Clark Super Dome or genuine flat-top T-39?

[mezzanine]

I am in a dilemma. I was thinking I was going to go after a genuine super dome to add to my Sea Dweller as a finishing touch. The problem is that these things are even more expensive and rare than inserts. I've also read that the genuine super domes are prone to structural weakness within the crystal due to the age and effects of moisture, etc...

Right now I have a genuine T-39 flat-top on my 1665. On one level, it strikes me as dumb to switch out a genuine crystal for a fake one. Not only that, but considering I have a 'white' Sea Dweller, the flat-top is probably more 'appropriate'. At the same time, I've read enough positive things about the Clark aftermarket super domes, that I figured I would try to get some feedback about what other people would do if faced with a similar choice.

Am I better to wait on a genuine super dome, and just enjoy the flat-top until an opportunity presents itself (or just keep the flat-top)?

Or should I go for the Clark and get the look of the superdome without worrying about the fact it's not genuine?

[tmg]

Mez, stick with the flat top IMHO and put a clarks superdome on you new DRSD

[mezzanine]

Yeah, I've been thinking about this morning, and I think that's what I'm going to do. I'm not in any rush, I just figured the gen superdomes were escalating at such a rate that if I didn't buy one now, I probably never would.

Even though I think the super dome is probably the preferred tropic, I don't think it's necessary on my transitional sea dweller, which is even more 'recent' than the standard Great White.

[Sir-Lancelot]

If you bought the gen Tropic, you could always sell it. Down the road it will be worth more than you paid for it.

[vlydog]

If you bought the gen Tropic, you could always sell it. Down the road it will be worth more than you paid for it.

There is a part of me that really likes the look of the super dome but at the same time I am always driven by the accuracy of my reps. I am no expert but many good friends here were forth coming with answers to this very question when I asked too. Go with the flat-top for the GW.

[freddy333]

Mezz -- The gen super domes have not been manufactured in years & the material does degrade with age, so if you plan to get your watch wet or wear it in the water, I would go with Clark's. They are nearly indistinguishable from the gen tropic & they are alot more reliable if used under pressure (under water). In addition, the flat top is the correct lens for the GW.

[Stephane]

Mezz -- The gen super domes have not been manufactured in years & the material does degrade with age, so if you plan to get your watch wet or wear it in the water, I would go with Clark's. They are nearly indistinguishable from the gen tropic & they are alot more reliable if used under pressure (under water). In addition, the flat top is the correct lens for the GW.

I second the Clark choice...it's insane to go for several hundreds for a gen superDome.

When I bought my SuperDomes I paid 400

[mezzanine]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Freddy, your reviews of the Clark and the accompanying analysis you did was both thorough and sound. I would have completely given up trying to realistically understand the differences between the Clark and the gen if not for your side-by-side and the descriptions. Your comment about the degradation of the crystals over time is something I've read elsewhere. I've heard contrary reports- both sides agree that the super domes should not be subjected to water.

Stephane, I've spent some time staring at your single red vs. your double red, trying to spot any differences, but I can't see anything in pics. I am guessing that there are the type of minor differences that Freddy's described, but I'm more concerned about the unique sparkle and clarity of the genuine crystals and whether the Clark can capture the level of quality that Rolex built into their acrylics.

I reached that realization about the absurd lack of value in the genuine super domes today. There are still some available for the prices you guys probably paid for yours (not many), so I figured this might be the last chance to pick one up before things go crazy, like what Oli was talking about where people are paying $600 for these pieces of acrylic. That was part of the reasoning.

The more I thought about it, though, the more I realized that there's a point of diminishing returns, and that the whole point of our reps is to try to avoid those types of money pits that are the downside of the genuine world if you're not careful.

The funny thing is that I like the flat-top. The only thing was that I heard kingkitesurf or whoever say that the super dome totally transformed his watch, giving it a much larger appearance. I'm trying to create as much 'contrast' or differences between my SD and sub- I'm sure you're trying to do the same with yours, different bracelets styles, etc... just so that you have a reason to wear one over the other, other than the writing on the dial. Both the flat-top and the 127 are flat top crystals (although I guess the 39 isn't technically), and I'd wondered whether the super dome would add to their different looks.

[Guest carlsbadrolex]

I dont know if this has been posted on here before... but this is the guide that I use for at least identifying the correct crystal for a Rolex...

I have ordered close to 20 crystals from Clark over the years and always been pleased!

