BP Re-Releases 5-Digit Submariners with VR3135

[Geonor]

Yup stunning thank you. I think BP is the way to go for me to keep it unmodded. Great bang for buck. And I meant wrist shots in the sun/daylight where the lume was just horrible like some screenshots taken from the ARF thread below.

Yeah here are some more shots of the RAF. Daylight and lume.

 

[wubsub]

77 pages and not a single LV BP wrist shot in the daylight where the ARF lume was just an eyesore. Can anyone confirm it’s good here? After 3 days of going down the rabbit hole I think I’ve made up my mind to order the BP LV and be ok with the maxi hands! Hardly noticeable and ok for me but the lume mismatch was a no go. Then down the road I may order a BP LN too

 

[Usd97]

ARF LV and RAF LN? Interesting. Lume on LN though :’)

 

[wubsub]

RAF lume may be fine but I liked the bezel of the ARF flat 4 more than the foresty RAF look. Hence the only option for me was the ARF.

ARF better case, bracelet, need to replace hands
BP good OOTB but not the best bracelet, hands, case

 

[wubsub]

@Usd97 if you manage to find a RAF LV, this was the best ive ever owned ootb in my opinion.

 

[aHero]

sometimes I think reps are rarer than their gen counterparts lol

 

[Usd97]

@Usd97 if you manage to find a RAF LV, this was the best ive ever owned ootb in my opinion.

That definitely looks amazing. The foresty bezel is not for me. Plus if it were this vs a BP I think the BP is nice. And then I could get an LN too with a little more funds hehe

 

[Geonor]

That definitely looks amazing. The foresty bezel is not for me. Plus if it were this vs a BP I think the BP is nice. And then I could get an LN too with a little more funds hehe

The BP is definitely a good grab as well. I have a BP LN that I use a lot.

 

[AllanV]

ARF better case, bracelet, need to replace hands
BP good OOTB but not the best bracelet, hands, case

Does the ARF also have incorrect hands

 

[Reaps]

sometimes I think reps are rarer than their gen counterparts lol

Totally agreed. I mean just look at things like ALS Datographs, some of the Panerai models (Panerai chronos especially).

Of course no need to mention the TC v6/v7s

Then we have the "custom" modded Daytonas offered by Noob which are gone now, the Blaken models and 6263 "Artisan De Geneve" tribute (I've been hunting for both for over a year with literally no success, asked every dealer and non-TD I know, I hunted for it in the MBK mall in Bangkok, lol)

 

[wubsub]

Does the ARF also have incorrect hands

LV bad lume doesnt match dial

 

[Usd97]

Guys can anyone tell me what’s the best crystal replacement for a BP 16610LV? And if it’s needed?

 

[ffnc1020]

Totally agreed. I mean just look at things like ALS Datographs, some of the Panerai models (Panerai chronos especially).

Of course no need to mention the TC v6/v7s

Then we have the "custom" modded Daytonas offered by Noob which are gone now, the Blaken models and 6263 "Artisan De Geneve" tribute (I've been hunting for both for over a year with literally no success, asked every dealer and non-TD I know, I hunted for it in the MBK mall in Bangkok, lol)

For the 6263 ADG tribute, I think they are build by modders and probably not readily available now, but you can still get the dial, hands and bezel. I recently source the bezel and dial from a WeChat dealer. You’ll need a donor watch and modify the case and build it yourself (or somehow find a modded to do it for you).

 

[Reaps]

For the 6263 ADG tribute, I think they are build by modders and probably not readily available now, but you can still get the dial, hands and bezel. I recently source the bezel and dial from a WeChat dealer. You’ll need a donor watch and modify the case and build it yourself (or somehow find a modded to do it for you).

I know where you can find it, I'm not willing to pay $1700 for the build, at that price, I would just get a modified vintage Kilo build bahaha. Thanks for replying though.

 

[Branis]

stock BPF 16618 from Trusty on different (CNS) straps

 

[Branis]

BUT: bezel felt and sounded cheap and the bracelet was stiff. So I decided to exchange the clickspring and give the bracelet an oil bath (a WD-40 oil bath):


After 24h the bracelet lost its orange and came out in absolutely perfect 18ct gold color.

 

[Branis]

BUT: the bezel was so hard to get off, that I bent it and damaged the insert Now it's impossible to get it back in - even after sanding and bending and lots of sweat and cursing. Trusty is willing to help and able to sell new bezel with insert from BP (78 USD). But I don't think I want it anymore. That long clickspring makes a cheap sound - and the bezel construction doesn't allow for a gen short clickspring - or am I missing something?

 

[Branis]

BUT: I gave the case a WD40 oil bath too. Hoping it would come out with the same perfect yellow gold color. It did not. So I went bezerk on it with Dremel, Silvo and Cape Cod (to polish the shit out of it). What I have learned: you will have a hard time to wear that plating off! Only those places where I had damaged the case before lost a bit of plating. The rest is as orange-gold as before.

 

[Branis]

BUT: I gave the case a WD40 oil bath too. Hoping it would come out with the same perfect yellow gold color. It did not. So I went bezerk on it with Dremel, Silvo and Cape Cod (to polish the shit out of it). What I have learned: you will have a hard time to wear that plating off! Only those places where I had damaged the case before lost a bit of plating. The rest is as orange-gold as before.






Some gen gold for comparison:

 

[Branis]

Conclusion: the BP 16618 with VR mvmt is a great watch. The plating is durable as fuck. Unfortunately it's not the right 18ct yellow gold tone (for me at least). The bracelet will look like gold after 24h in WD 40. The crown will look like gold with Silvo or CapeCod polishing. The case will not look like gold in a DIY program - or would you have some other tricks?
Another positive: the VR mvmt runs like a champ. Another negative: maybe I was unlucky, but my bezel felt and sounded cheap (no wobbling, no play, just sound and feel when using it).
Hope this was useful to some of you. Cheers, B.