No More Time Bombs, VRF just released 1st fully cloned 3186 and 116710LN

[jptrosch]

2.7mm

Thank you

 

[jptrosch]

@jptrosch awesome that you got it to work. Can we see some pics?

I'm going to post some pics tomorrow, including of the dial, hands, and movement. It's dark right now in California and my lighting isn't great.

 

[golem345]

Thinking of picking up an arf just to swap over the bezel assembly now, toss up if it will even fit though

 

[mega12]

That was what I was talking about. The VRF 116610 bezel did not fit a stock crystal. When the VRF 116610 3135 came out I compared it to the ARF and the Noob. Now the noob and ARF bezels swapped no issue. The VRF did not. Also the VRF does not have rolex spec bezel as far as the bezel, metal spacer then insert. The ARF and the Noob do. So if the 116710LN 3186 is anything like the VRF sub, the bezel will not fit a real one and the bracelet and lugs will be too small to fit a real or real spec bracelet.

Do you think a complete bezel assembly would fit on the VRF? I guess so, or not?

 

[mega12]

Alright, I got it on. I had to swap out the gasket for a clark 2.3 gasket I had sitting on my work desk. This may not be necessary for everyone, but it worked for me.

Great to hear, but can you please explain, what you got on? I assume you have a VRF, in understood you cracked the stock insert while removing. Then I’m confused.

Did you try to mount a gen insert on the VRF bezel or did you mount a gen bezel including gen insert on the VRF base construction (crystal ring etc.) and this fits only with different gaskets or did you mount a complete gen bezel assembly. Thanks for sharing


Time doesn’t exist, clocks exist.

 

[occb2]

Do you think a complete bezel assembly would fit on the VRF? I guess so, or not?

I don't like to think. I would like to get them in hand and find out. If it is like the VRF 116610 no it won't fit a real one.

 

[jptrosch]

Great to hear, but can you please explain, what you got on? I assume you have a VRF, in understood you cracked the stock insert while removing. Then I’m confused.

Did you try to mount a gen insert on the VRF bezel or did you mount a gen bezel including gen insert on the VRF base construction (crystal ring etc.) and this fits only with different gaskets or did you mount a complete gen bezel assembly. Thanks for sharing


Time doesn’t exist, clocks exist.

I tried to mount a complete bezel assembly onto the VRF case using the gasket that came with the VRF. It was fighting me, so I didn't try to force it for fear of damaging any of the gen parts. I then tried it with an aftermarket clark gasket and the whole assembly went on without a problem. I haven't tried disassembling my bezel assembly and fitting some of the parts onto the VRF base construction. I can only speak to an attempt to fit a complete gen bezel assembly. That being said, someone with better tools or less concern about cracking their insert may have better luck.

 

[occb2]

I tried to mount a complete bezel assembly onto the VRF case using the gasket that came with the VRF. It was fighting me, so I didn't try to force it for fear of damaging any of the gen parts. I then tried it with an aftermarket clark gasket and the whole assembly went on without a problem. I haven't tried disassembling my bezel assembly and fitting some of the parts onto the VRF base construction. I can only speak to an attempt to fit a complete gen bezel assembly. That being said, someone with better tools or less concern about cracking their insert may have better luck.

So you repressed your crystal with a clark crystal and a different size gasket and it fit? The odd thing is that that wouldn't work unless you have different crystal ring. The crystal ring that comes with the VRF or at least the sub one doesnt fit. I had to use a noob crystal ring and it still didnt like the noob or a gen spec bezel.

 

[occb2]

I tried to mount a complete bezel assembly onto the VRF case using the gasket that came with the VRF. It was fighting me, so I didn't try to force it for fear of damaging any of the gen parts. I then tried it with an aftermarket clark gasket and the whole assembly went on without a problem. I haven't tried disassembling my bezel assembly and fitting some of the parts onto the VRF base construction. I can only speak to an attempt to fit a complete gen bezel assembly. That being said, someone with better tools or less concern about cracking their insert may have better luck.

Are you talking about the small nylon gasket that holds the bezel on? If so that makes sense. Neve the less unless the old one is shot it should still work,

 

[jptrosch]

So you repressed your crystal with a clark crystal and a different size gasket and it fit? The odd thing is that that wouldn't work unless you have different crystal ring. The crystal ring that comes with the VRF or at least the sub one doesnt fit. I had to use a noob crystal ring and it still didnt like the noob or a gen spec bezel.

