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Cdenim

3 THINGS YOU HAVE TO CHANGE ON ANY REP...FOR REFERENCE

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Cdenim

OK, so you just put on your big boy pants, shelled out around $500 bucks and finally got you a rep you can wear around your girlfriends dad. WRONG. Just cuz it is a higher end replica doesn't mean its 100% perfect to a genuine. I will start this off but please, guys lets start a reference for noobs or for anyone switching from another brand to rolex and aren't all up to spec on the obvious tells we all know. I will start this off with one of the most common of all rolex reps the N factory 116610LN v7.There are alot more than 3 big tells on some of these replicas but Lets keep it to 3 major, big neon signs that point to its def not real. And what your fix for this is. BUT... without stating the obvious and just replacing things with gen parts unless its cost effective and really no other option exists. I want to keep this true to rep form and show what can be done without spending thousands... But yes, replacing something with a gen part is usually the way to go to create that perfect frankin 1:1. And if you want to spend say the $4000 I have in my DSSD by all means, send me a pm and i'll tell you where to start. But say you want to spend under $1000 all in...... here we go. 

1. THE NOOB INSERT

although some of the newer inserts are better...marginally... they are still no dead ringer for the genuine cerachrom with pvd'd platinum inside the indices and numbers. This stuff has its own very specific color and light diffusion. I have spent months coming up with a paint mod for this and i have gotten close so first lets look at that option and your cheapest.. NOW> this isn't to be confused with taking a damn sharpie which is the wrong color, comes out uneven and clumpy and basically looks like a 10 yr old's art project on whats suppose to be a $8000 watch on your wrist. Using the newline discovered MOLOTOW paint, mixing it with a few of there other colors but using there silver as its base, this is my latest ppm

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On a BLNR insert just to give another larger example.


Now this can be done for $40 and is IMO pretty close. Not by a long shot as good as the best mod you can do for the noob insert. If you have a little more to spend in fixing the biggest tell on a N factory 6 digit sub, There is only one way to go.... The Spongebob Platinum plated and machined insert. If you have ever seen a gen's bezel insert, its shinier, has a slight bevel to the inlays edges reflecting more light, and that pretty platinum color. Spongebob has worked tirelessly on making a 100% copy of the genuine. He machines the edges, polishes the whole thing making it just as shiny as gen and actually platinum plates it in the same way Rolex does using a PVD method. It speaks for itself. My customer decided on his insert and man what a difference...
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Now as you can see by that shot... more was needed so on with the next big fix


2. THE REP CRYSTAL
Now again one could say.. plop down the $300 ish and get a gen crystal. Yes. but i am finding more and more its not that easy getting some of these factory parts to fit correctly without changing and ultimately spending more on other parts needed to get the gen stuff in there. There is a cheaper and imo just as good of a fix for this. You see if falls on the cyclops really. A gen crystal has an Ant- Reflective coating on it. AR for the rest of us. It makes it so no matter what kind of light is glaring off the sapphire, the date is clearly and easily ledgeable. Some Reps pull this off better than others. But non will give you whats called the black hole effect. A big... slap you in the face....tell its a rep. Using this Ln build as a first experience with one of our Trusted Vendors we decided with a Prof black hole crystal. It fit right in. and makes a GIGANTIC difference. almost indistinguishable from a gen crystal minus the microscopic LEC which nobody can see anyway less they're wearing a loop and holding it in the right light. So for half the cost of a gen here's fix number 2....

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a better shot of what this does to the cyclops for reading the date. and pretty gen-like if you ask me .
 

