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My new super rep NWBIG ZF 5296G Sector Dial Calatrava
- Thread starter Accord11
- Start date
Sure thing!
Here's a picture from puretime for higher resolution
The 5 minute markers are not centered between the minute markers, and the second circle around the outside is rotated counterclockwise. you can tell because the line drawn through each point is on the left side of the 12h marker but nearing the right side of the 6h marker. Both of these issues happen exactly the same in all pictures of this model I've seen
The fact that it happens the same every time makes me think that this isn't a QC error, but rather that the actual image they are printing onto the watch face is already wrong
. The only way this could be a QC error is if they're printing these specific markers separately for some reason (stranger things!)The other rep of this model by ACF doesn't have these two issues, but the font and metalwork is not as close. That supports the idea that it might be a problem with the image itself. This kind of problem is easily caused by accidental rotation of a layer or selection when using free transform in Photoshop or whatever illustration/design software they used to mock up before moving to printing/plate creation, and it should be an easy fix for the next batch. The only issue is pointing out the problem to them before they order more faces.
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I appreciate the diligence but this isn’t even visible to the naked eye. Definitely nwbigSure thing!
Here's a picture from puretime for higher resolution
The 5 minute markers are not centered between the minute markers, and the second circle around the outside is rotated counterclockwise. you can tell because the line drawn through each point is on the left side of the 12h marker but nearing the right side of the 6h marker. Both of these issues happen exactly the same in all pictures of this model I've seen
The fact that it happens the same every time makes me think that this isn't a QC error, but rather that the actual image they are printing onto the watch face is already wrong
The other rep of this model by ACF doesn't have these two issues, but the font and metalwork is not as close. That supports the idea that it might be a problem with the image itself. This kind of problem is easily caused by accidental rotation of a layer or selection when using free transform in Photoshop or whatever illustration/design software they used to mock up before moving to printing/plate creation, and it should be an easy fix for the next batch. The only issue is pointing out the problem to them before they order more faces.
The issue here isn't so much that it has this problem, but that it could potentially be easy to not have this problem, as it's maybe not a QC error. Hopefully they fix it in the next V
It's also something I personally noticed looking at this watch even at 1:1 scale, ymmvI'm still considering getting the rep. The case work is gorgeous, leagues ahead of the others. ZF has insane attention to detail about things like proportion and overall design. I don't think this spoils the rep either, I just wanted to draw attention to it in case someone could get in contact with them and they could fix it I guess, if it is just a plate error or something.
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Little do I know, but part of how convincing a super rep is must be the entire package: the watch, the wearer, his outfit, his car, the occasion. If Brad Pit shows up at a party wearing a $100K watch, nobody would assume he's wearing a rep, even if he did, just to win a bet. If at a special event a person shows up in a Ferrari or Rolls, wearing a Patek at a charity dinner where a plate costs $2K, nobody would assume he's wearing a rep, even if he did.
I was once at Starbucks in Studio City, California, 20-some years ago if memory serves me, and a relatively young chap wearing bright red, suede Piloti driving shoes, but otherwise just worn blue jeans and a white T-shirt, had a diamond-crusted President on his wrist. I started wondering, but when he left and jumped into his F-50, I had no doubt that the watch was a gen.
I wonder who buys a Patek Philippe. Don't get me wrong, I think a Calatrava is the perfect watch at a black tie event, but my net worth would have to be at least in the mid 7-figures to buy one. Differently stated, I could not pull this off, and anyone who knows me and knows who I am would know for certain that if I wear a Patek, it ain't real. That's why I don't buy one as a rep either.
That also means that someone who can afford a Patek, could wear a super rep and nobody would assume it's not the real thing. That gives those folks a lot of freedom, peace of mind (that something might happen to the watch), and more money to invest.
If I may take it even a step further, assume the reppers had twice or three times the budget, and could really build the perfect clone to the gen, meaning, you look at two identical watches, but one costs $1,500 and the other one $100,000, where is the justification to buy a gen?
I was once at Starbucks in Studio City, California, 20-some years ago if memory serves me, and a relatively young chap wearing bright red, suede Piloti driving shoes, but otherwise just worn blue jeans and a white T-shirt, had a diamond-crusted President on his wrist. I started wondering, but when he left and jumped into his F-50, I had no doubt that the watch was a gen.
I wonder who buys a Patek Philippe. Don't get me wrong, I think a Calatrava is the perfect watch at a black tie event, but my net worth would have to be at least in the mid 7-figures to buy one. Differently stated, I could not pull this off, and anyone who knows me and knows who I am would know for certain that if I wear a Patek, it ain't real. That's why I don't buy one as a rep either.
That also means that someone who can afford a Patek, could wear a super rep and nobody would assume it's not the real thing. That gives those folks a lot of freedom, peace of mind (that something might happen to the watch), and more money to invest.
If I may take it even a step further, assume the reppers had twice or three times the budget, and could really build the perfect clone to the gen, meaning, you look at two identical watches, but one costs $1,500 and the other one $100,000, where is the justification to buy a gen?
I just like the watch designs and can't afford the originals. Generally I'd like to special request from the factory that the brand name not be printed on the dial if I can. That also clears up all the legal issues so I don't have to worry about customs either. I don't get why people try to put the brand name on the dial. That's the whole issue! That's the source of all the legal issues, and if you're not trying to pass it off as a gen (as I am not), why have the name on it? It's just creating pointless problems.
