First post here

[jeb]

Hi folks,

Sorry for the long post.

I've been looking at Rolex's on and off for years. I'd been lurking here for quite sometime but figured I'd better join the other day as I knew I was finally getting close to the decision point. I answered most of my own questions by using the search engine and reading a lot of great threads so thanks to many of you. I've been wearing a nice gold TT Tag for a while and finally pulled the trigger on a Z blue sub yesterday at an AD. I went across state lines to buy it as my local AD did not have the blue sub. I had the watch shipped to me to save the 9% sales tax so I don't have it in my hands yet but should have it Tuesday.

I have some questions for the group, though. I am in IT. So my day job is not too hard on a watch. But I race and wrench on dirt bikes (I won't wear it while riding), MTB, water ski, pheasant hunt, work on our small fleet of vehicles and our diesel pusher, etc. So I am kind of tough on watches. My Tag got beat looking a lot quicker than I'd hoped and I really don't wear it all that much. So I was really leaning toward the SD, which my local guy has, but really wanted to see the blue sub. It's on all the posters and billboards I see for Rolex these days and is a drop dead gorgeous watch, at least to me.

After much debate, the sales person talked me into the TT blue sub saying it would wear SO much better than my Tag has. I LOVE the watch but I'm still so worried that it's going to get ratty looking fast. So I'm looking for opinions and experiences from folks with TT's that put them to work. Am I going to be heart broken in short order? Is it going to spend it's life in the gun safe next to my Tag? I want a watch I can wear everyday w/o that fear. Is it possible to put an SS band on it to keep the damage down? What is the cost for that, if so?

I'm afraid I should've bought the SD. Not nearly as sexy but, by all accounts, the 'tough guy' of the Rolex line. It's a little on the thick side but still a good looking watch. Should I have done that? It's certainly not too late to make the switch.

Also, I was under the apparently false impression that you could swap bezels colors on the SD. Is it true that that is only possible on the GMT's?

Last question is accuracy. I've seen a few posts about it and I realize it won't be as accurate as my quartz tag, which has been deadly accurate. But how often are you folks really setting them? Monthly, couple of times a year or ?? I'm a very punctual person so I'm hoping this won't be too big of an issue for me.

[padi56]

Well first welcome to TRF,now any Rolex Sub is as tough or IMHO tougher that most watches today.But any make brand of watch with gold will get and show fine scratches,especially in your type of sports.But any rolex watch is meant to be worn,regarding the bezels yes the GMT has the choice of four The Sub SD in S.steel black,the LV anniversary Sub green.The TT black blue now to accuracy.Now any quartz watch is going to be more accurate than any brand of mechanical watch, thats a fact of life..But a Rolex is designed to be a chronometer and can achieve quite remarkable results,as can any brand of chronometer mechanical watch.Now -4 secs to +6 secs a day is the COSC testing standard, but many will perform better to one or two seconds a day.So with such accuracy less than half a minute a week don't think you will ever be worried about of being punctual.

[nko51]

Congrats! You bought a classic Sub!

[greenfan]

Great choice, enjoy your Blue TT Sub
And if you have any questions on this watch, just ask JJ. He will be more than happy to help a fellow "Blues Brother"

[jeb]

Thanks for the replies, folks.

I see my post got moved from the general forum to the newbies forum. I debated on putting it here but it's more general then just saying 'hi'. I'd seen some other newbie threads, like this one, similar to mine in the general so I thought it'd be okay there. I'm an admin on some other forums so I am NOT trying to stir up trouble, just trying to understand the rules. Is it okay if I re-post some of my questions/concerns to the general forum so they'd get seen by more members or is that a no-no?

I just do not want another gun safe queen. Neither does my wife. This is a 10th anniversary present and she wants me to wear it, as do I.

[OysterDavid]

Hey, congrats on the new purchase. But your real question seems to be the potential wear and tear your new purchase is going to receive given your line of work and your after work interests.

A Rolex isn't going to have some kind of 'force field shield' arount it, protecting it from day to day wear marks.

If you've spent as much time here as you imply, then you've already read the regretful postings from those who've gotten their first scratch or ding in the daily wearing of their timepiece.

You sound like you've got an active after work schedule. So, if you wear the watch without sleeve protection while you're twisting wrenches, riding a bike, adjusting metal machinary, plowing the fields, etc then expect some signs of wear.

It's likely the watch will keep on ticking, but the battle scars of your lifestyle are going to show more than someone of is a librarian or CPA.

