhibit. These would be sold in the Canton (Guangzhou) market in the late 1800's, the only places where foreigners were allowed to be at the time... The decoration on these movements was anything but primitive

https://i.imgur.com/GtIaviP.png

They had an even older one from the 1600's, when they would only have an hour hand, since movements weren't accurate enough to bother with minutes at the time. It was really cool to see these in person.

Here's a better picture of a couple from watchmaker Juvet

https://i.imgur.com/nqDXpNn.png

Surprisingly these sell for like $2500 each at auction (well that listing was a long time ago, but still). There must be thousands of them out there

The brand still exists! It's a brand with a pretty interesting history, with connections to China going back almost 2 centuries

I already foresee 68style and Badhobz pulling out their pocket watches to check the time at the next Stock & Noob Meet. :accepted:

Ive been on the hunt for a CN railroad watch

https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/forums...71/m/681101442

Its not easy to find one that's actually worn / owned by a conductor. Since its a big part of my past, and really the jumping point in getting me where i am, it means a lot to me to find one that has heritage.

Trying to find this Longines RR280 from a conductor. Most of the guys currently who are still serving in the railroad dont have these collector watches anymore.

http://watchexpertise.com/?p=35

https://i.imgur.com/FO7nDIC.jpg

Got tit many many many year ago.

Nice Explorer, my favourite modern Rolex! POGGERS