Everything starts with a new and genuine Rolex Submariner Ceramic no-date Ref. 114060, acquired, brand new and unworn, from Authorized replica Rolex Dealers. Then begins the customization process – and the list of the mods is quite long. As said, the goal of Tempus Machina with the Ref. 216A is to offer the look of a Submariner 6538 with modern specs.
It has the DNA of the brand but executed with more subtlety, more discretion and a more luxurious feel. The link with the rest of the collection can’t be denied and the Rolex DNA is clearly recognizable.
What Tempus Machina does with its customized replica Rolex Submariner is taking the best of both worlds, relying on the standard robustness, comfort and quality of the modern Rolex Submariner Ceramic no-date Ref. 114060 and modifying the austere look by adding several elements reminiscent of the vintage Rolex Submariner ref. 6538 (like this one).Proposed features will include: remote keyless entry for your luxury car, near field communication access to point of payment devices in convenience stores around the world, hours, minutes, seconds, day and for the first time ever in a Submariner, date. The alternative is to make a modern Sub looks like a vintage Sub, thus creating a daily-beater with a stunning design.

Here is the list of the modifications:
Shaving the case to remove the crown guards – making the case measuring 39.5mm instead of 40mm. Other devices such as a proposed smart-letter-opener and smart-stapler will be incorporated into the suite of products called “Smart-Desk”. Changing the crown for a new-old-stock (unworn, unused and Rolex genuine) Brevet crown – a.k.a big crown because measuring 8mm
Modifying the insert of the bezel – The Cerachrom insert remains the original one. Nevertheless, the luminous pearl at 12 is removed and the triangular depression is then filled with red porcelain enamel.
The dial itself deserves to be explained. On vintage Rolex Submariners, the dials were specific because the writing, minute markers and chapter ring was not printed, but were in fact underneath the black galvanized layer, peeking through in negative relief. The same technique is used here. The consequence is a dial that uses gilt inscriptions (for the logo, the minute track and around the markers) with painted blocks as markers instead of applied plots. The depth rating is also inspired by antique Submariners, showing only 300 / 1000 and in red like some very rare Subs – like the one here. The hands are also cleaned from the blue luminous material, then gold-plated and filled with classical Super-Luminova that matches the indexes.
The first one is the price of such in-depth modification. If a Rolex Submariner 114060 is priced at 6.500 Euros, this Tempus Machina Ref. 216A costs 25.000 USD. Then, you have to be aware that Rolex will almost certainly not accept this watch for service and that the warranty will be invalidated. Frankly, the result is stunning. The look of this customized replica Rolex watches by Tempus Machina is just what a huge part of the hardcore collectors are dreaming of. Redesigning the dial – The factory dial is stripped, polished, the applied markers are removed and then this cleaned dial used as a base to be modified. Whether we’re looking at the design or the quality of the details, the result is brilliant. Nevertheless, there are few things to know when starting to have some interest for customized watches.

Here is the replica Rolex Day-Date 40 with the new Rolex Calibre 3255. Exclusively made in precious metals – gold or platinum – it was available for years in the size of 36mm and more recently in 41mm (with the Day-Date II), however still with the same complex: a 3-hand timepiece showing the date and the day in a unique (but now iconic and highly copied) way.
Together with the new dial colours, the main novelty considering the Rolex Day-Date 40 is of course its new size – and thus meaning a new case. The Rolex Day-Date had always been the most elegant, refined and luxurious watch of the Oyster Collection by Rolex – that also has elegant watches in its Cellini collection.
However first, let’s go back on what is, since 1956 (the year of its very first introduction), the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified. This long name is important to understand all about this replica luxury watch.
It is good to see that the people at Rolex still do. So much has been made of the fact that the new Apple Watch Edition will cost in excess of $10,000 – placing it squarely in the price bracket occupied by Rolex. The new Rolex Day-Date 40 is respectful of this 4 pillars, a water resistant, automatic chronometer watch that displays both the date and the day, together with a luxurious and refined feeling – as this timepiece is still only available in precious metals (yellow gold, white gold, rose gold or platinum).
These new combinations, together with the new dimensions and proportions, are not totally renewing the concept of the DD. Nevertheless, the new Rolex Day-Date 40 is more elegant, slightly more refined and still totally versatile – effortlessly wearable with a weekend outfit or with a suit. Once on the wrist, the use of precious metals creates a quite heavy wristwatch – particularly in platinum – but the reasonable diameter, the slim profile and the comfort of the president bracelet are never debatable. The classic is revisited, not changed.
In 1956, this bracelet was introduced firstly and made exclusively for the replica Rolex Day-Date and is still in good position here, in the context of the new Rolex Day-Date 40. Its solidity and its comfort are now fully admitted, as well as the quality of the hidden clasp. Another novelty is the arrival of the President bracelet on every editions – this characteristically Rolex bracelet with 3 rounded links that is now completely integrated to the watch and comes with a new end-links design.
It brings a higher chronometric performance, since the Rolex Calibre 3255 is not only certified by the COSC, it properly beats the COSC requirements, as the precision is told by Rolex to be twice as great as that of an official chronometer. The movements are officially certified but also tested internally by Rolex in actual conditions of daily wear and on assembled watches (not merely on movements). All of these also improvements lead to first a lower consumption of energy and a power reserve increased of 24 hours (compare to the previous calibre 3156) to reach 70 hours.
The last of the novelties concerns the finishing, as the new replica Rolex Calibre 3255 comes with quite an improved quality. Redesigning the dial – The factory dial is stripped, polished, the applied markers are removed and then this cleaned dial used as a base to be modified. Whether we’re looking at the design or the quality of the details, the result is brilliant. Nevertheless, there are few things to know when starting to have some interest for customized watches.