themuck

I'm sure I read somewhere that Josh (or maybe it was someone else) had obtained a gen and was developing the first real 1:1 Deepsea rep. Of course, this would (if it is actually happening) be the V1 version which will be full of flaws before being developed into the the V2 which will address many of the problems but not them all before being further developed into the V1 Ultimate which will still be far from perfect and finally the V2 Ultimate which will still require modding... How many years has it taken before Eurotimez and BK finally show everyone how things should be done and deliver the world's most sought after rep timepiece - the Sub?...but even now BK is still having problems with the factories according to his latest post... Apologies for being so negative today but I'm heading back to work overseas again this morning and wont be home 'til next year so no festive season for me... Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year everyone See Y'all Again In 2009

Spot on Ingo - that's exactly the point I was making in my last reply

Rude - No Confused - Yes I take the time to visit every site of our trusted dealers and go through their Cartier selection and make the effort to list everything they have for a newbie that's only just arrived on our forum and whose first post was about a scam site they were about to lose their money at and that somehow makes me rude... Take a look at my previous posts in this topic and you'll see I welcomed you to RWG (I can remember when I was new a couple of years ago and how impressed and grateful I was at the help and assistance I received) and was well mannered with all the language I used when addressing you. Now you are going to try just one of our trusted dealers and IYHO you doubt if they will be able to help you - and you base that HO on a membership of less than a day... Confused - Yes Rude - No...but I can be...but I wont need to because IMHO you will be booted out of here very soon...because our trusted dealers might not have the watch you're trying sell on your scam site...

Chris at Eurotimez has the Seatimer, Pasha, Roadster and Santos. Joshua at Perfect Clones has the Santos, Ballon, Pasha, Tank, La Dona, Roadster, Baignoire, Panthere, Libre, Dumont and Pantree. King has the Pasha, Tank, Santos, Divan, Roadster and Paris along with a selection of other Cartier. PT at Precious Time has the Roadster and Santos. Angus at Puretime has the Pasha, Roadster, Santos, Seatimer and Tank. Silix has Must, Panther, Pasha, Roadster, Santos, Tank and other Cartier to choose from. And Andrew at Trusty Time has a large selection, which includes Must (21 and de Cartier), Declaration, Pasha, Santos, Tank (A Vis, American, Francaise, Louis and Solo), Tankissime, Baignoire, Balon, Divan, Le Dona, Panthere, Roadster, Rotonde and Tortue. If none of them have the watch you are looking for, all these well trusted and long standing suppliers will source the exact model you require if you contact them - preferably with a pic or weblink for them to look at. If they cannot source the exact model you are looking for, it does not exist and, if an unknown supplier or site offers it to you, this is a clear indication that it is a scam and should be avoided. Hope this helps pappy97.

Please don't take offence there is nothing personal regarding my report of your post pappy97. We've had a lot of people coming here and their first post is just an advert to a scam site disguised as a question or topic for discussion. Welcome to RWG pappy97 and may I suggest you visit the trade section where you will find a number of trusted sellers who have the watches you are looking for or will be able to source it for you if it is not listed on their sites.

Reported to the mods

The Glock conspiracy stuff has been kinda killed off by a bloke claiming to be an F1 insider on the ITV F1 forum. He reckoned Glock's tyres were completely shot when he got back to the pits where he was watching the race from allegedly. He's a Hamilton fan so he might be making it up so I still reckon there's something dodgy about it.

10 Bought

Glad I ordered mine within a couple of days of the Basle launch as there's now a two year waiting list - my first should arrive at the end of this year / beginning of 2009 and my second should be here around the middle of 2009. The first batch are currently commanding between

You wont remember me Ken but we exchanged communications some time ago and I've never forgotten what a kind, caring, generous and genuine person you are so it hurts me to learn of the dreadful pain both you and your family are enduring at this tragic and heartbreaking time. Everyone on your forum respects and cares about you and your loving family and I sincerely hope all the heartfelt and real messages you are receiving will give you even a small degree of comfort during this deeply distressing time. With all my thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies Ken X

There's only one problem with this car By-Tor...where on earth are you going to get your hands on the first 'real' supercar that 'anyone' could buy from a local showroom. You would probably have an easier job finding some hen's teeth than you would finding one of these beauties lol. I'll give BMW some credit for inventing the performance production saloon with the M3 then the M5 back in the early 80's but Audi definitely broke the mould, started a phenomenon in the production car industry and took every single racing honour they went after with the original Quattro...a genuine supercar (much faster than the M's and even faster than most of the Ferrari's and Lambo's etc of the same generation) and a genuine classic if ever there was one. If you ever find a quality, looked after, clean and honest one you will have an appreciating asset that will be the envy of everyone...including me.

