Trying to pick a watch for my father - advice appreciated

[Ruski91]

Ok guys, need some help. My father is turning 65 in December and my brother in law and i are planning to buy him a watch. My dad has turned into a bit of a watch guy in the last 5 years or so, but not name brand mostly invictas, swiss legend, and things of this nature. For the life of me i cant tell why. At this stage in his life he is comfortable enough financially to have several gens and is a director of a large IT department in a pretty big company. That being said, in the past i bought him an FA jones which he loves to wear.

Now he has the invicta submariner - which he wears often. But i tease him for it all the time because ... its an invicta. I think we all know what i mean by that.

I think he needs some form of a Rolex Sub in his life, and here is my dilema. I do not know what to get him. I feel like there is no point in looking at a regular sub 16610 as we are not planning on going to the TC route and the others are fairly sub par to my understanding. (I am not a rolex guy though so this isnt my forte)

I have had a 116610 Ceramic and wound up getting rid of it as it didn't suit me well and it was a v2 which had minor issues and several tells. But alas, here is what i think we are looking at in terms of options. I would like some feedback from the Rolex community. What are your thoughts

1. Rolex Ceramic Submariner Noob V7 (116610) - $358 + Shipping

40mm x 13mm Case, Ceramic Bezel, A2836 Movement

2. Rolex Ceramic Submariner Noob V7 - No Date (114060) - $358 + Shipping

40mm x 13mm Case, Ceramic Bezel, A2836 Movement

3. Rolex Sea-Dweller BP Classic (SD - 16600) - $268 + Shipping

40mm x 15mm Case, Aluminum Insert, A2836 Movement

4. Rolex Deep-Sea Sea-Dweller Noob V7 (DSSD - 116660) - $388 + Shipping

44mm x 18mm Case, Ceramic Insert, A2836 Movement

5. Rolex Deep-Sea Sea-Dweller Noob V7 (DSSD Deep Blue - 116660) - $388 + Shipping

44mm x 18mm Case, Ceramic Insert, A2836 Movement

Are there any that i am missing? I dont think there has been an accurate release of the new Sea-Dweller Ceramic 4000 yet right?

 

[thrillofhunt]

Get the TC V7. Your dad will be pleased.

Sent from the RWI mobile app

 

[XAD]

I think its very important for you first to know how your dad feels about reps.

I'm lucky with my wife as she and I are of the same mind with reps. I buy her reps and she's very happy.

But my dad? Not so much.

When I retired, I bought my father a GENUINE two-tone Submariner from Beckertime on eBay as a thank you for all his support as my career was getting started. The gen Rolex was gorgeous, with an aftermarket blue dial that featured *real* diamond markers.

He loved it and wore it happily until one day (unbeknownst to me) he took it for service to his local AD. The AD told him that the dial was not gen and he would not service it. So what did my dad do? He traded it in on the spot for a s&g Datejust - then when I asked why he said "because the one you gave me was called out as "fake" - and he was embarrassed.

Yeah... that didn't go over so well with me but I smiled and apologized, explaining that aftermarket dials are common, etc etc and let it go. Still bugs me though, in part because the AD ripped him off by giving him a trade-in value a fraction of what that Sub was worth (even with a Beckertime dial).

All I'm saying is know your recipient before doing what you think is a nice thing. You could get a shocker.

 

[Ruski91]

Get the TC V7. Your dad will be pleased.

Sent from the RWI mobile app

Not going with the TC route. But thanks

 

[Ruski91]

I think its very important for you first to know how your dad feels about reps.

I'm lucky with my wife as she and I are of the same mind with reps. I buy her reps and she's very happy.

But my dad? Not so much.

When I retired, I bought my father a GENUINE two-tone Submariner from Beckertime on eBay as a thank you for all his support as my career was getting started. The gen Rolex was gorgeous, with an aftermarket blue dial that featured *real* diamond markers.

He loved it and wore it happily until one day (unbeknownst to me) he took it for service to his local AD. The AD told him that the dial was not gen and he would not service it. So what did my dad do? He traded it in on the spot for a s&g Datejust - then when I asked why he said "because the one you gave me was called out as "fake" - and he was embarrassed.

Yeah... that didn't go over so well with me but I smiled and apologized, explaining that aftermarket dials are common, etc etc and let it go. Still bugs me though, in part because the AD ripped him off by giving him a trade-in value a fraction of what that Sub was worth (even with a Beckertime dial).

