When this gen first got introduced, I was never fully impressed with it. While I thought it was a good looking watch, I still felt that all the magic, mystique and traditions of the classic red and blue Pepsi GMT were instantly swept away. I might be biased, because everything from 1675 to 16710 are my all-time favorite Rolexes. I love that watch so much that I purchased the genuine article just a few weeks ago.
My opinion hasn't changed. I actually like the design of this watch, but it's the departure from the classic, legendary GMT that I'm not too excited about. Maybe I'll change my mind when they introduce the classic "Pepsi" model back into the lineup. Just like you can't offer Ferrari with only in British Racing Green, Rolex shouldn't sell a GMT Master without the Pepsi option.
But besides that, the watch certainly is a good looker and very good replication. This rep has been absolutely all over the place since it was released a few months ago. It is available with the correct hand stack (short: CHS), which means independently adjustable hour hand. Correct hand stack means that the 24h hand is placed above the hour hand. This movement behaves like the gen, and the hour hand moves in one hour increments. But it's also an accident waiting to happen. I have plenty of experience with the CHS, so I decided to opt for the wrong hand stack Swiss ETA movement.
The wrong hand stack (short: WHS) version is a "faux" GMT movement, and it doesn't operate like the gen. The 24h hand is placed below the hour hand in the stack, and one time during the day the hour hand and 24h hand "meet". This is when the visual problem with the WHS occurs. However, you can set the 24h hand "meeting point" to say, 2am or 3am if it bothers you. Besides this "meeting point" the hand stack is very difficult to detect without a loupe. The small annoyance with the "faux" WHS modification is that you have to set the 24h hand "in sync" manually. This has been covered in this article. I have developed a good trust in this WHS ETA "bastardization", and I can recommend it to anyone (as long as you really get a genuine ETA).
There is an Asian version of the WHS available too, but the reports of that movement have been less than stellar.
This watch has been discussed throughly, so I doubt I can bring anything new on the table. My good friend Dan (a RepGeek admin) compared this with the gen here, and that superb comparison pictorial tells you everything you need to know. The replication is excellent.
The bezel numbers have been improved (they used to be too thick). I'm also very impressed with the dial, which is almost flawless. The Triplock crown isn't perfect (the threads aren't quite apparent enough), but it's very acceptable. Tube looks thick and solid. The 24h bi-directional bezel has a new feature: it moves in one hour increments, and has only 24 clicks. This is perfectly logical for a GMT watch, and definitely a great feature and improvement over the old Master II.
The biggest flaw on this watch is the non-symmetric rehaut engraving. ROLEXROLEXROLEX should always match with '9, '12 and '3'o'clock markers, and this isn't the case on the rep. The '9 spot is way off target. I find this a bit disappointing, and of course it's not fixable. Big flaw or not... it's another very stupid mistake by the factories. The SELs have been fitted exceptionally well.
The cyclops magnification also lacks the antireflective coating. Many have applied an AR for their mags, and I'm often amazed how innovative our members are. You can read about Lanikai's experiences with it here and here.
The bracelet felt really lousy and cheap when I received this watch. But as usual, there's nothing that a bottle of sewing machine oil couldn't fix. I can assure you, after the "oil treatment" the difference is dramatic. Pour plenty of sewing machine oil all over the bracelet middle links, then twist and bend them like a maniac. Then do it again, and leave plenty of oil on the bracelet overnight. Don't even think about skipping this... oiling the replica Rolex bracelet is absolutely essential modification. The bracelet edges should be gently filed smoother as well. bklm1234 has a good tutorial how to do it.
Polished middle links are a bit "so and so" on a tool watch, but GMT Master has never been a "hardcore tool" like the Sub or SeaDweller, so I think they're acceptable and go nicely with the reflective and shiny bezel.
The clasp is the same as on the Daytona, so it feels solid and heavy compared to the old flimsy design. The micro adjustment is extremely tricky, because you have to release the adjustment pin from inside the clasp (there are no holes outside). If someone has a good system for it, I'm all ears.
Is this the best ever otb Rolex replica?
In my opinion: no. The classic (and rare) black Explorer II (the same base model that was used to build my franken) is still the king, but this and the WM9 Sub definitely take the second place. The rehaut engraving is a small (but fundamental) flaw.
I received this watch a few days ago, and while I have to admit that I'm still not completely crazy about it, Of course this is an instant replica classic, and me being a GMT-geek it was kind of a "must have" in many ways. Generally I'm not too crazy about plain black & white watches, but I really like the highly reflective "ceramic" bezel and the Daytona clasp. This watch has "grown" on me a little, and maybe it's just a matter of time when it manages to fully capture my heart. But there's no way I could ever prefer this over the classic 1675/16710.
Thanks to ***Precious Time*** for another flawless transaction and QC'ing this rep for me!
