Howdy Friend
So I created this thread as a guide to the elusively recessed, tight, curvy and symmetric… SEL! Now before we get started a quick disclaimer; whilst I hold myself ultimately accountable for what I write, I’m still some guy on the internet who is going to combine some facts with his opinions. I will aim to provide knowledge but also wisdom, (as much as I have to offer anyway, which is to say not nearly as much as many members here).
Knowledge is really about facts and ideas that we acquire through study, research, investigation, observation, or experience. Wisdom is the ability to discern and judge which aspects of that knowledge are true, right, lasting, and applicable to your Rolex!
Therefore much what I will say here may be contrary to some people's opinions. That is a good thing! Please feel free to disagree and voice this, but if you see this as #roastme just be prepared to be roasted back
Also - I have used some pictures from various members on here - Thank you. If you would like me to remove the picture please PM me and I will politely oblige
First question
Uhm... What is SEL Niko?
Ah! Yes; if someone told me that the members of RWI are either pilots or bureaucrats I would have totally believed them! So. Many. Abbreviations. So SEL refers to Solid End Link. This is the part of the bracelet that attaches itself to the body of the watch usually with use of the Springbar!
This is how it looks like:
Okay… Simple enough; so why is every man and his dog going nuts about this?
Well, truth seldom resists to simplicity and reasons there are many; but if I had to articulate it in a sentence, I would say that our Reps are getting so good that we need to nitpick the smallest flaws. SEL is the ‘biggest smallest’ flaw for a lot of folks out there. It also seems to be poorly understood by many and threads go around in repeated circles. I’m of the opinion that this is why this topic seems to be so prevalent
So here is my first opinion, and the main opinion when it comes to this topic and I won't beat around the bush; SEL is overhyped AF and I find it very hard to emotionally comprehend members’ who decide to buy Gen 116610’s only because of their SEL’s.
Me:
So wait, are you saying that they are idiots and that they are wrong?
NO! They just feel that this issue (combined with others) is worth ~8.5K to them. That’s quite alright, and I respect their position and pursuit for perfection
So before we move on, I just want to reiterate; the SEL on your watch is as good as you think it is. If Gen Rolexes rolled off the line with lugs that were both flush and unrecessed, I have no doubt that this is what the “correct” SEL everyone would be aiming for, in which case the V5 Noob would rule the world! But it doesn’t; so lets what a ‘perfect’ SEL looks like and see how different versions of the NOOB Sub compare
Okay, I get it. Let’s do this!
Alright, my Padawan. 4 Points!
1 The perfect SEL is tight. Which means that it should fit with no gaps. When you hold your watch up to the light no sunshine should be seen between the edge of the lugs and the SEL.
2 The perfect SEL is also shorter than the Lugs. Noob V5 got this one really wrong.
3 The perfect SEL is recessed. Which means that the SEL is submerged (at a lower level if you will) compared to the lugs. Why? It’s supposedly very pretty when it’s recessed; compared to when it’s flush - that’s when it’s ugly…
Wait, really? Hell no! It’s just more Gen like, that is all. If you think that Rolex are muppets for having a recessed SEL and you enjoy your flush one, more power to you friend and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. I will gladly consign the gif bellow who tells you that theirs is better and you should get rid of yours because it’s not “Gen like” - there are many decisions that Rolex have made that I don’t agree with and I will get to them in the footnote bellow
4 The curvature of the SEL follows the lugs and curves off at the end. This one is actually hard to achieve depending on your margins of error here. The recession is only a fraction of a mm and therefore an error of 0.2mm will be clearly visible. Such precision = $$$
Let's have a look at a few examples - First up the Gen. What are we aiming for?
Let us have a look at the Noob V5 - The least Gen-like SEL that can still be currently purchased
So as you can see, it commits offences 2, 3, and often 4… some have gaps.
