I need some advices on 116613LB before buying

[beanvatan]

Hello, I fell in love with the bluesy submariner not too long ago, and I wanted to pull a trigger on it. However, I did researches on the website, and there are couples of here and there that I got stucks, so I am asking for your professional advice. I owned the 116613 LN from ARF before, and I sold it because the color was too gold, and the sides of the SELs are not gold plate. Besides that, everything else seems to be okay. I also owned a GMT master II from BP, and I hated it! Besides their bluesy dial looking off (too purple on sun brush). The bezel was too loose that I have to tighten it up with some dental floss. What a nightmare! Noob's factory does have SH3135 movement; they mostly use their SA3135 which I heard is not stable, and needs more mods to be done to make it a "perfect" looking compare to gen. VR Max is also a great option, but they don't have SH3135 on their's bluesy. I know, I am too picky, but I want to spend my $500-$600 on a good sub, a worth it one! I am looking for 904L, SH3135 or SH3135V2 and right gold color sub that is close to gen. I'm thinking ARF again, but I don't know, I need your bits of help. Thank You.
ARF:
https://puretimewatch.io/submariner-...-sh3135v2.html

 

[Itto]

If the ARF gold color was too gold for you, then you won't be happy with the VRF as it's even more orangish/golden.

IMHO the current ARF gold is pretty spot on - at least according to videos of the 126603 and of the Bluesy (2824 movement) i saw on a non td website.




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[beanvatan]

If the ARF gold color was too gold for you, then you won't be happy with the VRF as it's even more orangish/golden.

IMHO the current ARF gold is pretty spot on - at least according to videos of the 126603 and of the Bluesy (2824 movement) i saw on a non td website.




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Itto which td website are you using? Puretime or Trusty? I mostly shop with Trusty, but for some reasons the video he has on, for the 116613lb didnt catch my eyes. Maybe because my ARF experienced in the past. But thanks for the reply sir, it’s very kind of you to stop by.


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[KJ2020]

Maybe get some ideas here

https://forum.replica-watch.info/forum/rolex-tudor-replicas/8154469-116613lb-build

 

[beanvatan]

KJ2020 that's amazing, and stunning build! Thank you, sir. I will look into it. But for now, I need to find the right sub for the right job first. Thank you for stopping by sir, it's very kind of you.

 

[Itto]

Itto which td website are you using? Puretime or Trusty? I mostly shop with Trusty, but for some reasons the video he has on, for the 116613lb didnt catch my eyes. Maybe because my ARF experienced in the past. But thanks for the reply sir, it’s very kind of you to stop by.


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Regarding videos, i mostly use trustys site.
It's funny, after posting in this thread i started really searching around and the GMF wrapped seems to be exactly spot on with the gold color.

Pelagic posted a comparison (and hardcore watch porn) in his build thread here:

​https://forum.replica-watch.info/forum/rolex-tudor-replicas/8154469-116613lb-build​​​​​​

The insert from the GMF appears a bit light,when i look at the various videos - but here the whole watch doesn't look half bad:

https://vimeo.com/326142831

 

[beanvatan]

Itto it's indeed, "a hardcore watch porn" sir!, Amazing. I wonder how the new 904l GMF compare to ARF regarding about the bezel and date-wheel. I have the gen dial arrive today. Searching for the hands and gen bezel insert now. Thank you, Sir, again.

 

[andyc]

The GMF gold colour looks good - but i don't know about the dial. Doesn't seem to have much sunburst. Can anybody comment??

 

[KJ2020]

I ordered and paid for the BP wrapped TT at $918. What I was shown was IMO a GMF, maybe BP doesn't make them anymore or sources out to GMF since they are the "same" factory now. The problem is, GMF makes a cheap version at about $400 (with covered sides) and a more expensive version at about $700 that's supposed to have thicker wrap. So which of those was I shown? The whole experience made me second guess the wisdom of buying thick wrap anything, as we have no way at all to measure wrap thickness. I rejected the watch and bought 3 others for the price of that one.

I would have rejected the GMF in any event as the left side rehaut engraving is atrocious. On any watch it's a dealbreaker for me, but for almost $1K, no effing way. Almost every new model GMF has this bad rehaut engraving, Batman, Pepsi, Bluesy all of them. The only consistent exception is the RG GMT which I've never seen it on.

So until GMF starts getting better cases, I will take a pass on them. Also their crystals sit inexplicably high and require modding to fix. BTW the GMF bracelet has been reported to not fit well with an ARF, and so that implies no good fit to the Noob either.

