GMF released a GMT 3186 clone movement

[KJ2020]

So the final decision after talking to Li was to continue with my ICHS QCs until I find an insert I am happy with. He literally told me the insert will be luck. I hope I don't ruin this for everyone else, but I am going to try to find an insert that looks good via the QC process.

Do you mean keep rejecting samples from Li til he gets another one with proper transition and good color? If so I guess we'll find out his tolerance for rejections. I know many TDs will stop at 2 -3, some will go higher before insisting you change watches or take a refund.

 

[Noleex]

For me the v3 GMF BLNR insert looks a bit too light in the blue tone, looks like the wrong old V8 noob color what you think ?

 

[Mark1937]

For me the v3 GMF BLNR insert looks a bit too light in the blue tone, looks like the wrong old V8 noob color what you think ?

No. It is better than Noob V8-V9

 

[sickopsycho]

So the final decision after talking to Li was to continue with my ICHS QCs until I find an insert I am happy with. He literally told me the insert will be luck. I hope I don't ruin this for everyone else, but I am going to try to find an insert that looks good via the QC process.

I'm gonna chime in here to say what KJ2020 already pointed out. If you keep returning watch after watch for the same defect, Li is going to (sooner than later) insist that you get a different one or take your money back. My guess is that there is a better insert out, but factories are not likely to just throw out old stock. They are probably trying to unload the older version and will transition into the newer one. You could always just wait a few months and see if the situation improves-

 

[Conceyted]

I'm gonna chime in here to say what KJ2020 already pointed out. If you keep returning watch after watch for the same defect, Li is going to (sooner than later) insist that you get a different one or take your money back. My guess is that there is a better insert out, but factories are not likely to just throw out old stock. They are probably trying to unload the older version and will transition into the newer one. You could always just wait a few months and see if the situation improves-

Point taken. Re-reading what I typed made it seem like I was going to be abusive with my QC rejections, but that's not the case. I've owned a BLNR with speed bumps before and they were almost never noticeable on the 18 and almost always noticeable on the 6. I intend to try a max of two samples on ICHS before I switch my order to CHS and I will only reject if there are defects found. Worse case I will grab a refund and wait, but I would bet I find something that suits me.

 

[KJ2020]

There's always the aftermarket insert with paint mod option. I was hoping some factory finally got it right though.

Or just go with a 5 digit Batman, haha

 

[Hazing]

These are QC pics from Li posted previously in this thread by sickopsycho so I think there are some inserts left over from an old batch. We really push him to the limit but we do give him a lot of business. IDK if he can make this happen for everyone.

See that insert looks good. So what is that? Is that the V3 insert?

Sadly I ended up rejecting the Watch he showed me.


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[Hazing]

Thanks. That's the CHS v3, so I'm now wondering if CHS is the only way to ensure the fixed insert is provided. I think I'll be switching to CHS because at this point I can't pass up this improved bezel insert. Lana sent me back to Li to discuss.

No. No guarantees. I ordered the V3 CHS and they sent me that shitty insert too that I had to reject. I told them what I'm looking for so hopefully it works this time around.

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[Hazing]

I'm gonna chime in here to say what KJ2020 already pointed out. If you keep returning watch after watch for the same defect, Li is going to (sooner than later) insist that you get a different one or take your money back. My guess is that there is a better insert out, but factories are not likely to just throw out old stock. They are probably trying to unload the older version and will transition into the newer one. You could always just wait a few months and see if the situation improves-

Yeah I'm not one to really reject watches over nothing. I recieved the qc and then asked if that was the v3 because the insert didn’t look like it. Lana told me it definitely was the V3 and I replied by telling her to send the watch. I went ahe@d and green lit it and said that I would find a different insert to put on it.

She emailed me back and said “let’s send this one back and see if we have better luck with a different unit”. I mean, as far as I’m concerned, you can’t ask for more from a dealer.


KJ2020 after seeing that post with you aftermarket insert, I just spent 30 minutes looking at various ones on eBay and some of them don’t look all that bad so I’m not too worried about it. There are some decent (but not great) ones out there that will work.

