Daytona Arf

[Anthony75]

Can anybody please tell me if it’s really worth going for the $688 Arf Daytona? Or just go for the $400 version? Will the crown tube tread just strip out as per usual or is the whole piece made from decent materials. I haven’t bought a rep for a while and don’t really want the hassle of buying and then sending out for modding. Thanks


Sent from the RWI App

 

[M Scott]

The Noob Daytona is $688 and the ARF is $488.

https://forum.replica-watch.info/fo...b-v3-daytona-vs-gen-daytona-vs-arf-v2-daytona

 

[Anthony75]

I do apologise. I got them back to front. Would it be worth bothering with the 904 steel was really the question I suppose. Would I still have trouble with crown screws threading ? Or would all parts be high quality steel ? Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using RWI

 

[Anthony75]

I do apologise. I got them back to front. Would it be worth bothering with the 904 steel was really the question I suppose. Would I still have trouble with crown screws threading ? Or would all parts be high quality steel ? Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using RWI

Just read your comparison. Very informative, though I’m still unsure of what to purchase. I really like the black and dial versions. Can’t seem to find grey with steel bracelet though. Thanks.


Sent from the RWI App

 

[SOLEX]

There is so much information on this glorious website, but what the hell I will give some help.

1) Buy Noob if you must have the chrono working. Movement is decently reliable, but quality is not as great as the ARF. It is very good though. The latest v3 takes away some imperfections of the previous models, so all in all will not need much in mods. Note that if the movement takes a dump one day, you are pretty much on your own.
2) Out of the box needs no mods, but chrono does not work. Movement is reliable, but noisy. Higher quality than Noob. 7750 movement is easily serviced.

Regarding dial options- I see you want a grey dial, that is reserved for the 116519 model (white gold on rubber strap) which is beautiful.

 

[p0pperini]

You have to be a really dedicated rep watch nut to spot the difference between 904 and 316 steel (and there's always arguments over whether it is even possible). As to the threads stripping - I have no idea where that notion came from, I've never seen anyone complaining that their crown threads stripped because their watch wasn't made with (Chinese) 904 steel... The reps TDs are selling have very good quality stainless steel cases and parts, no matter which version steel your rep is made from. I have ARF and Noob Daytonas, and I fall into the "can't tell - don't care" category when it comes to the component steel.

I'm not sure SOLEX has made things much clearer for you, so I will also add:
1) I don't think the Noob 4130 movement quality is necessarily inferior to the 7750, but the 4130 is more likely to fail - because it's a fully working chrono movement, and it is also newer to the market. Servicing the 4130 is also expensive, should you wish/need to have it done. It cost me £160 to have mine serviced, and it can cost more, depending which watchsmith you go to. But you're not "on your own" if it goes wrong - because it's a clone of the gen 4130, a good number of watchsmiths here on RWI and the other rep forums can/will work on them.
2) The chrono partly works on the ARF - the big seconds hand goes round when you use the chrono.

 

[Guy-Bones-Jones]

SOLEXn0bby Thank you for the informative replies. I am brand new to this forum/the rep community and have been trying to understand what the major differences are between the ARF vs noob daytonas which you guys did perfectly.

For my first rep, I am thinking about purchasing the 116518 model CER/YG with a white face. The look of the chronograph is what I'm drawn to not necessarily if it works or not so I'm leaning more towards the ARF. Still have a lot of research to do before I pull the trigger on my first rep tho.

 

[redrising]

2) The chrono partly works on the ARF - the big seconds hand goes round when you use the chrono.

So, is the minute & hour hands pretty much frozen? I don't plan to use the chrono function but would it be an issue if I let the big second hand run for hours?

 

[p0pperini]

So, is the minute & hour hands pretty much frozen? I don't plan to use the chrono function but would it be an issue if I let the big second hand run for hours?

The ARF 7750 subdials at the 3 and 9 position are frozen, they don’t move when the chrono is operated. The subdial at the 6 position is the regular seconds counter, running constantly, like the 4130. The big seconds hand won’t run for hours - it stops after a time (I’ve never bothered to find out what the limit is, seems to be a few minutes). ARF disabled full chrono functions in order to fit the movement in a slimmer case.

Generally, the advice on chrono watches is - the mechanism is fragile, so don’t use the chrono unless you have to!

However, once he’d cleaned, fixed and serviced my Noob 4130, watchsmith Ado213 praised the construction of the Noob movement, and pronounced it safe to use. (But I still only ever do it to move the big seconds hand away from the crown, for photos...)

