Considering a Trade

[mrlongisland]

All -

I'm strongly considering trading in my 116610LN for the black 42mm Explorer II. I've written about this before but, in short, the Explorer II is just far more comfortable on my wrist. The Sub just doesn't fit well on me and it often leaves me in pain after a long day of typing.

My Sub has a few scratches but it's nothing that a service visit couldn't take care of. I need your advice. Do I wait two years until my warranty is up on the Sub, take it in for service, and then facilitate a trade through TRF? Or do I do the trade now? Expected differences in value? Appreciate your insight, as always.

P

[mruhland31]

I love my Sub C more than anything but it sounds like its just not the watch for you..in my opinion I think you should pull the trigger now..I don't think you should wait two years to wear the watch that's going to make you happy...I'm sure the minor scratches on your Sub aren't a big deal and quite frankly there are a lot of members who would prefer to get your Sub the way it is before any polishing..plus if you have your service done through Rolex ( I suggest you do) that service could easy cost you 600-700 dollars and now you've spent a lot of money on service for a watch you won't own

[mrlongisland]

Thanks, mruhland31. I should mention that I still have a two year Rolex warranty and a one year Tourneau warranty (3 year total) so I believe the servicing would be free.

But you bring up an interesting point that some members would prefer the timepiece with some wear. Is that true?

P

[alubin]

NO WHY? But if your going to do it I would think sell it as is.

[mrlongisland]

Ah, my friend, I think it's time to make a move! :)

P

Originally Posted by alubin

NO WHY? But if your going to do it I would think sell it as is.

[mruhland31]

I don't think they prefer wear as much as they generally like watches that are unpolished..obviously the nicer condition the better...if polishing is done right it's ok but the slightest bit of over polishing can be really frowned at..I think what's most important in my opinion is that life is very short..It sounds like you are confident that you know what will make you happiest..I waited until I was forty to buy my Sub and while delayed gratification isn't a bad thing at all I do wish I had bought it sooner..every single time I put this watch on it makes me smile..I just think that you should get what you want as soon as possible...best of luck and please let us know what you decide...if you need a referral to a great AD shoot me a pm.

[SohAIS]

I would sell the sub and get the Exp

[mrlongisland]

And, just like that, it looks like this trade is happening, folks.

P

[hdrazor251]

Congrats. Hope your are happy with it.

[DJWong]

Why not waiting awhile, keep the SubC and pulling the trigger 4 the Explorer2 somtimes not so distant future. Few years ago I wanted to sell my Sub in order to get the DeepSea and a TRF member told me to keep it. Took me some time getting both but I'm happy. My 2c

[Baselman]

If its time to move on its time to move on

[DJWong]

Sure

[travisb]

Service is not needed. Sounds like you're ready for a change.
You should have no problem getting into an ExpII with no cash out of pocket. Maybe even a little coming back your way.
Congrats in advance??

[turboevo2]

sub will always have value than the explorer 2. like others are saying just sell your sub and get the explorer 2.

[Magic-Matt]

Sounds to me like its about the right time to do it. As another poster said, life is short and you should be enjoying the watch you like as soon as you can. I really like the Exp II and will no doubt pull the trigger on the polar in the next few months. No need to service the Sub to bring it up to "scratch" (pun intended) lol Any competent watchmaker will carefully refinish it for you at a much lesser cost. Just for the record, I much prefer the Exp II 42mm to the Sub. :-) Keep us posted.

[Daytona-Dan]

As much as I love the Explorer, I would consider this a downgrade (I'm ready to dodge flames). No Ceramic and no Trip Lock so you can get an orange GMT hand? No thanks. Go GMT2 if you need that feature, I think it's a slightly thinner watch (I'm sure someone correct me if I'm wrong?)

Anyway, I fully understand your comfort comment, My Daytona sits flat on the wrist which makes it much more comfortable than the SubC and at the end of the day, if you're not comfortable, its a good decision.

I would personally wait until the service is due but I also know what it's like when I want something else,... I want it NOW. You could post it for sale and perhaps ask the buyer if they want it serviced before hand? That way you can wear it until it's sold, if you service it first, you'll need to keep it in the box.

[AH0RSEY]

if the sub hurts you when you wear it, it's telling you something......

something like "go buy the Explorer as its more comfy".

