it depends on which gen you are looking at as they have and almost confusing range of different colour variations with the latest, late 22 model being much darker on both and less vibrant, its hard to tell as i dont think RO as being touted as different from each other just natural evolution of the process.
Its hard to establish if the rep factories are doing the same ad just improving the ceramic process hence they keep gettign better in terms or uv and number infill so much so that its hard to tell without going all macro.
If the Reps are getting better in the same jumps as RO are getting better at the ceramic inserts then its hard to works out if the rep you are buying has the insert correct to the latest offering RO are putting out with the darker colours or if they have just got the process more accurate and mirroring Rolex and all the ones before are actually not incorrect (well some were) but are actually more period correct colours based on the RO insert they were trying to mimic based on the age of the gen versions
It hard to map them as all this talk of V's makes it a little confusing,
Eg V1 insert colours closest to gen, but which age gen the more pinkish and purple colours was similar to that of the first issue gens
V2 insert is this trying mirror the colours of the early release gens which are the more pink and purple colour in which case the ones ive seen fail as the first issues RO were much more pastel colours, i suspect that the V2 is mimic of the 2020 RO release where the insert seemed to be more vibrant rosso red and stronger blue, which means the rep v2 bezel insert is closer to gen for sure but not perhaps the first release gen.
V3 insert from the looks of things is a darker set of colours which is much closer the the late 22 RO insert which is much darker on both colours overall, so the V3 is the closest to gen but only the gen that is on release from RO new at the present date (im sure it may change later too unless they are happy)
V3s might be very similar in the later colour formats but with a better technique allowing the UV glow to be much more vibrant.
Even the gen community struggle with identifying which models have the different colour schemes but on both rep and gen it would appear that the colours of the insert have naturally progressed into darker shades almost at the same time.
I would guess that as is the gen market the older V1 rep inserts would naturally gravitate towards being and older model so as this is very similar to the gens its not really a big thing to worry about unless you happens to gout clubbing and stand in UV as the earlier reps didnt glow all red.
IF the older V1 inserts came with the DD3285 movement (mainly for the accuracy of the winding hands in counter clockwise as per the gens) or a VR3186 I should think if looked after they should last a long time and maybe have cult second hand market as an older Pepsi model as the gens do, which would make it that more believe able as the prices will likely come down and more will be available on the open market making the likely hood of having one more possible than it is now unless you are loaded
proves my point even further !
