K12AN

Great to see you're back! Looking forward to some shots of your incredible work 😉

Thanks Tomhorn. Interesting lhooq said that the SK it's closest to the original domed version, but most seem to prefer the new gen T21 with bevelled edge. He also says "Aftermarket versions of the new-style T21 exist" Does anyone know a source for these... It's been 10 years since this was posted 🙂

Is there any picture comparison of the Clark, SK, Gen etc? Would be great to see them side by side.

Hi all Shopping around for some parts for my cartel 6263 for an economical build. Which is the best crystal? Gens are going for approx 150 euro and aftermarket ones (Clark) are less than 10! Is there a good side by side comparison of the clark (or other service item) and a gen crystal? Would prefer to allocate the money to a dial, bezel if the crystals are pretty much identical. thanks in advance

Hi All I have a lovely 116600 (SD4K) and it has a (apparently) Swiss 2386 fitted. I'm having a problem with changing the time on it. Date and winding etc. is fine. I can only change the time to make it earlier. If I need to move the time forwards, the crown will eventually screw off the spindle. I think this is simply a case of needing to screw the crown on tightly. Any ideas on if this is a difficult task? I'm scared of opening the watch and removing the pin/spindle....I tried a DIY repair years ago on a Hublot Big Bang and it didn't go so well

Hi Legend Its just the angle and camera phone...Cyclops is fine I took it to the Audemars boutique in London to have it authenticated before I paid for it. I know how good reps and frankens can be now, so didn't take any changes. That is the great benefit of this hobby.

Got myself a Gen

Hi all Does anyone have an idea why the coronets an all Rolex reps are so bad? Looking at gens, its clear that the 'dots' on the coronets are rounded and not flat - but all the reps do not have this 3D quality. Considering that the coronet is the logo of Rolex, I would have thought this would have been one of the first things to get right. I can look at any OTB replica Rolex and tell its a rep, just by looking at the coronet...which is a shame. Surely there is a market for good quality coronets out there? I am contemplating a build of a vintage, but all the dials have the giveaway/flat coronet and buying a gen coronet is likely to be uneconomical. Is there an aftermarket producer of high quality coronets? I think there would be a good market for this is one were produced.

Thanks - looks superb

Congrats on the watch - that looks awesome. Looks like ARF have just raised the stakes in the rep game and its about time! Can you confirm for me please: 1. Do the dates look centred to your eye? I am no perfectionist, so will take an owners word on it 2. How does the date change over? Is it instant/click or is it gradual? 3. Does the movement make any sound i.e. if you deliberately spin the rotor inside is it noisy? 4. Lots of talk about the 'sharp' teeth on the bezel - how sharp are we talking? Can this be modded or does it require an update from ARF? Thank you

From my understanding the ARF is a great rep. The first version had short hands, bad date wheel font and sharp bezel. ARF fixed the short hands and the date wheel font - we can call this the V2. So, the main tells now are the sharp bezel and the hands are not '3d' enough - but this is the case on all reps. If ARF produce a V3 which has softer bezel, then this is next on my list. Or is there a mod to rectify this? Are there any after market hands which are better on this watch? I assume gen hands cost more than the entire rep! Also, the ARF version has A2824. This has a quick date change i.e. date change snaps over 'around' midnight like a gen. Can any 126600 ARF owners verify this?

Ok - so have now requested specific pictures of sections of the watches (and movement which I've paid for separately) I order to relieve my concerns. I do feel like this will annoy the TD (as they have to take a more pics), but their original photos were not clear enough and were never of a flat watch. On the seller sites, the photos are very very clear and show all that's needed...its not too much to have similar photos on your actual watch which is being sent out (IMO).

Thanks all. Would you reject a QC for this reason?

Had this worked for anyone?

I am seeing this quite a lot and wondered if this is common? The bezel is not aligned perfectly and is visibly off - I have highlighted this with the line drawn on. This doesn't appear to be a 'click' issue - so if its moved a click in the direction to resolve the alignment, it looks too much (hope that makes sense). Do a lot of people get this issue and how can it be fixed on a DSSD or SD4K (both NOOB).

