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3K Aquanaut review
- Thread starter timnic54
- Start date
Received mine, bezel is thinner and date wheel is more bold which looks great. Sadly al three hands are VERY white. Instead of color of lume it should've matched (and also differs with the rest of the dial and hourmarkers). Bit of a turn down actually.
Does anyone know if they only fixed the bezel on the steel bracelet model or if they fixed it on the strap model as well?
APpee
Active Member
Hey Sroque,
It depends, which TD did you use?
I ordered one 10 days ago via Trusty, initially they send me QC pics right away. Sadly the logo did not look centered and this example had markers on the lugs.
When asked for a new example without the markers they contacted the factory. After a week I got a new mail from andrew with the message that in the current batch all the watches have gold markers on the lugs. As I quote "Factory says the current stocks all come with markings on the lugs"
I got new QC pics which I accepted (see screenshot below). I'm also not the sure the bezel is thinner as mentioned in the post above (beautiful pictures btw!).
https://imgur.com/a/haHGCpS
I guess it just takes some time to get a reaction from the factory, same as it would take some time to get some new examples from the factory when there is no supply on hand.
Interested to hear your opinion on the bezel when you have the watch in hand. It definitely looks chunkier on the QC pics
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APpee
Active Member
I received my 3KF on steel bracelet + ZF rubber strap like a week ago after waiting 1 month for QC pictures.
I ordered steel bracelet version because I wanted to be sure there are no gold engravings, even when today also rubber version comes without gold engravings.
I am a noob and no watch smith but it was easy to put the ZF strap on the 3KF watch. I used a needle for the pins and a good knife to cut the rubber strap.
The watch feels incredible. Super flat and comfortable, you almost don‘t notice it on the wrist.
Movement keeps time perfectly, like +2 sec/day.
The rotor sound is exactly like gen. Noisy but that‘s how gens sound aswell.
3KF has fixed the bezel. It is not too fat anymore. So there is no reason anymore to buy ZF watch and put 3KF dial into it.
Yes the date font is a little bit too thin but I don‘t care. Nobody will notice. For me personally it looks even better with this thin date font. I don‘t like bold fonts on luxurious watches like this.
The only thing I will probably mod is the second hand pinion. On gen it is white.
On this 3KF the second hand itself is white, but the small pinion that holds the second hand is metal color and not painted.
To notice it you really have to be close to the watch so nobody will notice it immediately but putting a little bit of white paint is no difficult mod so I will ask a watch smith to do it for me.
It is my first Patek replica and I had lots of other reps before like ZZF, Noob, ARF. But this 3KF Aquanaut really is a stunning piece.
GOOD JOB 3K FACTORY!!!!
Some pictures in sunlight with beautiful sunburst.
Click on the picture for high resolution!
Amazing piece and pics!
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APpee
Active Member
CarmeloAnthony
Active Member
Is it easy to remove the bezel just like a Rolex bezel? Do you think its thick enough to set diamonds on?
I don't know, here's the picture: https://imgur.com/a/DqDOtAb
Notice how the datewheel is stuck? I just noticed when making a picture, seems it's broken after 7 days already. Doesn't respond when whinding either. Do TD's offer garanties in these scenario's?
I ordered mine at TrusyTime.
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APpee
Active Member
Re the dial I’ve seen some 2020 models online without the ‘Swiss made’ on the dial like the pre 2009. Not sure if any experts can elaborate
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can anyone post a more recent review of the 3KF 5167 - with black strap? interested in the evolution / recent changes. or links to other reviews would be great.
No gold stamps on the back, slightly fatter datefont, and very slightly skinnier bezel. There you go
Burbizia
Active Member
- 29/8/20
- 300
- 150
- 43
Received my 5167 from 3KF yesterday.
Not as impressed as I hoped.
Positive stuff:
1) Dial is amazing Sunburst are gorgeous (and I only tried during night time).
2) Polishing of bezel is very good.
3) Date is thin, but well centered.
4) Movement is nice to watch
5) TD I bought it from, made the experience really positive.
Negative stuff:
1) Rotor is very noisy. I read that gen is too (and listened to a video on you tube), but i don't think is possible that genune is SO noisy. Maybe I have been unlucky, but is way nosier than ARF and even 70$ reps. When (if) datewhell will be released will ask to silence it and change DW, and probably try to water-proof it. But right now I feel hesitant to wear it due to noise.
