bklm1234

get one from Precious Time or Andrew, RobbieG got his from Precious Time. Read here: http://www.rwg.cc/members/Rolex-Gmt-Master-Ii-t19473.html. This model is the best looking incorrect hand stack GMT II you can get. Precious Time and Andrew seem to be the only 2 dealers you can get it from. King/Josh/Silix/Ruby/Paul/Angus/Sash all carry the same incorrect hand stack GMT II, which has an oversized date window that is too far right, an over mag'd cyclop, a very conical, deep rehaut (the rehaut on the gen is neither deep nor so conical).

-bm

I know nothing about YM's so here is the simple noob question. Who has the best rolesium mens YM? Oh and what are its faults.

Cheers to all you modern fans (I'm a vintage man myself - am looking on behalf of a friend).

Thanks one and all.

There are mainly 3 versions. Josh, Andrew, Paul, Ruby, Angus, Precious Time, Silix, Sash, Brand9Avenue, and King carry one version (let's call it version 1), EddieLee (ETA movement) and TTK (Asian movement) carry another (let's call it version 2). Version 3 is TW Best which I don't have enough information. Anyway it's expensive and too much work and money to make it perfect (2 or 3 times more money than Version 1 and 2). So let's just concentrate on Versions 1 and 2. Version 1 is from $180 to $250. It suffers from oversized date window which is also too far right, cyclop mag being too much, rehaut too conical. Note you can't see the 14, 15, 16 minute marker because the cyclop is so far right. Version 1:

The desirable version in my opinion is Version 2. EddieLee's is $250, TTK's probably ~$108. Note how nicely the date mag and window date look. You can still see the 14, 15, 16 minute markers when staring straight at it. It's still not perfect but only a slight issue - crystal seal too thick and therefore noticeable. To me it's a much lesser issue that those in Version 1. Version 2:

I hope more dealers switch to or also carry Version 2. EddieLee's $250 is bit high even for ETA movement. Belial2k used to sell ETA version for $180 but he went out of business. That's a good price.

-bm

I have EXP II white dial with the correct hand stack and the hour hand can set one-hour jump. I think the gen one, hour hand also jumps one hour at a time. I got it from local dealer who told me it is special modified and available in limited quantity. I dont' know what the movement model is since it is very hard to open the back of Rolex. It costs me US$300 2 years ago. That time I just started with the rep. I still keep it till now and love it very much and use it occationally. At the moment I am on Panerai most of the time. But for special occasion, this EXP II is on my wrist.

Yours still running OK after 2 years? Mine (2 months old) has the hour hand lagging already. Visually, it's a stunningly accurate rep. The correct hand stack movement (modified 2836-2) is a hit-or-miss. It's still worth buying esp buying it the cheapest you can, i.e. from Wo-mart, $183 after WU fee. The case, the bezel, the crystal height, the bracelet, the correct hand stack, the date font, date window, cyclop are perfect. The dial is good enough. The CGs need a little sanding and the crown needs to be replaced ($55 for a new gen and aftermarket tube). That's about all you need to do to make it visually perfect. When it breaks down, get another one and move the movement over. I'm getting a watchsmith in ShenZhen, China when I go back on vacation in April to see if the modified movement can be simplified to give more reliability. Getting rid of the one-hour jump mechanism may help.

- bm

Thanks for all these informations.

I am a regular customer of TW so, I will probably continue my quest and get a TW too...

Cheers

Stephane

Stephane,

TW Best is not TrustyWatchGuy (Andrew). It stands for Taiwan Best. People buy it to mod it to a near-perfect rep. It has deep and more correct rehaut, crystal, crystal seal, case, bezel. It has many flaws that need to be corrected. You're looking at US$500, 600 or more when done.

-bm

There're the 40mm steel/platinum, 40mm steel/18ct yellow gold, 35mm 18ct gold (from Rolex web site). There are more models. Yours tries to be a 40mm steel/platinum obviously. It's just not a good rep. Poor dial (bad print, small marker dots), small hands, cyclop too far right, small and pointy crown guards, hollow end links, wrong case back sticker (just peel it off).