The point of buying a gen, at least IMO, is supporting the industry. What the watchmakers don't want you to know is how close the industry is to dying. Many companies are one or two really bad years from closing their doors. The reason prices are so high is because they have to be high to keep the lights on. It's going the way of newspapers. About half of the certified watchmakers I know are regularly on the edge of homelessness. The whole prestige thing is just a marketing campaign they cooked up. Really, they're all just passionate people who want to play with gears all day, and they've managed to use marketing to carve out a niche market of people with tons of income that will allow them to do that, almost like artists with patrons. They have to keep up this exclusive image to keep that client base, but it also drives away the everyman, so it's a double-edged sword.
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If you have a rep without the brand name on it, it's a homage. Many people buy homages because they like the look. There are many watches that look like a Rolex Submariner, but when you look closely, it's a watch from a microbrand. The Panerai Bronzos are popular, but at $20K to $30K out of the reach of 99% of the people. There are many, many bronze watches out there now from microbrands, and many of them are well made. Heck, Zelos has the Abyss with 3,000 meters (that's 3 kilometer!) or close to 10,000 feet of water pressure, in bronze, for less than $1K.
Which brings me to the point you touched. Ignoring the research, and the higher labor costs in Europe and Japan, a genuine Rolex Submariner in SS should cost no more than $2K to produce. And I'm sure it doesn't cost more than $2K to produce. All the other costs are related to advertising, promotions at events, research and development, higher labor costs, taxes, and profits for shareholders. If a Submariner would cost $2K at the dealer, and a perfect clone costs $1K, things would look differently. What people are paying for is not the product alone, its looks, its quality, but the name attached to it, the cache, the prestige. That's where the money goes. If you just like the looks of the watch, an homage will do the trick indeed.
Which brings me to the point you touched. Ignoring the research, and the higher labor costs in Europe and Japan, a genuine Rolex Submariner in SS should cost no more than $2K to produce. And I'm sure it doesn't cost more than $2K to produce. All the other costs are related to advertising, promotions at events, research and development, higher labor costs, taxes, and profits for shareholders. If a Submariner would cost $2K at the dealer, and a perfect clone costs $1K, things would look differently. What people are paying for is not the product alone, its looks, its quality, but the name attached to it, the cache, the prestige. That's where the money goes. If you just like the looks of the watch, an homage will do the trick indeed.
- 24/10/17
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As fascinating as this is, we're going massively off piste here so can we drag the topic back towards the main point of the thread please?
The shoes.
The shoes.
Also it pains me to see a gen 5711 all scratched to hell. I couldn’t live with that but if I scratch up a rep I don’t care at all.
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My 5296g-010 sector dial arrived yesterday. Beautiful execution by ZF. The dial is gorgeous and catches light differently depending on the angle which means that the dial appears alternately plain white with no visible silver or the silver circle and band are quite obvious. The constant change makes it interesting. I think that the rep strap is good and I would not replace it with a CF strap of the same color. I have ordered a couple of inexpensive tan straps to try on with the intention of dressing it down a bit for a more casual look for daily wear.
Re the preceding posts, 1/10th of a mm "off-center" is sheer pedantry. If it even exists any error would be invisible upon close examination 99/100 times. Re not buying a PP rep, to each his own. I point out that this is a $20-25K watch, at the low end of the luxury watch price pool; for heaven's sake, I have a 5168 rep that runs $90K, so am comfortable pulling off the Calatrava sector dial as part of the rotation.
Thanks OP for the inspiration. I enjoyed your post tremendously.
My 5296g-010 sector dial arrived yesterday. Beautiful execution by ZF. The dial is gorgeous and catches light differently depending on the angle which means that the dial appears alternately plain white with no visible silver or the silver circle and band are quite obvious. The constant change makes it interesting. I think that the rep strap is good and I would not replace it with a CF strap of the same color. I have ordered a couple of inexpensive tan straps to try on with the intention of dressing it down a bit for a more casual look for daily wear.
Re the preceding posts, 1/10th of a mm "off-center" is sheer pedantry. If it even exists any error would be invisible upon close examination 99/100 times. Re not buying a PP rep, to each his own. I point out that this is a $20-25K watch, at the low end of the luxury watch price pool; for heaven's sake, I have a 5168 rep that runs $90K, so am comfortable pulling off the Calatrava sector dial as part of the rotation.
Thanks OP for the inspiration. I enjoyed your post tremendously.
Very nice. All of the ZF calatravas are amazing, my recommendation is to add a ZF 5227 to your calatrava dress collection now. All are incredible quality.
I have a sector dial Calatrava 5296R on sales section. The 5296R is purchased in the early of July which has an excellent condition so far. Please feel free to have a look or send me a dm if interested.
Thank you very much for your kind attention.
Thank you very much for your kind attention.
Can anyone explain to me, why the jewels are in the wrong colour? Is it simply a mistake, or are the red ones easier to synthetically manufacturer than violet ones?
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I ordered a tan strap to dress the watch down and it arrived today. I think the tan strap makes the 5926 look more casual. Thoughts?
I ordered a tan strap to dress the watch down and it arrived today. I think the tan strap makes the 5926 look more casual. Thoughts?
Where did you get that strap, love it
- 4/7/09
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And this makes it NWBIG still?
When I see videos like this https://youtu.be/faTFFSsOJ7o the biggest tell IMHO is the jewels colour.
I mean, at the naked eye would be it noticeable?
Because I'm video, even without magnifying it, I can see the difference.
Im very interested in buying the 5296, so I would like to know from Aviator11 and all the owners of this is a real flaw or only my paranoia!
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Omagad
I'm Pretty Popular
After carefully evaluating the various testimonials on this watch, here it is with First Class++ (Super Rep On The Wrist) status
https://forum.replica-watch.info/for...nwbigs/page449
https://forum.replica-watch.info/for...nwbigs/page449
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I think you should consider the ZF 5227r for super rep status. I got a chance to compare it to the gen and it really is incredible how close it is.
Maybe Accord11 could weigh in
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