Aps 15400 super clone 3120mvt

[legend]

I just got one in hand. Comparing it with ZF - this new model is a lot better from the calibre perspective. It looks very GEN. The bracelet is as sharp as the ZF one and I think both are worth a good polish. There's only one issue that bothers me - this APS3120 has a quick date change, meaning the date changes to the next day between 11:50-ish pm to 0:00 am. The GEN one has an instantaneous day display I believe.

Thank you for our feedback.

Yes the AP cal. 3120 has an instant date change. So this isn't a true clone movement, if the date changes with a roll. Hopes dashed for me lol.
Just to inform the community, from ownership experience, the gen Royal Oak bracelet CAN have sharp edges too. Not every gen bracelet feels refined and satin smooth along the edges.

 

[legend]

A quick EDIT - the date change starts from 10:00 pm and ends by 0:00 am.
By "worth a better polish" I meant both APSF and ZF's bracelet needs a better after-factory polishment. Both their edges are quite sharp.
RE: photos - I will try...

That puts the date change type in 7750 territory. I was really hoping for an instant date change as per gen.

 

[JonathanLing91]

I’m a bit confused… if the date doesn’t change as per gen, is it really a clone movement?

[mention]legend [/mention] are you still planning on doing a tear down of the movement?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[yesme]

Thank you for our feedback.

Yes the AP cal. 3120 has an instant date change. So this isn't a true clone movement, if the date changes with a roll. Hopes dashed for me lol.
Just to inform the community, from ownership experience, the gen Royal Oak bracelet CAN have sharp edges too. Not every gen bracelet feels refined and satin smooth along the edges.

Yes that's my worry too - a difference with the date change mechanism = structure difference. Instantaneous date change shall not be a difficult complication and I'm confused why Dandong watch factory decided not implementing that.

Thanks for the comments!

 

[yesme]

Thank you for our feedback.

Yes the AP cal. 3120 has an instant date change. So this isn't a true clone movement, if the date changes with a roll. Hopes dashed for me lol.
Just to inform the community, from ownership experience, the gen Royal Oak bracelet CAN have sharp edges too. Not every gen bracelet feels refined and satin smooth along the edges.

Yes that's my worry too - a difference with the date change mechanism = structure difference. Instantaneous date change shall not be a difficult complication and I'm confused why Dandong watch factory decided not implementing that.

Thanks for comments!

 

[legend]

Yes that's my worry too - a difference with the date change mechanism = structure difference. Instantaneous date change shall not be a difficult complication and I'm confused why Dandong watch factory decided not implementing that.

Thanks for comments!

Even the Miyota 9015 has a date rollover which starts around 11. The ETA2824 has a date roll which starts anywhere from 3 to 30min before the date flip. So if you say that the date change starts from 1000hrs, it is either a defect in that specific piece, or more likely, it is a a design flaw. You are right in saying that the instant date change isn't anything difficult to implement, the A2836 movement already had it ages ago. If the factory takes the time to create a "clone movement" but leaves out this important (at least for me) feature, then it has no business calling itself a clone.
So ok, to give credit where credit this due, this movement does bring it several steps ahead of the Miyota 9015 when it comes to resemblence to gen in look and function, but still does not qualify as a clone if it has a slow date rollover. With no complications and a simple date feature, the date change becomes a key function of measurement vs the gen movement. The look of the caliber may be resembling gen a lot more than a decorated miyota, but ask any gen AP owner and he will tell you that the date change is crisp and instantaneous, its something all of us take for granted in our watches. It is not something a lot of guys here seem to care about, but something which matters to me. Seeing a date roll over slowly for me is like observing a half-plucked chicken running in the yard. :legend:

 

[Steve McGarrett]

And then the question arises, whether one would rather have a tractor in the form of the Miyota 9015 movement, which has been on the market for years as well as very stable, or a half-hearted would-be clone!

I prefer in my light franken 15400 then rather the Miyota, since in addition only 1 - 2 seconds per day advances - no matter whether I sit 12 hours at the desk or do gardening.

 

[asuwere]

The date change mechanism does look different. Maybe it's an easy mod?

 

[THXuk]

https://v.qq.com/x/page/p3304j57vjl.html

Check 06.25

 

[legend]

The date change mechanism does look different. Maybe it's an easy mod?

From the look of it, the mod from rolling date change to an instant flip isn’t possible.

