Rolex Bubble Back Watches.

One word of warning. Do not purchase any Rolex Bubble Back watch.  These watches are useless if they are in poor condition.  If you are a collector, look for the ones that are in mint condition with the original box and papers.

The supply of parts for these watches have dried up.  The only parts available are crystals, mainsprings and gasket sets.


What Rolex Submariner Should I Buy?


The Rolex Submariner is arguably the most iconic sport/dive watch ever made. And after wearing this one for a week, I’d have to say it is one of the best looking and most comfortable watches I’ve worn. The dimensions are just right.

Rolex currently produces more than 800,000 mechanical watches a year. The Submariner represents the biggest percentage of that number. The first Submariner model went into production in 1953. It has been on the market for 60 years. That means there are a lot of Subs out there. Which one should you buy? For a Submariner, or really any Rolex, vintage is definitely the way to go.

James Lamdin of analog/shift — who was nice enough to let us borrow this beautiful Rolex Submariner 16800 for a week — said it best “A great way to appreciate this legendary model without being ‘just another guy’ with a new Submariner is to opt for a vintage piece over a new one. The collector marketplace is flush with great examples from the 1950s to 1980s, but not all vintage Submariners are ideal for daily usage, so be sure and choose carefully.”

This particular Submariner model, the Rolex reference 16800, was produced in the late ’70s/early ’80s and was the last matte dial Submariner made with a date function. Now, it’s one of the best vintage Rolex Submariners for the money.

This example has the original “Swiss-T <25” marked matte dial in excellent shape. The Rolex signed crown is original. Bezel is in good condition, and is original. The lume on the minute hand is cracked, but that is not a big issue (and although we don’t recommend it, if you really want it can be re-lumed by a watchmaker). The case is in 904L steel and measures 40 mm in diameter, and while there are a few little scratches and dings, relative to the year, it is in great condition.

Unlike many of the Submariners from this time period, this model does have a sapphire crystal, a feature that adds significant durability over plexiglass (although it should be noted that in this model plexiglass is more rare and is therefore worth more). If you want a daily wearer, the virtually maintenance free sapphire crystal is best anyways. Furthermore, it has the COSC certified chronometer movement (as designated on the dial), a feature not seen on all Submariners.

The Submariner 16800 introduced the caliber 3035 with quick set date. The 16800 was also the first Submariner to feature metal “surrounds” for the hour markers and the sapphire crystal (although some models did not receive this treatment, and are more rare). Finally, whereas previous Submariners were rated water-resistant to 660 feet, the 16800 was the first Sub to be rated down to 1000 feet. Caliber 3035 is a self-winding 27 jewel movement with a Breguet hairspring and free sprung balance.

If you want a Rolex Submariner, with a little bit a vintage style, without having to spend too much cash. This is an excellent choice.

Expect to pay about $4,000 or $6,000 for one of these in good condition (for rarer models, expect to pay a premium).

Ref. 16800

Consul Watches

http://montre24.com/brand/Consul/Consulwatch/

In 1900 François Huguenin founded the production of watches under the brand Consul in the Swiss town La - Chaux - de - Fonds, and in 1904 he began exporting products Consul in different directions and soon exports made up 40% of the total turnover of the brand. In 1926 his son Charles Virchaux entered in the company, and in 1934 the latter took the leadership of the company in his hands. In 1953 the company Consul won first prize from the Neuchatel Observatory for its famous chronograph, which was characterized by its accuracy.
In 1969 Consul together with the watch company Perregaux created a holding company, headed by Charles-Edouard Virchaux, grandson of François Huguenin. However, in 1979 the company Consul was acquired by Desco Group. After 17 years of being in this group, the company was bought by a watchmaker - enthusiast in 1998, whose goal was to continue legacy of watch making of the company Consul.
The brand has released various models of luxury men's and women's watches. In August 2009 the company introduced a model of a quartz watch Fuoca with blue, white and pink dials. The case is made of stainless steel, and the dial is covered with sapphire crystal. Strap is made of leather. Buy a watch of this model one can in the large jewelry and watch stores around the world.
This model was followed by no less remarkable model of men's quartz watch San Remo Gents. The case of this model is made of stainless steel. Silver dial is covered with sapphire crystal. Window of the date indicator is located at position “3 hours”. Water resistance is up to 100 feet.
In February 2011 the brand introduced a model of a quartz chronograph Ceramica Dream diamonds, which is presented in black and white versions. Case of the model is made of white ceramic and bezel, decorated with 54 diamonds, is made of stainless steel. The dial is covered with sapphire crystal. Window of the date indicator is located at position “4 hours”.
Today, the company Consul offers elegant watches at a reasonable price, which bear the imprint of watch making tradition and experience

USPS Cracks Down on Online-Generated Postage Dates.



