Reply With Quotegreat read alun and looking forward to seeing it tomorrow!
how much wrist time has the LV seen since it's arrival? do you plan on moving any others on or just add it to the collection? great shots!:)
Edit: Retitled this as it's become a useful thread for comparison of SD-C and Sub-C - see a few posts in.
Twelve days in from the arrival post http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...itting-re-SD-C and I've well and truly jumped off the fence and the conclusion is (as anyone that has picked up one of these seems to already know) is that the Rolex SD-C get's a big thumbs up!
For reference I've owned the modern Subs (116610LN & LV plus 114060) and the older Subs (16610 & 14060M) and SDs (16600 & 16660) plus the 116610LV is my all time favourite. On arrival of the SD I popped it on in place of the LV and thought - well it's nice, but perhaps I should have just got another Sub/Sub Date in black - the SD seemed a bit lumpy and was it really worth the premium against its black bezeled siblings?
TBH I can't answer whether it's worth the premium - albeit that like the SD I am guessing that it will always earn back most if not all of that premium on resale - but what I can say is that it's sufficiently different and with hindsight the right choice. It is a complement/partner to the 116610LV, and it's not a Sub. I think that if I had just got a Sub the date would have been far too similar to the LV and just not get worn (which is what happened before) and the non-date Sub whilst really nice, when I had one before was almost too simple/vanilla compared to the other watches I have. The SD has enough differentiation in terms of look and wearability to make it a great compliment to the LV.
As an aside the other half approves and agrees it is sufficiently different to the LV - something she doesn't agree is the case with the other Subs.
The last SD was my favourite watch for a number of years and when I cleared out my collection last year I cleared out my old SDs because I found that they wore too small for me in contrast to the various ceramic Rolexes that I was wearing. The new SD-C really is a perfect reincarnation - it has the same sort of additional heft compared to the Sub, but face on wears smaller - and the lack of Cyclops is a nice alternative.
Here's some images that show the 'semi top hat' crystal
Some showing how it wears on the wrist - in normal wear it actually sits well 'in' my wrist IMO
It will sit up if I try, and this is when you see how true it is to the previous model - it just looks so indestructible IMO
A few more views - IMO it really does wear rather well
A interesting frame of reference is the arrival post of my 116610LN http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...Lots-of-Images
Last edited by ASW1; 27th August 2014 at 23:56.
great read alun and looking forward to seeing it tomorrow!
how much wrist time has the LV seen since it's arrival? do you plan on moving any others on or just add it to the collection? great shots!:)
Cheers.Originally Posted by ichaice
Some very nice photos there. I'm glad you're enjoying the watch.
I finally saw and tried one on in Harrods last Friday. I was wearing my 16600 lug hole model so was trying to compare the two. I would really like to try one but two out of my 16600, 114060 and PO would have to go to make way for it and I can't seem to make that equation work for me at the moment. I wish I could though as I can see this watch being the one that gets me out of this game for good
Re decisions, the issue is being a WIS means rational doesn't feature too much. The rational thing would be to flip all the ones you have and get the SD-C. They are after all all black faced divers. The SD-C has similar presence to the PO (assuming it's a 42mm one) and it looks so similar (to a non-WIS) to the SD and Sub that there would be no point keeping them. However, for a WIS the debate of variety i.e. 'original' SD, modern Rolex diver and something from another maker, is the counter to the simplicity of just having the SD-C.
The SD-C is my only black faced watch (aside from a Swatch) and I think that one black dial is all that one requires (albeit that at one point I think I may have had well in excess of 20 black dials). For me a rehash of your collection could end up with the following (although it might need another grand on top?):
Will be interesting to see how it wears for you, and of course to see your new acquisition too.
Re wrist time, since it arrived it's been the default and only made way for my Swatch when doing my weekend walkabouts - as it is I regularly get asked for money and that's looking like a slob wearing a cheap watch.
The novelty will wear off and the LV will be back in rotation for sure.
As an FYI I took a few pics of the SD-C vs Sub-C. Folks will note that the SD face on looks smaller than the Sub.
That's interesting - just noticed that the clasp on the SD is shorter....... see the pics above.
I had previously commented that it definitely wasn't the same bracelet - as the end links were different and as such the design isn't Rolex laziness but a conscious choice.
So the bracelet differences I have noted so far include - different end links, different clasp, the extension link that comes with SD, and then also a different glidelock mechanism - they are similar, but the SD one is definitely subtly different to the Sub.
Brilliant write-up and great pics! This is not, however, making life any easier for me!! I've got a 16600 and love it to bits - I can't imagine improving on it but all these reviews are really making me want to check out a SDC...
Thank you for the insight my good man!!!
Thanks for taking the time to post this, Alun.
The comparison shots work well to illustrate the differences in case dimensions. I must admit, I am biased, but in seeing the fact the dweller, face on, wears smaller, yet the case and crystal remain much thicker, I would be more likely to wear the Sub for every day purposes.
I appreciate the way the dweller has stayed true to its roots and maintained similar dimensions, but I've got to wonder whether it would have made more sense for the range to be increased in size to be slightly larger diameter than the sub, slotting in nicely between that and the DSSD...
I am down to 2 watches, the 16600 and SubC LV. I have been sorely tempted by the new SDc, but I'm still not convinced that the premium is enough to merit moving on from my 16600 (which I've grown to love again following some weight loss and hence it now fits my wrist better).
The SDc is a lovely watch though, potentially the perfect watch IMHO and definitely worth consideration for someone coming at it afresh.
Thanks for the interesting write-up and comparison photos.
Last edited by jukeboxs; 26th August 2014 at 13:51. Reason: Typo
i cant believe how much bigger those lugs make the Sub look. i tried one on the other day and it certainly seems bigger on the wrist than the 40mm specs suggest.
Very nice! I would love it if they would offer a version with a matte finish on the ceramic bezel like the Pelagos.
I met up with Alun tonight, and as always was great to chat amongst other things, watches with him!
No surprise he had his SD on, and i had my 114060 on. Great opportunity to compare the two with my personal thoughts being that the differences are quite subtle. No doubt the SD is thicker, but then thats obvious (and indeed Alun's previous photos highlight this well). To some this will be preferred and to others not so much.
To me the matte dial is very nice, i think it makes the watch more legible as it has less reflections compared to the sub.
Its lug profile is definitely nicer, having those thinner lugs, however does this maybe accentuate the height of the watch?
The bezel with its fully graduated bezel is almost a red herring of a difference as on the wrist the difference is so insignificant its almost not worth mentioning.
What do i prefer? Probably my no date, reason being i have an 8500 PO so feel i already have the thicker dive watch, date no cyclops, matte dial diver slot filled. However i can certainly see the appeal if like Alun you already have an LV, and therefore a black sub would be too similar, whereas the SD is sufficiently different.
A couple of poor rushed photos...
Hey Anthony - cheers for the coffee, and of course let's not forget a his 'n his shot ;)
Enjoy the new Sub!
Nice comparisons... I think I'm still slightly on the side of the sub for some reason although the sd4000 looks great as well.
Enjoy those terrific watches :)
I just realized that it has a top hat xtral...another adorable feature!
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