I was stunned…didn’t know what to say, not exactly fake..but..

[Agamemnon]

Don't pay attention to what other people do if it doesn't bother you.
I wouldn't have noticed. One can do what he wants with his watch. I've seen worse.

[Harry-57]

His watch, his choice. Nice mod IMO.

Have to say I much prefer the 11. Each to our own. I've seen the 116619LB in person. It seemed impossible to mistake the WG for SS but in different lighting conditions I guess anything is possible.

[White Collar Boy]

Not being facetious — I love that you care enough to react as you did Paul, not feigning approval. I guess what you have in common is appreciation of the white gold one.

[rjd1]

Reminds me of a story I heard from a car dealer once about a client of his. Every few years or so, the guy would buy a new Mercedes S350 (or whatever the mid-S was) but have the dealer put S500 badges on the car. Never made a ton of sense to me.

[zengineer]

I don't care for date functions in general and specifically dislike the Rolex cyclops so I'm not deeply aware of all the Submariner and GMT variations. I guess the distinction for me comes down to whether it's a case of liking the look of blue better or attempting to decieve about the case material and/or the "prestige". If the guy immediately told a stranger that it was a bezel swap then I'm just not finding anything to be shocked or offended about.

I have a standard Speedmaster that I had a genuine Omega service dial for a limited edition installed in. I just like the dial better and am not trying to pretend I have the limited model. Then again, Omega fans are not generally the same crowd as Rolex aficianados.

[mannyv11]

I don’t see a problem with it. It’s his watch and he wanted to mod it because he thought something else looks cooler than standard black. He also didn’t try to lie about it when you told him nice watch.

[TheVTCGuy]

Originally Posted by Jocke

Why didn't you show him your girlfriend Paul? When you discuss fake's.

Jocke! That’s it! I wasn’t going to tell everyone that it was YOU wearing it, but too late now!!!!!!

[Steve Epps]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

He fully admitted and showed me it was a 126610, SS Sub, that he put a “real Rolex” Blue bezel on to “pretend” it was a WG Sub. …
I don’t know what to think… it wasn’t a FAKE…. But….

I remember back when parts were easy to buy, I turned my 16523
2Tone Daytona into a 16520. It was easy to remodel, I bought a new set
of steel screw in pushers, steel winding crown, two dials black and white,
A set of hands, steel bezel, bracelet etc. and presto I had 3 watches in one

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Jocke

Why didn't you show him your girlfriend Paul? When you discuss fake's.

[brandrea]

I’m not a fan of modded Rolex and honestly I’m not sure why.

I love some of the modded Seikos that I’ve seen here and elsewhere.

Admittedly, it seems like I have a double standard.

[Kiddodoc]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

Then you could always not respond to it.

VTC

[1William]

I am a fan of original, not modified watches/cars, etc. I know everyone can do what they want with their own property but it is a fake to me. I also think it makes a statement about a person who tries to pass something off that it is not. The owner fessed up but that is also part of the point. Why do it? Just play ball at what you can afford and enjoy it.

[Brenngun]

Original condition is only important when buying or selling. After that it's up to the owner to do with it as they please. I'm not sure why he even felt the need to explain it to you Paul but whatever.

Of course Rolex has a completely different opinion.

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

Of course you are 100% correct. I didn’t explain it very well, don’t know if I can. It is his property. Although I don’t believe in it myself, people have and will be modifying Rolex watches for years. I guess it’s just… Well, I find it different if you put a red second hand on it, or red date wheel, or replacing your black submariner bezel with a green one, then this incidence. I have never run in to a situation where someone was trying to emulate a precious metal Rolex, make it appear it’s a white gold when it’s actually a SS. I mean… i guess that is not a “Fake” but… Well, I don’t know. I find it kind of… Not… genuine.

Originally Posted by omar10213245

true, he can do whatever he wants with it, it's his property. that said, i agree with OP, it's kind of an unwritten rule that it's verboten to mod your Rolex's, as far as I'm concerned. You wouldn't catch me dead with an "incorrect" bezel insert on one of my subs, my yachtmaster, etc. it's a rolex, not a seiko turtle, for Crissakes. I mean, why is he throwing a blue insert on a stainless steel sub? to flex? feel like a big shot? dude, you already have a sub on your wrist, that's something to be happy about and proud of. i'm sure it's just because he loves the way the blue of that bezel insert just pops in the right light *rolls eyes*

In this example he just change a bezel insert, so something easy to convert back (and as said by others not different from swapping inserts or bracelets on a 16710). Am mod friendly, so changing MY watch into whatever I want has always been an option regardless of what others may think.

