Yesterday I received my Deep-Sea James Cameron edition from Trusty Time. This is Noob, version 7. Being my first rep purchase, and almost getting scammed a while back, I was a bit reluctant. But Andrew was very patient and helpful through the process. He is great to deal with and responds to email like lightening. I will try to include good pictures, and all my opinions. Having been a machinist for many years, I probably look at things a bit differently than some. And I hope my review helps others. I know all the “regulars” on this forum know all this already, but new folks might not. Keep in mind, this watch costs about 3% of a real one, so I would not expect perfection, but it is still a substantial cost. For the same or less money, you can get a real major brand Swiss automatic (Rado, Tissot etc). So my expectation is for it to be at least similar to them in quality. So here we go (I will start off with the timeline):
Sat 26th- INquired about stock on the model I wanted, got a quick response and ordered and paid by bitcoin (got a 5% discount).
Mon 28th- Received QC pictures and approved.
China National Day- Shut down for a week.
Mon Oct 5- Tracking number received. Shipper shows awaiting product.
Wed Oct 7- Tracking shows received in Riyadh Saudi Arabia and estimated Oct 19th delivery
Date.
Thur Oct 8- In and out of Bahrain.
Fri Oct 9- In and out of Germany, UK, then arrived in Ohio.
Sat Oct 10- Cleared customs in Ohio and on hold for next step.
Tue Oct 13- Watch arrived. Now I can sleep again.
At first glance as being removed from the box, it looks cheap (due to the packaging). Wrapped in foam, and a plastic/rubber protector on the case and clasp, and all the plastic wrap, makes it look like it might be a cheap watch. But once all the plastic film is removed, it is quite breathtaking. Looks real as hell, and high quality. Having owned many watches (Tissot, Rado, Omega, Glycine, Marathon etc), this is by far the most impressive. As I played with it and looked it over, it is obvious that all the manufacturing processing is well engineered. But initially, there were a few issues, but easily resolved. For one, I was very excited to see if the clasp was high quality, and fully functional. It was a mixed bag- It looks perfect. The flip lock works exactly as intended, but the glidelock was “gritty” and would not glide smoothly. It would stick. On examination, it is obvious why. The internal components are all sandblasted. This means textured surfaces, and potentially blast media on the surfaces. So I washed the band and clasp (keeping the case out of the water) with warm water and dawn detergent. Then completely dried out and applied a very thin coat of mineral oil. To my surprise, it now glides silky smooth and does not stick or bind at all. So the tolerancing is good, it just had blast media on the surfaces as expected. 1st issue 100% resolved. Then, after wearing for about 1 hour and constantly removing and putting back on, the band screws started unscrewing and backing out. One was right at the flip lock, and started making it bind and not open all the way. With a screwdriver, I tightened them up, and all is well so far. I plan on using some loctite on the threads to ensure they stay put. I expect the pitch diameter on the screw threads is a bit smaller than they should be. But loctite will eliminate that issue. The screws do have a nice look and feel. Problem 2 solved. Now for the diver extension. It is almost impossible to open. Now, this watch will never see a set suit, so not an issue for me, but if I ever show the functions of this clasp/watch, I would like for it to function. But it is so tight, it feels like I will break it if I force it. The tolerancing is such that it is just too firmly engaged. I think over time, the snap-lock will wear just enough so it will work as it should. But I have to really press VERY hard to make it open in the meantime. Not an issue for me really. Problem 3 will be solved over time. Now for the etched crown on the crystal at the 6 location- It is there, and not visible with the naked eye as it should be. But upon magnification and correct lighting, it looks perfect. Very nice dot pattern and crisp, not sloppy like some others. The only issue is it is not centered on the 6, it is probably about .01” off center. Not blatantly obvious, but seems like it could have been centered better. But not an issue for me. It is not visible under almost all conditions. The only real concerning issue was the case back was not tight. I was able to turn it with my fingers. I love the 2 piece design, as with a normal screw-down case back, if the gasket is not lubed, it can bind as tightened. With this design, the gasket is not twisted, it is compressed. With all that said, It might have been waterproof enough to swim with, but I doubt it. The description said “Waterproofed to 50m direct from Factory”. I doubt that was the case with the ring lock not tight. So I quickly took the back off and checked to see if the seal was here and in good condition. It was, but was completely dry. So I lubed it with silicone and reinstalled, making sure to tighten the back snugly. I also received the 36.5mm case back tool yesterday as well, just in case (and turned out to be a good idea). I then used a needle to apply some silicone lube to the crown o ring that is visible when unscrewed, just to be sure it is also lubed. Another concern resolved. And lastly (as far as concerns), some of the internal edges of the clasp are a bit sharp and need a bit of polish to smooth them. Yet again, not an issue for someone like me that can easily buff them a tad to smooth.
