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Rolex 16622

occb2

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So a buddy that I do work for owns an auction house in NY. He sent me pics of a 16622 that he picked up with a solid gold sub LN. Looking at the pics I told him the solid gold sub was amazing but I had a lot of questions on the Yachtmaster. The dial was very faded. The hands were way too yellow (Looked like patina tritium) also someone pressed the crystal on wrong.

He didn’t listen to me. LOL. Sold it at auction for $9000 ish plus he also collected 20% fee.

It got kicked back to him a month later saying that Rolex would not approve it. So he called me up. I drove with my tools to his shop. On inspection, I saw that the crystal was not Rolex. The dial looked really bad but had to take it apart to verify it was or wasn’t real. Then I also told him that the hands were not correct or of they were they were not off that watch.

Here were the auction pics.


So I got it to my shop here at home and took it apart. I verified the crystal was not Rolex. The date Cyclopes did not line up. I saw that the hands were not Rolex. I took the dial off and it was not Rolex. Even the clasp was not Rolex. I think it is a TC clasp. The case, and movement and band sides were all real. I had questions on the bezel because I have worked and built YM’s before, both the 16622 and the 16623. All the Rolex bezels for YM that I knew of, the bezel insert doesn’t come out. Well this one did. So in my mind I thought fake right away.

I put it back together and told Ron, the owner, what I found was fake. At that point he asked me how much it was worth. I told him around $2500 for the movement and $1500 for the case and band sides. So he asked me if I would take it off his hands for $3500. I said sure. LOL.

Now I had to see what I could do to make this a fully real Rolex for a reasonable amount of $.

I got a real dial from Firstclass dials on EBay.
I had a set of sub hands. I reused the red seconds hand but have one coming in.
I got a real crystal from Sub007 here on RWI. Great seller.
I got a real clasp from Gina over at Fierygems on eBay.
Ordered a real click spring.
Went to my jeweler and had the insert tested and it is platinum.

Put it all together and man am I a happy camper.

Here are some pics when I did the crystal, dial and hands.

So right now, I am about $2000 in plus the $3500. So I have the 16622 back to what it should be.

Only doubt I have is the bezel. I asked around and no one sales a platinum insert. My sub/gmt bezels will not fit. The crystal ring is a YM crystal ring. I am on the look out for a full bezel assembly just for my mind to be 100 satisfied. The insert hold in with out glue or anything. Asking other watchmakers, they also do not know of an insert that is real platinum. I have seen white gold aftermarket and the cheap regular aftermarket. My best guess and if anyone knows me, I hate guessing, is that someone didn’t have the tool and replaced the non repairable insert (with out the tool). I have seen the inserts sold alone but one needs a tool to take them off and put them together. If anyone else has experience in this please let me know. Only guy I know that services the non repairable ones is in Florida. Also if anyone has a fully real 16622 bezel please let me know.

Here is the watch today. I have been wearing it for the last 2 months.
 

occb2

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God the new IPhone camera shows me how dirty the watch is!!!! I will clean it. LOL. I will also post pics tomorrow of all the fake parts.

The clasp is an amazing fake. The details on the crown on the clasp is different. Also the engraved date code is different. The one is stamped in and is an MA. This is the reason I think it is a TC clasp but it is dam close. Also believe it or not, the TC or other clasp is thicker parts than the real one. I compared it to my sub’s and it’s is thicker. When I say thicker I mean the parts that the date code and the ROLEX are on. The metal is thicker on the fake. It’s almost 2 AM here in NY. So tomorrow I will post pics of the clasps.

The serial number comes back to a 2005 16622. So the date code of MA is correct. The one I got from fieygems is a CL code which is a 2004. Anyway. Got to see if any sales need approving before bed.
 
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Stuvetjee

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What a story bro, one to remember for sure! Absolutely in love with the outcome so far, def one that is ghosting in my mind from time to time. Once had a old rare noob with eta, so pissed still i sold it... This almost gen one however i would never sell lol.

Looks superb on you!
 
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occb2

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What a story bro, one to remember for sure! Absolutely in love with the outcome so far, def one that is ghosting in my mind from time to time. Once had a old rare noob with eta, so pissed still i sold it... This almost gen one however i would never sell lol.

Looks superb on you!

