BP Sea-Dweller 16600 re-release with VR3135

[brekker0]

Got mine a few days ago from TT... & they're quite near on my gen, except for the huge crystal and the bold caseback-engravings...
Think some new deep crystals will fix the main issue (the casebacks don't really matter for me)... I'll try to upload all three of them together in one shot...

 

[bowtiefanatc]

The SD has always had the larger crystal. The CGs are getting better it seems from some photos but are still off from Gen (just a little shaping wouldn’t be bad.

I’m tempted to get a newer one to see how it is and maybe turn it into a Triple 6

My older BP

 

[Mjh2k4]

I just got my QC…the two things I noticed were caseback engraving and crown guards. Now this is for a franken project so it’s not the end of the world. But does anyone know if a gen case back would thread into a BP case? And for that matter is there anything one can do about the crown guards being less pronounced?

 

[bowtiefanatc]

I just got my QC…the two things I noticed were caseback engraving and crown guards. Now this is for a franken project so it’s not the end of the world. But does anyone know if a gen case back would thread into a BP case? And for that matter is there anything one can do about the crown guards being less pronounced?

I don’t know about the case back. I got a separate case and the case back didn’t match my older SD (was also thinner and not the right size).

CGs there are quite a few threads about shaping them and how to get them to look better. I heavily shaped a BP 16710 case to be closer to Gen appearance. Lots of sanding and some dremel work.

IMG 0429

Image IMG 0429 hosted in ClickPix.org

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IMG 0588

Image IMG 0588 hosted in ClickPix.org

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IMG 0589

Image IMG 0589 hosted in ClickPix.org

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IMG 0603

Image IMG 0603 hosted in ClickPix.org

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IMG 0619

Image IMG 0619 hosted in ClickPix.org

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IMG 0620

Image IMG 0620 hosted in ClickPix.org

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IMG 0621

Image IMG 0621 hosted in ClickPix.org

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[Mjh2k4]

That’s some really good work! I have 0 ability to do any work on a watch so am totally reliant on the mods like Solution6 in this forum lol.

 

[Shevchenko888]

Moving from an A2824 to a VR3135 probably necessitated reworking of some of the case dimensions/metal work? And I'm guessing BP were happy that the differences were within a tolerance they felt they could sell.

This is a fair point re movement change

 

[bowtiefanatc]

3135 fits in 2824 case

 

[Mjh2k4]

Without spaces or anything? Well shit. Guess the changes in case shape may just simply be a case supplier change. The major one for me though is the crown guards. Unless I’m mistaken they’re a smaller than the gens.

 

[Mjh2k4]

These are the approved QC.

 

[bowtiefanatc]

These are the approved QC.

I might have to get another one of these to check them out. Definitely looking better than they were.

 

[Mjh2k4]

I might have to get another one of these to check them out. Definitely looking better than they were.

I almost bought a gen on vacation two weeks ago. I really loved the feel of it. So it’ll be interesting to see the BP version. I’m frankening it as well thanks to parts from @Andy Chan1 and others.

 

[Mjh2k4]

To be fair, after looking at this Gen one, the crown guards aren't as wildly off as I anticipated!

 

[bowtiefanatc]

They have improved a lot. They used to be way off

 

[mclarendude]

link updated on first post.

 

[johnchpark]

Did something change with the BP 16600 crown guard?

From when BP first released the VR version, I remember the CG being the same size/shape as their 16610, but these pictures make the 16600 CG look super thick

 

[bowtiefanatc]

Did something change with the BP 16600 crown guard?

From when BP first released the VR version, I remember the CG being the same size/shape as their 16610, but these pictures make the 16600 CG look super thick

Yes, they were super chunky, now it appears they have slimmed down a touch again. Little time spend sanding and shaping and it will be good.

 

[johnchpark]

Yes, they were super chunky, now it appears they have slimmed down a touch again. Little time spend sanding and shaping and it will be good.

Was there another revision to the SD since the last VR 3135 release?

 

[johnchpark]

The team for the SD manufacturing must be a different group than the sub. Or something, because it's baffling how they got the sub case pretty good, but they messed up the SD design - especially considering how it used to be better previously.

Guess it's another example of how newer doesn't = better.

 

[mclarendude]

Just sharing my QC. I already got the watch.

 

[bowtiefanatc]

Was there another revision to the SD since the last VR 3135 release?

From what I have seen it appears so.

The original ones had really chunky lugs and crown guards. Stevie Wonder could tell they were bad.

They seem to have gotten better lately.