Now for all the good, and there is plenty of it- I am not a Rolex expert, but have an eye for detail. This thing looks extremely well made overall, and the fit and finishes are very nicely done (minus a few tweaks mentioned above). Under magnification (10x), everything looks very nicely done. The bezel is a nice glossy ceramic, and all the markings are crisp and well defined. The dial printing is very crisp and looks very good. The rehaut markings look very good, and the text on the face of the rehaut (Original Gas Escape Valve etc) is perfectly filled with paint and has no bleeding. It is obvious that the face was polished/lapped after painting was done and dried. No bleed, and edges are crisp and it looks professional. But for some reason, there is dust and debris on the surface. Not obvious with naked eye, but visible under 10x mag. The hour markers are PERFECT. Perfectly filled with lume, and highly polished. They really do look like white gold. The hands are well done. I was concerned about rough edges as I have seen on other reviews, but the hour and minutes hands are pretty sharp. A slight bit of rough, but not obvious in any way. The second hand is perfect. Edges are rounded and polished, so it looks like it was done by a different vendor than the other hands. But does not stand out, and looks like a nice set overall. Naked eye, they look great, under mag, they look like they are not polished and look like stainless steel (except for the second hand). All surfaces on the case are nicely brushed, and the polished areas as a mirror finish. The crystal has a nice smooth edge and is silky smooth overall. The case back looks very good, and functions as it should. The “titanium” back is also silky smooth. Not sure if it is real titanium, but looks like what I have seen on originals. My gut feeling is it is stainless steel with that non-stick coating you see on frying pans. It feels slick and smooth like that. But it looks good. The ring lock on the back is VERY sharp and defined. The teeth that fit into the case back wrench/tool are almost too sharp. I can feel them on my wrist. I expect after a few months of wear, they will smooth out, or if I need to touch it up at some point, that will reduce the sharpness a bit. Now onto the bracelet- I love this bracelet design! I love that I can adjust it a tad without taking it off. As mentioned in the beginning, it was a bit gritty, but now it is perfect (except for the divers extension, it is still too hard to operate). It opens easily, and snaps closed with a nice firm “click” as it should. I love a nicely machined clasp, and this one is the best I have ever seen/had. I do wish Rolex did not taper the bands, but that is their design, and this rep just replicates it. The interior components are matte finish from bead blasting, and I plan to disassemble them and clean/polish so it looks more genuine inside as well. However the outside is perfectly polished and brushed as it should be. Very nice clasp! Overall, I really like this watch. I wish I had ordered the version with 2824 movement so in the future I could swap out with a real Swiss, but hopefully the clone 3135 lasts for a few years. I can always get a new one and swap it out if needed. As many have said, the best practice is to send/bring it to a good watch-smith when new for a proper cleaning, lube and adjustment to maximize how long it will last. Thanks to Andrew for a smooth process and positive 1st purchase. I really appreciate getting what I wanted and paid for.
Sat 26th- INquired about stock on the model I wanted, got a quick response and ordered and paid by bitcoin (got a 5% discount).
Mon 28th- Received QC pictures and approved.
China National Day- Shut down for a week.
Mon Oct 5- Tracking number received. Shipper shows awaiting product.
Wed Oct 7- Tracking shows received in Riyadh Saudi Arabia and estimated Oct 19th delivery
Date.
Thur Oct 8- In and out of Bahrain.
Fri Oct 9- In and out of Germany, UK, then arrived in Ohio.
Sat Oct 10- Cleared customs in Ohio and on hold for next step.
Tue Oct 13- Watch arrived. Now I can sleep again.
