freddy333

Try thewatchprince.com. Depending on the bracelet size (specifically, lug width), prices range from about $20 (for ladies' steel) to about $225 (for men's steel Oysters) for the Italian-made Milano bracelets that are similar to Rolex quality but without the Rolex markings, which you said are not a requirement. I would avoid wholesaleoutlet at all costs. Rip-off, thief, charlatan, lier.....you get the idea.

Neither the insert nor the pearl are very good, so I just assumed that these would be replaced either way, which leaves the core parts for comparison. Yes, I do see the a lug hole, but I think there is some cross-over of holes vs non-holes in some of these later models (I think I have seen these with lug holes on TZ, but, again, I am not an expert on these modern models, so take my comments with a grain of salt). The overall dial printing & date font looks better on the right, as do the CGs and crown. So that one, even though far from perfect, got my vote.

I do not believe the crown etching should be visible from that distance (it is generally difficult to see without magnification and/or a nearby & direct light source). A visible etching is usually one of the indicators of a fake Rolex and one of the reasons I recommended the watch on the right.

Diesel -- They also sell very good quality 19mm (men's size) jubilee bracelets (as well as Oyster, etc.). But in the larger sizes, you can go up a notch to the Italian-made Milano bracelets (similar quality to Rolex OEM) that, as I recall, sell for just a couple hundred dollars. Of course, the clasp will not contain the crown, but you could always swap that part over from a rep bracelet of similar style/size. But most women do not care whether the clasp has the crown or not--as long as the overall quality and feel is 'luxurious', which is the case with the Milano bracelets. I do not think a glass (mineral glass) crystal would be correct for that watch. Are you unable to locate the proper plastic crystal or do you just prefer the look of glass (which has a slightly green (think Anniversary Milgauss) appearance when viewed from the side)?

No rain here, but I hope you will post some pics. In the meantime, bon a-p-p-

Diesel -- Beautiful watch & nice gift. You should be expecting a new car for your next birthday. Are you going to replace the old strap? Or maybe give her a nice aftermarket steel Jubilee bracelet as an option like this one (I am assuming it is a ladies Oyster-Perp) Here is the link You might even consider overhauling the case & crystal (I think most women prefer new/sparkle over old/patina (especially, when it is someone else's patina) on their jewelry).

Important lunch date tomorrow (still Wednesday night here) & I will need to pack some genuine muscle (with a hint of understated bling)

I am not an expert on modern Seadwellers, but of the 2, and based on fit & finish of each watch in your pictures, the 1 on the right appears to have the least objectionable sins to me. Both would probably pass for gens on the street unless they were inspected by someone who knows what to look for (and I do not mean the average gen owner, who usually knows little beyond the name on the dial).

This question has been answered many times. No one here can tell you what the best watch is for you. My advice is to go to your local Rolex authorized dealer (AD) and learn about the genuine watches. Try them on and study the differences between them. Then, after you decide which model you want, check the 'Collectors' forum for the rep you think is best.

Delta -- Can you itemize what mods you (or the previous owner) have been done to the watch? It looks like it has a gen T21 and Triplock. Anything else?

Nice collection/selection you have there TT. I like the case too.

Same old beater

If I follow this, I think Chevall is just asking, albeit in a round about way, the old 'Where can I get the best rep?' And I think he is saying that he is willing to pay for gen parts. Am I understanding you, Chevall? If not, you might seek the assistance of a friend who can translate your Italian into English, since I think that is where most of the confusion lies here.

(I see the text formatting functions have returned to the edit screen today) Welcome Craig. If you want a good (looks like the real thing for a reasonable cost) out-of-the-box Sub, get the Noob. If you have some watchmakers tools, time, experience (or are willing to pay someone else who has these things) & plan to modify the watch beyond its original state, then I would get the MBW. The Noob looks more like the real thing, but does not easily accept genuine Rolex parts, so what you see (when it arrives) is mostly what you will remain with. The MBW has a technically more reliable movement (the ETA) and will accept many genuine Rolex parts (crystal, crown, crown tube), so you can improve many of its shortcomings and, having done all of this, you can end up with an even more accurate watch than the Noob. But, depending on who does the work & how much work you have done, you could end up spending double or triple the original cost of the watch. The choice is yours.

Thanks Avitt. I used Devcon 2-part 'Plastic Steel' epoxy with a similar procedure on this But I got glue in the tube hole and had to broach it out (not an easy task broaching through epoxy). I was hoping there might be another (easier to apply) glue out there. I guess I will just have to improve my gluing methods.

Funny, because all of the stats I have seen seem to suggest just the opposite -- that relatively few professional divers, these days, wear a Rolex (or other luxury diving watch) when diving. Most wear a cheap digital because they offer more features & functions, are able to work under similar pressures, are more accurate & cheap/easy to replace when they get scratched/dented/damaged during work. It is different today than it was back in the 1960's or 1970's, when Subs & Seadwellers were about the only option for reliable time keeping under extreme conditions.

I must not have fully acclimated to it yet, because I find it hard to ignore. It is like the advertisements that broadcasters put in the corners of our tv screens during all programming (except for the commercials, which remain 100% clutter free). They do not seem to bother some people, but they drive me nuts.

I agree with Pug. Whenever you are doing anything that involves the removal of metal, you should completely disassemble the case. Remove the movement, crystal and crown tube. Otherwise, you risk either damaging one of these other parts or they will throw off your mods because they get in the way of your tools.

Is it just me or have some of the functions (bold, italics, add link, add photo, etc.) vanished from the post/reply screen? And the Edit button no longer offers Full and Quick edit options -- clicking it just goes to a blank edit screen. I added these bold & italics manually As to the question of loose hands and repairs, I have not had much luck with glue or fingernail polish. At some point, it comes apart again. So I have been going the staking route, even though I have destroyed 2 hands that way (1 of which is the chrono seconds hand on my 116520). What type of glue are you all using?

My daily Daytona on a friend's wrist And here it is on mine _________ Is it me, or are some of the functions missing from the post/reply screen?

Took a friend to see 'Enchanted' this evening, but she wanted to stop for a picture before the movie started. I told her I wanted to get a picture of the 6263. So, without batting an eye, she grabs the watch, puts it on her wrist (the wrong way..........women) & told me to snap the pic For a while, I was not sure whether I would get it back or not. Good movie.

Yes, that looked about right.

Correct (mono).

I think a smaller & simpler Patek or VC would be considered de rigueur even for black tie. I am no authority on the formalities of formality, but I think the general convention for black tie (or any formal dress event) is that 'they should see you & not your watch'. I read somewhere that, technically, when wearing a tux (black tie), a gentleman should limit his jewelry to a wedding band, cufflinks, studs & a pocketwatch 'of simple design', discreetly tucked into a waistcoat pocket so as not to be seen. I think I got this from one of Alan Flusser's books (he provided the wardrobes for the movie, 'Wall Street'). Whatever you wear, be careful not to get your stem stuck in Paltrow's jewels.