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Thread: Bad Rolex - does it exist?

  1. #1
    Master
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    Bad Rolex - does it exist?

    Well, does it? Is there a model that had yet to be accepted? Obviously the main lot are a huge success but is there such a thing as a Rolex flop?

    The closest I've seen on here is the Air King but even that has an ok fan base..

  2. #2
    Grand Master ryanb741's Avatar
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    I'd say some of the garish bejewelled things but that being said the internal mechanics are sound. Obviously the older subs etc had inferior bracelets vs today's model but we have to put the age into context. BTW current Air King has been a divisive watch stylistically but the specifications of the bracelet and movement are very good. I don't really think there would be a 'bad' modern Rolex but you could say the same of Omega, Breitling, IWC etc.

  3. #3
    The Sky-Dweller got a lot of stick when it first landed - I too was in the 'hell no' camp, but I've grown to appreciate the engine within.

  4. #4
    Master -Ally-'s Avatar
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    Of course they exist. I’m a big Rolex fan but they have and still do make some pig ugly watches.

  5. #5
    Grand Master Andyg's Avatar
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    The leopard Daytona - not a bad watch, just an ugly one (for my taste).

    Not a fan of the DSSD either, simply because it's overweight, oversized, to thick (and therefore uncomfortable to wear), over spec'ed and over priced compared with the SD. IMHO.

    Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
    Friedrich Nietzsche


  6. #6
    Grand Master markrlondon's Avatar
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    New, debased, perverted Air-King in my opinion. ;-)

  7. #7
    I don't think there's a badly made modern Rolex, but the Cellini range don't often appear on the Friday thread.

  8. #8

    Bad Rolex - does it exist?

    Yes; this...

    Great watch except when it came to telling the time - slight flaw in my view!


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  9. #9
    Journeyman
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    I think the Air King may end up having a cult following of some sorts in the future.. like those films that most criticised but end up having a much bigger following as a result of it.

  10. #10
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    For me, this question is an open goal into which every dealer in the country would happily punt the quartz Cellinis.

    Air-King 116900 is commercially doing quite well; residuals are strong as I know too well having only this week tried to source one for my IT guy. I remain unconvinced by the Lego primary colour scheme...







    ...but apparently tight supply and such obvious points of difference do give this model a strong foundation for future desirability.

    Haywood
    Last edited by Haywood_Milton; 14th December 2017 at 23:27.

  11. #11
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by chrisparker View Post
    I don't think there's a badly made modern Rolex, but the Cellini range don't often appear on the Friday thread.
    Which might say more about the tastes of TZ than about the watch itself. Which is superb. If you want something naff....Rolex can accommodate you. They do 'bling' with great enthusiasm. Mind you, I still find the Skydweller rather 'challenging.' Or as my partner said;,'ugh...what's that.'
    And yet it seems to sell strongly, so there you are. Everything Rolex sells.
    Last edited by paskinner; 14th December 2017 at 23:28.

  12. #12
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    Off the top of my head, the following...

    - Air King
    - Current shape Explorer 2 (it'll be even worse with a ceramic bezel if they add one)
    - The BLNR (yes I know I will be slaughtered for this but I dislike the hue of the blue and seeing one on someone's wrist the other day in the gym, it just looked like a regular model until it caught one of the lights and I saw the blue)
    - The Rose Gold Yacht-Master on Oysterflex... why oh why did they get rid of the stunning case and swap it for the Submariner case?! I'm not saying I wouldn't have one at some point but it would annoy be that the lovely curvy case has been swapped for the more squared off Submariner type
    - Any Pearlmaster model although I'm certainly not the target market
    - The Pepsi GMT... if this would have been steel, it would have been incredible, but it isn't and the white gold is so brushed, it ruins any point in the white gold being present; you can't see the lustre due to the satin finish of it at all so it just adds weight, cost and more fragility.

    My opinions will probably change over time, but as much as I rate Rolex, some of them aren't half over-valued by people IMO.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by paskinner View Post
    Which might say more about the tastes of TZ than about the watch itself. Which is superb. If you want something naff....Rolex can accommodate you. They do 'bling' with great enthusiasm. Mind you, I still find the Skydweller rather 'challenging.' Or as my partner said;,'ugh...what's that.'
    And yet it seems to sell strongly, so there you are. Everything Rolex sells.
    Nice edit

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by adg31 View Post
    Yes; this...

    Great watch except when it came to telling the time - slight flaw in my view!


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    It’s about 1.33 (in the afternoon I assume from the sunlight). Can’t see the issue?

  15. #15
    Grand Master number2's Avatar
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    Bad, probably not, fugly yes some.
    "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."

    'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.

  16. #16
    Craftsman
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    a bad rolex? several!!

  17. #17
    Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by chrisparker View Post
    I don't think there's a badly made modern Rolex, but the Cellini range don't often appear on the Friday thread.
    Neither do modern Omega Constellations.....but that says more about the narrow focus of this forum than it does about the watches.

    Paul

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Haywood_Milton View Post
    For me, this question is an open goal into which every dealer in the country would happily punt the quartz Cellinis.

    Air-King 116900 is commercially doing quite well; residuals are strong as I know too well having only this week tried to source one for my IT guy. I remain unconvinced by the Lego primary colour scheme...







    ...but apparently tight supply and such obvious points of difference do give this model a strong foundation for future desirability.

    Haywood
    Laings, Edinburgh, 2 days ago. RRP.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by 33JS View Post
    Laings, Edinburgh, 2 days ago. RRP.
    Thank you. Yes, they do pop up regularly and really don’t merit a significant premium, but they aren’t as readily available as the “last man picked for rounders” Explorer II.
    Last edited by Haywood_Milton; 15th December 2017 at 02:11.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Haywood_Milton View Post
    Thank you. Yes, they do pop up regularly and really don’t merit a significant premium. but they aren’t as readily available as the “last man picked for rounders” Explorer II.
    You're welcome. I think they had an Exp too...

    I was just in checking that they'd started a GMT 'coke' aspirational list for Basel '18. 😊 They have!

  21. #21
    Grand Master ryanb741's Avatar
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    There's an Air King in my local AD. And a sub 114600. And apparently the new SD made it to the display window for the first time a few days ago although it ended up being bought the same day

  22. #22
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    The yacht master II? They never seem to get much love

  23. #23
    Master Tony-GB's Avatar
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    The "James Cameron"

    Afterthought gimmick that people fall for.

  24. #24
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    Design wise yes, but as far as the technical and engineering side, I don't think they do a bad watch, and I'm no fan boy and I don't even own one anymore.

    Edit: except for those poorly designed SELs
    Last edited by stix; 15th December 2017 at 08:29.

  25. #25
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    Bad no.
    Not to my taste - a couple.

  26. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by ryanb741 View Post
    There's an Air King in my local AD. And a sub 114600. And apparently the new SD made it to the display window for the first time a few days ago although it ended up being bought the same day
    That says to me people are not buying as frantically as earlier in the year. Means grey and pre-owned market will hopefully get softer.

    Interesting times?

  27. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by -Ally- View Post
    Of course they exist. I’m a big Rolex fan but they have and still do make some pig ugly watches.
    Quote Originally Posted by td1596 View Post
    a bad rolex? several!!
    Such as?

    It would be helpful to the thread, if you added your views in a little more detail :-)

  28. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by henk View Post
    Handled an Air King recently superb watch with a quirky dial. Definitely a grower.

    Sent from my SM-G920F using TZ-UK mobile app
    But not a seller. There’s one stuck in the window of Fraser Hart Kingston, and it’s been there weeks and weeks.

    It maybe a grower from the WIS community, but Joe public (including me) find it strange, and frankly fugly.


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  29. #29
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Guycord View Post
    That says to me people are not buying as frantically as earlier in the year. Means grey and pre-owned market will hopefully get softer.

    Interesting times?
    One shop in the uk doesn't have a buyer for a watch and you take that as the whole Rolex world softening a little?

  30. #30
    Master paneristi372's Avatar
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    As a factory standard item, these are pretty ghastly!!!


  31. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by paneristi372 View Post
    As a factory standard item, these are pretty ghastly!!!
    I thought it looked good on you last time I saw you Jamie

  32. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by W44NNE View Post
    The BLNR (yes I know I will be slaughtered for this but I dislike the hue of the blue and seeing one on someone's wrist the other day in the gym, it just looked like a regular model until it caught one of the lights and I saw the blue)
    Funnily that is one of the main reasons why I love that watch!

  33. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by murtz View Post
    Funnily that is one of the main reasons why I love that watch!
    I found the GMT hand disappears too easily, and just didn't like the watch after loving it for the first day or so. Each to their own and glad you like it so much :-)

  34. #34
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    Watches are subjective little things aren't they? I remember when I had a Black Dice. Thought it was the best looking watch out there.

  35. #35
    Master Glen Goyne's Avatar
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    No they are all great.

  36. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by Topcat30093 View Post
    Such as?

    It would be helpful to the thread, if you added your views in a little more detail :-)
    new air king, sky dweller, insert precious metal/jewelled monstrosity here....

