A one week pictorial review and observations of the SeaDweller 50th anniversary.

[Mystro]

Originally Posted by Bigblu10

Based on your Hulk ownership, I estimated you would have this watch for about a year before you flipped it, even with your glowing reviews. Boy, did I overestimate that figure.

. Yet I owned a Bluesy for 19 years before that so generally I don’t flip watches. This catch and release was beyond my control. The SD50th is increadable and my situation is rare and takes nothing away from my opinion or my love for the model.

[Bigblu10]

Originally Posted by Mystro

. Yet I owned a Bluesy for 19 years before that so generally I don’t flip watches. This catch and release was beyond my control. The SD50th is increadable and my situation is rare and takes nothing away from my opinion or my love for the model.

You want a grail get a full gold Sub. YG or WG, whichever you fancy. You will forget about the SD and Hulk real fast. Love mine.

[Mystro]

Originally Posted by Bigblu10

You want a grail get a full gold Sub. YG or WG, whichever you fancy. You will forget about the SD and Hulk real fast. Love mine.

All that PM weight will be a issue so I am going with a very unique TT profesional model that brought me to my knees when it was introduced this year, new movement, updated design, 40mm,.........it can only be a GMT 126711 CHNR. Wearing a Bluesy for 19 years and was moving away from yellow gold but that rose gold this year with that tobacco brown/black dial put it on the top of my list. Availability was a major pain but since I know what size watch my wrist likes I said what the hell and tracked down a new stickered full set bought this month. One of our trusted sellers helped me out. Our network takes care of our own. Incoming Friday.

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by Mystro

I have a somber follow up to this review:

Man, that's a bummer. I can understand a larger watch causing discomfort, but I'm puzzled your other big watches don't. How does your Breitling treat you? Based on my experiences with a Chronomat Evolution, I would have thought if your Blackbird didn't cause you problems, nothing would.

[Mystro]

Originally Posted by JacksonStone

Man, that's a bummer. I can understand a larger watch causing discomfort, but I'm puzzled your other big watches don't. How does your Breitling treat you? Based on my experiences with a Chronomat Evolution, I would have thought if your Blackbird didn't cause you problems, nothing would.

That is what I thought as my Breitling is a big watch but not as heavy and it’s pilot bracelet and small clasp is a different animal. I weighed the 45mm Breitling and is like 130g ish.
The sharp edge of the Rolex bracelet in combination of its weight causes a linear sharp pressure across my two wrist tendons directly in the middle of my inner wrist. The doctor could duplicate it with a tongue depressor. My DJ2 isn’t a light weight watch and it’s perfectly fine.
It’s a bummer but my wife had mercy on me and green lighted some more money to purchase a grail watch that is 40mm and not as heavy in its place.
Decades at this hobby and it still can throw a curve balls at you. I want Imcan always wear for extended periods of time so the SD50th is a catch and release for me without too much financial damage.

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by Mystro

It’s a bummer but my wife had mercy on me and green lighted some more money to purchase a grail watch that is 40mm and not as heavy in its place.
Decades at this hobby and it still can throw a curve balls at you.

Do we get to know the grail, or should we wait until the big reveal? (Normally I'm annoyed when members drag it out, but yours are fun. I credit the awesome pictures and write-ups.)

[crazycarlitos]

Originally Posted by Mystro

I have a somber follow up to this review:

I have been having finger numbness and wrist/arm pain for a week now. I went to my friend that is a MD and he narrowed down that I have two raised tendons on the inside of my left wrist that flexes up when I make a muscle. My SD50th clasp is putting pressure on these two tendons and causing this pain and numbness. Its a combo of the weight of the watch and the clasp. I have tried sizing the watch looser but it wraps off my wrist bones and hand. I have tried every sizing combo there is in a desperate attempt and I cant get the paint to go away while wearing the SD50th. I have lifted weights for 30 years and am very muscular but the tendons rise up too high around my wrist muscles.
I have never had this issue with any of my other oversized watches. I switched the SD out for another watch like my DJ2 and the pain and numbness goes away within a 1/2 hour. Ugh.... Talking this over with my wife I am going to cut the SD50th loose and put down some more money to purchase a grail watch that is in the 40mm size. I am at a watch size/weight impasse for my wrist. I wear a 44mm Panerai on a strap for years without any issues and it doent give a whiff of pain perhaps because its on a strap.
I am pissed about the whole situation as I could have never have factored a pinched tendon in on a watch purchase. I think this is a unique situation and doesn't take anything away from the SD50th at all. Decades of Rolex ownership and this is a first.

sorry to hear

confused if its the weight or the size that is causing problems for ur tendon...

but if its causing pain, definitely trade for one that doesn't.

