Could This be? Rolex Submariner

[911Turbo]

Noticed a listing on my local Craigslist for a 10 year old Sub that apparently was exposed to sun and water every day. The result is a faded brown bezel and dial. My question is if this is even possible?

Its from Craigslist and the listing is as follows:
Really unique Submariner.
Previous owner wore everyday in the water and sun. This watch is 10 yrs old and is totally browned out.
The movement is very clean and was serviced and restored by prior owner.
The rest of the watch he left the same.

Looks like it was exposed to a nuclear bomb?
Has anyone seen a "Tropical" dial this intense after 10 years??? Or is it a Craigslist special?

[jaisonline]

That which is a M serial (2006-ish). I haven’t seen a super-lume fade like that before. Something seems fishy and it's not even someone microwaving fish in the office currently. The dial font looks off. Same for the bezel's font. All font is off.

Attached is my M series for dial comparison.

[HogwldFLTR]

I've never seen a Luminova watch with discolored lumes. It seems especially unlikely from sun exposure. The insert looks too pristine to have gotten that way from age. My take is that the watch is genuine but has a damaged dial (water?) with a new insert. If it truly has been serviced, I'd question the service viability as I'd expect the damaged dial and hands to be preplaced.

[Batmannr1]

First time i see this patina on a 16610 super luminova. Very hard to believe this watch has faded naturally.

[Bladeshot]

I don’t see how that could be authentic discoloration of either the dial/hands or the insert. Let’s see what the experts say.

[Pete17]

That has been butchered.
An absolute joke.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[rajcuatrista]

everything about the sub looks clean except bezel and lume, where are the scratches on the bracelet?
looks suspect to me

[SN13]

Crown looks weird.
Lugs look weird.
Marker at 9 has damage next to it on the dial. Water damage?

Do you have any other photos?

[rjstuf001]

Craigslist special all the way. What a mess.

[SN13]

Nevermind, found it.

[Solo118]

Lugs look weird maybe even polished?

I would pass, better safe than sorry.

[bigfatpauli]

The fading of the hands doesn't match the dial not to mention all the other issues above.

Unless the reason for the sale is the owner died of melanoma, it's a franken watch that has had some fauxtina work (poorly) done and at best and a straight-up fake at worst.

[SN13]

Mashup Time.

[jsausley]

Looks like one of those "fake aged" Subs.

[t65tampa]

Unique or not, would not be for me at all. The lugs and crown look off to me. Pass.

[Jmbarrack]

Lots of things to question as others have mentioned, lugs, super luminova patina, etc.

I'll also add that for a bezel faded brown, the numbers on the bezel seem to be awful crisp and clear. I'd assume that if this was a natural fade, those numbers would also be more blended to fade of the bezel. Not crispy clear.

[ras47]

I've seen Omega Speedmasters go brown over time. They call it "Tropical." But I have not seen a bezel go brown. Hmmm...

[Jg422]

Looks suspicious to me. Would that be the correct dial? Would it not be a T Swiss made T dial? Is the seconds hand overlapping the seconds markers too much?? Crown also doesn’t look solid to the case


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Onikage]

Coronet on clasp isn't central. Grooves in clasp also suspect. Short lugs. Whatever it is it isn't right.

[strafer_kid]

Strange one alright!

[Lemonvr6]

Terrible fake

[jaisonline]

Not many folks are mentioning the questionable dial text for a M serial 16610.
Am I the only one who sees font alignment and spacing issues ? Maybe it's time for me to get a vision checkup???

[SN13]

This is what a 27 year old insert looked like.



The brown one looks like it's been force-aged with bleach and tea.

[mjclark32]

Rehaut looks odd to me too.
My M has seen a ton of water and sun, not a bit of fading

[mrricks]

Not natural fading.
My forty year old 1680 saw plenty of sun and sea in Persian Gulf and Red Sea, black bezel faded but no color change like that.

[Onikage]

Superlume pearl shouldn't age no matter how much tea it is showered with. Left side of 4 is pointy, 20 is wonky - Not a Rolex insert. The whole thing is fake. Probably one of the more painstakingly made ones back then..

[Tom5518]

No biggie, dude just wore it in the hot tub for a few minutes once.

[cloudplay]

Originally Posted by Tom5518

No biggie, dude just wore it in the hot tub for a few minutes once.

Surprised this took until post 27

[SN13]

Originally Posted by Tom5518

No biggie, dude just wore it in the hot tub for a few minutes once.

LOOOOL It oxidized the copper in the gold bezel insert!

....and ate away half the lug length!

[offrdmania]

Its almost like someone shaped the lugs to look like the shape of a maxi case