Rolex is kind of a stickler for not encouraging 'customization' of their products, so when you buy a two toned model, you're not going to be able to trick it out with an officially sactioned SS bracelet to 'save' the Gold/SS bracelet for formal occasions. You can go after market for one, but, hey, why? There's nothing wrong with a watch showing the marks of your accomplishments and every few years you can spend the few hundred bucks to get the watch polished and refinished back to new condition if you wish.

And by wearing the Rolex, who knows, you might even get to the point where the arm movements aren't encouraging dangerous nicks and dings to the watch.

Enjoy your purchase. When the delivery person shows up tomorrow, you'll have the pleasure of unwrapping a gift from your spouse that will last a lifetime and probably have significance that goes far beyond a couple of wear marks on the SS & Gold.

[jeb]

Many thanks to the mod/admin/owner that moved this back to the general forum. Much appreciated.

Thanks David. Maybe I should go take a picture of my tag to show what I'm afraid of. It's not ruined or anything, just shows the wear more than I'd hoped. You have a good point about it not being protected by any special forces. That's why I said "I'll take the SD" twice to the sales person. But she owns Rolex, her BIL owns the blue sub, etc. She went on and on about how it's not going to age as badly as the Tag, which I of course wanted to believe. But I just keep wondering if most TT or gold Rolex users are just not as hard on a watch as I may be.

Any pictures of what a 'working mans' TT looks like after a few years may speak volumes and would be appreciated.

[Alex Stylianou]

Welcome To TRF . Enjoy Your Classic !

[Uncle-AJ]

Hello and welcome to TRF. I have a ten year old black TT sub with a few scratches. I'll post some pictures in a few days when I have more time. Even if your watch does get a few marks, most if not all will be removed when it's serviced. Mine came back as if it was new.

[bwalkerVintage]

Welcome!

I have been in similar situations. I would recommend that during the high risk cases (for me it is sticking my hands down into the engine bay of a race vehicle, etc.) that you just take it off and set it aside. However, for some of the lower risk stuff, just don't sweat it. Thats the way I work things with mine.

[JJ Irani]

Hi Jeb and welcome to TRF.

Yes, the TT Blue Sub is a beauty....but would I use it as a beater? NOT OVER MY DEAD BODY!!

The Blue Sub is meant to be used with a lot of tender, loving care. If you want to wear a watch on your dirt bike, then I'd advise you stick with the Tag or even a cheaper watch which you can thrash the hell out of.

The GOLD on the Blue Sub will scratch like hell if it's beaten. Can these scratches be buffed? Yes, but then you also buff out some of the gold along with it.

No way is the TT BLUE SUB a beater - no bloody way!! Do buy it and wear it in good health....but once you have it on your wrist, you yourself will NEVER feel like thrashing it.

Good luck - JJ

[ABushman]

Welcome to the forum Jeb. Enjoy that fine timepiece, but don't treat it like a tramp - treat it like a fine lady (who might occassional be naughty).

[Solo118]

I wear my TT Daytona daily, Not as a beater at all (since I am not too active I go bowling once a week) Ive had it for 2 months and it has scratched up fairly in the gold area, I couldnt imagine what it would look like with this kind of usage. In any event, Scratches can be removed and you will surely enjoy this watch to the max!

[jeb]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

Yes, the TT Blue Sub is a beauty....but would I use it as a beater? NOT OVER MY DEAD BODY!!

The Blue Sub is meant to be used with a lot of tender, loving care. If you want to wear a watch on your dirt bike, then I'd advise you stick with the Tag or even a cheaper watch which you can thrash the hell out of.

The GOLD on the Blue Sub will scratch like hell if it's beaten. Can these scratches be buffed? Yes, but then you also buff out some of the gold along with it.

No way is the TT BLUE SUB a beater - no bloody way!! Do buy it and wear it in good health....but once you have it on your wrist, you yourself will NEVER feel like thrashing it.

This is really what I kind of expected to hear. I really should've let my common sense dictate my choice but the sales person was just emphatic that it would not scratch up easily.

BTW, as I said above, I will not wear it while racing or riding my bikes. And I certainly do not intend on thrashing it on purpose nor would I ever consider it a 'beater'. Sounds like I may have oversold that a bit. Like my current watches, I will take it off anytime I know I'm going in deep into something that may scratch it. But I spend so much time doing so much stuff with my hands that it will get in harms way on occassion.

If it was not for my Tag experience, I probably would not be as worried about it. Does anyone have a comment on the Tags not wearing as well as the Rolex?