I agree with ubiquitous regarding the Phaeton and I did consider testing one but there just aren't any available with the 6.0 W12 here in the UK that 'tick the boxes' regarding mileage etc and (i know this is a bit embarrassing) it has the wrong badge and street presence / image I'm looking for - i.e. not necessarily a BMW, Mercedes or Porsche but a quality marque...so VW doesn't really cut it for me. Don't get me wrong, I would have bought the 'wrong' badge if the car was excellent and I would have bought a VW W12 in a heartbeat if I could find a clean and honest one to test and it was as good as all the reviews have claimed but I couldn't find one. The Mercedes, Porsche and BMW I tested didn't really come close to the A8 as far as driving, quality of finish and performance so it was a bit of a no brainer for me. With a 0-60mph time of 6 seconds and in normal (not sport) automatic mode performance of 100+mph in 3rd gear (it has six), 120+ in 4th and 140+ in 5th and it is still accelerating hard in every gear and at every speed, the A8 4.2 Quattro Sport is a very fast machine. I tried the Tiptronic using the flappy paddle steering wheel gear changer recently on a winding country road and it was the most exciting and scary experience I've ever experienced in any car as it was even faster than in 'normal' auto mode. The W12 is an incredible engine and it is available in the Bentley Continental GT, Flying Spur, Phaeton as well as the A8. It delivers a 0-60 time of 5 seconds (that's 15-20% faster than mine...eye wateringly awesome) and I've already spoken with my dealer regarding a test drive whenever they get one - however, they are a major dealer selling hundreds of new and used Audi's and they've only ever seen one W12 and that was in for a service only because the owner was in the area on holiday...so the chances of seeing one in the next couple of years or so is remote. I reckon it will be the same for the Phaeton because they have numerous different engine variations so the top of the range W12 version will probably as rare as the A8 example - at least here in the UK where prices are roughly double what they are in the USA - i.e. around $180k-$200k for an A8 W12 LWB fully loaded with options (standard list before options is around $160k). I'm not sure I fully agree with mil_sub if you get a clean, honest, low mileage and well cared for A8 with a full Audi service history because they are built to last and the 'gremlins' only appear with use so if it hasn't been used too much then the problems shouldn't be too severe. However, I fully agree with mil_sub if you get a car that has anything wrong with it - seriously major bills that could easily escalate to more than the value of the car will be inevitable so buying the very best you can afford and having it very thoroughly checked by someone who knows what they are looking at is essential...it might be difficult but walking away from something that isn't right will prevent a financial nightmare. @ ubiquitous - The problems you've been experiencing with your 3rd Audi must be very disappointing for you and I can easily understand why you would be considering a Lexus. However, can I suggest you maybe take a look at an A8 before taking the plunge because the German marque's flagship models are always made to a much higher standard than lower range models. I would never buy a Mercedes because I've known many people who have had nothing but problems with them but the S and CL are not made by the accountants because they are the marques 'headline' grabbing, range topping cars so they are made to 'bulletproof' standards. And it's almost the same with Lexus (not to same degree of reliability issues etc) because I've driven the IS and it was definitely built to a much lower standard than the LS's I've been in - it wasn't just the fact that it is obviously a much cheaper car to buy so it is clearly not of the same calibre...it was just 'normal' and quite gimmicky inside (a bit boy racer to be honest...apologies to anyone who has one) and didn't have the same fit and finish of an Audi. Many thanks for all the contributions - this topic has become an interesting read.