USPS Cracks Down on Online-Generated Postage Dates

by jseaber on Jun.13, 2010, under Rants

Like other small business owners, I’ve learned to expect three things from the United States Postal Service:

  1. A 5-15 minute wait in line
  2. Useless tracking information, and a complete lack of help when packages do get lost (about 1 in every 500!)
  3. Incompetence of approximately half of all postal employees (figure worsens when handed international packages…)

Even customers know better than to expect tracking information for USPS First Class and Priority Mail packages—this luxury only comes from UPS, FedEx, etc. The USPS cannot afford to replace their practically useless Delivery Confirmation service with an actual tracking system. Nor do they have the resources to develop an API that would allow businesses to automate shipments (like UPS/FedEx). There’s a single reason I stick with the USPS: Unmatched prices. However, the USPS is in financial trouble (and has been for years). Given the Great Recession, combined with ever increasing competition from alternative shipping carriers, I’d hoped that the USPS would finally step into the 21st Century, technologically. This has not been the case.

Last Monday, I stepped into a local post office and handed 6 postage-paid, domestic packages to the postal clerk. She looked over each, then stated, “These 5 cannot be shipped. They have the wrong date.”

As usual, I’d used PayPal’s Multi-Order Shipping tool to print out orders on Sunday evening. ‘The date is no problem,’ I said confidently. ‘I’ve been doing this for three years. The date is meaningless, but if you insist, I can mark out Sunday’s date  and write in today’s date by hand.’ I picked up the pen on the counter and proceeded to change 6/6/10 to 6/7/10 on each of the rejected packages.

“Let me get the postmaster,” she replied.

The postmaster stepped up and had made up her mind before even looking at my packages. She handed me a clearly unofficial document which read:

“Accepting packages that have stale ship dates on them could affect our delivery scores. This information from usps.com explains the correct process. The same policy would be in place for other pcpostage labels such as paypal, stamps.com, endicia.com, etc.

…

You must mail your item on the date that you selected for your Click-N-Ship label; this is known as the Ship Date. An electronic record is generated on that date indicating that your mail piece has been mailed. Packages shipped with labels that have incorrect Ship Dates will be returned to the sender and will not be eligible for a refund. If you are unable to use the label, you should request a refund within ten (10) days of the printed label and create another label with the correct Ship Date.

Your online label can be used only as it has been printed, without any alterations. If you find an error in your label, print a new label with the correct information and request a refund. Any mail piece which has a manually altered online label will be returned.”

I argued for another minute before leaving. As I made my way out, the poor postal clerk quietly told me that it was a “new policy” of “cracking down on Click-N-Ship labels”. Technically, nothing had changed; USPS’s shipping requirements have always stated that packages must be shipped on the day for which they are printed. While PayPal’s Multi-Order shipping system allows selection of the “Mailing Date”, it is obvious that labels postmarked on Sunday cannot possibly be shipped until Monday. For the past three years, postal employees and postmasters have told me, assuredly, that this was not a problem. And it hadn’t been, until last week.

PayPal Multi-Order Shipping "Mailing Date" Selection

Proper Selection of Mailing Date (PayPal)

Outraged, I drove home and immediately Google’d the document. Nothing came up, so I called 1-800-ASK-USPS begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-ASK-USPS      end_of_the_skype_highlighting to get to the bottom of the issue. I was told that it was indeed a recent change, and that I was correct: USPS made NO ANNOUNCEMENT WHATSOEVER of their changed policy. Why not? Well, it isn’t a change—they are suddenly enforcing a rule that has always been in effect. The guy further stated, “I don’t like the change either, and they really should have made an announcement.”

