SEL - Solid End Link - Comprehensive Guide & FAQ

[Forte77]

Easiest solution is tape?
What do you mean? Please, could you explain? Many thanks.

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[Jeane123]

Great write up! Good job!


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[nikoel]

Nawwww! Thanks for your kind replies guys. I'm glad that I could make a positive contribution to our Forum; after all it has given so much to me.
[MENTION=132207]Forte77[/MENTION] - By tape I mean a little bit of tape inside the lugs (both sides if you'd like) this tightens the gap. You will need to experiment a bit with this (obviously different tapes will give you different results) - Also I heard people putting in their V5/V6s bracelets and that works sometimes. It's a trial and error hack

SEL sometimes can be made a (slight) fraction better by inserting gen springbars. Also not guaranteed to do anything; very much a hail marry hack

LOL - I'm sure we had someone put theirs in a vice and tighten

Easiest solution is tape?
What do you mean? Please, could you explain? Many thanks.

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[rjk1]

Howdy Friend


So I created this thread as a guide to the elusively recessed, tight, curvy and symmetric… SEL! Now before we get started a quick disclaimer; whilst I hold myself ultimately accountable for what I write, I’m still some guy on the internet who is going to combine some facts with his opinions. I will aim to provide knowledge but also wisdom, (as much as I have to offer anyway, which is to say not nearly as much as many members here).


Knowledge is really about facts and ideas that we acquire through study, research, investigation, observation, or experience. Wisdom is the ability to discern and judge which aspects of that knowledge are true, right, lasting, and applicable to your Rolex!


Therefore much what I will say here may be contrary to some people's opinions. That is a good thing! Please feel free to disagree and voice this, but if you see this as #roastme just be prepared to be roasted back

Also - I have used some pictures from various members on here - Thank you. If you would like me to remove the picture please PM me and I will politely oblige


First question


Uhm... What is SEL Niko?
Ah! Yes; if someone told me that the members of RWI are either pilots or bureaucrats I would have totally believed them! So. Many. Abbreviations. So SEL refers to Solid End Link. This is the part of the bracelet that attaches itself to the body of the watch usually with use of the Springbar!


This is how it looks like:

Okay… Simple enough; so why is every man and his dog going nuts about this?
Well, truth seldom resists to simplicity and reasons there are many; but if I had to articulate it in a sentence, I would say that our Reps are getting so good that we need to nitpick the smallest flaws. SEL is the ‘biggest smallest’ flaw for a lot of folks out there. It also seems to be poorly understood by many and threads go around in repeated circles. I’m of the opinion that this is why this topic seems to be so prevalent


So here is my first opinion, and the main opinion when it comes to this topic and I won't beat around the bush; SEL is overhyped AF and I find it very hard to emotionally comprehend members’ who decide to buy Gen 116610’s only because of their SEL’s.


Me:

So wait, are you saying that they are idiots and that they are wrong?
NO! They just feel that this issue (combined with others) is worth ~8.5K to them. That’s quite alright, and I respect their position and pursuit for perfection


So before we move on, I just want to reiterate; the SEL on your watch is as good as you think it is. If Gen Rolexes rolled off the line with lugs that were both flush and unrecessed, I have no doubt that this is what the “correct†SEL everyone would be aiming for, in which case the V5 Noob would rule the world! But it doesn’t; so lets what a ‘perfect’ SEL looks like and see how different versions of the NOOB Sub compare


Okay, I get it. Let’s do this!
Alright, my Padawan. 4 Points!


1 The perfect SEL is tight. Which means that it should fit with no gaps. When you hold your watch up to the light no sunshine should be seen between the edge of the lugs and the SEL.


2 The perfect SEL is also shorter than the Lugs. Noob V5 got this one really wrong.


3 The perfect SEL is recessed. Which means that the SEL is submerged (at a lower level if you will) compared to the lugs. Why? It’s supposedly very pretty when it’s recessed; compared to when it’s flush - that’s when it’s ugly…


Wait, really? Hell no! It’s just more Gen like, that is all. If you think that Rolex are muppets for having a recessed SEL and you enjoy your flush one, more power to you friend and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. I will gladly consign the gif bellow who tells you that theirs is better and you should get rid of yours because it’s not “Gen like†- there are many decisions that Rolex have made that I don’t agree with and I will get to them in the footnote bellow

4 The curvature of the SEL follows the lugs and curves off at the end. This one is actually hard to achieve depending on your margins of error here. The recession is only a fraction of a mm and therefore an error of 0.2mm will be clearly visible. Such precision = $$$


Let's have a look at a few examples - First up the Gen. What are we aiming for?

Let us have a look at the Noob V5 - The least Gen-like SEL that can still be currently purchased

So as you can see, it commits offences 2, 3, and often 4… some have gaps.


Anyway, lets move on to V6s. This one is a bastard love child that was born a pure, and perfect as the initial batch “Aâ€. Variables existed but perfect - genlike SELs were manufactured. Then smoke discovered the treachery. The subsequent batches “B and C†came with bracelets and inserts from the V5. He posted his findings and the rest is history… In the same way, Vietnam, Watergate or Hiroshima is history… KAAAABOOOOOOOM!


Bellow is a typical V6s you will find. Yours may be better or worse - There is too much variance to derive anything meaningful out of what you can purchase from say a M2M deal. But as a rule the last batch of V6s is recessed (although sometimes not enough), the curve is good, and length is excellent, also the fitment is usually very good and at the time of writing is generally better than the v7 which we will get to next

Okay V7. Excellent SEL’s exist. They are more exception than the rule. V7 gets everything right but the recession is too shallow and sometimes can be mistaken for almost being flush, some have SEL’s that have gaps.