I'm UK based and had the older version (3.7 FWD Standard) you are considering before recently trading it in to upgrade for a new shape model (4.2 Quattro Sport). With the older shape version, there are a number of issues that you need to check in addition to the Tiptronic and I would definitely recommend a full mechanical check by someone familiar with the engines and gearbox because I had a couple of minor issues soon after I bought it that cost a significant amount to sort out so any major mechanical problems would be a huge cost in parts and labour. In particular, you will need to check the timing belt was changed by a franchised dealer at the correct interval (whichever came first - x miles or x years depending on model). Other things to look out for include wheel bearings (switch everything off and just listen for any rumbles from any corner of the car on straight roads, bends and when turning corners) and brakes (new discs and pads are expensive and the A8 goes through them quite quickly) but everything needs to be thoroughly checked (especially the engine management and onboard computers) to ensure you don't get hit with a big bill too soon. When you test drive the car, ensure that all the electrics work paying particular attention to the climate control. Some of the display LED's fail and the chilling units need to be serviced regularly or you will be driving in an oven - the control unit will blow hot air constantly (even in the height of summer) if the chiller unit isn't working properly because the climate control thinks it's blowing cold air then samples the cabin temperature before blowing even harder...except it's hot air so the cabin gets seriously hot seriously quickly. The sunroof is prone to just quitting on you after about ten years of use, the central locking should be smooth and silent (make sure it works with the key as well as this is also an expensive replacement cost) and so should all the electic seat adjustments. Just make sure you press every single button a few times and everything works silently and at a reasonable speed - e.g. all four windows should rise and fall at the same speed and definitely make sure there are no leaks in the double glazing - the double glazed windows are bonded near the top with a single strip of adhesive material that can perish and allow water to seep in. If you can find a good one that has a full Audi service history, low mileage, passes all the tests and hasn't had too many former owners (especially in recent years as this is a dead giveaway that the car has problems that may not be too apparent until you've had it for more than a couple of weeks) it is well worth buying and paying a decent price for because cared for A8's in top condition will last. However, the cheaper high mileage examples with non Audi or missing service history's that have mechanical niggles and electrical faults are much more normal because owners don't want to pay the high maintenance and / or repair costs that can often turn out to be more than the value of the car...the trade in price I received for my car didn't even cover the amount I spent on maintenance and repairs so the purchase price I paid was a 100% loss. At the moment, there are much fewer problems and potential problems with the new shape car (2003 onwards) but time will tell and the only real thing to look out for (apart from all the usual mileage and servicing issues) is the timing belt (whichever comes first - x miles or 5 years depending on model) which must be changed by Audi and the engine management software needs to be upgraded / updated during each service so that needs to be done by Audi as well. Regardless of which model you buy (pre or post 2003), bits and pieces are expensive though so make sure you get at least a set of new Audi mats (

Apparently, the DeepSea looks impressive in the flesh according to my local AD who saw it at Basel - but he would say that wouldn't he and he said all the pics he's seen of all the new Rolex don't do them justice. I ordered one but it wont be here until next year and my local AD refused to take my order for a Daytona coz he closed the book on that model a long time ago due to the worldwide shortage. However, I eventually found an AD a few hundred miles away who agreed to take my Daytona order so I ordered a DeepSea from them as well and they reckon I could have it by the end of the year (coz I'm only number three on their list)...but the Daytona will take around 4-5 years+ - I'll be keeping the first DeepSea that arrives and probably just give the second arrival to my dad. According to both AD's, the DeepSea wont be in the European AD's until September at the earliest and I know of at least half a dozen guys who are on waiting lists in various corners of the planet so we'll just have to wait and see who gets them first...and which countries Rolex gives priority to... I reckon the new DeepSea looks fantastic, especially at www.rolex.com where it is being showcased. The list of new features (including the slightly domed crystal, ceramic bezel, advanced bracelet and blue lume to name just a few) and design improvements (CG's, titanium etc) combine with seriously advanced engineering that allows exposure to such incredible pressures (not that anyone will ever get even remotely close to these depths of course) to produce a watch that might become a modern classic. And the price -

That is the exact model I tried to order this afternoon...but failed miserably. The current UK retail for the SS Daytona is just under

After discovering the new Sea Dweller for the first time in this thread and then seeing the photos and movies at rolex.com where the new SDDS / DSSD is heavily and beautifully featured - I've ordered one this afternoon because the more I see it the more I think it is a handsome timepiece that is possibly a feature rich future classic while at the same time being an outstanding piece of engineering. The price in the UK is

I can't thank you all enough for the humbling and very much appreciated comments you have all made. It was because of this courteous and friendly attitude here on RWG that I decided to fomulate and compile the test review for my fellow enthusiasts and I certainly have not been disappointed by your warmly welcomed appreciation of my efforts. However it is with the deepest regret that I'm posting this reply to inform everyone that I have just been notified that I must now return offshore to relieve someone who must travel home on compassionate grounds and I will therefore be unable to upload the DVD (which hasn't been delivered to my home yet anyway) to YouTube before I return (four weeks from today). Having just returned onshore at the weekend, I was not due back offshore until just before Xmas (4 weeks on / 4 weeks off rotation) but this setback for my colleague means I can now spend the festive season with my family. Thanks again everyone and I will respond to all your brilliant comments and questions as often as I can but please bear in mind I will be working from later today onwards so my opportunities to respond are very limited. I will upload the video to YouTube the second I get home. Thank you very much for your patience. themuck Please Note - Also posted as reply to test review topic with answers to members comments. Please keep all suggestions for next test rep coming - may buy gen as well for proper side by side comparisons - so please be specific about the watch you would like to see tested (face colour, bracelet etc).

