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COMPARISON OF FOUR 116610 LV Hulk Dials w/ and w/out GEN INSERT NEARBY

sfgerl

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Hi all,

First, my apologies if this is repetitive, but I did not see a similar previous thread.

Warning: PIC HEAVY

I started this thread because I have a superfranken Hulk and a GEN insert/bezel assembly that has yet to be put on the watch, which when installed, will make the watch all gen but the Noob 7 case, ARF bracelet, and dial.

Unfortunately, the GEN dial is SO important, yet SO hard to source, and SOOO expensive even if I were to find one. I have always, for some reason, been struck by the beauty of the BP Miyota dial on my first gen VRF MAX (2836).

In this post I will be comparing photos of the following watches:
1) Date "31" is the first-gen VRF MAX with the BP Miyota dial (clasp code OUS) with a GEN Xstal.
2) Date "18" is the ARF, all stock (clasp code E5N)
3) Date "29" is VRF 3135, all stock (clasp code J9K)
4) Date "19" is the superfranken Noob 7 with GEN xtal, spongebob-modded insert, and ARF bracelet (clasp code E5N)

Obviously, I am looking for the most-gen-like dial, so I am trying to decide if should stay with the Noob 7 dial, or switch to the BP Miyota or even the ARF (as one highly-respected modder recommended).

I thought it would be interesting to hear what others thought, I realize I may get more confused, but... If nothing else, this post is a good source of comparison photos of the four most common varieties of the Hulk both with and without the gen insert next to each model for comparison.

Before I get comments - the GEN insert/bezel assembly was purchased with damage to a small segment of the teeth and scallops. I got it for a relatively good price and then had superman Jonj480 clean it up for me. Thanks to his work, I think the damaged area is hard to see, and will be even harder to pick out once the assembly is in place on the watch - unless you are looking for it specifically.
I thought it was really interesting to see how the GEN insert stacks up against the inserts on each version. There really and truly is no substitute for the GEN. I also know that the same holds true for the dial - but... that is not likely to happen unless I buy the GEN watch!
AGAIN, I AM INTERESTED IN COMMENTS RE: WHICH DIAL IS BEST (not other features)


ENJOY - and THANKS!

I took photos in the late-afternoon sun and late-afternoon shade.
First, the late-afternoon sun:
LEFT TO RIGHT: VRF 3135, ARF, BP Miyota dial on VRF MAX
2QF7W.jpg
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
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wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
​​​
LEFT TO RIGHT: VRF 3135, ARF, BP Miyota dial on VRF MAX, SUPERFRANKEN Noob 7
2QSzS.jpg
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
​​
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
​​​
BP Miyota on VRF MAX (left) vs. SUPERFRANKEN Noob 7 (right):
2Q0YQ.jpg
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
​​
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
​​​
ARF (left) vs. SUPERFRANKEN Noob 7 (right):
2QxVR.jpg
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
​​
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
​​​
VRF 3135 (left) vs. SUPERFRANKEN Noob 7 (right):
2QVi8.jpg
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
​​
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
​​​
NOW, EACH MODEL WITH THE GEN BEZEL/INSERT LAID ON THE WATCH:
1) BP Miyota dial - VRF MAX:
2QgGv.jpg
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
​​
2) ARF:
2lZL1.jpg
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
​​
3. VRF 3135:
2ljrj.jpg
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
​​
4) SUPERFRANKEN Noob 7:
​​[/url
PHOTOS TAKEN IN LATE-AFTERNOON SHADE:
1) BP Miyota VRF MAX (left) vs. ARF (right):
​​
2) BP Miyota VRF MAX (left) vs. VRF 3135:

​​
3) BP Miyota VRF MAX (left) vs. SUPERFRANKEN Noob 7:
​​
 
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sfgerl

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I should add that my concerns were that the Noob 7 dial printing was, to the naked eye at 16" distance, looking kind of light. I can see with these photos that it is a bit light, by comparison - and also that in the shade the ARF and Noob dial definitely look almost black-green in color compared to the VRF and BP Miyota dials.

Any thoughts on this vs. the GEN dial?
 

Hazing

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Nice shots. Nice photos. Now for a closer look.
 

KJ2020

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I've always been partial to the BP Miyota dial. I bought one way back when without knowing much about the differences and have since had a Noob V9 and a VRF Max 2836 (non-BP dial) but sold both as I did not find them to be an improvement. I still have the BP Miyota and don't see a need to look any further. I would put the BP dial in your Noob SF. If you really want the best of what you have, you could put the Noob markers on the BP dial. Many feel Noob markers are the best and this has been done before.
 

pecupecu

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Under diffuse light, they all look pretty good. Under harsh light they dont behave like the gen. They show an incorrect amount of saturation (too much) and a different hue. They also create fine, strong glares. The gen is more subtle and elegant. Im surprised with the bezel. They are not identical, but they look pretty good in the pictures.

You should detail your observations. Pictures dont show everything your eyes can see, the way they play with the light etc
 

sfgerl

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I was just looking again, at the BP dial on my VRF MAX vs. the Noob 7 on my SF Hulk.... The BP dial is slightly blacker in direct sun and - here's what I am confused about - the sunburst glares are more diffuse on the Noob, whereas on the BP they look like green lasers - narrower and sharper. Which is more desirable in terms of comparing to gen? (I know, I know - there really is no comparison, but I'm speaking about a rep...)
 

