Ronin

Anyone else sick of the Hype machine? It’s a combo of Instagram/ Social Media and Influencers. Viral Marketing for the FOMO crowd. 
 

Influencers and Instagram have ruined the watch industry for genuine WIS’s who just want buy watches and enjoy them. 
 

If we could take influencers and Silicon Valley/Wall Street/Crypto Bro’s and send them on a one way ride to the Moon or Mars, I would buy that commemorative MoonSwatch. 😝 

On 3/28/2022 at 9:59 AM, automatico said:

 

Q3...Why would a 'dedicated, highly skilled forger' not just buy the best replica case they could get and detail it to match an OEM case using serial numbers from a damaged original case?

A3...They have most likely been doing it for years.  

 

Exactly.  And for the icing on the cake take said case, give it one or two “polishings” consistent with servicing and I think you are more than in the clear. 
 

There comes a time when aftermarket parts are simply a necessity. Personally, I think there needs to be more encouragement and acceptance ‘with disclosure’ amongst Rolex purists. Live and let live. With openly sold ETA(or other) conversion kits when that 1030/1530 eventually dies. And vice versa.  Water damaged dial, no sweat, here’s a redial. 
 

Just be open and honest about it. It’s just a watch. Don’t shun a guy for using a replacement case, bezel, etc. 

I would to see someone post on TRF or VRF an otherwise Genuine Rolex with B&P but powered by ETA because the 1030 died in 1985! 😝. They’d probably be banned. 

Spam

I assume you’re talking about a 114060, VSF does not do a 124060 yet. Otherwise, VSF is about as good as it gets. 

CF’s have a fatal flaw. The crystal gasket they use is a real milky white. It’s a dead giveaway when you see the milky ring/halo around the crystal that the CF is a rep. It can be corrected with a better crystal gasket or genuine gasket I believe.

GMFs  are nice and even higher quality than most. My issue with GMF is the fatter lugs that are more like a Submariner 114/116 case lug. Real GMTs have a slightly thinner profile. Noob actually gets that part right.

Yeah you pretty much have to use friends and family transactions these days if it’s going to be over 600 bucks. Good luck proving you lost money on a Paul Newman Daytona replica you built. 😂

Some additional advice from an old timer. I’ve done a dozen or so deals with Andrew/Trusty. I’ve always gotten the product.
 

However, as it is with this hobby, do not expect the actual watch to be a mechanical marvel. Nearly everything I have purchased in the last two years has had some major mechanical flaw. This is not unique to any one dealer. QC is a joke. I would say one in five reps will arrive at your door, need nothing, and operate trouble free for more than a year. You basically need to be an amateur watch maker/repairer, or know someone who can service or fix the gremlins in these replicas.  NOOB, ARF, an BP have terrible insides. 

Do not expect much added inspection, in regards to something QC related. Asking Trusty to double check bezel alignment will usually be met with “it’s the angle of the photo”. I discovered a majority of QC photos are taken at the factory and not by Trusty so he / his staff is not even in a position to “put hands on” your QC item. That’s the other thing, I am sure he has staff, and based on a couple of exchanges you might be dealing with an underlying at times.
 

Barring any major issues, you pretty much have to accept what arrives at your doorstep.  Fix the issues locally. Just the nature of the beast. Low expectations are your friend. 🙂

@freddy333 looks like all the brake cleaner is non-chlorinated these days. Would you still recommend that?

I think given it's condition you are spot on.  I was buying these for $800 in great condition 8 years ago.

Put it on eBay.  If it isn't gen, the VRF watchdogs will flag it.

Hmm, hard to say, but I don't like the clasp that looks like it is plated and the plating is coming off-- or that is some gnarly dead skin/dirt. 🤭  I always assumed the WHOLE bracelet was stainless steel which would delaminate like that.  INOX ins Steelinox means Stainless, or so I thought.

Also, that 'damage' on the inside of the bracelet seems odd, almost like it was artificially aged.

I have had a gen and rep of this side by side, and the Rep also has a slightly wider clasp.  Can't tell from the photos.  The Gen clasp is actually thinner gauge and a hair longer.

On 1/8/2022 at 10:58 AM, automatico said:

Have a 34mm 1002 with 1560 and Yuki 'explorer' dial/ST hands. 

Is it a Genuine or a Frankenstein? 

I would say Frankenstein because of the Yuki dial vs an actual Rolex/Singer/Beyler OE dial.

Now, if you put in a genuine 1016 Dial it is a "Swap Job" Genuine. 

