Rolex Sky-Dweller Oysterflex

[dinowatch]

Hello guys,

Been looking at SkyDweller and the pairing with Oysterflex and this came to my curiosity.

Gen Steel models:
326934 lug width 22mm
336934 lug width 21mm

Gen WG models:
336239 lug width 22mm (there is no 21mm variant)

Oysterflex code and sizes:
351525 21/16mm (on Yachtmaster WG 226659)
351860 22/17mm (on SkyD WG 336239)

In the Rep world, so far the only TD that has the broader range of SkyD I can find would be INTIME.

However, in the pictures, the strap attached to the SkyD has a marking of 351525, which is the 21mm strap.

So I'm curious if anyone knows:
1) if the rep makers probably just stamp 351525 on both 21mm and 22mm Oysterflex variants?

2) if the INTIME model probably just come in 21mm lug therefore 351525 fits?

3) if there is even an Oysterflex 351860 (22mm) variant in the rep world?

Some pics of the info referenced used for the above.

Thank you for any helpful info.


Regards,
Dino

 

[KJ2020]

Prior to the 2023 release of the gen 336x Skydwellers, all the major factory rep models had 22mm lug widths. I would be surprised if that has changed, but you can ask Ryan at Intime what lug width that rep has.

 

[Yug94]

Here on puretime listed today it is also 351525.

Skydweller SS Noob Best Edition Black Dial on Oysterflex Strap A23J

puretimewatch.io

How is this rep btw is this a new release? It looks nice to me

 

[dinowatch]

Prior to the 2024 release of the gen 336x Skydwellers, all the major factory rep models had 22mm lug widths. I would be surprised if that has changed, but you can ask Ryan at Intime what lug width that rep has.

Thanks for the comments KJ2020, the guru of SkyDweller!

I noticed TD Puretime uploaded the NOOB SkyDweller Oysterflex version just today. However the strap is also marked 351525 (which is supposed to be code for 21mm on gen).

Still no sighting of bracelet code 351860 so far...

Skydweller SS Noob Best Edition Black Dial on Oysterflex Strap A23J

puretimewatch.io

 

[dinowatch]

Here on puretime listed today it is also 351525.

Skydweller SS Noob Best Edition Black Dial on Oysterflex Strap A23J

puretimewatch.io

How is this rep btw is this a new release? It looks nice to me

Our posts just crossed!

On Oysterflex my personal experience so far VSF has the nicest. Followed by TED (subset of VSF).

I have not handled Noob's Oysterflex but from the pic shows NOOB's Oysterflex wording on the side wall of the strap is "too centre", whereas in the gen there is an equal gap below the text, while the gap proportionately becomes wider on the space above text.

 

[KJ2020]

Gen Steel models:
326934 lug width 22mm
336934 lug width 21mm

Gen WG models:
336239 lug width 22mm (there is no 21mm variant)

OK I didn't think this was correct but I wanted to do a little research before commenting.

There is a LOT of incorrect info out there regarding Sky-Dweller lug widths and the reason for it is there was a new case in 2017 (later for the precious metal models) after which all models have 22mm lug width. Prior to that all models had 21mm lug width. So to be fair it can get confusing as some of these variants have the exact same model number but different cases.

Also Rolex is as usual not very open about these subtle changes and online information about a lug width change is scant to nonexistent. Some aftermarket strap dealers get it right, others not completely.

I'm going to refer to the cases as "Old" and "New" styles. There are also two distinctly different dial styles, which I'll also refer to as "Old" and "New".

The Old style dials had oversized Roman or Arabic numerals, of which the 5 6 7 numerals were truncated (cut off) by the GMT wheel. Quite unsightly IMO, though the Roman numeral version less so. The New style dials all have baton (stick) hour markers. The 4 5 6 7 8 markers are truncated but the impact of that is minimal IMO due to the consistent marker shape throughout the dial.

