Big "Incoming/First Rolex" on Birthday (and watch review)

[daOnlyBG]

Here is (officially) my first Rolex that I will keep forever. I temporarily had another GMT (by accident), but never with the intention to keep. It will likely go on sale.

I had been waiting for over a year for one, but when I was on vacation, I visited an AD that quite a few people on the forums are familiar with (there was a thread about them not long ago) and worked with them to procure one in about 2-2.5 months.

Well, said AD showed up, sending me this beauty in time for my birthday. (note: yes, I did screw down the crown, don't worry)



The old and the new:





Review:

1. People say to never hold a loupe to your Rolex; you'll only be disappointed. I couldn't disagree more. Like I did with my previous GMT, I held a 15x loupe to the dial and it was impeccably perfect. The consistency behind every letter is absolute, and each hour marker is aligned perfectly. On that note:
   
2. GMT hand: there is a lot of criticism over the paint on the GMT hand being "off," or of poor quality. Not so here. The paint is downright perfect. The paint goes all the way up to the GMT triangle, and ends with a subtle dome perturbing slightly into the triangle. I can't find any explanation for this beyond Rolex's tight quality control.
   
3. The ceramic bezel: look, perhaps under certain light and through a camera, there's a very subtle purple tint. Otherwise, I don't see it. The blue is close to a Navy blue hue, and the red literally looks like hemoglobin red. The border where the two colors meet is crisp and defined, though under a loupe, you can see a subtle haze separating the two sections. Naturally, around the numbers on the red side of the bezel, you can see a little darker red/blue-ish tint- I'm guessing that has to do with the physical characteristics of the ceramic mix.
   
4. Yes, the case is a little thicker than previous GMTs, and yes, the jubilee bracelet is a little heavier (a natural consequence of solid jubilee links). I've decided to man up and enjoy it for what it is.
   
5. The lume is fantastic. When charged, yes, it shines bright. By morning time, after a full night's sleep, it's a lot dimmer- but still shows the time in darkness. Would I like a watch that would shine brighter in the morning? Maybe- but at the end (well, beginning, pun not intended) of the day, it still shows the time.
   
6. I used to bemoan the fact that the GMT came with a jubilee rather than an oyster bracelet. All that goes out the window once it's on your wrist. I do intend to some day acquire an oyster bracelet that I can throw on it, but in the interim, whatever. It's so well made that you just end up marveling at it.
   
7. I don't know what else to say beside the fact that it's an amazing watch. I don't think I could ask for a better one on the market now. The Daytonas are nice and provide a different form of functionality, and I think it's a little difficult to compare them in the same context- but that aside, this one will serve as the bedrock of my collection. I just can't stop staring at it.

p.s.- apologies to my wife, for whom I have not dedicated as much attention toward as much as this watch since I've received it.

[Danny83]

Congrats

[Odie-r]

What a stunner. Congrats on your new BLRO!

[Collector2019]

when will you publish the results from the survey?

[kk77]

Congratulations!

[schoolboy]

Congrats and please screw in the crown!

[schoolboy]

Happy birthday and thanks for the review. I have yet to see one in person

I also read that you screwed down the crown haha

Sorry about my post above

[franktehtank]

Am I crazy, or has there been a huge amount of threads lately on incoming pepsi's from the AD?

Fingers crossed!

Congrats OP!

[Nikrnic]

Congrats on your Birthday BLRO! It's a Beauty. Enjoy!!...

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[KaVo8]

Congrats, that’s a beauty! Wear in good health.


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[kieselguhr]

Congratulations and happy birthday enjoy the new watch in great health.

[Mystro]

Congrats. I think the super jubilee is a game changer on the GMT. It takes it upscale in looks and comfort.
I louped my new BLNR and it was friggen perfect. I don’t believe in living in ignorance. This is how you learn what is normal and what isn’t.

[mobster600]

Interesting, your review is in the details more then the overall look and feel.

I’m the complete opposite, I see the whole package and less on the detail.

[rmlovett1]

Beauty! Congratulations!

[1SG MTB]

Fantastic review for a fantastic watch! I have only had one on my wrist (a for display only model) and have been waiting for the call ever since! Happy birthday and enjoy the BLRO!

[nworbled]

Pretty sweet birthday present, congrats! And don't neglect your wife! Haha.

[Pw92676]

Congrats!

[daOnlyBG]

Thank you everybody for your wishes! I removed the first pic from Imgur because it included pics of the serial number (and wanted to keep that private- oops).

[daOnlyBG]

Originally Posted by mobster600

Interesting, your review is in the details more then the overall look and feel.

I’m the complete opposite, I see the whole package and less on the detail.

Ah, I was hoping the review would convey the overall feel at the end. Truth be told, it's a great feel- the jubilee wraps around the wrist nicely, and the subdued colors on the bezel make the watch fit just about anywhere, any time.

Originally Posted by Mystro

Congrats. I think the super jubilee is a game changer on the GMT. It takes it upscale in looks and comfort.
I louped my new BLNR and it was friggen perfect. I don’t believe in living in ignorance. This is how you learn what is normal and what isn’t.

It's funny you use the words "upscale in looks and comfort," because "upscale comfort" is a fairly comprehensive description of the BLRO. Glad to hear your louping experience with the BLNR was as good as mine!

Originally Posted by schoolboy

Happy birthday and thanks for the review. I have yet to see one in person

I also read that you screwed down the crown haha

Sorry about my post above

Haha no problem, thank you for the kind wishes! I had taken that picture right when I took it out of the box and went to adjust the time lol

Originally Posted by franktehtank

Am I crazy, or has there been a huge amount of threads lately on incoming pepsi's from the AD?

Fingers crossed!

Congrats OP!

Thank you. My fingers are crossed for you too. There have been a lot of incoming threads lately, but only marginally more than usual. I think the grey market is taking a breather over the summer (which is common), and a lot of "casual flippers" are stepping out of the game. I doubt it's that Rolex is substantially increasing production, but everything is practically speculative.

[watchmework]

Congrats on the stunner and welcome to the club!

[daOnlyBG]

Originally Posted by watchmework

Congrats on the stunner and welcome to the club!

Thanks! It's a fine club.