2018 Seamaster 300m Rose Gold (RG)/Sedna Gold on blue rubber - VSF vs. Gen Comparison

[micksmith1987]

Hi folks,

So, as a service to the community, I decided to buy a 300m in Rose Gold to compare it with my gen. Thank you Puretime for being an excellent TD - as always.

It is the Sedna Gold 2018 on rubber blue strap. I am not really good at taking pictures but hopefully you can see the differences in the pics. Date 15 is the rep; Date 26 is the gen.
Some general comments: It is NWBIG/99% Super Rep. Zero question about it. No one can tell rep from gen from 1 foot distance; 5 inches? only if you have the gen next to it; and you own the gen so that you know what to look for.

Details:
1. Gold color. Spot on! Zero difference. Perfect. If someone says otherwise - he is hallucinating.
2. Bezel engraving. I know this has been discussed before. Some people said gen is engraved and filled, rep is not. So here it comes: it is exactly the same. Zero difference. It looks and feels the same.
3. Crown. This is where you can find some difference. It's not the size/shape. It is the filling. In the gen it is a bit higher; the rep is a fraction of a mm lower. The color is spot on.
4. Hands. Spot on. Zero difference.
5. Dial. Here is where you can find some difference again. The color is spot on. The waves are perfect. There are two issues: (1) the writing is not bright enough. (2) The hour markers. There has been some talk about the color (yellow hue or sth). This is BS. The color is spot on. The thing is that the rep markers are domed; while gen are domed too but a bit lower. A fraction of mm but still. In my opinion this is the biggest tell (but only for someone who has got the gen).
6. Datewheel. Perfect.
Bezel. Color is perfect, works great, clicks great. Now, it has a fraction of a mm different shape. Not noticeable at first, only when scrutinizing the watch right next to gen.
8. Crown. Perfect.
9. Crown guards. When looking at the TD's photos I was under the impression that there is a difference here. Perhaps there is. But honestly, I don't see it.
10. Caseback writing. Perfect.
11. Movement. Tiny differences: The regulator lever has a slightly different shape (sth on the top). Plus writing on the movement on the rep is a bit too bold. Not noticeable when there is no gen next to it.
12. Rubber strap. Some people say it feels cheaper than gen. It is BS. It looks, smells, feels exactly as gen. All the markings are identical. Clasp is identical.
13. Lume. Perfect.
14. Feeling on the wrist/movement sound. Identical.

Now, the biggest difference: movement. The watch looks great, feels great. But the moment when you unscrew it, you can tell the difference immediately. It feels a bit flimsy and loose. The gen feels much more solid.

Summary:
It is a wonderful rep, it costs less than 6% of the gen. I love my gen; I wear it a lot; and even I can catch myself asking: ok, which one is the rep? A gen dial + some work on the movement and it will be absolutely 100% perfect.
Now, I have satisfied my curiosity, so this very specimen will be available in the Sales section in a moment.

Regards,
M.


Here you can see what I mean by domed hour markers. Rep is with the signed card.

 

[kennygconspiracy]

Excellent review good sir! This was a much needed missing piece in the puzzle of analysing the VSF SMP 300! Thank you for your write-up and service to the community.

As for the bezel, I can instantly tell rep from gen based on the reflection of light. The gen is filled and smooth. The rep is engraved. The smooth bezel reflects light well while the engraved absorbs light more where there is no ceramic.

But this is only if you are well-versed in differences. 99% a super rep all in all!

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

 

[lyakya]

Excellent review, much appreciated.
For me the the Lume execution is the major tell, in very close look you can see a bit spills and uneven.
also the hands are missing slightly the 3D effect.
otherwise ( and off courses beside the movement) it's a super rep. An excellent piece by VSF.

 

[micksmith1987]

For me the the Lume execution is the major tell, in very close look you can see a bit spills and uneven.
also the hands are missing slightly the 3D effect.

The hour markers was the first thing I noticed; honestly, I did not see the lume spills but now looking at the photos I must admit that you are right

I'd say the hands are good/very good, you are right that they don't have the same 3d effect but it's only noticeable when you have gen right next to it and you really really look for it

 

[Dissemination]

Nice, thank you for this!