I can't thank you all enough for the humbling and very much appreciated comments you have all made. It was because of this courteous and friendly attitude here on RWG that I decided to fomulate and compile the test review for my fellow enthusiasts and I certainly have not been disappointed by your warmly welcomed appreciation of my efforts. However it is with the deepest regret that I'm posting this reply to inform everyone that I have just been notified that I must now return offshore to relieve someone who must travel home on compassionate grounds and I will therefore be unable to upload the DVD (which hasn't been delivered to my home yet anyway) to YouTube before I return (four weeks from today). Having just returned onshore at the weekend, I was not due back offshore until just before Xmas (4 weeks on / 4 weeks off rotation) but this setback for my colleague means I can now spend the festive season with my family. To SportsterRider - thanks for the advice, is this the same Meguiars polish that I use on my car or is there a specific product you use for watches? To Jetsons - thank you for the advice, where can I get this cloth on the internet? To keith_bran - interesting your bracelet seemed low quality also, wear it well my friend. To stevethebest - I don't think the rust was a result of the additional pressure, I reckon it had more to do with the fact that the SSD was exposed to seawater for extended periods in a short space of time (much more than would ever be experienced by a scuba diver or sea swimming) combined with the caustic elements that were in the water. To FxrAndy - I know the trusted dealer knows about the test and review because I told him about it. It would be great to see a replacement for my rusty SSD arrive in time for my return home in four weeks just as long as it had a bracelet that worked lol. To K4TJP & r11co - excellent and very knoweldgeable information and expertise of the type that makes RWG so brilliant. I don't understand the technicalities but I do see where you're coming from with your welcome post. To offshore - this one was guaranteed and had been sent to a watchsmith by my trusted dealer for the extra depth to 10 Bar / 100 msw and +/- 5 secs per day prior to dispatch as part of a pre order deal that was available to everyone. To domibal - all the other watches that were in the same saturation chambers, the same diving bell and the same water conditions did not suffer the same rust problems as the SSD. All the other divers were wearing gens from various manufacturers including a couple of G Shocks and they emerged working, unscathed and rust free. Thanks again everyone and I will respond to all your brilliant comments and questions as often as I can but please bear in mind I will be working from later today onwards so my opportunities to respond are very limited. I will upload the video to YouTube the second I get home. Thank you very much for your patience. themuck

The first Super Rep Super Test & Review is here - http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showtopic=59795 I am now looking for your favourite rep from the latest generation of Super Reps so we can see which watch will be the subject of the next Super Test. Please submit the Super Rep you would most like to see tested and reviewed to the extreme here at RWG and the reasons why you think it should be chosen. Once all the nominations are in (over the next week or two) I will organise a poll of all the Super Reps you submit and forum members can then choose which rep will face the ultimate challenge.

Full review with pics http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showtopic=59795

