ARF SD43 904L 126600 review (many pics)

[Bigred7078]

Thanks guys for your response. I will go to my local watch smith so he can take a look at the movement.

I will tell you now my impressions about this watch:

The lume is outstanding, very good and 100 times better (brighter, lasts longer) than on my BP No Date Submariner. I would compare it to Noob lume, maybe a little better.

The clasp is perfect, maybe the best rolex clasp I have seen till now. Better than Noob and BP because it has the rounded edges and this „little distance“ between the two parts where you open it (under the rolex crown on the clasp). I think you know what I mean.

The crystal is nice and even gives a little black whole effect, of course not so strong as gen but still better than noob I think. The datewheel is also good. Not too bold printed.

The bezel insert is great, as everyone says. Better platinum paint than noob. Doesn‘t get so dark in artificial light.

The bezel ring itself has too pointy bezel teeth like everyone says, maybe I will mod it. But I have to say that my bezel clicks are perfect. Not too easy to turn like some of you said here. Mine is crisp and you have to make a little effort to turn it. Maybe they fixed this problem.

The dial is good, but my 12 o‘clock marker is crooked and the edges are not rounded like gen. I think when some factory brings out a genlike dial I will change it. Only the lume is very good as I mentioned before.

The rehaut engraving is great. Can‘t see any major flaws with the naked eye. Looks better than on my BP.

The worst in my opinion about this watch, and it was mentioned by some of you before: The bracelet... it is WAY WORSE than my BP 114060 No Date Submariners bracelet.
The BP feels rocksolid, heavy and has absolutely zero rattle.
Unfortunately the ARF bracelet feels light and rattles. You don‘t notice it on the wrist but when you have this watch in your hands you notice it‘s a Rep instantly.

Well and about the movement I already told you mine arrived not working and I will go to my local watch smith the next days

I hope I could help with this little review

They must have gone backwards in terms of bracelet quality. My v1 bracelet is amazing

 

[Tigerdragon]

Hello. I love my sd43 but i think the numbers and indices are fading: getting darker. Tried to clean with warm water and soap but nothing. this is very clear looking number "10", "20" and "50". Tried to make a pic but in reality is more visible the difference with - for example - number "30" .

More pictures were you can see it better?

 

[Doc brown]

Hello. I love my sd43 but i think the numbers and indices are fading: getting darker. Tried to clean with warm water and soap but nothing. this is very clear looking number "10", "20" and "50". Tried to make a pic but in reality is more visible the difference with - for example - number "30" .

Tigerdragon
Yes I see hat you mean. the 25 marker you can clearly see it eating away. Here is a close up of what he means


Did you use a brush? It looks very rough inside the indices.

 

[timnic54]

Mine hasn't changed had it over 5 months .

 

[Tigerdragon]

Tigerdragon
Yes I see hat you mean. the 25 marker you can clearly see it eating away. Here is a close up of what he means


Did you use a brush? It looks very rough inside the indices.

Wow i see it that looks strange

 

[Doc brown]

Wow i see it that looks strange

This may be very off topic but do you think it is corrosion from living near the sea? Or moisture inside house from excessive rain or a/c etc?

 

[Lupoalberto]

Never used a brush. Yes a live near the sea and used 8/10 to the beach and swimming. Maybe could be salt water. And yes closing up it seems the color was digged away. Any idea to fix it? Sharpie mod?

 

[Hakai]

Most of the time it's also the light, just a little bit more sun from the right and half of the markers seems to be darker.

But if the Sunshine's you will see them pop out. If you dislike it just cover it with Molotow. But as usual try to life with the little faults of your 500 of 120000 Rolex.


For the bracelet: can't complain got one of the early batches and mine is super heavy, high quality, and among all watches simply the most comfortable.

 

[timmywatch]

Looks like I might be going for another ARF! Does anyone recommend a Prof mod to the cyclops, or is it good to go?

I have a really small wrist, like 6.3" small. Would this be a good fit? SD4K and 116610 fit me nice, never wore a DSSD though.

