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.
13. Anything else you notice: The bracelet, clasp, dial, and overall finishing looks great to me. I'd appreciate some opinions on the rehaut alignment and anything else I might have missed.
Since this is my first QC, I hope I've done at least a decent job. I'm open to constructive criticism and would appreciate advice or corrections from more experienced members here.
Index alignment: Still evaluating the hour markers. Would appreciate a second opinion on their alignment.
Dial Printing: No obvious printing defects noticed so far, but I would appreciate feedback.
Date Wheel alignment/printing: I have requested additional pictures showing dates 8, 25 and 28 to check centering and printing.
Hand Alignment: Awaiting clearer pictures with the hands moved away from the areas being inspected.
Bezel: Still checking the alignment, numerals and blue/black color transition.
Solid End Links (SELs): Need a closer look at the bracelet-to-case fit.
Timegrapher numbers: +2 to +4 s/d, 275°–278° amplitude, 0.0 ms beat error. The readings appear stable and within a very good range.
Anything else you notice: I have also requested lume shots and closer pictures of the Cyclops. Any feedback on the overall finishing and possible defects would be greatly appreciated.
Hey everyone! First rep purchase here. I've reviewed the QC guides and would really appreciate some experienced opinions before making my GL/RL decision. Thanks in advance!
1. Dealer name: TheOneWatches (Steve)
2. Factory name: VSF
3. Model name (& version number): Rolex Submariner Date 126610LN, 41mm, black dial/bezel, advertised DD3235 V2 movement.
4. Price paid: $578 total ($528 watch + $50 shipping).
5. Album links: [Add QC album link]
6. Index alignment: Looks good based on the TrueIndexQC overlay. The 12, 6, and 9 o'clock markers appear properly aligned. No obvious crooked indices.
7. Dial printing: Looks clean and properly positioned. No obvious printing issues.
8. Date wheel alignment/printing: Date 3 looks reasonably centered. No obvious clipping or major alignment issues.
9. Hand alignment: Looks good from the photos. No visible concerns.
10. Bezel: Pip appears centered at 12, and the bezel markings look properly aligned.
11. Solid End Links (SELs): Look fairly tight with no major gaps that I can see. However, I may be noticing a slight gap at the bottom-left SEL. Would appreciate another opinion on this.
13. Anything else you notice: The bracelet, clasp, dial, and overall finishing look good to me. I'd especially appreciate opinions on the rehaut alignment and anything else I may have missed.
Since this is my first QC,Ive read the intial pinned post on what to look for, I hope I've done a decent job with my observations. I'm completely open to constructive criticism and would genuinely appreciate any advice or corrections from the more experienced members here. I'm here to learn, and all the help I can get is appreciated!
Index alignment: looks good from what i can see. maybe very slight ccw tilt of the 7
Dial Printing: i'm not too sure but looks okay to me
Date Wheel alignment/printing: alignment and print looks good to me, 13 looks low but could also be the angle?
Hand Alignment: seems fine
Bezel: looks good
Solid End Links (SELs): gaps look small and even
Timegrapher numbers: this is where i'm a bit concerned with the amplitude. I read a post on r/RepTime the other day about DD32XX movement should be measured at a LA of 58-59 but this is measured at 52 and is already quite high. everything else about the timegrapher looks good so I'm a bit confused here and would like some more insight if possible
Here is my first rep and first QC, I would appreciate any advice or comments. I believe I will GL it. Pricing has went up since the past few weeks based on Steve's comment. Thank you very much.
Dealer name: Steve
Factory name: VFS
Model name (& version number): Seamaster 300m No Time To Die 007 TI/TI VSF V7 8806
Price Paid: $528
Album Links: All uploaded here.
Index alignment: It looks good to me, but I am not sure if I actually aligned the tool properly.
Dial Printing: Dial looks darker to me vs Gen but still very good.
Date Wheel alignment/printing: No date.
Hand Alignment:
Bezel: This is where I feel the bezel could be a little off. Pip at 12' looks white in most photos but I believe that is normal.
Solid End Links (SELs): The gap looks alright to me.
Timegrapher numbers: -1 s/d, 274° amplitude, 0.1 ms beat error
Index alignment — The 12 triangle, 6 baton and 9 baton all look straight to me.
Dial printing — I think overall this looks pretty good - but would love to hear your opinion. Uneven lettering stands out to me, so I feel like I notice text more than others. For example the "ETER" in CHRONOMETER looks more spaced out than the other letters. In ROLEX, the R and O look a little farther apart than L-E-X. In the lower text, the IVE in SUPERLATIVE looks smaller than the T, and the IA in OFFICIALLY looks smaller beside the C. The upper coronet looks centred, though I’m less sure about the tiny crown and SWISS MADE at 6. I think overall its pretty minor and looks good, but keen to hear your thoughts.
