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ZF AP 15500

legend

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My white dial ZF 15500 is probably a few days away. Will be the first metal band watch I've owned. Any chance Legend or someone else in the know could give me a brief primer on what exactly I should do to the bracelet when I get it? Ultrasonic bath in baby oil - for how long? Any particular type of baby oil? Let it dry afterward or rinse with soap and water?

Edit: also, remove the band from the case before treating it, right?

Firstly please understand also that the gen bracelet is also a little sharp on the edges where it touches the skin.
I don’t want to state that it’s a must that each rep bracelet must be treated. It’s a matter of personal preference if you wish to clean or soften the bracelet but the gen 15500 bracelet in my experience isn’t “buttery soft” but it is well finished.
If you want to clean the bracelet or make it more pliable leaving it in a pan of baby oil is harmless. But please do not apply hot boiling water or shampoo to it.

I’ll advise you wear it as it is as the rep bracelet and the gen both can be refined to make it more comfortable to wear, but there is nothing debilitating about either of them.


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srhoque

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My white dial ZF 15500 is probably a few days away. Will be the first metal band watch I've owned. Any chance Legend or someone else in the know could give me a brief primer on what exactly I should do to the bracelet when I get it? Ultrasonic bath in baby oil - for how long? Any particular type of baby oil? Let it dry afterward or rinse with soap and water?

Edit: also, remove the band from the case before treating it, right?

As soon as you get it, detach from mid-case and dip the entire bracelet in WD-40 for 2 days. Move the bracelet around in every day for the WD-40 to thoroughly seep in. Then remove and put it in baby oil for 2 days. I use this one.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Then remove and put it back in WD-40 for another 2 days. At this point you can hand dry the bracelet using micro fiber cloth or wrap it in paper towel and leave it for 24 hours. If you are too worried about excess WD-40 (which there wouldn't be much left), give the bracelet a gentle warm water+soap rinse. Then dry using micro fiber cloth or paper towel for 24 hours preferably in a warm area. I prefer paper towel drying so that nothing rubs the bracelet polish). Good luck!!

During COVID times, as the first step, I also cleanse my bracelet using ammonia free windex before dipping in WD-40
https://www.amazon.com/Windex-Crysta...5782926&sr=8-1

Note: I may be over doing the process (as stated above) but I am very happy with the end result ;) I use the above method for all AP and VC SS bracelets, For Rolex bracelets (ARF/Noob), I send it to Jon (user Jonj480) for complete refinish (clean, lube and refinish). Jon does amazinjg metal work and I am a very happy customer of his.
 
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watcho

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what do you guys think of the 15500 movement? Should I swap with it for a genuine one?

Yeah, totally. They sell the new AP 4302 caliber now at Walmart and I've heard 7-Eleven will start introducing a 24/7 service desk for AP swaps.
Ignorance is bliss. Until it hits you.
I was not trying to troll him but the question was rather meaningless. Of course the gen movement will be better but it is not possible to get the cal 4302 movement alone currently and the cost is prohibitive for most. So it’s not very practical to ask if one should get a gen movement for a $400 rep like it’s a crystal upgrade or even a gen dial upgrade. My guy at AP did quote me S$7500 (that’s more than usd5500) for a gen 4302 caliber when I asked how much it will cost if the movement in my 15500 is damaged due to my own carelessness. And the old movement needs to be exchanged for the new one. The parts policy is getting stricter for AP and Rolex among other brands and it’s getting very difficult to source for even the 3120 caliber used by the divers and 15400. That’s the reason I felt that the question was asked in ignorance/complacency like you can just go on eBay to purchase a caliber 4302 right now.

I’m not saying it’s impossible to buy one. Someday somewhere one will pop up for sale for one reason or another. But it’s literally like striking the lottery finding one in complete and working condition. Backdoor parts sales do exist and will continue to exist. It’s just that the channel will be a lot more constricted than before. I will be delighted to see 15500 frankens being built soon with gen dials and possibly hands and maybe 2-3 with gen movements years later. But guys need to be aware of the situation and not ask unrealistic questions. Everyone knows that gen parts make the reps better, but their current availability makes the question almost rhetorical in nature.



