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After a long hiatus I decided to make another pictorial. I haven't purchased any watches since the B01, which I have sold already. I only have a few replica watches left. One of the keepers is the WM9 Sub v2, which is now a combination of different parts & mods. I've been wearing it a lot in the past 3 1/2 years and the small ETA 2671-2 has been a reliable and accurate workhorse. I also had my "big watch season" just like many other members, but in the end of the day 40-42 mm might be my favorite watch size anyway. I bought this watch from bklm1234 when the model was brand new. I think I was among the first ones who received it. When I got married a few years ago, BK sent me better crown and genuine insert as a wedding gift. That was a great gesture. The main reason for my long hiatus is that I got married and bought a new house which required some work... and after my son was born, I didn't have much time for watches (or any other Internet activity for that matter). But recently I started to spend a little time on the forums again I found some great Sub pictorials (like THIS) by my longtime friend Watcher. Amazing! I was happy to find out that the members can purchase great Sub replicas again (TC). The old "spark" came back and I finally performed the mods. One of the biggest issues on all rep Rolexes is the bracelet. No matter how much you pour oil on it... and polish/wax it, it simply doesn't feel the same. This applies to WM9 v2 as well. I scratched my head on this and examined my gen bracelet 16710 very closely. The gen has very "smooth" feel on it, which is partly due to the "rounded" edges on the bracelet. It has kind of a "bevel" there. I filed the edges from all corners, by using a metal file, then a soft nail file and finalized with a Scotch Brite-Pad (to get an even finish). Use a 45-degree angle when "sanding" the edges. Here you can see the gen bracelet closeup (and the bevel). It's one of the main factors of the "soft" feel of the gen. Replica bracelet edges are usually very sharp and thus, feel quite different. The results are fantastic. Bracelet feels 95% like the gen now. The last 5% probably comes from a superior machinery & tolerances and different steel grade. Mods performed: WM v1 SELs Genuine insert Clark crystal BK crown Full bracelet treatment (includes excessive oiling, waxing and shaping) The new genuine insert is a great addition. So is the BK crown which is pretty much identical with the gen. Actually I was going to buy a gen 16610 eventually but WM9 with mods is just too good. The only remaining issue now is the crown vertical position but I find it quite insignificant and not really noticeable. WM9 v1 SELs are the best fit for this particular model. Nicely recessed and fit like a glove. I've owned reps and frankens of pretty much all classic Rolex models and only 16610 and 16710 remain the ones that still keep me excited. People say that 16610 is "too common" and somewhat unimaginative choice. But what can you do... it's perfect. I don't find the new Rolex models desirable at all and (besides the 1675) I'm not a huge fan of the acrylic crystal-era vintages, either. This "5-digit Rolex era" is my favorite and 16610 & 16710 represent that era perfectly. And even with their faults (like flimsy clasps) they're (IMHO) the two coolest Rolexes ever made. So... what more you could ask for? Besides a gen white 16750, perhaps. And maybe that watcher's LV?