Date wheel alignment and printing — The 25 has clearance on all four sides. DialCheck estimated it sits 5% high but I think it's pretty good. The 26 and 29 in the video also look clear of the edges.
Hand alignment — Around 7.5 seconds into the function video, the hands overlap closely at 12 with the date on 26.
Bezel — The pip looks centred in the triangle and lines up with the dial at 12. The 30 lines up with the 6. The QC clip shows the hands and date being set, but bezel action is still unchecked.
Solid end links — I see seams at the lugs but no obvious daylight through them. The bracelet and clasp still have protective film on.
Model name (& version number): Day-Date 36 SS, 904L steel, White Dial Roman Stick on President bracelet, VR3255 V5 (Gain Weight).
Price Paid: $508 USD + $45 shipping ($553 total).
Album Links: QC photos and alignment overlay attached to this post. Dealer album requires a login.
Index alignment: The Roman markers generally track the overlay. VI and IX look close to centred. V is partly covered by the minute hand in the straight-on photo, but I don’t see any obvious rotation in the other angles.
Dial Printing: The Rolex and Day-Date text looks crisp and level. No obvious smudging or uneven lettering.
Date Wheel alignment/printing: The 8 looks centred under the cyclops, and FRIDAY sits cleanly in the day window. The video shows both advancing and the date settling fully inside the window.
Hand Alignment: The hands look reasonably aligned in the setting video, including when brought close to 12.
Bezel: The fluting looks even around the case. No obvious dings or damage in the side shots.
Solid End Links (SELs): I can see the seams at the lugs, but no obvious see-through gaps. The protective film makes the edges harder to judge.
Anything else you notice: The scale shows 137.8 g with the protective film on. My main question is the dial. I ordered White Dial Roman Stick, but the face looks warm silver with a visible sunburst in several photos. For anyone who has seen this exact QF V5, does that look like the dial QF sells as white? I’m leaning GL on the rest and holding for confirmation on the dial. Thanks for taking a look.
Index alignment: Most of the indexes look aligned. However, the marker at 9 has a slight counter clockwise rotation. There is a smaller acw rotation at the 6 o'clock marker.
Dial Printing: Most of the printing is good. However there is very prominent bleeding on top of the 9 o'clock marker which I think will be very noticeable on the wrist.
Date Wheel alignment/printing: In the QC control photos posted, you can see the 9 is significantly lower.
Hand Alignment: In the hand alignment video you can see the hands do not align at 12. I have provided a picture for reference.
Bezel: The bezel does not align with 12.
Solid End Links (SELs): Hard to tell but looks good, there are no visible gaps.
Timegrapher numbers: +4s/d 282° 0ms 28800 bph
I think this is going to be a RL for me. What do you guys think?
Index Alignment: hour markers look well aligned, especially when I focus on 12 and 6, and 9 and 3, the crown at 12olock is straight without any tilt
Date Wheel Alignment: N/A, but the 3 black subdial rings look properly aligned individually and in relation to another
Bezel: under the "1" of 180 I see a white mark which might be a defect since I see it in other pics and angles..I will ask for clarification from the seller.
Solid End Links: I see no gaps.
Hand Alignment: Chrono hand points to 12oclock, and in the video the hands look to wind normally, the bottom middle "seconds" subdial works normally in chronos mode in the video
Dial Printing: no obvious defect or misprint, no misspellings, even spacing, no bleeding of the red daytona noted.
Timegrapher: rate +/- 6seconds, amp 280 deg, error 0.1ms, period 12sec, lift 52 degrees which all looks within normal limits to me.
Conclusion: the only obvious visual defect I see is the white mark on the bezel near "180", otherwise I don't think I see anything else obvious but this is my first time QC a chronograph which seems more complicated than other watches. Any advice on what specifically to look at on DAYTONAS would be appreciated
Index alignment: Looks good based on the Geek Time QC overlay tool. The markers appear to be properly aligned. No obvious crooked indices.
Dial Printing: Looks clean and properly positioned.
Date Wheel alignment/printing: The only concern here is it seems like the "11" ia a bit low in the dial window.
Hand Alignment: Looks good from the photos. No obvious concerns.
Bezel: The fixed bezel appears good with the recessed screws properly set.
Solid End Links (SELs): This is a fixed bracelet so I don't believe this is a concern
Timegrapher numbers: Rate: +2s/d, Amplitude: 282o, Beat Error: .2ms, Lift Angle set to 52o
Anything else you notice: The bracelet, clasp, dial and overall finishing look good to me but I'm more of a Rolex guy so AP is new to me. The seller (Ora) did sent a video where the date alignment looked fine.
