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AP ROO Safari Gen vs. Rep comparison

Klockis

Renowned Member
5/5/10
596
6
0
01.jpg~original



The Offshore Safari is a watch that I have dreamt about for many years and last week I finally got an offer for a almost brand new gen that I could not resist.
To me its the perfect summer watch with its cream dial and one of the best looking straps that ever have been made IMHO.

The ROO reps have flaws that most of you are familiar with.
The date window too far to the right, crown and pushers inline, a hole on the deployant clasp and the case being too thick.
But as you will see in the review there is more if we look into the small details.
Some of these flaws are just for the Safari and others are for all ROO reps.

Before we start:
My rep is the latest version of Noob sec @ 12 Safari and have a gen OEM hornback strap and a Mikey2008 no hole clasp (thanks buddy!).


The fit and finish of the rep is not too far off the gen,
There was much bigger difference in my rep vs. gen 15400 RO review:
http://forum.replica-watch.info/vb/showthread.php?t=160326
Its not because the gen ROO is that far off the gen RO in fit and finish.
More that the rep ROO's have a better finish then the rep RO's.
Of course its unfair to compare finish on a rep that is made of the cheapest material they can find to a gen
where they don't cut any corners and can afford to have small tolerances and use the best grade metals and even white gold for some details.
02Finish.jpg~original


The hour numerals are a bit thinner on the gen and the silver (white gold?) outline is fraction wider on the gen.
Also the black filling in the numerals are better on the gen where the paint goes all the way to the outline.
On the rep there is some inconsistence and missing a little bit paint at some edges.
All this makes the hour numerals more defined on the gen.
03NumGen.jpg~original

03NumRep.jpg~original


The cream dial is a shade darker on the gen.
On the rep the mega tapisseries "pillows" are a bit smaller and the background of the dial shines through but that can not be seen with the naked eye.
04dialgen.jpg~original

04dialrep.jpg~original


Subdials.
On the gen the subdials are part of the dial and looks to be milled down out of the dial.
The rep uses separate subdials the just are glued down in hollow cavity in the dial.
Gen have concentric circles (from the milling?) on the subdials where the rep just have painted subdials.
This makes a sunbursed effect on the gen subdial and the rep just look shiny.
Font and size of the subdials print looks to be very close on the rep. Just a bit more sloppy edges.
05subdialgen.jpg~original

05subdialrep.jpg~original


The centre of the white gold hands on the gen have a slope on them at the hour/minute post that looks like a pyramid. On the reps polished steel hands they are flat.
The centre of the gens chrono seconds hand is almost filled with black paint while the reps seconds pinion is more visible.
06handsgen.jpg~original

06handsrep.jpg~original


Tachymeter numbers are smaller on the rep and the "TACHYMETER" text stretched out more to start and finish at the same points as the gen.
The gens font also seems to be a bit bolder.
On the rep the text is printed further down on the tachy.
07Tachygen.jpg~original

07Tachyrep.jpg~original


The flaw that most rep nerds know, the rep date is too far to the right due to the movement used.
I also think that the date wheel on the rep is a standard A7750 wheel.
The font is very different from the gen.
Date numbers are smaller on the rep and also have the wrong font compared to the gens Audemars Piguet font.
Also the background on the date wheel is darker on the gen.
Its hard to see but if the gen ROO's uses the same date wheel as my gen 15400 the date print will also be raised while the rep uses flat printed dates.
The AP logo is too far to the right on the rep and the font is too thin on the "AP" but on the "AUDEMARS PIGUET" text it is too bold or maybe its the text that are a bit to small making the text look bolder when its squished together.
Again flat printed text on the rep while the gen is raised (screen printed?).
08dategen.jpg~original

08daterep.jpg~original


The gen uses a piggy back chrono module so the date wheel sits much deeper under the dial then it does on the rep. Also known as the black hole :)
Rep date cyclops have a blue hue that I have not seen on the gen.
09DWgen.jpg~original

09DWrep.jpg~original


Also because of the piggy back chrono module the gen have a asymmetric crown that are lower then the chrono pushers.
Rep pushers and crown are in-line since it uses a standard A7750 chrono movement with added gears to transfer the running seconds to 12.
10crowngen.jpg~original