(Seriously, can we NOT use Genenstein, it antithetical... 😉  - If you Porsche 911 Wheels on a Porsche Boxster its not a Genenstein-- you swapped parts.  If you put a Ferrari body on a Pontiac Fierro its a Frankenstein)

Also, I feel like normal service parts an independent might use like; hands & OE 'spec' Plexi crystals ~sort of get a pass~ if they are made for a 15xx movement-- aftermarket hands should not be a factor IMHO.

Actually, more of a side profile thing. Was the 1575 a bit thicker than the 31xx movement. 

As mentioned above. A “Swap Job” is a Genenstein (dumb word) at the end of the day.

Because Rolex doesn’t publish/track numbers. If you end up with a complete/correct 1680, 16610, etc., with all genuine parts it IS GENUINE. No need for the stein. If the 1575 came out of a DateJust and now powers a Submariner it’s all the same. Rolex never differentiated why should we. 
 

If a 160x becomes a 1016, then it’s a swap job. Again assuming all genuine parts but some mismatched component like the mid case. 
 

And to recap, a Frankenstein is a mix of genuine and aftermarket/replica parts. 
 

Thats how I see it. However, Rolex purists will probably refer to a Frankenstein as anything different from the way it left the Rolex factory. Don’t get me started on Rolex purest. 😉 

Good stuff, thanks for sharing @kaosjc16

I was poking around my TD's site, and I am blown away by all the factories these days.

Does anyone keep track of the who's who and a given factories specialty? 

The only real indicator I see on a TD site that speaks to quality is price.  I.e. EWF Sub = cheap, VSF Sub = expensive.  (I have a VSF and it is amazing).

Ideally there would be a brand to factory reference:

-For Patek use XXX Factory

-For Omega use YYY Factory

-For Rolex use ZZZ Factory

I'd be willing to collaborate on such an endevor. 

The question used to be "Who has the best Sub" when I often find myself asking "Which Factory makes the best __________".

Any insights?

That looks like damage to me.

Don't forget about the term "Swap Job" coined by "The Rolex Report" decades ago.  (i.e. putting an Explorer dial into a 1601 case, swapping out the Cyclops and fluted bezel and ending up with a 1016)...  I think this covers @matzemedia above.

I think in these forums a Frankenstein is ultimately a mix of Gen/Rep/Aftermarket parts to end up with a just-as-good reference model.  Either Rep w/Gen Rolex Movement, or Gen Everything except the Movement...

Can anyone else confirm the 1680 case was a bit thicker than the 16610?  Not including crystal height.  Just raw mid-case... I picked up a genuine 16610 and it looks like it has slimmer sides than my 1680 case.  The 1680 feels more substantial than the 16610.

Thanks.

Could it have been the other "R" look alike?  'Roamer' was advertised heavily in Asian markets during that time period.  They even used a green backdrop back then IIRC.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UCDzNydz3IA/UluQNXTO0sI/AAAAAAAAULY/NV4bZcHC4F0/w1200-h630-p-nu/20131014_092458.jpg

That is NOT Rolex, it says Roamer....

Yes!  The worst is when you have to remove the bracelet to get the stuck bits out of the end links.  Also, you know it’s bad when you need magnification and #2 tweezers. 😆 

Also, the Loctite on the bracelet screws is getting ridiculous too.

Japan for sure. Grand Seiko grows their own. Citizen EcoDrive Quartz are probably the best all around and eats Swiss Rhonda for breakfast. Even Casio is rock solid. 

Late to the party here. I am a Rolex guy, with 5 Gens and a Franken.
 

However, that Brodinkee video is $hit in my opinion. Pandering? It may take a year to design and tool up for a new model, but not a year to make 1 Rolex. 

I’ve had brand new Rolex’s come with calendar issues and dirt on the dial. TRF is full of comments of misaligned bezels, etc. A buddy just got a new Explorer 36 that was running -9 slow. I’ve had Rolex’s come back from RSC with 2.0ms beat error and +12.  
 

Don’t get me wrong, Rolex are good/great watches but this “brand mystique” BS I find comical.
 

I think Brodinkee’s influencer status has jumped the shark, and their target audiences has shifted to Millennials with money, and pushing their agenda and products. (Forgive the rant)
 

The Mercedes analogy is spot on!

Walker

I might have actually grabbed the last one to repair a stretched out side of a 9315. Worked well.
 

The clasp and end links these come with are total junk. Bin’d those. 
 

Thanks to my small wrists the removal of the links was a snap and the “push pins” are obscured in the clasp. 
 

I literally am using half of it on the 12’ o clock side of my 1675. (Top)

Gen links on the 6 o clock side (bottom) with Gen clasp, Gen 280 end links.  The color and size is a perfect.