16610 LV from 2006 with serial F520117

[Guest carlsbadrolex]

Today I received a 16610LV picked up from another forum with Gen complete box set. The watch is pretty darn incredible. It has the nickel colored eta 2836-2 with Rolex style rotor cutouts and colored gears. All of the dial text is spaced exactly as the original, there is no telling this one as a rep by looking at the dial.

Of course the CG's need a VERY Little work. The tip of the triangle on the insert touches the edge, and the bezel font is perfect and the insert is slightly recessed and drum roll please....

The crown on the crystal is all but invisible until you take it outside and look at a really extreme angle.

The ref is correct at 16610 LV and the serial is F520117.

The bracelet is nice with hollow mids and a pretty tight wet suit extension.

The seller states it came from Eddie Lee two years ago and had never been worn before today (I took off the plastic). It seems to me that this watch was put together by the same people that did the CHS GMT Master II and Explorer II about the same time. That is the only place I have seen this crystal before.

Anyone know anything about it? Anyone else have one?

I am going to take some pics tomorrow between races.

Thanks,

T

[ajoesmith]

Think this is the classic Noobmariner as it has the same serial F520117

[w.genzo]

Yes it's the noobmariner serial.

The differences between recent and old noobmariner are the slightly deeper rehaut (still too short), and the more visible etched crown.

Check the oversized crown, it didn't change.

Anyway, I guess you found the "gen" first noobmariner

[alligoat]

It's hard to believe the noob's been around for two years. And, of course, Eddie Lee threw in the towel shortly thereafter.

There's a certain amount of variation in the noobs- don't you wonder how many millions are out there? Remember Josh's beginmariner with the thick date font, some had the zit pearls, and there were slight variations in rehaut depth. Most of the collectors carry it, TTK, Josh, Andrew, Paul, EL (he always had good quality watches from what I've read), and now Eurotimez, etc.

It certainly has been a successful watch- no doubt about it. I love wearing mine, a great beater and who cares if you tear it up- it's a 'down in the trenches' working watch for me.