I'm afraid I haven't yet taken any pics, but here are descriptions of the main features and my impressions of a few homages that I own, hopefully it will assist those trying to make a decision:
1) IWI Marine Diver:
Pvd case, 44mm, handwound ETA Unitas 6497 movement, blued screws. Crown is thin but useable. Display back.Sapphire crystal with AR coating. Shiny black sandwich dial. Subdial is recessed into the mail dial, indices applied. Numbers and indices appear white in normal light, lume is green. Silver hands (but there is a "gold" option). Strap is attached with screw-bars; only one screwdriver is need to change straps. Stock strap ok, useable. I'm still using the strap. Buckle is medium-sized, attached with springbars. There is a optional PVD buckle as well but I just got the regular stainless-steel buckle. Ships in a generic watch-box.
Comments:
Construction is solid. Watch is accurate (non-scientific observation only. I did not measure). Power reserve approximately 40hrs +- 4. Lume is medium, lasts a few hours if you charge it for a few minutes (again, my apologies for the non-scientific observations. I did not measure the length of time the lume lasted). I've had this watch for over 2 years and it has served me well. The PVD coating is holding up nicely, as not worn off.
Weak points:
Crown guard lever thin, cast metal. Got loose and floppy after awhile, but this was easily rectified. No tubes included for the straps.
Buying experience (bear in mind your experience may vary, I'm just recounting mine):
Good. Called and talked to Ron directly and placed order verbally. Was friendly and helpful. Watch arrived by UPS (yeah, I didn't know better at that time).
2) DSN 47mm brushed case Marina Militare destro:
Solid unmarked back. ETA Unitas 6497 movement (I requested this specifically). Accurately keeps time. Power reserve about 46 hrs. Crown is thinnest of the lot. Lume is ok, the best out of all the watches compared here. Grayish black matt sandwich dial. "Gold" hands. Letters and numbers larger than other two. Letters and indices appear off-white in normal light, lume is green. Sapphire crystal, AR coated. Strap is attached via screw-bars, two screwdrivers needed to change straps. Tubes are not included. Buckle also attached with screw-bars.
Comments:
There are weak points (see below), but overall a solid, substantial -feeling watch.
Weak point:
Crown guard. Screws were too short, and the holes stripped easily. I had the case re-tapped and the crown-guard re-fitted. CG lever was loose, but I easily fixed it with a new, more substantial pin. Lever was cast, light. Stock strap was ok, but I replaced this immediately with a strap from DON.
Buying experience:
Ok. Communication was by email. Replies were terse or some questions were not directly answered, but I took a chance. Payment was by bank transfer. Watch arrived in about 1 week from Hong Kong via EMS.
3) Helenarou 47mm brushed case Marina Militare destro:
Somewhat shiny dial (not as shiny as the Marine Diver but more so than DSN- aopologies for no pics). Numbers and minute subdial are slightly smaller than DSN. Display back. Acrylic crystal, no AR. Crown-guard was nicely fitted and substantial, best out of all the watches discussed in this post (lever, though also cast, was ok and fit tightly). Nice and thick crown. Movement is Chinese 6497 clone, with the "swan-neck" regulator, blued screws. However, I had the movement replaced with an ETA Unitas 6497, so I can't really comment on the Chinese movement. Strap attached via screw-bars. Tubes are included. Only one screwdriver is needed to change straps.
Weak point:
Strap was poor, discarded immediately.
Buying experience:
Good. Nice communication. Fast shipping from Hong Kong via EMS, 1 week to my location in Canada.
4) Eddie-fudge "RXW". 47mm brushed case Marina Militare.
Solid back with RXW markings. Acrylic crystal. Matt black to dark-grey sandwich dial. Nice thick crown. "Gold" hands. Lume is poor, but lume on hands is average. Numbers poor. Numbers and minute subdial smaller than DSN. Seller states that the movement is ETA Unitas 6497 but haven't opened the case to check yet. It just arrived today and I don't have a case-opener. Or maybe I just don't want to know. Time-keeping has been accurate so far. Don't yet know about the power-reserve, of course. Crown-guard is ok, nicer than DSN but not as nice as Helenarou. Strep attached via screw-bar. Only one screwdriver needed. Tubes included.
Weak points:
Lever was loose. Again, this is an easy fix. Strap was poor, discarded immediately.
Buying experience:
Good. Friendly communication, shipping via EMS. Arrived within 1 week from UK.
Overall comments and impressions:
To date, I'm happy with all the watches, and wear them daily. Overall the construction is pretty good (bearing in mind that these are not high-end watches). The main weak point in all is the crown-guard lever. Again, for the price, it would be unreasonable to expect a machined solid lever. However, this point does not detract me from my enjoyment of these watches. The loose lever is an easy fix. I just replace them with a thicker steel pin. On ones that the tubes were included, nice touch.
If you buy these watches keeping in mind the limitations and the minor mods needed, you won't be disappointed. These watches are best enjoyed for what they are: nice, inexpensive homage pieces. The 6497 is a nice basic and reliable movement and I love it.
In terms of selling price from most to least expensive: IWI, DSN, Eddie-Fudge, Helenarou. Mods- hope this is ok, no specific prices mentioned.
Again, my apologies for the non-precise measures, and bear in mind that I have absolutely no experience with a real 44mm or 47mm Pam, so I can't comment on similarities or differences. I probably missed a whole lot of stuff, but hopefully this will provide some insight.
happy homaging!
wem








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. Time-keeping has been accurate so far. Don't yet know about the power-reserve, of course. Crown-guard is ok, nicer than DSN but not as nice as Helenarou. Strep attached via screw-bar. Only one screwdriver needed. Tubes included.
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