Sea Dweller un-even lugs.....normal?

[mhopton07]

I've always noticed many older SDs have slightly thinner crown side lugs, including mine.

Assumed it was down to polishing on the leading edges but read an article on vintage watches yesterday that stated;

'One test to not worry over is unequal lugs. Apparently, Rolex designs sport cases with crown guards to have an ever-so-slightly thinner lug on the crown side of the watch. So if you see this, don’t immediately pass on the watch. The more common reason lugs look unequal is that lighting on chamfers and bevels can easily fool you into thinking the lugs are asymmetrical.'


What are your thoughts on this? Here's a picture of my 16660....

[Andad]

Looks good and normal.

[Vincent65]

Looks to be in good shape

[mhopton07]

But you can clearly see that one side slightly thinner than the other.....are we saying Rolex manufactured them like this?

[zapokee]

Originally Posted by mhopton07

But you can clearly see that one side slightly thinner than the other.....are we saying Rolex manufactured them like this?

Yes, we are. It's a known thing. Here's a 1970s Rolex ad for a Red Sub. Look at the top left and right lugs. The widths are noticeably different.

Credit to whomever posted this on the forum first.

[Kingface66]

Originally Posted by zapokee

Yes, we are. It's a known thing. Here's a 1970s Rolex ad for a Red Sub. Look at the top left and right lugs. The widths are noticeably different.

Credit to whomever posted this on the forum first.

That was me. And you’re, of course, correct.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mhopton07]

Very interesting, thanks.

Andy, can you point me in the direction of this thread if this topic has been discussed before. I have searched without luck. ����

[L.K Johnson]

My understanding is that the cases at that time were hand crafted to a greater extent vs today where the Rolex manufacturing machines are making the cases...

[Swearengen]

If I recall correctly the crown side lugs were thinner on the older references to help give optical balance to the case, offsetting the crown.

[Tools]

The crown side is a completely different profile from the backside, on crown-guard models. It's always been that way and there have been many discussions here over the year about it.

The actual ends of the lugs are the same, but the contour profiles presents an illusion.

LugSize.JPG

[Kingface66]

Originally Posted by L.K Johnson

My understanding is that the cases at that time were hand crafted to a greater extent vs today where the Rolex manufacturing machines are making the cases...

LK, absolutely. For me, at least, that is what makes vintage vintage. Those ever-so-slight differences that were hand-crafted (painted dials by hand, cases shaped and polished by hand, etc.) that, whether most people can pick up on it or not, are there, giving each vintage piece its uniqueness and character. Something a design rendered by and cut by computer-programmed machine just seems so sterile in its cookie-cutter look.

[Kingface66]

Originally Posted by mhopton07

Very interesting, thanks.

Andy, can you point me in the direction of this thread if this topic has been discussed before. I have searched without luck. ����

Sure, man! Here ya go

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthre...3#post10292243

[scooba]

Originally Posted by andad

looks good and normal.

x2

[mhopton07]

Originally Posted by Kingface66

Sure, man! Here ya go

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthre...3#post10292243

Thanks pal. 👍🏻

[AJMarcus]

Originally Posted by mhopton07

But you can clearly see that one side slightly thinner than the other.....are we saying Rolex manufactured them like this?

Yes. All sports models. Helps them appear more balanced on the wrist. :