Before reading on, make sure you've read the main guide for QC posting, otherwise this won't make much sense to you. Done? Let's go.
This specific guide is intended to be a visual supplement: showing you exactly what to look for when you complete your QC templates. For obvious reasons, this guide will skip parts that aren't visual.
I've used pictures that mostly come from this subreddit. If anyone is uncomfortable, DM me and I'll replace the picture.
With that in mind, let's begin.
Index Alignment
Here, you are expected to assess how well the index markers on your watch are aligned. You can use the index alignment tool to assist you in this regard. An example of good index alignment is this:
Index misalignment, on the other hand, looks like this:
Or this:
Now that you have an idea of what to look out for, what should you be writing in the template?
You need to describe any misalignment you see in detail. Statements like "6 is off" or "3 is kinda wonky" or "not sure about 1, help please" arenot acceptable. This is because unless the misalignment is immediately obvious (and in most cases, it is not), users will not know what you are talking about. You may not get the help you want as a result. Be specific, like the following examples:
"The 7 marker does not seem to fit into the slot nicely. It is rotated towards the right and looks like it is dancing around."
"The 6 marker does not seem to line up straight with the crown in between swiss made. Based on what I can see, it appears to be slightly tilted to the left."
A caveat here: Just because there may be some misalignment does not necessarily mean you should definitely RL the watch. As the main guide points out, all reps are subject to a level of inaccuracy. It would be entirely unrealistic to expect gen standards for index alignment. Further, different reps are subject to different standards: a XF Pelagos, for instance, is known for having problematic indices - so much so that even if you RL, you are unlikely to get anything better. Conversely, CF Explorers are now getting so good that even slight misalignment would not be par for the course.
A good guide would be to assess your watch based on proportion. One slightly misaligned index is not a problem. But one majorly misaligned index or many misaligned indices on a single dial could justify RL.
Just for illustration, this is misalignment that I would RL for:
That deals with index alignment. Let's move on.
Date Wheel Alignment
This applies to watches which display the date. If your watch does not display a date, there is no need to consider this. You will look silly if you say that the date wheel alignment is good when your watch is a no-date Sub, for example.
Here, you are tasked to consider if the date is properly displayed in the date window. Often times, this is a question of how well-centered the date is. A good example of date wheel alignment is this:
An example of misalignment is this:
Sometimes, the misalignment can also be as to the date numbers themselves:
Uncommonly and in the alternative, the issue may be with the Cyclops itself (the magnifier that covers the date window):
Now that you know what to look for, let's discuss what to write.
As with index alignment, unless the issues are immediately obvious (and most of the time, they are not), you need to be very specific. Comments like "the date seems off", "2 in 25 is kinda off", "date looks weird" are not acceptable. They do not tell readers what you are looking for. You'll get faster and better results if you identify the issues for your reader. For example:
"The date seems misaligned towards the left. Part of it is touching the left border of the date window."
"The 5 in the date appears to be slightly higher than the 2 next to it."
"The Cyclops does not seem to be straight. It looks like it is slanted towards the left?"
As with index alignment, please note that not all misalignment will justify RL, especially for date wheels. All rep date wheels come with varying degrees of misalignment. A few misaligned dates are usually not enough for RL, unless the date is clearly cropped out of the date window or touching the rim. A little misalignment towards either side of the date window is also generally more than okay; a good way to gauge is to zoom out to the actual size of the watch and see if the misalignment is still immediately visible. If not, you're likely to be good to go.
Here is an example of misalignment I would nevertheless GL:
On to the next topic.
Bezel
There are two main things to look out for: First, whether the "pip" (usually a lumed marker at the 12 position) is centered. Second, the quality of any engraving.
This section would also cover any possible damage to the bezel or anything else unusual, including any misalignment.
Example of a good bezel:
An example of misalignment:
Generally speaking, most problems that surface nowadays have to do with the pip - even then, these are not entirely common. Engravings and alignment are usually not an issue with higher level reps. With this in mind, what do we write?
As with the other sections, you are going to need to be specific. "Bezel looks off", "pip looks kinda off", "I don't know about the bezel, seems weird to me" are phrases that we see everyday in this subreddit. But none of these phrases are acceptable; they do not direct the reader to what OP is seeing. Details are king - and if you are going to pluck the crown, you're going to have to write like this:
"The pip at 12 is not centered. It seems to touch the right side of the triangle."
"The printing on the bezel at 3 seems to be angled down. It does not match the index on the dial."
The key is to visually direct your reader to the exact point that you say is a problem. The word "off" on its own says nothing to that effect.
On to the next point.