* * * THE RESULTS * * * New Super Sea Dweller Super Test & Review * * * THE RESULTS Heliox Blowdown, Saturation & Decompression plus Daily Deep Sea Diving Introduction Firstly it is very important that I thank all the professional saturation Divers, Diving Supervisors and Diving Superintendent who took part in the test and without whom I would not have been able to make this contribution to the forum. In particular I am very grateful to the Diver who wore the watch and spent a long time talking with me before, during and after every dive discussing the performance of the SSD and making every effort to ensure the test was as robust and comprehensive as possible. I would also like to thank all the RWG forum members who have supported me throughout this test with posts that included very encouraging comments and a special thank you to forum member UB7 who very kindly helped me with the photos that are included in this test review. As you will see, my camera skills are nonexistent and many of the photos are blurred. This combines with the fact that my camera was blown into saturation, didn't work down there and has never been the same since decompression. In addition, I never noticed while taking the pre and post sat pics that I had accidentally captured reflections from the watches (SSD and gen) and the equipment I pictured the SSD with (chrome fixtures on diving helmets etc) that would either expose the test site or me or both. Unfortunately, this means I have significantly fewer pictures to include with this review than I had taken (literally dozens and dozens of pics) but I hope the ones I have included will be acceptable. I didn't include any photos of my Sea Dweller in its out of the box condition because it is the same as every other SSD and has therefore been fully and expertly reviewed with pics (far better than I could manage) elsewhere on this forum. I compiled and produced this test and review because I have been highly impressed by the very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful members of this forum since joining around a year ago and I am fortunate to be in a position where I can give something back to RWG and my fellow enthusiasts. I am genuinely grateful to you all and I sincerely hope you enjoy this New Super Sea Dweller Super Test & Review. The Super Sea Dweller A lot has been written and said about the new Sea Dweller and whether or not it should be classed as a member of the elite band of new generation Super Reps. I am not in any position to make any judgement on this particular aspect but I have watched the development of this new watch with great interest and enjoyed the feedback given to the developer after he released prototype pics and requested advice and guidance from the knowledgeable members of this forum. I am of the view that this is exactly how every new rep should be developed and the trusted dealer who developed and released this new watch should be congratulated for his commendable efforts. However, it was with huge disapointment that I read the reports and posts of forum members after the final version of the Sea Dweller was released and pics posted because the flaws and errors in this watch could so easily have been eradicated and the true holy grail of reps (a mirror of the gen) could and should have been a reality for everyone. Nevertheless, I decided to buy the new Sea Dweller because the gen is my second favourite Rolex - falling only slightly behind the Daytona (which I know will never be accurately or reliably repped after reading all the posts on this timepiece here at RWG). I've never bought any of the previous versions of the Sea Dweller or Submariner because they are far too inaccurate. Having received it and been reassured that it had been pressure tested to 10 Bar / 100 metres and was accurate to within a few seconds a day, I then decided that it should be put to the test and formulated this test and review. First Impressions My initial response when I opened the package to find my gleaming new Sea Dweller was one of amazement. First impressions were excellent and the watch makes a very positive initial impression and I just couldn't believe that I actually had my (second) favourite rep in my hands and I would be wearing it on my wrists in just a few short minutes after I had removed a couple of links to make it fit me. Those few minutes turned into quite a few minutes and then more than quite a few minutes as I discovered a couple of screws seem to be stuck in place and I just couldn't get them out. I persevered and eventually got enough screws released so the Sea Dweller would fit my wrist but I checked all the screws on all the links and unfortunately two of them were stuck fast and are impossible to get out - rendering the watch useless for people with very small wrists. However, I had managed to release enough screws and links to make my Sea Dweller fit and carried on with the 'just out of the box checklist'. The crown feels high quality and unscrewed smoothly to reveal a ribber o ring and it clicked securely in all the right places so adjusting the date and time was simple and felt smooth. The crown screwed back in place absolutely perfectly with the Rolex crown pointing directly upwards towards the bezel - superb. Putting the watch on my wrist proved to be awkward because the bracelet had been joined to the watch the wrong way round and the clasp needed a strong push to get the click. The clasp foldover safety catch was even more difficult to get in place and it needs a real pull to get it released when removing the watch. The diver's extension releases without any problems but doesn't click back in place properly or securely. My overall impressions of the bracelet was that it has many flaws that are unnecessary and make putting the watch on and taking it off more of a burden than it should be. The weight and feel of the bracelet also gave me the impression that this is not a premium quality product and would be an immediate 'tell' for anyone that had held any quality gen from any manufacturer not just Rolex. The watch itself definitely looks the part. Even after reading all the comments regarding accuracy, I was impressed by the look and feel of the timepiece so I noted the following observations - Bezel - Edges don't feel 'jagged' and the clicks felt nicely damped. Pearl - Too small but well finished and doesn't look out of place and the pearl arrow points directly above the 12 o'clock position. Crown Guards - Too big but didn't look out of place to my eye especially without the gen next to them for comparison. Sweep - The second hand sweep is very smooth. Markings - Laser etching looks slightly too dense. Hands - All three hands look excellent and line up at 12 o'clock perfectly. Date - The date is centralised in the window and the font looks the part. Dial - Printing on the dial and hour markers are excellent and the lume worked well. HEV - Looks precisely engineered and highly accurate. Caseback - Seems