NEWBY REPLICA ROLEX 16610 SUBMARINER 'INFO AND INSTRUCTIONS'...

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REPLICA ROLEX 16610 SUBMARINER 'INFO AND INSTRUCTIONS'...FOR DUMMIES LIKE ME:

STANDARD THINGS TO LOOK FOR..

STAINLESS STEEL CONSTRUCTION.

A FINELY FINISHED CASE AND BRACELET.
FINELY FINISHED DIAL.
SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL.

SCREW DOWN CROWN.
SCREW DOWN CASE BACK.
'FULLY SIGNED' BRACELET AND CASE.
HOLLOW MID LINK BRACELET WITH DIVER EXTENSION AND SOLID END LINKS (SEL).     
NOTE:  MODELS THAT MIMIC EARLIER EDITIONS WILL HAVE STAMPED SHEET METAL BRACELET END PIECES (AKA HOODS) INSTEAD OF SEL, AND SHOULD HAVE HOLES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE LUGS.  SEL MODELS USUALLY HAVE BLIND LUG HOLES BUT EARLY SEL WATCHES HAD HOLES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE LUGS.

MOVEMENT CHOICES:   
CHEAPO ASIAN '21 JEWEL' MOVEMENTS...HIT OR MISS IN QUALITY BUT CHEAP TO REPLACE.
ASIAN 'ETACLONE' COPY OF ETA 2824 or 2836.  OK IF GOOD TO START WITH.  MAY HAVE A SHORT LIFESPAN.
ASIAN 'ROLYCLONE' 3135 MOVEMENT.  THREE OR FIVE VERSIONS, SOME OK, SOME NOT.  REPLACEMENTS COST $100 TO $200+.
GENUINE ETA 2824 OR 2836.  RELIABLE IF NEW AND FRESH.  SOME ARE 'PUT TOGETHERS' = JUNK.  
NEW ETA 2824/2836 MOVEMENTS NOW SELL FOR $200 TO $300.  
MOST ALL WILL BE HACK SETTING = MOVEMENT STOPS RUNNING WHEN CROWN IS PULLED OUT TO THE TIME SETTING POSITION.

 

CROWN POSITIONS: 
1...CROWN UNSCREWED.  WINDING POSITION.
2...CROWN PULLED OUT TO FIRST NOTCH.  DATE SETTING POSITION.
3...CROWN PULLED OUT TO SECOND NOTCH.  TIME SETTING POSITION.

INSTRUCTIONS:
WHEN THE WATCH HAS STOPPED...DETERMINE IF IT IS ON AM OR PM BY RUNNING THE HANDS PAST 12 AND WATCH FOR THE DATE TO FLIP OVER,  DO NOT TURN THE HANDS REAL FAST.     
TIP...WHEN THE WATCH STOPS, NOTE IF IT STOPPED ON AM OR PM SO YOU DO NOT NEED TO RUN THE HANDS AROUND TO DETERMINE AM OR PM.  
WHY?  
BECAUSE IT SAVES WEAR AND TEAR ON THE SETTING WORKS.

ONE 'FREE' FOOLPROOF PRECAUTION (FROM EXPERIENCE):
DO NOT CHANGE THE DATE BETWEEN 6PM AND 6AM.  
WHY?
BECAUSE IT MIGHT DAMAGE THE DATE WORKS.  

 

STARTING THE WATCH:
UNSCREW THE CROWN AND WIND THE CROWN 25 OR 30 TIMES TO GET THE WATCH RUNNING.  NO NEED TO 'BACK WIND' THE CROWN...WIND IT FORWARD ONLY.  
SET THE TIME AND DATE, SCREW THE CROWN DOWN, AND IT IS READY TO GO.  IF IT DOES NOT START, GENTLY TWIST THE WATCH BACK AND FORTH WITH THE DIAL UP OR DOWN.
BE CAREFUL WHEN SCREWING THE CROWN DOWN AND MAKE SURE THE THREADS LINE UP.  YOU CAN PUSH THE CROWN DOWN AND TURN IT BACKWARDS TO FEEL WHEN IT STARTS IF NEEDED.  
JUST SNUG THE CROWN DOWN...NOT VERY TIGHT.  IT AIN'T A LUG NUT!