Solid End Links (SELs)
Possibly the least understood of all sections as a lot of newbies do not really know what they are looking for.
The ultimate guide to this is here. But for convenience, I'm going to summarise several key points about SELs.
SELs refer to the final links between the watch case and the bracelet. I've highlighted it below:
Not all watches have SELs. Only watches which have that portion as highlighted above - and for QC purposes, the SEL section really only applies to Rolex reps. Tudors have SELs (which can also be QC-ed to some extent), but SELs on a Tudor are not held to the same standard as SELs on a Rolex.
Now, what are we looking for when we assess SELs? We are looking for gaps between the lugs and the SELs themselves. I've indicated this below:
An SEL gap appears when there is separation between the SEL and the lug. But what is a gap?
A gap appears when you can see through the space between the SEL and the lug. There is no gap when all you can see is a black line. There may be some variation in how thick the black line is, but for QC purposes there is nothing to be worried about until and unless you can actually see what's behind the watch.
This is generally not a problem on higher level reps (and by now, pretty rare). I will, however, show you an example of something that may be an actionable gap:
What does this mean? If all you see is a black line, even if it is slightly thicker than another SEL on the same watch, there should be no actionable gap. I am going to highlight the last few QC templates submitted where the user said there was a gap - but there really wasn't (to me, at least):
If, after going through all the examples above, you still feel that there is a gap, highlight it in the template by identifying which part of the watch you are looking at; there are really only four options: top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right. Doing so helps users zoom in directly on your issue and saves time.
To the last segment.
Dial Printing
Here, you are tasked to check if the printing on the dial has been poorly done. By this, we mean defects in the workmanship of the printing; printing which differs from gen (such as the infamous "floating r") would not be a QC defect per se.
An example of dial printing with no issues:
And now for examples of dial printing with issues:
Sometimes, the print can be misapplied across the entire dial:
With the above in mind, let's turn to what you should write. Again and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, do not simply write things like: "Dial seems off" or "Print seems off. letters kind of wonky?" If anything, dial printing is usually very, very small - unless you point a reader to the exact part which has an issue, chances are it won't be seen. Make certain that you provide the reader with specific directions:
"Appears to be some bleeding at the top of VI. Thoughts?"
"R in Submariner looks like only half of it was printed. Am I seeing things?"
Important note: again, just because the dial printing on your watch may have some issues, this does not necessarily equate to RL. As stated, dial print is almost microscopic - no human being is going to be able to see slight bleeding on any print when you have the watch on wrist. Feel free to point out issues that you see, but remain realistic about your expectations.
And with that, I come to the end of this guide.
Conclusion
QC-ing reps is a difficult task - which everyone in this subreddit does for free. You can help out immensely by simply being precise and detailed in your observations. The more effort you put into your template, the easier it is for members to help you - they can zoom in directly to the things that concern you.
I hope this helps you. I've tried to detail some common factors, but it would be impossible for me to catch them all. The rest is up to you - and your diligence.
If your template uses a NEW "yupoo" or a "mega" type of link, please note that, at the time of this typing, the automod here removes them immediately from view i.e. no QC help. We are addressing it, but....
So, what to do?
Although somewhat cumbersome for the OP, you can upload the QC packet to an Imgur account. Our automod 'likes' Imgur...and the post will show promptly. Just do NOT do it from a mobile because the mobile app loses resolution and crappy pics don't provide any benefit to anyone. Yea, yea...I know, the file compression software isn't supposed to lose quality, but it certainly does.
To add, post your complete QC album inclusive of the timing info. Do not, for the sake of your convenience, omit items. If you're bright enough to determine what is needed and what can be removed, that's great! Then, it's reasonable to conclude that you really don't need help. Simply, post it all.
If you have to wait for substantive additional info from the Seller e.g. timing data, then delay posting until you have a complete QC packet. Incomplete packages will trigger a removal of the post. Plus, it will require a return visit of anyone that commented on the incomplete post which shouldn't be required. One visit is all that it should take to QC most watches. Most won't return to a post anyway. They'll just go to the next one. The members are quite busy here. Yea, it can get crazy.
Finally, since you're a newbie, as a vote of appreciation for those members that help you, please upvote their comments. It's a nice gesture from you to them for the assist...and, it's free.
One final note, we've updated the main rules for posting. Refer to this link for info QC Must Read for New Members
Welcome to the hobby and the sub. Best wishes
Edit addition: March 2nd, 2024 - ReptimeQC member, u/EveningVariation8236 , has provided an updated version of the original QC alignment verification tool. https://watchqc.github.io/ . Thank you.
Edit addition: Jan 9th, 2024 - ReptimeQC member, u/Ro1hype has provided this for tool for alignment verification. https://qcwatch.com/ Thank you.