All I'm saying is know your recipient before doing what you think is a nice thing. You could get a shocker.

Dad is fine with reps. I got him an IWC FA Jones before and he wears it often

 

[Thrasher]

I would get him a genuine 16610 LN or LV from a reputable seller not Becker time, I had heard good things and bad things about becker time and now this. Or a TC V7 Extreme and tell him its a rep and that any service issues you will handle or if you have to go ceramic a BK Date or No Date I would skip the DSSD unless your Dad has an 8 inch wrist like me but even then it looks a little silly being so thick, The Sea Dweller 16600 classic is also a great choice but again you handle all service for him.

 

[Zulu44gmt]

I think its very important for you first to know how your dad feels about reps.

I'm lucky with my wife as she and I are of the same mind with reps. I buy her reps and she's very happy.

But my dad? Not so much.

When I retired, I bought my father a GENUINE two-tone Submariner from Beckertime on eBay as a thank you for all his support as my career was getting started. The gen Rolex was gorgeous, with an aftermarket blue dial that featured *real* diamond markers.

He loved it and wore it happily until one day (unbeknownst to me) he took it for service to his local AD. The AD told him that the dial was not gen and he would not service it. So what did my dad do? He traded it in on the spot for a s&g Datejust - then when I asked why he said "because the one you gave me was called out as "fake" - and he was embarrassed.

Yeah... that didn't go over so well with me but I smiled and apologized, explaining that aftermarket dials are common, etc etc and let it go. Still bugs me though, in part because the AD ripped him off by giving him a trade-in value a fraction of what that Sub was worth (even with a Beckertime dial).

All I'm saying is know your recipient before doing what you think is a nice thing. You could get a shocker.

+1, Unless My recipient was already into reps, I would never given as a gift... ESP my dad...consider a homage like the steinhart or squale. The longines hydroquest Is a nice sub too -large numbers easy to see on aging eyes . I think my dad is turning 66 this year - so i think that longines is now "on the short list...

 

[Ruski91]

I would get him a genuine 16610 LN or LV from a reputable seller not Becker time, I had heard good things and bad things about becker time and now this. Or a TC V7 Extreme and tell him its a rep and that any service issues you will handle or if you have to go ceramic a BK Date or No Date I would skip the DSSD unless your Dad has an 8 inch wrist like me but even then it looks a little silly being so thick, The Sea Dweller 16600 classic is also a great choice but again you handle all service for him.

I was leaning towards the BP SD. Gen is not an option at the moment. And i dont believe my brother in law wished to go the TC route.

 

[pengo]

its an invicta guy, so he will love the reps.

the first 2 are gorgeous, but have a SEL problem ATM, so u need to do something like this:
forum.replica-watch.info/vb/showthread.php/345724-Noob-V7-SEL-fix-DIY
but these are so nice casual and office.

16610 is nice but somewhat more casual; but good for the bucks. if 16610 = the TC is superb as u sure know.

the deepsea is too big for the office IMO. and i personally dont like them.

SD4000 noob v2 is very good as far as i know. last year many members said the best out of the box sports-rolex-rep.
theres maybe just something with the dial that should be matte instead of shiny? but i dont really now, and i would say nobody sees that.

 

[pengo]

a BK Date or No Date

yeah. that covers the SEL-problem. BK says he is using good v6s-bracelets.
ur dad will love this watch.
with BK i would choose the date-version! everything good aligned.

 

[XAD]

I would get him a genuine 16610 LN or LV from a reputable seller not Becker time, I had heard good things and bad things about becker time and now this.

I don't blame Beckertime, I blame myself. I've bought a couple watches from them, corresponding a few times with Matt Becker directly. As a former AD guy myself, I knew exactly what I was buying from Matt - the fact it was an aftermarket dial was clearly spelled out to me before I bought. Why my dad took the watch to an AD down the street is beyond me. I'd told my father I'd have the AD I used to work for do any maintenance on it - and take it there myself. But... lol... he never listens to me. Heck, I'd been a hospital administrator for over 20 years and after I gave him advice on where to get his quintuple bypass what did he do? He literally took the advice of the girl cashier at the grocery store instead and went someplace else. I kid you not. He did the same thing with a boat. I'm a licensed delivery skipper with a 100 ton masters and an investor in a small boat manufacturer. When my dad was in the market for a small power boat he asked my advice and what did he do? Bought a Grady White instead (which he never used and ended up selling at a huge loss)

As to what rep? If it was me, I'd buy him a BK no-date.

