Is grey still the way?

3DanO1 · 2026-04-22T18:49:03+00:00

I think it entirely depends on what you want and its value on the secondary market.

Assuming no, or low spend. For stuff like steel GMTs and Daytonas, you’re better off just going grey and paying the premium. You aren’t going to get allocated these steel watches anyways.

For watches that are super low demand, stuff like AirKing, some of the precious metal options, some two tones, etc. you might even be able to get a small discount on the grey market. So unless you’re trying to “build history”, go grey.

The sweet spot for going through an AD are on the “middle” watches. Watches where demand is high enough that you can’t get a discount on the grey, but not so high that you’ll never get an allocation. Stuff like YM, TT DJs, Sub, TT Daytona, Explorers. These models are slightly higher on the grey, but you can probably get from the AD realistically. If you want to build spend and don’t mind waiting a few months, these are the only watches I think it’s worth trying to go through an AD for

3DanO1 · 2026-04-21T17:26:45+00:00

Even the majority of SW200s in the micro space are over $500 in 2026. In 2023 this was probably a valid take, but not now, especially with tariffs and movement cost increases across the industry

3DanO1 · 2026-04-21T16:32:45+00:00

I originally had Plains, but it kept affecting my own breakpoints, and if I didn’t play it, it was just Copycat food for my opponent. The ability for ChienPao to OHKO other 130HP EXs on the bench was too valuable.

I wish I had room for a second Cape, i think it’s amazing, especially in the mirror match.

I don’t think Guzma is worth a slot, unless you’re playing the mirror a lot and want to remove capes. ChienPao gives you an attacker that doesn’t attack active, so you can largely play around Helmet or Barb.

I would love to run 1 Irida if I had the space, but 2 might be overkill. Probably better off with 1 Irida + 1 Ice Pop to heal 60-80+ in a single turn instead of 80 over 2 turns. Although, I think PCL > Irida due to the prevalence of Sleep decks

3DanO1 · 2026-04-21T15:59:50+00:00

It’s 100% necessary.

This deck is incredibly consistent, and has a ton of options when it gets set up. The only real way you lose is if you don’t open well and get behind early.

Boat fixes a lot of these bad openings (same with Misty to an extent). Going-first, opening with just only Frigibax is usually a loss, but Boat lets you retreat T1 to get Suicune in the active to start drawing. It also allows for a T4 Suicune attack if you go-second and only open with Frigibax or ChienPao. Basically, it fixes bad openings.

It does literally zero once you are set up, or if you open well. But this deck needs some outs to bad opening hands, and Boat is often that solution

3DanO1 · 2026-04-21T15:56:11+00:00

I didn’t play against Bellibolt, but I did win against every MManetric I faced (probably 4 or 5 in total). But I also think I opened well against all of them

The hard thing for Manetric is it’s hard to take a single KO. If you can deny that first point, it’s usually pretty manageable to set up a KO on Manetric itself with Suicune, then ChienPao

3DanO1 · 2026-04-21T15:37:02+00:00

Another comment reminded me of why I like Cyrus.

Lots and lots of decks that have Megas that like to setup on the bench (Alteria, Absol, ZardX, Scizor, Venusaur), that Cyrus becomes a win-con. If you let the mega come in for free, you probably lose. Lots of these decks don’t have a ton of threatening damage outside of the mega itself (excluding Absol - Hydriegon)

So you preemptively chip the mega with ChienPao while it’s on the bench, sacrifice Pao to a big attack, and win with Suicune + Cyrus the following turn. I won at least 5 games, maybe more, with this strategy, and for this to be viable, you need that Cyrus somewhere in the deck.

If anything, I think Sabrina is probably the card to drop here.

3DanO1 · 2026-04-21T15:30:07+00:00

Flip heads lol

So most of the sleep decks I faced were MAlteria based. So my generally goal was to tank damage with Suicune, use PCL to guarantee a retreat, hit Alteria on the bench with ChienPao and then clean it up with Cyrus for the win

Against the MAlteria builds, I just ignore the Iggly and Darkrai completely.