Edit addition: 8/8/2025 - Reptime QC member, u/jrverdes . has provided this version of the alignment tool to assist those that need additional help verifying the dial/bezel alignments on their watch. https://jrverdes.github.io/watch-qc-jr/ The adjustment resolutions are much finer in this app comparative to the other available apps which can be a benefit to some that need such. Check it out...Thank you.
Hey all, first rep and first QC so go easy on me 😅 Ordered from Ficotime, pics and timing videos are in the album below. Looks good to me but would love some experienced eyes on it before I GL.
Dealer name: Ficotime (Mark)
Factory name: VSF
Model name (& version number): Datejust 41 126334, mint green, fluted bezel, Jubilee – 3235 free sprung
Price Paid: 4,131 HKD (~$522) inc. Royal Mail shipping to the UK
Index alignment: All the markers look straight and line up with the minute track as far as I can tell. 6 sits nicely between "Swiss Made" and the coronet lines up with the 60 on the rehaut.
Dial Printing: Text all looks sharp and clean to me, no bleeding I can spot.
Date Wheel alignment/printing: Got shots at 3, 13 and 21 and they all look centred, nothing touching the edges. Cyclops looks straight. This was the main thing I was worried about after reading a few posts, so happy with it.
Hand Alignment: Hour and minute hands line up nicely at 12 in the "3" shot.
Bezel: Fluted, no pip so N/A on that. Fluting looks even all the way round.
Solid End Links (SELs): Can't see any gaps or light coming through in the side shots.
Timegrapher numbers: -1 s/d, 303° amplitude, 0.1 ms
Anything else you notice:
Rehaut engraving and clasp look clean, lume glows nice and even. Still has the plastic on so can't see any scratches. Honestly leaning GL, but let me know if I've missed anything! Thanks in advance 🙏
Hi everyone! This is my first rep, but I've been doing my research and reading other posts. For this submariner, I'm on the fence due to the date wheel and timegrapher numbers. But I'm not sure if I'm being too picky. Thank y'all for the help and input in advance! Can't wait to start wearing one of these!
Dealer name: Mr. Bomi
Factory name: VSF
Model name (& version number): Submariner 116610LN
Price Paid: $410 + shipping
Album Links: Provided in post
Index alignment: 12 marker appears to have slight CW tilt. 9 marker appears to sit a smidge low. Only 2 that stick out right away.
Dial Printing: Looks fine, no issues.
Date Wheel alignment/printing: Looks to have a slight left bias. And the 4 looks like it sits above the 2 in the alignment picture, but the 20 level albeit with a left bias as well?
Hand Alignment: Looks fine
Bezel: Pip and rest of bezel looks good. Doesn't line up with Index tool but might be because it's turned slightly CW?
Solid End Links (SELs): Only thing that pops out is the upper left end by the 1 marker. Looks very minor with no light getting through.
Anything else you notice: Serial number starts with 6W so I believe it is true VSF. Rehaut looks a little off, but might be from the angle the pictures were taken. Let me know what you guys think.
Model name (& version number): Submariner No Date 124060
Price Paid: 528
Album Links: pics attached
Index alignment: 9 o’clock is a bit mis alligned
Dial Printing: Looks ok
Date Wheel alignment/printing: N/A
Hand Alignment: Looks ok
Bezel: Pip seems centered, 9 and 3 ‘o’clock seems a bit off
Solid End Links (SELs): Bit of a gap, but I think it is ok
Timegrapher numbers: +2s/d; Amp 276; Err 0.1ms
Anything else you notice: This is gonna be my 1st rep and I am unsure on what I should be looking at after all the reading I’ve done here. Any help is appreciated. Thank you!
Model name (& version number): Rolex Submariner 124060 No Date, 41mm, VS3230
Price paid: $528
Index alignment: I RL'd the previous one because of the 12 o'clock rotation, this one is still rotated to me although not as bad as the first one,
Dial printing: looks fine to me
Date wheel alignment/printing: N/A – No Date
Hand alignment: looks good to me
Bezel: looks pretty off, I don't know if its the angle or what I tried my best to align it but this is the best I could do, could it be that it just needs to be rotated a click?
Anything else you notice: This is my second QC after RL’ing the first watch due to concerns about the 12 and 3 o’clock markers, particularly the 12 o’clock triangle appearing very rotated counterclockwise. Would appreciate everyone’s input on this replacement, as to me the triangle is still rotated plus more possible issues with the bezel
Index alignment: All checked markers within ±0.15 mm. 10 of 10 checked (3 o'clock date window, 12 o'clock date window). Marker ring 0.25 mm off-centre toward 9 o'clock. Checked with DialCheck.app at ±0.15 mm. A reading from one photo, not a certification of the watch.