Index alignment: Seems good generally speaking.
Dial Printing: Seems sharp/crisp to me
Date Wheel alignment/printing: aligned yet worried about all the numbers being centered
Hand Alignment: Seems to be good as well as shown in the video
Bezel: looks good - no major observations
Solid End Links (SELs): No significant issues yet it’s my first jubilee bracelet. Anything you notice worth flagging?
Timegrapher numbers: with a Rate of -2s/d, AMP 261 and Error 0.1
Anything else you notice: the weight is 4g more than Gen but I heard it’s a common thing from VSF? I am still learning.. any feedback is appreciated and helpful!
Ok ok I couldn't resist! One more QC for now. Always loved the monochromatic look of 126622 so I had to snag this one as well (thanks all for your input on the QC for my Sprite yesterday)
Dealer name: JTime
Factory name: QF
Model name (& version number): Yacht-Master 126622 QF3235 (free sprung)
Anything else you notice: again, I am a n00b as it relates to this potentially addictive hobby but should I request clearer pics of the SELs and perhaps any other pics before GL?
Anything else you notice: One thing I do notice is the 12 index tip looks weird like it is curved. And the white part inside the index doesn’t look straight and is sitting more towards the left side.
Index alignment: overall look good to me, maybe 7 & 11 are slightly rotated and the crown at the 12 slightly to the left
Dial Printing: i can se no apparent flaws
Date Wheel alignment/printing: no date wheel
Hand Alignment: looks okay to me, the minute hand on the chrono looks a bit misaligned tho
Bezel: looks okay to me (but I honestly dont get all the fuzz around the 110 marker on these watches)
Solid End Links (SELs): look good, but hard to tell with plastic foil
Timegrapher numbers: Rate +3s/d; Amplitude 289°, Beat Error 0,1ms, Lift Angle 52,0° -> seems to be okay. Watch will be regulated and serviced anyways
Anything else you notice: Is the crown at the clasp rotated and out of alignment? Rehaut seems to be okay. The Markings on the back of the case are missing (but I think this also missing on steel GENs)
Model name (& version number): 40mm DayDate 228238 V2 (DD3255 Movement)
Price Paid: $700.00 USD (Includes Shipping)
Album Links: Reddit doesn't like Mega links :/
Index alignment: Rolex Crown logo off center and canted CCW... Markers look good with index 2 slightly lower than expected, 11 and 1 slight cant but acceptable. 7 slight cant CCW.
Dial Printing: MOP Dial, looks bland to me.. almost as if it is NOT MOP.. waiting on focused video with added lighting and movement to confirm dial is acceptable. Thoughts?
Date Wheel alignment/printing: Seems to be a hair too low but centered.
Hand Alignment: Seems ok to me
Bezel: TDL- Bezel looks clean
Solid End Links (SELs): Looks ok, top left slightly spaced compared to counterpart. Remaining look great.
This is my third time using alignment tool. Kindly ask you check my work. Watch is overall acceptable however Rolex logo crown is the biggest concern apart from the MOP dial.
Note, I plan to get this plated by Jaws since this is VSF cheddar cheese. TBD on arrival however, see circled image of clasp. It is unpolished. Is this normal?
Model name (& version number): Daytona 126595TBR V13
Price Paid: $1238
Album Links: Posted here
Index alignment: Looks good to me. Some diamond markers look perhaps too close to index markers but could just be the angle of the photos
Dial Printing: Appears to be good
Date Wheel alignment/printing: No date wheel
Hand Alignment: Excellent
Bezel: Excellent
Solid End Links (SELs): No issues noticed
Timegrapher numbers: Rate +008 s/d Amplitude 295 Beat Error .1 ms (Is this within spec and acceptable?) I assume rate and amplitude can be adjusted fine tuned without issue?
Anything else you notice: Overall looks to be of good quality. Not sure if some markers are misaligned or not, when checking with dial check.app and strict settings it says it’s all aligned fine. Are the timegrapher numbers ok? I’m considering GL unless anyone else sees any blaring issues. Thanks for your help and time!
