u/JohnLocke1979

So, like others, my curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to see just how good (or bad) a rep I can get on AliExpress for under $40. I chose an AP Royal Oak Offshore purporting to look like the America’s Cup 44mm model. It is an automatic movement. I have had it on a Watchfinder for the last two days, and it is keeping accurate time. The rubber strap is extremely comfortable. Of course, it has none of the case finishing like my genuine AP Royal Oak “Volcano” 42mm, but that sucker runs around $18k. For a wee bit under $40 delivered, I’m pretty happy. I would not wear it out to dinner in a nice Manhattan steakhouse, but I’ll have no problem wearing it as a knock-around watch running errands at home in Connecticut.

I stumbled on this on eBay. Strap is after-market from some random AliExpress seller. I generally do not buy quartz watches, but this one I could not resist (it sports my college colors).

So, I find myself in London for June and July. I’m a Yank from Connecticut. I sorta figured on picking up a watch as a souvenir of the trip. Had nothing in particular in mind. I didn’t think it’d be a Blancpain, as I recently bought my grail: a 45mm Fifty Fathoms with the gorgeous blue guilloche dial.

I made sure to go watch-shopping while the wife and daughter were pre-occupied with the sales at Harrods. The plan worked. I wandered over to Watch Club at the Royal Arcade. Very small inventory, displayed entirely in the front windows. I saw THIS (new to me) and had to have it. Limited edition (1 of 500): Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Day-Date Desert Edition, 43mm. Decent price, especially relative to the very few of these that I found online.

I wish my fellow Yanks a phenomenal 250th tomorrow! Do yourselves a favor and READ the Declaration of Independence. It is probably the ballsiest political document ever written.

Not sure of the factory. Purchased from a dealer in India for a bit over $300.