exactly like the gen but the model number print on the hologram is poor and could wear off quickly. Crystal - Flawless scratch and spot free with fantastic AR but sits slightly too high and edge feels too sharp. Rehaut - I have no real idea what this is! In no way am I an expert but I have handled many gen Rolex's and other quality manufacturer's timepieces over the years so the comments I have made are my genuine thoughts while examining the watch straight out of the box. To say I was impressed is an understatement. The Test - Before Blowdown Prior to blowing the watch into saturation on the Diver's wrist in the chambers, I asked twelve Divers, Four Diving Supervisors and a Diving Superintendent for their thoughts on the watch as many of them have gens on their wrists and all of them have seen and handled real Sea Dwellers. Please bear in mind that these guys aren't into watches as much as the people on this forum and only want a reliable and high quality timepiece to wear in the water without really paying that much attention to them. Their initial impressions when I showed them the watch on my wrist was that it is a real Sea Dweller that looked brand new and just out of the box. However, after I took it off and handed it to each of them for a close up comparison they all immediately noticed it wasn't a gen just by the feel of the bracelet in their hands. I asked them to forget about the bracelet and just concentrate on the watch itself and noted all their comments - "The face just doesn't look right around the edges of the crystal (rehaut? / crystal height? / crystal cut?)" (wearing Sea Dweller) "That pearl is wrong (too small)" (wearing Sea Dweller) "Very smooth sweep" (wearing solid gold Submariner Certi) "Looks exactly like mine" (wearing Sea Dweller) "Best fake watch I've seen" (wearing limited edition diving company Panerai) "Caseback edges need grinding (too sharp)" (wearing two tone Submariner) "Writing (face) is brighter than mine" (wearing Sea Dweller) "How can I get one" (wearing G Shock) "Three hundred bucks is a bargain" (wearing vintage Sea Dweller) "Looks decent but it's still a fake" (wearing G Shock) "Bits round the crown (crown guards) don't look right" (wearing Sea Dweller) "Can't believe this is a fake" (wearing Breitling Superocean) "Numbers (date font) are slightly different" (wearing Sea Dweller) "Awesome fake" (wearing Omega Seamaster) "The glass (crystal) is higher" (wearing Sea Dweller) "If it lasts (saturation and diving test) I'm getting one" (wearing Sea Dweller) "Feels like a good quality watch" (wearing Divex) I pointed out all the other flaws that have been mentioned on the forum and I received these additional comments - "Nobody would notice the etching (laser) was wrong" "Pearl is definitely too small and is noticeable" "Crystal does look slightly different round the edges and it's definitely higher" "Bezel numbers (insert) look the same" "The guards (crown guards) are too thick" After taking a note of all their comments about the watch, I asked them to comment on the bracelet - and everyone certainly did. Apart from the fact that the bracelet had been attached to the watch upside down, even the ones that had reasonably positive comments to make about aspects of the bracelet thought it was poor overall. These are the comments that I could post, the other comments were too rude and obscene to publish (they seriously didn't like the bracelet) - "The bracelet doesn't feel right and it sounds wrong when you use it" (I noticed this as well when trying on the gen - the bracelet of the gen does sound different from the SSD when picking the watch up and attaching it to your wrist) "The finish of the links isn't right at the edges" "There is some lack of flexibility and two of the links are sticking" (I think this will probably 'loosen up' with use) "The clasp is too tight and doesn't click in correctly" (I also noticed the clasp of the gen works much smoother than the SSD and I think this is a design issue that won't get any better with use) "Total cr*p" "The Rolex logo (on the outside of the clasp) is good" "Worse than a cheap Timex" "Feels and sounds tinny" "Embossed logos and engraving (extended clasp) look right" "Sh*t bracelet" "Buy a real bracelet" I have no idea if the bracelet I received with my Sea Dweller was defective or different from ones supplied to other forum members but I've looked at the review pictures and it does look to be the same. The Test - Blowdown I took pics of the Sea Dweller prior to blowdown so I had something to post just in case it didn't survive the test. There are fewer uploaded than I would have liked due to problems with reflections. The Heliox blowdown to storage depth was uneventful but the Diver took the precaution of placing the watch on his bunk under a pillow to prevent any injuries if the watch imploded. He was going to open the crown to expose the watch interior and therefore equalise it with the chamber environment and make an implosion effectively impossible but I asked him not to do this as nobody with a gen has to so he kindly left the crown locked closed. The Test - Saturation My camera didn't work at depth so unfortunately there are no pics in the chambers during the test. Throughout the SSD's time in Heliox saturation the watch performed well and kept very good time (+/- a few seconds daily). The only cause for concern was when the Diver removed the watch when he was sleeping only to find it often stopped when he got up in the morning. However, owners of gen Rolex's of all types have told me that this happens with their watches as well so it could be argued that this is a good point because the rep is behaving in the same manner as the gen. The Test - Diving I tried to take photos from the Diver's hat camera and ROV monitor screens but this disappointingly failed (reflections, horrendous resolution, blurred images etc etc). However, I will try to get captured stills from the Diver's hat camera DVD and upload these into this review when I receive the DVD. The SSD was used on the Diver's wrist throughout each daily dive (except for one day when diving was suspended due to weather - the vessel couldn't hold station) and performed well. There was no flooding or fogging, the lume worked (although it is not really necessary because the working area is flooded with hat mounted, ROV and static lights) and the watch kept very good time in the water. The videos of every dive are being transferred to DVD and I will upload these to YouTube after editing out all the footage that doesn't include the watch (many many hours) and dubbing the voice audio of the Diver and Diving Supervisor for obvious reasons. I'll update this test review to include the YouTube links. Please post any comments you would like to make after seeing the video here at RWG and not YouTube as I will not be visiting the site once I've uploaded the video and therefore cannot respond to any comments made there. The Test - Decompression The HEV issue