Dave-
Sounds like you've got a very cool project going- I also have ordered a few custom modded Davidsens and am having some one-off straps made. It seems we share similar taste in the panerai repros.
I also own two gen Panerais- a 001 and a 104. I bought the 001 dirt cheap just before Pams got super hot. I could double my money selling it now- Bought the 104 from the AD and it too is worth more today then when I bought it.
In fact I found this community by searching for "Pam 001" and it linked me to 3 dozen "replica" rip-off sites and RWI.
I think those who criticized your auction were correct in their assesment that you were being dishonest in your listing, dishonest in the way you represented the whole thing to this community. It's like getting caught shoplifting, and stating "But I was going to pay for it- honest!"
Regardless- Caveat Emptor- and whoever emailed the guy on ebay- frankly it's none of our business OTHER than within this community. If you want to sell it for $6K- That's your business too.
So that's really the issue- This is NOT Paneristi.com- it's a REPLICA site. To all of a sudden start judging everyone here as if they're fakers and cheapskates for owning replicas is just idiotic. In my few months here I only know of ONE person who has laid out the "My cock is bigger than yours" nonsense. There are plenty of guys here who own more than a couple of very expensive gens, and purchasing copies of current production, name brand watches is just a fun hobby. Lots of us Panerai fans are buying watch tools and starting the mod process ourselves- yes of current production models.
It's so hard not to come on here and throw shit in your face- Pictures of my cars, my home, my bank statement for chrissakes- because by assuming that the folks here buying these replicas are broke-ass losers, you do a disservice to yourself.
Yes you've made it clear that it is WE who are the scumbags- us counterfeiters, us forgers, us smugglers, and you- The war hero- who are in the right.
Simply put- go away. Hang out at Panersiti.com with the penis-envy crowd. Brag about your watches, your car, your wine collection, your cockpit whatever.
But don't come here and insult the good folks who blow off a little steam after ahard day's work importing these very hard to get replicas.
I am neither a counterfeiter- since I do not make these, nor a smuggler, since I do not fill out the customs paperwork, not a faker- since I've NEVER told anyone my watch was a gen when it wasn't. It is NOT illegal to buy these for your own usage. It is most definitely a civil infraction to infringe upon the intellectual property of a corporation that has filed for protection. So be it. i think they're fun, and I own enough gens to know a quality piece from a piece of shit- and some of these are indeed quality pieces, purchased for very short money.
Your taste in watches is great- and I'm sure we could even collaborate on watch projects that would be cool- But there's just NO point in being this defensive about something that was so clearly wrong even YOU admitted so much- by not accepting the high bidders $6k bid.
