Aquanaut 5168G Blue / Green by 3KF

[thestefster]

My blue is on its way. I'll provide wrist shots when it arrives also.

 

[rockdaytona]

Here are the pics from another TD. I just pulled the trigger on it, but might switch to a regular black 5167 (3KF is still the best for that one right?)


What do you guys think?

Dial looks spot on in that light, very dull creamy khaki like the gen. The strap is not right. Will need a team effort to find an acceptable khaki strap

 

[peapods2]

Dont you think the dial is a bit grainy? It seems a little too green as well. whereas gen seems whitewashed

either way, i dont mind just curious. The strap actually doenst seem THAT bad

 

[Blaithin]

Dont you think the dial is a bit grainy? It seems a little too green as well. whereas gen seems whitewashed

either way, i dont mind just curious. The strap actually doenst seem THAT bad

Hard to tell with Patek dials. Lighting matters, and these photos may look kinda off, but it could be the function of the lighting since the lighting is on the warm side, but still of a slightly cooler colour temperature compared to the bottom most shots in the 5168G khaki page (the shots just above the "Other versions" tab). The top-most gen shots from Patek 5168G khaki page uses an extremely cool colour temperature so for all we know...this could be pretty close to what it would look like in that kind of lighting conditon. Using google images to extrapolate a bit more, there are some shots that show the khaki aquanaut irl looking more or less this colour in certain lighting conditions.

Do note that many of Patek's shots are composite shots...I'm no photographer, but afaik those shots are basically multiple shots in different lighting conditions to compensate for certain issues introduced by just your regular single shot photo...Probably touched up too. I mean...if Mcdonald's ad burgers get "make up" and are photoshopped...why not a luxury watch?

I would however withhold full judgment from mere photos. A lot influences how photos show up like the camera that took it...whatever automatic post-processing the phone or camera introduces, and how your screen interprets the colours captured by the camera. That puts most judgments based on photos relatively questionable at best.

I concur that the paint used on the rep aquanaut dial is not fine enough, and that the particles do not rest as cleanly as that of the gen. It probably has microbumps that end up making the dial look rough and less fine up close. The one shot in the photos far enough to assuage us that the dial is fine at regular distances is obscured by the reflections on the glass so it would be nice if we could get shots at regular wrist distance to evaluate whether the paint graininess is truly problematic enough to show up.

However, there is one flaw that bothers me that most people don't seem to notice or just don't bother to discuss (haven't logged in for awhile now). It's that the grooves of the Aquanaut dial are a bit too thin and shallow. Lacking the depth and overall effect of the gen aquanaut's lines. It's most noticeable when the lines intersect. I think that the gen aquanaut dials have a very fine fine bit of chamfering along the edges of those lines to give them this extra depth and a strange 3d effect compared to the 2d-ness of the 3kf aquanaut's lines. You'll notice it in Patek's close ups...just miniscule diagonal slants along the line edges that create an outsized 3d effect.

Normally, I would have better input to give by having a gen on hand, but I can only really extrapolate from my personal experience of owning the aquanaut's brother in gen, and my opinions should still be taken with a grain of salt because I've not really dealt with these kinds of matte dials from Patek for long enough to have a more informed opinion.

 

[topwatchs]

What do you guys think about this strap? 19mm is this a strap for the 5167 aquanaut 40mm? Don't want to buy the wrong size. Color looks decent.

I bought this strap for my 3K and not fit perfectlly, there is a big gap betwen case and strap

 

[rockdaytona]

I bought this strap for my 3K and not fit perfectlly, there is a big gap betwen case and strap

Thanks for letting us know. The search continues for a full khaki replacement strap

 

[madedo]

Finding a gen like khaki or blue rubber strap 22mm lug size for a 5168 seems to be a difficult mission.
Has anyone a suggestion for a (almost) gen like clasp (ZF, KMF any other?) to change the 3KF clasp?
​​​​​​Does the clasp from a 5167 fit a 5168 strap?
Any recommends for a good (almost) gen like blue straps for a 5168 available?

I ordered a blue one today, QC pics may take 5-10 days, interested which quality the 3k will have. I think not on a level like VSF Rlx or mega...
anyway will post pics here if interested.

​​​​​

 

[anto88]

do you know if a gen strap will fit well?

 

[madedo]

do you know if a gen strap will fit well?

Yes, as far as i know a gen does fit (at least a gen 5167 strap did fit the 3k 5157).
but a gen is quite expensive and costs a lot mor than the whole rep watch.

 

[anto88]

Yes, as far as i know a gen does fit (at least a gen 5167 strap did fit the 3k 5157).
but a gen is quite expensive and costs a lot mor than the whole rep watch.

I'm lucky I have a spare blue and kaki gen strap.
what's the best rep to buy now? I'll try to buy and fix it to the green so we can see the final result.

tnks for your reply

 

[rockdaytona]

Gen strap is $600+... there has to be a better khaki strap option out there boys!

