New AP 26240 with 4401 Super Clone movement is coming

[elusive1]

Im not here to pronounce judgement on the rep 26240CE but simply to share my first hand experience.
I’ve so far handled a sample size of 5 26240CEs and 4 of them arrived with bracelet first links/lugs with cracks in them. The cases themselves seem ok so far.
From what I know, APSF is working to provide replacements for the bracelets and/or cases so we will have to wait and see if the replacements are any better. For what it’s worth, the gen 26240CEs are relatively fragile too and like I mentioned, when I collected my watch from the boutique, there was a service center specialist present just to resize the bracelet for me.
This is a $100k watch in gen and the rep is $1000. So let’s be grateful for its release and allow for the factory to fix the flaws. It’s not to late to condemn the release when the rectification efforts fail.
Like Bionone mentioned, this is a very difficult material to work with, beautiful and hardy as it may be. Wear the gen, swing the wrist against a wall hard enough and it will crack like how ceramic is supposed to crack. The gen material also isn’t protected by some magic which renders it invincible. Ceramic is hard to scratch and almost impossible to stain and weather proof. It’ll look good with minimal maintenance even 8-10 years later but this comes with a price.
It’s funny how everyone was rushing to buy the ceramic release with the majority handling the watch like it’s stainless steel. Ceramic requires extra care to handle and it’s best to leave the bracelet resizing to the experts, or do it VERY carefully.
I have faith that the material issue will be resolved. Expect to see a fair share of cracks and breakages but I think it’s a beautiful watch worth waiting for.

Thanks L. Stainless steel it is for this clumsy dad with 2 toddlers who like to grab my stuff lol.

 

[mazo_]

Here's a gen in silver, the subdials really pop (the 1 o'clock screw isn't perfect lol.) As far as I see, the case dimensions on the APSF are perfect, and the dial looks excellent aside from some minor printing and index missalignment/qc flaws. The crownguards may be a bit more bevelled on the gen but could be due to a longer focal length than other QC pics I've seen.

Just ordered a silver dial and I'll post pics in similar lighting to see how the sunburst effect compares. Hopefully we'll see more pics of the SS models too

 

[CrazyOCD.RepWearer]

(the 1 o'clock screw isn't perfect lol.)

Honestly, I'm not impressed with any of those bezel screws on the gen silver. Tsk tsk. The last ceramic rep posted by looked better machined lol.

I'm torn. I love the blue dial, but the silver dial would be nice in the sun. Sure wish they made a ruthenium / gray in 41mm.

 

[Paul Newman]

Honestly, I'm not impressed with any of those bezel screws on the gen silver. Tsk tsk. The last ceramic rep posted by looked better machined lol.

Light plays a big big role when photographing AP's, gen or rep.

 

[CrazyOCD.RepWearer]

Light plays a big big role when photographing AP's, gen or rep.

Very true, but I'm looking at the symmetry of the machining of the bezel screw's slot. It's not hard to center a cut for a slot lol

 

[KGZ]

Honestly, I'm not impressed with any of those bezel screws on the gen silver. Tsk tsk. The last ceramic rep posted by looked better machined lol.

I'm torn. I love the blue dial, but the silver dial would be nice in the sun. Sure wish they made a ruthenium / gray in 41mm.

Yeah OCD is only a thing in the rep world...

 

[Paul Newman]

Very true, but I'm looking at the symmetry of the machining of the bezel screw's slot. It's not hard to center a cut for a slot lol

Yes I get you, but what I mean is phone pics sometimes compress the image and make some details look outcenter or play with shadows in a particular way, when in real life they are actually much better.

 

[CrazyOCD.RepWearer]

Yeah OCD is only a thing in the rep world...

~eyes twitching~

Don't make me break out the plastic fork and knife at the steakhouse...

 

[CrazyOCD.RepWearer]

Yes I get you, but what I mean is phone pics sometimes compress the image and make some details look outcenter or play with shadows in a particular way, when in real life they are actually much better.

I've got it bad. First thing I notice on a person's face is crooked eyes or uneven ears. Not saying I'm perfect - I just notice it quickly.

