Best AP rep?

[HWatch]

Simple question but after browsing the forum meticulously for some days I’m not wiser. Is it the 15400 V5 JF or is it some ROO model? Or maybe the new 15400 omf?
I’m just looking for the most gen like rep out there.

Anyone want to shed some light for me?

Thanks for helping out


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[Pdatoon]

Probably the JF Diver 9.5 and XF diver carbon v3

 

[Woundup]

They all have flaws. If you are looking for an AP watch to pass as gen when you are amongst your peers, pick one that really appeals to you and then send it to one of the skilled Watchsmiths on this forum to perform mods to make the tells less obvious.

 

[MrOptional]

I think 3 best reps out of the box are: 15703 JF v9.5, 15400 JF v5, 15706 XF v2. They are all very different, pick one you like.

if you put them side by side with Gen there will be differences.

 

[legend]

There isn’t any gen like AP rep at all and even less so out of the box.


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[MrOptional]

legend out of curiosity, are there any reps that you consider super reps by your definition? I understand that none of the AP would qualify, but any other brands or models?

don't know if this belongs into AP forum but I am truly curious...

 

[legend]

legend out of curiosity, are there any reps that you consider super reps by your definition? I understand that none of the AP would qualify, but any other brands or models?

don't know if this belongs into AP forum but I am truly curious...

Hey M

The concept of “gen-like” and “accurate” are pretty subjective depending on what each wearer can live with or accept. To a lot of members here, the 15400 v5 for example or the xf FC diver are super reps or even very gen-like. It’s very subjective and depends on how much you know the gen counterpart and how much deviation you can spot and can accept. So one guy’s super rep can be another’s mediocre one.

For me, the furthest I would go as far as grading AP reps is giving a few of the non ROO chrono models a “very good rep” status. I personally think that there are more royal oaks and divers being bought than ROO chrono models but I have no data to substantiate my thought. These are generally good reps and much better than their chrono counterparts in many ways. It has come to a point that I will treat every diver/15400 as a rep until proven otherwise. That is also the reason I stopped wearing both my gen 15400s as the reps become more commonly seen in the wild. This is good where the progression of the hobby is concerned though and when it progresses to an acceptable level for me I’ll buy a rep 15400 and mod it to my expectation.

So to answer part of your question, I do not consider any current AP rep as a “super rep” personally. Even frankens with gen parts have their flaws but I will stop here, I really have no intention to put any franken build down.

With regard to other brands, yes there are super reps where I’m concerned. Rolex frankens are generally a lot more convincing than AP frankens. Generally speaking of course. There is a handful of very convincing AP frankens out there but they are not the norm we see.





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[Pdatoon]

Hey M

The concept of “gen-like” and “accurate” are pretty subjective depending on what each wearer can live with or accept. To a lot of members here, the 15400 v5 for example or the xf FC diver are super reps or even very gen-like. It’s very subjective and depends on how much you know the gen counterpart and how much deviation you can spot and can accept. So one guy’s super rep can be another’s mediocre one.

For me, the furthest I would go as far as grading AP reps is giving a few of the non ROO chrono models a “very good rep” status. I personally think that there are more royal oaks and divers being bought than ROO chrono models but I have no data to substantiate my thought. These are generally good reps and much better than their chrono counterparts in many ways. It has come to a point that I will treat every diver/15400 as a rep until proven otherwise. That is also the reason I stopped wearing both my gen 15400s as the reps become more commonly seen in the wild. This is good where the progression of the hobby is concerned though and when it progresses to an acceptable level for me I’ll buy a rep 15400 and mod it to my expectation.

So to answer part of your question, I do not consider any current AP rep as a “super rep” personally. Even frankens with gen parts have their flaws but I will stop here, I really have no intention to put any franken build down.

With regard to other brands, yes there are super reps where I’m concerned. Rolex frankens are generally a lot more convincing than AP frankens. Generally speaking of course. There is a handful of very convincing AP frankens out there but they are not the norm we see.





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Very interesting. Thank you!

 

[MrOptional]

legend

Very interesting indeed, and I can't agree more. Same here, now when I see someone with RO or ROO I assume that it's a rep unless proven otherwise. I always wondered in the past how Uber drivers could afford $20-$30K dollar watches.

Do you consider any watch, any brand, any factory, in your opinion, to be a true super rep out of the box? Sub ARF, Noob Daytona, etc.?

I would define a super rep like this:
1) legend looks at a watch and can tell it's a rep in 5 seconds = not super rep
2) legend looks at a watch and can tell it's a rep in 15 seconds = super rep

 

[Jurgenk]

Brilliant points— grimusa and @legend

We all have different cutoffs for superrep status, but the proliferation of this hobby has increased the odds of a rep encounter in the wild. I pretty much assume that all rolexes, Panerai and AP I see on people less than 30 years old are reps, unless they’re heirs or startup tycoons. It’s gotten to the point where I am also discouraged from wearing certain gens because they seem trite.

I would add that to meet @legend’s definition of a convincing ROO franken requires an entry point of $6k or higher, making smart choices and luck in getting gen parts. Building a very decent ROO franken should still require some resources, more than $4k. So if I encounter a decent Franken ROO in the wild, which has never happened, it tells me I’m dealing with some sophisticated appreciation and complex motivations.

 

[Art Tic]

I wonder how many people can spot a rep, like the fine AP 15400 v5, the diver, or ROO, from arm's length?
But, if I see one on an 18 year old or the pizza delivery guy, I would naturally be suspicious.

 

[MrOptional]

Jurgenk, that’s very informative. I didn’t realize that convincing Frankens could cost that much. I was thinking more like $1.5-$2k.

Yeah if pizza delivery guy has Rolex chances are they are fake. If guy on Bentley has a Rolex chances are they are legit. But what about everyone in the middle?

so yeah, still a lot of guessing there but just curious is there a way to get a rep watch out of the box that legend can’t distunguish from gen right away

 

[Jurgenk]

I wonder how many people can spot a rep, like the fine AP 15400 v5, the diver, or ROO, from arm's length?
But, if I see one on an 18 year old or the pizza delivery guy, I would naturally be suspicious.

Each has its unique long list of tells, any one of them could potentially do it. The wearer of a gen has a certain nonchalance and confidence that cannot be repped.

 

[Repworld]

V9.5 and waiting v10


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[tom1912]

OP Don't think you should to look for the closest to gen rep, instead I think you should browse through the m2m or td to see which model really catches your eye.

Most people can't tell a fake watch from a gen watch. And those people that can like legend you're probably going to encounter max once in your life time. And most of the above comments are based on very wise words.

It really depends on who's wearing the watch. My cousin drives a porche camm and wears a 100usd rep hublot from Cambodia and no one would even question if that's a rep.

So in summary

60% of the population don't care and don't know what you're wearing

30%
​​​​​knows what you're wearing but will nt be able to tell if it's real or fake

​​​​​​9% like the rest of us would kind of know the common tells of most of the popular reps but wouldt nessacery be able to tell of your wirst at an arms length away.

1% of the pros would be able to tell you're wearing which model which factory from a mile away, you'll probably not going to bump into one your entire lifetime.

​​​​​So pick a watch u like. Wear it at appropriately, and you'll be safe from being called out.
​​​​

 

[tom1912]

Art Tic I think case thickness is the most obvious tell on aps. I automatically assume that all divers are rep but I bump into 3 aquantiances with gen ss diver in March alone haha. The case thickness is hard to miss probably because of my familiarity with the rep diver.

 

[SuperLory]

Art Tic I think case thickness is the most obvious tell on aps. I automatically assume that all divers are rep but I bump into 3 aquantiances with gen ss diver in March alone haha. The case thickness is hard to miss probably because of my familiarity with the rep diver.

Rep and gen ss divers have the same exact thickness.

 

[MrOptional]

tom1912 I will have to disagree, there are some reps (I saw omega rep recently) that looks like total crap. So you have to know what you are getting into. Some people get $100 APs from DHGate, those can be spotted from a mile away. But I am just curious - what is the best out of the box rep. Meaning can a true super rep can be had for $400-600 bucks or so, or do we need to go $5K franken.

And yes, like SuperLory said, ROO is same thickness. There are a few small details here and there to distinguish it form genuine, i.e. shadow lines around numerals, etc. but it's a good overall rep. RO not offshore, but 15400 is thicker indeed.. and they can be thinned by modders.

 

[tom1912]

Rep and gen ss divers have the same exact thickness.

really? I am almost certain at a arms length away the gen diver looks alot slimmer then my ss diver rep !

 

[legend]

really? I am almost certain at a arms length away the gen diver looks alot slimmer then my ss diver rep !

I’ve already told you the same, that gen and rep AP diver thickness are the same. Superlory is correct about the thickness.


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