The BLRO - Six months in

[arexander]

The bezel colors sort-of remind me of Welch's grape soda for the blue and a pale strawberry for the red

[yannis]

Nice write up Clive.
I noticed you said you did not like the blue on the BLNR. Is the blue on the BLRO any different? I genuinely wonder because i have never seen one other than on photos.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by yannis7777

Nice write up Clive.
I noticed you said you did not like the blue on the BLNR. Is the blue on the BLRO any different? I genuinely wonder because i have never seen one other than on photos.

It would be great to see a side by side comparison shot

I believe the two blues are different.

[Pako]

Very nice !!!!!!

[yannis]

I answer my own question here:
Seems like the BLRO has a purple/mauve effect compared to the BLNR.
I prefer the blue of the BLNR but it all boils down to personal taste afterall.
The BLRO is a fantastic watch nonetheless.

[johnnyjazz]

Originally Posted by yannis7777

I answer my own question here:
Seems like the BLRO has a purple/mauve effect compared to the BLNR.
I prefer the blue of the BLNR but it all boils down to personal taste afterall.
The BLRO is a fantastic watch nonetheless.

I think Rolex have tried to keep the colours the same as the original pan-am

[experimentjon]

Originally Posted by Snow-Dweller

My one, however, is not easy to stop to set the time. I find it difficult to pull the crown out to its second stop. It usually takes a number of tries (read minutes) to get it stopped. Not serious enough to send it to RSC....but irksome....

This! Did you ever find a natural resolution?

I've experienced the same thing with my steel GMT. I think it has to do with where the position 2 had been formerly. For example, if I just changed the local time, I typically need to push it back in to position 1, then gently finesse it all the way back out to position 3. (In those cases, feels like even if I pull, there's no way to get from position 2 to 3--it seems like it's almost impossible to get to position 3 if I had any tension in position 2 from moving the local time.) Of course, the other alternative is to try to go straight out to position 3 to start, then come down into position 2 as we are supposed to do.

I haven't played with mine too much, but indeed, there have been times when I thought I got to position 3, and you can set the GMT hand, but it didn't stop the seconds...maybe because it didn't come all the way out...but it is a minor annoyance that I might need to get fixed near sometime before the warranty runs out. Personally, I'm hoping that some time and good luck might make it better from just running the gears or something...horology is a mystery to me.

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by experimentjon

This! Did you ever find a natural resolution?

I've experienced the same thing with my steel GMT. I think it has to do with where the position 2 had been formerly. For example, if I just changed the local time, I typically need to push it back in to position 1, then gently finesse it all the way back out to position 3. (In those cases, feels like even if I pull, there's no way to get from position 2 to 3--it seems like it's almost impossible to get to position 3 if I had any tension in position 2 from moving the local time.) Of course, the other alternative is to try to go straight out to position 3 to start, then come down into position 2 as we are supposed to do.

I haven't played with mine too much, but indeed, there have been times when I thought I got to position 3, and you can set the GMT hand, but it didn't stop the seconds...maybe because it didn't come all the way out...but it is a minor annoyance that I might need to get fixed near sometime before the warranty runs out. Personally, I'm hoping that some time and good luck might make it better from just running the gears or something...horology is a mystery to me.

Is this a warranty issue that Rolex will fix? Or is this just a characteristic of the watch?

[mdaclarke]

Amazing. I have the BLNR but the BLRO is my dream watch.

[Jellitod]

Nice review

[Spectre007]

looks wonderful!

[Notastranger]

Great review. Fantastic picture too!

[Tmac478]

Thank you for this review Snow Dweller! I've been saving up to fund my first PM watch and still haven't decided on which one to get. I've tried on the BLRO and liked it a lot but I also like the PM Yachtmaster and the Skydweller (although I'd have quite a bit more to save for this one). I already own the 16710 Coke. If I do decide on the BLRO, I may flip it, as I don't think I'll need 2 GMTs.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

[piratepress]

Originally Posted by yannis7777

I answer my own question here:
Seems like the BLRO has a purple/mauve effect compared to the BLNR.
I prefer the blue of the BLNR but it all boils down to personal taste afterall.
The BLRO is a fantastic watch nonetheless.