** moved to general discussion** I am seeing this quite a lot and wondered if this is common? The bezel is not aligned perfectly and is visibly off - I have highlighted this with the line drawn on. This doesn't appear to be a 'click' issue - so if its moved a click in the direction to resolve the alignment, it looks too much (hope that makes sense). Do a lot of people get this issue and how can it be fixed on a DSSD or SD4K (both NOOB).

Sorry to bring up an old topic. I find it strange that when receiving QC pics from a TD, that there is not a single picture showing the full face of the watch square on. Is this a deliberate trick? This is the easiest way to SEE any mis alignment etc. Sending 10 pics of the caseback, clasp etc is very nice, but not sending a single square on shot is pointless. I feel bad asking for more photos and have even gone through the process of stating exactly what I need confirmation on with the QC shots. The watches look OK - but can't confirm given the angles used for the pictures.

I can understand that sometimes it takes dealers time to source a good piece etc. However, what I find quite frustrating is the lack of communication when doing so. I'm sure we've all experienced how excellent their communication is prior to payment being sent...then it suddenly goes very very quiet with days (sometimes weeks) without a word. I am waiting on 2 watches from a TD (will not name yet) and I've not heard any update for 12 days...I have been very careful not to bug them, but have requested an update after a week. I can appreciate that it annoys them when customers constantly hassle them for updates, but I am NOT doing this. I have politely requested to know the latest. I'm sure that the TD's make a very healthy margin on the watches and making a good living. I think that if they are managing 10-15 customers at a time, it would take a maximum of 30 minutes a day to send an email to provide an update. It should be standard. If they have 10's of clients, then surely they could afford to hire someone to respond to emails on their behalf. Either way, not responding or providing regular updates when someone has handed over a sizeable amount of money is really not professional and generally bad manners. I have no doubt that my TD will come through for me - and it appears that they are all the same when it comes to irregular communications when we are in the limbo phase of waiting for a piece to be sourced. However, I would be happy with just an update even stating that they are still trying to source a decent example of the watch...at least I know they are trying and my money isn't lost.

I love this piece, but still seems that a V2 is required to address the date font and the short hands. We've seen the BP versions and the ARF/JF versions....no bring on the NOOB

The Asian 3235 is a decorated 2824 according to INTIME. https://www.intime01.co/rollie/4220-sea-dweller-126600-2017-43mm-ss-bp-1-1-best-edition-black-dial-on-ss-bracelet.html

Trusty offers the new BP with 'Swiss' 2836 or Asian 3235 (which in my understanding is just decorated - not a clone movement). I'm more tempted by the 2836. Just wasn't sure if there are any obvious flaws/tell on this new BP. Read on another forum that the bezel is too shiney compared to ARF. Don't mind paying the money, but want a watch with minimal flaws...or I can wait until a better version comes out.

So the only major flaw on the ARF one is the hands are too short? How about the BP updated version (with Swiss ETA). Hands look good etc. How do the two compare? I appreciate its very early days, but I want to get a rep 126600 and waited for a better version that the first BP attempt. Should I continue to wait

SH3135 seems to be making its way into the JF watches - but NOOB seems to be sticking with the SA3135. Ideally NOOB would also make the switch...or SA3135 would be improved. Good to know that if I were to buy an SA3135 and it were to pack up, the SH/Yuki could slot it.

I have read lots of bad reviews on the SA3135 - but considering that this clone movement has been round for over 5 years, I'd expect that there's been some improvement? I understand that there was an update/upgrade done on the SA3135 - so all recent watches should be more reliable perhaps? Anyone have a 2015/2016 watch with SA3135 and care to share their experience of its reliability? Thanks

Why haven't factories addressed the extremely poor coronets which are on Rolex dials yet? Considering that some of the new Daytonas are selling for close to $500 now, its inexcusable that the coronet on the dial is so poor. the dots on the top of the coronet should be round/3D - yet I have not seen a single factory produced watch which has a good coronet on it. This is for me the easiest tell on a factory replica. Factories are spending a lot of money improving fonts, printing, laser etching etc but surely this is the worst thing on the Rolexes? How can you produce a watch which you claim is 99% accurate when the 1% which is wrong is the logo!