What about the bezel question on the SD. Is black the only option there?

Thanks for all the input so far. I appreciate it.

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by jeb

This is really what I kind of expected to hear. I really should've let my common sense dictate my choice but the sales person was just emphatic that it would not scratch up easily.

BTW, as I said above, I will not wear it while racing or riding my bikes. And I certainly do not intend on thrashing it on purpose nor would I ever consider it a 'beater'. Sounds like I may have oversold that a bit. Like my current watches, I will take it off anytime I know I'm going in deep into something that may scratch it. But I spend so much time doing so much stuff with my hands that it will get in harms way on occassion.

If it was not for my Tag experience, I probably would not be as worried about it. Does anyone have a comment on the Tags not wearing as well as the Rolex?

What about the bezel question on the SD. Is black the only option there?

Thanks for all the input so far. I appreciate it.

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!!! Hold it right there, my friend!! Have absolutely NO regrets whatsoever on the purchase of the TT BLUE SUB. You're just about to acquire one of the world's most stunning looking watches....one you may never tire of looking at.

All I'm saying is that it's NOT meant to be used as a beater - no way!! Enjoy it to the fullest. Yes, the gold may pick up a few insignificant scratches which can easily be buffed out by any competent watchmaker.

To be honest with you, I wouldn't even thrash an SD around (which BTW is only available with a BLACK bezel!!).

For dirt bike riding, a cheap quartz watch is what you really need. In actual fact, a quartz watch can take a tremendous amount of roughing up and still keep on ticking.

All the best....no worries on the BLUE SUB, pal....you did the RIGHT thing!!

Post pics as soon as you get it.....can't hardly wait!!

[jeb]

For dirt bike riding/racing, I use a $30 timex strap on watch. I wouldn't put any good watch through that kind of abuse. The vibration from the bikes themselves and the pounding they take through the woods is just incredible.

If I'd gotten the SD, I would still take all reasonable care of it. I think it would just wear better. The real question I guess is how much better? Impossible to quantify, I know.

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by jeb

For dirt bike riding/racing, I use a $30 timex strap on watch. I wouldn't put any good watch through that kind of abuse. The vibration from the bikes themselves and the pounding they take through the woods is just incredible.

If I'd gotten the SD, I would still take all reasonable care of it. I think it would just wear better. The real question I guess is how much better? Impossible to quantify, I know.

How much better? Well, that would really depend on the size of your wrist. The SD is a much thicker watch (see chart below) as compared with the Sub.

I've owned the SD and my wrist is 7¼". I've had no problems with the SD at all, but some guys here do find that it sits up rather high. The Sub is a better fit.

JJ

[watchnut]

I would agree with most on here that I would wear a cheaper watch for your "extreme activities". I steered clear of a TT myself because 18K gold is pretty pure and soft. However I would love to have your watch for casual, semi-dressy use. It could be though, as some have pointed out here, that like new white tennis shoes, these watches look better when they pick up a small blemish or two and reflect the character of their owner..

[jeb]

Good question about fit, JJ. The SD does look thick sitting on the jewlers counter and that is the only thing I did not like about it. Not a huge deal, though, as it looked fine on my wrist. I just measured and my wrist is 7.5" at the smallest spot.

[DocD]

Welcome to forum and wear your new watch in good health. I have one concern....despite the "sell" of the salesman, which of the watches did YOU like better on your wrist, the TT Blue Sub or the SD? And did you ever consider the good old classic SS Sub Date?

Although I agree that the TT Blue Sub is a beautiful and stunning watch, I was concerned regarding the everyday use of the watch and the susceptibilty of the gold links becoming easily scratched as per J.J.'s post.

Therefore, since I wear my watch daily and I'm constantly in and out of the office, hospital and other facilities and handling different equipment, etc., I opted for the SS Sub Date and have never had a single regret. I'm anal, and seeing small scratches all over the gold links would easily drive me crazy and take away from my enjoyment of the watch. With the SS SubDate that's never been a problem.

So if you think the SD is too thick, and you're concerned about scratching up the gold, the SS Sub date is always a great choice.

[jeb]

Doc,

I really WANT the blue sub. I loved it on my wrist and it just shouts 'Rolex' to me. I like the SD less from that perspective but, just as you mention, I wonder if I'd like it better long term since the wear on the gold might make me less happy with the TT.