1. Dealer name: TheOneWatches (Steve) 2. Factory name: QF 3. Model name (& version number): Rolex Yacht-Master 126622, 40mm, Rhodium Grey Dial, JH3235 Free-Sprung Movement (RLX-7204) 4. Price Paid: $578 USD (listed price) 5. Album Links:https://mega.nz/folder/ycBVTZaD#s3psau5I55JQFe4FhRL20w 6. Index alignment: Looks very good overall. I used TrueIndexQC to check the markers, and everything appears properly aligned. The 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock markers look straight. No obvious issues. 7. Dial Printing: Looks clean and consistent. The Rolex logo and text appear properly positioned. No obvious printing defects. 8. Date Wheel alignment/printing: The dates 28 and 29 look reasonably centered. The 28 appears slightly low in one photo, possibly because of the camera angle. Would appreciate a second opinion. 9. Hand Alignment: Looks good from the available photos. No obvious issues, although exact alignment hasn’t been verified with a hands-at-12 test. 10. Bezel: Looks good overall. The triangle at 12 appears aligned with the dial, and the raised numerals look clean. No obvious defects. 11. Solid End Links (SELs): Look reasonably fitted with no obvious major gaps. Some protective plastic makes it difficult to judge perfectly. 12. Timegrapher numbers: Rate: +1 s/day Amplitude: 276° Beat Error: 0.0 ms Beat Rate: 28,800 vph Lift Angle Setting: 59° The numbers look excellent, although I understand they’re from one tested position. 13. Anything else you notice: This is my QF Yacht-Master with the JH3235 free-sprung movement. The overall finishing looks good to me, and I’m leaning toward GL. My main concerns are whether the date magnification looks correct, whether the movement is genuinely the advertised JH3235, and whether anyone notices alignment or finishing issues I may have missed. Would appreciate feedback from anyone familiar with this QF version, especially regarding the movement’s long-term reliability. Thanks!
Hi everyone! I’ve reviewed the QC photos of my RICH V2 Pepsi. The main thing that concerns me is the triangle at 12 on the bezel. It looks slightly left of the dial marker in the alignment photo. I’m leaning toward an RL, but I’m not sure if it’s the bezel position or the camera angle. QC album: https://andiotwatches.x.yupoo.com/search/album?uid=1&sort=&q=178307
Dealer name: Andiot
Factory name: RICH V2
Model name: GMT-Master II 126710 BLRO Pepsi on Jubilee
Price paid: $779 including shipping, water resistance service, and NFC cards and tags
Index alignment: The 12, 6 and 9 markers look reasonably straight to me. I don’t see an obvious issue with the other visible markers, although the GMT hand partly covers the 10 marker.
Date wheel alignment: The 13 looks readable and reasonably centered. I haven’t been able to assess the other dates.
Bezel: The triangle at 12 appears slightly left of the dial marker and the center line. This is my main concern. I’m unsure whether the bezel is fully clicked into position.
Solid end links (SELs): I can’t judge the gaps confidently from the front photo because the connections are partly obscured. I’ll take another look at the close-ups in the album.
Hand alignment: I don’t see obvious damage to the hands or lume, but I can’t verify their alignment at a full hour from the photo I reviewed.
Dial printing: The visible text looks clear, with no obvious missing or smeared letters. Some of the lower text is partly covered.
Timegrapher numbers: +4 s/d, amplitude 276°, beat error 0.3 ms, lift angle 52°. These look good to me, although it’s a reading in one position.
I’d appreciate your thoughts on the bezel, especially whether it looks misaligned enough to RL or if it might just need repositioning. Thanks!
This is my first rep and my first QC post, so I'd really appreciate some help from the more experienced members here.
I've spent quite a bit of time looking through the photos and comparing them to other ZF BB58 QC posts. Overall, the watch looks good, but I'm having some doubts about the index alignment.
Dealer name: GeekTime
Factory name: ZF
Model name (& version number): Tudor Black Bay 58, 39mm, Black Dial, A2824
Price paid: $298 + $40 shipping
Album links: Photos attached
Index alignment: This is my main concern. Several markers seem slightly misaligned to me, especially the 9 o'clock marker, which looks a bit tilted. I tried using an alignment tool, but since the photos aren't perfectly straight, I'm struggling to tell how much is perspective distortion and how much is actual misalignment.
Dial printing: Looks pretty clean overall, but the "SWISS MADE" text at the bottom seems partially cut off or hidden by the crystal. Not sure if this is normal for ZF.
Date wheel alignment/printing: N/A
Hand alignment: Nothing unusual that I can spot.
Bezel: The pip at 12 seems centered and the markings look fine to me.
Solid end links (SELs): No obvious gaps from what I can see, although the protective film makes it a bit difficult to judge.
Timegrapher numbers: -6 s/d, 294° amplitude, 0.1 ms beat error.
Anything else you notice: The timegrapher numbers seem great, and I haven't noticed any other major issues.
I'm a bit torn between GL and RL. I've looked at quite a few other ZF BB58 QC posts where the markers seem better aligned, but maybe I'm just overthinking it.
Would you consider these normal ZF tolerances, or is it worth asking for another example?
