Just received a new TC Sub from the man himself...

[eazye]

I will try to organize the pics better. It basically shows what I mentioned in post #34. There's also some funky stuff going on in the back around the SEL. I will post a pic of that too.

 

[moodyticker]

eazye, is the finger smudge on the inside of the crystal? can the scratch on the strap be buffed out?

 

[Rollout]

What makes TC unique compared to other watch "dealers" is that he isn't a dealer at all. TC isn't even a modder in the colloquial sense. TC is basically a guy with connections in the rep industry that knows what would make a great sub and then sources various factories to make the parts he needs to complete the build that he envisioned. The problem with this business model is that if you have multiple factories creating specific parts for you then your end-product is vulnerable to inconsistencies should any of your parts makers decide not to provide the part anymore.

If you read through TC's blog you will see that his 16610LN dial maker is back logged with work doing other projects so he is in the process of sourcing another dial maker to do the work. What that means is there is a good probability that the quality of the dials may change between the different dial makers (i.e. the older 16610 dials may have better/worse lume, etc). Typically the quality of a dial won't change dramatically within the same factory; but the quality of dials between different factories is a different story. This may explain why former TC dials may be of different quality than current.

Regardless of the possible explanation above however (and please keep in mind this is my opinion only), I hope TC being the perfectionist that he is will rectify the obvious quality issues that the OP presented. Futhermore I think its safe to say that the biggest draw that people like TC and BK have in the rep community is the idea that their products are not factory-direct but are individually built and QC'ed. This is why people pay the extra $500 for a TC or BK than a perfectly good factory-direct. If however people continue to see issues like bracelets shipped with scratches or gouges, poorly applied lume, etc, then what differentiates a TC sub from a factory-direct? At least the factories allow QC photos to be requested prior to shipping. With that being said I hope this gets resolved because I do like the TC's vision of the perfect sub, as I'm sure we all share the same vision.

 

[greg325i]

OP, with all due respect: you're nuts. This is a rep. Get over it. The lume looks fine as compared to almost every rep I've ever owned (many, many). I have 2 TCs, and it is BY FAR the best rep out there of a Rolex, save for some one-off super-frankens that members build themselves. As for the bracelet...wear it once, just once, and you'll have plenty of marks to match that one.

I can't really comment about the crystal, since it looks like it's dirty from the outside too. But if it IS really that bad on the inside...open the watch, unseat the movement/dial and go at it with windex and a lint-free cloth. Voila!

This isn't Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus, you're buying an illegal knock-off from a guy who's illegally importing them from a factory in China (and even then, the quality is superb). Maybe you're in the wrong hobby.

And by the way, these call-out threads are tacky and poor form. If TC is not helping you, go to the mods. That's one of the reasons they are here, to help members who have a legitimate complaint. These "public shaming" threads are juvenile, especially when they are somewhat dubious (as is this one).

 

[Pb7148]

And by the way, these call-out threads are tacky and poor form. If TC is not helping you, go to the mods. That's one of the reasons they are here, to help members who have a legitimate complaint. These "public shaming" threads are juvenile, especially when they are somewhat dubious (as is this one).

Very Well Stated :spank:

 

[eazye]

eazye, is the finger smudge on the inside of the crystal? can the scratch on the strap be buffed out?

If I wanted a DIY watch I would have went to Canal St.

OP, with all due respect: you're nuts. This is a rep. Get over it. The lume looks fine as compared to almost every rep I've ever owned (many, many). I have 2 TCs, and it is BY FAR the best rep out there of a Rolex, save for some one-off super-frankens that members build themselves. As for the bracelet...wear it once, just once, and you'll have plenty of marks to match that one.

I can't really comment about the crystal, since it looks like it's dirty from the outside too. But if it IS really that bad on the inside...open the watch, unseat the movement/dial and go at it with windex and a lint-free cloth. Voila!

This isn't Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus, you're buying an illegal knock-off from a guy who's illegally importing them from a factory in China (and even then, the quality is superb). Maybe you're in the wrong hobby.

And by the way, these call-out threads are tacky and poor form. If TC is not helping you, go to the mods. That's one of the reasons they are here, to help members who have a legitimate complaint. These "public shaming" threads are juvenile, especially when they are somewhat dubious (as is this one).

Hey Greg w the 325i, get over what? I paid someone to hand build me something not to bring me an imported piece of hardware. Again, if I wanted a DIY watch I would have went to Canal St. You also don't know what I do on a daily basis so don't tell me what to do. When you bought your 325 did you tell yourself, "I'm going to drive this once, just once, and I'll have plenty of marks on it...?"