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We all started with a first watch, rep or gen. The decision came after deliberation. To me, deliberation implies some level of research, unless it is the result of an impulse.
You were being diplomatic and called the question: "rhetorical". If that equals "ignorance", I aquiesce the euphemism.
Ignorance is one of those traits that requires every single bit of our efforts to fight against. Usually I keep my opinion to myself, but this is one of those things when I simply cannot keep my trap shut.
Do some research, educate yourself. It will serve you well, not only in this hobby, but in life in general.

AP15500 is a marvellous watch for the reasons listed before by all the knowledgeable posters. It deserves a bit more diligence, if not respect. And that applies to ZF15500, which is a remarkable iteration of the gen.
I agree with this.

Please guys don’t go with anecdotal but unproven treatments. Going with shampoo is like going with ketchup or mustard, unless you know 100% how the components in the shampoo react with steel.

Ultrasonic cleaning can make the bracelet cleaner yes.
Baby oil can smooth out all the joints and therefore make the bracelet more pliable. So yes.
To make the edges less sharp you need to bevel and polish it a little. And if you want to rebrush the bracelet surface to make it look better then it’s a separate process again.
Hot water can actually compromise the rust-resistance of steel depending on the anti-corrosiveness treatment done on the steel originally and the temperature of the water.

There IS a proper process to soften and refinish a bracelet and make it more comfortable to wear.


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A, nothing in that shampoo could have harmed the steel to that extent. There are loopholes for consumer products to get FDA approval, but they are more of a technical nature and less pertaining to the ingredients.
Just as a sidenote, FDA and EPA are governmental agencies. They are not regulatory authorities, but "merely" acting to enforce governmental regulations for consumer protection. I won't get political here, there would be too much to talk about. As a general rule, FDA authorizes products that can be applied to humans, whereas EPA deals with everything else.
Based on my empirical and scientific observations, I very much doubt that a shampoo destined for human use could contain anything corrosive. I have spent the enterety of my professional career in a line of business that has a lot of interferences with related topics.
And it could not have been the water either, no matter how hot. Its boiling point should be way lower than any level of temperature that could harm metal even remotely, unless there were other corrosive ingredients involved, unbeknown to the user.
I forget, but did he say he subjected it to an ultrasonic bath? Then yeah, that could have potentially originated the issue. I don't know if you guys are familiar to what in science is referred to "acoustic cavitation"? This is an amazing physical phenomenon that occurs in liquids when sudden changes in pressure occur. It generates cavities, or bubbles which will eventually collapse. This can lead to a microclimate where temperatures, pressure and velocities are immense. One of the side-effects is surface fatigue, which can be correlated with the results in this case.
I am not advocating against ultrasonic baths, but I would use it rather sparingly, since some of the devices might not be calibrated to avoid this phenomenon and even they were, the laws of physics do not necessarily follow the rule on men.
*the rules of men, rather. sorry for the typo.
*entirety.
Ah, fuck that, you all know what I mean.
See, we all have our compulsions. I wish mine were confined just on immaterial topics. Would have saved me a lot of money, but it would have made my life so much more boring.
Enjoy your objects of admiration for what they're worth to you and you only, but don't take anything material (and yourself, for that matter) too seriously, because at the end of the journey, we take nothing with us.
Nothing material, that is.
We all started with a first watch, rep or gen. The decision came after deliberation. To me, deliberation implies some level of research, unless it is the result of an impulse.
You were being diplomatic and called the question: "rhetorical". If that equals "ignorance", I aquiesce the euphemism.
Ignorance is one of those traits that requires every single bit of our efforts to fight against. Usually I keep my opinion to myself, but this is one of those things when I simply cannot keep my trap shut.
Do some research, educate yourself. It will serve you well, not only in this hobby, but in life in general.

AP15500 is a marvellous watch for the reasons listed before by all the knowledgeable posters. It deserves a bit more diligence, if not respect. And that applies to ZF15500, which is a remarkable iteration of the gen.

And obviously A, the advising part of my post was dedicated to ManuelCalavera, but I got the quotes mixed up.
 
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Sonofalich

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And obviously A, the advising part of my post was dedicated to ManuelCalavera, but I got the quotes mixed up.

Really why are you just spamming the thread with what is utterly inane shite to be blunt. You could edit one post, rather than make 5 in a row.
 

watcho

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Really why are you just spamming the thread with what is utterly inane shite to be blunt. You could edit one post, rather than make 5 in a row.