Anyway, lets move on to V6s. This one is a bastard love child that was born a pure, and perfect as the initial batch “A”. Variables existed but perfect - genlike SELs were manufactured. Then smoke discovered the treachery. The subsequent batches “B and C” came with bracelets and inserts from the V5. He posted his findings and the rest is history… In the same way, Vietnam, Watergate or Hiroshima is history… KAAAABOOOOOOOM!
Bellow is a typical V6s you will find. Yours may be better or worse - There is too much variance to derive anything meaningful out of what you can purchase from say a M2M deal. But as a rule the last batch of V6s is recessed (although sometimes not enough), the curve is good, and length is excellent, also the fitment is usually very good and at the time of writing is generally better than the v7 which we will get to next
Okay V7. Excellent SEL’s exist. They are more exception than the rule. V7 gets everything right but the recession is too shallow and sometimes can be mistaken for almost being flush, some have SEL’s that have gaps.
Lastly, let's have a look at a couple of examples of sub-optimal SEL fitment
Footnote - mostly irrelevant but I had the need to say it: As you can see it’s overall a simple issue that has some depth. Whether it’s something that is important is for you to decide. What I will say is that my V6s Hulk features a 2XAR crystal - which in my opinion Rolex should have manufactured the watch with. That’s right, I paid money. Good money, to make my Noob V6s less genlike because I feel Rolex engineers are wrong, and it’s the greatest shame that the starburst is half the time hidden behind the glare.
So I replaced it. It’s gorgeous and this is all I care about. I was offered a Gen Hulk Dial for pennies, I turned it down - I like the rep one more (shinier! I like shiny!). I bought the V7 insert because it’s a definite upgrade over the V6s (I would have bought the gen, but I don’t have a GDP of a small country to finance it) - And I still stut my way like this:
Enjoy your watches and don’t let these small issues get the best of you. The reality for vast majority here is that if you stay away from AD’s whilst wearing, lets face it your Fake AF Rolex (and you should) your rep will never be called out, no matter how unresessed your SEL may be. And for the 0.000001% of you who will, Jannice in Accounting is an excellent role model on what to do https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8HpQZUF2OY
So I created this thread as a guide to the elusively recessed, tight, curvy and symmetric… SEL! Now before we get started a quick disclaimer; whilst I hold myself ultimately accountable for what I write, I’m still some guy on the internet who is going to combine some facts with his opinions. I will aim to provide knowledge but also wisdom, (as much as I have to offer anyway, which is to say not nearly as much as many members here).
Knowledge is really about facts and ideas that we acquire through study, research, investigation, observation, or experience. Wisdom is the ability to discern and judge which aspects of that knowledge are true, right, lasting, and applicable to your Rolex!
Therefore much what I will say here may be contrary to some people's opinions. That is a good thing! Please feel free to disagree and voice this, but if you see this as #roastme just be prepared to be roasted back
Also - I have used some pictures from various members on here - Thank you. If you would like me to remove the picture please PM me and I will politely oblige
First question
Uhm... What is SEL Niko?
Ah! Yes; if someone told me that the members of RWI are either pilots or bureaucrats I would have totally believed them! So. Many. Abbreviations. So SEL refers to Solid End Link. This is the part of the bracelet that attaches itself to the body of the watch usually with use of the Springbar!
This is how it looks like:
Okay… Simple enough; so why is every man and his dog going nuts about this?
Well, truth seldom resists to simplicity and reasons there are many; but if I had to articulate it in a sentence, I would say that our Reps are getting so good that we need to nitpick the smallest flaws. SEL is the ‘biggest smallest’ flaw for a lot of folks out there. It also seems to be poorly understood by many and threads go around in repeated circles. I’m of the opinion that this is why this topic seems to be so prevalent
So here is my first opinion, and the main opinion when it comes to this topic and I won't beat around the bush; SEL is overhyped AF and I find it very hard to emotionally comprehend members’ who decide to buy Gen 116610’s only because of their SEL’s.
Me:
So wait, are you saying that they are idiots and that they are wrong?