Who's calling who out? Just because I didn't jump on the TC bandwagon and make a glorifying statement I'm an A hole? I didn't flame anyone I simply stated what I received and what my thoughts on it are. For your information, I went to the mods already. And since when were reviews supposed to be all about the good and nothing else?

The only thing that's juvenile here is your post of trying to call me out and talking sh!t. It's your post that is tacky.

Very Well Stated :spank:

Hey Pb, quit being a :cheer:

 

[scott7772]

I for one, have recently received a TC Type II and love it. I'm very picky. The watch had a very small piece of dust on the dial that bothered me. TC was more than willing to have the dust removed for me, but I decided to have a genuine crystal installed and I will have the dust removed then. As for the dial, it's a rep and it's not going to be as crisp as a genuine. It's always been well documented that most reps lume tends to be overfilled. If you want crisp properly filled lume, buy a gen dial and have it installed. $585 is much cheaper than $5500. As for the bracelet, buy an extra one and have a spare. TC and BK's subs are still heads and tails above the rest.

 

[eazye]

I for one, have recently received a TC Type II and love it. I'm very picky. The watch had a very small piece of dust on the dial that bothered me. TC was more than willing to have the dust removed for me, but I decided to have a genuine crystal installed and I will have the dust removed then. As for the dial, it's a rep and it's not going to be as crisp as a genuine. It's always been well documented that most reps lume tends to be overfilled. If you want crisp properly filled lume, buy a gen dial and have it installed. $585 is much cheaper than $5500. As for the bracelet, buy an extra one and have a spare. TC and BK's subs are still heads and tails above the rest.

Atleast you had the luxury of getting a response when you told him what's wrong. Same with the other guy in a previous post.

I guess I could do that but why should I buy an extra one? I didn't buy a used watch, I bought a new one that was supposed to be hand picked or put together by the person I bought it from..

 

[scott7772]

Atleast you had the luxury of getting a response when you told him what's wrong. Same with the other guy in a previous post.

I guess I could do that but why should I buy an extra one? I didn't buy a used watch, I bought a new one that was supposed to be hand picked or put together by the person I bought it from..

Correct me if I'm wrong, but my watch came with plastic on the bracelet? I'm sure he didn't apply that. I'm sure the plastic came from the factory like that. He probably didn't notice that there was a scratch underneath the plastic on the bracelet.

 

[mclarendude]

I really don't want to sound like an arse... but... OP, you're being too much of a nitpick IMHO, I understand that you paid a lot of money for the watch, and that you expect the exact thing you saw on TC's thread. But then again, this is a rep, if you want perfection, get a used gen 16610. The smudges on the crystal can be cleaned, and the gouge on the crystal can be either brushed with a scotchbrite (like I do on my Planet Ocean's "butter-scratch magnet" bracelet)

Have patience. You are not the only customer TC has.

Those are my two cents worth.

 

[torner333]

Eazye i'm sure TC will make it right for you. He receives many emails every day. Please give him a little bit more time to come back to you.

 

[eazye]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but my watch came with plastic on the bracelet? I'm sure he didn't apply that. I'm sure the plastic came from the factory like that. He probably didn't notice that there was a scratch underneath the plastic on the bracelet.

You're right but only one had plastic the other didn't. The one that didn't is the one with the big scratch.

The pics are exactly how I received it except that I opened the box and silver pack...

 

[Rollout]

And by the way, these call-out threads are tacky and poor form. If TC is not helping you, go to the mods. That's one of the reasons they are here, to help members who have a legitimate complaint. These "public shaming" threads are juvenile, especially when they are somewhat dubious (as is this one).

I completely agree, these public-shaming posts are juvenile, tacky, and poor form. And you proved your point by calling the OP "nuts" on a public forum. At least the OP was stating the facts of his experience, whether positive or negative. Would the reception have been different if this thread was posted in the "reviews" section? Calling someone "nuts" is an insult even to those who are certified mentally insane. And to assume that we all (rep owners) have the same standards of expectations is quite bold. I don't know if the OP has contacted the admins, but he was at least showing some restraint initially by waiting 5 days for TC (and possibly the admins) to respond to his complaints.

Nevertheless, I think it's safe to say that just because a rep is a "replica" doesn't mean that we shouldn't have any expectations as to the quality of the product. I recently purchased a Squale 20 Atmos (gen) for my cousin which cost about the same as I paid for my TC LV and I don't expect the rep to be any less quality than the gen just because it's a rep. $700 is $700. What matters more is how the product you received compares in quality and condition to what others have received with the same item.