[JP Chestnut]

Originally Posted by mrlongisland

All -

I'm strongly considering trading in my 116610LN for the black 42mm Explorer II. I've written about this before but, in short, the Explorer II is just far more comfortable on my wrist. The Sub just doesn't fit well on me and it often leaves me in pain after a long day of typing.

My Sub has a few scratches but it's nothing that a service visit couldn't take care of. I need your advice. Do I wait two years until my warranty is up on the Sub, take it in for service, and then facilitate a trade through TRF? Or do I do the trade now? Expected differences in value? Appreciate your insight, as always.

P

Polishing a watch that's under two years old seems crazy to me. I can't imagine that anyone would prefer that. At most, get the bracelet and clasp done - no need to remove the factory finish on the case for a couple scratches.

[Magic-Matt]

Originally Posted by Daytona-Dan

As much as I love the Explorer, I would consider this a downgrade (I'm ready to dodge flames). No Ceramic and no Trip Lock so you can get an orange GMT hand? No thanks. Go GMT2 if you need that feature, I think it's a slightly thinner watch (I'm sure someone correct me if I'm wrong?)

Granted, the Exp II 42 is about 500 bucks cheaper than the SubC but not for that would I consider it inferior as such. I think the Sub is a timeless classic, but just way too many around for my liking, the Exp II 42 is far rarer by comparison and enjoys some nice upgrades. Ceramic and Triplock in real every day life dont really do anything for me, in fact the ceramic would just be a worry

Anyway, each to their own, thats what this forum is all about. Everyone states their points of view and its great fun learning stuff along the way

[DJWong]

Originally Posted by Magic-Matt

Granted, the Exp II 42 is about 500 bucks cheaper than the SubC but not for that would I consider it inferior as such. I think the Sub is a timeless classic, but just way too many around for my liking, the Exp II 42 is far rarer by comparison and enjoys some nice upgrades. Ceramic and Triplock in real every day life dont really do anything for me, in fact the ceramic would just be a worry

Anyway, each to their own, thats what this forum is all about. Everyone states their points of view and its great fun learning stuff along the way

WELL said !
:-)

[nagano2125]

I haven't heard of the SubC being any more expensive than the Explorer II, in fact the 3 AD's I have been to had them listed for the same price. Also waiting 2 years isn't going to matter, the warranty is only for "defects" it is not a free service, I would go for it sooner than later.

I had the same debate with myself, however it was prior to making a purchase. When it came down to it, the SubC did not do it for me, and as mentioned above was only more of a worry, countless accounts of the ceramic or even whole bezel coming off. Explorer II is a hardier watch. I also like the "stealth" factor it has too, far less recognized, which is what I was going for.

[Vincent65]

if you're going to do it, sooner rather than later - I wouldn't though!

[mrlongisland]

Man, I love this forum. What a great group of guys and gals sharing a passion for timepieces.

DJWong and Daytona-Dan, I totally appreciate that advice. I think at this point, it's the physical discomfort that's really the driver of the flip. I love the styling of the orange hand, but it's not a must-have for me. Having the date is a must have, which was the reason why I didn't swing for the Daytona. And while I thought about flipping the SubC for a GMTII, I still have my reservations about polished center links. I'm still a relatively young guy among a generation who is satisfied with reading the time on their iPhone. PCLs may be "too much" among my circles. The Explorer II is classic yet modern, and I think it's going to be a great fit to my personality.

I'm working through a trade, at the moment, and will be sure to post pics by next week. Thanks for all the feedback, folks!

P

[Daytona-Dan]

I'm not talking about price or quality, I'm talking about features. I personally would choose the GMT/SubC over the Explorer 2. Even if you're particularly heavy handed on your things, all Rolex will do you well, but some will take knocks and bumps better. Granted that the bezel on the EXP2 is brushed to hide it and aside from breaking the ceramic, it will look "cleaner" after 20 years as the ceramic is much more durable.

I'm not saying explorers are in any way inferior watches, I'm saying that I personally see it as a downgrade. It's not because it's cheaper, it's my personal opinion. When purchasing my SubC I didn't even consider the Explorer because the price was too close and I figured for basically the same money, the SubC was better. If the Explorer was a lot cheaper, I might have taken a better look.