caused a bit of confusion for me and a lot of wind up opportunities for the Divers. It works in the opposite direction to that which I initially thought and automatically deploys when the gas pressure within the watch exceeds the exterior environment. To test this, the Diver unscrewed the crown immediately prior to decompression in the chambers to allow the Heliox to enter the watch, he then fully screwed the crown back in and placed the watch between two pillows that were taped together. This procedure ensured that if the HEV failed and the watch exploded, no damage would be done to the Divers or the chambers. The decompression was undertaken on a modified US Navy table that is very slow with 2 hour and 6 hour holds at various depths. I cannot state the depth for operational reasons but it may be safe to say that the HEV probably worked in the same manner as the gen because the Heliox inside the watch would have been a number of times greater relative to the external environment throughout the decompression and especially when reaching the surface if the HEV had failed. The crown was unscrewed when reaching surface and no escaping gas was heard. The Test - Post Saturation The watch continues to work well but has suffered visible effects of the test. The work being undertaken by the Diver with the watch on his wrist throughout the test was in a particularly harsh environment with significant and highly caustic pollutants in the water. Spots of what seem to be rust have appeared on the underside of watch bezel, on the case directly underneath the bezel, on the caseback and on various points on the bracelet. None of the other watches (all gens from various manufacturers) that were in the same saturation chambers, diving bell and water conditions have any of these marks, which raises serious questions relating to the calibre of the steel being used. The crystal is perfect and still flawless (not a single scratch or spot anywhere) which is an excellent and impressive sign when you consider the treatment this watch has undergone but the HEV has a small surface scratch on it (not visible in any pics despite my best efforts to get the camera to pick it up) so it definitely isn't made of titanium - not that anyone really thought that it was anyway. As predicted, the model number printed on the hologram sticker on the caseback has worn off. I have tried to clean the rust marks off today using Q Tips but fresh water, standard detergents and elbow grease have so far failed to take them off. I will try other possible solutions and upload the 'cleaned' photos into this review if they work. The Test - Side By Side With The Gen I can only apologise once again for my obvious lack of any camera skills but my camera is definitely suffering the after effects of being blown into saturation and being decompressed so I will definitely have to buy a new one and learn how to use it for my next test and review. Spent ages with the two watches and really did my best to try and provide the most appropriate shots so hopefully they will provide a reasonable guide as to how the rep compares to the gen. Once again, there are fewer shots than I would have liked to upload due to reflections. Apart from the flaws previously mentioned in this test review and elsewhere on RWG, the only other differences I noticed were on the face with the writing on the gen slightly fainter and a tiny bit thinner than the rep, the date font is noticeably thinner and the font style is slightly different from the gen on some numbers, the 12 o'clock hour marker is larger on the rep and finally the printed Rolex crown on the face is the tiniest bit larger on the rep. Conclusion I am in no position to make any definitive judgement on the new Sea Dweller so I have provided as much information as I can so that everyone can make up their own mind on the subject. Is the new Sea Dweller a member of the elite Super Rep club? Well I would say that it is a superb rep but, because of its obvious and noticeable flaws, by my reckoning it can't be a Super Rep because to my mind a Super Rep is perfect in every way and a mirror of the gen - so does this mean that there are in fact no real Super Reps?..because it seems that every rep (even those described as Super Reps) have flaws and it is only the toleration of some of these flaws (often described as minor flaws) that allows the title of Super Rep to be applied. At the end of the day, I like the new Sea Dweller but I am very very disappointed about the flaws because it could and should have been a perfect mirror of the gen especially after the knowledgeable members of this forum provided all the excellent feedback to the developer so that each and every flaw could have been addressed. Perhaps once our trusted dealers and new Super Rep developers look at the obvious efforts the enthusiasts (who are also their customers) here at RWG put into responding to prototype evaluations and reviewing production examples, they will perhaps start to take our comments more seriously and incorporate what we say into the final production watches. To their credit, the developers have produced a very good rep that I would suggest provides value for money because it does perform very well in the extremely harsh test conditions that the gen was also designed to endure - even though there seems to be a problem with what appears to be rust because nobody will see this in everyday normal non diving use - I believe this problem is probably the factory's fault and not the trusted dealer's or rep developer's that are to blame. It would be great to see that, after they read this and all the other reviews of the new Sea Dweller, our trusted dealers and rep developers actually have a rethink and revisit the watch before incorporating many if not all of the amendments needed to make the Sea Dweller the perfect mirror Super SD we all want to see, buy, enjoy and be proud of. Footnote As a final note to end my review, I thought you would like to know that we decided to do a little final test...the result of which possibly asks more questions than it answers...but it brought a wry smile to my face anyway so I thought I'd share it with you. We took the rep and the gen used for the side by side comparison pics to a very senior member of the marine crew (the ship's Captain) who owns a Rolex (a dress watch he hardly ever wears so he doesn't really know about sports models like the SD although he obviously knows a quality watch when he wears and sees it) and asked him which one he thought was the genuine article. After examining them both closely (obviously not noticing the 'rust' marks and clearly not really knowing what a sports model bracelet should feel like) and trying both of them on his wrist...he picked the rep... And For My Next Trick... If you've enjoyed this review and would like to see another one (with better pics etc), please visit http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showtopic=59798 and post your comments.