-bm

Who is TW? What is your opinion of Josh's noob for 108.00? It has that 2813 running at 28. What is perception of that movement? Is it realiable?

search on rwi, somebody bought one. It's the same watch as Paul's so-called and the noobmariner except the movement. If it really runs at 28, it's more desirable than the noobmariner which runs at 21 (I think. Anyway lower BPH). The Asian movements are getting better and better. For $108, if it breaks down, just swap in another. It costs ~$20.

BTW, TW Best is a version of sub and other vintage subs. I think for starter or who don't intend to mod, get the noobmariner/beginmariner/nyphomariner (almost every dealer has a one), they are the same watch with variations in movements. You'll be sufficiently satisfied until you get more into this rep game.

-bm

It's good value for $149. It fails to capture the essense of the sub like a TW Best or MBW. I have owned the noobmariner (which is the same watch as yours except for the Asian movement), Josh's, a couple subs bought from China, and a TW Best. When I put on my TW Best, I finally could say this one really feels like it. The noobmariner/so-called feels like a different watch, serious. Why? The short and thin rehaut, the thick crystal seal, the thin crystal (looks like you sanded down the bezel insert or you got lucky that the insert sits a little recessed in the bezel, making the crystal look quite high), and the shorter and angled-down bezel teeth. These things have to be adequately right to creates the submariner feel, more so than the dial, the crown, and the crown guard. TW Best can achieve these elements very well. Here's my unfinished TW Best. I need to work on the bezel insert to make it more recessed and smooth out the CG U better. The bracelet needs to sit lower between the lugs. TW Best is a lot of work but it's worth it. It's only $100 more but needs many parts to be near perfect but at least it can be.

before mod:

unfinished mod:

Very good summary. I don't have many Rolexes on my "must have" list but the white ExpII is there. I also think the new replica version is visually excellent... and the only thing that prevents me from getting one are the movement issues you just described. The Zigmeister made a review of the movement & this modification and it appears to be problematic.

My old GMT rep (with ETA 2836-2 and wrong hand stack) has been bullet proof for almost 2 years now. Perhaps they could maintain the correct hand stack in ExpII and just drop the extra modification? I'd buy one immediately.

Joe (he modded my Explorer II and he has one himself) said the movement isn't like what The Zigmeister reviewed. It doesn't have the 2 awfully sheet metal holding the geers. I'll take some pics for everybody later. Had they just put the hour pin and gear in like they do for the GMT hand in the adjustable GMT hand movement, without the one-hour increment mechanism, it will be a simpler and more reliable mod. I have 2 modded 4 hand asian movements that haven't given me any trouble for a couple of years now. When I go to ShenZhen in April, I'm gonna have my favorite watchsmith there get rid of the extra mod in my correct hand stack movement. I really think that's doable.

-bm

What you said is correctable on the correct hand stack version. The crown on the rep actually sits too far from the bezel. You remove the crown and the crown tube, sand down the bottom of the U of the CGs so it's just a bit away from the bezel edge. Now sand the CGs' profile like the 2nd pic. You will create a new breakline, one that is closer to the bezel. With the U deeper, the crown sits closer to the bezel and the CGs are actually sticking out of the crown more. Now you sand down the CGs and they will have the exact width on the ends as the gen. I'm about to do this mod.

-bm

Mike,

Although it's an excellent rep, the things that bother me most about mine are the crown an the crown guards. The crown guards are too tall, and they don't have the correct profile. Here are a couple of reference pictures from Timezone, to show you what I mean (notice how the CGs stop at about the height of the crown bevel, making them appear to be wider, and less pointy. Also look at how the CGs are not symmetrical when viewed from the side, but actually "slope up" from the bottom of the case):

Profile:

These issues should be pretty easy to correct.

I also notice the the rep does not have the bevel on the edge of the lugs...this will be a bit harder to fix...