Well as of now there's no crystal on there. I still have a gen crystal and taller gasket incoming, so I have no idea if it's all going to fit together. This is the gasket I just ordered:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Clark-2-7-...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

[blurred_line]

why would you even consider noob, it mounts that crappy timebomb movement and it costs just as much if not more iirc. now the game is between vrf and ARF.

Let me make a summary for everyone:

ARF:

Excellent insert
Good SEL
Good lugs
Shitty DW
Ok crystal (we still need "real" pics to see if they are using the same crystal as the ARF v3's, because that's good if it's true)
average dial


VR:
Assuming the VR3135 base we are expecting a more visually refined movement (still needs confirmation)
Good DW
Ok crystal
Better dial than ARF's
Average - bad SEL
Fat lugs
Shitty insert (seriously, change it)
Bad top-rehaut sanding, seems like the chinese used their grandma's backscratcher to sand it



In conclusion:

Assuming the movement is stable for both watches, the ideal and best money-conservative choice would be getting the ARF, changing the DW and you get a killer watch. If you have a 6 digit gen crystal sitting around you could go ahead and mount that on it as well, i doubt it's gonna be necessary, but we still need to see!

Thanks for this!

 

[mega12]

I don't like to think. I would like to get them in hand and find out. If it is like the VRF 116610 no it won't fit a real one.

Oh ok. Thought with the subs it was only the bezel itself and a complete set did fit. If I remember correctly, there was a VRF Hulk Franken which had a gen assembly mounted, but maybe I’m wrong.

 

[mega12]

I tried to mount a complete bezel assembly onto the VRF case using the gasket that came with the VRF. It was fighting me, so I didn't try to force it for fear of damaging any of the gen parts. I then tried it with an aftermarket clark gasket and the whole assembly went on without a problem. I haven't tried disassembling my bezel assembly and fitting some of the parts onto the VRF base construction. I can only speak to an attempt to fit a complete gen bezel assembly. That being said, someone with better tools or less concern about cracking their insert may have better luck.

That’s great! Thanks for sharing!
Would love to see a picture


Time doesn’t exist, clocks exist.

 

[Vvvlllooo]

I tried to mount a complete bezel assembly onto the VRF case using the gasket that came with the VRF. It was fighting me, so I didn't try to force it for fear of damaging any of the gen parts. I then tried it with an aftermarket clark gasket and the whole assembly went on without a problem. I haven't tried disassembling my bezel assembly and fitting some of the parts onto the VRF base construction. I can only speak to an attempt to fit a complete gen bezel assembly. That being said, someone with better tools or less concern about cracking their insert may have better luck.

Because the clarks gasket was shorter and possibly thinner you were able to get the gen assembly on with less resistance. But this may have an impact on how your bezel turned and possibly just having your bezel fall completely off with little force. Did your vrf assembly construction look like the noob here?

https://forum.replica-watch.info/forum/tutorials/8257256-swap-crystal-on-gmt-master-2-blro-vvvlllooo

 

[ffuhcu]

BLNR photos up on Puretime: https://puretimewatch.io/rlx2019110501.html

 

[occb2]

Thanks for this!

Please do not listen to that post you just quoted. No one knows yet. The data is not in. People are looking at pictures in the TD lighting. Lets get them in hand and do a comparison. Break them down to see if they are Rolex spec. From the sound of jptosch who is the first person to say he has the VR in hand and it isn't fitting a real bezel is making me think they did the same to the GMT that they did to the sub.

Pics please. All who actually have an ARF or VR 116610LN please take pics.
jptrosch please take pics of the crystal ring and bezel assembly that came with the VR. Back and front of the bezel and assembly please. Thank you.

 

[jptrosch]

Because the clarks gasket was shorter and possibly thinner you were able to get the gen assembly on with less resistance. But this may have an impact on how your bezel turned and possibly just having your bezel fall completely off with little force. Did your vrf assembly construction look like the noob here?

https://forum.replica-watch.info/forum/tutorials/8257256-swap-crystal-on-gmt-master-2-blro-vvvlllooo

Definitely a possibility. Right now the bezel is holding on fine and turning without a problem. The vrf assembly does look like the noob one. Also my process for installing the assembly was cruder than the one you posted, so thank you for linking that. I would encourage people to try to install it themselves when they get theirs in hand. One is not a large sample size.

 

[rolexwatchfan]

Definitely a possibility. Right now the bezel is holding on fine and turning without a problem. The vrf assembly does look like the noob one. Also my process for installing the assembly was cruder than the one you posted, so thank you for linking that. I would encourage people to try to install it themselves when they get theirs in hand. One is not a large sample size.

:ttiwwop:

 

[jptrosch]

 

[jptrosch]