Not only are the Old and New cases themselves quite easy to tell apart, but the Old cases all had Old style dials. And all the Old cases had 21mm lug widths. So it's usually simple (with very few exceptions, see below) to know at a glance what a model's lug width is. Old case = Old dial = 21mm lug width. The Old cases have fatter and shorter lugs.

Here are some examples. These were available from 2012/2014 - 2018. YG WG RG, with leather strap or oyster bracelet, 21mm lug width.

Both Old cases, Old dials, leather and oyster both 21mm lug width

In 2017 the SS + WG bezel and TT + YG bezel (White Rolesor and Yellow Rolesor) New cases became available, with the New dials. The New cases have skinnier, longer lugs that are very easy to tell from the Old cases.

Old case Old dial on left (21mm) New case New dial right (22mm). Note that both of these samples share the same reference number, 326938. Though they would have a different hyphenated extension descriptor.

Old case - easy to see its narrower bracelet and lugs are fatter

New case - wider bracelet and skinnier lugs

Since there was some overlap of Old cases til 2018 after the New cases came out in 2017 and apparently some leftover Old dials, occasionally you can find an Old dial in a New case. Still the New case shape makes it easy to tell the lug width even without a measurement. After 2018, the Old cases and dials, and the leather straps were discontinued.

The Oysterflex was introduced in 2020 and was only ever fitted on a 22mm lug width case. It has a glidelock Oysterlock clasp (no fliplock and shorter than a Sub or SD).

As best as I can determine, since the New case became available, all models regardless of case material or type of bracelet/strap, have 22mm lug width.

All types of 2024 models represented below

Comments and corrections welcome.

 

[dinowatch]

This is so amazing! Thank you for the extended insights KJ2020! Just superb!!


On the Oysterflex arena, so what I could summarize is that:
- All gens that come with Oysterflex have only 22mm lugs, also per research from KJ2020. This Oysterflex part number is 351860.

- For Reps, from all TDs photos, it is seen to be fitted with 351525 (which is a 21mm strap for Yachtmaster). I have not seen any 351860 marking so far on any Rep SkyDweller.


If the SkyDweller Reps are:
- 21mm lug, then they have accurate Oysterflex part, but inaccurate to the Gens.
- if 22mm lug, then they are fitted with accurate 22mm Oysterflex sizing, but have inaccurate part number printed as 351525 while gen is 351860.

So what is not known yet is whether the Oysteflex on the SkyDweller Reps, be it Noob or ZF or any makers, are actually 21mm or 22mm.

I'm finding out with Ryan Intime and see what that might be.

Awesome stuffs here

 

[dinowatch]

Adding to the open point regarding lug size of NOOB Skydweller with Oysterflex strap.

Interesting confirmations from InTime and also Puretime.

PURETIME confirmed with factory that the lug width is 22mm.

INTIME, as Ryan said they have an actual watch in hand, in fact had asked his team to double check and confirmed that the NOOB SkyD model with Oysterflex has lug width of 21mm, this however would then be inaccurate to gen with 22mm.

Very interesting info gathered. Would be very much looking forward if any member here can confirm the NOOB SkyD model that came with Oysterflex Strap, is indeed with 21mm or 22mm lug width.

 

[KJ2020]

Adding to the open point regarding lug size of NOOB Skydweller with Oysterflex strap.

Interesting confirmations from InTime and also Puretime.

PURETIME confirmed with factory that the lug width is 22mm.

INTIME, as Ryan said they have an actual watch in hand, in fact had asked his team to double check and confirmed that the NOOB SkyD model with Oysterflex has lug width of 21mm, this however would then be inaccurate to gen with 22mm.

Very interesting info gathered. Would be very much looking forward if any member here can confirm the NOOB SkyD model that came with Oysterflex Strap, is indeed with 21mm or 22mm lug width.

Haha, these are the same watches from the same factory. The conflicting responses nicely mirror the information published by different sources regarding gens - about half of them are wrong! My money is on this rep having a 22mm lug width.