JKF 1680 vs. BP 1680 (red)

[thumbsarehandy]

Hallo everyone

could the experienced members please enlighten me about the differences between JKF 1680 vs. Bb 1680 (red).
So far, in searching, I've only read some members saying that the JKF 1680 is the better watch without saying precisely why. I assume if combined with modding?

In my case I'm not there yet, therefore my question concerns primarily an 'out of the box watch' (for now).

By looking with my nooby eyes at the pictures of the BP, I adore the deeper orange color of the markers, the beige date wheel, the size and font of the date and the more 'direct' printing of the word submariner.

Comparatively, the JKF with its light yellow markers with white frame, the hugely oversized date and font, etc. does not speak to me (yet).

Please also consider I'm new to this and therefore any pointer in the right direction would be very helpful and appreciated
Regards

 

[tripdog]

The JKF is a little closer to gen in it's case shape and construction, it also takes gen parts (with a little bit of modding).

The BP case is not very gen like, even if the dial printing maybe slightly better - printing on the JKF dials looks washed out.

If you intend to mod it, get the JKF, if not and you don't care about accuracy to gen, get the BP.

 

[thumbsarehandy]

The JKF is a little closer to gen in it's case shape and construction, it also takes gen parts (with a little bit of modding).

The BP case is not very gen like, even if the dial printing maybe slightly better - printing on the JKF dials looks washed out.

If you intend to mod it, get the JKF, if not and you don't care about accuracy to gen, get the BP.

Thank you, @tripdog, very clearly explained! That helps a lot.
I would be interested to learn how to modd. Is that easier then one might think or harder (like learning to play the piano well)?
Regards

 

[cousin_hub]

Hi
Could someone add the pictures of the 2 models to compare them visually ?


Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk

 

[cousin_hub]

There is a 3rd version by New Factory . Sead sells them
http://supermirror1.com/content/?421.html


Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk

 

[Nivka]

Thank you, @tripdog, very clearly explained! That helps a lot.
I would be interested to learn how to modd. Is that easier then one might think or harder (like learning to play the piano well)?
Regards

It depends what you want to do. With the JKF model, it's very easy to pop the bezel off and age the insert. Aging the dial or replacing the crystal are a little trickier (because you need to remove the movement), but certainly not advanced. Reshaping the crown guards requires a bit more skill and special equipment like a dremel. This is a good base to try your hand at modding, especially the 21j version because it's only $35 to replace the movement of you completely screw it.

Im finding the dial is the trickiest part. The stock dial looked way too plain and obviously cheap/fake even to my untrained eyes. MQ dials are about $350, so 3x what the watch is worth. I'm watching ebay for a cheaper refinished dial but not much is coming up

Here's mine (qc and where I'm up to so far)

Useful threads:
ttps://www.replica-watch.info/threads/jkf-1680-out-of-the-box-pics-heavy.360465/

NCRich's tutorial
https://www.replica-watch.info/thre...ctory-vintage-sub-the-basics-tutorial.347084/

Kilowattore's build
https://www.replica-watch.info/threads/modded-jkf-1680-attacking-the-cgs.364911/

 

[tripdog]

There is a 3rd version by New Factory . Sead sells them
http://supermirror1.com/content/?421.html


Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk

That's JK Factory.

 

[tripdog]

Thank you, @tripdog, very clearly explained! That helps a lot.
I would be interested to learn how to modd. Is that easier then one might think or harder (like learning to play the piano well)?
Regards

It depends what you want to do. With the JKF model, it's very easy to pop the bezel off and age the insert. Aging the dial or replacing the crystal are a little trickier (because you need to remove the movement), but certainly not advanced. Reshaping the crown guards requires a bit more skill and special equipment like a dremel. This is a good base to try your hand at modding, especially the 21j version because it's only $35 to replace the movement of you completely screw it.

Im finding the dial is the trickiest part. The stock dial looked way too plain and obviously cheap/fake even to my untrained eyes. MQ dials are about $350, so 3x what the watch is worth. I'm watching ebay for a cheaper refinished dial but not much is coming up

Here's mine (qc and where I'm up to so far)

Useful threads:
ttps://www.replica-watch.info/threads/jkf-1680-out-of-the-box-pics-heavy.360465/

NCRich's tutorial
https://www.replica-watch.info/thre...ctory-vintage-sub-the-basics-tutorial.347084/

Kilowattore's build
https://www.replica-watch.info/threads/modded-jkf-1680-attacking-the-cgs.364911/

@Nivka, your pics don't sho in your post but when I quote they do . . .