10crownrep.jpg~original


Because of the A7750 movement everything on the case is thicker on the rep.
Bezel, mid-case and caseback is thicker. Not sure about the bezel gasket that looks to the same size.
One of my dislikes with the rep ROO's have always been that they felt a bit top heavy but with the gen I don't feel that way.
Gen sits so much better on the wrist and just hug the wrist that the rep never did.
11Case01.jpg~original

11Case02.jpg~original


Gens bezel screws are slightly sunken into the bezel and the heads are perfectly flat. That's what make the bezel screws fitment look so precise on the gen.
Some of the reps screws are sunken but not all and they are not even.
The edges of the reps screw heads are a bit rounded.
12bezelgen.jpg~original

12bezelrep.jpg~original


Caseback engravings are thicker and deeper on the egen
13CBgen.jpg~original

13CBrep.jpg~original


There is no holes on the sides on the gen deployant clasp and the engravings are deeper.
This rep clasp in this picture is brushed and the gen is polished. (The rep clasp can be had in either brushed or polished finish)
14clasp.jpg~original


The gen rubber pieces on pushers and crown looks different to rep.
On the rep it looks more dull.
15rubber01.jpg~original

15rubber02.jpg~original


In closing,
All this above is of course just nitpicking and maybe I have been extra anal just to justify the expense spent on the gen :D
The Noob ROO's is very good and some of the flaws can not be seen at arms length.
Other flaws are quite obvious and is due to the movement.
Then there is those stupid flaws like the hole in the clasp that is so easy to fix but after all these years they didn't bother.
That hole is the first thing I look for when seeing a ROO in the wild and very easy to spot.
(Sead sell a great no-hole clasp if you want to upgrade.)

I had my fair share of Noob ROO's over my rep collecting years and I have been very happy with them but I always know the obviously flaws and was never quite comfortable wearing them out in public.
Until they get a proper movement with a piggyback chrono module like the gen these flaws will still be present.
But I will still enjoy the rep ROO's from time to time since they are very well made and only us watch nerds know what flaws to look for.
All others will just see a very beautiful sports watch, no matter if its a gen or rep :)

Thank you for reading :)

/Klockis
 
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Klockis

Renowned Member
5/5/10
596
6
0
This is a cross post from RG for those who are not members there :)
 

sharrkey

Legendary Member
Advisor
14/6/08
13,129
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Congrats on your new Gen Klockis, excellent review and some super pics comparing.

I'll make this thread a sticky in the Ap section.

S???R?I????? :sharrkey:


Sent from my iPhone 5s Using TapaTalk2 S???R?I?????
 

chris3007

Mythical Poster
24/8/13
9,407
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Thanks a lot for the fantastic comparison. Which brings us all a bit down to Earth. We are far away from a ROO super rep.


send from my iPhone
 

zocker4711

Banned member, the goat does not approve
Banned
18/3/13
2,912
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Anyway if RG or Not :)

More of these PLEASE !!!

I like these AMAZING Comparisons

Really Really Nice!!!
 

Daniel1988eta

Horology Curious
19/5/14
21
0
0
Nice comparising! The rep ( and the gen) is one of the watches who is on my wanted list.
where did you bought the rep?
 

chris9

I'm Pretty Popular
16/5/12
2,223
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48
2 beautiful watches!

Thanks for a great review and excellent photos
 

acetone

You're Saying I Can Sell?
29/12/13
80
0
0
Nice comparison.. A fake will never replicate the quality of a real deal.. Enjoy ur watch!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

sputim

Put Some Respect On My Name
Supporter
Patron
Certified
20/1/13
3,328
652
113
You just ruined my ap safari :p Just kidding I still enjoy it but it's a superb comparison. Many thanks for that :)
 

Mm..mm

Known Member
6/9/11
116
14
18
CONUS
Great Review. I do agree that though practically impossible. It would be great to see another movement or way to help solve the "obvious flaws". One can dream. Im the meantime, I say Diver.
 

Cheetah

Horology Curious
12/12/13
6
1
0
Thanks for posting this comparison. It pushes me a little higher up the learning curve!