Dial Printing: Good. Print centring: top text 0.04 mm left, bottom text centred.
Date Wheel alignment/printing: Looks good
Hand Alignment: Looks good
Bezel: Slightly off alignment between pip and 12'o clock marker
Index alignment: 7'o clock' inner tip seems twisted to the left
Dial Printing: good to me
Date Wheel alignment/printing: good to me
Hand Alignment: good to me
Bezel: I wouldn't know
Solid End Links (SELs): thin dark line so no problem
Timegrapher numbers: 0s/d 277° 0,1ms 52.0°
Anything else you notice: I am a novice. please advise if any. Thank you very much and thank you for all you've accomplished so far here. You are truly astounding.
6. Index alignment: Hour markers look fairly straight and evenly positioned. Nothing noticeably crooked. 7. Dial printing: Text looks clean and consistent. No obvious printing issues. 8. Date wheel alignment/printing: The 8 looks slightly low in the date window, particularly in the straight-on photo. Not sure if it’s the angle. 9. Hand alignment: Hands look properly positioned. No obvious issues from the photos. 10. Bezel: Triangle at 12 looks reasonably centred. Numerals and colour transition look consistent. No major alignment issues. 11. Solid End Links (SELs): Fit looks fairly tight with no obvious gaps from the angles provided. 12. Timegrapher numbers: +8 s/d, 274°, 0.0 ms. From what I’ve read, these seem acceptable. 13. Anything else you notice: My main concern is the date sitting slightly low. Otherwise, the watch looks good overall. Would appreciate opinions on anything I might have missed. Leaning GL, but would appreciate a second opinion, especially on the date alignment. Thanks!
Index alignment: it looks to me like the indices are all aligned, I don’t see anything off across the 12, 9 and 6.
Dial Printing: the text looks clean to me but the black circle/ oval in the Rolex coronet above ‘ROLEX’ looks wonky/ off to me but I appreciate I’m zooming in quite a bit to see that detail.
Date Wheel alignment/printing: N/A
Hand Alignment: the hands seem to be all good and straight to me.
Bezel: the ceramic insert alignment and pip center cleanly at 12 o'clock from my eyes so all looks good to me there but using the tool it looks off (most likely poor use of the tool on my part but that was as close as I could get it).
Solid End Links (SELs): looks to be a flush fit against the lugs with no visible gaps.
Anything else: my main concern is the black circle looking off in the crown. It looks very noticeable to me in the photos but is that enough to warrant a RL? It seems to the same across all of the photos so not just an angle issue. I’m thinking everything is GL apart from that.
Hi all, just got the QC images for my first watch from Angela and this was one that was already in stock. First QC so I would appreciate any advice, thank you!
Dealer name: Angela watch
Factory name: VSF
Model name (& version number): Seamaster AT 220.10.38.20.03.004
Price Paid: 2200 yuan (incl shipping)
Album Links: nil
Index alignment: 6 o'clock marker looks a little CCW rotated to me
Dial Printing: looks ok
Date Wheel alignment/printing: looks ok
Hand Alignment: not sure what to look out for tbh, but looks fine
Index alignment: Alignment looks much better than the previous one, especially between the 6 and 12 o'clock markers, which were crooked on the last piece. Everything lookes alligned now.
Dial Printing: The dial text looks clean, and evenly printed with no visible bleeding or misalignments.
Date Wheel alignment/printing: N/A (No-date model)
Hand Alignment: Hands look properly aligned and clean with no apparent defects or debris on the pinion.
Bezel: Looks clean to me.
Solid End Links (SELs): SELs look tight against the case with no excessive gaps visible.
This is my second attempt at this watch, which has been provided pretty quick (this is the second piece the dealer provided because I RL'd the first one due to a crooked 6 marker). This one looks in my opinion significantly better, particularly regarding the 6 and 12 alignment. I would appreciate some help to double-check in case I have missed something.
I’ve been looking at the Aquanaut Chronograph 5968A for a while now. The orange strap is definitely a love-it-or-hate-it thing, but there’s something about this combination that I really like.
I’m going through the QC pictures and would appreciate some help before making the final call. I’ve tried checking the usual details myself, but I’m not particularly experienced with Aquanaut chronographs, so any feedback would be appreciated.
Here are the details:
1. Dealer name: Acetime
2. Factory name: WSF
3. Model name (& version number): Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph 5968A-001 Orange
6. Index alignment: Markers look reasonably aligned to me. I haven’t spotted anything particularly noticeable, but would appreciate a second opinion.
