u/SkipPperk

This is called macroeconomics, and you nailed it.

Pigs would start flying and the government would carpet the sidewalks and ban shoes.

What paints did you use, and where did you buy them?

Oh that is good!

It is not only Japanese. Patek Philippe’s silicon adventures along with many other materials science experiments have the same outcomes. This is why Geneva Seal and other groups push for traditional watchmaking. That way watchmakers can manufacture the part and keep a watch running. All the fancy alloys and other BS lead to the same situation.

I have studiously avoided them for decades. The 5r series was notoriously bad with outrageous servicing costs and six-month + waiting times for service.

It must be something more than this. Seiko can handle a stem, re-threading a stripped crown or re-making any part of the keyless works. There must be something else.

That said, I bet a watchmaker can do it for a price. I suspect that Seiko’s service center is under pressure with margins (or outright losses), and they often run on fixed pricing, so rejections are used strategically despite the terrible reputational damage. This is the kind of bad management that plaques Japan Inc.

Looks good.

It is just Spring Drive. I recently serviced a first-year Astron and they had no problem replacing half the watch. It is still disgusting though

I think the local Seiko would have been better. I have had great luck with Seiko’s North America service center in NEW Jersey.

Did they tell you what part(s) was the issue? If it was just the keyless works, a local watchmaker could probably make a replacement part. If it is the crown itself you can probably do some kind of duct tape solution with a local watchmaker.

If there is a Spring drive problem, then you might need a donor, which really, truly sucks.

Do paste this into every Seiko forum. No company should stop making replacement parts so soon. That is despicable.

I would also hit up local GS boutiques. They might have connections that you do not. Also, they can reach out to GS and apply pressure. It is bad for dealers to have situations such as this occur.

I love the Sumo. Miltat has a really nice bracelet for it. I have bought a few over the years. Also, Crafter Blue has really nice fitted rubber straps. I prefer those.

https://a.co/d/029apdX9

https://www.crafterblue.com/collections/rubber-dive-seiko-watch-straps/products/curved-end-rubber-strap-for-seiko-sumo-cb02#:\~:text=Add,-to%20cart

You should be able to buy links. Go back to the pawn shop and ask. If not, try a Seiko shop. This model is JDM, so you want to buy in Japan. Buying links will be easier than finding a new bracelet.

If you want a new bracelet, try AliExpress. They have the most.

Nice score

As a rule, you will get more for more money. Tag Heuer really sucks at the entry-level, but their glassbox chronographs are nice. You need to try one on to see.

Longines and Seiko offer greater value for money, especially grey market. Even at MSRP, Longines and Seiko offer better everything. When it comes to finishing, the differences will come out the longer you are exposed. Going up it does not seem like much, but after wearing one, going down is obvious.

That said, if your heart screams for a Tag Heuer, just buy it. I personally dislike everything but their Carrera line. Personally I would go Seiko or Longines. Longines is really killing it lately.

The biggest difference will be original design and branding. The rest wi take time to notice, but it is well worth it

Gold should either be short-term hedge (in case debt and equity prices decline at the same time), or ultra long-term. The former pretty much only applies to finance exec’s on the buy side. For the other 99% of us, you measure returns over decades, not months.

The price of gold languished for over twenty years before it started its long-term rise around twenty years ago. I will admit that I have not bought any gold above $4,000 per ounce, but that has more to do with my own personal medical expenses.

I personally buy a little at a time. I build positions slowly. You made a big bet, and if you hold it, it will work as a hedge, but I am assuming that you have at least $500k in other holdings. Gold is negative carry. It is also volatile. You do not want a large portion of your assets in such a position.

But it is a great uncorrelated asset for 10% or 15% of your liquid (non-real estate) assets. If you ever are forced to sell, take the loss. If not, invest in other asset classes going forward.

Now, if this is half your IRA and you need to retire next year, that is a different story. Otherwise, hold this as a unique asset that will stabilize others. Put future money in fixed income mutual funds or real estate stuff (REITs, mutual funds,…), and keep looking for these uncorrelated assets to offset the majority of your money that should be invested in US equities. So long as you are saving, you will be fine.

As for Dad, well, f_ck!

For equal money, a 2-channel preamp and power amp will destroy an AVR. That said, cheap second hand AVR’s abound. 2channel amps, not so much so.

I feel the cc exact n opposite way. I feel like an AVE can be setup well with the supplied mic by anyone, while a nice preamp and power amp will take skill and experience.

That Aventage gear is amazing, but I feel like a $5000 Yamaha power amp will sound amazing too.

Opals??? Or does it need to be a precious gem?

You can always buy a cheap PCIe to SATA card. I was at Microcenter and they had one for less than $20.

The expensive ones are PCIe to SAS. The nvme cards are not bad either. I think even the Liquid ones for 5-7 sticks are still pretty affordable.

Sets off the arm hair rather well.

You killed it. That NAD is still a quality receiver. I want to say that receiver was a $500 or $600 box back in the day, and a deal at that. Nice score.

Yes. It is so easy to test these things. Anyone not doing so is being dishonest, and it is always a good strategy to avoid such individuals.

My favorite are the listings where they exaggerate everything with close-ups of every minor scratch. The guy pointing out every flaw is the one you want to buy from.

Also, “do I really need this?”

FYI, for anyone looking for a good cheap amp/receiver:

https://ebay.io/m/1NRUo0

This is a $72, 48-watt Denon DRA-365R Receiver with a phono input and everything.

She ain’t pretty, but this is the kind of ugly but beautiful work horse that can change one’s life.

I hope I am not violating any rules, but I wish we all shared good deals on stuff we are not (will not, CANNOT!!!) going to buy. It would benefit us all, perhaps at the cost of some pathetic self-serving.