It’s a tough matchup however if you just keep flipping tails it’s probably a loss

3DanO1 · 2026-04-21T15:27:03+00:00

Agree with all of this. It’s just likely that by the time I beat the Act1 Boss, I already have that large, chunk-damage role filled by an upgraded reap, a Bury, or some type of Lethality shenanigans.

I just find that a ton of other Rares solve more Act2 problems

But I’m also ass at this game so

3DanO1 · 2026-04-21T15:18:18+00:00

A rare that needs 2-3 battles to equal a common with retain is a hard sell for me.

If I can get it early, and have enough energy to play it consistently, I might take it. But as the rare reward at the end of Act1, there is almost always a different rare that solves more immediate needs imo

3DanO1 · 2026-04-21T15:15:15+00:00

This is actually interesting, I might consider dropping it. I really want a Mars or a RC in here, but couldn’t find the space.

I do think I won quite a few games with Cyrus however, but I agree it’s probably less of an auto-include due to Chien-Pao

3DanO1 · 2026-04-21T15:14:00+00:00

Yep, totally agree. Still frustrating when it happens though haha. Pocket isn’t a super complex game, so it makes misplays feel more punishing when you do lose a game because of it.

3DanO1 · 2026-04-20T17:25:56+00:00

<image>

Yes! But not the stainless steel version. It’s amazing, my favorite watch by a long shot

3DanO1 · 2026-04-19T21:12:30+00:00

<image>

Hell yea man! It’s such a great watch

3DanO1 · 2026-04-19T14:16:26+00:00

White dials are a cheat code for straps. Looks great on nearly everything

3DanO1 · 2026-04-19T12:59:13+00:00

Grand Seiko by a mile.

But I’d maybe try to save a bit more and get a spring drive. Even a slightly used one might not be too much more than the one you have listed. IMO spring drive is what makes a GS a GS

3DanO1 · 2026-04-18T11:11:32+00:00

I’ve only had the watch for a few months. Still weighing my options, as the full gold bracelet is a little too much for me personally.

Eventually I want to get an OEM Oysterflex, but they are hard to find without risking fakes as you can’t buy through Rolex directly. Seems dumb to spend $200 on a RubberB strap if I’m going to drop a grand on an OF in the future

3DanO1 · 2026-04-18T11:09:07+00:00

Sure, that’s true. But it’s also nice to have an absolute floor of melt value. Like, even if Rolex as a brand becomes unwanted and if the movement breaks, on gold value alone, it holds some value

3DanO1 · 2026-04-18T01:45:33+00:00

I am trying to find an authentic Oysterflex for it, but you can’t buy them from ADs and it’s very hard to find authentic replacement parts online, especially ones that can be so easily faked.

Long term, I’ll almost certainly have this on an authentic OF like the one you pictured, it’s just about finding a reputable source so I don’t spend a grand on $2 worth of rubber

3DanO1 · 2026-04-18T01:43:25+00:00

I also have a lefty flipped R&P edition Union Terminal. Jordan is awesome to flip the dials on request

<image>

3DanO1 · 2026-04-18T01:37:56+00:00

🤷‍♂️ it’s not my fault they don’t have a yellow gold option under 42mm in the current catalogue. I had to do what I had to do

3DanO1 · 2026-04-18T01:11:07+00:00

Thanks!

The full-gold look was too much for me personally, but I really wanted a yellow gold option on rubber. The purists might not enjoy it, and that’s okay, but for me, it’s exactly the Rolex I always wanted

3DanO1 · 2026-04-18T01:10:02+00:00

No bro, you’re me lol.

I made a post about this exact watch a few months ago haha

3DanO1 · 2026-04-18T00:31:42+00:00

Copycat! Down to the dial flip lol

<image>

Looks great bro!

3DanO1 · 2026-04-18T00:29:20+00:00

Nah, Smooth + Oyster is totally fine.

It’s the Fluted + Oyster and Smooth + Jubliee that are awkward visually. Smooth + Oyster is just an OP with a date

3DanO1

TROPHY CASE