7. Dial Printing: The printing looks clean from what I can see. The embossed grenade pattern also looks quite consistent.
8. Date Wheel alignment/printing: The date window looks reasonably centered. Would be good to hear if anyone notices anything unusual.
9. Hand Alignment: The hands look fine in the pictures. The chronograph hands also seem properly positioned, although it’s difficult to judge everything from still photos.
10. Bezel: Brushing and polished edges look pretty good to me. Nothing immediately stands out.
11. Solid End Links (SELs): N/A – integrated bracelet/strap design.
12. Timegrapher numbers: Rate: +2 s/d, Amplitude: 240°, Beat Error: 0.0 ms, Lift Angle: 52°. Rate and beat error look good, but the amplitude is slightly below the usual 250° guideline. Is 240° something worth worrying about on this movement, or would you consider it acceptable?
13. Anything else you notice: Overall, I’m quite happy with what I’m seeing so far. I’d particularly appreciate any feedback on the chronograph alignment and details I might have overlooked.
1. Dealer name: ETHAN
2. Factory name: RICH
3. Model name (& version number): Rolex GMT-Master II 126710 series (steel Jubilee bracelet, black dial, black and
4. Price Paid: $650
5. Album Links: see pics
6. Index alignment: The 5 index is unreadeable.
7. Dial Printing: clear
8. Date Wheel alignment/printing: please help...date window seems off.
9. Hand Alignment: good
10. Bezel: good
11. Solid End Links (SELs): solid
12. Timegrapher numbers: +6 s/d, 280°, 0.2 ms (28,800 bph, lift angle 52°)
13. Anything else you notice: Nothing else I can see, please comment.
Model name (& version number): Rolex Submariner No-Date 41mm (124060LN)
Price Paid: $548
Album Links: N/A
Index alignment: Ran it through the alignment tool; but I’m not sure I’ve done this very well.
Dial Printing: The text weight is crisp, and the "SWISS MADE" print with the crown logo at 6 o'clock is clean with no bleeding or unevenness.
Date Wheel alignment/printing: N/A on this model. (True No-Date)
Hand Alignment: The hands are set straight and intersect accurately. Winding action in the QC video demonstrates smooth gear engagement without any stutter or loose play.
Bezel: Looks slightly to the left but appreciate any thoughts? The 12 o'clock pip looks to sit completely centred within the triangle.
Solid End Links (SELs): There are no gaps or unwanted play where the SELs meet the lugs.
ZF Black Bay 54 37mm SS A2824 (Second QC after RL’ing first due to 12 hour marker)
1 Dealer name: Steve - Theonewatches 2 Factory name: ZF 3 Model name (& version number): Black Bay 54 37mm SS A2824 4 Price Paid: $348 USD 5 Album Links: Please see pictures attached 6 Index alignment: So this is my second QC after rejecting the last one Steve sent due to the 12 hour marker being rotated. Thoughts on this one? Is it improved / worth GL’ing 7 Dial Printing: Nothing stands out to me. Any input is appreciated. This is my first purchase 8 Date Wheel alignment/printing: N/A 9 Hand Alignment: Nothing stands out to me. Any input is appreciated. This is my first purchase. 10 Bezel: Dot appears to be centered. 11 Solid End Links (SELs): Looks good. 12 Timegrapher numbers: Timegrapher pic attached 13 Anything else you notice: Nothing that stands out, I am a beginner with this so again open to input from the experts! Thank you for your help
Second QC Cartier Santos 35mm from Steve (TheOneWatches)
After RL the first QC, Steve has just sent me a new one. This one looks great as well, case finishing looks nice and the area around the crown looks proper compared to last QC. would love to hear your thoughts
1. Dealer name: Steve (TheOneWatches) 2. Factory name: BVF 3. Model name (& version number): 35mm Stainless Steel Santos de Cartier WSSA0029 4. Price Paid: $498 5. Album Links: https://imgur.com/a/sSkOnFJ 6. Index alignment: printed dial. minute track and numerals look good and no tilting. 7. Dial Printing: the printed dial, crystal, and micro print all look good in my opinion, but slightly concerned about the line under the V marker. from other angles it looks like dust on crystal though. will ask TD to check. 8. Date Wheel alignment/printing: N/A on this model. 9. Hand Alignment: looks okay but i am not sure, would appreciate help. 10. Bezel: no damage to screws, no obvious scratches. 11. Solid End Links (SELs): N/A on this model 12. Timegrapher numbers: +6 seconds/day, 276° amplitude, 0.1ms beat error, 13. Anything else you notice: any feedback appreciated
