trektagger said:
Jake48 have you been able to take pictures of the TT sub?
I made a new post in this section a while back with the pictures titled : WM9 Two Tone Review - The future is here!!!!!!!
Here is the post
First - This has been a four year quest - and it is just about over! About four years ago I found Reps and decided I would be buy a Two Tone Submariner - I would be forever happy with my Rolex Replica and that would be it. Little did I know I would embark on a quest for the "Perfect Two Tone" that would take me four years, several thousand dollars (I quit counting once I got past $10,000.00) and the purchase of many Reps I never dreamed would be produced...
Is the WM9 TT the "Perfect Two Tone"? - So far... In my quest for the ultimate TT I have spent at least twenty five hundred dollars, but always came up short. I found that every - and I do mean EVERY - Two Tone made has MAJOR flaws. The bottom line is that no matter how much modding you do to any of the "good" Two Tones out there you would always end up with something that looked "OK" If you ended up in the same room with someone else who was wearing a genuine TT sub it really could be quite embarrassing - you didn't have to be a WIS to tell the Replica was not quite right, in fact, they all were very easy to spot - and forget about ever taking the watch off your wrist.
This brings me to the WM9 Two Tone Sub. Right off the bat I will tell you this is the best Two Tone made and NOBODY even comes close - not even remotely!!!!! Is it worth the crazy price Wm9 asks - maybe...
First let me give you a quick run down on the watch:
Pluses - Crown has been moved up and is very close to being in center of case (hard to tell difference from Gen)
Rehaut is identical to Gen
Best 18k plating I have seen -unbelievable!
Bezel is built like Gen and looks to be very very close in all dimensions
Excellent dial
Cyclops has correct magnification and is placed in correct position (away from right edge of dial)
Date numbers are correct shape, centered perfect in date window and date wheel is correct color
Good Crystal height & shape
Best bracelet I have seen (fit & finish/large Gen style pins)
Three piece solid end links with correct solid gold center piece
Negatives - Cr@ppy pearl (good insert though)
Crown is not defined like Gen (sharp edges) and uses old style crown tube (not Gen style crown & tube like the new WM9 16610)
Sides of bracelet are not polished like Gen
Crown Guards are a little on the thick side
Bezel insert should snap in like Gen, but the bezel ID is a little oversized which required some glue to attach the insert
Lazer etched coronet is a little too visible (should not be able to see with the naked eye)
Rep style weak lume
What this watch will need -
Re-press crystal and align date mag and lazer etched corronet (it is a little off)
Thin bezel insert to give crystal a little more height and replace pearl
Thin Crown Guards
Replace Crown & tube with Gen
Polish side of bracelet
Re-Lume watch
Trust me, if you know Rolex Subs and Two Tones you will know that some of the "pluses" I have listed are not easy to come by and in most cases are impossible to find on anything other than a Gen. What I can't describe to you, or show you in pictures, is the quality and feel. This really is another one of the new "Super Reps" that have been coming out lately. The bezel clicks smooth and easy and feels and sounds just like a Genuine. The crown turns smooth and effortlessly just like a Gen. The bracelet fit to the case is the best I have seen and it is a joy to detach the bracelet. It comes off easily and goes back on just as easy - no more bent or tweeked Rep bracelet pins because the lug holes were drilled off center. The 18k plating is outstanding and when I inspected the watch with a 10x loupe I found no unplated areas that seem to be common in Rep plating. The plating was thorough and complete, even in areas on the inside of the bracelet links were it seems the Rep builders seem to "forget" to plate. I also noticed when I put a polish to the bezel, very little if hardly any black residue came off on the rag - a good sign that more real gold was used than brass, which has always been an issue with so called "18k" plating.
Now - about the price... WM9 claims the TT will sell for $779.00 and gives a pre-order price of $529.00. Would I pay $779.00 - probably not. Would I pay $529.00 - you better believe it!
Those that want to bank on the fact that at some time this same watch will come out for a better price can wait. Realistically, I don't see a watch of this quality going for much less than $400.00 and it will probably be little more. Truthfully, I see no need for any of our trusted dealers to come out with this case anytime soon as this new case (with the Genuine style Bezel construction) will render all their parts inventories obsolete.
With the very few mods I have listed, you could easily hand this watch to someone and they would believe it is a Genuine 16613. If you wanted to go over the top - add a solid gold bezel (about $300.00) and Solid gold bracelet (about $2,000.00) and you would have a $7,000.00 watch that cost you around $3,000.00.
Now for some photos:
Gen style bezel construction
Notice lazer etched coronet off center
I have replaced pearl & thinned Bezel insert
Sides of bracelet have been polished
TW Best for comparison