3. THOSE GENERIC REP HANDS

Now please debate me on this, tell me i'm absolutely right on, but show what your fixes for this are... my #3 for this watch was hard. It is the SA version which i serviced already, replaced the reversing wheels with the SH two piece wheels allowing for lubrication on the reduction wheel shaft.... in English... the winding doesn't feel like sand and really close to a gen winding feel at the crown. It had to be fixing those flat, stamped out, thin rep hands. And i know of only one way to do this... GO GEN. I haven't seen any other alternatives for this. Some reps have better ones than others. but to get that real, genuine appearance at first glance... there's no substitute for the white gold, chromalight Gen Rolex hands. it rounds off this noob v7 perfectly


20180314_020645.jpg

20180314_0208281.jpg
Now no, not going to be the cheapest fix. And you'll need a modder as they don't just pop right on there, i had to file the minute pinion and shrink the seconds tube but they will fit. and make another huge difference.

And so there it is.. a few finished shots
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Now yes, the this is one of the v7's that has a justified left date. I have tried a gen wheel, aftermarket wheel, a date disc from the sh movement.. all are to the left. Its an issue with the dial not the date disc, so before i get 10 comments about the damn date not being centered. already aware....

So did those 3 make a difference.. Would you have done something else... Let us know. Lets get as many watches on here as we can to form a point of reference. For noobs or like i said someone wanting to try some Rolex reps but want them as accurate as possible. Post some pics of your watch and what you did to fix its tells. Just try to make it 3 major ones. And within a rep budget. Just remember, this is the general discussion board so if it isn't up to some of the standards we are accustomed too.... someones prob going to point that out. And for those that have follow.. My ultimate frankin-sea is almost finished. just waiting on one more piece (hopefully this week) and i challenge anyone who has a closer to gen D-Blue. Should have it up here next week sometime. The floor is yours ...thanks for reading...

Edited by Cdenim

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Rx4Time

Yes, insert and crystal are visible at arm's length and beyond.  Unfortunately they are needed to remove the most glaring tells. 

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Genius

Well what a load of bollocks!

 

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Luxuracer

It's an informative and wonderful write-up, brother.

You are doing amazing work with these Rolex. You are dead on with the Noob inset. It is the number one thing stopping my getting a Noob V7. People are nitpicked on tiny little details and ignored the biggest flaw. You had done great platinum paint mod for that insert, second only to Spongebob.

As for the gen hands upgrade, i have to send my SD4K and SD43 to you soon.

We need more of these review, write-up, and tutorial from you. Even though RWI is back up, you can always call this your second home.

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tabuktime
11 minutes ago, Genius said:

Well what a load of bollocks!

Tell us what you really think. ;)

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Genius
4 minutes ago, tabuktime said:

Tell us what you really think. ;)

It's true.... 

"THINGS YOU HAVE TO CHANGE" MY ARSE!

Its just the mod squad perpetuating a need for their "skills" by pointing out "flaws" that are not actually noticeable to any normal person in normal wear

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Luxuracer
3 minutes ago, Genius said:

It's true.... 

"THINGS YOU HAVE TO CHANGE" MY ARSE!

Its just the mod squad perpetuating a need for their "skills" by pointing out "flaws" that are not actually noticeable to any normal person in normal wear

The insert on the Noob sub-c is the bigger flaw and a sore eye .... @Genius .... won't you agree !?!

With xtal and gen hands, they come down to personal references.

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Pob
It's true.... 
"THINGS YOU HAVE TO CHANGE" MY ARSE!
Its just the mod squad perpetuating a need for their "skills" by pointing out "flaws" that are not actually noticeable to any normal person in normal wear
+1

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tabuktime
5 minutes ago, Genius said:

It's true.... 

"THINGS YOU HAVE TO CHANGE" MY ARSE!

Its just the mod squad perpetuating a need for their "skills" by pointing out "flaws" that are not actually noticeable to any normal person in normal wear

When have you ever been in the company of normal people?

I'm certainly not allowed anywhere near them!

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Genius
4 minutes ago, Luxuracer said:

The insert on the Noob sub-c is the bigger flaw and a sore eye .... @Genius .... won't you agree !?!

With xtal and gen hands, they come down to personal references.

In fairness yes the darker paint on the V7 is easy enough to spot but only really if you have a side by side with a gen or a V5 or V6 which actually had decent paint colour.... If you haven't just been looking at a gen or pics of I doubt even 50% of rep collectors could call that out specifically as a noob....