But what do I know... ask the grocery store cashier ;-)

 

[Thrasher]

I don't blame Beckertime, I blame myself. I've bought a couple watches from them, corresponding a few times with Matt Becker directly. As a former AD guy myself, I knew exactly what I was buying from Matt - the fact it was an aftermarket dial was clearly spelled out to me before I bought. Why my dad took the watch to an AD down the street is beyond me. I'd told my father I'd have the AD I used to work for do any maintenance on it - and take it there myself. But... lol... he never listens to me. Heck, I'd been a hospital administrator for over 20 years and after I gave him advice on where to get his quintuple bypass what did he do? He literally took the advice of the girl cashier at the grocery store instead and went someplace else. I kid you not. He did the same thing with a boat. I'm a licensed delivery skipper with a 100 ton masters and an investor in a small boat manufacturer. When my dad was in the market for a small power boat he asked my advice and what did he do? Bought a Grady White instead (which he never used and ended up selling at a huge loss)

As to what rep? If it was me, I'd buy him a BK no-date.

But what do I know... ask the grocery store cashier ;-)

I think Fathers are even stranger than Sons!!!!!

 

[XAD]

I think Fathers are even stranger than Sons!!!!!

Haha... so true. But he's my only dad and I'm his only kid so I guess we're stuck with each other ;-)

 

[Ruski91]

Damnit - now i am looking at BK SD4000 and the BK version of the 116610 V7.

Send those over to my brother in law to add to the consideration.

 

[Maron]

I vote bpsd

Sent from the RWI mobile app

 

[XAD]

Damnit - now i am looking at BK SD4000 and the BK version of the 116610 V7.

I've heard BK is developing a waiting list, so don't delay your decision too long ;-)

 

[ck85]

I would not buy a rep as a gift, especially for my father (even if he would not mind). I think it is just a weird present for a person you hold dear and who has earned to wear the real deal. On top of that I would feel terrible if I put my dad in an embarrassing situation where he is getting called out and regarded as a fake person wearing a fake watch... If you don't want to spend serious money on a genuine luxury watch for your dad, then go buy him something less expensive. I think you just like the idea of your dad wearing a rolex. Don't force a rep watch on him...
Just my opinion as a 30 year old son who also contemplated about the same thing for my dad. I just came to the conclusion that my dad deserves better - much better than a fake watch. Buy him something else.

Best regards,

CK

 

[Ruski91]

I would not buy a rep as a gift, especially for my father (even if he would not mind). I think it is just a weird present for a person you hold dear and who has earned to wear the real deal. On top of that I would feel terrible if I put my dad in an embarrassing situation where he is getting called out and regarded as a fake person wearing a fake watch... If you don't want to spend serious money on a genuine luxury watch for your dad, then go buy him something less expensive. I think you just like the idea of your dad wearing a rolex. Don't force a rep watch on him...
Just my opinion as a 30 year old son who also contemplated about the same thing for my dad. I just came to the conclusion that my dad deserves better - much better than a fake watch. Buy him something else.

Best regards,

CK

Thanks for the input CK. But i am not in the position to buy him a gen. And he has grown to appreciate our hobby and comments on how nice my reps are all the time. So with all do respect, i am quite comfortable giving him a rep. I have done so before in the past and he loves it.

 

[Ruski91]

I sent BK a PM on the SD4000 the more i look at it the more i like it for him. But i read that there is an insane 5 month wait time. So i guess we will play it by ear.

So realistically i think i have come down to the BK SD4000 as option 1 and then the Classic BP SD as a backup option.

 

[pengo]

Damnit - now i am looking at BK SD4000 and the BK version of the 116610 V7.

Send those over to my brother in law to add to the consideration.

:thumbup:

I sent BK a PM on the SD4000 the more i look at it the more i like it for him. But i read that there is an insane 5 month wait time. So i guess we will play it by ear.

So realistically i think i have come down to the BK SD4000 as option 1 and then the Classic BP SD as a backup option.

these dont have magnifier for the date! hope ur dad has good eyes.



i vote for BK 116610 LN Date v7.