Beyond Rolex!

I am not into the whole customization of watches. I feel it detracts from the main intent of purity the watch is trying to convey. As you all know by now, Jacob the Jeweler, Anything home shopping network or just plain and simply adding diamonds to a watch makes me wanna sharpen a knife if I had one! Seriously though any brand modified without the blessing or consent of the brand needs serious help just like any granny tranny walking down Melrose Avenue.

In this particular instance I feel the contrary. Look, If I could have on watch as a divers watch it would be the Sixtees Rolex Submariner in stainless steel worn by Sean Connery,because lets face it people that’s what legends are made of. At the same time we all want what we can’t have. So there is a company called PRO HUNTER, they are not affiliated or sanctioned by Rolex in any way, but they have answered my prayers. Hell Yes! They have cleverly been able to come up with a solution to give Rolex collectors that throwback to vintage while keeping in tact the Icon that is Rolex by using the highest grades of finishing to modify Rolex Professional models with modern day technology.

This is a British based company which started the process in 2007, and clearly understands the wants and needs of the Rolex Collector. The cool thing is they are not whoring themselves out. The pieces being made include the Stainless Steel Daytona, Sea Dweller 4000, GMT Master 11 and for 2009 a limited edition of 100 pieces Deep Sea is on it’s way. Each model is limited to 100 pieces for the world. The watch comes with the manufactured Rolex Warranty which is absolutely useless in terms of sending it in for a servicing, but at least you know it’s real and besides Pro Hunter offers their own two year warranty in addition, which covers the case, dial and movement which is actually a whole lot better than any fine watch manufacturer today.

What makes this watch special? Well the high grade modification process includes enhancing the dials to have red writing or double red writing on all brand new Rolex Professional Models, paying homage to the vintage Rolex professional watches from that era. There is also a pvd coating to the case, making it much more utilitarian, giving it that ultimate hunter look. Don’t worry the process is a reversible, so keep you wig on! As the lugs are fixed the watches are equipped with a nylon strap which come in a variety of different colors and thickness upon request.

Still not convinced this watch modification is for you, well on the Dec 12Th Antiquorum auction in NYC, The Rolex Pro Hunter Sea Dweller achieved a record breaking $30,000 (Original Retail Price USD $16,000.00), which shut me right the hell up immediately! In the words of Pro Hunter “Pro Hunter is to Rolex, As AMG is To Mercedes Benz. Finally, a company that has balls to mess with a legendary giant, that is Rolex way Beyond!

All pics courtesy of http://www.prohunter.com

THANK YOU!

I want to take this time to thank all my Johnny Flyback Fans. I know this sounds like a frigging Miss America speech, but thank you all for believing in my cause and giving me the support and strength everyday to write completely objectively with passion and honesty on a subject that can be quite boring and stale. I need all of you to tell your friends, who may not know about watches and want to learn, to come on and “Rock on and Flyback” with the Johnny Flyback Revolution, and be a part of something cool and different without any pretences and change the way we look at watches today!

Thank You!

Johnny Flyback

The Real Source For Panerai

OK People, So I get a lot of emails with regards to where the best place to get info on Panerai is. If you are a Panerai Fan like me, then for almost 9 years you have relied on www. Paneristi.com as the unofficial Panerai authority on what’s going on with the brand with regards to technical questions, model numbers, pictures and a variety of other useful information. However, I am here to tell you, that In my opinion, their public forums have become a stomping ground for overgrown frat boys to profess there love for each other. It’s really sad. I mean the content, of what they have achieved over the years with educating the public is amazing and really commendable, but their public forums are the most intellectually devoid pieces of banter ever written in my opinion. These people on the forums clearly have no lives, and unless you are in bed so to speak with the moderators, you can forget it! You are judged, criticized and ridiculed for having an opinion which is the whole point of having a public forum.

Gone are the days of Guy Verbiste, who was the founder of the site back in 2000. He had a vision, which he clearly executed through his site and members through his passion, love and respect for the brand, which in my opinion has gone to hell and been turned upside down with regards to the public forum in the last few years, since the site has been taken over. Unless your accepted or part of the community, I feel there is no place for you on there, almost like a high school clique.

You want to have great conversations and put your mind to ease? Then, I highly recommend you go to www. Panerai.com or talk to Chad at the Beverly Hills Panerai boutique before you go onto this really condescending public forum for a conversation on the brand. You will be treated with dignity and respect, and you won’t feel like wanker for stating your opinion or asking questions.

Rock On And Flyback!

Californication!

I don’t know what it is, but everytime I watch the movie Ferris Buellers Day Off, it reminds me of when I was ten years old in the eighties, and because life was so much more simple then, the movie just gets better and better as you watch it repeatedly. I am not sure if it’s because of the principle Edward Rooney, who makes me laugh as he gets his ass chewed out throughout the whole film, or because it features the only Ferrari I have truly ever loved. Ah yes, the Ferrari California, not to be mistaken by any other Ferrari ever made. The antithesis of a true roadster at it’s finest. I mean to be totally honest, Today A Ferrari automobile is nothing more than a symbol compensating for a guy having a really small knob. The true definition of craftsmanship, exclusivity and passion gets lost by the wanker driving the car. Sad really, until now. The rebirth of the legendary Ferrari California has graced us all in a way that preserves that original vintage feel, but keeps in mind the technology and engineering available today.