KJ2020

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I was just looking again, at the BP dial on my VRF MAX vs. the Noob 7 on my SF Hulk.... The BP dial is slightly blacker in direct sun and - here's what I am confused about - the sunburst glares are more diffuse on the Noob, whereas on the BP they look like green lasers - narrower and sharper. Which is more desirable in terms of comparing to gen? (I know, I know - there really is no comparison, but I'm speaking about a rep...)

The gen has wider and less intense sunburst fan spreads than reps, generally speaking. I'm surprised that you find the Noob spreads are wider than the BP. I found the opposite to be true - my BP has pretty wide spreads unless it is in really harsh direct light. Noobs are also a different shade of green IMO, tending slightly toward forest green. The BP and the gen are solid emerald in color.

My BP Miyota

15620397725013.jpg
 

KJ2020

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Noob dial - sorry it's in an SD43 case, I'm crazy that way...

The spreads only look as wide as the BP, but each of those spreads is actually made up of 2 or more separate light source flares. You can really see the more forest green color to the Noob, and the less deep blacks.

15647147491503.jpg
 
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sfgerl

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KJ2020 - when I mentioned the sunbursts, it actually was in harsh, direct, midday light - so that explains things.

Princewilliam, I thought yours was gen - what a gorgeous emerald color!

Well, you guys on totally on point - last night I decided to email smoke each of the three dials, and he picked the BP one - and smoke knows!!

Decision made! (but I think I'll end it there, no marker swap for me)

Cheers to you both, and thanks again for the super photos. And KJ2020, the GEN is just breathtaking - I hope you get it soon! From what I've seen, the price has gone up in just one year... unbelievable.
 

k4jun

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Nice thread OP.

Has anyone tried CF LV insert?
 

shortlegs

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Great photos everyone, but if I may be honest, the comparison really wouldn't work without a gen in the same photo, under the exact same angle and lighting. Most reps dials are passable from a distance. But once held to a gen, the differences start to show. As to which one is closest, I think it's mostly guesswork at this point.

But regarding the insert, someone posted in a thread before comparing the gen insert to CF, ARF, and ebay ones, and later VRF inserts too. I can't seem to find the thread, but I recall that none of them are close enough to gen, but surprisingly, the ARF insert doesn't look too bad..
 
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sfgerl

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Great photos everyone, but if I may be honest, the comparison really wouldn't work without a gen in the same photo, under the exact same angle and lighting. Most reps dials are passable from a distance. But once held to a gen, the differences start to show. As to which one is closest, I think it's mostly guesswork at this point.

But regarding the insert, someone posted in a thread before comparing the gen insert to CF, ARF, and ebay ones, and later VRF inserts too. I can't seem to find the thread, but I recall that none of them are close enough to gen, but surprisingly, the ARF insert doesn't look too bad..

Sadly, these are the "only" Hulks I own - sure wish I owned a gen Hulk, I would have definitely included that in the photo... But, at current grey market prices, even if I sold all of these, including the frankened Hulk, I'd still have to kick in another 5 - 7K to have the real thing. Plus, when I am all done, the frankened Hulk will be all gen but the dial, case and bracelet, which is close enough for me.

Should note that I have ordered the new CF Hulk dial (but not the insert) from Li, and can post photos of that with the others when it arrives!

I'm waiting to see how that dial compares to the BP Miyota Hulk dial, and (with the help of smoke,) will pick the better of the two to go on the franken Hulk.
 
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masterpiece777

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Is BP stil have the best sunburst dail?
sorry for bumping but can’t find other recommendations,only on some Facebook groups that it will have the best but only need CF markers?

hope someone can put a light on it!

thanks in advance ????
 

srhoque

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Firstly, THANKS for doing this pictorial review. Found it quite informative and interesting (like comments on the Noob Sunburst). I think you should add CF Insert/Dial into the mix as well.

I had recently started a project with the BP 2836 dial + ZZF Markers. However after several looks at the latest CF v2s/v3 Dial (X fixed), I decided to stick with the CF. If the dial is held at a proper sunlight angle, the smooth black/green transition is achieved and the dial does go pretty dark as well. Will post pics when project is completed.
 

masterpiece777

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Firstly, THANKS for doing this pictorial review. Found it quite informative and interesting (like comments on the Noob Sunburst). I think you should add CF Insert/Dial into the mix as well.

I had recently started a project with the BP 2836 dial + ZZF Markers. However after several looks at the latest CF v2s/v3 Dial (X fixed), I decided to stick with the CF. If the dial is held at a proper sunlight angle, the smooth black/green transition is achieved and the dial does go pretty dark as well. Will post pics when project is completed.

Are you having pictures side by side in same light?
Very curious!

And do you know what’s the difference between the 2836 BP and the 3135 dail besides the feet’s?

Best regards


Sent from the RWI App
 

srhoque

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Are you having pictures side by side in same light?
Very curious!

And do you know what’s the difference between the 2836 BP and the 3135 dail besides the feet’s?

Best regards


Sent from the RWI App

Watch is still with Modder.

The BP Miyota and 2836 are the early batch dials with smooth sunburst and dials going dark. They are also easily identified by the short “f” in ft. The 3135 BP dial is nothing special, not very impressive
 
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