SDDS Lemon?

[ikra]

Picked up a SDDS on Sept. 3 from auth dealer.
At which time he and I both noticed a minor "inclusion" in the lume triangle at 12" without the use of any magnification- no problem for me so far. As it appears the application of such lume is thicker and not as evenly applied.
Have been wearing watch daily since- however by looking at pictures others have posted i see that the inner ring - due to the verbiage is not lined up correctly and therefore lacks overall symetry (it appears the "orginal gas escape valve" which in all SDDS photos lines up perfectly between the "s" of gas and the "e" of escape above the 12'oclock position is visably shifted to the left lining up the "e" dead on above the 12- this may sound trivial but once those excess words around the dial shift- it throws the watches aesthetics off.

Finally i have noticed that over the two weeks the date function changes later every night- now rolling the date 7+minutes post midnight. dont know if this is normal- as up until now i have only collected daytonas and non date subs.

i figure for 9k+tax it should look right and work right

so my question is - is this watch approaching lemon status?

disclaimer (i have been collecting rolex for last 14 years so perhaps i have finally gone over the edge)

enjoy your weekend- as i just joined this impressive forum about a week ago
hello to you all

many thanks

brian

[JohnEaton]

Originally Posted by ikra

so perhaps i have finally gone over the edge...


many thanks

brian

We have ALL gone over the edge...

Congrats on your DSSD...

Sorry about the defects... Talk to your AD

And my date changes at 12:03 every time that I have paid attention

[Tools]

Welcome brian..

Give us some pictures to demonstrate what you are saying..

I'm sort of torn on the inner ring and think they could have done a better job with that.. It seems that it was made the size it is more to be able to fit a standard size dial inside rather than for the extra needed "oomph" for the depth..

If the ring is movable, then it might be something to address when it's up for it's first service...

[pilfilr]

Same as mine... The 12 o'clock lume is LuMpY. The "orig gas escap.." is lined up properly. The "O" lines up perfect at 50 seconds and the "E" lines up at 10 seconds. I also have a very small spot on my dial... The more you expect perfection...the more miserable you will be... I think quality control should be better. I would have still bought it. CHEERS!

[unclesallie]

Originally Posted by ikra

Picked up a SDDS on Sept. 3 from auth dealer.
At which time he and I both noticed a minor "inclusion" in the lume triangle at 12" without the use of any magnification- no problem for me so far. As it appears the application of such lume is thicker and not as evenly applied.
Have been wearing watch daily since- however by looking at pictures others have posted i see that the inner ring - due to the verbiage is not lined up correctly and therefore lacks overall symetry (it appears the "orginal gas escape valve" which in all SDDS photos lines up perfectly between the "s" of gas and the "e" of escape above the 12'oclock position is visably shifted to the left lining up the "e" dead on above the 12- this may sound trivial but once those excess words around the dial shift- it throws the watches aesthetics off.

Finally i have noticed that over the two weeks the date function changes later every night- now rolling the date 7+minutes post midnight. dont know if this is normal- as up until now i have only collected daytonas and non date subs.

i figure for 9k+tax it should look right and work right

so my question is - is this watch approaching lemon status?

disclaimer (i have been collecting rolex for last 14 years so perhaps i have finally gone over the edge)

enjoy your weekend- as i just joined this impressive forum about a week ago
hello to you all

many thanks

brian

GIVEN your many problems, i would take the watch to the AD, and seek satisifaction. Give him a WRITTEN statement of the issues. Give them a fair chance to fix the issues; if not, then take the watch to the RSC(rolex service center) nearest you and complain; ask them to remedy the issue(in this case sounds like a new watch to be honest) under the warranty. let us know(please!) what happens. BEST OF LUCK.
best,
dan

[Baptistman]

Dan's given good advice

[vjb.knife]

Originally Posted by Tools

Welcome brian..

Give us some pictures to demonstrate what you are saying..

I'm sort of torn on the inner ring and think they could have done a better job with that.. It seems that it was made the size it is more to be able to fit a standard size dial inside rather than for the extra needed "oomph" for the depth..

I am not torn on that subject at all, they definitely could have done something better, but to your second point I do not believe that the dial of the DSSD is 'standard size' at all, it is smaller than a Submariner Date dial.

[chicagowatchman]

If I had those problems I would return it and say you want a new watch.
Over the years I have had problems and Rolex USA always came through....BUT sometimes with a proper polite fight and going to the top....as well as waiting up to 6 months to get the watch the way I wanted it.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by vjb.knife

I am not torn on that subject at all, they definitely could have done something better, but to your second point I do not believe that the dial of the DSSD is 'standard size' at all, it is smaller than a Submariner Date dial.

When I say "standard", what I mean is that they have just taken a standard 3135 movement, with a standard size dial attached atop, and slipped it in.. .

What I think they should have done with this much larger watch is increased the dial size...and added a spacer around the movement if needed for support.. Making a much larger size watch with the typical ~30mm dial size (or smaller) just doesn't make sense.

[vjb.knife]

Originally Posted by Tools

When I say "standard", what I mean is that they have just taken a standard 3135 movement, with a standard size dial attached atop, and slipped it in.. .