So whether the watch is a gen or a rep has little value to me. What matters most to me is the purported quality and condition of the watch by the manufacturer, that dollar amount I pay for the watch compared to other similar watches in the market, and the way the watch looks. So if myself, the OP, Greg325i, or anyone else for that matter shells out $600 for a watch that is purported to be of the highest quality amongst similarly styled watches that sell for a fraction of what I paid, and it is advertised as such, then to receive anything less is valid reason to be concerned.

 

[Pb7148]

If I wanted a DIY watch I would have went to Canal St.



Hey Greg w the 325i, get over what? I paid someone to hand build me something not to bring me an imported piece of hardware. Again, if I wanted a DIY watch I would have went to Canal St. You also don't know what I do on a daily basis so don't tell me what to do. When you bought your 325 did you tell yourself, "I'm going to drive this once, just once, and I'll have plenty of marks on it...?"

Who's calling who out? Just because I didn't jump on the TC bandwagon and make a glorifying statement I'm an A hole? I didn't flame anyone I simply stated what I received and what my thoughts on it are. For your information, I went to the mods already. And since when were reviews supposed to be all about the good and nothing else?

The only thing that's juvenile here is your post of trying to call me out and talking sh!t. It's your post that is tacky.



Hey Pb, quit being a :cheer:

:thumbsup: :howdy: :thumbsup:

 

[greg325i]

Hey Greg w the 325i, get over what? I paid someone to hand build me something not to bring me an imported piece of hardware.

I think you need to seriously reexamine what this hobby is all about. Find me a watch on this board that isn't from China.

Again, if I wanted a DIY watch I would have went to Canal St. You also don't know what I do on a daily basis so don't tell me what to do.

I give between zero and -1 f--ks what you do. I'm telling you what to do based on how you are acting on this board. In case you didn't notice in the month or two since you've joined, we have a certain culture here. Part of that, is that things such as "threadcrapping" in sales posts and "public shaming" threads are frowned upon. I get it that you are new, but that is pretty basic. Notice that a lot of your support in this thread is coming from other relative newcomers too. Conversely, a bunch of the folks who've been here a while are pointing out that these flaws are par-for-the-course and that you may be being too "nit-picky." Instead of lashing out, you might want to take such sage advice (like that which you received from another member with 1,400+ posts) as perhaps being indicative of what to expect from a hobby that, by your own admission, you are new to.

When you bought your 325 did you tell yourself, "I'm going to drive this once, just once, and I'll have plenty of marks on it...?"

When I bought my former 325i, I was in college, and it was 15 years ago. I also bought it used, so I had a reasonable expectation for what I was getting. I also planned on driving it, so showroom-fresh was never an expectation. Having said that, you are not buying a genuine watch, and further, you are not buying it legally, or from a legal source. If you think that somehow you are entitled to perfection, each and every time, you're in for disappointment. Better to learn that now, I suppose. Hang around long enough, and you'll realize that in this hobby, everyone has a few disappointments. However the "I paid good money, so I want what I want"-argument is going to fall on many deaf ears here. Especially when a few senior members have told you that these kinds of quality control blemishes are somewhat on the "minor" end of the scale that you can expect in this hobby. Of course, most of our TD's will do their utmost to keep folks happy, but again, these are not gens, and this isn't Macy's. And in the case of the US-based dealers, they are taking a HUGE risk selling their wares. If you can't accept that this means that you're accepting a bit of risk too...well then I don't know what to tell you...

The bottom line is - and this is my point - while you of course have every right to complain, don't be surprised that if it isn't well-grounded, taking the the above considerations into account, members and dealers alike won't take you seriously and will avoid doing business with you. And for the record, you have a very nice watch. Throw a gen insert on it, and it's gonna be great. Sending it to one of our trusted watchsmiths or modders for a little housekeeping (which would solve all or your "problems"), is also not atypical at all, especially on upper-end reps. Both my WM9 and TC subs went to Cali to get fine-tuned, right after I acquired each of them.

Who's calling who out? Just because I didn't jump on the TC bandwagon and make a glorifying statement I'm an A hole? I didn't flame anyone I simply stated what I received and what my thoughts on it are. For your information, I went to the mods already. And since when were reviews supposed to be all about the good and nothing else?

To be crystal clear, I'm calling you out because your expectations are not realistic given the product at hand, and the manner in which it's sold and obtained, as well as for attempting to exact a solution (which if you had realistic expectations would not be necessary) in a manner which goes pretty squarely against the tide of commonly-accepted culture of this board.