TROPIC 3: 6503-6526, 6615-6623, 6706-6724, 6800-6807, 7936

TROPIC 5: 6418, 7902, 7932

TROPIC 6: 6220, 6221, 7910

TROPIC 7: 6266, 6546

TROPIC 8: 6434, 6546

TROPIC 9: 6244, 6246, 6444, 7903, 7913, 7927, 7933, 7955

TROPIC 12: 1002-1011, 1014, 1022-1039, 5500, 5501, 5506, 5520,

5552, 5590, 6422, 6423, 6426, 6427, 6429, 6480, 6500,

6502, 6528, 6532, 6552, 6556 Trubeat, 6558, 6564, 6565,

6566, 6567, 6569, 6580-6587, 6590-6593, 6634, 7934,

7949, 7950, 7959, 7984A, 7986A, 7987A, 7991A, 7993,

7995A, 9000, 9020, 9021, 9022, 9023, 9031, 9033, 9041

TROPIC 13: 5502, 5516, 6594, 7926, 7963, 7965, 7967

TROPIC 14: 6512

TROPIC 16: 5508, 6204, 6205, 6536-1, 6541,6543, 7922, 7923

TROPIC 17: 5510, 6200, 6536, 6538

TROPIC 19: 5510, 5512, 5513, 5517, 6538A, 6540, 7016, 7928, 9401,

94010

TROPIC 21: 6262, 6263, 6239

TROPIC 22: 6610, 1016

TROPIC 29: 1012, 1013

TROPIC 30: 6420, 6421, 6430, 6431, 6432, 6544 / 6549, 6551, 6553,

6554, 6555, 6557, 6559, 6571, 6744, 6747, 6748, 6749,

6751, 6753, 6754, 6757, 6771, 66466

TROPIC 31: 7975, 7980

TROPIC 33: 7590A, 7597, 7599A, 7614, 7615, 9220, 9221, 92200,

92201,92203, 92208, 92211, 92213, 92214, 92218

TROPIC 39: 1665

TROPIC 111: 6530

CYCLOPE 100: 6406

CYCLOPE 101: 6513, 6514, 6516, 6517, 6519, 6520, 6521, 6524, 6527,

6529,6531,6533,6626,6700,6701,6702,6703,6704,6705, 6917

CYCLOPE 104: 6466,6624,6625,6627,6628,6629,6630,6631,6632,6633, 6635,

6636,6638,6639,6824,6825,6827,6828,6829,6830,6831, 6832,

6833,6835,6839

CYCLOPE 107: 9090

CYCLOPE 108: 6122-6127, 6294, 6494, 6515, 6518, 6694, 7914, 7919, 7929, 9294

CYCLOPE 109: 6309

CYCLOPE 110: 6510, 6511

CYCLOPE 111: 1625

CYCLOPE 112: 7962A, 7964, 7966, 7968

CYCLOPE 113: 6304, 6305, 6307, 6498, 6604, 6605

CYCLOPE 114 1802-1815, 1831, 16014, 18000, 1802-1815, 1831, 6611, 6612, 6613

CYCLOPE 115: 6542

CYCLOPE 116: 1655, 1675, 16750, 16753, 6542

CYCLOPE 117: 1500-1514, 1550, 1625, 5700, 5701, 6535, 6537, 6602, 6609, 6646

CYCLOPE 118: 1600-1605, 1607, 1610, 1611

CYCLOPE 119: 7974

CYCLOPE 121: 7596A, 7600A, 7601A, 7602A, 7616, 7637, 7982, 9240, 9241, 92400,

92401, 92403, 92408, 92411, 92413, 92414, 92418

CYCLOPE 122: 7606, 7607, 9230, 9231, 92300, 92301, 92303, 92308, 92311,

92313, 92314, 92318

CYCLOPE 123: 7106, 7206, 9010, 9050, 9051, 9061, 9071, 9101, 9111, 9121,

9130, 9140

CYCLOPE 125: 9411, 94110

CYCLOPE 127: 1680

CYCLOPE 128: 7149, 7159, 7169

CYCLOPE 129: 6900 to 6907, 6913, 6914, 6916, 6917, 6919, 6920, 6921, 6924,

6927, 6929, 6933

CYCLOPE 130: 9420, 9421, 9430, 94200, 94210, 94300

CYCLOPE 135: 16000, 16003, 16013, 16014, 16030, 16250, 16253

CYCLOPE 143: 74000, 74001, 74003, 74008, 75000, 75100, 75201, 75203, 75204,

75205, 75208

CYCLOPE 145: 15000, 15003, 15505, 15007, 15008, 15010, 15017, 15018, 15033,

15037, 15038, 15148, 15053

25-39 1665

25-206-C: 69008, 69008A, 69018, 69018A, 69068, 69068A, 69069, 69069A,

69078, 69078A, 69079, 69079A, 69088, 69088A, 69089, 69089A,

69108A, 69118A, 69128A 69138, 69138A, 69139, 69139A, 69148,

69148A, 69160A, 69163A, 69168, 69168A, 69169, 69169A, 69173A,

69174A, 69178, 69178A, 69179, 69179A, 69190A, 69240, 69278,

69279, 69279A

25-246-C 68240, 68243, 68248, 68273, 68274, 68278, 68279, 68288, 68289

25-295-C 1530, 1630, 16008, 16009, 16018, 16019, 16058, 16078, 16200,

16203, 16220, 16233, 16234, 16238, 16248, 16258, 16263, 16264,

17000, 17013, 17014, 18026, 18028, 18029, 18038, 18039, 18046,

18048, 18049, 18078, 18079, 18178, 18206, 18206B, 18208, 18238,

18239, 18248, 18249, 18308, 18346, 18348, 18349, 18368, 18369,