I love the BLRO, but to me it's not worth 4x with the BLNR is.

[Qwerty01]

What a good review!I have tried the BLRO many times in the Ads but everytime its with the plastics on and everytime the colors of the bezel just does not talk to me.

Also I feel like I am paying the price of a WG watch just for the pepsi bezel....
Anyhow, very glad to hear you like the watch.......cheers!

[ILuvSubs]

Great review Clive! Thanks for posting

May I ask why the honeymoon was over for the APs you had?

I'm saving up for my next purchase, and the BLRO, AP Ceramic Diver and Jumbo are all in contention.

Originally Posted by Snow-Dweller

Buying a precious metal Rolex was a major purchase for me. I wanted to be as sure as possible that I was doing the right thing and wouldn't be flipping it for a huge loss further down the road. The BLRO had been on my radar since it first came out (thank you Dr. Tom) but at the time I was more interested in quantity than quality. My collection had slowly grown to six Rolex before I decided this was too many. Three were sold and became two APs....which I loved until the honeymoon was over. A year ago I saw the writing on the wall...the two APs would eventually become my Pepsi.

How are you finding the BLRO now that you've had it for over a year now?

Originally Posted by Snow-Dweller

The downside: I've basically worn the BLRO for six months solid (it might as well have been my only watch). I can see more consolidation of my collection in the future....maybe flip two for another pm piece.....but which ones, and for what? What wonderful problems to have!

[skiahh]

Originally Posted by yannis7777

I answer my own question here:
Seems like the BLRO has a purple/mauve effect compared to the BLNR.
I prefer the blue of the BLNR but it all boils down to personal taste afterall.
The BLRO is a fantastic watch nonetheless.

I'd have to guess the blues are exactly the same. Not sure they'd alter the chemical process to make a different shade... or could alter it that subtly, even.

The perception, however, next to red or black, can certainly make all the difference in how we see it and how the light interacts with both colors.

I'd love a BLRO, too, but don't ever see myself spending that much on a watch (absent winning the lottery!)... too many bikes to buy. :D

[edit]Or, since the BLNR starts out blue and the black is chemically induced and the BLRO starts out red and the blue is induced, maybe they are different!

[Snow-Dweller]

Originally Posted by ILuvSubs

Great review Clive! Thanks for posting



May I ask why the honeymoon was over for the APs you had?



I'm saving up for my next purchase, and the BLRO, AP Ceramic Diver and Jumbo are all in contention.







How are you finding the BLRO now that you've had it for over a year now?

Thanks.

I had a 15400 and an SS Diver for just over a year. I'm pleased I did, and I thoroughly enjoyed what turned out to be a detour before coming "home" to Rolex. The APs are beautiful watches, but I couldn't help but feel they were slightly fragile.

Meanwhile, I've now had the BLRO for 14 months, and I absolutely love it. No regrets whatsoever.

[Snow-Dweller]

Originally Posted by skiahh

I'd have to guess the blues are exactly the same. Not sure they'd alter the chemical process to make a different shade... or could alter it that subtly, even.

The perception, however, next to red or black, can certainly make all the difference in how we see it and how the light interacts with both colors.

I'd love a BLRO, too, but don't ever see myself spending that much on a watch (absent winning the lottery!)... too many bikes to buy. :D

[edit]Or, since the BLNR starts out blue and the black is chemically induced and the BLRO starts out red and the blue is induced, maybe they are different!

I respectfully disagree. Having had a BLNR, and having a BLRO, the two blues are quite different.

[sjladair@hotmail.co.]

Clive

I added the BLRO to a smurf sub after ridding some of my collection. The sub is my daily driver and the BLRO is my special weekend watch. Good luck in adding another PM to the collection.