The only thing that's juvenile here is your post of trying to call me out and talking sh!t. It's your post that is tacky.

Ok, rook. Count up the post-tally/years-on-RWI of the people who agree with me, and contrast that with the folks who think you have every right to complain about minor scratches on a fake Rolex.

I really don't want to sound like an arse... but... OP, you're being too much of a nitpick IMHO, I understand that you paid a lot of money for the watch, and that you expect the exact thing you saw on TC's thread. But then again, this is a rep, if you want perfection, get a used gen 16610. The smudges on the crystal can be cleaned, and the gouge on the crystal can be either brushed with a scotchbrite (like I do on my Planet Ocean's "butter-scratch magnet" bracelet)

Have patience. You are not the only customer TC has.

Those are my two cents worth.

^^^This is more good advice from a member with long standing in this hobby, and on this forum.

So based on everything, I have three pieces of advice for you:

1) Be realistic with your expectations and remember what it is you are buying, and from whom.

2) Learn to accept the occasional disappointment in this hobby. Generally, the longer you are here, the more knowledge you will have, which will help you ward off some of it. It will also inform you as to what are truly unacceptable flaws, and what you must learn to take with a grain of salt.

3) Make sure you are quite solid with #'s 1 and 2 before you put a TD with a stellar reputation on blast publicly (especially a US-based one shouldering additional personal risk to sell to us, not to mention...on a not-for-profit basis).

 

[peppe1019]

^^ +1. Well said greg.. If he wanted a gen than he shouldve bought one,for the price its as close as your going to get and those minor imperfections can easily be modded..

 

[mclarendude]

Greg, you're a hero.

I agree 200% with Greg. Sorry, but he covered all the bases needed. And I think the other members that have been here a lot, including myself, will agree with Greg. Well done.

OP: It's a $585 Rep. Not a $6,000 genuine. Stop being such a perfectionist. If you don't want it. Sell it on the board and get a Tissot or something gen. It's a DAMN REPLICA. It's not made by the Swiss. It's doesn't go by a SWISS QC process. So please. Stop. Either keep it and send it to a trusted watchsmith or SELL IT.




Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

 

[eazye]

Hmm, let's see Greg with the 325i that is overly sensitive and has a ton of time on his hands to dissect my thread and posts because he thinks that he can shut me up while trying to achieve veteran membership. Don't worry dude, you'll get there. You obviously put a lot of "substance" into your replies so I'm sure you'll get there.

Anyway, the purpose of my thread is to show what I got and what my concerns are. Did I ever say I didn't like something or it was crap? No I didn't. The only one putting crap in here is you!

You Greg with the 325 are taking this way too far. You are putting words in my mouth by trying to tell me what I expect. You don't know sh!t about what I expect. I never expected gen quality anything. You're the one blowing this whole thing up!

You have so much to say about my business that maybe you should pay attention to what's going on with yours...

I get it, its a rep not a gen. This is RWI right? And there are modders here that can take it to the next level, right?

Anyway, TC finally got back to me today. He is still in China but has agreed to replace my 12H half bracelet when we meet up for coffee after he gets back.

If I said anything bad about TC I take it back.

 

[mclarendude]

You post was understood as a dissapointed and that you were slightly either mad or dissapointed at a rep It was how it was understood by most of us. Not just Greg. It's one of the cons of reading and not talking face to face. Misunderstandings happen.

I'm sorry, but you made it personal when you attacked Greg with the 325i comment and his personal life etc. It was real juvenile and rather immature of you IMHO. Just because my user name says "MclarenDude" you're gonna assume I'm rich and I have a Mclaren? That's where you made it juvenile.

Glad you talked to TC. I told you so. Patience is the biggest key in this hobby. :cheers:


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

 

[eazye]

You post was understood as a dissapointed and that you were slightly either mad or dissapointed at a rep It was how it was understood by most of us. Not just Greg. It's one of the cons of reading and not talking face to face. Misunderstandings happen.

I'm sorry, but you made it personal when you attacked Greg with the 325i comment and his personal life etc. It was real juvenile and rather immature of you IMHO. Just because my user name says "MclarenDude" you're gonna assume I'm rich and I have a Mclaren? That's where you made it juvenile.

Glad you talked to TC. I told you so. Patience is the biggest key in this hobby. :cheers:


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

It's cool MclarenDude. What I said was no different from Greg telling me to wear the watch once and scratch it up. I just don't appreciate him trying to go so hard on me and blowing this whole thing up. I'm not here to excite anyone that way...

:cheers: