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THIS is what you can do with BKs new TW sub


chefcook

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Hello guys,

just to show you how much better the TW sub will be over the WM9 V3:

Only gen parts on this are crown, pearl and crystal gasket. Unfortunately the TW subs come with a C1 gasket, which is incorrect for the Sub. Swap it for a C2 and the crystal height is perfect. Standard crown is a little to round, so I replaced it with a genuine. Pearl is a known problem on every rep (even on the V3 it was crap).

Other work on this watch is a full relume (done myself with Superluminova C1) and a better bracelet, which actually is a hybrid from the TW bracelet (end links and clasp) and a noob bracelet (for the hollow mid links). For all in all about 350 Euros I have to say that I had much more expensive reps that were not nearly as accurate.

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The difference between C3 and C1 - C1 really is that much darker!

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Chef,

That's a really nice watch. I wasn't aware that the v1 and the TW were one and the same. Certainly this is a nice watch to use as a base for modding. the only problem I can see is the crown position. The 2836-2 movement requires the crown tube to be too low in the case. It's not something the average person could recognize, but anyone who hasa genuine Sub16610 could see the difference right away. I went back and tried to find a photo of my recently sold WM9/BK v3, from the crown side, but it looks like I didn't ever take one from that angle. It appers in the other photos to have the crown tube slightly higher and the crown position looks to be more like my genuine 16610, possibly even a tiny amount higher. I wish I could have hung on to the WM9/BK for a few more days until my 16610 arrived, i would have liked to take some side by side photos for comparison.

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unfortunately my camera is not very good, but here is a try on a closeup of the dial.

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The bezel is gen like construction. Genuine inserts snap right in, but you have to grind down either the inner bezel surface or the crystal retaining ring to make it rotatable. C2 crystal gasket is a must for correct crystal height.

The SELs honestly are the best I have seen on reps in my whole life. Nothing compares to this.

Yep, it did come with an ETA 2824-2.

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Thanks for reply

U know I'm a sub maniac and every time a new one comes up I'm interested to see if it's better.

Your TW looks good and yes the SEL's are really good.

I don't like the Dialmarkers from factory on the TW

That it comes with Eta 2824 is really nice I think it has high pinions for the hands

Great work for shure

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The crown position is not nearly as much of a tell as the bad end links and overall under average quality of the V3...

The Movement in the TW is the same 2824 as an the V3 ;)

Totally agree, the endlinks make this watch superior to a 1 mm difference in the crown position when veiwed from a side profile.

And of all gen owners I know, none would know the difference in the crown position.

chef, how did you seperate the endlinks from the rest of the bracelet?

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UNfortunately I have to correct myself: It has a 2836-2 inside, not a 2824-2...

No matter what motor, it's still a very nice watch, and as D-Rock mentioned, it's available, which is a big,big plus. There are still going to be some folks who opt to pay a premium for used WM9/BK v3's, primarily because most that come up for sale have been modded, and that makes it less of a hassle for someone who doesn't have the skills, time or tools to do all the modding required. But for those who want to start from scratch, this is and excellent one to start with. To me the biggest plus is the ability to accept genuine parts with out having to do lots of alterations to the watch or part and coming up with compromises that alter the durability, water resistance,etc. It's really nice to be able to pop the bezel off and replace the insert with a genuine by snapping out the old one and snapping in the genuine, changing the crystal and using genuine gaskets, etc. and not having to glue things together!

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I have to agree with Panerai. This does indeed look to be the Best way to go at the moment...and naturally we owe this BEAUTIFUL 16610 to the Rolex King...Mr. BK.

@chefcook- did yours come without the rehaut engraved or did you remove the engraving yourself ??

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Ive had them all and I still say that my V3, the only sub I have kept, is the best rep sub ever made. Mine came with the WM9BK LV pearl which was excellent. My end links fit very tight although they could be ever so slightly better recessed. The TW best comes with a solid mid link bracelet which is an instant tell although the end links do fit very well against the case and lugs.

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While I too have chosen the V3 for my "Franken" Sub, I have to admit the SEL fit on BK's newest TW Sub is great. And much better than the other v3 and v2's I've owned.(except for the most recent one I traded..that one was near perfect) It appears that the fit is a "luck of the draw". Regardless if the solid mid links bracelet is an immediate tell or not (personally it wouldn't bother me much) I must say I would rather a nice tight gen-like SEL fit with incorrect solid links than the correct hollow mid links with a very noticable, terrible fitting SEL. V3, V2 or V1...it's simply a matter of preferrence as the V3, V2 and V1 are no doubt the best available and the Best ever made.....just my opinion, of course.

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Considering Rolex has switched to solid mid-links with the GMT-IIC and latest sport models, this may give more street cred to bracelets of this sort. Also, I have mentioned before, I am sure there are plenty of Gen's in the world owned by non-WIS's-- that when the time came to replace the bracelet they went aftermarket solid, or aftermarket with clasp swap over. As far as it being a tell, unless you are very close to the person in direct sunlight or hand the watch over to a Rolex WIS, it is not as easy as you think. I was sitting at a Sushi bar next to a guy in a Sub. I could not tell if the mid's were hollow or solid from 3' away.

I have said it before, but bouncing/failing/calling out a watch as a rep/fake where user-serviceable parts are concerned should not be the primary ID method. (Bracelet/Strap/Inserts)

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I handed my V3 to a knowledgable watch enthusiast and he never blinked an eye. I remember handing my modded TW best to another friend who called out the solid links in 5 seconds! The V3 has the correct crown position which also gives the watch a real gen like appearance. The other subs just dont look correct with the crown sitting so low between the CG's. The V3 has flaws but they are small ones but certainly gaps in the end link fit would be a nogo for me also. Luckily my end links are real tight just need to be ever so slightly more recessed. One thing for sure is that the WM9 subs are a thing of the past..Bks new sub is NOW the best rep sub available in the world.

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"Available" being the key word there...I wouldn't exactly say the WM9 Subs are "a thing of the past"...and I'm guessing the ones that own them wouldn't either. But give BK some time and my money is on the fact that he will eventually offer a Sub that tops them all. He simply strikes me as being that kinda guy.

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WM9 subs are a thing of the past because George has stopped communicating with his customer base. Even if he did resurface who in his right mind would ever deal with him again? SOO WM9 subs are dead since no one can or in their right mind will source them again. BK NOW (and still) makes the best sub with his modded TW best. My feeling however is that the V3 was the best rep sub ever made. Its the only sub I have retained and I have owned them all.

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