Replicas --> Frankens --> Gens

[lukeeesteve]

As I put on my flame retardant suit and bare my soul.

This madness all started 3 years ago when someone got me a fake panerai as a gift...the journey has been not so long, but very windy as I learned that there is nothing like understanding how a mechanical watch works, and even more importantly, the subtle differences in a watch profile, and size and how they wear on a wrist. As I wondered through the virtual world of watch fora and got to see both extremes of opinions of gens and replicas, you learn, you form an opinion, you evolve and evolve and evolve.

3 years ago, a rep was fine, then you learn the heritage and history and everything that makes a brand a brand.
2 years ago, a modern day gen was on the radar but I never found the watch that was my grail. All this time I tried different size watches from 35mm to 47mm and ebbed and flowed through different ranges.
1 year ago, I discovered vintage watches (pre 1970s). Between the rich history, age patina and hidden stories each stories each piece carried my interests grew and am ready to take my first bug step. I currently own some old enicars and Angelus, but am ready to take a plunge into a vintage rolex.

My goal here is
- to learn more about vintage pieces, mainly the 5508, 6202 and 6536.....basically a not GMT sub with no crown guard.
- to build a reputation within the forum so that when the time comes, and If my potential purchase is with a fellow member, that the person will be at ease with transacting with me.
- to purchase my grail, something to use, keep and pass down to my kids.

I look forward to learning, your honest opinions (painful or not), and eventually being a productive contributor to the forum.