18388, 18389, 19018, 19019

[freddy333]

I'm more concerned about the unique sparkle and clarity of the genuine crystals and whether the Clark can capture the level of quality that Rolex built into their acrylics.

Yes, the clarity & sparkle of Clarks lens is equal to the gen (it might even be slightly better). That is what ultimately sold me on them. They are the 1st & only aftermarket lens I have seen that looks like a gen Tropic. The principle difference is that the inner surface of the Clarks superdome is slightly flat vs the gen, which results in a slight refraction of images around its perimeter. That is, if you place the Clarks lens on top of a crosshatch pattern (crossing horizontal & vertical lines), the lines have a slight deviation from true around the edge of the lens. But this anomaly is only apparent around the lens's perimeter, not the center. And, again, you would probably never even notice it if I had not mentioned it. Both lenses appear nearly identical when installed on a watch. In addition to my previous comparsions, Nanuq posted an even better 1 early last year or the year before.

[ShawnBeever]

I look at this way.

If I had a gen. 1665 that I wanted to wear every day I would fit it with a Clark superdome rather than risk wrecking a gen. $600 crystal.

Nobody you will ever meet will be able to tell the difference.

There are perhaps 50 guys in the whole world who could tell a Clark crystal from a gen. 25 of them probably subscribe to this forum so you need not worry about them and there is not much chance of meeting the other 25.

[mezzanine]

Interesting stuff, thanks for the great perspective on the relative merits Freddy. I checked out the phenomenon you were describing with the light refraction, and while subtle I think I understand the optics or geometry makes sense. I had a super dome on a DRSD that I couldn't identify as either gen or aftermarket after trying to enlist opinions, but the flattened under-surface to the top of the acrylic in the shape of a penny perhaps (?) made me wonder if the genuine had that same feature.

CBR, good to have the reference, and I'm thinking if I decide to get a super dome, it will be a Clark as opposed to a genuine.

Shawn, I read that the only way to conclusively make the determination is to do a pressure test. The gens not doing as well because of their age, I imagine. I guess Freddy's method would also work.

I am tempted to pick up a Clark, but I am thinking I'm just good to leave the flat-top.

[ShawnBeever]

Here’s a gratuitous shot of my 1665 wearing a Clark Superdome.

[POTR]

This is a $10, flat, "euro made" T39 from helfands on the bay...

I tried it, because I had seen replacements like this on older Gens before, and I like it, it kind of makes it more of a well used tool watch, if you can follow...

I will probably be changing this out for something else later.... if I ever decide what this piece will eventually be (yeah, I am leaning 5508 so, probably a T16)

anyway, maybe one like this could be a reasonable option...

Just a thought.

[Dizzy]

i think the superdome is 100x nicer than the flat tropic in my opinion... and excellent ref info carlsbad. I'm gunna save that for future reference

cheers

dizz

[eunomians]

OEM Superdome > OEM Flat Tropic > Clark

The different refraction of the Clark is a no-go for me.

If u want a beater, then get OEM flat tropic. My Rolex sports models are genuine (aside from 6265 x2) and they are not beaters and never go near water. I only use OEM Tropics.

Cheers