Lastly, let's have a look at a couple of examples of sub-optimal SEL fitment

Footnote - mostly irrelevant but I had the need to say it: As you can see it’s overall a simple issue that has some depth. Whether it’s something that is important is for you to decide. What I will say is that my V6s Hulk features a 2XAR crystal - which in my opinion Rolex should have manufactured the watch with. That’s right, I paid money. Good money, to make my Noob V6s less genlike because I feel Rolex engineers are wrong, and it’s the greatest shame that the starburst is half the time hidden behind the glare.


So I replaced it. It’s gorgeous and this is all I care about. I was offered a Gen Hulk Dial for pennies, I turned it down - I like the rep one more (shinier! I like shiny!). I bought the V7 insert because it’s a definite upgrade over the V6s (I would have bought the gen, but I don’t have a GDP of a small country to finance it) - And I still stut my way like this:

Enjoy your watches and don’t let these small issues get the best of you. The reality for vast majority here is that if you stay away from AD’s whilst wearing, lets face it your Fake AF Rolex (and you should) your rep will never be called out, no matter how unresessed your SEL may be. And for the 0.000001% of you who will, Jannice in Accounting is an excellent role model on what to do https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8HpQZUF2OY

You missed the point that the edges on pre v6s and many v7 are rounded when they should be sharp. This goes for case lug and bracelet sel

 

[mrbrightsmile]

Nice post! Thanks mate


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[Tigerdragon]

Nice topic, the problem is noob ****** it up:

150€ and the sel is 98% better than the most v7 noobs which costs around 380-400 €. Don't know why "Noob" can not fix that issue.

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[wonderful_mayhem]

Brilliant!


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[jluisorozco69]

NOW I get it


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[POTUS]

This thread is classic.

 

[nikoel]

Good point. I'll add that in with pics when I get the chance

You missed the point that the edges on pre v6s and many v7 are rounded when they should be sharp. This goes for case lug and bracelet sel

 

[SUBKILLER]

Just out of curiosity, how durable are the noob bracelets and clasp? Can they hold up on normal wear for a couple years? I noticed everyone talks about the fit but never the function.

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[avorolex]

Good point. I'll add that in with pics when I get the chance

Great job! I have a Noob V5 (thats what Toro told me 1 year ago) and my sel is perfect! I dont know why you are saying that V5 has bad sel, maybe mine is a V4 and I have been thinking that is a V5. I am going to pull the trigger on a 116610 LN V7 and I will use my V5 sel which is recessed and has the lugs longer than the sel. Do you think that it will work?

 

[triwatch]

Thanks mate, for share your knowlegment and wisdom.

Now I understand about so many SEL questions and comments.


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[nikoel]

I can not comment on your watch as I haven't seen it. Post some pics of the watch (HD if possible) and closeup of the SEL, Pearl, Dial and inner clasp. I'll let you know

To answer your question, my post takes into account the standard deviation (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_deviation) of SELs across the Noob range. I did this so I could ascertain some sort of meaningful information from the different SELs produced. You have to remember that our watches have individual errors/deviations and sometimes, some people get lucky with those 'errors'. So even if we predispose that the SEL of your V5 is perfect it still doesn't change the current consensus that normally this is not the case.

So to anyone reading this. If SEL is important to you, all I am saying is that with a v6s you're more *Likely* to get a better SEL. But there is a prime example of a v7 that beats the SEL of my V6s. All you're doing is playing with odds, and just like in the Hunger Games, may they ever be in your favour. And just like in Hunger Games you still might get bitten by an exotic snake and die even if you're from District 1 (Or whichever produces those merciless killers)

EDIT: Oh and I would love to see the results of your bracelet experiment on the V7. I have no idea as I have never held a v7. Only read and seen the pictures (I likely will never own one as my Modded Subs are better (IMHO) than the base-level v7 anyway)

Hope that makes sense

Great job! I have a Noob V5 (thats what Toro told me 1 year ago) and my sel is perfect! I dont know why you are saying that V5 has bad sel, maybe mine is a V4 and I have been thinking that is a V5. I am going to pull the trigger on a 116610 LN V7 and I will use my V5 sel which is recessed and has the lugs longer than the sel. Do you think that it will work?

 

[avorolex]

This is my V5

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[unicornpad]

Great writeup, helps a lot to those unable to understand

 

[MrBeasy]

Thanks! I have always wondered about this - now I know


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[Phwtan]

Very wel written, detailed and very informative! I'm a fan of these detailed posts!

 

[Forte77]

Nawwww! Thanks for your kind replies guys. I'm glad that I could make a positive contribution to our Forum; after all it has given so much to me.
[MENTION=132207]Forte77[/MENTION] - By tape I mean a little bit of tape inside the lugs (both sides if you'd like) this tightens the gap. You will need to experiment a bit with this (obviously different tapes will give you different results) - Also I heard people putting in their V5/V6s bracelets and that works sometimes. It's a trial and error hack

SEL sometimes can be made a (slight) fraction better by inserting gen springbars. Also not guaranteed to do anything; very much a hail marry hack

LOL - I'm sure we had someone put theirs in a vice and tighten

Thank you, mate. I will try to tape my v7, if it will show some gap when it will arrive. I am waiting a 114060 v7!

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[nikoel]

Thank you, mate. I will try to tape my v7, of it will show some gap when it will arrive. I am waiting a 114060 v7!

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Congrats on your purchase. Wear it in good health. And make sure to take before and after pics - would love to see your success


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