Two more reasons not to worry about SEL gap

[DC109]

Probably like a lot of users I have been interested to see the proliferation of good options for ceramic subs in the past few months (although still hoping JF and BP release updated 116610 instead of focusing on the no-date and gold options). In doing some gen comparisons, I was interested to see how much SEL gap some gens have.

One example is this 2009 116610 LN on the bay. Look at the space at the upper left lug.

And it doesn't look like this will ever fully go away, judging by the first example I have seen of an in-the-wild 2017 Seadweller. Again look at the upper left.

Anyway just another area where we sometimes hold reps to a higher standard than the one to which gens can be held, and another reason to enjoy watches that are not 100 percent perfect!

 

[pilworx]

I think what you are seeing there is simply a reflection and shadow due to the lighting. only older gens could perhaps have some sel play but the 6 digits are very tight.

 

[reckoner777]

I think what you are seeing there is simply a reflection and shadow due to the lighting. only older gens could perhaps have some sel play but the 6 digits are very tight.

This.

If you've never handled a gen 6 digit sub before you will not know.

 

[domiffm]

The recent "issues" with the SEL's are mainly not the gaps anymore. These days it's more about the correct recession.

 

[DC109]

@domiffm I agree, the flush positioning is a legit tell. But to the original point, here's a closeup of both watches. Pretty clearly seeing some springbar and white space beyond in both photos, not reflections. @reckoner777 I agree you have to handle the gen to get a sense of it, and I've had plenty of time with a friend's early Hulk that had no gap at all--probably most are like that, but my point is there is at least some variation, even if only after some heavy use or a bad polish.

 

[UDTMIKE]

Why would they let this out of the factory door? Is it that they don't care? Or is there another reason for the gap? The gap is definitely there no doubt.

 

[pilworx]

I'd still have to say that is an illusion. it's reflection on the the very edge of the lug.

 

[Phwtan]

I recently saw noticeable gap on a white gold ceramic sub at an AD, which was very surprising as it is a £20k watch

 

[maxracingshox]

I'd still have to say that is an illusion. it's reflection on the the very edge of the lug.

This.
You can make an experiment on your own and it just requires you to take two pics of your sub. Take one pic with a light source shining from the direction of your camera and another shot from your watch with the light source shining on the back of your watch towards the camera. Now compare the appearing sel gap
The pic with a light source backlighting the watch will amplify the sel gap by a magnitude. A V7 sub would look like they fitted the wrong type of bracelet to it in that light situation.

 

[Smoke]

Probably like a lot of users I have been interested to see the proliferation of good options for ceramic subs in the past few months (although still hoping JF and BP release updated 116610 instead of focusing on the no-date and gold options). In doing some gen comparisons, I was interested to see how much SEL gap some gens have.

One example is this 2009 116610 LN on the bay. Look at the space at the upper left lug.

And it doesn't look like this will ever fully go away, judging by the first example I have seen of an in-the-wild 2017 Seadweller. Again look at the upper left.

Anyway just another area where we sometimes hold reps to a higher standard than the one to which gens can be held, and another reason to enjoy watches that are not 100 percent perfect!

Thats normal sel

 

[DC109]

This.
You can make an experiment on your own and it just requires you to take two pics of your sub. Take one pic with a light source shining from the direction of your camera and another shot from your watch with the light source shining on the back of your watch towards the camera. Now compare the appearing sel gap
The pic with a light source backlighting the watch will amplify the sel gap by a magnitude. A V7 sub would look like they fitted the wrong type of bracelet to it in that light situation.

@maxracingshox and @smoke I think we agree--the point is a little space is normal. The lighting for sure makes it way more dramatic, and you might not even see this much space if the watch is lit from the camera side. But the point is that it's still light coming through from behind, which means there's some gap, whether it appears like this or the very thin dark sliver that bothers some people on the wrist.

 

[Smoke]

@maxracingshox and @smoke I think we agree--the point is a little space is normal. The lighting for sure makes it way more dramatic, and you might not even see this much space if the watch is lit from the camera side. But the point is that it's still light coming through from behind, which means there's some gap, whether it appears like this or the very thin dark sliver that bothers some people on the wrist.

Get a gen 116610 from the ad and hold it up to the light you will see small gaps .thing is the gen gaps are so small in real life the gaps are no existant
Unlike most rep gaps

 

[Smoke]

The recent "issues" with the SEL's are mainly not the gaps anymore. These days it's more about the correct recession.

Indeed.most sub reps dont have big ugly gaps in the sel these days.the problem is the way its recessed. They are never recessed so the top part of the sel near the bezel edge is near flush and tapers down under the lug line in a perfect curve.so it gets more recessed the closer the sel get to the lug tips.only the v6s had this 100 percent perfect. I still am amazed when i look at the sel on my v6s.

 

[zethunder]

Indeed.most sub reps dont have big ugly gaps in the sel these days.the problem is the way its recessed. They are never recessed so the top part of the sel near the bezel edge is near flush and tapers down under the lug line in a perfect curve.so it gets more recessed the closer the sel get to the lug tips.only the v6s had this 100 percent perfect. I still am amazed when i look at the sel on my v6s.

Agreed. The problem I have been experiencing lately is the uneven recession...it is very minute difference and you need to look really close to see it (but that's exactly what we are doing now) but I typically see one side of the SEL being perfectly recessed where he other side is either slightly more or less recessed

For example (these SELs on the JF is near perfect if not perfect...no gap, super tight)

As I said, it is very very hard to see without 100x magnification so it is not an issue at all but if we are nit picking

 

[DC109]

@smoke, in all your work with TDs have they acknowledged this problem, and does it seem like they are pushing the factories to adjust? It seemed like the "flushness" was just as bad on the Toro new dial V7 (or V8, or whatever) you posted about a few weeks ago, so somehow the problem is not getting better.