The next day, I went to a different local post office. None of the clerks had seen the unofficial document (although they were aware of the new policy), so I asked to speak with their postmaster. This fellow was quite helpful; he furnished the following e-mail printout, dated April 28, 2010:

Internal USPS E-Mail, Subject: FW: Stale pcPostage dates

After a lengthy discussion with the postmaster, a self-described “postal nerd”, it was clear that the USPS is just trying to survive. They’re losing money, customers are displeased with Delivery Confirmation, and of course, USPS also gets blamed when some businesses print out labels several days before actually dropping them off. Thus, the USPS has decided to reject all packages with “stale ship dates” in effort to improve public opinion.

I have several problems with this:

  1. Up until April 28, 2010, the USPS didn’t care when I dropped off my packages. USPS should have made an official announcement. Factoring in labor, my business lost over $200 last week due to USPS’s failure to communicate. More disturbingly, my customers experienced a 1 day delay in shipping—we pride ourselves on same-day shipments.
  2. USPS knows that labels printed online are rarely shipped the day they are marked. Anyone who has checked the Delivery Confirmation number of a freshly prepared shipment has seen this blurb from usps.com’s tracking system:

    Label/Receipt Number: #### #### #### #### #### ##
    Status: Electronic Shipping Info Received

    The U.S. Postal Service was electronically notified by the shipper on June ##, 2010 to expect your package for mailing. This does not indicate receipt by the USPS or the actual mailing date. Delivery status information will be provided if / when available. No further information is available for this item

    This statement has served its job well enough for years. Does USPS really expect to increase customer satisfaction by suddenly refusing their packages?

  3. USPS is built upon the principle that postage is as good as currency. A 44 cent stamp is worth always 44 cents, regardless of the day or the year. Until recently, USPS had maintained this perspective for postage printed online: Labels printed for $2.09 on Sunday were perfectly valid no matter the calendar date. But this is apparently no longer true. On very rare occasion, traffic has prevented me from making my daily post office visit in time. When this happens, I’d toss the packages into the drop-box instead. Now, I can no longer use drop-boxes after hours! I must cancel and re-print the shipping labels, then explain to customers why they have just received a shipment cancellation and 2nd shipment notice. And my poor accountant! All in all, this could cost my small business thousands of dollars in labor.

     

  4. Historically, USPS’s instructions mandated that online labels be used “only as it has been printed, without any alterations” because the digital barcode tells the postal system where the package is headed. A computer will ignore handwritten address changes on a digital label. The computer does not care when the label was printed. It only cares where the package is going. Hence, the “Electronic Shipping Info Received” statement cited above. In other words, USPS has deceptively manipulated an old policy in attempt to combat financial losses. Way to go, USPS.

In conclusion, USPS has made another poor choice and will continue to lose money and business. If they really wished to improve customer satisfaction, they would take example from UPS and FedEx: Customers want fine, friendly service, and REAL tracking information. Then this whole issue would be a moot point, since it would be clear when a package was physically accepted by the post office. But alas, the USPS is a federal entity and is not bound to the same expectations as a capitalistic business…

Anyway, fellow users of PayPal.com/Stamps.com/Endicia.com/Click-N-Ship should be aware that USPS has begun looking at the printed date on internet shipping labels, so you better get it right.


    PayPal Finds Another Way To Screw eBay Sellers By Putting Your Payments On Hold.

    PayPal Payment Holds

    We're committed to providing you and your customers with a fast and secure payment service while keeping our prices competitive. To keep ourselves on track, we've established a Funds Availability Policy.

    We might be throwing some new words at you here, but we promise to explain them in full detail. As part of our Funds Availability Policy, "reserves" may apply to certain accounts. A reserve is a percentage of your payments that'll be released at a later date. A related term is "payment hold." A payment hold is a type of reserve in which 100% of the funds received are held for a specified amount of time.

    Payment hold - a longer definition

    A payment hold is an amount of money that belongs to you, set aside by PayPal, while we make sure that your customers are satisfied. The payments received are held temporarily as a pending balance in your account, and released after a given timeframe. The funds may be released early if PayPal determines that the transaction has been fulfilled and your customers are satisfied.

    Please note: Although not available for use, the funds are yours and will be reflected in your pending balance and eligible for money market dividends* for eligible accounts.

    Why does PayPal hold payments?

    Payment holds ensure that sellers have sufficient funds in their account if, for example, a customer files a dispute. This allows PayPal to provide a fast and secure payment service to you and your customers while keeping our prices competitive.

