Leverage 0 Posted December 23, 2016 (edited) Hello fellow reppers, With the RWI PAM super bible down, I figure I'd set up this thread for new reppers to have a more digestible reference. I've struggled to find anything like this in particular, so I'm hoping this is helpful for people getting into this scene. I'll try to keep this updated as I get input from the experts (e.g., ALE, Mysterio, etc.) and as new models roll out! Backstory: I got interested in reps from an engineering and design perspective, and it was catalyzed by a college buddy. He's a PAM nut, whereas I'm closer to Rolex's. We're meeting up in February for a college reunion, and we're both picking up reps for each other as gifts with the goal of testing each other. When looking into reps, generally I found a lot of discrete assessments for each individual model, and that makes a lot of sense for people who have gotten into the game and are looking to build out their collection specifically. However, for a guy like me to generally thinks 90%+ of all Rolex's and Panerai's look great, the priority is to get a rep that's as gen feeling as possible so (a) you're excited to wear it and (b) so you can start to appreciate what the real deal really is like. It's fascinating how close these factories get with their super reps in terms of construction and design, and I'm hoping to capture that spirit in this thread. Objective: Keep updated a list of the top 5 - 10 (relative across the board) most gen feeling PAM super reps. Note, the reality is this biases certain watch designs. For example, closed back watches will likely be more super gen than ones where you can see the internal mechanics. Watches with the most basic designs will have an edge. The hope is over time, as the factories continue to innovate, more intricate design watches break into this list. I think I've seen this with IWC chronos and a few other brands which have some incredible replicas. Similarly, this may give an edge to versions that are factory + mod, and consequently may incline towards the higher cost side of the spectrum. The PAM candidates: Disclaimer: preliminary list from my reading of ALE, Mysterio's thoughts, and digging through rep review pictures vs. gens; will assess from my rep vs. gen comparisons once I receive them; I'm not an expert so look forward to input from the community Last update: 12/23/2016 at 5:38 EST. Will link to the PAM super guide and relevant reviews as compelling and factual comparisons / assessments are posted. PAM 285 - KW-V6Fac PAM 005 - Noob Factory PAM 571 - PAM 571 KW-V6Fac P-series w / P.9000 decorated A7750 Inverted KP9000-V2 PAM 176 - P-Series Titanium Luminor Base - Noob Factory PAM 508 - P-KW -V6Fac Ceramic Closing thoughts: Hopefully this thread will lower the barrier for potential reppers to get into the game. As the noob 101 threads note, reps will never truly get 1:1 to the real deal in terms of aesthetic, feel, presence, precision, and functionality. However, hopefully the candidates above serve as a way to get "value"--a rep that feels like 90% of the original at <10% of the price! Edited December 23, 2016 by Leverage Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