 

[Logixa]

The noob 4130 is amazing. I've serviced several of them and was surprised about how good the quality of the parts are. It is much much better than the sh3135 movements and in my opinion, on par with Chinese eta movements.

Get it serviced and it will run like a champ. I use my chrono on a daily base, several times a day without any issue.

A recommendation that I have for the 4130 is replacing the cluth wheel, chrono seconds gear and seconds gear with Gen ones. The Gen has improved these parts with something Rolex calls "spring loaded" teeth. Check out the pictures. I replaced 5 parts with Gen and it runs amazing. These spring loaded teeth are an improvement as it reduces the amount of amplitude drop when using the chrono function.






Put a CF bezel on it and call it a day.
​​​​

 

[djbboi]

I just got the ARF Daytona Panda as well as the NOOB V3 Daytona Panda, and on the wrist the biggest difference that I can see are that pushers are at a different angle than the NOOB and GEN, the thickness of the ARF is slightly bigger than the NOOB so some straps may not fit, and the subdials on the ARF seem to be a bit thinner than the NOOB but it could just being my eyes playing tricks on me. I am also relatively new, so to the untrained eye that's all I noticed, which is probably still more than 99% of people out there.

 

[Anthony75]

Thanks for all of your help ! Thanks to your input and much deliberation from myself I have just this second gone for the 116520 V2 Noob 7750. Thanks Again


Sent from my iPhone using RWI

 

[SOLEX]

Thanks for all of your help ! Thanks to your input and much deliberation from myself I have just this second gone for the 116520 V2 Noob 7750. Thanks Again


Sent from my iPhone using RWI

Noob 7750? Uh oh....

 

[Perpetual]

Thanks for all of your help ! Thanks to your input and much deliberation from myself I have just this second gone for the 116520 V2 Noob 7750. Thanks Again


Sent from my iPhone using RWI

Spoon feeding never tasted soo good! Enjoy your new Daytona man

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[muiramas]

Thanks for all of your help ! Thanks to your input and much deliberation from myself I have just this second gone for the 116520 V2 Noob 7750. Thanks Again


Sent from my iPhone using RWI

Dude, you realise the Noob 7750 is a watch which nobody recommended? The movement, and therefore the case is a lot thicker / chubbier than the real one, and if you wanted a working chrono the Noob 4130 was the better choice?

The ARF has a ‘skinny’ 7750 - with the chrono module removed - so the case dimensions are accurate to the real one.

 

[Anthony75]

Well luckily my card company declined for security reasons as it was an out of character transaction. I did read that the 4130 was more likely to fail and was harder to fix etc. I really don’t need a working chrono.


Sent from my iPhone using RWI

 

[muiramas]

Well luckily my card company declined for security reasons as it was an out of character transaction. I did read that the 4130 was more likely to fail and was harder to fix etc. I really don’t need a working chrono.


Sent from my iPhone using RWI

Good save by your card issuer. The ARF is the one you want if you don’t want a replica movement or working chrono.

 

[bosaftw]

I just got my ARF Daytona Panda V2 and I think my rehaut engravings are sitting too high. Maybe it‘s only on my watch as I have seen pictures of other ARF Daytonas where the rehaut was sitting lower.
I didn‘t notice it on QC pictures unfortunatelly :/

My power reserve seems to be pretty bad or maybe the rotor doesn‘t wind the watch properly. I just found the watch stopped and I had worn it the whole day before and was in a club partying and dancing. It should have been fully wound and be running 42h at least. I will check if it lasts longer when wound by hand and then service it to silence the rotor.

The bezel engravings are very white. Looks like the bezel engravings of a Noob Submariner V9 lol
I thought ARF always had better bezel engraving color than Noob but it seems that the daytona is different.
What I really really like about the watch is the bracelet and clasp. After giving it a ballistol gun oil bath it is incredible how gen-like the bracelet feels. Rocksolid and heavy with absolutely zero rattle. Perfection!

 

[Anthony75]

I think I’ll go with the black dial all SS version. Would it be a good idea to get it serviced straight away ?


Sent from my iPhone using RWI

 

[p0pperini]

I think I’ll go with the black dial all SS version. Would it be a good idea to get it serviced straight away ?

You'll get different points of view and opinions in response to that question. Although you haven't specified which model, I'll assume you mean the ARF V2. My personal approach with all my reps is - buy them, wear them, and see how it goes. If they start acting up, then research what's up and either a) try to learn enough to have a go at fixing it, or b) admit defeat and send it off for fixing/servicing. The only watch that needed the b) approach this year has been the Noob Daytona. And that's one out of 70+ watches.