2) Strap is really bad. I knew it and would like to fix it. Everyone here seems to be able to find a original strap, but I wonder where. I need 15 "dents" on a used one, and genuine seems to be only sold at 500€... would like to spend 200€. I wonder if i would be able to buy a ZF one from a TD. Would be great.
3) Painted writings on movement are almost non visible under bulb light. Don't know if engraving would have changed that, but I see no point in creating a "clone" movement that has an instant tell of difference.
Neutral stuff:
1) Some of numbers of dials seems not so well aligned. it was my first purchase so maybe I messed up QC. Still have to step up that part of "the game".
2) Clasp is not as bad as I expected from reviews.
Not as impressed as I hoped.
Positive stuff:
1) Dial is amazing Sunburst are gorgeous (and I only tried during night time).
2) Polishing of bezel is very good.
3) Date is thin, but well centered.
4) Movement is nice to watch
5) TD I bought it from, made the experience really positive.
Negative stuff:
1) Rotor is very noisy. I read that gen is too (and listened to a video on you tube), but i don't think is possible that genune is SO noisy. Maybe I have been unlucky, but is way nosier than ARF and even 70$ reps. When (if) datewhell will be released will ask to silence it and change DW, and probably try to water-proof it. But right now I feel hesitant to wear it due to noise.
2) Strap is really bad. I knew it and would like to fix it. Everyone here seems to be able to find a original strap, but I wonder where. I need 15 "dents" on a used one, and genuine seems to be only sold at 500€... would like to spend 200€. I wonder if i would be able to buy a ZF one from a TD. Would be great.
3) Painted writings on movement are almost non visible under bulb light. Don't know if engraving would have changed that, but I see no point in creating a "clone" movement that has an instant tell of difference.
Neutral stuff:
1) Some of numbers of dials seems not so well aligned. it was my first purchase so maybe I messed up QC. Still have to step up that part of "the game".
2) Clasp is not as bad as I expected from reviews.
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received my rose gold 3kf 2 weeks ago and it's a great looking watch,detail on the dial is awesome in hand and it's worked fine up until today where the second hand stops between the 7second marker and the 20 second marker.
super disappointed as it's a great looking watch,anyone know if this is a common problem or if there's anything I can try??
super disappointed as it's a great looking watch,anyone know if this is a common problem or if there's anything I can try??
APpee
Active Member
I’m in the early stages of a franken build, I have the gen strap & gen dial (post 2009) is on its way, 3KF base and awaiting QC pics. My bug here is I feel like the ZF profile would better suit the dial version I have. Curious to see QC pics of the 3KF to see if bezel brush thin has improved. Feel like it won’t have as its dial is consistent with the pre 2009 model.
If not I may switch and go for ZF. All the other pros/cons don’t really matter for me as I’m pretty much going gen everything apart from DW, base and movement.
3KF base (potential switch to ZF)
Gen dial
Gen strap
Gen clasp
Gen hands (unless I go ZF)
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If not I may switch and go for ZF. All the other pros/cons don’t really matter for me as I’m pretty much going gen everything apart from DW, base and movement.
3KF base (potential switch to ZF)
Gen dial
Gen strap
Gen clasp
Gen hands (unless I go ZF)
Sent from my iPhone using RWI
APpee
Active Member
APpee
Active Member
$600 there are plenty online Chrono24 Ebay etc. a few pages back there’s plenty of info on straps. Clasp - I’m sure isn’t needed but i suppose it’s all preference and I’m going the whole hog on this build. Just need to decide on the base lol
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Sent from my iPhone using RWI
Burbizia
Active Member
- 29/8/20
- 300
- 150
- 43
yep, that's the price i fear I'll have to pay.
Few weeks ago many users told it would be possible to buy used ones for 200-250€, but looks they are the ones cut to fit very small wrists.
i have a small one too (17-17,5) but need 15 "dents" and is almost impossible to find one.
Will try with ZF from a TD.
Few weeks ago many users told it would be possible to buy used ones for 200-250€, but looks they are the ones cut to fit very small wrists.
i have a small one too (17-17,5) but need 15 "dents" and is almost impossible to find one.
Will try with ZF from a TD.