Go for ist Brother ! I have a friend that wears a DSSD on his what looks to be a 0.1 inch wrist and it Looks Really good ob him????????


Sent from the RWI App

 

[Doc brown]

Never used a brush. Yes a live near the sea and used 8/10 to the beach and swimming. Maybe could be salt water. And yes closing up it seems the color was digged away. Any idea to fix it? Sharpie mod?

The digging rough area will not be covered from a Sharpie on Molotow. I've tried and tested 4 reps. The other problem with Sharpie and Molotow is they do not last long either. Every month you'll have to colour it in again. Not to mention you'll never get a smooth finish because you will see the brush marks from the tip of the felt liner.

In your case it needs to be smoothened out first if you go down the Shaprie lane.

If I were you, you could check out these 2 options. 1 is a DIY using wax and a mixture of platinum liquids and the other is a cheaper mod that you can purchase as a whole insert. It is an affordable equivalent to Spongebob or USD plating.

Don't paint over the roughness of the indices whatever you do. I have done it already, it will only make the roughness come out more and look worse because the sharpie ink is not thick enough to cover bumps or unevenness. Try Isopropyl to get it out. It will more than likely get out that ink residue thats piled up.

Here are the links for the guys who do the ready made insert. I'm not sure if they are doing SD43's yet but you can see the work for yourself and ask them.

https://forum.replica-watch.info/fo...-116610ln-ceramic-insert-for-rolex-submariner


The DIY mod is using

Metallic Lustre Wax by Deco Art
Martha Stewart Pure plaitnum
Dr Martin's 13R nickel

This method is using the wax to fill instead of just using ink like Sharpe etc. There's a whole thread here about someone who did it and it worked very nice. The tools need are less the $40 USD. The reason you need a fill is because Spongbob mentioned there is a chemical reaction to the ceramic that causes the ink to fade. This is why any ink you use will fade. You need a bond or something that coats the ceramic base inside the indices so it will stick to the ceramic. This is why the gen uses platinum and why it lasts so much longer and the ink will always fade no matter what.

If you want progress go with Sharpie or Molotow. If you want perfection get the spongebob or try the DIY.

Here is the proof

 

[bosaftw]

What I also noticed. The „30“ on the bezel insert is crooked on my watch. The „3“ seems to sit a little bit nearer to the crystal than the „0“.
I know that ARF SubC models have the problem with misaligned bezel insert numbers but didn‘t know SD43s have it too.

 

[Tigerdragon]

So its not real platinium? Because real platinium dont "fade" that easy. I mean ok maybe its shitty for swimming but normal light could fade the markers? Thats kind of shitty.

 

[Hakai]

From another perspective. I was swimming snorkeling diving cliff junoing with the watch 4 weeks straight at the Italian coast. Salty salty salt water.
this took it's time and damaged the insert colour.
Now the colour is fading in the dark to a more silver white pink goldish tone. I like it.
In high light still looks mint. I wouldn't complain nor would I worry I accepted it. Like the change of colour of a vintage watch. Now it gets character.


Just my two cents

 

[Tigerdragon]

I would edit that going to an AD with a rep will get you banned here (see rules).

 

[freediver]

plus they wanted your money, they would say everything to please you lol

 

[Hakai]

Tigerdragon thanks for the advice. Post is edited,
Didnt know that.

 

[Tigerdragon]

np all good

 

[Greg76]

I can't seem to quote, but the earlier post somebody made about the bracelet, is the same for me on my V1. Bracelet is awful - as flimsy at rattly as the cheapest you could imagine. Ive removed it and put the watch on a nato. Love the watch, but bezel and bracelet are awful.

 

[davidws]

Reading all these posts about how great the ARF V2 is makes me want to wait for V3... sheeesh

 

[muiramas]

V1 - plain rotor.
V2 - pointless decorated rotor.

that is the ONLY difference.
the rest is the usual incremental / inconsistent update / backdate.