Now, I know a lot of you out there as Panerai and watch collectors, have been jaded by the whole Ferrari watch engineered by Panerai, but I urge you to take a look at the new watch dedicated to the legendary car that is California. Just when you think that the Panerai Ferrari watches are dead and are about to be buried, Panerai pulls one of the greatest comebacks by releasing a limited edition California Flyback Chronograph watch for Ferrari,limited to 400 pieces for the world. This watch is heart, body and soul, just like the car, and the timing couldn’t have been better. As much as this car is a daily driving Ferrari, this is a daily wearing Ferrari timepiece engineered by Panerai. The cushion shape watch case measures 45 mm in diameter, and is stamped out of stainless steel, has a black satin finished dial with a dual register chronograph with red accents paying homage to the gauges in the cockpit of the car.

The Icon California is written in script above the 6 o’clock position to make no mistake about the spirit of Ferrari California. So all the detail just like the car is underneath the hood or in the case, can be viewed through the sapphire caseback where self winding rotor is engraved with the infamous iconic Ferrari Prancing Horse Logo. In a pinch, don’t worry! The Ferrari California is not just aesthetically pleasing front and back, but also ensures quality, durability and water resistance to 100 meters with the assistance of the screw down crown and the extra rubber strap provided for comfort for everyday situations.

Just when you think you need to have the car to buy the watch to match, YOU ARE WRONG! You can actually own a piece of the true spirit of the car with this incredibly cool time piece for the price of a Ferrari tune up and experience the passion that is Californication!

pic courtesy of http://www.panerai.com

A Stainless Steel Fighter Pilot

Being the ultimate fan and wearer of the legendary IWC Big Pilot in stainless steel, I got to admit, besides the watch being available in a ceramic case, fingers crossed, I really don’t know how it could get any better. Let’s just say I creamed my shorts when I stumbled across the most amazing discovery of the new Stainless Steel Limited Edition Big Pilot Markus Buhler edition of 12 pieces made for the world. This watch has really toyed with my emotions. I absolutely love it! It is, yes indeed, a ‘Rock Star’ for the ages. To commit to timeless history, and incorporate modern elements of design without messing with the aesthetic icon is virtually impossible these days, but I must say Mr Buhler has executed the unthinkable, flawlessly.

So just who is Markus Buhler? well he ain’t some long lost cousin of Ferris Buller, that’s for damn sure. He is a master craftsman with passion, integrity and an eye for the art of design and a true visionary not afraid to challenge the mechanical elements of watchmaking. At just 28 years old, Markus has turned an already remarkable icon into an even bigger icon bearing his name combined with his own unique artistry, which serves not only visually but technically for practical purposes. What started as a competition in 2003 when Markus was a young apprentice at IWC, he and 63 of his fellow contestants were asked to take a Unitas manual wind pocket watch movement and reveal the mainspring as cleverly and creatively as possible. Well, the result was that Mr Buhler was able to adapt the movement by using a miniature turbine used in a passenger aircraft instead of the traditional spring barrel which provided the drive of the watches heart beat. His quest for problem solving and incorporating a solution that was not only practical, but completely in line with the history of the watch won him first prize in the competition, and needless to say became the catalyst behind the very exclusive limited edition, IWC Marcus Buhler Big Pilot watch today. Thinking of picking one up? You can forget it! You probably having a better chance of chilling with Hugh Heffener at the Playboy mansion over the weekend. This holy grail will only be available at Swiss Boutiques, and lets face it with a limited run of only 12 pieces for the world you can bet your ass, that this watch is all pre-sold, even if the price is near $20,000.

Hats off to IWC. This is such a smart move for the brand, to use their talent, who are highly skilled and trained in combing modernity and heritage, should be an inspiration for all other watch companies to follow for the future to ensure success and originality. What is the watch made of? Well, it combines all the great elements of the Big Pilot. The use of the original dial was key in this project, because lets face it the newer dial is the bastard step child that people settle for because they can’t get the original one. However, some changes were made to the dial for this Award wining timepiece. Subtle hints, such as adding the numbers two, three, and four were very well carried out because it provides more symmetry for the dial as the numbers five, six and seven have been taken away because of the room needed for the turbine which serves as the seconds hand of the watch. The case is a stainless steel 46.2 mm case, the movement is a hand wound 64900 calibre, 46 hour power reserve, anti reflective coated convex sapphire crystal and water resistant to 30 bars. The beauty of this unlike the original Big Pilot, even though I am not the biggest fan of sapphire see through casebacks on watches like this, it features the hand wound movement in all its glory with the turbine at the forefront for you viewing pleasure. To cap it all off, it is rounded out with a mat black croco strap, with best stainless steel deployment buckle in the business, for that true stealthy pilot look.

So, I urge all you imitators out there to stop! and let the masters IWC, carry out the tradition of what they are best at, making the best, most recognizable Pilots watches in the world today, and stepping it up a notch by involving their future apprentices like Markus Buhler make history with this Stainless Steel Fighter Pilot.

pics courtesy of http://www.iwc.com