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GMF released a GMT 3186 clone movement
- Thread starter KJ2020
- Start date
- 12/3/18
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You are right, those are V3 pics on the front side. The GMT hand holes are not the same size between the movements, no way GMF sourced new ETA hands for a clearance movement.
From past sales, all BP/GMF V1/V2 ETA models (both CHS and ICHS) had the Frisbee GMT hand hole surround. And neither the true clone GMF SA3186 nor the VR3185 which GMF has started using, should have the Frisbee GMT hand.
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Sorry maybe this question was already asked but is it somehow possible to identify if GMF comes with VR movement without opening it? My watch which we discussed earlier got lost so Andrew sent me new one week and a half ago so I wonder if it comes with VR or not..
- 12/3/18
- 35,429
- 70,071
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VR3185 vs SA3186 (NOT ARF's SH3186)
Move to crown position 2. Turn the crown clockwise. If the hour hand jumps FORWARD it's a VR. BACKWARD it's an SA (the original movement GMF used in V3 and seems to no longer be using in favor of the VR).
Visually you can't tell the difference.
VR3185 vs 2824 CHS timebomb
Frisbee GMT hand surround = 2824 timebomb.
For further confirmation, do same test as above. If the hour hand jumps FORWARD it's a VR. BACKWARD it's a 2824 timebomb. Visually you can tell the difference by the date window size.
The VR3185 is the only one of the 3 that hour jumps FORWARD with FORWARD crown position 2 rotation.
Sorry to hear your watch got lost bro, I remember the anguish you went through to get the right one. I sure hope you don't end up with the original one :no:
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Yeah for some reason they were sent using FedEx through UAE which was strange as all my watches from TT going with DHL through HK. Anyways here what I got, definitely not a time bomb with frisbee but not sure if it’s VR or not... will do your test once they will arrive, thanks!
- 12/3/18
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Yeah a lot TDs are using new shipping strategies due to Covid. I've heard of the one you described before.You'll know right away which movement it is by which way it hour jumps.
- 12/3/18
- 35,429
- 70,071
- 113
The Rod
I'm Pretty Popular
- 15/10/17
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Talking about the LN, in your opinion is there any reason to pay up the 50$ difference between the GMF and V9F? As they have both use the same movement
sickopsycho
Active Member
Look at the movement pics for the key ID feature of the ETA autowind device. Together with the hour hand on the bottom of the hand stack, it positively IDs those as the 2824 timebomb.
That's interesting- I always just look for those ETA stacked hollow reversing wheels to ID it.
- 12/3/18
- 35,429
- 70,071
- 113
V9F has been known to have excellent fit and finish in other watches. They don't make a lot of Rolex reps, their new GMT LNs look pretty good to me. They've missed the mark on the Pepsi and Batman inserts though.
Their LN insert has thicker marker cutouts and better looking 1 digits than the GMF. Some of the TD pics of the LN inserts aren't great, it looks like several TDs are using the same (probably factory provided) pics with some flawed markers. I've been watching for someone to post a pic of a QC or delivered V9F LN. I think it has good potential.
Also GMF hasn't got it completely right when it comes to rehaut engraving alignment. Look at the area around 35 - 45. The off-center letters have been a GMF flaw for a couple years now. C'mon man.
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The Rod
I'm Pretty Popular
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Me again. Question for you KJ2020 - can you please guide how to set date and time on this GMT? I remember I’ve seen some guide from you some time ago but cannot find it now. I have PAM320 which are GMT too and want to set same approach for this GMT where GMT hand and Hour hands are aligned.
- 12/3/18
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You can just use the Rolex user guide to set your hands up bro.
https://www.rolex.com/media/user-guides.html
A couple of cautions you can use on these rep GMT movements if you want are
1. Don't hour jump backward any more than necessary and never to effect a date change
2. When advancing the date forward, hour jump forward from 3AM to 9PM local time on the watch. Then switch to crown position 3 and advance all hands forward manually to effect a date change. Repeat for each date change.
This is not strictly necessary with the new true clone movements but even these jump click springs are rep parts that can break and every time it's used it's one click closer to breaking. A gen click spring will fit in VR and SH for about $160 plus labor.
Thanks man. Got mine. Setting GMT is kind of a puzzle. First of all - seems that movement is VR because when I rotate crown in second position hour hand jumps forward. What concerns me that I’ve set GMT hand and hour hand to same time however they are still kind of not synced:
on my Panerai rep this two hands are following each other and if they are synchronized like gmt hand is hidden under normal or vice versa (don’t remember
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so I’m courious if such position on GMT is normal or it has some issues?
on my Panerai rep this two hands are following each other and if they are synchronized like gmt hand is hidden under normal or vice versa (don’t remember
) so I’m courious if such position on GMT is normal or it has some issues?
Sorry hour hand was one click forward. I’ve adjusted it and now it looks good. My last concern is that crown screws in quite hardly :-/
Sorry hour hand was one click forward. I’ve adjusted it and now it looks good. My last concern is that crown screws in quite hardly :-/
sickopsycho
Active Member
This is true for pretty much any mechanical watch, even most gens AFAIK. The reason being the gears inside the watch are all engaged during this time- typically between 22:00 - 2:00. If you try to advance the date at the same time that the gears associated with the time are trying to do it automagically, that's when stuff gets broken. My first mechanical watch, a Seiko 5, was broken (from this exact thing) when I bought it. The time function still worked, but the date didn't change. This got me interested in what was wrong- so, without really having anything to lose, I opened up the watch and took a look. Found the broken (plastic) gears and replaced them. The watch was good as new! The feeling of satisfaction from taking a movement apart and putting it back together- and then have it start ticking away when you're done... unbelievable. =D