I haven't tatooed it on your skin, so chill and get off of what you're having. It triggers microagressions. Skip the post that bothered you, instead of policing it with what really can be defined as one utterly inane shite of a post. Baffles me, the snowflakes nowadays. They try to take command over whatever aspect of your life, just because they consider themselves to be the supreme authority.
Let me break it down to you. You have zero authority over what I write. Zero. Get used to it.
 

QueTip

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Anybody else hear the whistle?

I do. Oh wait, it's me.



Really why are you just spamming the thread with what is utterly inane shite to be blunt. You could edit one post, rather than make 5 in a row.

Instead of complaining about the missing multi tags, which can be annoying, I understand but it has now been explained to watcho, try to see the value he's adding to the discussion with his posts. This added value outweighs the issue of the multiple posts by far. The multi posts will be merged now but tone it down.

Let's keep this thread what it is. A great source of information for all kinds of members on here. The AP sub has evolved into something very magnificent, keep it that way.
 
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watcho

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Que, I had tried to edit the posts and it didn't work, for some reason. So again, sorry for that. It was not intentional. No gain from getting that kind of exposure on my side.
Keep up the relevant posts, guys, disregard/apologize the intermezzo, if you are so kind.
 

legend

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I for one do enjoy watcho's posts. Yes he could have been more considerate and merge or edit them but I think that my enjoyment and amusement of his posts outweigh any irritation or annoyance at his post method or etiquette.
I think that he is fully entitled to his opinion like any one of us, and being a unique individual, he will catch on to different stuff and post his responses as he fancies. He has not offensive and his discourses have been educational and amusing for me.

Rumor has it that watcho is most productive and expressive when he isn't buckled up securely in his straits jacket and ensconced safely in his padded cell. When released, he is given access to a laptop for a limited time and off he goes with his grandiloquent posts. Ah well, we can certainly do with someone like watcho. If our forum is the Cats Musical, he will be the flamboyant and clever Mr Mistoffelees. :hehehe:
 

watcho

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I for one do enjoy watcho's posts. Yes he could have been more considerate and merge or edit them but I think that my enjoyment and amusement of his posts outweigh any irritation or annoyance at his post method or etiquette.
I think that he is fully entitled to his opinion like any one of us, and being a unique individual, he will catch on to different stuff and post his responses as he fancies. He has not offensive and his discourses have been educational and amusing for me.

Rumor has it that watcho is most productive and expressive when he isn't buckled up securely in his straits jacket and ensconced safely in his padded cell. When released, he is given access to a laptop for a limited time and off he goes with his grandiloquent posts. Ah well, we can certainly do with someone like watcho. If our forum is the Cats Musical, he will be the flamboyant and clever Mr Mistoffelees. :hehehe:

Thank God not Macavity. :thumbup:
 
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ManuelCalavera

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Yeah, totally. They sell the new AP 4302 caliber now at Walmart and I've heard 7-Eleven will start introducing a 24/7 service desk for AP swaps.
Ignorance is bliss. Until it hits you.

How much of a dick do you have to be to reply to a post from 6 months and 60 pages ago just to say the person is stupid for asking a question?
 
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QueTip

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How much of a dick do you have to be to reply to a post from 6 months and 60 pages ago just to say the person is stupid for asking a question?
How much of an idiot do you have to be to reply to a thread that has been deescalated by staff resetting fire to it by talking like an idiot and throwing out insults?! Knock it off. Last warning.
 
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MambaMentality60

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Tbh it was surprising to me that Shampoo had some spot effects on my bracelet!! Better get my head and scalp checked after seeing what it did to my ZF bracelet!!
 

legend

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How much of a dick do you have to be to reply to a post from 6 months and 60 pages ago just to say the person is stupid for asking a question?

Well breathe and relax a little sir.

There is no rule against responding to older posts. Additionally, an opinion 6 or 8 months ago can be equally valid as something said today. In this case, watcho's post does help members thinking the "gen movement" route see the reality of the situation. Maybe he was being witty, maybe sarcastic, but the essence of his message remains valid: one cannot just get a gen movement easily currently. I will rather have a member take time to peruse threads and contents which have been written (and sometimes respond to older posts), rather than starting a new thread and asking foolish questions like "which is the best version for the 15500?"
Calling him names does not make you better than him (though it may make you feel better momentarily).
If you sit back and see the wider perspective, its just another opinion in the forum, like yours, mine and anyone's else. If you disagree with it, just move along, I am pretty sure you can find something you agree with.
 
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