 

[KilltheDeath]

https://v.qq.com/x/page/p3304j57vjl.html

Check 06.25

its date starts changing from 10:00.

but I guess it is moddable.

 

[dashindark]

its date starts changing from 10:00.

but I guess it is moddable.

it is not moddable unless you have the genuine 3120 date change mechanism at hand.

 

[legend]

its date starts changing from 10:00.

but I guess it is moddable.

On its own, not probable.
Will try this out using gen parts if possible. The gen parts could be hard to source.

 

[yesme]

//shurg. No idea why Dandong went that far but refused to make that change. (copyright?)

 

[RonP]

Come on guys, they have to leave something for V2 lol.

 

[bill33]

//shurg. No idea why Dandong went that far but refused to make that change. (copyright?)

Nothing to do with copyright, they’ve engraved it with AP branding so they clearly don’t give a shit about that.

The Patek 315 clone is the same with the slow date roll. I’d imagine it’s a reliability issue. Charging a spring loaded gear for a snap date puts strain on the movement which will affect amplitude. The force of the snap will also put strain on parts.

Looking at the movement the plates they look very very close in relation to shape, screw size and screw/jewel locations. Much more so than the Patek clone. Close isn’t good enough though they need to be exact, which is impossible to tell from pictures. I have one on the way so will order some gen plates and date parts and see if they fit.

 

[yesme]

Nothing to do with copyright, they’ve engraved it with AP branding so they clearly don’t give a shit about that.

The Patek 315 clone is the same with the slow date roll. I’d imagine it’s a reliability issue. Charging a spring loaded gear for a snap date puts strain on the movement which will affect amplitude. The force of the snap will also put strain on parts.

Looking at the movement the plates they look very very close in relation to shape, screw size and screw/jewel locations. Much more so than the Patek clone. Close isn’t good enough though they need to be exact, which is impossible to tell from pictures. I have one on the way so will order some gen plates and date parts and see if they fit.

“I have one on the way so will order some gen plates and date parts and see if they fit.” - //admire and looking forward to your review! //salute

To my knowledge, Dandong didn't do the engraving - they just produce raw, blank movements (in the sense of copyright - those movements have things like 25 jewels, etc. engraved) and ship them to the resemblance studios, where parts with brand logo were produced. (yup, that's why the PP logo was printed instead of being engraved on the Patek clone.)

Because it's really hard to believe that the reliability is the concern... 3235 clone was produced by Dandong too and it has instant date display. 2824/2892 clones produced by Seagull, Hangzhou, and Chongqing works flawlessly too. In other word, the technical difficulty shall not be a problem...

 

[bill33]

“I have one on the way so will order some gen plates and date parts and see if they fit.” - //admire and looking forward to your review! //salute

To my knowledge, Dandong didn't do the engraving - they just produce raw, blank movements (in the sense of copyright - those movements have things like 25 jewels, etc. engraved) and ship them to the resemblance studios, where parts with brand logo were produced. (yup, that's why the PP logo was printed instead of being engraved on the Patek clone.)

Because it's really hard to believe that the reliability is the concern... 3235 clone was produced by Dandong too and it has instant date display. 2824/2892 clones produced by Seagull, Hangzhou, and Chongqing works flawlessly too. In other word, the technical difficulty shall not be a problem...

You make a good point and completely debunk my theory lol. I can’t see any other good reason why they’d not make an instant date change mechanism, that’s one thing that bugs me with the 315 clone.

 

[yesme]

You make a good point and completely debunk my theory lol. I can’t see any other good reason why they’d not make an instant date change mechanism, that’s one thing that bugs me with the 315 clone.

Shake hands - I own a 315 clone too (PP Nautilus 40 yrs anniversary) and this slow date change bugs me as well...

 

[asuwere]

Nothing to do with copyright, they’ve engraved it with AP branding so they clearly don’t give a shit about that.

The Patek 315 clone is the same with the slow date roll. I’d imagine it’s a reliability issue. Charging a spring loaded gear for a snap date puts strain on the movement which will affect amplitude. The force of the snap will also put strain on parts.

Looking at the movement the plates they look very very close in relation to shape, screw size and screw/jewel locations. Much more so than the Patek clone. Close isn’t good enough though they need to be exact, which is impossible to tell from pictures. I have one on the way so will order some gen plates and date parts and see if they fit.

I don't think Dandong engraved it. Some other shop did that. So it left Dandong only similar to gen, but not identical, and with zero branding.