 

[Conceyted]

I've been studying... Obsessing over the differences in the v3 bezel and I have realized that they're 100% correct. These QCs are showing the v3 insert. Let me explain how I can tell.

Take a look at the nose of the 1. Notice how on gen the nose ends vertically flat like it ran into a wall. Now, take a look at GMFs previous bezel offerings. They all minic a similar flat nose on the 1s. The new GMF insert has 1s that do not end this way. Instead the 1s carry a more squared off edge and are not flat at the nose. It's difficult to describe so let me dig up some pics ...

​​​​​​With this in mind go look back through all of the photos. You should see all of the new inserts share this trait in common. This means the color break and speedbumps are entirely random. It's very much a lottery.

 

[Conceyted]

Here's what I am trying to explain. Left is v3 and right is gen.

 

[KJ2020]

I've been studying... Obsessing over the differences in the v3 bezel and I have realized that they're 100% correct. These QCs are showing the v3 insert. Let me explain how I can tell.

Take a look at the nose of the 1. Notice how on gen the nose ends vertically flat like it ran into a wall. Now, take a look at GMFs previous bezel offerings. They all minic a similar flat nose on the 1s. The new GMF insert has 1s that do not end this way. Instead the 1s carry a more squared off edge and are not flat at the nose. It's difficult to describe so let me dig up some pics ...

​​​​​​With this in mind go look back through all of the photos. You should see all of the new inserts share this trait in common. This means the color break and speedbumps are entirely random. It's very much a lottery.

Here's the new SA 3186 CHS true clone (left) next to the old GMF 2824 CHS timebomb (right). You can tell these are different samples by the handstack, the old 2824 GMT hand has an oversized "Frisbee" hand hole surround. Yet the inserts looks essentially the same. If you saw some old ones with different marker shapes, it was probably a batch trait or a random quality.

Here's a pic of a gen. I see what you are talking about. The left edge of the curved serif on the 1's is parallel to the sides of the main numeral 1. On both samples of the rep, that edge is diagonal, not parallel.

I know the GMF 2836 ICHS had massively thick markers when first released, and those had more gen-like serif edges. But very few of those ever made it to market, at least not that were posted in the forums. Far more people who purchased those got an insert like the GMF ones shown above. BP also had those really fat font inserts initially but also changed them very early on. (BP and GMF are partner factories).

 

[CaptTango1]

Is it that much visible on wrist that thick crystal? Compared to gen

Yeah, it's ridiculous .. Trust me

 

[Bobi01]

Yeah, it's ridiculous .. Trust me

Thanks man,as im OCD ,ichs isnt for me then with that crystal...i know it will be pain in my eyes

 

[RiffRalf]

Yeah, it's ridiculous .. Trust me

It's a flaw but not a very obvious one. There's a few pictured on this page and here are a few more posts including a youtube video link.

 

[CaptTango1]

Thanks man,as im OCD ,ichs isnt for me then with that crystal...i know it will be pain in my eyes

It's more obvious then what I would like it to be, and obviously a dead give away.

 

[Hazing]

Ive been scoping out inserts since I placed the order and found one that might be looking OK.

The numbers are a little thin but the shape looks good, the transition looks good, the color looks good.

And I obviously have way too much time on my hands.

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[Bobi01]

Ive been scoping out inserts since I placed the order and found one that might be looking OK.

The numbers are a little thin but the shape looks good, the transition looks good, the color looks good.

And I obviously have way too much time on my hands.

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Too white maybe?
gen is more like silver,platinum

 

[Hazing]

Too white maybe?
gen is more like silver,platinum

Well I figured it would need a paint or ppm mod. I mean almost any do. Especially cheap aftermarket ones. I’m looking at the blue and the transition point and lack of a speed bump.

Amd to be honesy, depending on how white it is in certain light, it might not even bother me. I hot a hulk insert to be plated and once I had it on wrist realized I didn’t even need it.

 

[KJ2020]

Yeah pretty much every aftermarket insert has white markers, and I still live with one or two.

Hazing That one is not bad bro, would be a decent base for a paint mod. Someone will have to dig the white paint out by hand, it won't budge with chemicals.
Here's one way to avoid speed bumps and transition errors, heh.