Is the VSF Rolex Submariner 126610LN worth the hype?

Written by Asalamu-alaykum.

Being one of the most famous watch models in Reptime right now, Is the VSF Rolex 126610LN, overhyped or worth the hype? Let’s start my break down:

Watch Dial, Head, and Face

I got to say, this is one of most beautiful black watches I owned so far… The black is extremely RICH and deep which is complimented well with the extra AR coating on the crystal (not just the cyclops but also the whole watch crystal itself). The crystal almost seems to disappear which just makes the black dial very luxurious… The hands are well finished, The indices are well aligned, the lume paint is applied really well and evenly (not a sign of any splatter). The dial print is well aligned and CRISPY . The Rehaut is also aligned well.

Even under my 50x loupe, I’m unable to see anything abnormal or any signs of flaws. Goes to show you how good the Dial and finishing on this VSF 126610LN.

Watch Crystal and “Black Hole” effect

VSF did it again, Amazing Crystal. The black hole effect is 96% GEN-like imho. The crystal is extremely clear (especially with the added AR coating). The LEC (laser etched crown) is present at the 6’o clock, aligns well enough. The cyclops magnificaton is spot-on. The date numbers are properly magnified with a 2.5x magnification like GEN, it’s extremely easy to read the date.

Watch LUME

The luminous paint is well applied. It’s extremely close to Gen Lume color. If there’s one word I can use to describe this, it has to be evenness. The lume is evenly applied. It last longgg (If you have a Seiko, this last a bit more than that and is very bright!). This lume would easily last 5 hours and even up to 8 hours on a full charge.

Sapphire Test

SAPPHIRE BOI! I love me some sapphire on my watches and this passed with flying colors! You’re actually getting 3 pieces of sapphire (the crystal, cyclops, and the lume pip).

Fun Fact: The lume pip on your Rolex submariner actually has a small piece of sapphire to protect insides. I personally have only seen this on my VSF submariners. This is really nice attention to detail from VSF.

Watch Bezel

VSF definitely improved their Bezel on this one. The markers are really well coated. It’s deeply engraved and the paint they use to coat this makes the bezel very legible even at low light condition. No need to Sharpie Mod. The coating method they used seems to be very durable. I’ll update you guys in 6 months to see if there’s any sign of fading or damages on the bezel but so far after a week of use. Nothing.

The Bezel action is good. It’s a bit stiffer than my older VSF 116610LV but this has a lot less back play which is a big plus for me. The bezel sound is a bit muter than my VSF 116610LV but still audible enough to hear each and every click. Feels good and secure.

ASMR Sounds:

VSF 116610LV Bezel Sound

VSF 126610LN Bezel Sound

Personally, I like the VSF 116610LV bezel sound better than my VSF 126610LN but both are amazingly in their own way. If you want a very loud and dominant bezel, go for the VSF 116610. If you want a muter bezel with less back play, go for the VSF 126610

Watch Movement

The Watch Movement feels incredible to operate! I originally thought this VS3235 movement would not be as good as my VS3135 but to my surprise it’s actually BETTER. The hand winding is smooth. The crown pops easily (my VS3135 has a “sticky crown” problem…) This movement feels sturdy. Setting the time feels great. Very easy to distinguish from the 2 time setting positions. Barely any rotor noise. Runs extremely well and keeps time great imho. The photos doesn’t do it justice but the finishing is great. I’ll update you in 6 months to see how well it holds up and how “reliable it is”. So far, I’m pretty sure this can last you years after a nice service!

The Power Reserve is actually 72 hours – tried and tested by me already. Really impressive technology from VSF.

Measurement Time!

Overall, impressed with it. Very close to genuine thickness. (GEN: 12.3mm, VSF: 12.6mm). Everything else is spot on with Gen. Very impressive for such a new replica version. VSF did a good job on their first try!

Weight

It weighs 148.7 grams sized up for my 7-inch links (2 links taken out). Really close to GEN. Feels well balanced (not top heavy or anything like that).

Watch Bracelet and Glide-lock feature

I have to say it’s definitely good. Very solid construction. It’s honestly so good, I don’t see much of a difference putting it in a oil bath. Just giving a quick rinse with some dishwashing soap and water gives you a very smooth and fluid-like bracelet. No play at all. 10/10

The glide-lock adjust glides smoothly! Very useful and easy to adjust on the spot. However, the glide-lock is a bit loose when you close it compared to other VSF and Genuine Rolexes. It’s honestly not a deal breaker for me. Here’s a video

How to make your Rolex Crown screw-in Smoother almost like GEN!

Here’s a little cool thing I do with all my VSF submariners. I always take a toothpick with a dab of silicone grease and just apply it on the crown threads. It REALLY does make a difference. Makes it screw-in wayy smoother and almost Gen-like. For anyone who wants to give it a try, go ahead! As long as you put just a little amount, you won’t have any problem with the movement or your watch afaik. I done this to all my watches and they screw it way better and none have any issues so far.

After doing this, my VSF 126610LN screws in a lot smoother!

My Nitpicks

Poor Manufacturing of these 2 Screw Links

These 2 screws links are honestly disappointing. They were very poorly manufactured unlike the rest of the screws. These 2 screws were extremely tight (even oil or heat wouldn’t loosen them up). I honestly had to purposely strip them just to remove them and resize my watch. The other screws on the bracelet were fine. It was just 2 screws that were very badly made. This seems to be a batch problem since my mate’s VSF 126610LV also had this problem. Pretty disappointing…. but not a deal breaker for me. Not a deal breaker for me since I’m never gonna use these screws anyways but it’s something to keep in mind.

Final Thoughts and Conclusions

I honestly don’t have much to complain about this watch. Everything was spot on and all features of the watch was well implemented. The Rolex 126610LN was just released a few months ago. VSF really hit the spot with this one. The flaws I’m seeing very minimal. I can honestly say these “flaws” are negligible. If I were to say this watch is 90-94% compared to Gen which is really good for this first version.

Is this worth the hype?

Well, YES! and maybe.. If you’re looking for a classic black submariner that goes well with just about any outfit that can be used casually yet formal enough to be worn with a suit. The VSF 126610LN is definitely a good buy.

At $468-$510 shipped, I would honestly be more annoyed with these flaws from VSF. I would hold back from buying once till they fix these 2 flaws (loose glide-lock and shitty screw links). It’s a rather easy fix for VSF to do and I hope they fix it in their future batches.

At $390 shipped, I honestly can’t complain at all. I bought this from Watch-VS. They have treated me well with Fast communication, Good QC pictures and QC video, Fast shipment, and overall a very transparent and honest dealer imho. I have bought 4 from them and all are doing well. However, they aren’t a “trusted dealer” in any replica forums since I buy direct from China so buy at your own risk 🙂

Here’s my post about them