Noob Daytona delight!

[dc2_bb6_cu2]

... had some incomings this week!

Overall-
19LN > 500LN >> 520

Impressions: 116520
“Very good” rep. The bracelet is almost unwearable, sharp and cheap feeling and noisy. Dial and bezel have known imperfections, nothing new there. Movement winds nicely and performs beautifully.

Impressions: 116500 (v2.2.1 - post raid batch?)
This rep is scary good. I have a gen and the obvious tells are known- “Daytona” is darker and sharper on the gen, ROLEX is also more refined. Aside from that, I’m going to have to give some serious consideration to selling the gen. Not sure about all this fuss with the bezel, but to the naked eye, looks extremely close to gen.

Impressions: 116519LN
Basically a super rep. Clasp is a bit fussy/cheap, and could *maybe*use a CF bezel but the watch is gtg as is. Phenomenal rep.

 

[wkim8732]

drooool

 

[dc2_bb6_cu2]

I’ll have to get a macro lens for a legit review but in the meantime - rep on the left.

 

[mistermagoo]

Nice lineup. How's the chrono movement?

 

[Froning]

Very nice trio.
IMHO noob Daytona ceramic bezel under certain lights looks too dull and low quality.

 

[freediver]

very nice !
you even got lucky with the lugs of the 116500, they look great

 

[HotNHorny]

Based on side by side comparison on the PANDA, there’s definitely a subtle difference in text size between REP and PANDA. But to a guy who doesn’t know any better, without knowing which one is fake or not, you won’t be able to tell.

Hmmm. I got the PANDA ARF and waiting for the PANDA NOOB to come in. I wonder I should just change the NOOB to a black dial one.


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[dc2_bb6_cu2]

Nice lineup. How's the chrono movement?

It’s interesting in how the movement feels. The gen feels very solid when winding with a good bit of resistance. The 116520 is about 75% of gen resistance, 19LN is about 60%, and 500LN is about 50%. The power reserve has been great tho, close to 60hr on the 500LN so far by my count.

 

[dc2_bb6_cu2]

Based on side by side comparison on the PANDA, there’s definitely a subtle difference in text size between REP and PANDA. But to a guy who doesn’t know any better, without knowing which one is fake or not, you won’t be able to tell.

Hmmm. I got the PANDA ARF and waiting for the PANDA NOOB to come in. I wonder I should just change the NOOB to a black dial one.


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Yes, the only tell when you have both in-hand, is the final print. Everything else is so close that even holding gen it is hard to spot any difference on the naked eye. With a loupe or macro lens, sure, but on the wrist both watches are indistinguishable.

From a wearer’s perspective, the crystal on the rep sits 1-1.5mm higher than gen, and you can tell because of how much edge of the crystal is showing when seen on the wrist.

From someone looking across from you, even if you’re having a conversation, I can’t imagine anyone would ever know.

 

[mistermagoo]

It’s interesting in how the movement feels. The gen feels very solid when winding with a good bit of resistance. The 116520 is about 75% of gen resistance, 19LN is about 60%, and 500LN is about 50%. The power reserve has been great tho, close to 60hr on the 500LN so far by my count.

Excellent! Tanks for the review.

 

[HotNHorny]

Do you have a LUME comparison between GEN and NOOB or ARF REP?


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[fradic]

Very nice comparisons. The 19, would not be "considered" a super-rep. since its weight is way off. Anyways, thank you!

 

[mari115]

thank you for your post!

 

[mari115]

Based on side by side comparison on the PANDA, there’s definitely a subtle difference in text size between REP and PANDA. But to a guy who doesn’t know any better, without knowing which one is fake or not, you won’t be able to tell.

Hmmm. I got the PANDA ARF and waiting for the PANDA NOOB to come in. I wonder I should just change the NOOB to a black dial one.


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the thing is, even if someone has the gen, and doesn't wear it in that precise moment, do you really believe he's gonna find out? i really think that only rep lovers like us could tell a rep from a gen only because we know what the tells are, if you don't know the tell, you're not gonna find out, much less if you are looking at someone wearing a watch from a meter away

 

[philwongnz]

I think the first give away for any noob with ceramic bezel is the bezel, not something you can spot someone while wearing it, but for me it bugs me. I collect vintage Rolex and is all about fonts, I think Noob had done a fantastic job but I think they got a bit lazy with the recent finishes (case shape, SEL lug shapes. Back in the day their Pams are pretty much right on with their finishes. I think swapping an ARF or a CF bezel is the first thing I would do then send it to a modder to reshape the case.

I'm sitting on the fence of getting a noob daytona as I'm waiting for a rumoured ARF v3. However I recently bought a franken noob with a 4130 via M2M with a gen WG bezel and case mods and it feels great, although I can't compare to an exact gem but I do own a gen 16520 and it feels pretty good.

All in all thanks for sharing your photos

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[Yellobird]

Great info.

Any other things to mention between noob and gen?

is the crystal really that much taller? Does not look like it.

 

[p0pperini]

dc2_bb6_cu2 I’d be interested to hear from a gen owner how the Noob panda dial white colour compares to the gen? I have the Noob and the ARF, and to my eye the ARF looks “classier” because it has a very slight ivory tint, whereas the Noob is pure white. But I have no idea which is closer to the white of a gen dial. Your assessment would be appreciated.

 

[dc2_bb6_cu2]

I’m currently away on business, when I get back home I’ll try and get daylight comparisons for you so you can check the crystal height and dial color.

Do understand I am not amongst the extremely nit-picky crowd on this forum. The V2.2 is so good it is NWBIG (to me), even better with a few mods like CF bezel and lower crystal.

Since the creation of this thread, I have sold the 19LN because I didn’t not enjoy the OF as much as I thought I would, and am likely going to sell the 116520 since to make room for other reps on the way. That 116500 2.2 is definitely a keeper tho.

 

[srhoque]

dc2_bb6_cu2 I’d be interested to hear from a gen owner how the Noob panda dial white colour compares to the gen? I have the Noob and the ARF, and to my eye the ARF looks “classier” because it has a very slight ivory tint, whereas the Noob is pure white. But I have no idea which is closer to the white of a gen dial. Your assessment would be appreciated.

The gen 116500 Panda over the years has had various shades of white. The ARF “creamy” white and the Noob white both will be similar to gems depending on which batch you compare it with. This topic has already been discussed on a separate thread on this forum. Any way the ARF dial printing and crispness and the shine of the markers is miles better than the Noob dial. In my opinion, the ideal Panda is Noob movement/case with ARF dial and CF bezel.

 

[m5smg2]

I’m currently away on business, when I get back home I’ll try and get daylight comparisons for you so you can check the crystal height and dial color.

Do understand I am not amongst the extremely nit-picky crowd on this forum. The V2.2 is so good it is NWBIG (to me), even better with a few mods like CF bezel and lower crystal.

Since the creation of this thread, I have sold the 19LN because I didn’t not enjoy the OF as much as I thought I would, and am likely going to sell the 116520 since to make room for other reps on the way. That 116500 2.2 is definitely a keeper tho.

dc2_bb6_cu2 that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

With your gen Hulk and gen 500 you’re our new best friend