Guys we are getting WAY too picky for a $500 dollar copy of a $10,000 watch. Smoke is amazing with his keen eye. But when we start too think we dont see a black hole effect when we do then start to think that they will maybe put it in some watches and not others. We are trying to figure out what THEY are thinking. I doubt they will put it in some and not others. I am sure they have thousands of crystals all made the same and just use the next one in the stack.
We are getting amazing quality. I have see brand new rolex sealed crystals with a blue tint. This can be verified by a lot of guys who replace crystals. It has been that way for a few years. The big give away is the angle on the glass on the cyclops top and bottom and the lip of the crystal. ARF has the black hole effect on the 122660 why would they not on the 116610. But even if they dont, its a 10 min job to swap a crystal and I have a bunch in my shop. As far as the lum. That dial is spot on. Ask smoke. It isn't over filled or under filled. I would have too agree that it might be a give away if you were too put a timer test on the lum. Rolex last a lot longer than the fake. That is because rolex is using a complexly different chemical while the reps are still using Super lum colored too look like Chroma-light. It looks pretty dam good.
This is why I stated the thread about telling me what you guys want reviewed on the ARF. The dealers have ARF's ear and they are asking for our opinions. We start with nit picking on things that don't exist they will shut this line of communication down. Lets keep it real. Real issues.
I would love to say that only those who own a real 116610 should comment but I know that that is not fair. There are people that go to AD's and feel them and look at them all the time. I did it for years before I got my 16610 in 2000. But really when all we have are people looking a pic and comparing watches it is just crazy. I have felt and handled a lot of real and a lot of fake. These last few generations of watches are freaking amazing. While I still haven't gotten the real 122660 my ARF is amazing and from the article I read with the owner of a real one comparing the ARF it is a beauty. I do not think they will drop the ball on the 116610. I for one cant wait for the 116610 in 3135 from them. I will finally have a better case than my 116610LN that is all real but the V6S noob case.
So keep the valid questions coming in. Also understand that there will never be a PERFECT rolex clone unless Rolex makes it. Also understand that that perfect rolex once sent in for service or is used hard, will never be that perfect rolex again. The case will be re-worked by a rolex watch maker and polished and the bezel may be scratches. Band SEL off by bending spring pins. So all the little stupid details we come up with are all in our heads. To get a watch that runs and feels like a rolex is a big jump forward. Those who own real ones know exactly what I am talking about. Very big example is a noob 97200 bracelet. The V6s looks freaking amazing. You get it in your hands you know its fake. You get a real 97200 it looks identical but feels like butter. There is no comparison. But now who the hell takes your watch off your writs? Who plays with the band? You. So as long as it looks good it should be good. But now ARF listen too us and the band on ARF Daytonas, DSSD are all freaking great feeling. This is what we need. For me a BIG thing is the insert! OMG. Every 116610 I have done, one thing is the bezel and insert. I have 2 extra new rolex click packages because trust me when I tell you it is different than the noob feeling wise. (Look at my write up) but that is me. I alway had too change the insert to a real one. They started out at $1000 just for the insert. Now they are around $700. But think about it. If ARF makes a perfect copy of that which from my QC pics looks like they did, they just saved me $700 to make my watch passable. This is a huge improvement. Believe it or not even the crown looks freaking good. That is another $100 saved. When I got a 116610LN for someone and they wanted it to be 100% passable. What I would do is the following.
Change the crystal, crown, insert, remove the SA 3135 and put in a SH3135. Sometimes change the dial and hands and always changed the date wheel. Polish the rehaut and oil dip the band and sonic it. Clean it all up and reassemble. The watch looked and felt great. But you are looking at a few thousand dollars.
Now if ARF just fixed the crystal, bezel, feel of band and look of polished rehaut. They have the SH3135 when they offer it the crown looks real. What is left? Maybe a dial and hands and date wheel. Really they are saving us thousands of dollars. This is what we need too look at. Not the fact that a screw is a little too much to the right. Does this make any sense? Maybe it is just me because I mess with a lot of watches.
To me this is a win win for everyone. For someone who wants a turn key rolex rep that will pass visually this ARF looks as per my QC pic too be it. For someone who wants too modify it to be a life long watch in their collection, if the 3135 looks like this one, that will be it too!
Case ascetics, part fitment, 904L, feel and reliability of band and clasp. Weight. Total feel and look when built. This is what we should be looking at and ARF is doing it for us.
I am hoping NOOB does it too. Why? Competition. If ARF is the top dog there is no more reason for improvements. If NOOB kicks it up then ARF will keep shooting for the stars. I for one hope that BOTH of them keep making amazing freaking watches. Lets take a step back and look at the noob 4130! That movement is perfect. I was at my Mikes shop (Miskiped) and he had a Noob 4130 and a real 4130 next too each other. The finish look feel is IDENTICAL. Even the gold print is identical. Only the balance was different. I found out Noob spent millions on that movement. Also Noob spent millions on the 3235 that isn't out yet. But they did 1 to 1 copies of the freaking Daytona movement. That is huge for this hobby. Yes the case sucks. But holy crap, order a phong case. Get a real bezel, dial, hands, crystal and bracelet and you will have a rolex Daytona for under $5000-7000. And it will pass every test and unless opened even rolex will think it is real. Holy crap. That is a life long watch! the quality of that movement is that good. We have amazing times ahead in this hobby. I for one am super excited for us and RWI. Hell I loved it when TC was the best watch out there! Or BK's eye adjusting our china reps. The playing field just got raised. I mention TC for a reason. He was one of us who wanted too make the perfect 16610. There is a lot of rumors about him and people saying he was a group and maybe at the end yes. But ones he was just a guy who loved a watch and wanted to make it for the least amount he could. He was one of us. He put china on alert with his 16610's. No more cheap rep would do in the 16610. Now all the big ones make killer 16610's. Trust me. I have a china rep of a sub from 1996. I also have a V6 TC here. I will post pics next too each other and you will laugh at how sad our hobby was back then. But now it is freaking amazing and I have always been proud of what I do. Go to TRF and see. I got in a dispute with a guy years ago because I took star time case or TC or Rolex case and built them with all rolex parts. There were a lot of people on myside and some snobs that believe that Rolex are made by gods and no man should ever touch it.
This is the best site. We have the best group of guys. We have the most knowledgeable staff and senior members. Too much too name and tag. We have the best TD's. Some who have grew up in this world and have a knowledge base that is too die for. Some that are actual collectors too! I speak too them.
Sorry for the rant. But we need too concentrate on our next watches. As long as the companies are listening, we should really do what I said in my thread. Ask me what you want too know about the watches. Only one TD so far answered. So I have an ARF coming in. I would love for a Noob. Also understand. AT ZERO time should we as a person or board ask for a watch for FREE. I am paying for every watch I am reviewing. TD's are not the maker. A TD buys the watch. I wrote every TD and emailed the ones that I have emails. I stated that I want too buy any 116610 to do a evaluation on which is the best. One came back with great feed back, I actually had one ask me not too post on his RWI section. LOL. that was it. It think I got a invoice for one but it was just listed as a 116610LN no maker. I messaged back who makes it. That was over a week ago. So as of now I have one ARF 116610LN 2824 coming and the pics look amazing. I personally do not need this watch and for my part of keeping this amazing home around for as long as I can, I will be donating the ARF for a raffle as the staff feels fit.
So lets keep the good solid opinions coming in. Lets get some constructive criticism on our new generations of subs. We can really try too answer the age old question, "WHO HAS THE BEST SUB!" LOL.
Rob
maybe she likes it too! Inspiring story great to read 