@thumbsarehandy, what Nivka said, the tutorial by NCRich gives you a good breakdown the basic mods that most people can do without a lot of tools, and with a minimum of experience/aptitude for this sort of thing.
You can go further and add gen parts etc, but your budget will explode and you need to know what you're doing - gen parts are expensive, breaking them is upsetting.

 

[Nivka]

@tripdog thanks. that's weird...they're showing up on tapa

 

[tripdog]

@tripdog thanks. that's weird...they're showing up on tapa

They're back now . . . must've stepped out for a cigarette or something.

 

[cousin_hub]

An old thread : https://forum.replica-watch.info/th...maker-5513-1665-1680-etc.337270/#post-3004364

 

[thumbsarehandy]

Hi
Could someone add the pictures of the 2 models to compare them visually ?


Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk

Here is a group shot for comparison:


The two things that immediately jump out to me are of course the date font + magnification and the crown + crown guard.

Following are bigger pics:

Gen., 1966


JKF


JF


BP


Regards

 

[thumbsarehandy]

It depends what you want to do. With the JKF model, it's very easy to pop the bezel off and age the insert. Aging the dial or replacing the crystal are a little trickier (because you need to remove the movement), but certainly not advanced. Reshaping the crown guards requires a bit more skill and special equipment like a dremel. This is a good base to try your hand at modding, especially the 21j version because it's only $35 to replace the movement of you completely screw it.

Im finding the dial is the trickiest part. The stock dial looked way too plain and obviously cheap/fake even to my untrained eyes. MQ dials are about $350, so 3x what the watch is worth. I'm watching ebay for a cheaper refinished dial but not much is coming up

Here's mine (qc and where I'm up to so far)

Useful threads:
ttps://www.replica-watch.info/threads/jkf-1680-out-of-the-box-pics-heavy.360465/

NCRich's tutorial
https://www.replica-watch.info/thre...ctory-vintage-sub-the-basics-tutorial.347084/

Kilowattore's build
https://www.replica-watch.info/threads/modded-jkf-1680-attacking-the-cgs.364911/

Thank you @Nivka for sharing and encouraging! A modded watch is certainly one of a kind and therefore more personal and emotional, yet as you and @tripdog are pointing out a never ending and finally very expensive undertaking. However, wouldn't you agree to go from fixing big flaws to small ones?

As you already mentioned that would be bezel insert (easiest), aging/replacing the dial (plus I assume aging the markers) and replacing the crystal (intermediate), reshaping the crown guards (advanced). Looking at your watch I noticed you managed to do all of the above (except reshaping the crown guards and maybe even replacing the crown which to my eye looks too wide compared to the gen).

Could you please share with me your thoughts about removing the cyclops, because the watch now looks to me like a ref. 1665 See-Dweller Submariner 2000, therefore now appearing as if having the wrong writing on the dial.

Regards

 

[tripdog]

Thank you @Nivka for sharing and encouraging! A modded watch is certainly one of a kind and therefore more personal and emotional, yet as you and @tripdog are pointing out a never ending and finally very expensive undertaking. However, wouldn't you agree to go from fixing big flaws to small ones?

As you already mentioned that would be bezel insert (easiest), aging/replacing the dial (plus I assume aging the markers) and replacing the crystal (intermediate), reshaping the crown guards (advanced). Looking at your watch I noticed you managed to do all of the above (except reshaping the crown guards and maybe even replacing the crown which to my eye looks too wide compared to the gen).

Could you please share with me your thoughts about removing the cyclops, because the watch now looks to me like a ref. 1665 See-Dweller Submariner 2000, therefore now appearing as if having the wrong writing on the dial.

Regards

I can see what you mean about the BP watch - it pops, the colors look better etc - but that may be image manipulation.
If you look at the crown guards they are wrong, the bezel is too high, and that doesn't look like a 26 mm dial . . . if you like the watch then fine, but if you're looking to use it as a base for modding then the JKF is better.

In order of importance, what needs to be done on the JKF, with a small budget:

It's too new looking - the bezel can be lightly bleached, the case lightly softened with 1000 grade wet & dry paper, then the polished parts lightly re-polished with Cape Cod.

The dial, weakest part of the watch, it needs to be changed. You can get one off Ebay for around $130-ish plus shipping - search for 1680 red submariner refinished dial.

An aftermarket crystal makes a difference - $10

 

[thumbsarehandy]

The JKF is a little closer to gen in it's case shape and construction, it also takes gen parts (with a little bit of modding).

