- 8/2/11
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So apparently there are 2 types of DW font on the Noob BLRO from the batch yesterday. Could be something to look out for.
Members
Here are the side by sides of my two Rolex GMT Master II. My NOob 126710 BLRO and my Gen Rolex 116710 BLNR.
I am no expert. However I spend hundreds of hours looking at these (amongst other) watches, as a hobbyist, and if I can’t spot a difference (on these zoomed pictures) then I can promise you that no one is going to spot it IRL.
I want to discuss the good and the not so good. Overall I think nOob have done an outstanding job and I’m so pleased to have this GMT Master ii BLRO in my collection. Please feel free to comment, advise and enjoy the pics.
I’ve scored every category out of 10, with 1 being lowest and 10 being perfect.
Date wheel - 7.5 / 10
This was my initial concern - However N Factory have got this as close as possible without going gen. the only reason I didn’t score this a 8 - 9 is that on my specimen the numbers are left justified. Straight but shifted to the left. It’s not blatantly obvious on the wrist but in dead on pictures of the cyclops its obvious. Does it justify buying a GEN Date Wheel and overlaying it onto the REP DW… IMO yes, but not a priority.
Rehaut - 10 / 10
OMG Noob SMASHED it out the park on the rehaut engravings they are truly 1:1 with the GEN…
Crown alignment at 12 is off on my NOOB… but guess what so is it also off to the right on my Gen. (it would be great to see members stop mentioning the “Boo hoo… the crown at 12 isn’t dead centre on my Rep Well, its not dead centre on most Gens too).
Crown Guards - 8.5 / 10
Well beside of the fraction of a millimetre or so thicker on the rep vs the GEN, Noob done an outstanding job on the CG too. They lugs are also slightly meatier one the rep, but again unless you’re looking at pictures of the two side by side - you’re not picking this up. smoke could you with in and give your analysis?
Clasp - 10 / 10 (I would give its 11 / 10 if that was possible)
Noob have made a clasp that looks identical to the GEN, functions identical to the GEN and FEELS identical to the gen. However the extension clip is BETTER ON THYE REP. it feels more substantial and the “click” is far more satisfying on the Noob than the GEN! Take my word for it, its far better than the GEN.
Insert - 8 / 10
On my BLRO, The red to me is a bit on the Maroon side. However I don’t know enough about the GEN MK3 to know if it is accurate or not. People have said it’s almost identical the the GEN MK3 in real life. Could some one in the know kindly advise on this point.
Insert markers 9.5/10
The font, shape, depth are al perfect. Look at the shadow on the “12” in the pictures below on both, it’s identical. The platinum on the insert is PERFECT. In the same light they are grey / silver and in a different lighting condition they are BOTH WHITE. They play identically with light on both the REP and the GEN.
Dial 8 / 10
Black gloss is identical. Writing is embossed and to my eye perfect on both. The only difference (and again you will not see this in real life unless your closely examining both side by side, is the rectangular hour markers at 6 and 9 are a fraction thicker on the Noob, when compare to the gen. Worth swopping it for a GEN dial? DON T BE STUPID spend a your grand on something better.
Crystal 3 / 10
NOOB, NOOB, NOOB… you can laser etch a crown at 6 o’clock but you can double AR your cyclops properly - WTF? The rep crystal and cyclops are chalk and cheese when compared against the GEN crystal setup, and this is the first thing to get ripped out for a GEN part! $500 bucks well spent in my opinion.
Crystal height, this is the noticeable difference and tell on this watch vs the GEN. it’s almost 1mm taller than the GEN. KJ2020 could you let me know if the GEN crystal would fit on a lower gasket in this case? To make it more flush and GEN like? Or maybe a good 1.5mm crystal with amazing AR as opposed t the GEN 1.8mm on the same gasket. Please advise.
Conclusion.
Noob have honestly produced the BEST GMT REP to-date. Given my feeling on the insert colours, I can’t wait to see what they do with the 126710 BLNR - I recon with a GEN crystal and DW that will be indistinguishable from the GEN, given that they do the same with the insert markers and rehaut.
A side not is that the jubilee on this noob is great build, smooth and feels great to hold and manipulate.
Would I cough up for the GEN 126710 BLRO (Pepsi)… absolutely, but that’s just because I like gen shit. Will I do it now… No it’s not a £15k watch in my opinion, and the bubble WILL burst and prices will drop, at which point I will snap one up.
Last pic of lume. It’s a lighthouse
Peace
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Come on man did you really have to quote his full review for that post count
Yea thickness is the issue there. Sorry the pics are from a video and that's the best I could do already.cant really see much from those low res pics, Is one a bit thicker and off center ?
Yea thickness is the issue there. Sorry the pics are from a video and that's the best I could do already.
Off centeredness has always been an issue for Noob CHS movements. Its mostly a hair off to the left.
Spectacular piece....Cyclops is well aligned?
Sucks to hear that. Although personally I would avoid using the hour hand independent.Yes, it is well aligned. HOWEVER, I woke up this morning to find the hour hand stuck @ 10pm.
I reset it to the correct time, following the correct procedure and we'll see what happens tonite. Is there a forum member who can work on the 3186, if needed?
Well, mine I arrived today and looks very good but looks like the movement is fecked. I followed the sticky from KJ2020 and whilst adjusting the date (by moving the Mercedes hour hand whilst rotating the crown counter clockwise) the hour hand stopped indexing (jumping to the next hour) and just started moving smoothly. When I pull the crown to position 4 all hands move apart from the mercedes hour hand
Anyone want a great looking broken watch?
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Don't worry, KJ2020 also has a thread on an easy and cheap conversion to ICHS. Don't give up on your watchWell, mine I arrived today and looks very good but looks like the movement is fecked. I followed the sticky from KJ2020 and whilst adjusting the date (by moving the Mercedes hour hand whilst rotating the crown counter clockwise) the hour hand stopped indexing (jumping to the next hour) and just started moving smoothly. When I pull the crown to position 4 all hands move apart from the mercedes hour hand
Anyone want a great looking broken watch?
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Don't worry, KJ2020 also has a thread on an easy and cheap conversion to ICHS. Don't give up on your watch
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Don't worry brother, we're all in this together. I also have a messed up CHS watch and will work on an ICHS conversion. You have a great support system at RWI, we're here for you!Thanks man. I’m kicking myself because I always vowed I wouldn’t get one of these shitty movements but with this latest release I was hoping things had improved. Will look at how to convert the movement to ICHS and then let it go. The ICHS is why I’ve never gone for the GMT II and preferred the 1675.
Hey ho, expensive lesson learnt....
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Don't worry brother, we're all in this together. I also have a messed up CHS watch and will work on an ICHS conversion. You have a great support system at RWI, we're here for you!
Sent from my 11671 BLNR Paperweight using Tapatalk
Sucks to hear that. Although personally I would avoid using the hour hand independent.
For me, I only need to monitor one time zone which is 8 hours behind mine, so I just set the GMT hand as that and be done with it. If my watch ever runs out of power, I just adjust the time to the correct time and the gmt hand will still be 8 hours behind. So to me, CHS or ICHS is the same, I chose CHS for aesthetics, not function.Isn't that the whole point of having a GMT II?
And isn't the point of a CHS that you can move the hour hand independently just like on the gen Rolex, Tudor and Omega? Otherwise might as well get a ICHS with the ETA independent 24 hour hand .... ?
I am stating this as someone who deliberately bought a GMT II rep so I can monitor three time zones, and chose the ICHS for reliability sake, and when travellling found that an indepedent hour hand would have been more convenient