bklm1234

CN sub is Chinese submariner, means not a TWB/MBW. In my context, it's not even a noobmariner. The VIPmariner is a good example of a CN sub. They are cheap subs that usually people pick up in Asian for $20, 30, 40. -bk

Introduction This GMT II is the incorrect hand stack version. With its brother, the correct hand stack version being out of production, it is the best GMT II rep currently available, IMHO. The dial markings, date font, date mag, date window position, rehaut depth and thickness, crystal height and beveling, case, bracelet are most accurate. It's no surprise because it comes from the same factory as the noobmariner. This factory makes some of the best rollie reps including YM, Explorer II, GMT II correct hand stack and incorrect hand stack, and of course the noobmariner. The Weaknesses This watch has a few flaws, all of them fixable: - wrong crown. It's a little oversized and has the wrong shape. But the teeth definition is excellent. I'm not going to change it. I'll leave it to the eventual owner (By-Tor) to take care of it if he wants to. - wrong CG shape, I'll trim the inside. That's all is needed. There's no need to reshape the outside - the bezel insert has the wrong font and colors for pepsi and red/black. By-Tor already bought the inserts. I will provide the mod instruction here. - the bezel teeth are OK. But I like to see longer and sharper teeth. I'll replace the stock bezel with one from a cn sub. The side-effect is the bezel can be easily popped off by hand. You can change the bezel insert easily. I call it the "Transformer GMT". It's like having 2 or 3 GMT II in one watch. What you give up is the clicking when you turn the bezel. The Process The watch before modding: Removing the bezel. This is the scariest part. Masking-tape the bezel and the case to protect them from getting scratched Pry a utility razor between the bezel and the case. Be really slow and careful. It is basically a noobmariner bezel and case. Many know how hard it is to pop the bezel. I almost lost a finger trying one time. We want to separate the bezel from the case a little at a time. Finally I got the bezel out, couldn't help bending it though. In the process I used a flat head screw driver to help pry the bezel off once I got a good gap from the razor blade. Use some wooden stick to cushion the prying so you don't scratch the case. Reshaping the CGs. Prepare to remove the tube. First take out the tube gasket before sticking the rat's tail file in Remove the tube with a rat's tail file File the inside of the CGs with a flat needle file Basically done. Cyclop wasn't level with date window. Popped the crystal, re-aligned and re-installed the crystal. Now the cyclop is level with the date window. Prep'ping the replacement bezel. Compare the stock bezel with cn sub bezel. The stock bezel has shorter and pointier teeth. Look at the longer and sharper teeth on the cn sub bezel. The gear teeth on the bottom have to go File them off with a large flat file Gear teeth gone Get a replacement insert from JeweleryOut for $10 + $5 shipping. Mill off the ridge on the back like this Don't mill off too much otherwise the insert can't snap in to the bezel and you have to glue it. Mill this much and that's enough and it will snap in and fit perfectly To fit the bezel on, bend the retaining wire to a pentagon. Make the wire look like this from the side. It helps to pull the bezel close to the case Fit the bezel on without the insert. Check if there's any gap between the case and the bezel. If yes, file the bottom of the bezel some more. Ladies and Gentlemen, the transformer "GMT II" Pepsi insert on Switching bezel. Just pop the bezel off by hand. Red/Black insert on Bracelet back on, showtime. I'm happy how it turned out. I had a lot of fun and some scare in the process. I hope you enjoy this post. -bk

almost perfect, high crown position, correct rehaut. BUT "Yacht-Master" still not bold enough. Seems like the noob YM's dial. The worst is the bezel. The teeth are way too short. No Rolex feel. -bk

my current collection: MBW (old case) 16610 LV chs GMT II chs EXP II MBW 1665 GW Asian YM Asian black noob Asian 112h Scuderia FER00008 ETA UPO a very special version of EVO (don't have time to take pics yet) Asian Navitimer with 3-6-9 sub dials Asian Navitimer with 6-9-12 sub dials IWC GST Ti 6497 skeleton ETA Franck Muller Casablanca ETA DSN 44mm base dial (changing the dial to make it a 112h and redoing the AR) getting B&R 093 - always love B&R but didn't want one without date. The right one came. DSN 176h MBW 1680 white ETA SFSO -bk

Josh's noobmariner (called the beginmariner which has a Asian 28,800 bph movt) is known to have bold date font. You should double-check with Josh or any dealers to make sure you're not getting that. I haven't seen TTK's having the bold font and he assured that now, excellent. -bk

