Help on Explorer 2

[zinduna]

I'm in the market for an Explorer 2, which has been called a super rep on these boards, but I need some help and direction.

I read B16a2's excellent review of the Exp II by Noob factory http://forum.replica-watch.info/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=54598 and love the watch. BK has it listed here for $320 http://forum.replica-watch.info/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=117&t=54266.

T4D has his listed for $79 http://forum.replica-watch.info/php...4941&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=explorer+II. Different movement, different mods, different factory - are the mods and more expensive movement worth 4 times T4D's?

I'm not anal about detail, but I don't want to be called out for a screaming fake. I'd really appreciate some guidance.

Here's T4D's

Here's BK's

TIA

 

[phillycheez]

I am a huge fan of this watch by the way!

first of all, T4Ds was posted in oct. 2008 so make sure he still has those in stock. id be actually interested if he does for that price. its a a21j movement with no rehaut engravings! perfect.

b16s noob exp II is different from the new noob exp II (bks version). b16s is the older noob model that can take gen parts and doesnt have the rehaut engravings! i dont think that its proven that the new noob can take gen parts and it is said that it uses a different case.

i am sure you have read it but why bk's is better...

It's the CURRENT noobfactory Explorer II with my mods. Mods include
- repositioned datewheel overlay. The datewheel overlay is almost always glued on not so squarely by the factory. I have my watchsmith re-position and re-glue it (he's very good at it now after I asked him to do and re-do so many) before I have the watches shipped to me. It's a best-effort fit though because 2836-2 datewheel itself might not be even for all dates. All in all, it's much more centered than it's just out of the factory
- realigned bezel. Again almost always the bezel is out of alignment from the factory. I realign it.
- realign the crystal so the cyclop is square with the date window
- realgin the dial so 12 is lined up to the coronet on the rehaut

he also uses a gen eta 2836-2 movement and his price really isnt that bad compared to his other watches he sells. the last time i checked, swiss eta exp II's on dealer sites were goin for $288? and they may or may not be gen eta's.

*if you dont care about QC to bks extent than go for the black dial straight from the factory. you read the reviews, its a damn good rep.
*make sure you have the correct width and correct red color GMT hand!!
*make sure you have the ICHS
*the engravings on the rehaut look painted to me... if i buy bks version i think im going to pay extra to sand it off. unless of course i find somebody selling an older exp II which happens once in a blue moon.

good luck!

 

[zinduna]

T4D has them in stock. Price is $89 w/ sapphire (!). I"m not sure about rehaut engravings.

I'm trying to ascertain whether BK's mods are worth 4 times the price, movement not withstanding. Also, just how different are the two factories editions?

Does anyone have a T4D Exp II who can comment?

 

[phillycheez]

your asking why when you know the answer...

the majority of the price is the difference in the movement. that is why its under $100. when you move in to the over $160 and up range your dealing with asian etas (usually extra $100) and "swiss" (usually an extra 200).

your asking is bk's worth it??? well thats for you to decide. most people on here would agree... you get what you pay for. you pay more on top for bk's because he personally QCs and mods them for you.

if you can live without those mods than great! go with the cheaper version. some say the a21j has the same casing as the etas... dealers even say they are. i personally dont believe that but again it depends on the specific watch.

i personally am very interested to see an the quality of an $89 black dial exp II looks like. i probably would be happy with it if t4d's pics are up to date.

 

[zinduna]

I know the answer to the movement issue - it's overall fit and finish that I don't know.

Here's one for $52 from aoobuy. http://www.aoobuy.com/pro_show.asp?id=18053
Asian 2813 automatic movement; sapphire crystal

To my untrained eye, this one looks pretty good too

 

[phillycheez]

it looked like you were trying to compare prices of $79 to $320 which is why i brought up the movement. you just cant compare the prices.

average swiss eta exp 2 is $270 - 320 = $50

thats $50 of mods. if your asking if thats worth it than id say so. that sounds like a deal actually!

as far as the aoobuy explorer... well its a cream dial explorer (a bad one too). if your worried about people calling you out, well the rollie guys who know their sh*t will call you out on that!

if you wanna compare it to the gen heres a thread about cream dial explorers: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=55049&p=492675&hilit=

in the end, the only person who cares is yourself about how accurate it is. when i was at a beer festival i saw many expensive watches and even if i tried i could only see them from about 3 to 4 feet away for about 2 seconds. its near impossible to spot these high end fakes in a public environment, i realized you could a poker table though. plenty of time of ooogling there :lol:

anyways, id stay away from the cream dial and white dial personally, but thats just me.

 

[zinduna]

Philly, good advice, thanks. I've been reading other posts and threads that deal with the fit and finish issues and have gleaned good info re bracelet, engraving, etc. I'm coming around to answering my question.

I don't really want a clutch of shitty watches that I'm reluctant to wear, but rather a few good ones that I'm proud of. In most of my daily life situations no one will be able to call out, however, I do occasionally wind up in 'poker table' situations surrounded by gens. In these situations I'd rather not be called out which leads me to paying a bit more for a quality piece.