    We know this is a change in the way we do business with you and we hope you understand that, if your payment is held, you haven't done anything wrong. In deciding whether to hold payments, we review many factors including transaction activity, business type, and customer disputes.

    When do payment holds apply?

    Payment holds may be applied to some or all transactions in your account. Here are some common reasons for holding payments:

    • You have limited history or selling activity with eBay and PayPal
    • You have an eBay feedback score of less than 100 or received fewer than 20 Detailed Seller Ratings in the last 12 months, and do not have a record of good performance
    • If you have low Detailed Seller Ratings or other indication of below standard performance on eBay
    • You have a high rate of customer disputes, claims or chargebacks
    • You're selling in a high risk category or industry such as, but not limited to, tickets, travel, gift certificates, computers, consumer electronics, or cell phones
    • Your payment activity is inconsistent. For example, you have a spike in selling activity or you started selling in a new category without an established history in that category
    • The account information you have provided is incomplete or inaccurate

    If your payments are held, PayPal will provide you with notice specifying the terms. The terms may require that the amounts received into your account are held for a certain period of time. PayPal will re-evaluate your account periodically and contact you when we stop applying payment holds.

    If your payments are held, the funds will be shown as "pending" in your PayPal balance.

    When does PayPal release the payment?

    Payments will be held in a pending balance for a certain time period. For example, if you receive a $100 payment (after fees), the $100 will be held in a pending balance for the specified amount of time. After the hold is released, the money will be available for withdrawal.

    The money may be released sooner if:

    1. We can confirm that the item was delivered**
    2. Your buyer leaves positive feedback. (Applies only to eBay items.)

    To get access to this money more quickly, please process this order right away and communicate with your customers early and often.

    What can I do to avoid payment holds?

    Here are some things you can do:

    • Improve your DSR feedback rating
    • Avoid buyer disputes, claims, and chargebacks.
    • If you have a buyer dispute, resolve it quickly.
    • Process your orders right away and ship quickly using a service that provides tracking and delivery confirmation
    • Communicate early and often with your buyers
    • Make sure you confirm your address and phone numbers and keep them up to date
    • Verify your account and keep your financials up to date

    I'm a new seller. Will payments I receive be held?

    Not necessarily. If you're a new seller with PayPal, we may hold your payments until you establish a record of good selling performance.

    I'm a tenured PayPal seller. Will payments I receive be held?

    Not necessarily. If you don't have a record of good performance or have limited selling activity or other indication of potential performance problems, your payments may be held.

    Can held funds be used to pay for shipping?

    If you print labels and pay for shipping through PayPal or eBay, the cost of shipping will be released from your pending balance shortly after purchase. Printing labels on eBay and PayPal is free. You're charged only the cost of shipping.

    * For US customers, if you are enrolled in the PayPal Money Market Fund, you will earn interest on your held funds.

    **We can confirm delivery if you ship the item with UPS, USPS or FedEx and either use PayPal or eBay shipping labels or upload tracking information from the transaction details page. This applies to US domestic shipments only. Once the tracking number reflects the shipment is delivered, PayPal will review and may release the Hold after 3 days elapses. This provides enough time for the buyer to review the shipment and file a dispute if necessary


    Rolex 3035 Dial Refinishing With Diamonds Added.


    Rolex 3035 Dial Refinishing With Diamonds Added.

     
    This Rolex dial was damaged with rust.  The dial is from a 3035 movement that arrived at our shop for repair.  This dial originally did not have any diamonds and had the regular stick style markers.

    We replaced the stick markers with diamonds.


     
    This is the original rust damaged Rolex dial.

     

     

     
    Another view of the rust damaged dial with the original stick markers.

     

     

     
    This is the "New" refinished Rolex 3035 men's dial.

     

     

     
    Another view of the dial after the diamonds have been added.  Note the professional lettering as well as the Swiss Made markings at the bottom of the dial.

     

     

     
    Rolex Oyster Perpetual DateJust, Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified, Swiss Made.

     

     

     
    Note the date window on the dial as it looks now compared to how it looked in the first two pictures when it was filled with rust.

     

    Our professional dial refinishing service is very affordable as well as the addition of adding diamonds and other precious stones to existing Rolex dials.

     
    Call us Toll Free at 1-888-ROLEX-01