Thanks. I have gone back and forth with the 16622. I’ve built all real minus the case back years ago. I used the Sean case because the wm9 and TC, while they can take a 3135 the back crushes the auto winding mech. The Sean was the only one that would take a real 3135 complete. I also built a killer 16623 with a Sean case and a wm9 93253. While it was a sub band it did ok. End links weren’t perfect. The YM is longer center SEL. And shorter sides of the SEL.

I had built a few TC ones and repaired a few TC ones. I loved the first copy TC made. Then he bragged about how great the KH YM was going to be and to me, it was sub-par to his first one. The first one had a better looking dial and a real ETA 2824. The KH had a TC Asian 2824 and a dial that the word Yachtmaster was way to bright red. Long time ago I compared a real dial with the 1st TC and the 2nd TC dials.

They are both great reps but compared to the reps now I wonder how it would compare.

The parts used on this watch that were reps sucked. Hands and dial especially. I didn’t realize the clasp until I put my loop on and looked at the stamping. I will post it in a few. It’s been awhile but it looks like a rep. I have not seen Rolex stamp the date code into the metal for a long time. They have been engraving it for awhile. Ill post pics.
 
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occb2

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I’m the pics the bottom is the real claps. To me they both are amazing quality. Dirty and it looks like the seller tried to clean it or polish it. I got it a few days ago. I will sonic clean it and polish it. The other thing that I noticed is on the real clasp the screw lines up exactly as the extra link does. Where the other one was not.
 

ross29

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Damn, you are so lucky! I just purchased a TC Yachtmaster, but I'm still out of town and won't get to check it out for another week or so. I had the WM9 and sold it years ago, I regretted that so I am glad I found a TC but If you ever wanted to switch, let me know :thumbsup: :rolleyes:
 
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ross29

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On a side note - when you find another replacement bezel assembly I'll take this one off you hands if you'd let me. Just in case. ;)
 
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gekkehenkie

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Thats a great story man!
Regarding the insert and the bezel. I've also seen a few inserts being sold seperatly back in the days when I was sourcing parts for my 16623 build which still is in parts thank you for remembering me about it with this post. :X
jlLHsI.jpg


I think when the insert and bezel got seperated by what ever reason rolex would replace it instead of pressing it back together.

Isnt Mike from rolliworks able to press it back together?
I think its safe to assume that if your bezel and insert have a combined weight of 10g its a gen insert.
jlL394.jpg

Else have a look here for reference. It has some nice detaild pictures for comparing.
https://www.watchprosite.com/rolex/...ention-yachtmaster-------/732.843413.5718483/

And here is my gold insert+bezel on the scale.
jlLhDc.jpg
 

Gaz1a

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Wow this is an amazing story. I just picked up a franken YM 16622 WM9/TC with an entire gen bezel assembly so I feel lucky but the fact you have a gen case etc is crazy! Enjoy in good health.
 

occb2

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Thats a great story man!
Regarding the insert and the bezel. I've also seen a few inserts being sold seperatly back in the days when I was sourcing parts for my 16623 build which still is in parts thank you for remembering me about it with this post. :X
jlLHsI.jpg


I think when the insert and bezel got seperated by what ever reason rolex would replace it instead of pressing it back together.

Isnt Mike from rolliworks able to press it back together?
I think its safe to assume that if your bezel and insert have a combined weight of 10g its a gen insert.
jlL394.jpg

Else have a look here for reference. It has some nice detaild pictures for comparing.
https://www.watchprosite.com/rolex/...ention-yachtmaster-------/732.843413.5718483/

And here is my gold insert+bezel on the scale.
jlLhDc.jpg

I will weigh to see what it is.

There was only one guy who had the tool to separate the bezel insert on the 16622 and 23 and he was in Florida. He doesn’t look or do anything with reps so I won’t post here. If he thinks its for a rep he will not touch it. He also refurbishes the insert.

My point was that I have seen inserts brand new for sale on the net. Still in Rolex packaging. I just don’t see how know how to put it back in a real bezel. From what I knew it is only done by Rolex or one with a tool too do it. Mine just pops out. Like a 16610. It holds it amazing and feels amazing on the real crystal ring and spacer and click. When I got it it had a crap click. It felt like a sub. With a rolex spacer/tension ring and real click with is about 3X larger, it works amazing. I love the watch as is but its the last question I have. I would rather just find or buy a real full bezel. The watch is a lot nicer than I would hope. Thanks for your input.