keep in mind, PM models weigh more than sd43

[VicLeChic]

Originally Posted by Mystro

I have a somber follow up to this review:

I have been having finger numbness and wrist/arm pain for a week now. I went to my friend that is a MD and he narrowed down that I have two raised tendons on the inside of my left wrist that flexes up when I make a muscle. My SD50th clasp is putting pressure on these two tendons and causing this pain and numbness. Its a combo of the weight of the watch and the clasp. I have tried sizing the watch looser but it wraps off my wrist bones and hand. I have tried every sizing combo there is in a desperate attempt and I cant get the paint to go away while wearing the SD50th. I have lifted weights for 30 years and am very muscular but the tendons rise up too high around my wrist muscles.
I have never had this issue with any of my other oversized watches. I switched the SD out for another watch like my DJ2 and the pain and numbness goes away within a 1/2 hour. Ugh.... Talking this over with my wife I am going to cut the SD50th loose and put down some more money to purchase a grail watch that is in the 40mm size. I am at a watch size/weight impasse for my wrist. I wear a 44mm Panerai on a strap for years without any issues and it doent give a whiff of pain perhaps because its on a strap.
I am pissed about the whole situation as I could have never have factored a pinched tendon in on a watch purchase. I think this is a unique situation and doesn't take anything away from the SD50th at all. Decades of Rolex ownership and this is a first.

Wow, first time I hear of such thing. Sorry but glad you found the cause and can easily put a remedy to it. The SD43 clearly wasn't meant for your wrist. The good thing is you got more cash to spend on its replacement, so that's cool.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Mystro

I have a somber follow up to this review:

I have been having finger numbness and wrist/arm pain for a week now. I went to my friend that is a MD and he narrowed down that I have two raised tendons on the inside of my left wrist that flexes up when I make a muscle. My SD50th clasp is putting pressure on these two tendons and causing this pain and numbness. Its a combo of the weight of the watch and the clasp. I have tried sizing the watch looser but it wraps off my wrist bones and hand. I have tried every sizing combo there is in a desperate attempt and I cant get the paint to go away while wearing the SD50th. I have lifted weights for 30 years and am very muscular but the tendons rise up too high around my wrist muscles.
I have never had this issue with any of my other oversized watches. I switched the SD out for another watch like my DJ2 and the pain and numbness goes away within a 1/2 hour. Ugh.... Talking this over with my wife I am going to cut the SD50th loose and put down some more money to purchase a grail watch that is in the 40mm size. I am at a watch size/weight impasse for my wrist. I wear a 44mm Panerai on a strap for years without any issues and it doent give a whiff of pain perhaps because its on a strap.
I am pissed about the whole situation as I could have never have factored a pinched tendon in on a watch purchase. I think this is a unique situation and doesn't take anything away from the SD50th at all. Decades of Rolex ownership and this is a first.

Sorry to hear

Have you considered tendon surgery? I mean, the problem isn't going away, just the symptom when you wear this particular reference seems odd. Just a thought

All the best of luck to you.

[Dirt]

There's plenty of strap options out there.
Rubber B comes to mind, or something in Kevlar perhaps?

[Mystro]

Originally Posted by Dirt

There's plenty of strap options out there.
Rubber B comes to mind, or something in Kevlar perhaps?

Wasn’t a option as Rolex is a bracelet watch in my collection. Their bracelets are too nice to not use them. I own other watches like Panerai that are my strap watches. It’s not that I don’t love the SD50th but I can’t wear it without my hand going numb. Sucks but life goes on and so will other Rolex models.

[strafer_kid]

Great pictures!

[antbkny]

Sorry for the pain, I’m glad you figured it out quickly. Must be the additional width of the clasp in comparison to the sub?

And rubber ain’t so bad! But I agree, the oyster bracelet is hard to beat.

[jenedla]

Wow, what a curious turn of events and such a shame for you, Mystro.
I'm looking forward to your review and wrist shots of the CHNR; its been on my shortlist.

[Devildog]

Mystro - also sorry to hear that you can't wear the watch without pain.

Great choice on the CHNR however

[Neutronman]

Nice review, nice watch. Too thick for me.

[fsprow]

I have had one for two months and it is becoming my favorite. Astoundingly accurate -- within 1 or perhaps 2 seconds per day stored overnight with stem up.

[strafer_kid]

Originally Posted by fsprow

I have had one for two months and it is becoming my favorite. Astoundingly accurate -- within 1 or perhaps 2 seconds per day stored overnight with stem up.

Same here - have noticed great accuracy with mine so far!

[burnthesehills]

Awesome photos! Nice job.

[Rolexnoob2018]

Absolutely stunning pics!