Think what troubles the OP is the fact the owner of the watch was pretending the watch to be what is was not, which is not my case when modding my watches (or probably the intention when someone, for example, “mods” an original 16710 Coke / Oyster into a 16710 LN / jubilee ). Each to its own.




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[Harry-57]

Originally Posted by 1William

I also think it makes a statement about a person who tries to pass something off that it is not.

It sure does. He was happy with his modified SS Sub and was happy to say it wasn't the original 19. I suspect he didn't care, which is how it should be.

[doyall]

Let me see if I have this right ... modded = fake (even if using genuine parts)?

Guy can not enhance a piece without scorn?

This sure is a persnickety crowd.

[whatsthetime?]

I did the same back in March of '18 with my 114060 but used an aftermarket insert because I couldn't source an authentic Rolex insert. I did it because I liked the color contrast.

[Nav01L]

Originally Posted by Number3

I did the same mod to my 114060 back in 2015 and still wear it today. I loved it because it was different and one of only a handful around at the time but if I’m honest the release of the 126619 has made me feel differently about it. It’s a no-date with a brushed bracelet but it does piss me off that someone might think that I’m trying to pass it off as something it’s not.

That said, it’s a watch and not the Crown Jewels! If you want to change it up a bit then so what? I remember looking at some of Jocke’s fantastic mods back in the day with real wonder - and anyway, I was rocking it for seven years before Rolex came to the party!

You may well have the OG that inspired them to make the new WG one that way. I remember seeing yours in a thread or two back in the day and thinking, sheesh, they should really make that. And sure enough, I really love the look of the 126619.

[NachoNeal]

Originally Posted by whatsthetime?

I did the same back in March of '18 with my 114060 but used an aftermarket insert because I couldn't source an authentic Rolex insert. I did it because I liked the color contrast.

How can you even look yourself in the mirror every morning?
.
.
.

[samson66]

Honestly no issue with it. I'd love to have a Sub with a few different bezel combinations to switch out. Get me a blue and a green and every few months it's like having a different watch. Hell that was a pretty common move with the five digit GMTs. Now would I do it to pretend I'm wearing white gold? No, but I would do it for some variety.

[whatsthetime?]

Originally Posted by NachoNeal

How can you even look yourself in the mirror every morning?
.
.
.

I switched back to the original insert after a short time because I couldn't stand looking at my self in the mirror anymore.

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by samson66

Honestly no issue with it. I'd love to have a Sub with a few different bezel combinations to switch out. Get me a blue and a green and every few months it's like having a different watch. Hell that was a pretty common move with the five digit GMTs. Now would I do it to pretend I'm wearing white gold? No, but I would do it for some variety.

Am with you Mike











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[MILGAUSS88]

Maybe he just likes the look of the blue bezel, and that in the original form that it is only found on a white gold version was irrelevant to him.

[alphadweller]

Paul, did you not immediately notice the difference between steel and white gold ???

[Pinchy]

I personally think go ahead as long as its not faking another real watch. That rule can be blurry when if you've sourced real parts, is it actually different than "the real" thing.

In this case since there is no steel blue bezel sub, no problem. Brushed bracelet is the give away that its steel, and that's fine. If he then sourced a GMT polished center link oyster bracelet and put that on there... the line starts getting blurry as most of us can't tell the difference between white gold and steel... and it's mimicking a look.

[harvey]

…but did he have box and papers?!

[dannyp]

Would I do a franken-watch myself? No.
Do I have any issue with someone doing a mod to a color/style they prefer? No.
Do I have an issue with someone modding a watch simply to pretend it's more expensive? Yes. But my issues are with the person, not the watch.

[Devildog]

Sticking M3 wheels on a 320 is fine. To be encouraged in fact as it looks great.

Then removing the 320 badges and adding M3 badges, not so fine.

Modifying something to change its aesthetics because you like the look? Go for it.

Modifying something with the intent of fooling others into thinking it's something better/faster/more expensive than it is? Just no.

[173rdabn]

If he's happy, who cares?

[Calatrava r]

I think it's great he is enjoying his watch. I too wonder how he got the bezel insert without having a damaged one to turn in to Rolex.