I've eventually finished all the text and now I've just got the pics to do. Many thanks to UB7 for the advice and guidance for posting the pics. I am having to delay uploading the pics for a few hours or so but hopefully it will be worth the wait for you all. Unfortunately I've had a number of issues with the pics because my photography skills are rubbish and my camera didn't like being blown into sat and decompressed - too blurred, reflections etc etc so I don't have as many to upload as I would have liked but I hope the ones I do include within the test review are acceptable. Thanks for your patience everyone and I continue to be humbled and grateful for all your fantastic and encouraging comments - and wow have I needed that today sitting at the computer since early morning banging out this review.

I've spent the whole day compiling the full test (hope it's not too long) and I'm now trying to upload the photos but the upload limit wont allow me to do this - only 1.41mb. Any advice on how I can get all the photos into the review? tonyp1 - it must be just the camera angle because the crystal is perfect - not a scratch or a dot of any kind even after all the 'treatment' it's had - impressive prof - they all dive with the original bracelets as far as I'm aware - can't remember seeing any after market stuff on them Please keep all the comments coming folks coz it's very encouraging - especially when I've spent the whole day bashing away at the keyboard compiling the test review. Many thanks again for all the comments already posted - brilliant encouragement to know that all my efforts are appreciated.

The discolouration didn't happen on any of the other watches any of the Divers were using alligoat including the gen SD's. I agree it does look like rust and I am going to attempt to remove the spots and take photos of the same affected areas (also on the bracelet and clasp) if the spot removal works and also post them in the test review. Thanks for your comments

Many thanks to everyone for the fantastic encouragement I've received regarding this test review. I've learned a great deal over the last ten days or so while doing the test and I'm planning on improving a few things for my next one including buying a new camera and learning how to use it so the photos don't come out blurred. I'm also trying to compile a list of the new generation of Super Reps so I can begin to organise my next test and review but I can't find a definitive list anywhere. Please let me know what all the new generation of super reps are and which ones you think should be tested next. However, back to the SSD and I've already started compiling the full test review from all my notes and photos and I reckon, at the rate I'm making progress, I'll be posting it sometime tomorrow. The video will be uploaded to YouTube later in the week. Thanks Again Everyone