I noticed that most aftermarket ETA submariner hands suck because of multiple reasons:
1. Lack of taper on the seconds hand
2. Bad proportions and length is bad
3. The features on the hour hand is noticeably bad (e.g., the rectangular lume is too short or thin)
4. The hands aren't pointy and sharp
5. The hands look paper thin
6. The hands are cut poorly (which is especially noticeable on the centre circle of the seconds hand)
... I can go on and on...
Although most people in this forum don't seem to care as much about their Submariner hands, to me, the watch hands stand out as one of the most obvious tell signs. For instance, I have spotted Submariners with aftermarket hands on Rolex Passion Report's Instagram page or among the collection from famous Rolex collectors.
TC used to sell the best available ETA Submariner hands; however, as we all know, he is out of the rep business.
Therefore, I took matters to my own hands, using a file, sandpaper, abrasion pad, autosol, etc, to reshape and get better ETA Submariner hands.
Although the hands are not exactly perfect, it's the closest I could get:
- The length and proportion compares well to my gen 16610 hands set.
- The proportion of the features (e.g., the rectangular lume area on the hour hand and minute hand, and the small triangle before the tip) compares fine to my gen 16610 hands set.
- I created taper on the front of the seconds hand, like gen.
- I reduced the size of the circle at the back of the seconds hand, like gen.
- I made all of the hands pointy, like gen.
- I polished the sides of the hands.
See that taper and the reduced size of the back circle
Pointy hour hand
Update: more pics
1. Lack of taper on the seconds hand
2. Bad proportions and length is bad
3. The features on the hour hand is noticeably bad (e.g., the rectangular lume is too short or thin)
4. The hands aren't pointy and sharp
5. The hands look paper thin
6. The hands are cut poorly (which is especially noticeable on the centre circle of the seconds hand)
... I can go on and on...
Although most people in this forum don't seem to care as much about their Submariner hands, to me, the watch hands stand out as one of the most obvious tell signs. For instance, I have spotted Submariners with aftermarket hands on Rolex Passion Report's Instagram page or among the collection from famous Rolex collectors.
TC used to sell the best available ETA Submariner hands; however, as we all know, he is out of the rep business.
Therefore, I took matters to my own hands, using a file, sandpaper, abrasion pad, autosol, etc, to reshape and get better ETA Submariner hands.
Although the hands are not exactly perfect, it's the closest I could get:
- The length and proportion compares well to my gen 16610 hands set.
- The proportion of the features (e.g., the rectangular lume area on the hour hand and minute hand, and the small triangle before the tip) compares fine to my gen 16610 hands set.
- I created taper on the front of the seconds hand, like gen.
- I reduced the size of the circle at the back of the seconds hand, like gen.
- I made all of the hands pointy, like gen.
- I polished the sides of the hands.
See that taper and the reduced size of the back circle
Pointy hour hand
Update: more pics
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