It looks to me the adjustable GMT hand version has the top of crown flush with the case while the correct hand stack version has its crown perfectly centered on the case when viewed from the side. I got correct hand stack version from Andrew too and in my opinion the best Rolex replica there is. Another thing is the metal around the pin hole of the GMT hand is too much. The correct hand stack version's movement however is giving me problem already after a couple of months of use. The hour hand has slowed by an hour. I reset it and let it run for a day. Same thing happened. I think the modification on 2836 tries to do too much, tries to be like the gen. When you adjust the hour hand, it advances in one hour increment. There's a soft click when you turn the crown. There's some free play meaning you can advanced 1 hour and a little more. The movement will self-correct the free play later. I think that's too complicated to copy. I wish they just make the hour hand freely adjustable. The movement will likely to last longer.

-bm

You should never send anything you don't want to lose by post office to China. The postal service in China is unreliable. I've sent stuff to my friends there that never made it. Use courier or registered mail at least.

-bm

I talked to a lawyer and he said it will be okay if theres no engraving on the case so....right there will be no engraving between the lugs, but its not a big deal to do it yourself if you want that.

That should not be that much of a problem.

make some with lug holes and some without. I want a current version (i.e. without lug holes) for now. pls don't put holes in all the cases.

-bm

I'm in for 2. Quesiton: what eta movement will fit? 2836 will be too thick. The crown hole will have to be lowered on the case like all other reps. We gotta to use some other thinner movement to keep the crown hole centered.

-bm

don't tell me the speedy is a rep. if it is, tell me where to get one. thx. -bm

gen speedy

more than the gen SD on the right? -bm

Hard to decide between these two - The MBW on the left gets the most wrist time.

the end link on the left is off. let us know how you fix when you're done. thx. -bm

Black dial today...

Sweet! Very funky... I dig it!

the modern explorer ii has quick set date. pop the crown one notch and turn it clockwise to advance the date. counter-clockwise is to advance the hour hand in one hour increment. the gmt hand is not independently adjustable. it follows the minute hand which you adjust by popping the crown 2 notches.

-bm

easy. try paul. costs $10.

-bm

for 16610 sub, looks like you need a mbw or tw best to be satisfied. what happened to the sub you got for $38? Mod it and it'll be as good as any other sub rep will get.

-bm

correct hand-stack Explorer II is the best rolex rep out there. perfect bezel, excellent crystal height as is, better if bezel removed and reinstalled flush with case, perfect date mag, perfect date wheel position (on mine at least, every day is centered top to bottom, left to right correctly), only slightly off CGs, a little sanding on the side will make it close to perfect, unimaginably well modified 2836-2 movement that works like the gen, dial is sufficiently sharp and accurate, bracelet very very nice (nicer than noobmariner's, josh's sub), crown centered top to bottom on case. Read my post "RBJ modified Explorer II, Perfect". Andrew, EddieLee, Paul, and possibly Ruby got it.

-bm

I just acquired a TW Best 16610. I'm gonna replace the insert and reshape the CG. Can I pop the bezel like the way I do with cn subs, i.e. pry a blade between the bezel and the case? Thanks.

-bm

I want to shorten a stem on a 2836-2. How do I take the stem out of the crown to shorten it? And do I have to put some clue on when putting it back on the crown? Actually how do I size the length properly? Thanks.

-bm

flaws include shallow rehaut, crystal seal too thick and noticeable, crown too big, slightly oversized CGs (shave the inside and it'll be very very close to the gen's), bezel teeth slightly angled down, bezel pearl noticeably not like gen's (but neither is any other rep). Other than these, it's the best sub rep for the money, esp. it has a ETA.

-bm

went to OFREI today and got myself a cyclop for a sub. They carry 3 sizes. The largest has the right measurement but not the right magnification. It's like 1.5x. So don't bother to get it. I got somethine else which I will post in any thread.

-bm

sorry to spoil your excitement. The rehaut is too conical. It gives an illusion of a deep rehaut. Also with the cyclop and date window too far to the right, ~$275 (did you also pay shipping) is too much.

-bm