How to fix the SEL gap on Noob Daytona?

[dashindark]

I recently acquired a Noob 904 daytona (116520 white) and installed the ARF dial. The watch now looks good but the SELs are not great at all.

The SELs have a gap at opposite sides of about 0.5mm wide and If I attempt to pull out the endlinks, the endlinks would move a bit, leaving a small gap between the watch head and the bracelet. This is the stock noob bracelet.

Is there anyway to solve this problem other than replacing it with a rubber band? 116520 looks bad with rubber.

 

[dashindark]

help!

 

[KJ2020]

About the only available option with the same bracelet is swapping the halves 6 to 12. Otherwise try an ARF bracelet.

 

[dashindark]

About the only available option with the same bracelet is swapping the halves 6 to 12. Otherwise try an ARF bracelet.

I know how to do this, but I really don't understand the logic behind doing so...

 

[yosimiz]

I know how to do this, but I really don't understand the logic behind doing so...

these are rep bracelets, the tolerance in manufacturing is not rolex standards so many times both lugs and sel widths are completely off.
you can try to mount the opposite sides and check if it makes it look better.
but dont expect for miracles, if it will change anything, certainly it will be a modest change..
And ofcourse as KJ2020 suggested, get an ARF bracelet, its much much better finish and feel.

although it is not guaranteed to fix your problem. if your lugs are off, arf bracelet wont fix it..
better to measure the noob bracelet sel width and lugs distance to be sure that the problem is not with the case but with the bracelet. (which probably is)

 

[dashindark]

these are rep bracelets, the tolerance in manufacturing is not rolex standards so many times both lugs and sel widths are completely off.
you can try to mount the opposite sides and check if it makes it look better.
but dont expect for miracles, if it will change anything, certainly it will be a modest change..
And ofcourse as KJ2020 suggested, get an ARF bracelet, its much much better finish and feel.

although it is not guaranteed to fix your problem. if your lugs are off, arf bracelet wont fix it..
better to measure the noob bracelet sel width and lugs distance to be sure that the problem is not with the case but with the bracelet. (which probably is)

I will measure that lug width tomorrow morning and report back here about the result. Hopefully it is not the case that has incorrect width.

 

[KJ2020]

I will measure that lug width tomorrow morning and report back here about the result. Hopefully it is not the case that has incorrect width.

Unless you have expensive digital calipers that measure hundredths of a mm (2 decimal places) you will likely find that both the lug width on the case and the SEL width will read 20mm. The cheaper calipers that only measure 1 decimal place may not pick up the gap you are seeing. That's been my experience. I was able to eliminate some SEL gap on the top right in the first pic by swapping bracelet halves. All measurements read 20.0mm. The factory rep fit just isn't acceptable sometimes. Noob is behind ARF in that regard.

Before swap

After swap

 

[jcher]

You could also change your springbars - this helped me !

 

[KJ2020]

You could also change your springbars - this helped me !

Springbars won't change a lateral gap

 

[dashindark]

Unless you have expensive digital calipers that measure hundredths of a mm (2 decimal places) you will likely find that both the lug width on the case and the SEL width will read 20mm. The cheaper calipers that only measure 1 decimal place may not pick up the gap you are seeing. That's been my experience. I was able to eliminate some SEL gap on the top right in the first pic by swapping bracelet halves. All measurements read 20.0mm. The factory rep fit just isn't acceptable sometimes. Noob is behind ARF in that regard.

Before swap

After swap

Thanks for the pics. Is it true that ARF bracelet is actually narrower than Noob bracelet? Thanks! The gap at 6’ actually looks larger after the swap... I could be wrong though.

 

[dashindark]

You could also change your springbars - this helped me !

Any change happened after swapping in new spring bars?

 

[rolexlover101]

About the only available option with the same bracelet is swapping the halves 6 to 12. Otherwise try an ARF bracelet.

May be I'm super unlucky....but I am in the process of sourcing an ARF (and I deliberately getting to ARF for better overall fitment at a sacrifice of the chrono function)...and so far it's not "working out"..
The SEL on ARF from a couple watches (QC) are bad... Admittedly the second one is much better than the first...but still I can spot it right away. Check this thread out.

https://forum.replica-watch.info/fo...as/7410194-qc-help-arf-daytona-116500-v2-904l

I'm really not that picky (I think). I am really trying to "accept" it but it's just straight up screaming "fake" with the gap. Just my opinion here but I think if the acceptable quality is like this, I think I can source this watch in my Chinatown for about $150....why pay $500 plus right? I'm in the process of working with the TD to hopefully get lucky with a better fitment one...hopefully

 

[rolexlover101]

Just got a msg from TD...they said (according from their ARF agent) that the whole batch is like that. This is the 2nd batch. First batch was good. I think I'm f*cked.

 

[yosimiz]

KJ2020 mate you are right and that's exactly why you should never use those cheap calipers. Unless you pay $$$ you don't get accurate measurement.

Instead there are dial calipers, non digital ones. Which measures decimals down.
Even the cheap ones $15-20 range are accurate enough for average Joe.

 

[KJ2020]

Thanks for the pics. Is it true that ARF bracelet is actually narrower than Noob bracelet? Thanks! The gap at 6’ actually looks larger after the swap... I could be wrong though.

I do not believe the ARF is intentionally different in lug or SEL width from the Noob. I have read in another post that the new VRF with VR3135 is narrower than both ARF and Noob. occb2 measured them with a quality caliper and the VRF was like 19.92mm. Neither an ARF or Noob bracelet would fit the VRF case.

You are right about the gap increasing on the bottom, proving that one SEL is either slightly narrower or slightly misshapen. It is much more tolerable on the bottom to me, since the bottom lugs wear closer to the skin and light does not show through. Sometimes it is both the lug width and a SEL that have a deviance, and the swap can improve both sides. If a swap results in something you can live with, it is worth the effort. I'm good with it so I can quit obsessing over it and not have to source another bracelet.

 

[yosimiz]

Photo taken in rome rolex store front..
I will just leave it here

 

[theREALgoat]

Just got a msg from TD...they said (according from their ARF agent) that the whole batch is like that. This is the 2nd batch. First batch was good. I think I'm f*cked.

The first gen/batch was bad as well.

 

[rolexlover101]

Photo taken in rome rolex store front..
I will just leave it here

I can't post pic at my work place to show you...but the defect I'm talking about (in my QC thread) was at the SEL and the head of the watch (where the are of the "4" and the SEL in your pic) vs that little gap on the side (lug and the SEL). The QC pics of the watch I posted also have that little gap (upper left SEL and lug) but that's as bad as the gap I was referring to and I am totally cool with that gap. Just the bottom right (first watch) and bottom left (2nd watch) is very obvious...although 2nd one is much better than 1st.

I think I'll just accept the watch and see if I can fix it (move the bracelet to the other side, etc) somehow...The price we pay to play cheap....and to protect TDs as they help pays for the cost of the forum right?