A genuine 2003 TW Best 16610 (eddielee) at 15yrs old

[Guest SharkfactorII]

Hi Folks.

 

I used to be on the scene many years ago on TRC (replica collector).. I have a very cool watch that I thought may be interest to you guys, also I would like to hear some views on this particular ancient model versus today's reps - it was the 'best' back in the day - if only for a while.

 

History..

 

Bought from a brilliant seller named eddielee late 2003/early 2004 (is he still around?). These were good out the box but better when modded, so this one has had some mods, if I can remember correctly.. 

 

CG's milled, bezel insert, dial upgrade from another watch (MBW dial I think), Luminova applied, hollow link bracelet from a vintage Sea Dweller rep and a few other bits and bobs I have probably forgotten. 

 

I never got round to doing the crown and tube..and I think the bezel insert was replaced again with the poor one you see fitted now.  

 

I would like to do a couple more bits now, replace the insert, drill the case holes and fit proper spring bars, replace the crown with a better one... it's time it got some attention!

 

I have been using this amazing watch for 15 years. My brother wore it for a few years, my grandfather wore it when we both got real ones..it's been through so much. For a replica watch, amazing! I think it was serviced at about 2years old and has been running like a 'swiss watch' ever since, water tight the lot! Amazing watch, worth ever penny of the some £300 I paid for it all that time ago.

 

Enjoy some pics of a loved and used old replica Submariner.. and hello from Scotland!

 

 

Edited December 15, 2018 by SharkfactorII

[Nanuq]

Welcome back! It's great to see some of the details from how reps were back then. It's still a good looking piece.

[alligoat]

Interesting piece of history. The upgrades you mention would definitely help.

Eddie Lee got out of the business about 10 years ago.

Around 2012, after the WM9s disappeared, BK had the updated TW best 16610s- with a more gen like bezel assembly, but even those are gone these days AFAIK.

Now days the JF is the best 16610 rep- with the SH 3135 movement.

[By-Tor]

I had that rep too.

 

[Guest SharkfactorII]

Thanks guys. 

 

The JF 16610: funny you should say! I was browsing trustytime earlier looking at how replicas have evolved.. I was so taken with the JF that I bought one (without engraved rehaut), it looks really good, I'm amazed, especially at the CG's (which they never managed to get right before, albeit it's still only 95% the way there) and now with rep 3135's! I looked at the BP version too, but chose the JF.. Great to see Andrew is still in business and is thriving. I can't wait until my new JF arrives now!  

[Kerbus]

I still have a EL DJ with the TT wrapped gold This watch too is about 15 years old. Still looks good. I imagine the movement must really be a gen ETA.

[robertk]

i think i have about 7 reps from Eddie including that one. They all still run. And the prices then were way less expensive.....and the quality was very good.

[Guest SharkfactorII]

15 hours ago, Kerbus said:

I still have a EL DJ with the TT wrapped gold This watch too is about 15 years old. Still looks good. I imagine the movement must really be a gen ETA.

As far as I know it will be a genuine ETA 2836-2. I had this one serviced by a local watchmaker, he had no trouble working on it. Just shows good good quality it is for the money - we could have spent the same on a brand named watches and they would not have lasted 15 years of (ab)use and still be in good working order..I see no reason why it isn't good for another 15yrs either. It should last a lifetime.

 

I wish to change the crown for a better looking one, it doesn't have to be genuine, just a better looking one. If I source one from another watch that had the same movement, it should fit right? What about the stem and will it fit the current tube already in the watch? Thanks for any help..

[alligoat]

There are rep crowns out there which are good copies, but I don't know where you find them these days. TC used to have them, but he's gone. I used to buy used gen crowns for $30-40 and then install a wholesaleoutlet990 case tube . I do know that if you change the crown, you will most likely have to change the case tube. And you will have to tap the hole in the case. And tapping the hole in an old TW case might be a challenge- I once broke a tap off in a  case. 

Stems are all tap10- .90mm AFAIK.

[automatico]

"I do know that if you change the crown, you will most likely have to change the case tube."

"There are rep crowns out there which are good copies, but I don't know where you find them these days."

 

I have changed out quite a few replica crowns and tubes over the years and you are right...the case tube has to match the crown because most of the older crowns are not oem spec. 

  One type that shows up a lot is the steel capped crown with a brass inner body.  They may or may not have the O ring on the outside of the case tube but they must have the matching case tube.  Afaik none of them are oem spec but they are reliable.  Water resistance can be hit or miss depending on how good the case tube to case sealing is along with the crown gaskets.  Some watches have essentially the same tube/crown combo but with solid steel crowns.