At first glance as being removed from the box, it looks cheap (due to the packaging). Wrapped in foam, and a plastic/rubber protector on the case and clasp, and all the plastic wrap, makes it look like it might be a cheap watch. But once all the plastic film is removed, it is quite breathtaking. Looks real as hell, and high quality. Having owned many watches (Tissot, Rado, Omega, Glycine, Marathon etc), this is by far the most impressive. As I played with it and looked it over, it is obvious that all the manufacturing processing is well engineered. But initially, there were a few issues, but easily resolved. For one, I was very excited to see if the clasp was high quality, and fully functional. It was a mixed bag- It looks perfect. The flip lock works exactly as intended, but the glidelock was “gritty” and would not glide smoothly. It would stick. On examination, it is obvious why. The internal components are all sandblasted. This means textured surfaces, and potentially blast media on the surfaces. So I washed the band and clasp (keeping the case out of the water) with warm water and dawn detergent. Then completely dried out and applied a very thin coat of mineral oil. To my surprise, it now glides silky smooth and does not stick or bind at all. So the tolerancing is good, it just had blast media on the surfaces as expected. 1st issue 100% resolved. Then, after wearing for about 1 hour and constantly removing and putting back on, the band screws started unscrewing and backing out. One was right at the flip lock, and started making it bind and not open all the way. With a screwdriver, I tightened them up, and all is well so far. I plan on using some loctite on the threads to ensure they stay put. I expect the pitch diameter on the screw threads is a bit smaller than they should be. But loctite will eliminate that issue. The screws do have a nice look and feel. Problem 2 solved. Now for the diver extension. It is almost impossible to open. Now, this watch will never see a set suit, so not an issue for me, but if I ever show the functions of this clasp/watch, I would like for it to function. But it is so tight, it feels like I will break it if I force it. The tolerancing is such that it is just too firmly engaged. I think over time, the snap-lock will wear just enough so it will work as it should. But I have to really press VERY hard to make it open in the meantime. Not an issue for me really. Problem 3 will be solved over time. Now for the etched crown on the crystal at the 6 location- It is there, and not visible with the naked eye as it should be. But upon magnification and correct lighting, it looks perfect. Very nice dot pattern and crisp, not sloppy like some others. The only issue is it is not centered on the 6, it is probably about .01” off center. Not blatantly obvious, but seems like it could have been centered better. But not an issue for me. It is not visible under almost all conditions. The only real concerning issue was the case back was not tight. I was able to turn it with my fingers. I love the 2 piece design, as with a normal screw-down case back, if the gasket is not lubed, it can bind as tightened. With this design, the gasket is not twisted, it is compressed. With all that said, It might have been waterproof enough to swim with, but I doubt it. The description said “Waterproofed to 50m direct from Factory”. I doubt that was the case with the ring lock not tight. So I quickly took the back off and checked to see if the seal was here and in good condition. It was, but was completely dry. So I lubed it with silicone and reinstalled, making sure to tighten the back snugly. I also received the 36.5mm case back tool yesterday as well, just in case (and turned out to be a good idea). I then used a needle to apply some silicone lube to the crown o ring that is visible when unscrewed, just to be sure it is also lubed. Another concern resolved. And lastly (as far as concerns), some of the internal edges of the clasp are a bit sharp and need a bit of polish to smooth them. Yet again, not an issue for someone like me that can easily buff them a tad to smooth.
Now for all the good, and there is plenty of it- I am not a Rolex expert, but have an eye for detail. This thing looks extremely well made overall, and the fit and finishes are very nicely done (minus a few tweaks mentioned above). Under magnification (10x), everything looks very nicely done. The bezel is a nice glossy ceramic, and all the markings are crisp and well defined. The dial printing is very crisp and looks very good. The rehaut markings look very good, and the text on the face of the rehaut (Original Gas Escape Valve etc) is perfectly filled with paint and has no bleeding. It is obvious that the face was polished/lapped after painting was done and dried. No bleed, and edges are crisp and it looks professional. But for some reason, there is dust and debris on the surface. Not obvious with naked eye, but visible under 10x mag. The hour markers are PERFECT. Perfectly filled with lume, and highly polished. They really do look like white gold. The hands are well done. I was concerned about rough edges as I have seen on other reviews, but the hour and minutes hands are pretty sharp. A slight bit of rough, but not obvious in any way. The second hand is perfect. Edges are rounded and polished, so it looks like it was done by a different vendor than the other hands. But does not stand out, and looks like a nice set overall. Naked eye, they look great, under mag, they look like they are not polished and look like stainless steel (except for the second hand). All surfaces on the case are nicely brushed, and the polished areas as a mirror finish. The crystal has a nice smooth edge and is silky smooth overall. The case back looks very good, and functions as it should. The “titanium” back is also silky smooth. Not sure if it is real titanium, but looks like what I have seen on originals. My gut feeling is it is stainless steel with that non-stick coating you see on frying pans. It feels slick and smooth like that. But it looks good. The ring lock on the back is VERY sharp and defined. The teeth that fit into the case back wrench/tool are almost too sharp. I can feel them on my wrist. I expect after a few months of wear, they will smooth out, or if I need to touch it up at some point, that will reduce the sharpness a bit. Now onto the bracelet- I love this bracelet design! I love that I can adjust it a tad without taking it off. As mentioned in the beginning, it was a bit gritty, but now it is perfect (except for the divers extension, it is still too hard to operate). It opens easily, and snaps closed with a nice firm “click” as it should. I love a nicely machined clasp, and this one is the best I have ever seen/had. I do wish Rolex did not taper the bands, but that is their design, and this rep just replicates it. The interior components are matte finish from bead blasting, and I plan to disassemble them and clean/polish so it looks more genuine inside as well. However the outside is perfectly polished and brushed as it should be. Very nice clasp! Overall, I really like this watch. I wish I had ordered the version with 2824 movement so in the future I could swap out with a real Swiss, but hopefully the clone 3135 lasts for a few years. I can always get a new one and swap it out if needed. As many have said, the best practice is to send/bring it to a good watch-smith when new for a proper cleaning, lube and adjustment to maximize how long it will last. Thanks to Andrew for a smooth process and positive 1st purchase. I really appreciate getting what I wanted and paid for.
