Reply With QuoteHalf of tz is currently having a heart attack.
I would think you'll find the watch copes fine.
Evening all,
I have worn my old 16600 to work at my tyre bay for a few years. Love the watch but have recently started to get an ache from my wrist.
As an experiment, I swapped to an Omega SMP300 for a couple of weeks and it seems a lot better.
So... I’m thinking of using my BLNR for work - its a similar height / stamp to the SMP.
I’m not overly bothered about nicking or scratching the case as I’m not going to sell it but I am concerned about the hardiness of the ceramic insert. It’ll be banged about a bit here and there and I don’t want it cracking every two weeks.
Anyone use a ceramic in a similar environment?
Am I on a hiding to nothing?
PS, I could keep using the SMP but I fancy the BLNR.
Welcome people’s thoughts.
Thanks
Half of tz is currently having a heart attack.
I would think you'll find the watch copes fine.
Might be BB58 on rubber time Dave. Have you tried the 16600 on rubber? My concern would catching the Cyclops.
I've scratched the sapphire on my BLNR and knocked the bezel at 6.33 but not the bezel insert. I did knock the Cyclops against a door frame a few years ago and it needed a new sapphire as the view was smudged.
I think you’ll crack it and it’s just not worth the risk.
If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't wear a Rolex to work in a tyre bay. I would be happy wearing something worth a few £hundred (e.g. my Seiko turtle).
I recognise that BLNR, glad to see you still have it mate. Those were the days when these watches were a relatively sensible price.
I think it could get chipped or cracked and you would have to replace the whole bezel.
HM has pretty strong views on this and Inguess he has seen first hand the damages that ceramic bezels can sustain.
If you want to just wear it. A Rolex service can fix any problems.
Crack the ceramic bezel and he’d be paying them a four figure sum.Originally Posted by Montello
Personally I think this is what G-shocks were invented for but fair play to you for testing the strengths of luxury tool watches.
Probably unlikely... sounds like the OP is happy with a level of risk in return for getting the pleasure of wearing in a robust workplace. Isn’t that what these watches are built for?
It’s a matter of risk and choice, I wouldn’t but I can see why some would.
You sure it's a 4 figure sum?
Pretty sure I read that somewhere but happy to be wrong. May have been the full bezel and insert cost.
Surely someone on forum has had the misfortune of having to replace it and can clarify.
When I enquired about 3 years ago for a 6 digit Exp II it was something like £400 for the bezel but could only be changed during a service for £550 so I sold it instead.
You'd hope a GMT wouldn't need a service to change a bezel insert or bezel and insert combo. The real question is can they change a ceramic insert without charging you for a bezel too.
That’s the issue though. I’ve no problems with it getting marked up. But assuming I need to stick it into a service to replace the bezel, that’s a pain every ten years, it’s unacceptable every two months.
Wiley’s suggestion of a rubber strap on the SD might be worth a look.
It's not that big a stretch. The part price for a replacement ceramic shroud on my Marinemaster 1000m Tuna was $800
Absolutely wear what you prefer it’s a watch after all and meant to be worn, I am looking at most of my watches and most have been put in the field on exercise, operations, my longest serving is my 5 digit GMT. I was taking my car apart this weekend and fitting a new armrest and cup holder and it did a stellar job.
When people talk about using a BB58; to put that into perspective my GMT cost me less than what a BB58 does today.
You can get an insert replaced and with Rolex however the mood at the service centre changes over time. I remember the days when you could keep all parts now it’s a an exchange and you could get a dial change with out a service etc.
Ultimately it’s one of those things you could wear it for 5 years and not knock it or you could have that one moment where you wear it and just happen to knock it in the exact spot to cause it to be damaged.
I would just go for it. No need to break it every two months though. If indeed it breaks, break it only once, fix it and move to a different watch.
Off hand I think it is $600. Willing to be corrected.
Sure wear it, keeping it mind it might crack or chip.
It seems new inserts are around $375.
Props to you for considering this. Let us know how you get on.
Why post something as a fact when the only fact is you don’t actually know ...
I’ll add the word probably if it will make you sleep better?
If you were changing tyres tomorrow
you’d be wearing a Rolex.
Kudos to you for wearing a "tool watch" for actual work Dave.
Cheers,
Neil.
Love this - life is too short. In my experience I've banged a lot of ceramic bezels and no casualties so far.
Have there been many cases of these ceramic bezels cracking? I remember when ceramic bezels first came out there was lots of talk on the Rolex forums about perceived fragility (and the huge expense of replacing one if it got broken) but I haven’t seen many pictures of busted ones. I think of you can afford the watch you can afford to get it mended - that’s the reason I don’t run fancy cars and don’t bother with expensive watches any more - I can afford to buy them but I’m too tight to spend hundreds/thousands to keep them running (and imho an unworn watch is like an undriven car - pointless)
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A friend of mine has a Rado ceramic quartz he bought used (from me). He caught it somewhere and a piece on the lug broke off.
Sent it back to Rado and they replaced the whole case and serviced it at the same time free of charge.
Cheers,
Neil.
Dave - good on you wanting to wear your watches. I’d say wear it. Life is certainly too short. M
this is worth watching cool frood - (some swearing)
Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 9th May 2021 at 19:22.
“ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG
He should be head of marketing for Rolex " just use it 'cos it's meant to go to the bottom of the sea and butt funk mermaids!"
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