rayz20
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- 29/6/17
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3K Aquanaut review
- Thread starter timnic54
- Start date
KingNautilus
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Go with your liking, if you’re not that nitpicking, both are actually good to go IMO, personally I liked aquanaut.
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- 25/3/17
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- 25/10/18
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The better the movement is constructed the better it keeps it's time. The secret of COSC certified movements is very often the balance wheel. Just compare the balance wheel of a Rolex cal. 3135 with the balance wheel of a VR 3135 clone. The small screws on the rim of the Rolex movement increase the mass inertia of the balance wheel. The greater the mass inertia of a wheel in motion, the less sensitive the speed of rotation reacts to a change in position and thus to fluctuations in time. Another important point is the quality of the hairspring.
Manufacturers of luxury watches are aware of this and are therefore also interested in ensuring that replica watches are kept as far away from circulation as possible. A replica is never as good as an original, at least not if the original has a manufactory movement and the replica watch only has a "lookalike" or clone movement. This sentence is only limited, if the original contains an ETA caliber and the original contains an AETA. But also for ETA movements, there are different quality levels, up to COSC certified movements.
Some Clone movements are really reliable nowadays, although many people recommend to get even these movements serviced these movements immediately after receipt.
Balance wheel of a 3135 is not really comparable to a VR 3135 as Rolex use only free sprung balance, which is arguably better regarding isochronism, but there is no eveidence to suggest a free sprung balance is overall more accurate than a regulated balance. The VR uses a regulated balance.
There is however a strong argument to suggest that Rolex's adherence to FSB is more about the the profitability of it's service centers than accuracy .
Many COSC ( I would go so far as to say the great majority) certified movements , excluding PP 324 movements (Which BTW subscribe to Geneva Seal rather than COSC), do not use a FSB and have regulated balances .
The Clone of the 324 a regulated balance unlike the original, but does has a remote seconds , as the original.
Focusing on a FSB as a definition for potential accuracy is a complete red herring. It is nothing to do with it.
A clone is a clone, not a lookalike.
Interestingly one of the reasons for variation of accuracy over a period in the 3 K 324 clone is due to the behavior of the remote seconds train. Although this does not affect accuracy over a period of many hours. It is highly position sensitive. The original 324 PP movement based on the PP315 movement suffers from exactly the same syndrome.
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This isn’t true, the gen 324 is free sprung. The adjustment markings on the balance cock indicate which way to adjust to gyromax weights. The clone obviously lacks these weights and has adjustment arms. Just like the clone 3135 lacks micro Stella balance screws and has adjustment arms.
- 29/11/18
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This is a comparison between ZF & 3K. Do my eyes deceive me or is there a world of difference between the 2? This is strange to me, considering they're both high end reps
Can’t compare much since one watch is in the foreground (plus tilted inwards) and the other is on the background, as a result They will inevitably look different sizes.
This is a comparison between ZF & 3K. Do my eyes deceive me or is there a world of difference between the 2? This is strange to me, considering they're both high end reps
def. need better comparison pictures. as the guy above me said: strange angle, one in the foreground and tilted
Really appreciate the review, but quick question. How's the sunburst effect compared to the ZF Aquanaut? I know the ZF brushing is not as fine, and it really shows in harsh indoor and outdoor lighting photos around here. Is the 3KF more matte with a soft sunburst, and how close, in your opinion, to the gen dial effect?
I am not familiar with the ZF. I have never had one in hand But I am very familiar with the Gen aquanaut. The finish on the dial, in particular the way the sunburst handles light is incredibly Gen like.
Thanks a lot for the reply. I've actually been scouring every rep forum for this specific answer about the dial because I was 100% sure (before 3kf) that the dial brushing was always too prominent on the previous reps compared to my gen. Honestly, I think I'd snap up a 3KF aquanaut if they did the Singapore Grand Exhibition LE.. I'm pretty much moving into the rep space now due to my mounting disappointment with major manufacturers (Richemont ALS, and Grand Seiko being the some of the few exceptions). I still love independents though.
Patek's QC, Finishing,Service times & quality have been....incredibly sub par in the recent decade. This lack of "care" even shows in their marketing materials. I was perusing their Khaki Aquanaut page to compare to the ZF one (colour is really off), and I took note of one of their photos having a slightly deformed 9 (upper left corner looks like it was hammered too hard and is bent inwards). Some of their higher end Grand Complications don't even hold water under magnification. I've seen chatons in perpetual calendars that were scratched up due to mediocre qc, and disappointing finishing amongst others. As a long time collector, it feels like a betrayal to see them abandon craft for profit, but I would be lying if I didn't see that a mile away when the Nautilus hype train blew into full force.
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Your post reflects very closely my own findings. I have two Parmigiani a kalpagraph and a Hemispheres. The quality and finish is way in front of many PP and AP I have owned. There are now very few manufacturers who don't disappoint. The others get what they deserve.
The Aquanaut is definitely NWBIG since this movement has been cloned so well. The case is great and the black dial is superb. I hve ordered 3Ks Nautilus (White dial as none of the blue dials look great ) I will write a review when it arrives.
Fleurier has been very ambitious with its watch arm, and I love that about them. Have never gotten a chance to pick up a Parmigiani before, but I'm loving the look of the Kalpagraph, and Hemisphere. I think they're great choices. Strong, bold, and have their own personality (not to mention their movements are rock solid because Vaucher Fleurier).
I look forward to your review of the 3KF Nautilus even though I've actually already bought a PPF V3 because I prefer the subdued blue-grey with the really good ootb date. The bezel is fat. The bracelet has some sharp edges, but they won't bother you in normal use unless you're shaking the watch. Since sanding them out, the PPF has been pretty close in feel to my gen. The crown winding, and setting is sturdy on the Miyota 9015, but obviously nowhere near the smoothness of gen (small concession). Not sure about the superclone 324sc (I've heard it can feel a bit flimsy).
BIONONE
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- 28/4/17
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always refreshing to read valuable comments from the perspective of a gen owner. It is much appreciated - maybe we will see a gen vs rep comparison in the same analytic way you wrote your recent posts? This is what makes this forum great - the variety of rep enthusiasts or watch lovers in total.
Thanks for your thoughts on this topic.
I've actually been a long time lurker which has suited this forum's rules quite well since I'm a "gather information first; ask as last resort" kind of person. I was introduced to these fora by a friend who'd picked up the PPF V2, and wanted to compare with me. As with any rep hobbyist, he was pretty concerned with the tiniest of details and whether they were gen like. The strangest one was whether the chamfering on the lugs were correct (Not once have I heard anybody ask about that here). On all pre-2018 5711s the mirror-finished chamfering would get wider and more prominent as it got closer to the tear shaped lug ends (not dissimilar to AP's style of chamfering). On all post-2018 5711s it would be completely even with no widening of the mirror-finished chamfering same as the PPF. I was, of course, absolutely floored by the level of replication that Patek would have claimed as possible only by "hand-finishing." Now, I'm here just humbly appreciating what replicas can provide for a fraction of the price. All-in-all, I'm equally thankful that these forums have made me both more critical, and appreciative of gen watches (best of both worlds imo).
Hopefully, I'll be able to contribute with photos, but I haven't quite found the "skills" to do those absurd macro shots I see here (I've actually wallpapered so many photos here in my desktop) just because some are such excellent photographic examples of light play whereas much of gen photography lends towards amateurish flex photos to heavily composited shots that err on the side of inauthenticity. Should timnic54's review of the 3KF get posted, I'd be happy to point out any key differences between it, the gen, and the PPF V3.
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