Breitling "Chronomat Evolution"

Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Spacemaster X-Lume Watch
This is the star new Ball watches of the year in my opinion. This timepiece is a smooth evolution of the Hydrocarbon watch design. It combines so much of what I like about Ball watches and presents it in a nicely refined package that I certainly feel has the quality of a new classic for the brand. No doubt there will be spin-offs on this design for a while to come. I recently discussed some Ball watches that I like when I was visiting with Ball in Las Vegas here. Enough of you commented positively that I realized I was not alone in appreciating this brand. Which means that I think enough of you will agree with me on this watch.The new watch is the Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Spacemaster X-Lume. Think of it as the astronaut-themed version of the Hydrocarbon watch. Most watches of this caliber really don't need and special enhancements to be good for use is space, but some new branding won't hurt. The watch uses a Swiss automatic ETA caliber 2836-2 movement that has the time, day, and date

Go big or go home...
please post your largest wristwatch...Here I have a Panerai Egiziano along side the Zenith Montre d'A¨¦ronef Type 20. Case sizes are 60 mm and 57.5 respectively...(nothing under 38mm please Dennis )Cheers,Rob

Here's a poser for you folks
I have noticed a recent substantial increase in the number of automatic chronograph watches with Valjoux 7750 movements being offered by non-Swiss contract production companies like Invicta and SWI. I have been given to understand that Eta produces a limited number of 7750 movements per year. Most are quickly cased up for Swatch brands like Tissot, Hamilton, and Omega and for other approved Swiss brands like Victorinox. So where are all these other 7750 Valjoux movements coming from? I think we should explore this a bit.

Factoid of the Day - 7-26-08
From the NY Times:After 9 Months Adrift at Sea, Survivors Tell Their Stories By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr.SAN BLAS, Mexico, Aug. 25 ¡ª Three fishermen who survived months adrift at sea in a 29-foot boat returned home on Friday to Mexico, where some greeted them as folk heroes, some hailed them as a testament to the power of faith and others cast a skeptical eye on their epic story of seamanship and survival.The three thin but healthy-looking men stepped off a plane from Los Angeles in Mexico City on Friday morning and spoke to reporters before taking flights to their hometowns in three coastal states. They faced a barrage of questions about the veracity of their story and, when asked, said they would take a lie-detector test to prove it.The three surviving men sang ballads, danced, pretended to play guitar and read aloud to each other from the Bible as they drifted for months, they said. Little things took on tremendous importance. They kept track of time with Mr. Rend¨®n¡¯s wristwatch. ¡°This

How to value purchase with aftermarket dial & bezel?
Hi all,I know some of you will not agree with buying a watch with an aftermarket dial and bezel, but I like the look of this, so am considering. It's a 18039 with an aftermarket dial and bezel. To the best of my knowledge, it's otherwise original. I know that I will not be able to send it to Rolex for service, but I have a jeweler I like and it's a 35-year old watch, so I'm not sure that I care that much. I am, however, trying to decide what I should pay as compared to the going rate for 18039s.Can you give me an idea of what I should take off of the value for the parts difference, versus an all-factory of the same model without the special bezel and dial? Or is it more or less a wash on something this old?