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a journey with the JBF RM001 V2 (water resistance)

Branis

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End of August I bought a JBF RM001 (M2M sales thread: https://forum.replica-watch.info/threads/rm-001-jbf.10916750/#post-10938605 ).
My first RM rep so I was surprised by its incredible presence on my tiny 15,5 cm wrist:
Though I know a
My thoughts were somewhere in-between: "It's so big, it looks like a Diesel watch" and "but it's so well made, it doesn't look cheap" and "I can't take my eyes of the Tourbillon" my wife said: "please take of that ugly watch" and my thoughts again: "I think I love this watch".
I had to put it on my timagrapher (though I know it won't be accurate as it's a tourby and I have no clue about the mvmt's angle):


This one needs to be regulated, I thought. But after de-magnetizing it had a stabil +20/27 through six positions. Good enough, I thought.

Then I put it under the tap and washed it. After half an hour I had fog underneath the upper glas.


This one needs to go to the watchmaker, I thought.

So it went:









I bought the right screwdrivers from ali (https://de.aliexpress.com/item/3305..._list.0.0.474c5c5fZALNBA&gatewayAdapt=glo2deu ) and also ordered nylon velcro straps (https://de.aliexpress.com/item/4000..._list.0.0.474c5c5fZALNBA&gatewayAdapt=glo2deu ) - just to get an idea and decide if I want to get some really good ones made by Vic or Tanya.

Straps haven't arrived yet, but the screwdrivers are perfect. I can tell you: changing the strap is a pain in the ass (also for my watchmaker) because the pin bars have to be slightly crooked in order to fit in well (I ruined a couple of them). The pin bars that come with the rep are a joke. Now I have high quality pin bars mounted (btw: they are 20 mm) and am trained to do a strap change in less than one hour.

Also I can tell you: no chance to get this watch waterproof. The gaskets do not fit well (they are thin and too large, maybe my watch got wrong ones from the factory). Also the upper glas was not sealed/glued well to the bezel. However with re-glueing, grease and tight screwing that watch is now water resistant.

Now about the more positive:

After the glas- and strap-work the mvmt magically works like this:


Across all positions it's between -3 and +7.
I have experienced many reps changing their behavior only after opening and closing the casebacks. Why that is remains the secret of the Chinese soul of watchmaking. So I currently couldn't be more happy about the mvmt's precision. Beside to regulate this tourby the lower glas would have to be removed, which comes close to a mvmt dissection thus will only be done once the watch needs a full revision.

Another positive:
The watch fell down from my desk (ca. 1 meter) on a wooden floor. And continued to run perfectly!
Wasn't that a similar stunt as done by Richard Mille at that first press conference and his first RM001 prototype?

Yes, I wished the bezel and caseback would be each thinner by 0,5 mm and the watch would be a bit slimmer in total. Yes, I wished the strap mounting would work with screws. Yes, I wished it would not be "SWEISS MADE" and adjusted in Positions rather then "Posmons" (arrrgh, those unnecessary, ridiculous spelling errors).

But as its stands, I know this one couldn't be better.
And this makes my happy.

Cheers, B.

P.S.: I hope this write up was worthwhile. Maybe it's worth for the pictures only (not my amateur pics, I mean the ones from the watchmaker).
 

Bombardier

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Very nice, I think this is one of the best RMs out there, the only think that puts me of is the size of the crown, it doesn’t look like as sporty as the other RMs
 

Branis

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I know what you mean. The crowns on the later models are more exciting. The crown on the JBF is quite true to the gen, though (s. gen pic). Only it doesn't have the rubber ring. Also the dimensions of the JBF are bigger than gen, thus the crown could be a bit bigger, I guess. However it really is a very good rep and lots of fun to wear. Me, I'm wearing it all the time.
 

Branis

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these straps: https://de.aliexpress.com/item/4000..._list.0.0.474c5c5fZALNBA&gatewayAdapt=glo2deu don't work:


Not too sad, though. The quality sucks. And the smell is awful.

For those who'd like to see the open caseback:


Changing the strap is a) rather exhaustive and b) requires a strap maker willing to take the effort, which may not be easy to find (Vic refused, which I do understand well).

Good that the rubber strap on the V2 is very comfy and of excellent quality. A dark grey handmade Alcantara velcro strap would be perfect imho - so if there's anyone willing to make me one, I'm in.
 

talisman

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28/10/23
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Gorgeous watch. Have you managed to install a velcro strap on this RM001? Thanks
 

Branis

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No, I did not. Don't believe it's worth the effort. The strap it comes with is good enough, I find.
 
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