(sorry, a lot of off-topic chatter - my apologies.)

 

[eBoy]

Honestly, I'm not impressed with any of those bezel screws on the gen silver. Tsk tsk. The last ceramic rep posted by looked better machined lol.

Agreed. Those wouldn’t even hold up against even the most basic scrutiny from the loosest application of Reddit's alignment tools.

 

[CrazyOCD.RepWearer]

Agreed. Those wouldn’t even hold up against even the most basic scrutiny from the loosest application of Reddit's alignment tools.

I secretly believe RWI is a holding bin for those who suffer from the OCD maladies. This site and hobby enables many of us.

 

[mazo_]

Yes I get you, but what I mean is phone pics sometimes compress the image and make some details look outcenter or play with shadows in a particular way, when in real life they are actually much better.

There's definitely some apple enhancement going on, and you're right looked much better IRL. However, there was definitely a fraction of a hairline gap with the screw IRL, and is totally and utterly unacceptable to my eyes. (the 50 years of experience AP assembler will be fired stat and this particular watch has already been destroyed.)

The AP boutique told me there's a 2-year wait for a silver chrono (probably how long it takes them to align the screws perfectly.) Meanwhile, at the RM boutique, the privilege to purchase a rose gold 67-01 arrives after a mere 2-month wait (screws don't require alignment on that model.)

Have I uncovered a screw-alignment conspiracy?

 

[mazo_]

I'm torn. I love the blue dial, but the silver dial would be nice in the sun.

This watch was next to a green dial chrono. Night and day difference, the green looked muted in comparison. They didn't have a blue chrono but they had a blue 15510 that popped like the silver dial.

The blue APSFs that I've seen look dull vs. gen; they don't have the same shine and tealish color. Silver really suits this watch IMO and I think APSF excecuted it pretty well

You should go for the purple dial (you'll just have to prepare an elaborate story detailing your excursion to the Domaine de Murtoli.) It actually looks spot on and has a cool special rotor

 

[Prizon]

Yeah OCD is only a thing in the rep world...

Yeah it’s true actually, most gen owners don’t care to even set the time. Haha

 

[CrazyOCD.RepWearer]

This watch was next to a green dial chrono. Night and day difference, the green looked muted in comparison. They didn't have a blue chrono but they had a blue 15510 that popped like the silver dial.

The blue APSFs that I've seen look dull vs. gen; they don't have the same shine and tealish color. Silver really suits this watch IMO and I think APSF excecuted it pretty well

You should go for the purple dial (you'll just have to prepare an elaborate story detailing your excursion to the Domaine de Murtoli.) It actually looks spot on and has a cool special rotor

Truth be told, I love the look of the blue dial with frosted WG 41mm case. Both of these:

26240BC.GG.1324BC.02
26331BC.GG.1224BC.02

I just don't like the frosted case / bracelets, haha. Can't do purple. Not without wearing a yellow suit and purple tie. That's a whole other thing to embrace...

 

[serumdiesel]

Yeah OCD is only a thing in the rep world...

Replication is OCD by its very nature. And yes, as a hobby it enables those of us who already are by our own nature. Then we gather here and, not only are we OCD about reps, we’re also OCD about everyone else’s OCD.

Long story short I love it here.

 

[trailboss99]

Why don't you get banned for saying that?? LOL

You keep saying it's just a rep but you also get mad and saying F word for that?

The funny thing is RWI don't do anything about this.
RWI is really a joke..

Don't you like it here? Yes or no?
Answer required

 

[trailboss99]

Here's a gen in silver,

Eeeew! All the bezel srew holes are filled with polish residue.

 

[legend]

Did not disappoint !

One difference I noted so far between the gen and rep dial is that on the gen, the subdial rings are thicker and more obvious. But it is a well-executed rep for sure, I am duly impressed.

 

[MFK100]

One difference I noted so far between the gen and rep dial is that on the gen, the subdial rings are thicker and more obvious. But it is a well-executed rep for sure, I am duly impressed.

Yes , noted the same on steel ones as well , a trivial thing that hopefully will be addressed in upcoming versions i reckon.