What I think they should have done with this much larger watch is increased the dial size...and added a spacer around the movement if needed for support.. Making a much larger size watch with the typical ~30mm dial size (or smaller) just doesn't make sense.

I agree 1000% if that is possible. If it looked like this I would own one right now.

[Green Arrow]

As you know, I follow your line of reasoning on the GP and now on the Deepsea pretty closely. BUT...... I'm wearing the Deepsea anyway, having traded in my GP Seahawk II Pro 3000 titanium and my Bell & Ross 46 mm BR 01-94 yesterday for one.

I think, as you do, that the rehaut was unnecessary. What I wanted, and a lot of people wanted, was a Rolex alternative to Panerai, B&R, GP, JLC, and Blancpain in a larger dialed, hardy, dive watch. The dial is no larger on the Deepsea at 28 mm than on my GMT Master II Ceramic, and may be 1/2 mm smaller actually.

HOWEVER, the blue lume is somehow different, as I am able to still see the second hand, as well as indices and hands six hours after charging. That is a first for me on a Rolex.

The bezel operation is the smoothest on detent that actually hits every minute of any Rolex I've owned or tried. My GMT is a bit smoother, but only has 24 stops, so it can't be set to every minute.

The clasp on this watch, even with the diver extension removed, which I had taken off since I don't wear dive suits on the rare times I actually dive, is adjustable up to 18 mm in travel, while on the wrist, and is solid, as well as double locked. This cures your concerns with the titanium bracelet on the GP, which concern was well founded I believe.

The watch does NOT sit as high on the wrist as either the GP 3000 or the Breitling Super Avenger, and the wording is perfectly located between the 10 and the 2, so the fitting is not wrong as worried about by the original poster. Maybe a different font would have solved his concern, but a better bet would be to get rid of the wording completely. Luckily my presmyopia gets rid of the wording on the rehaut for me. One small benefit of being in my 50s.

They didn't get this watch dial as large as I would like, but it is highly legible during the day, and the lume works at night. You are the real diver as between us, so I assume the argument for blue lume might make a difference deep*enough in the ocean, but for me it just looks really cool, as I prefer the color over the green on my GMT, and the lume WORKS which is a first for me since Rolex stopped using tritium.

I think the watch works very, very well, and for its first day is running 2 seconds slower than Govt time. I'll see what it is doing after a month or so. But so far, this one looks like it just might be a winner.

The GP 3000 is a hard act to follow, but I think Rolex might just have pulled it off with this one.

[JohnEaton]

Originally Posted by vjb.knife

I agree 1000% if that is possible. If it looked like this I would own one right now.

Cool photo, I just wanted the RED

Oh, and a plain rehaut

[Green Arrow]

Originally Posted by Tools

When I say "standard", what I mean is that they have just taken a standard 3135 movement, with a standard size dial attached atop, and slipped it in.. .

What I think they should have done with this much larger watch is increased the dial size...and added a spacer around the movement if needed for support.. Making a much larger size watch with the typical ~30mm dial size (or smaller) just doesn't make sense.

I would like to see this outcome as well. It is interesting that the dial isn't any larger on my DEEPSEA than my GMT Master II. But it IS the best of the tool watches at this point since it uses the Maxi-dial with a much better blue lume (lasts hours longer in visibility at night) with the ceramic dial. Yes the Sub LV has the maxi-dial as does the GMT, but in a minute by minute timer, this watch has a far better clasp, better wrist presence, and better lume than anything else in the line at this point.

They should still take your advice, and Vince's, as this would become a better watch, yet again. But this one works very, very well. And with the diver extension off, and sized, it sits like a smaller watch and is very, very comfortable. I see this one competing well against my GMT for wrist time.

All the other high end watch makers are now gone from my collection. This has brought me back to Rolex for all of my needs in a watch. I think they hit their target market.

[f16570]

Sorry to hear about the issues with the watch.
Rolex will rectify or replace I think.
You sit back, wear and enjoy.

[JohnEaton]

Originally Posted by Green Arrow

... But it IS the best of the tool watches at this point since it uses the Maxi-dial with a much better blue lume (lasts hours longer in visibility at night) ... and better lume than anything else in the line at this point.

AGREED Great Lume...

I certainly miss the Lume of my old Tritium watches...

Why no Ball watches??? I was thinking of one simply for the Lume and USA made...

[KJacques]

Originally Posted by vjb.knife

If it looked like this I would own one right now.

Lose about a 1/3 the thickness and that's the watch Rolex should have made instead of the ill-balanced design they produced. I'd never consider the DSSD as it is, but I would have that one also.

[Green Arrow]

Originally Posted by JohnEaton

AGREED Great Lume...

I certainly miss the Lume of my old Tritium watches...

Why no Ball watches??? I was thinking of one simply for the Lume and USA made...

I had warranty problems with them, and they don't honor the warranty to a buyer on re-sale in my personal experience. A bit of a nightmare. I owned four of them. I won't own another.