Originally Posted by Magic-Matt

Anyway, each to their own, thats what this forum is all about. Everyone states their points of view and its great fun learning stuff along the way

I agree, what's the point of a forum if you can't discuss and talk.

[nagano2125]

Originally Posted by Daytona-Dan

I'm not talking about price or quality, I'm talking about features. I personally would choose the GMT/SubC over the Explorer 2. Even if you're particularly heavy handed on your things, all Rolex will do you well, but some will take knocks and bumps better. Granted that the bezel on the EXP2 is brushed to hide it and aside from breaking the ceramic, it will look "cleaner" after 20 years as the ceramic is much more durable.

I'm not saying explorers are in any way inferior watches, I'm saying that I personally see it as a downgrade. It's not because it's cheaper, it's my personal opinion. When purchasing my SubC I didn't even consider the Explorer because the price was too close and I figured for basically the same money, the SubC was better. If the Explorer was a lot cheaper, I might have taken a better look.



I agree, what's the point of a forum if you can't discuss and talk.

I agree the Ceramic will look cleaner, but that it about all, the SS will still have the same dings/scratches etc, with the exception to both of whatever is polished during a service.

As I mentioned earlier, one HUGE downside for me was the frequent stories I was hearing of the ceramic insert "popping off" or in some cases the whole bezel. It will be interesting to see as time goes on, and these watches age, how much more this happens.

As for longevity I do not think you can beat the Exp2 new movement, with the paraflex shock system and parachrome blue hairspring they are built to be more durable. A watch you can feel safe wearing everyday doing anything.

[powerfunk]

Originally Posted by Daytona-Dan

Granted that the bezel on the EXP2 is brushed to hide it and aside from breaking the ceramic, it will look "cleaner" after 20 years as the ceramic is much more durable.

I think I'd have to disagree that a ceramic insert is "more durable" than the Exp 2's rock solid fixed steel bezel. More scratch-resistant maybe?

Hope the trade works out for the OP!

[Daytona-Dan]

Originally Posted by powerfunk

More scratch-resistant maybe?

Yes, sorry. That's what I mean.

My SS Daytona (which I look after very well) has some light swirls/scratches all over the bezel. I'm guessing the EXP2 will do well with this as it's brushed, but if there is anything deep, It will show up just as well.

My SubC (which I tend to wear without fear) still looks brand new despite nocking it a few times. I can see tiny indentations on the bezel frame (and I mean TINY) but the ceramic itself is still fine which gives the impression it's untouched. I'm pretty sure a similar knock on my Daytona would have yielded a much more visible mark simply due to the bezel type.

[Trouble15]

Originally Posted by AH0RSEY

if the sub hurts you when you wear it, it's telling you something......

something like "go buy the Explorer as its more comfy".

x2. If your Sub is literally sometimes hurting you from wearing it as you stated I don't see any reason for you to keep it. Time to move on.

[DJWong]

Originally Posted by mrlongisland

Man, I love this forum. What a great group of guys and gals sharing a passion for timepieces.

DJWong and Daytona-Dan, I totally appreciate that advice. I think at this point, it's the physical discomfort that's really the driver of the flip. I love the styling of the orange hand, but it's not a must-have for me. Having the date is a must have, which was the reason why I didn't swing for the Daytona. And while I thought about flipping the SubC for a GMTII, I still have my reservations about polished center links. I'm still a relatively young guy among a generation who is satisfied with reading the time on their iPhone. PCLs may be "too much" among my circles. The Explorer II is classic yet modern, and I think it's going to be a great fit to my personality.

I'm working through a trade, at the moment, and will be sure to post pics by next week. Thanks for all the feedback, folks!

P

Great post :-) Appreciated. I'm sure you will do the right thing. For me it would be just a heartbreak to let go the SubC, as it nearly happened in 2011.

[Daytona-Dan]

Originally Posted by DJWong

Great post :-) Appreciated. I'm sure you will do the right thing. For me it would be just a heartbreak to let go the SubC, as it nearly happened in 2011.

I agree, only YOU know what's right for YOU. No matter what you chose, you run the risk of regret, but that's part of life. Then again, you also run the risk of finding your perfect watch, one you'll keep for the rest of your life.