  Another good crown/case tube combo is the set that came in the original F520117 'noobmariners'.  They are not oem spec (the crown threads are different) but they are solid steel (no cap) and reliable. 

Some of the old D320840 'fake noob' cases have good crown/tube sets although they are not the same as the F520117 'genuine noob' parts.  Both are hard to find now though.

 

The D320840 'fake noob' cases look a lot like the F520117 'genuine noob' cases and many were sold as 'noobmariners' but they had 'wokky' reflectors (rehaut) and used a different crystal setup.

Some of the case tubes in any of these cases can be a real pain to remove without damaging them.  I usually remove the movement and gaskets, put a metal rod through the inside of the case tube and heat the rod to loosen things up first.  Heating the rod will heat the tube enough to make the glue/sealant turn loose without damage to crystal gaskets etc...if you are careful.

 

"TC used to have them, but he's gone."

 

His crowns and tubes were pretty good and were oem spec.  I have a few TC crowns on project watches with ST case tubes.  Only trouble I have had with TC crowns is the tension spring in the 'telescopic clutch' sometimes becomes weak. 

 

 

"I used to buy used gen crowns for $30-40 and then install a wholesaleoutlet990 case tube."

 

The best fix imho.

 

 

 

[Guest SharkfactorII]

Thanks guys, very good info.. I'll maybe source the parts and try find a modder to do the work for me.

[watcher]

Brings back memories!! There used to be some nice TW Rollie reps back then. River was always my go to dealer back then but also dealt with Eddie!!


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[Rambo73]

my father still have his eddie lee 16610

[Rambo73]

On 12/16/2018 at 8:56 PM, automatico said:

"I do know that if you change the crown, you will most likely have to change the case tube."

"There are rep crowns out there which are good copies, but I don't know where you find them these days."

 

I have changed out quite a few replica crowns and tubes over the years and you are right...the case tube has to match the crown because most of the older crowns are not oem spec. 

  One type that shows up a lot is the steel capped crown with a brass inner body.  They may or may not have the O ring on the outside of the case tube but they must have the matching case tube.  Afaik none of them are oem spec but they are reliable.  Water resistance can be hit or miss depending on how good the case tube to case sealing is along with the crown gaskets.  Some watches have essentially the same tube/crown combo but with solid steel crowns.

  Another good crown/case tube combo is the set that came in the original F520117 'noobmariners'.  They are not oem spec (the crown threads are different) but they are solid steel (no cap) and reliable. 

Some of the old D320840 'fake noob' cases have good crown/tube sets although they are not the same as the F520117 'genuine noob' parts.  Both are hard to find now though.

 

The D320840 'fake noob' cases look a lot like the F520117 'genuine noob' cases and many were sold as 'noobmariners' but they had 'wokky' reflectors (rehaut) and used a different crystal setup.

Some of the case tubes in any of these cases can be a real pain to remove without damaging them.  I usually remove the movement and gaskets, put a metal rod through the inside of the case tube and heat the rod to loosen things up first.  Heating the rod will heat the tube enough to make the glue/sealant turn loose without damage to crystal gaskets etc...if you are careful.

 

"TC used to have them, but he's gone."

 

His crowns and tubes were pretty good and were oem spec.  I have a few TC crowns on project watches with ST case tubes.  Only trouble I have had with TC crowns is the tension spring in the 'telescopic clutch' sometimes becomes weak. 

 

 

"I used to buy used gen crowns for $30-40 and then install a wholesaleoutlet990 case tube."

 

The best fix imho.

 

 

 

Did theses Eddie Lee 16610 are still considered the best ones on the Market ?

[alligoat]

No, the 16610 has come a long way since Eddie Lee. What Eddie sold looked good but wasn't gen like construction. Since the early 2010s gen like construction came around and things got better. Watchmaker 9 started some of this, MBW and TW Best also followed suite. TC had some very nice 16610s and since then JKF, ARF and RAF have followed up.

Now days you can buy nice 16610 rep cases from China via AliExpress. And of course the VR3135 and VS3135 rep movements are available.

My last build was a TC case, a JKF dial and hands, a noobmariner 93250 bracelet and a VR3135 movement. I think the insert was a flat 4 rep insert with a watchmaterial.com pearl. I first tried a SH3135 movement but that was a $250 mistake  with service and I have been happy with the VR3135 since then.