ARF SD43 904L 126600 review (many pics)

[slaughterer62]

S62 great to have you pop over the the Rollie section now and again . Like you I’ve had a bitter-sweet run with the DSSD. I know you’re AP to the core but the one rolex in your collection has to be an SD43. I think it wears close the AP Diver. For me it’s perfection!

Thanks for the warm greetings. I am looking forward to trying the SD43. I just got QC two days ago.
I put as much work and money into my Rolex reps as my AP reps, without however going into the high-level world explored by The Society.
Wonderful time to be a Rolex fan with the ARF line.

 

[Mr_SD]

the rehaut is off to the right... on this pic

 

[AP_Superman]

Until they fix the buzzsaw bezel themselves I'll hold off.

 

[m5smg2]

the rehaut is off to the right... on this pic

Good eye my friend. I have rotated the dial-movt a hair clockwise to line up the rehaut engraving. Thanks

 

[Drifter]

Has to be one of the best ones out the box..

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Big_Pilot]

Until they fix the buzzsaw bezel themselves I'll hold off.

buzzsaw bezel

BZB

It reminds me of the worn-out sprockets on my race bike.

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[botsyboy]

Took the crystal off mine today and was also pleasantly surprised that ARF actually made the bezel correctly using a tension ring to secure the insert as per gen! No more glued inserts. Tricky bit is getting the retainer pressed back on as it’s bigger than I’ve got!

Here are some crystal measurements too.

Inner edge where the gasket fits

And also the thickness

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[Bigred7078]

hello, I have a doubt if it's V1 or V2, for me it's V1, what do you think ?

I have to ask... what exactly do you think was updated between v1 and v2?

 

[AP_Superman]

buzzsaw bezel

BZB

It reminds me of the worn-out sprockets on my race bike.

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I know people are saying it isn't a big deal but that bezel and the crooked date font are two giant tells. It doesn't matter how quality the watch feels.

 

[muiramas]

I have to ask... what exactly do you think was updated between v1 and v2?

The date wheel in the V1 and the interim update was for the birds - really terrible like it had been assembled from photocopies. The numbers on the right were often bigger than the ones on the left, not aligned with each other. Stroke thickness on the lettering was all inconsistent. A mess.

This is the v2 update and looks gorge.

 

[Bigred7078]

The date wheel in the V1 and the interim update was for the birds - really terrible like it had been assembled from photocopies. The numbers on the right were often bigger than the ones on the left, not aligned with each other. Stroke thickness on the lettering was all inconsistent. A mess.

This is the v2 update and looks gorge.

My V1 with updated date wheel looks exactly like that. My understanding is that the only change in this actual V2 is the updated rotor.

 

[m5smg2]

Took the crystal off mine today and was also pleasantly surprised that ARF actually made the bezel correctly using a tension ring to secure the insert as per gen! No more glued inserts. Tricky bit is getting the retainer pressed back on as it’s bigger than I’ve got!

Here are some crystal measurements too.

Inner edge where the gasket fits

And also the thickness

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

@botsboy thank for this info and measurements. Please share more info on how the insert is secured here and on the gen. Does that ring hold the insert? Does that ring then set into the bezel? Thanks!

 

[slaughterer62]

First rule of watch club: you have to take apart your watch in order to love it.

 

[Mr_SD]

Good eye my friend. I have rotated the dial-movt a hair clockwise to line up the rehaut engraving. Thanks

Excellent - mine is slightly off as well - how did you move it?

 

[botsyboy]

@botsboy thank for this info and measurements. Please share more info on how the insert is secured here and on the gen. Does that ring hold the insert? Does that ring then set into the bezel? Thanks!

Yes the tension ring sits in the bezel and the ceramic insert then presses snugly. This is also how the Subc insert works I believe.


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[m5smg2]

First rule of watch club: you have to take apart your watch in order to love it.

I thought the first rule of watch club is we don’t talk about watch club lol

 

[m5smg2]

Excellent - mine is slightly off as well - how did you move it?

I loosened the two movement tabs slightly and rotated it. Easy. The really hard part for me was removing the case back on the ARF....it’s locked in gen tight...a sticky ball had no effect, I had to use a case back opener to crack it (same size as Sub)

 

[peterpl]

The date wheel in the V1 and the interim update was for the birds - really terrible like it had been assembled from photocopies. The numbers on the right were often bigger than the ones on the left, not aligned with each other. Stroke thickness on the lettering was all inconsistent. A mess.

This is the v2 update and looks gorge.

That is incorrect info actually. Not ALL V1s had the incorrect DW and Magnification. Only the very first batches had them and the later batches of the v1 had the perfect DW and Mag. The only difference between the later V1 and V2 is the rotor but on a closed caseback who cares.

The trick here is as long as you dont accept all the rejects from the very initial batches you will be fine.

 

[Mr_SD]

I loosened the two movement tabs slightly and rotated it. Easy. The really hard part for me was removing the case back on the ARF....it’s locked in gen tight...a sticky ball had no effect, I had to use a case back opener to crack it (same size as Sub)

i dont suppose you could do a picture guide on how to do this? Or show me where there might be one?! thanks

 

[m5smg2]

i dont suppose you could do a picture guide on how to do this? Or show me where there might be one?! thanks

You don’t need a guide. Just open case back, loosen the two movement support tabs slightly (don’t remove), then rotate movement. Just line up the rehaut and tighten the tabs. You don’t need to remove the crown stem either.