I bought my wife a Luminox Colormark, and I got a Luminox 8051. Both are quartz, 46 mm. Hers has blue lume like the Deepsea, mine green like my GMT Master. They work just great for the forever lume without charging, and they are basically indestructible. Plus they cost about an eighth of what Ball watches cost and do the same job.

As long as you have Rolexes anyway, you can get the tritium capsules in highly accurate, highly indestructible, Lumiinox, Traser, or even in Reactor (along with 16 hours Superluminova or 24 hour Superluminova in their Gamma line) for a fraction of the cost of Ball. Wear the Rolexes everywhere, and keep the tritium capsule for times you want or need more than six hours of clear lume.

Although frankly, if this isn't a fluke on my Deepsea, the lume seems to hold up through the entire night, so the tritium capsules may be unnecessary, so long as you don't mind charging up the Superluminova.

[GBJIV]

Green Arrow - youlost me on the tritium capsules - What is that? Would love to learn more.

Thanks,

[JohnEaton]

Originally Posted by GBJIV

Green Arrow - youlost me on the tritium capsules - What is that? Would love to learn more.

Thanks,

Think of it as trigicons for your watch


SEE:

http://www.ballwatch.com/index.php?o...com_technology

THEN: click "Gas Light"

[Green Arrow]

Originally Posted by GBJIV

Green Arrow - youlost me on the tritium capsules - What is that? Would love to learn more.

Thanks,

Not about the Deepsea, but the additional question is why do I have "Never another Ball Watch" in my signature. Ball watches use a tritium based gas inside of small glass tubes to mimic the tritium that was painted onto watch dials in earlier years, such as my 1982 Rolex GMT.

Workers painted the tritium onto watches using small paint brushes, many times bring them to a point by licking them. Tritium is a radioactive substance, so using it in painted fashion was banned for health reasons, and Superluminova, Luminova, Lumibrite, and the like replaced it. Tritium did not need "charging" or "exciting" (putting concentrated light onto the lume material to make the molecules lift off the surface and emit light energy while settling back down).

Luminox, Traser, Reactor, and others, including Ball watch, purchase small glass capsules from MB-Microtec or other companies that contain a gas inside that has tritium in it. While not as bright as a freshly charged Superluminova, Lumibrite, or the like initially, over a period of 4 or more hours all of the "charged" painted luminous materials settle down and become hard to see.

Reactor had the record of 16 hours of visibility, and now claim a 24 hour Superluminova. Rolex, by comparison, used very little Superluminova on sport watches such as the Submariner, Seadweller, and so on, which made them very poor for luminosity past about two hours. With the Sub LV, the Yachtmaster, and the GMT Master II Ceramic, they moved to a "Maxi-dial" where the size of the hands, and the luminous applicators were made larger, hence more visible.

It APPEARS to me that the Deepsea has found some new way of applying Superluminova, as it appears to have lasted longer than 6 hours last night.

Tritium capsules do not need to be charged, and stay uniformly bright (or dim depending on your view point) for the life of the tube, which is anticipated to be around 12 years.

None of the high end Manufacture brands, Patek, GP, JLC, Blancpain, Rolex, AP etc use the tritium capsules, which are largely found on military style watches such as my Luminox Navy Seal 8051 or my wife's Colormark 8053 by Luminox. Ball watches is trying to take their watches more up market. I have a personal gripe with their company, but many others like them quite a bit.

So that's the scoop.

[Spare201]

Originally Posted by ikra

Picked up a SDDS on Sept. 3 from auth dealer.
At which time he and I both noticed a minor "inclusion" in the lume triangle at 12" without the use of any magnification- no problem for me so far. As it appears the application of such lume is thicker and not as evenly applied.
Have been wearing watch daily since- however by looking at pictures others have posted i see that the inner ring - due to the verbiage is not lined up correctly and therefore lacks overall symetry (it appears the "orginal gas escape valve" which in all SDDS photos lines up perfectly between the "s" of gas and the "e" of escape above the 12'oclock position is visably shifted to the left lining up the "e" dead on above the 12- this may sound trivial but once those excess words around the dial shift- it throws the watches aesthetics off.

Finally i have noticed that over the two weeks the date function changes later every night- now rolling the date 7+minutes post midnight. dont know if this is normal- as up until now i have only collected daytonas and non date subs.

i figure for 9k+tax it should look right and work right

so my question is - is this watch approaching lemon status?

disclaimer (i have been collecting rolex for last 14 years so perhaps i have finally gone over the edge)

enjoy your weekend- as i just joined this impressive forum about a week ago
hello to you all

many thanks

brian

Warranty issue my friend. It happens. Go buy a lotto ticket its really close to the same odds youd win as gettin the one off Rolex. Better Yet see if the AD will check the rate of the watch to make sure nothing further is wrong with it. See if he will have his technician reset the datewheel and changover for you. That would be good for their reputation as well. I'd do it if it were in my store.

[Ken Cox]

Thanks to John Eaton for the Ball Watch and Tritium Tube heads-up.

The following site has a review of the Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Chronograph, and it shares, amongst many impressive photos, a picture of the illuminated Tritium Tubes of the subject watch photographed through a bed sheet.

http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?t=56344

Rolex should do something like the above.