NO! They just feel that this issue (combined with others) is worth ~8.5K to them. That’s quite alright, and I respect their position and pursuit for perfection
So before we move on, I just want to reiterate; the SEL on your watch is as good as you think it is. If Gen Rolexes rolled off the line with lugs that were both flush and unrecessed, I have no doubt that this is what the “correct” SEL everyone would be aiming for, in which case the V5 Noob would rule the world! But it doesn’t; so lets what a ‘perfect’ SEL looks like and see how different versions of the NOOB Sub compare
Okay, I get it. Let’s do this!
Alright, my Padawan. 4 Points!
1 The perfect SEL is tight. Which means that it should fit with no gaps. When you hold your watch up to the light no sunshine should be seen between the edge of the lugs and the SEL.
2 The perfect SEL is also shorter than the Lugs. Noob V5 got this one really wrong.
3 The perfect SEL is recessed. Which means that the SEL is submerged (at a lower level if you will) compared to the lugs. Why? It’s supposedly very pretty when it’s recessed; compared to when it’s flush - that’s when it’s ugly…
Wait, really? Hell no! It’s just more Gen like, that is all. If you think that Rolex are muppets for having a recessed SEL and you enjoy your flush one, more power to you friend and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. I will gladly consign the gif bellow who tells you that theirs is better and you should get rid of yours because it’s not “Gen like” - there are many decisions that Rolex have made that I don’t agree with and I will get to them in the footnote bellow
4 The curvature of the SEL follows the lugs and curves off at the end. This one is actually hard to achieve depending on your margins of error here. The recession is only a fraction of a mm and therefore an error of 0.2mm will be clearly visible. Such precision = $$$
Let's have a look at a few examples - First up the Gen. What are we aiming for?
Let us have a look at the Noob V5 - The least Gen-like SEL that can still be currently purchased
So as you can see, it commits offences 2, 3, and often 4… some have gaps.
Anyway, lets move on to V6s. This one is a bastard love child that was born a pure, and perfect as the initial batch “A”. Variables existed but perfect - genlike SELs were manufactured. Then smoke discovered the treachery. The subsequent batches “B and C” came with bracelets and inserts from the V5. He posted his findings and the rest is history… In the same way, Vietnam, Watergate or Hiroshima is history… KAAAABOOOOOOOM!
Bellow is a typical V6s you will find. Yours may be better or worse - There is too much variance to derive anything meaningful out of what you can purchase from say a M2M deal. But as a rule the last batch of V6s is recessed (although sometimes not enough), the curve is good, and length is excellent, also the fitment is usually very good and at the time of writing is generally better than the v7 which we will get to next
Okay V7. Excellent SEL’s exist. They are more exception than the rule. V7 gets everything right but the recession is too shallow and sometimes can be mistaken for almost being flush, some have SEL’s that have gaps.
Lastly, let's have a look at a couple of examples of sub-optimal SEL fitment
Footnote - mostly irrelevant but I had the need to say it: As you can see it’s overall a simple issue that has some depth. Whether it’s something that is important is for you to decide. What I will say is that my V6s Hulk features a 2XAR crystal - which in my opinion Rolex should have manufactured the watch with. That’s right, I paid money. Good money, to make my Noob V6s less genlike because I feel Rolex engineers are wrong, and it’s the greatest shame that the starburst is half the time hidden behind the glare.
So I replaced it. It’s gorgeous and this is all I care about. I was offered a Gen Hulk Dial for pennies, I turned it down - I like the rep one more (shinier! I like shiny!). I bought the V7 insert because it’s a definite upgrade over the V6s (I would have bought the gen, but I don’t have a GDP of a small country to finance it) - And I still stut my way like this:
Enjoy your watches and don’t let these small issues get the best of you. The reality for vast majority here is that if you stay away from AD’s whilst wearing, lets face it your Fake AF Rolex (and you should) your rep will never be called out, no matter how unresessed your SEL may be. And for the 0.000001% of you who will, Jannice in Accounting is an excellent role model on what to do https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8HpQZUF2OY
