Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a Rolex Sea-Dweller 16600, the older model, for a while now. I did some digging around, found some info, and figured I’d try my luck with a high-imitation version. Here’s how it went down.
First off, I started hitting up the forums and stuff. Found a site by a guy named Pete Millar, seemed like he knew his stuff about the SD 4000. He was saying that the fakes often use the Submariner case, which is a tiny bit wider. I kept that in mind.
- Then, I found out that this company called BP makes pretty decent replicas. Some people were saying they’re the best for the 16710 model if you don’t wanna build one from the ground up. I figured their 16600 wouldn’t be too shabby either.
I eventually found a seller that had the BP version of the 16600 with the A3135 movement. I saw some pictures, and yeah, the index alignment looked a little off in the photos, but I thought it might just be the camera angle. Took a gamble and ordered it.
When it arrived, the first thing I did was check the case. It felt solid, good weight to it. Then I looked for the serial number and model engravings, and they were there, on the case and the bracelet, just like the info I found online said they should be.
The details
The date wheel, honestly, looked better than I expected. I mean, based on what I read, I was prepared for it to be way off, but it was pretty decent. The crown guard, though, it was a bit pointier than the real deal, but you know, not a huge deal-breaker for me.
I wore it around for a few days, got some compliments, and most people couldn’t even tell it wasn’t the real deal. I mean, for the price, it’s a pretty sweet watch. Of course, it’s not a genuine Rolex, which is a high-quality watch, but, it does the job. And from what I gathered, the real 16600 is discontinued anyway, replaced by some DeepSea model.
All in all, I’m pretty happy with this replica. I found it, researched it, bought it, checked the details, and wore it. It is a good-looking watch, and it scratches that Sea-Dweller itch I had. I wouldn’t try to pass it off as a real one, but as a fun, everyday watch, it works great.
Click to consult