HOW CAN SOMEONE TELL IT IS A REPLICA?
THE BEAT RATE (HOW MANY 'TICKS' IT MAKES PER HOUR)...GENUINES ARE 28,800 TICKS PER HOUR, ASIAN '21 JEWEL' MODELS USUALLY MAKE SLIGHTLY LESS TICKS PER HOUR. 
MOST PEOPLE ASSUME EVERY 'ROLEX' IS A REPLICA ANYWAY SO DON'T WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT IT.

WHAT CAN GO WRONG WITH THE WATCH?

'LUCKY 7' COMMON AILMENTS:

1...THE WATCH FOGS UP.

WHY?

WATER/MOISTURE INTRUSION.

THE FIX?

A LOOONG STORY.  MIGHT NEED RESEALING ETC.

2...ONE OR MORE OF THE MARKERS FALLS OFF THE DIAL.
WHY?

SHOCKS AND/OR DROPS.  MAYBE ONE OR MORE JUST FALLS OFF, THEY ARE CEMENTED ON THE DIAL LIKE GENUINE.

IT NEEDS A DOCTOR.
3...SCREWS CAN COME LOOSE IN BRACELET LINKS BECAUSE THE GLUE/LOCKTITE GAVE UP. 

FIX IT BY CLEANING THE LINK AND REAPPLYING THREAD LOCKER.  

NOTE:  TO REMOVE A LINK YOU USUALLY NEED TO HEAT THE BRACELET LINK SCREW TO GET IT OUT, AND THE SCREWDRIVER MUST FIT THE SCREW HEAD.
4...THE WATCH STOPS RUNNING BECAUSE OF BEING DROPPED OR SLAMMED AGAINST SOMETHING.  MAY OR MAY NOT BE DAMAGED,  SAME AS GENUINE.

IF IT RUNS OK, IT IS USUALLY OK, OTHERWISE SEE A WATCH DOC.
5...THE LUBRICANTS JUST DRY UP AND IT GRINDS TO A HALT...SAME AS GENUINE.

MAY NEED SERVICE.
6...SOMETHING IN THE MOVEMENT BREAKS...SAME AS GENUINE.

NEEDS SERVICE.

7...A HAND FALLS OFF OR RUBS AGAINST ANOTHER HAND.

SEE # 2.

 

DO NOT LEAVE THE WATCH IN DIRECT SUN IN HOT WEATHER...CAR DASH ETC.

THE WATCH WILL STOP IF YOU DO NOT WEAR IT ENOUGH, IT NEEDS ABOUT SIX OR EIGHT HOURS A DAY OF FAIRLY ACTIVE WEAR...NOT WATCHING TV AND EATING POPCORN  .  

WIND IT IF NEEDED.

MECHANICAL WATCHES ARE VERY FRAGILE COMPARED TO QUARTZ WATCHES, PLUS THEY NEED A LOT OF CARE.  I CALL THEM 'ONE DROPS'...ONE DROP ON A HARD SURFACE OR ONE DROP OF WATER GETS INSIDE AND THEY NEED TO SEE A WATCH DOCTOR, OR A WATCH UNDERTAKER.  

WHEN SOMEONE COMPLAINS ABOUT THEIR MECHANICAL WATCH NOT KEEPING TIME, I JUST TELL THEM TO BUY A QUARTZ WATCH OR MOVE CLOSER TO THE COURTHOUSE.

 

NOW YOU SEE WHY ALMOST NO ONE WEARS A MECHANICAL WATCH TODAY.  

 

WHY ALL CAPS?

I'M NOT SHOUTING!   

 CAPS ARE CHEAP AND FAST.  TYPOS ARE FREE.

AND
 COMMENTS ARE WELCOME.

 

4-17-2023

This is for anyone new to the game and I put it in the Rolex Area because the Resource Center is very quiet and it would hardly ever be seen.   

I picked the 16610 because it is the model that often comes to mind when someone mentions 'submariner'.