ebzen02 341 Posted January 20, 2011 It is a very sad story that is developing as I write. One of my favorite and admired Homage Vintage builders is being casted as a sham! His builds were admired and reveared by many. They were the epitome of Vintage Panerai. They exuded an unsurpassed passion for the brand and it's heritage. They built some of the most intricate and reshaped like "Gods". No one else came close. But, lately they are being exposed as shams! What a shame! Some of their builds are supposedly held up by Elmers glue Their movements full of peanut butter and jelly (not literally, but they are gooey).. VDB Exposed Please share your story of VDB vintage glory or shame here.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KBH 7 Posted January 20, 2011 Oh, the humanity! (Damn. Wrist-check won't let me in since I'm not a member) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebzen02 341 Posted January 20, 2011 Join.. it only takes 30 seconds.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg_r 81 Posted January 20, 2011 Yes, a completely ridiculous state of affairs. I've always thought that VDB was vastly over-priced and even more vastly over-rated, but I had at least assumed that the watches were competently built. How wrong I was! That thing sold for $1k! As it stands it's worth rather less than the cost of the parts imho. I expect he will start screaming "copyright" over those photos now. JohnG can do better than that in his sleep - with one hand tied behind his back, blindfold and with his head stuck in a bucket! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KBH 7 Posted January 20, 2011 Join.. it only takes 30 seconds.. Four watch forums is already too many. I'd just end up wasting more time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baldrick 1 Posted January 20, 2011 That's not bad news, THIS is bad news By TLex FAVRE-LEUBA have gone into administration; this is the sad news that I learnt earlier today regarding the Swiss brand who in 2003 began working on a new collection to re-launch the Favre-Leuba name and who in 2008 celebrated their 290th year of watch making with the introduction of the BATHY V.2 mechanical depth gauge. To be honest I have pretty much known this was the case for the last few months, but it was actually confirmed to me today during a telephone conversation with Martin Wepfer of Mathys Schmid Partner in Basel, now administrators for Favre Leuba. Mr. Wepfer told me that all the company’s activities have been frozen. So what of the BATHY V.2 and the BATHY Chrono Triple Timezone? There might well be an interested party / parties, who would buy the brand and its assets; this was gleaned from the same conversation with Mr. Wepfer. Hope then that this wonderful brand and their divers may once again be resurrected. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
solkryssare 109 Posted January 20, 2011 Not surprised at all actually. They once offered to sell a VDB built 5513 to me. Amongst other things it was advertised to have a gen bracelet. Well I was lucky enough to know that another member had bought the watch and returned it before me. So I pm'ed the member and asked why he didnt keep it, and I was told that the watch was crap and absolutely did not have any gen parts. I confronted VDB with this and right away he confessed to the bracalet perhaps not being gen. But the 700 euro price was still in effect. I respectfully declined. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brightlight 0 Posted January 20, 2011 But isn't VDB the ground on which Limp Wrist Check was built? I well remember Joewatch telling us amateurs that our efforts were not worth being pictured in the RG Vintage Section against the beauty of the VDB creations. I may well not stop laughing Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
solkryssare 109 Posted January 20, 2011 I well remember Joewatch telling us amateurs that our efforts were not worth being pictured in the RG Vintage Section against the beauty of the VDB creations. No that was just yours and Johng's Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebzen02 341 Posted January 20, 2011 Holy Crap! What a scam! This might be as juicy as the Repgeek Julio issue! Might rename this to VDB Goes To Shit! Flushing Down The Sticky Diarrhea! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebzen02 341 Posted January 20, 2011 We need our investigative reporter.. Where is Johng?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg_r 81 Posted January 20, 2011 Holy Crap! What a scam! This might be as juicy as the Repgeek Julio issue! Might rename this to VDB Goes To Shit! Flushing Down The Sticky Diarrhea! LOL! I was having the same thought!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prestigewatchco 2 Posted January 20, 2011 Notice how Joe the slime watch raffled one of these VDB heirlooms only days before the story broke! Wonder being in control of W-C he had any info prior to the raffle Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebzen02 341 Posted January 20, 2011 +1 This whole thing sticks of sconey ass! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baldrick 1 Posted January 20, 2011 Hmmm, pigs ear>>>>>Hermes silk purse......nuh uh Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg_r 81 Posted January 20, 2011 Hmmm, pigs ear>>>>>Hermes silk purse......nuh uh hmm, more pigs ear >>>> pig's arse... :Yawn: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dingle 57 Posted January 20, 2011 +1 This whole thing sticks of sconey ass! hmmmmmmmmm....to close to smell you are....:Yawn: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baldrick 1 Posted January 20, 2011 Wrong again Greg, my bad, a typo, it was a pig's arse to start with ( as are most of them ) B) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg_r 81 Posted January 20, 2011 B) You have a point. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prestigewatchco 2 Posted January 20, 2011 Couldn't have happened to a nicer crowd of people though ! All of a sudden their $5k vintage fakes are worth $100 which is basically the true value to begin with. For fuck sake paying all that money for a watch with a $5 travel clock movement Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebzen02 341 Posted January 20, 2011 Couldn't have happened to a nicer crowd of people though ! All of a sudden their $5k vintage fakes are worth $100 which is basically the true value to begin with. For fuck sake paying all that money for a watch with a $5 travel clock movement Some folks have paid 5 figures for these.. Paying that type of $$ for reps is just retarded! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brightlight 0 Posted January 20, 2011 I'm still laughing as I creep towards the magic 2000 posts B) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prestigewatchco 2 Posted January 20, 2011 I have to admit to smiling as well BL after all the fucking elitist nonesense on RG . Turns out theirs were a bigger pile of crap than the ones they were saying didn't qualify Only thing I can't understand though is were they so far up themselves that they never thought to look in detail at a fake they had $5K+ invested in Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebzen02 341 Posted January 20, 2011 After all It is kinda redemptive that a lot of these "elistist" drank the Kool Aide.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebzen02 341 Posted January 20, 2011 OP by Jhilly8982.. Bought it from another WC member for $1000 VDB 4-Loser I am generally very patient and good willed towards members, modders and parts makers in the vintage world but today, my patience has run thin. I purchased a VDB 4-Liner from a member for close to $1,000. I do not hold any blame on said member because the watch looked and ran perfect and up until today there were no issues. Well this morning I went to put it on, stem is loose, I have no idea what the problem is, watch is still running and telling time. I get home this afternoon and open up the caseback. I unscrew the CG, which like all DSN cases the screws are practically stripped and come off in a couple turns. I wonder, what is holding the CG on? Well there is glue residue on the case as you can see in the pics. At this point the crown falls off because the stem broke off in the movement. I then go to remove the caseback. There is a thin plastic movement holder that is broken off, half hanging in the movement. I pull that out and LITERALLY, the watch falls apart, I am talking seconds hand falls off, dial is spinning around the CP because nothing is holding it on. Keep in mind I did not drop it or anything, heck I barely even wore it outside. I remove the hands, only to find more glue residue, paint, resin and who knows what else stained on the movement. So, what is the point of this thread, I don’t know. I do not seek restitution, I do not blame the member that sold me the watch, but I do blame the maker of this watch, for taking $400 worth of parts and selling it to our community for over $1000. Maybe BigCrown was right about VDB. My watch was literally held together by glue. If I recall correctly, BigCrown was called out by VDB for destroying art. I agree with VDB that his watch is a piece of art, but art only, not meant to be worn but only looked at and never touched. I am sure Bigcrown didn’t intentionally part out a VDB watch, but was left with a bunch of parts not nearly worth individually what was paid for as a watch. I must also say that I feel we have far better and affordable modders on this site. For the record, I can put together a watch better than VDB and if I sell it, I am not going to charge more than what it is worth in parts. So my next step is to decide what to do with these parts, I will probably put them back together correctly with a couple mods, properly redrill the stripped CG screw holes, maybe do something simple like attach the dial with double sided tape and not elmers glue. If I do decide to sell the watch, I sure as hell won’t be charging $1000 and I advise members of this board to strongly consider before you purchase anything from VDB in the future. Just for fun, lets run down the parts cost. DSN case $180 add $100 for the reshape work. custom caseback $100, Ross dial, $100. Asian 6497 $35. Hands $30 at most. WHAT A JOKE. Learned my lesson, hopefully others will listen Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