Originally got it for someone else but he actually wants a LV. Stupid me. When it came, it looked great except the datewheel overlay had super-bold dates. no problem, swapped in one with thinner dates (normal noobmariner datewheel overlay). Voila. I feel I rediscovered the noobmariner. The noobmariner has been known for having the best dial and bracelet. Besides, it has the best rehaut thickness which is very important to me. Many subs have so little thickness they feel bald to me. Everybody knows the rehaut isn't deep enough. It's really not that bad given it's so strong in so many departments. The CGs are very decent. I'm not even gonna mod them. The crown is oversized but the teeth definition is as good as gen's. This one happens to have very sharp teeth which are not to be taken for granted. The teeth vary from one watch to the next. I'm keeping this one and wearing it as is. The simple answer to "who has the best sub" is ask your favorite dealer for a noobmariner. TTK, Josh, Andrew, Paul, Eddie Lee, River, Narikaa, TWP, etc. Mine has good teeth definition, not always the case. Pearl is zit-like but at least it's round. At a distance it's actually acceptable. mine has really nice recessed insert, not always the case, again. -bk

Yes. Noombariners have that serial. Ruby's tt sub is a noobmariner so is watchmaker9's and so is the other George's (the obscured George, the "who is George?" George) MBW tt. -bk

exactly same as Ruby's $259 tt sub http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showtopic=24970 -bk

@baglc1: tell me if the serial number is F520117. thx. -bk

watchmaker9's VIP's Submariner 16613 2005 F-Serial $689.99 (not $649) is just a noobmariner TT. There's supposed to be a 1:1 under the offering 'Pre-Order 2007 Z-Serial Submariner 16613' with a Pre-Order price of $625 <= nobody has seen that yet. I bet you got the VIP's Submariner 16613. Hate to say it: even $499 is too much for the watch. -bk

Phantom, you have a lot to learn, young padawan. You think the GMT is a fake, tell me which dealer carries it. -bk

the gmt is a gen, the tt is a fake. still no guarantee he will send you the gmt in the picture. be careful. -bk

ExpertRolexFan already blew the whistle. Be fun to see the reaction. Are you ExpertRolexFan, Pug? -bk

exactly pug, it's not even a question. it just shows that outside of this community not that many people can spot the flaws. I hope the guy is one of us. Poor sucker otherwise. Now you think one of us should make a post there "it's a fake" so the guy will go back to his jeweler in canal street and ask for his money back? -bk

check this thread on watchuseek: http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=81980 the first post (by fatario) -bk

@pug, i love you put george bush's face in klink's -bk

where's the watch? lucky you, laz -bk

i'm in for one. thx. new edit: sorry have to cancel. -bk

the stock insert came with a dent right above the pearl. it's very noticeable to me. i would have otherwise. -bk

I never tried. How should it come off? By prying a razor between the bezel and case? There are screws on the side of the bezel. Are they what's holding the bezel? -bk

@DuDro: you're so right about just trying. this is the 3rd BCE I got from the same supplier who's in GuangZhou watch market I've been buying from. I gave one to my brother, sold one previously when I needed cash. This one is a bit different, not only the rider tabs look better, the chrono buttons are shorter (more like gen), the bracelet link segments are 5 pieces across as a unit so you don't have to put each piece in one by one. BUT, the crystal has no AR!! That's not a big problem now with this double-AR run. The stock AR isn't strong enough anyway. It's gonna be a stunning BCE. -bk

I'm going for the double-AR run at RWG. Nobody could tell me exactly how to pop the crystal off an EVO. I went ahead and tried. It's pretty easy. After you have the movement out of the case, 1. Remove the 15 and 60 minute markers off the bezel. You don't have to remove more markers than 2. 2. You now have enough clearance to pop the crystal. Pop the crystal with your fingers from the inside on the side of the crystal where the 2 markers were removed. I advise you to use a cloth to protect your thumbs from getting scraped. That's it. Easy huh. -bk

I can't find a definitive answer to this. If the pearl is close to gen, that'll be a bonus. If not and the insert is good, that's ok because I have a gen pearl. Pls help. Thx. - bk

absolutely a must-have rep, above and beyond mostly any other reps. -bk

I'm in for 2 (at least). Thanks for doing this, k222. -bk