 

[Naughtylus]

I thought the rep is the gen! How come the gen has a much bigger case/size than the gen ????????????


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[micksmith1987]

it's an illusion. Size-wise they are identical

 

[leo6929]

I wouldn't call it 99% similar but maybe 95% lol. You cannot tell the difference except by putting those two together. Nice work VSF.

 

[wkim8732]

Thanks for the amazing review! learned a lot

 

[Dissemination]

I wouldn't call it 99% similar but maybe 95% lol. You cannot tell the difference except by putting those two together. Nice work VSF.

The only tell for me at all is the bezel insert (that I would actually notice at least). I have a blue and rose gold and black and rose gold on the way. I love this watch so much that if it really bothers me after a few months I may even try to find a gen. I don't know if I would go that far or if that would even work, but I'm stoked about the quality VSF has put into these.

 

[kennygconspiracy]

The only tell for me at all is the bezel insert (that I would actually notice at least). I have a blue and rose gold and black and rose gold on the way. I love this watch so much that if it really bothers me after a few months I may even try to find a gen. I don't know if I would go that far or if that would even work, but I'm stoked about the quality VSF has put into these.

I am working on a clear coat for the bezel to give it the smooth, filled feeling w/out buying a gen. I know what you mean!

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

 

[leo6929]

I am working on a clear coat for the bezel to give it the smooth, filled feeling w/out buying a gen. I know what you mean!

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

Let us know how it goes. Will be interesting to know if this is possible. But I guess it will not be for the faint of heart.

 

[Dissemination]

kennygconspiracy leo6929 yeah I'd be interested to see how this works out. But it also appears that there is a certain richness and luster to the numbers that I'm not sure if the clear coat alone could solve.

​​​​​​​Maybe Spongebob could do some magic with how he handles Rolex inserts. And then we could add your clearcoat Kenny G.

 

[replikmaster]

I have it with the bracelet, it's an incredible watch and totally genlike

Congrats on your gen!!

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[paulvillo]

I have it with the bracelet, it's an incredible watch and totally genlike

Congrats on your gen!!

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Damn, that bracelet just took it to another level mate!! Cheers!

 

[k4jun]

Pretty surprising vsf insert looks and feels the same as gen, on the photos the light plays kinda different on vsf numbers.

Thanks for the great write-up and the quality photos.

 

[C Master]

Great review. Hopefully when selling this you do not ship the gen in the box by accident

 

[grandphuba]

The watch looks great as is, but side by side I can immediately see from the photos the thickness of the markers on the bezel are different. I have no idea why that is, it could be the angle or lighting, but the one on the left is thicker and flat, while the one on the right is thinner and three dimensional. The inner part of the 6 o'clock marker is also significantly more rounded on the gen than the rep (I assume this is what you meant by the doming of the lumes).

FWIW I have never seen both in person, and I really don't involve myself with omega reps, but that is what an amateur with not much exposure to the seamaster line (gen and rep) can see in just a minute looking at it. Nevertheless, at 20th of the cost of gen, I think this is something I can live with if I was really into the watch.

 

[mydnytrydr]

I have it with the bracelet, it's an incredible watch and totally genlike

Congrats on your gen!!

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Great pics …. Definitely a Super Rep!!

 

[micksmith1987]

Ok folks, so I haven't been home for the last couple of days so I haven't contributed to this thread. So questions that you have asked me in the DMs:
1. The movement works the same way gen does: moving counterclockwise advances the hands. There is another difference though: manual winding in gen and reps feels and sounds completely different.
2. Bezel insert/engravings. I stand by my original comment that they are identical. Please take a look at the original photos and the photos below: Both gen and rep sometimes look thinner sometimes bolder, depending on the lighting conditions. Maybe you can find some tiny differences under a microscope.

Please find some more photos below. This time I am not uploading high resolution pics; poor lighting, some gen, and rep watches as reference points. Let's see if you can figure which is which