Crazy 5712 by SWF and VSV cal. 240 Super Clone

[prataphillipe]

update on VSV ace240 (sorry, i know i'm late with pictures, waiting for the wife to return the camera).

loving it so far, but the balance spring has a tendency to stop while on it's side (crown-side up), causing the watch to lose a lot of time while on wrist at times. not sure if a service/regulation would help , any folks here have had similar experiences?

 

[prataphillipe]

used a phone magnetizer app, seems like the watch is magnetized LOL! demagnetizer on it's way!

 

[Paul Newman]

update on VSV ace240 (sorry, i know i'm late with pictures, waiting for the wife to return the camera).

loving it so far, but the balance spring has a tendency to stop while on it's side (crown-side up), causing the watch to lose a lot of time while on wrist at times. not sure if a service/regulation would help , any folks here have had similar experiences?

Mine does not seem to suffer from this issue, it runs a bit fast but nothing that a good service can't solve, otherwise the watch is working pretty solid for me with the free sprung movement.

 

[seanzorio]

I am fairly new to this rep game, and ended up buying a PPF v2, immediately deciding that the moon wheel was going to drive me mad, and ordered a modded SWF version from Chazingtime. I didn't spring for the ACE movement. I was already kind of on the fence about the triple price cost vs the PPF, but I'm excited to get it/see it.

 

[prataphillipe]

tried demagnetizing but watch still u fortunately losing >15 mins/day. hopefully a services fixes it!

 

[Reaps]

It's why none of us here truly recommend the ACE movement unless you have a sure fire way to send it back to China, sorry it's happening to you, good luck and let us know how it goes

 

[Drivewaydreaming]

Can you guys tell if it’s gen or rep? https://clickpix.org/image/IMG-8749.hIpSsD

 

[solexz]

Can you guys tell if it’s gen or rep? https://clickpix.org/image/IMG-8749.hIpSsD

Full mod rep. Potentially a spongebob build considering the 6 o clock lume looks ok. But the datewheel and subdial hands are a giveaway.

 

[Prizon]

It's why none of us here truly recommend the ACE movement unless you have a sure fire way to send it back to China, sorry it's happening to you, good luck and let us know how it goes

Not really, parts are available and watchmakers like @dogwood can take care of it

 

[Reaps]

Not really, parts are available and watchmakers like @dogwood can take care of it

That's really interesting. Even modders I asked said I have to return movement if I want it fixed.

 

[dogwood]

That's really interesting. Even modders I asked said I have to return movement if I want it fixed.

I don’t have any spare parts for an ACE movement. At least not any of the core free-sprung balance parts. I think the rest of the movenent is interchangeable with 3KF parts.

 

[prataphillipe]

Balance wheel completely stopped moving freely, feels like something stuck lol. Spoke to CT about it and had arranged to send it back, hopefully second times the charm!

I have to say, despite the hiccup, it’s still a beautiful watch.

 

[R_James]

ACE 240 with 22k rotor. Running like a champ so far
Installed by the master @dogwood

The finish on the ACE still looks pretty rough to my eyes. Those tooling marks around the perimeter of the rotor are just brutal.

 

[R_James]

Can you guys tell if it’s gen or rep? https://clickpix.org/image/IMG-8749.hIpSsD

Definitely looks like a modded rep. Looks like the SW dial.

 

[R_James]

I think the HB dial improves upon a few things compared to the SW dial - namely the date subdial fonts, font thickness, and spacing (27 & 29 look significantly better). The 6 o clock lume plot is also better and square now. The colour of the dial looks identical to the SW but I will only be able to confirm this when I have both in hand.

All considered, this is probably the best rep dial for the 5712 currently in production but it is still not flawless yet - the lume plots on the hour markers are still a bit too thick, and the subdial fonts/ spacing while very good, are not 100% perfect.

 

[Prizon]

The finish on the ACE still looks pretty rough to my eyes. Those tooling marks around the perimeter of the rotor are just brutal.

Well at the end of the day it’s still a rep movement. According to @dogwood my trusted watchmaker, the ace is just factory ppf movement with a free spring balance and improved engravings. Quality wise it is the same

Gen is gen

 

[R_James]

Well at the end of the day it’s still a rep movement. According to @dogwood my trusted watchmaker, the ace is just factory ppf movement with a free spring balance and improved engravings. Quality wise it is the same

Gen is gen

Agreed, still a rep movement. The stock PPF rotor looks a bit cleaner visually even though it's not gold and likely doesn't wind anywhere near as efficiently. Overall the ACE feels rather steep to me if it's just a modified PPF movement given all the documented issues. Fortunately parts should be easily available (for now at least) if stock PPF parts are interchangeable as dogwood mentioned.

Ebay etc are full of high quality Swiss movements, even ones that have been decorated by the likes of Cartier and Girard-Perregaux for like $500 or less. Maybe I'm simply asking too much, but I hoped for better at the price.

 

[dogwood]

Well at the end of the day it’s still a rep movement. According to @dogwood my trusted watchmaker, the ace is just factory ppf movement with a free spring balance and improved engravings. Quality wise it is the same

Gen is gen

To clarify, I’m not 100% certain about this. But I would be surprised if there were two movement factories makes clones of the Patek 240 movement. My money is on both PPF and ACE using the same sterile movement from whomever makes it (Shanghai or Dandong or somewhere else). Then ACE does physical deep engraving, and a free-spring balance install (unclear if they use the original balance cock or not).

But, we’ve seen two versions of the clone Richard Mille RMUL2 movement from two different factories (not counting the BBR v1/2 movement). So yeah, stranger things have happened.

 

[R_James]

To clarify, I’m not 100% certain about this. But I would be surprised if there were two movement factories makes clones of the Patek 240 movement. My money is on both PPF and ACE using the same sterile movement from whomever makes it (Shanghai or Dandong or somewhere else). Then ACE does physical deep engraving, and a free-spring balance install (unclear if they use the original balance cock or not).

But, we’ve seen two versions of the clone Richard Mille RMUL2 movement from two different factories (not counting the BBR v1/2 movement). So yeah, stranger things have happened.

Hah fair enough.

Personally, I think I'd rather redirect the additional $3k for the ACE/ gold rotor towards a gen dial. The PPF cases and bracelets are so good to begin with that with some light case work, the addition of a gen dial, and decent moon you would have something that would look incredible on the wrist (dial-side up at least).

 

[zinduna]

Ebay etc are full of high quality Swiss movements, even ones that have been decorated by the likes of Cartier and Girard-Perregaux for like $500 or less.

Do you have links to a Caliber 240 with micro rotor? I'm all in on one