It also happens to be the only one of the mods listed here that any idiot can do at home for pennies and not something you need to hire a modder for

6 minutes ago, tabuktime said:

When have you ever been in the company of normal people?

I'm certainly not allowed anywhere near them!

:rofl:

 

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JohnG

12 years in the hobby and these kinds of threads never cease to entertain :lol:

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NCRich

IMHO if these things bother you then you should not be buying a rep.

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BadPickle

Just another tinkerer touting for work :ohwell: 

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Luxuracer
8 minutes ago, tabuktime said:

When have you ever been in the company of normal people?

I'm certainly not allowed anywhere near them!

Don't feel bad @tabuktime .... You still have your tractors, goats, and your watches!

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Member Fifty Thousand
1 hour ago, teddy875 said:

Yes, insert and crystal are visible at arm's length and beyond.  Unfortunately they are needed to remove the most glaring tells. 

:rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:   :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  

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Jibuti

I do not have problems with rollies-I just do not wear them.....

#4.....

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Edwin Kelley Jr

Okay, I am going to start laughing too.   

I am doing it, I am loling.  

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Jibuti
33 minutes ago, JohnG said:

12 years in the hobby and these kinds of threads never cease to entertain :lol:

only 12? you noob...!

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Cucunber
1 minute ago, Edwin Kelley Jr said:

Okay, I am going to start laughing too.   

I am doing it, I am loling.  

Well you shouldn't be laughing you fcuking cunthole, I wouldn't walk into an AD with the stock v7, no way brah, you  would get arrested for sure, Rolex don't fuck around with people who break the law.  And if you want to visit the AD you are going to need to change the hands for sure, and then the insert to be sure.   AR cyrstal will be icing, then you can slide in there without any fear, chill like.   

So don't be a fucking ass .  

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TRANSPORTER

Dropping another grand on a rep that you’ve already paid £500 or there abouts on, is rather use that to get a gen brietling or seamaster etc, that’s a damn good deposit for a gen.

but still a nice write up on flaws that others see.

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vonn91

What I was expecting:

1.) Replace the strap with a proper Viet-croc leather strap because, you know, cardboard-like rep straps.

2.) Install a 2x AR crystal because you`ll enjoy your watch a lot more.

3.) ???

4.) Profit!

What I got:

- How to throw out your money.

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Cucunber
1 minute ago, vonn91 said:

 

- How to throw out your money.

Noobs are fucking taking over the thread!

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Herbalife

This is stupid, you can go to an AD with a REGMARINER and no one will notice, I hang out with people with gens all the time they don't notice, they have no clue and the ADs probably have less clue.  No one notices this stuff, seriously.  

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Herbalife
16 minutes ago, Cucunber said:

Well you shouldn't be laughing you fcuking cunthole, I wouldn't walk into an AD with the stock v7, no way brah, you  would get arrested for sure, Rolex don't fuck around with people who break the law.  And if you want to visit the AD you are going to need to change the hands for sure, and then the insert to be sure.   AR cyrstal will be icing, then you can slide in there without any fear, chill like.   

So don't be a fucking ass .  

I just saw this, I have reported this post, you should be thrown out of here, this is a nice place and we don't use swearing here, I am surprised the mods haven't banned you yet.   If anyone speaks like this again I will personally make sure they are banned forever.   

I say this with all sincerity.  

Bob

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Pob
Well you shouldn't be laughing you fcuking cunthole, I wouldn't walk into an AD with the stock v7, no way brah, you  would get arrested for sure, Rolex don't fuck around with people who break the law.  And if you want to visit the AD you are going to need to change the hands for sure, and then the insert to be sure.   AR cyrstal will be icing, then you can slide in there without any fear, chill like.   
So don't be a fucking ass .  
No, you are all wrong here. You do not enter AD with any rep ever no matter how close to gen it is. I'm not doing it even when I'm wearing my TC that I honestly can't remember what is not gen.

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