The BP case is not very gen like, even if the dial printing maybe slightly better - printing on the JKF dials looks washed out.

If you intend to mod it, get the JKF, if not and you don't care about accuracy to gen, get the BP.

Didn't see you had already posted more, nevertheless ...

I made a group photo of the JKF and BP in comparison to the gen:


You mentioned the JKF is closer to the gen then the BP. Could you please explain it a little bit more in detail, because I'm having a hard time seeing it in the pictures? The printing on the dial is closer to the gen on the BP (as you mentioned), as are the bezel insert, the date and the crown guards. The case shape is hard to see in the pics thought. The only thing on the JKF that looks closer to the gen is the color and application of the markers. Comparatively, the application of the lume on the BP in this picture is quite sloppy (see 5 and 9 o'clock).


Regards

 

[tripdog]

The crown guards on that

I made a group photo of the JKF and BP in comparison to the gen:

You mentioned the JKF is closer to the gen then the BP. Could you please explain it a little bit more in detail, because I'm having a hard time seeing it in the pictures? The printing on the dial is closer to the gen on the BP (as you mentioned), as are the bezel insert, the date and the crown guards. The case shape is hard to see in the pics thought. The only thing on the JKF that looks closer to the gen is the color and application of the markers. Comparatively, the application of the lume on the BP in this picture is quite sloppy (see 5 and 9 o'clock).

Regards

The crown guards on that gen are very heavily polished, they are not usually that shape. The coronet on the JKF is actually closer in shape to the gen than the BP.

The insert on the BP is actually a fairly good replica of 1980's inserts - but the red subs were made in the late 60's early 70's . . . the date wheel font looks better on the BP . . .
BUT the JKF is a better base to work off if you intend to heavily mod the watch - like this:

Gen insert, gen crown & tube, gen clasp, gen Top Hat crystal, Ming Quy dial, low beat Swiss ETA movement.



I would not choose the BP model as a base for this type of mod.

 

[thumbsarehandy]

I can see what you mean about the BP watch - it pops, the colors look better etc - but that may be image manipulation.
If you look at the crown guards they are wrong, the bezel is too high, and that doesn't look like a 26 mm dial . . . if you like the watch then fine, but if you're looking to use it as a base for modding then the JKF is better.

In order of importance, what needs to be done on the JKF, with a small budget:

It's too new looking - the bezel can be lightly bleached, the case lightly softened with 1000 grade wet & dry paper, then the polished parts lightly re-polished with Cape Cod.

The dial, weakest part of the watch, it needs to be changed. You can get one off Ebay for around $130-ish plus shipping - search for 1680 red submariner refinished dial.

An aftermarket crystal makes a difference - $10

You might be right, it might be image manipulation. Too bad, because I feel the color combination of the orange, with the red, together with the beige dial background really creates atmosphere. Would be nice to know if the watch looks the same in real - anybody bought a BP and might want to chime in?

I understand you clearly - the JKF is the best watch to use as a base for modding, I assume because all aftermarket parts (replica or gen) fit nicely. Comparatively, is the BP a less desirable watch for modding because the aftermarket parts won't fit?

Regards

 

[tripdog]

You might be right, it might be image manipulation. Too bad, because I feel the color combination of the orange, with the red, together with the beige dial background really creates atmosphere. Would be nice to know if the watch looks the same in real - anybody bought a BP and might want to chime in?

I understand you clearly - the JKF is the best watch to use as a base for modding, I assume because all aftermarket parts (replica or gen) fit nicely. Comparatively, is the BP a less desirable watch for modding because the aftermarket parts won't fit?

Regards

I've no idea what fits on the BP, I've never worked on one - the crown guards are too small.

 

[NCRich]

If the new 1680s are as changed as the 1665 is, then JK is a no brainer.

 

[thumbsarehandy]

The crown guards on that


The crown guards on that gen are very heavily polished, they are not usually that shape. The coronet on the JKF is actually closer in shape to the gen than the BP.

The insert on the BP is actually a fairly good replica of 1980's inserts - but the red subs were made in the late 60's early 70's . . . the date wheel font looks better on the BP . . .
BUT the JKF is a better base to work off if you intend to heavily mod the watch - like this:

Gen insert, gen crown & tube, gen clasp, gen Top Hat crystal, Ming Quy dial, low beat Swiss ETA movement.



I would not choose the BP model as a base for this type of mod.

The crown guard - I see, thank you for pointing that out! In this advertisement they do look fairly square.


I guess then historically the pointed coronets of the crown guard only apply to the 5513?

Regards