What do they do to waterproof a rep?

[tribefan 6,768]

19 minutes ago, DB Cooper said:

 

So I'm deducing from all this that most if not all sellers are taking the extra waterproofing fee and doing nothing,

I wouldn't say that, the point is you really don't know. If you take it to a local shop, you can see the test, or get a result print out from them and they stand behind that. In China, if there is a problem, you send it back and someday, maybe, you get your watch back and it might even be fixed, if it gets through customs in China and back in your home country.

[GingerApple 7,305]

2 hours ago, DB Cooper said:

...while rinsing something in a sink the crown somehow came unscrewed a bit and water got inside the crystal.

It doesn't matter how water resistant the watch is, if the crown's not screwed down properly, it's going to get wet!

[DB Cooper 12]

I was amazed at the quality of Rolex reps when I enquired ( did I spell that correctly?) recently to buy one. I had entertained the idea of a Rolex rep back when I bought that Chase Durer, probably around  early 1990s. The Rolex subs I saw looked like crap , cost about $30-$40, and the ads said not to wear them in the rain and that the movements would last up to six months. Yikes!!!

[Popperini 18,026]

@DB Cooper As others have said here, there's absolutely no point in paying the extra for waterproofing when you buy from a TD. They're trusted, but they're not that trusted. So the chances are very high that you're just increasing their profit margin. 

Plus, you already said you want to open the caseback to check out the watch when it arrives. Watchsmiths who guarantee their waterproofing (which the TD won't, but anyway...) will state that the guarantee is void if you open the caseback after the work is carried out. Which makes sense - the caseback seal has to be seated correctly and evenly coated with silicon grease, so who knows what state it'll be in once you've attempted to coax it back in place and keep it there while you try to get the caseback on.

So, it's unfortunate you paid the extra 30 bucks, but if you really feel you're likely to plunge it under a running tap then get it waterproofed by a legit service after it's arrived and you've had your peek inside.

[DB Cooper 12]

Sound like a good idea. Thanks.

[Mystery Shopper 5,887]

2 hours ago, DB Cooper said:

I was amazed at the quality of Rolex reps when I enquired ( did I spell that correctly?) recently to buy one. I had entertained the idea of a Rolex rep back when I bought that Chase Durer, probably around  early 1990s. The Rolex subs I saw looked like crap , cost about $30-$40, and the ads said not to wear them in the rain and that the movements would last up to six months. Yikes!!!

I think you are being a little harsh with Rolex reps from the 90s (this one was from Thailand). Apart from the short hour hand, there isn't many tells... 

[DB Cooper 12]

I think the Rolex reps sold in Asia were better quality than the ones sold in USA at that time. If there were decent ones I didn't see them. I knew nothing about watches and the people I knew who had reps back then had watches even I could tell looked fake from a few feet away.  When I saw them described by sellers as having movements that will only last 6 months or warnings not to wear them in the rain, I thought all reps were that bad. There were probably decent reps available for higher prices but I never saw one. That's why I was shocked at the quality and beauty of the watches guys here are showing in posts. I guess they get easier to replicate every year as technology advances.

Edited February 16, 2022 by DB Cooper
Spelling

[copperfront 6]

On 16/02/2022 at 01:26, DB Cooper said:

I think the Rolex reps sold in Asia were better quality than the ones sold in USA at that time. If there were decent ones I didn't see them. I knew nothing about watches and the people I knew who had reps back then had watches even I could tell looked fake from a few feet away.  When I saw them described by sellers as having movements that will only last 6 months or warnings not to wear them in the rain, I thought all reps were that bad. There were probably decent reps available for higher prices but I never saw one. That's why I was shocked at the quality and beauty of the watches guys here are showing in posts. I guess they get easier to replicate every year as technology advances.

You're absolutely right. Quality reps today are excellent. I grabbed a Noob Submariner from a user on here about 5 or 6 years ago, been snorkeling with it, traveled the Caribbean, and haven't serviced it yet. Keeps impeccable time and the only issue is the winding gears are getting stripped and the date wheel is funky. For 5 years of service, it's well worth my time to drop in a new movement or have this one serviced for a another 5.