 

[Desmond20052000]

I bought this strap for my 3K and not fit perfectlly, there is a big gap betwen case and strap

Just to clarify, you fit it to the 3k 5167 or the 5168?

 

[Wacht]

I've approved these QCs just giving you guys look. I am very pleased although I think the strap on the green to too light and I will have to look for an olive/military green strap from an aftermarket supplier, let me know if you have suggestions. Enjoy (pics)

That are some decent quality QC pics, which TD do you use if I may ask?

 

[fire007]

Hard to tell with Patek dials. Lighting matters, and these photos may look kinda off, but it could be the function of the lighting since the lighting is on the warm side, but still of a slightly cooler colour temperature compared to the bottom most shots in the 5168G khaki page (the shots just above the "Other versions" tab). The top-most gen shots from Patek 5168G khaki page uses an extremely cool colour temperature so for all we know...this could be pretty close to what it would look like in that kind of lighting conditon. Using google images to extrapolate a bit more, there are some shots that show the khaki aquanaut irl looking more or less this colour in certain lighting conditions.

Do note that many of Patek's shots are composite shots...I'm no photographer, but afaik those shots are basically multiple shots in different lighting conditions to compensate for certain issues introduced by just your regular single shot photo...Probably touched up too. I mean...if Mcdonald's ad burgers get "make up" and are photoshopped...why not a luxury watch?

I would however withhold full judgment from mere photos. A lot influences how photos show up like the camera that took it...whatever automatic post-processing the phone or camera introduces, and how your screen interprets the colours captured by the camera. That puts most judgments based on photos relatively questionable at best.

I concur that the paint used on the rep aquanaut dial is not fine enough, and that the particles do not rest as cleanly as that of the gen. It probably has microbumps that end up making the dial look rough and less fine up close. The one shot in the photos far enough to assuage us that the dial is fine at regular distances is obscured by the reflections on the glass so it would be nice if we could get shots at regular wrist distance to evaluate whether the paint graininess is truly problematic enough to show up.

However, there is one flaw that bothers me that most people don't seem to notice or just don't bother to discuss (haven't logged in for awhile now). It's that the grooves of the Aquanaut dial are a bit too thin and shallow. Lacking the depth and overall effect of the gen aquanaut's lines. It's most noticeable when the lines intersect. I think that the gen aquanaut dials have a very fine fine bit of chamfering along the edges of those lines to give them this extra depth and a strange 3d effect compared to the 2d-ness of the 3kf aquanaut's lines. You'll notice it in Patek's close ups...just miniscule diagonal slants along the line edges that create an outsized 3d effect.

Normally, I would have better input to give by having a gen on hand, but I can only really extrapolate from my personal experience of owning the aquanaut's brother in gen, and my opinions should still be taken with a grain of salt because I've not really dealt with these kinds of matte dials from Patek for long enough to have a more informed opinion.

That was deep..

 

[mech500]

Bit too deep for me.
I just look at the rep and as long as there isn’t anything that looks ugly, then I accept that it’s close enough and enjoy it for what it is (a rep).


Sent from my iPhone using RWI

 

[topwatchs]

Just to clarify, you fit it to the 3k 5167 or the 5168?

Sorry, fit it to 5167

 

[madedo]

I'm lucky I have a spare blue and kaki gen strap.
what's the best rep to buy now? I'll try to buy and fix it to the green so we can see the final result.

tnks for your reply

Im not very deep into the rep business as the order of the 5168 § K is my first replica order.
As far as I read from the discussion abou which is the best 5167 they came to the conclusion that all reps (KMF, ZF, 3K) have their flaws and you have to decide which flaws are acceptable for you.

I dont know if / or which other factory/ factories build the 5168 versions apart from 3K.

I read that die Dial of the 5167 3K was quite spot on and the markers are fine,. Date is an known flaw (eeven on the 5168 - but I can live with that). Some said the case shape of the 5167 was not gen like, others say ist gen like for the pre 2009 models.

I cant say something about the case shape or if the dial is spot on of the 3K 5168 as I have no comparison to gen and not the rep in hands.
But I ordered one just to see the quality. But even when I hold the watch in hands might be difficult for me to judge the quality of die dial color/ sunburst just comparing to pictures of an gen and not having a gen in hands.
I can make some proper pics in different light situations and the experts maybe can judge the quality of dial color etc.

Maybe some experts can already give a hint about the case shape of the 3K 5168 afrom the pics poste here already?

As I already wrote Id be interested which clasp could be a (almost) gen like alternative ( KMF, ZF other?

 

[Desmond20052000]

Sorry, fit it to 5167

So perhaps it might fit the 5168?

 

[madedo]

So perhaps it might fit the 5168?

A 5167 strap does not properly fit the 5168 watch case, because the distance between the lugs of the 5167 is 21mm wheras the distance between the lugs of the 5168 22mm. So it might leave a tiny gap and will not fit properly.

 

[peapods2]

Getting QC pics for my green order soon, but dont you guys think the dial color is quite a stark difference from Gen?