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by paneristi372 View Post
    As a factory standard item, these are pretty ghastly!!!

    this might take the crown! (no pun intended...)

  37. #37
    Master
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    To be honest I assumed that the leopard ones etc. Were modified, I'm very surprised Rolex made them, were they by special request of a very rich person with no taste?

  38. #38
    Grand Master markrlondon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Haywood_Milton View Post
    Air-King 116900 is commercially doing quite well; residuals are strong as I know too well having only this week tried to source one for my IT guy. I remain unconvinced by the Lego primary colour scheme...
    Hah, good comparison. ;-)

    In and of itself I might even have liked the new Air-King but I feel that the new watch is a mis-use of the very old name.

  39. #39
    Grand Master markrlondon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by paneristi372 View Post
    As a factory standard item, these are pretty ghastly!!!

    Oddly enough, I am kind of drawn to these. Not that I can afford one so it's moot but I somehow find it appealing. I like the colour combinations I think.


    Quote Originally Posted by SteveR View Post
    To be honest I assumed that the leopard ones etc. Were modified, I'm very surprised Rolex made them, were they by special request of a very rich person with no taste?
    I believe they are on the price list so (small volume!) standard production, I think.

  40. #40
    Craftsman
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    There has been an air king sat in watch gallery in Westfields shepherds bush for about 6 months

    Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

  41. #41
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    The Yuckmaster 2 is pretty terrible in all its versions.

  42. #42
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by SteveR View Post
    To be honest I assumed pthat the leopard ones etc. Were modified, I'm very surprised Rolex made them, were they by special request of a very rich person with no taste?
    Lots of Rolex fans in the Middle East and Asia. They have... uh... "unique" taste sometimes.

  43. #43
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andyg View Post
    The leopard Daytona - not a bad watch, just an ugly one (for my taste).

    Not a fan of the DSSD either, simply because it's overweight, oversized, to thick (and therefore uncomfortable to wear), over spec'ed and over priced compared with the SD. IMHO.
    Could not agree with you any more on this. I see a guy with one every night on my way home. It is ridiculously thick and just to blingy for my liking.

  44. #44
    Master raptor's Avatar
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    Anything Dubai looking

  45. #45
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    The new Milgauss and the Air-king. They made the Air-King to get clear of their surplus Milgauss-cases and movements, as they are exactly the same, only dial/hands/brushed bracelet differs. When I was at Rolex training I saw many employees wearing the milgauss... Leading me to think they either got one essentially for free, or it's time to buy one... :D Remember the Paul newman was an unsellable model as well, back in the day. The white and black clear crystalled milgauss are already discontinued since long, but still linger in shop windows.

  46. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andyg View Post
    The leopard Daytona - not a bad watch, just an ugly one (for my taste).

    Not a fan of the DSSD either, simply because it's overweight, oversized, to thick (and therefore uncomfortable to wear), over spec'ed and over priced compared with the SD. IMHO.

    The DSSD isnt pretty, but I wouldnt say its overpriced considering the bracelet clasp and the case construction, also every single watch is actually tested to nearly 5000m, and some do fail (and when they do, the whole watch is a write-off, as the sapphire pierces the case from within).

    In fact it's probably one of the most "bang for buck" Rolex watches, if you like engineering.

  47. #47
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    Sorry to the owners but... For me it has to be those white dial, bright blue yachtmasters

    Saw one in a window yesterday and it's one of the rare watches that actually looks worse to me in real life than pics. I pointed it out to my mrs and (lying) said "that's what I want" she took a step back with a grimace & a "wow, that's horrible"

    But they make them and sell them and it'd be a boring world if everyone liked only a nice subtle 5512/5513 wouldn't it. We also perceive colours differently and what's garish to me may be right for someone else.

  48. #48
    Grand Master
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    There’s always the Walt Odets tear down and review of the Cal.3000.


    http://www.timezone.com/2002/09/16/the-rolex-explorer-ref-14270-part-1/

    http://www.timezone.com/2002/09/16/t...-14270-part-2/

    It’s going back a few years and it is criticising the movement, not the aesthetics which must feel a tad quaint, but it certainly is an example of Rolex not quite living up to the hype...

  49. #49
    Quote Originally Posted by Glen Goyne View Post
    [rainbow yachtmaster]
    No they are all great.
    Right, because the other guys would never do something like that. ;)



    Matters of taste aside, you're getting a high-quality watch no matter which one you choose.

  50. #50
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    I wouldn’t say bad as such,Just not my cup of tea I have no desire for any of them.

    They remind me of old people’s houses with horrid wallpaper inside,cheap prints on the wall and a musty smell.

    That’s the best way I can describe how they make me feel.

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