Pam homage history

[Rotorua]

So, being interested in this history, I would like to offer to put all of that information together into an infographic, timeline, or some other sort of visual document for us to have. If nothing else, then to have a PDF that others can refer to. I'm not talking Ehlers & Wiegmann 1200 pages history though.

[Emilio]

VDB +

Does everyone know the story?

One poor guy paid top dollar to get a vintage Panerai rep from VDB (when they didn't make their "original" designs: mainly hornlug and 3646 reps) and when the watch was closely inspected he discovered the dial was "aged" using A1 BBQ sauce.

We have to remember that there were almost no other options for getting one of those vintage reps.

Nowadays people tend to forget about VDB's shady past and think it's a cool and unique brand.

[Emilio]

Some people say that the A1 sauce fiasco can't be blamed on VDB but on a third-party who thought using BBQ sauce was a good idea for ageing a watch and then blamed the company.


Old threads about this topic:

http://www.rwg.bz/board/index.php?showtopic=10857&st=0

http://www.wrist-check.com/showthread.p ... DB-4-Loser
(the first post is great but the final one really shows an absence of character)

Not sure if this thread had anything to do with those but seems like it was way ahead of its time:
http://www.repgeek.com/showthread.php?t=80325

[Emilio]

Then, Okabum (a Spanish maker who used to sell aftermarket vintage Panerai style parts) started a new homage era offering good replacement parts for the typical reps (Silix, etc)

Finally, Athaya started the production of cool finished parts too and the rest is history: Nightwatch (maker), Merlin (modder), Southy (great dials), Esdee (case sets), oyang (case sets), etc. More or less in that order.

[VanSong]

Wahahaha didn't realise BBQ sauce make a big deal in this hobby!

Will be delighted to know these histories of this great forum.

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[thelonedoc]

I think I may have accidentally aged one of my leather straps with A1 once in a steak fight accident.

That patina never did wash off...

[Sandwich]

VDB +

Does everyone know the story?

One poor guy paid top dollar to get a vintage Panerai rep from VDB (when they didn't make their "original" designs: mainly hornlug and 3646 reps) and when the watch was closely inspected he discovered the dial was "aged" using A1 BBQ sauce.

A1 steak sauce? What an amateur. The pros use Heinz 57, not that cheap stuff.

[Mellons]

Dont forget southy’s legendary dials and [mention]Nightwatch[/mention] , who has been pushing the boundary's of possible for many years

[Ciccio]

Damn guys, this thread is making me go down my own personal watch memory lane. I remember when I joined watchuseek the ‘best Panerai Homage’ thread was one of if not the most popular thread in the affordables forum. They had to restart the thread some 6-7 times because it kept ballooning so big from all the thousands of posts from people buying or asking about or just showing off their mainly Marina Militare homages. I didn’t see the appeal at first but when I finally caught the Panerai bug I caught it BAD, which led me here, where the REAL Homage artisans were hanging out. I remember fondly my first experiences here, and the kindness and help from members and vendors alike Blueradish, Athaya, Emilio, Tan, Ross, Pvirus and soooo many others.

I get the sense that the heyday of pam homages are behind us, but I think it’s a testament to what a strong community we have here that we’ve kept going strong even if our numbers are reduced, and I’m definitely encouraged by all the new blood the v2 of HF has attracted.


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[ronin991]

This thread made me do a serious trip down memory lane when I slid over to the newly made HF from repgeek all those years ago and made friends with the founder, the great Hixxy.

Before all the flood of cases that popped onto the market, there was basically only incorrect 6154 and 3646 cases from Silix and awful 6152/1 and maybe Egi cases from Jackson Tse that we spent 30 and 40 or even more hours hand filing and modding and just staring at in frustration to make it look as good as the original vintage pieces. Each person was adding their tiny particular personal flavor to their cases. Hands were hard to find. Dials were fought over. Plexis were impossible to find. I myself begged and pleaded and haggled with founder Hixxy for parts that I still have to this day. HFers were driving up prices like crazy outbidding each other on the bay locking in vintage 6497s and god knows what else. There were actually many swiss vintage 6497s back then to be had. Homemade spacers and rings were handmade and many crazy ideas thrown around to make things work and fit. There was much cursing and serious sweat to get a single watch done right.

If you were an HF regular at that period and making a few watches all at he same time like I was, you were seriously addicted and probably needed therapy. Girlfriends and wives were confused. The lawn never got mowed. Hours disappeared like minutes learning to take apart a movement or soldering a part on. But it was a glorious time. And we had amazing GTGs with very nice members sharing a common love of making these great watches. There was one Florida GTG I will always remember that was simply epic and fun. Tons of watches. Good times.

The flood of parts and services that came after was welcome and made for outstanding and absolutely incredible pieces. As it should be. But the beginning days were really nice.

Thanks to all the members and to Hixxy for the memories.


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