Watch I ordered

https://www.ts-station.cn/mobile/goods.php?ProId=18552

Watch I was shown, I knew immediately this was a GMF having seen dozens of nearly identically flawed rehauts. The rehaut 'X' at 43 minutes should be at 44, note uneven gap to the next 'R'. The 'R' at 34 minutes should be at 35 minutes, the 'R' at 39 should be at 40, etc. Some people may think no big deal, but at these prices I find it inexcusable. Also note the high crystal.

 

[beanvatan]

KJ2020 I would have done the same as what you did there. I think if I would spend that much money on a watch, I expected it to be "perfect" to "acceptable." But yeah, the crystal is way too high and I'm with you on the engraving. I am still looking for an excellent 116613LB sub to buy as a base for modding.

 

[KJ2020]

KJ2020 I would have done the same as what you did there. I think if I would spend that much money on a watch, I expected it to be "perfect" to "acceptable." But yeah, the crystal is way too high and I'm with you on the engraving. I am still looking for an excellent 116613LB sub to buy as a base for modding.

My current plan is a Noob V8 116613LB with an ARF bracelet. I'm procrastinating on the build because ARF bracelets are hit or miss on whether or not the sides are covered.

 

[beanvatan]

KJ2020 Noob V8 116613LB is hard to find sir. I'm thinking maybe ARF base, GMF wrapped link, gen dial (I already have), gen hands (which I am still searching for), gen bezel insert (always looking for), gen crown, gen crystal, and gen date-wheel. Maybe have Backwoods watch mods fit the bracelet. But V8 and V9 sound interesting too.

 

[beanvatan]

andyc I don't know about the dial but the video above look decent. like Itto said, "doesn't look half bad". https://vimeo.com/326142831
Perfect-clone is not a TD here with RWI, but RWG and others forum. I don't have much luck with him. I bought 2 watches and they both DOA. I sent them back to get them to fix, took him 1 month and 2 weeks to get back to me. Then got the watches back, but still, not working! The only down-turn for me about GMF is what I and KJ2020 stated above. The engraving is way off, height crystal and they asking too much money for a careless product!

 

[KJ2020]

KJ2020 Noob V8 116613LB is hard to find sir. I'm thinking maybe ARF base, GMF wrapped link, gen dial (I already have), gen hands (which I am still searching for), gen bezel insert (always looking for), gen crown, gen crystal, and gen date-wheel. Maybe have Backwoods watch mods fit the bracelet. But V8 and V9 sound interesting too.

The problem with the GMF end link to ARF case is the springbar holes don't align. Really no way to fix it short of welding the old detents closed and re-drilling new ones forward of the old. The fit would be nice if that issue was corrected.

Pics credit to Pelagic

Without springbar

 

[beanvatan]

KJ2020 sorry for being a noob and asking noob question, but I can't tell the differences, besides the SEL is too short, and the bracelet is sitting out of the SEL?

 

[KJ2020]

KJ2020 sorry for being a noob and asking noob question, but I can't tell the differences, besides the SEL is too short, and the bracelet is sitting out of the SEL?

In the first pic, the bracelet is installed with a springbar. Because the springbar detent is too far back on the ARF case for this bracelet, there is an unacceptable gap between the SEL and the case. That gap cannot be eliminated.

In the 2nd pic, there is no springbar installed (simulating a detent hole moved forward) and the SEL to case gap is gone. This shows what it could look like after new holes are drilled.

 

[beanvatan]

KJ2020 thank you for pointing that out, so the GMF bracelet only fit into Noob case? The 116613LB Noob V8,9 are so hard to find. I couldn't find any that are on sale here, at RWI nor any of the TDs websites. So frustrating!

 

[Tony23]

Nothing will beats the gen. The feeling when you hold it in your hand ARF wins, also the gold colour is close enough.

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[beanvatan]

Nothing will beats the gen. The feeling when you hold it in your hand ARF wins, also the gold colour is close enough.

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Thanks for the head up


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[KJ2020]

ARF would be much more of a top choice if one could be assured of getting a bracelet with covered sides. I've seen many more NOT covered than covered, there is no correlation to batch or when it was bought. Also the right side of the insert is pushed to the right. What's wrong with their source, the whole 116610 model line had the left side of the insert engravings pushed to the right, up next to the crystal. I still think the Noob case is better, but for less money and an OOTB experience, the ARF is very nice.