R_Squared

Sorry for the late reply. Just had a chance to drop by the AD yesterday to check out the exact gen Santos XL in SS mode. The numerals on the dial are definitely slightly raised and glossy black like in the rep and no lume other than on the hands. But the dial color on the rep is definitely off. The rep dial has a creamy light peachy grainy color and the gen dial is bright silver with a satin finished consistent with the gen description of a silver opaline dial. So those that said it was white or off-white or white with pearlescent color were wrong! In certain lighting will look like its white but its not.

Unreg - thanks. I am trying to drop by the AD tomorrow to check out the gen Santos XL they have on display. Will report back on what I see on the gen dial vs this one.

If you can check when you get home, that would be great. I am getting lots of conflicting reports from members as to what it should be. I will drop by my AD this week to check out the gen Santos 100XL dial/lume indices/numerals and see if it matches yours or what I think it should be. Hopefully it does matches the dial/lume indices/numerals on your rep Santos.

Hey unreg - is the dial indices/numerals raised and glossy? Or is it more flat and matt black? How would you describe the dial color? The gen is made from silver opaline with some luminescent property.

Me as well. SEL fitment issues are big and visible flaws IMO. You can either choose to ignore it or live with it and pretend it doesn't exist. Well, I don't. If its there I will try to address it but never ignore it. That is a very nice rep skyland. Had one before but I sold it last year b/c I wasn't wearing it. SEL fitments on reps is hit & miss. Because the rep factories rejects much less flawed parts for costs reasons, there are much more variability compared to gen parts. This will in turn push down manufacturing costs but the quality will be much lower. That means what you get is actually a luck of the draw ... Another reason why I chose to rebuild/enhance many of the reps I get.

I hear you by-tor. Reps are reps, some are great but most are just not up to par with the gens and hence the huge price disparity. I have owned many of the WM9 subs from V1 to V2 but not the V3. Same goes for the noobmariners, TWB's, old cartel and MBK/MBW/Euromariners V1 - V4. Some flaws I can live with especially the imperceptibles ones but not the glaring ones from my viewpoint. I am not an overly picky rep collector, but I do have high expectations for my reps given that I have/owned many many high end gens. What I focus on are flaws that can be seen with the unaided eye on the wrist from a foot away. If I can still see it while on your wrist, then its no go for me. I have done exactly the same thing like your WM9 v2 with a v1 bracelet - love it. Same tight fitting SEL's that I do not see/get on a WM9 V3. And that bugs the heck out of me. If I can that SEL fitment on the WM9 V3, I will be estatic as that is about as gen as the WM9 subs are going to get. I won't even be bothered with gen inserts, dial, crystal or hands as the WM9 components are good enough. Coupled with BK's good mods on it (clarks crystal & gen-like crown), you have a super rep sub that even the less experienced AD staff will find it hard to identify.

If we didn't have to deal with the WM9 bracelets and just use a nato strap, I bet it would look great.

I have been a rolex fan for ages. Started this obsession long ago when my dad gifted me an old style two tone rolex datejust which he got when he landed his first decent job. Please don't get me wrong though. I think you have a very decent franken sub. I have been looking for a nice rep rolex sub for a long time (to tinker with and experiment on but not to wear it as I have enough gen rolexes). I thought I found it in the WM9 subs until I saw the SEL's. And it has bothered me ever since. The best SEL fitment I have ever achieved with a rolex rep was via the older MBW/WM9 V1 cases. I still have the LV version but sold the MBW/WM9 V1 black sub. The old MBW cased rolex reps also had very good SEL fitment but suffers from other flaws that MBW/WM9 V1 cases didn't have.

Sorry but I have to disagree. I have a gen sub myself (plus a couple others that I have sold) and that OEM bracelet do not sit right in the lugs. You can still see the gaps. Not as bad as the ones I have seen on a couple of WM9's I have had in the past, but I was hoping for better.

Thanks slick. Just saw the post from watcher here -> but the WM9 case is a V2. The OEM SEL still didn't sit right within the lugs of the WM9 V2 case. There is still a small visible gap, which I am hoping does not show in the V3 case.

As the title says, does it fit without any mods or issues? I haven't modded a rolex rep for ages and was wondering if anybody has experience with this. Any help is appreciated.

Its really not that difficult to do to make those small adjustments on the standard 249 dial to rework it into the vintage cali version. The basic dial design will remain the same as the modern 249 dial. Now, lets carry on our conversation on reworking the 249 dial into the vintage cali dial, shall we?

The vintage dial for the silix 3646 cases also needs to be smaller in diameter at 36.85mm to 37mm otherwise the dial you're making won't fit. I believe the 3646 cases that NW is using is very similar specs to the new generation silix 3646 cases, so the resized dial should also work on NW's new 3646 cases but I will let NW confirm that. The standard 249 cali dial is larger. Can you make this change as well in addition to removing the "L" from "L Swiss Made L" & leaving the indices unlumed (but in plain white for ease of reluming). On the indices, the unlumed areas needs to be slightly recessed like the gen vintage cali's I have seen.

Thanks for the update kruzer and ... waiting very patiently .

I'll be down for a few (min 3 plain version + 1 top version).

CONUS - 5 sets as discussed via email ...

Well done kruzer. Haven't been looking at this thread for a while now, but it seems you are making very good progress. Looking forward to hear back from you on next steps as I would like to order 2 pre-V cases for sure.

Looks great Paul. Please put me down for one!

My 219I just made another round ... enjoy it for me tanya ... gonna miss it for sure ...

Awesome! I will be down for at least a few sets. Please put me down for a few on this list.

I'm in as well. When does the ordering starts?

If the franken fiddy only had gen dial, hands and mvt, then $5800 is wayyy too much. It better be a super souped up franken fiddy for it to cost that much.

Nice to see your fiddy making its way here as well. I hope you are wearing it now.

Agree on your observation. That's why I am still deciding between the two dials. Its tough as neither were that great compared to the gen dial. Most people I spoke to would prefer the cartel ultimate dial (more accurate overall) vs some for the DSN dial because of the sub-dial coloring. The AR on my ultimate crystal is not a concern as its very subtle and hardly any blue tint.

I am really starting to like the DSN 088 dial. Looks much better with the correct sub-dial silver color. I think I will just go with DSN rather than ultimate dial. After the relume should look great.