This dealer had all the sub watches except the SS w/date. They had the non-date sub, a TT black sub, the blue one I bought and a blue bezel/white faced one with diamonds at all the hour spots. I think they had a solid gold one, too.

My local dealer does have the SS w/date, though, and the SD. I'd likely still opt for the SD just for the added toughness I've read so much about here.

[DocD]

In reality, I don't think the SD is any "tougher" than the SS sub-date. The watch is thicker for the added depth rating, but I don't think with daily wear or daily "abuse" the watch will be any tougher.

To me the only real difference other than the thickness, is the cyclops vs. the no cyclops look. I personally like the look of the cyclops on ths SS Sub Date since it almost defines a Rolex. And once again, I can assure you that the SD won't outlast the SS Subdate during everyday wear.

[jeb]

I went to the local AD today. He has all the models I'm interested except the blue sub. The owner adamantly insisted the same as the sales person at the other AD I bought the blue sub at. They'd both carried Tag at one time and both said there was just no comparison as to how much better the Rolex will wear. Much harder alloys in both the SS and gold. The local owner had a 31 year old gold Rolex on, albiet with a leather band, and it looked great. And he's "in the rocks" every weekend, he said.

So I'm much more comfortable with my decision now. I may still end up with an SS sub or SD someday but I'm not going to be afraid to wear my blue sub as a daily watch. I will take appropriate care whenever possible.

Thanks so much for everyones input and hand holding on this. I really appreciate everyones input.

[DocD]

I'm sure you'll never regret your decision. Wear the watch in the best of health.

[Tombstone]

Jeb,
Welcome to the forum and congratulations on an awesome watch.

[ROLEX4FD]

Sounds like a fairly simple situation......... wear the TT Blue Sub during the week for work and social occaisions, and get yourself a "beater" (read that G-Shock, etc.) for the weekends. I work in a professional office environment where the TT Sub goes great! In the evenings and on weekends, I coach Baseball. During the week at work, it's the TT Sub. After hours and weekends when coaching - it's the G-Shock. Nothing feels quite as good though at the end of a game or practice, than coming home and slipping the Rolex back on where it belongs. Wear it in good health, enjoy it and savor it. The good news is, it doesn't have to be your only watch and as such, doesn't need to get beat up for no reason. Just my .02 :) Congratulations - you picked "the" Rolex in my opinion.

[jeb]

Just received my blue sub and have a question about what should come with it. It came with the box, leather cloth on top of the case, the case, watch (beautiful!), 3 booklets (service, oyster, sub), 2 hang tags (COC, serial#) and the watch pillow. I was under the impression it should've included a crystal protector. Am I wrong? Did I get everything?

Thanks

[OysterDavid]

Originally Posted by jeb

Just received my blue sub and have a question about what should come with it. It came with the box, leather cloth on top of the case, the case, watch (beautiful!), 3 booklets (service, oyster, sub), 2 hang tags (COC, serial#) and the watch pillow. I was under the impression it should've included a crystal protector. Am I wrong? Did I get everything?

Thanks

The plastic protectors might have been disgarded at the AD. If you sell a lot of these things, then the protective pieces of plastic might be thought of as packing material. If your Rolex was on display at the AD, then it's entirely possible they just took off all the little plastic pieces and tossed them.

The bezel protector ring isn't going to be worn and unless you're going to put your watch to bed each night and 'tuck it in' with the plastic protector, I wouldn't sweat it. But if it's real important to you, just call the AD and tell them you expected EVERYTHING that comes with a new Rolex. I'd think they'd then swipe it from another Rolex in stock and send it to you.

I really don't think having all the packing materials adds significantly to the price if/when you might want to flip your new watch, but that's just my opinion.

[jeb]

Yeah, I hear you and wouldn't worry about it ordinarily. But I saw those going on ebay for like $25. Not that I'd sell one on ebay, but I don't want some AD display case jockey making any more money off my watch purchase then they already have.

After carefully cleaning the watch, I found that one of the gold links is already blemished/scratched. I'm waiting for a call back on it. Kind of disappointing.

[Blue Bull]

Originally Posted by jeb

Yeah, I hear you and wouldn't worry about it ordinarily. But I saw those going on ebay for like $25. Not that I'd sell one on ebay, but I don't want some AD display case jockey making any more money off my watch purchase then they already have.

After carefully cleaning the watch, I found that one of the gold links is already blemished/scratched. I'm waiting for a call back on it. Kind of disappointing.

The plastic ring and plastic coverings are not important,the blemish on the gold,however is not right .Contact the dealer.