This is small review of KW/V6F version of famous yet-not-released PAM 616 CARBOTECH. KW/V6F called it V2 version since they counted the one made from casted carbon fibres as V1. I got mine from Joshua / Perfect Clones and this is exactly the watch maker sent to dealers since my QC photos are of the very same watch as to be found on pages of Perfect Clones / Trusty Time and TS Watch International… interesting fact on it’s own… 
Gen says hello:
The main difficulty with this application was to replicate carbon fibre based material used for case set. Let me quote fragment of one of reviews of genuine 616:
“(…) Carbotech is used to make the case, the rotating bezel and the lever bridge which protects the winding crown; the composite was designed to enhance both the aesthetics and the performance of the material. To form the plates of Carbotech from which these components are made, thin sheets of carbon fibers are compressed at a controlled temperature under high pressure together with a high-end polymer, PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone), binding the composite material and making it even stronger and more durable. The carbon fibres used are very long to ensure great aesthetic uniformity; the sheets are superimposed and pressed together in such a way that the fibres of each layer are set at a different angle to the ones above and below it. This produces a stripped matte black appearance which varies according to the cut of the material, resulting in each watch being truly unique.(…)â€
Carbon fibre straps are applied into a mould, layer by layer, with each layer rotated a bit and then compressed. Due to carbon fibre ability to reflect light, we can observe semi-shiny parts, depending on direction light comes from.
Despite the V6F/KW maker went great lengths to rep it nicely, some areas appear hard to replicate. Let’s take a look at some of them:
BEZEL
Bezel is an end-level boss from video games of 80’s replica maker tried to beat up but the winner is still a boss. Short list of details:
- bezel dots (5,10,20,25,35,40,50,55) should almost not protrude over the surface of a bezel. This replication was based on maker’s knowledge about PAM 508 where they were protruding. Very minor detail, anyway.
- 15, 30 & 45 indicators have gold paint - which is correct as per gen
- 15 minute grooves on a bezel have CORRECT gold paint inside, despite a lot of people thought it should be like lume etc… GEN has it golden in these places.
- replication used carbon fibre straps the way there are only 2 visible ‘streams’ on the bezel’s surface; gen used like 4 different carbon straps (or they were applied the different way) so gen’s effect is giving impression of 4 shades of grey (or more correct, 4 light reflecting areas). Rep has 2 or, with some luck with light - 3.
- knurling and edge of bezel - hard to compare against gen photos
The way Panerai achieved so interesting pattern on bezel surface was a bit tricky. First of all they have more than one type of carbon fibre straps or sheets with different light reflection abilities OR they turned each sheet 90º to each other to gain that light difference. They they formed many layers of such fibres into the mould and shaped them into somewhat arched block. The bezel is then cut (probably as slices when 1 slice = 1 bezel) and some flat angle, trough the layers, to get that “wave†pattern. I tried to explain the way they did it by this drawing:
General problem expands to the method of cutting: while main case is just a matter of moulding of the block of carbon fibre straps/resins and then cutting whatever you want out of it - the bezel is a problem of its own. First of all, the cutting is very (!) precise on the gen. All straps are clean, there are no burns, rough edges and apparently no heat affected zones left (delamination visible as white edges on straps’ borders), cutting without melting and so on. All this points to water jet cutting. Apparently, this method is not yet / not easy available to the rep makers or it is too costly to apply.
Visible delaminations an a rep:
No wonder Panerai dropped the idea of doing whole caseset this way
As you can see, the bezel was cut through many arched layers, the same way on rep and gen. Water jet cutting on gen gives better results, apparently. Anyway, on most photos prototype 616 in shown in artificial, strong light. Maybe in daylight it will look different, more toward the way replica looks.
CROWN GUARD, CROWN CAP
- replication used carbon fibre straps the way there are only 2 visible ‘streams’ on the CG’s surface; gen used like 4 different carbon straps (or they were applied the different way) so gen’s effect is giving impression of 4 shades of grey.
- another difference: REG. T.M. text is engraved on replica while it seems to be stamped on genuine (pressed in somehow). Note that there is no change in color despite bottoms of letter are clearly below the surface of CG.
- I am not sure about CG screws - if their silver colour is as per gen or maybe gen uses black ones instead.
- lever pin looks like DLC’ed metal on gen - rep has it matte. I am not so sure about this detail, since I found photos of 2 different gens - one with shiny black DLC’ed top and the second - with matte one.
Look at CP and REG.TM. on a gen:
- crown cap is made from carbon fibre material, as per gen
CASESET (except bezel, CG and crown)
- replication is almost flawless, really. To compare what’s wrong we need to handle rep and gen in hand at the same time - otherwise, not enough photos to compare and detect that something is wrong.
- lug holes are a bit lower in the rep
General notice to carbon fibre composite parts on gen: they look like wax shined or something like that while replicated elements are bare carbon fibre composite. I should try to somehow wax it to see if it’s better.
Photo of caseback as taken from my QC:
DIAL
- to me it looks flawless.
- hands lume application on rep seems even better than on a gen
- CP cap is OK
MOVEMENT
Standard these days - A7750 without chrono module but with decorative plates. Problems with delivering power from rotor to autowind module - probably are sorted out long ago, with first versions of decorated P.9000 movements. The rotor is noisy, probably due to the material caseset is made from (i.e. the case of noisy movements in watches with casesets made from titanium). The movement is hold in case by a means of a rubber o-ring - no metal tabs visible.
STRAP
- looks like standard submersible 26mm accordion strap but with black, matte DLC’ed buckle
- not too stiff, not too soft - they got it right, I think.
- the blue Panerai logo is done well; it doesn’t look like “let’s glue that logo somehow and be done with it†approach - it looks like properly redesigned standard strap to have that logo done right way - no shortcuts.
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS:
- ALL is great with exception of bezel being not executed as gen one. Really - all the rest is OK
- in real live, to have really so contrasted “straps†visible on the bezel you need to play with strong, artificial sources of light - both rep and gen. In broad daylight the effect is less apparent.
- the carbon fibre material feels more like ceramic than plastic (as this was the case with i.e. AP FC Diver). Great feel when touched.
- Maybe replica makers will solve problems with bezel manufacturing; in such case I will buy cheap version of it when it becomes reality and swap movements.
- I counted like 3 gen prototypes judging by various photos and they have little differences (besides carbon fibre patterns) so who knows how final gen version will look like
- I truly cannot imagine other makers will came up with something of better quality. It is typical KW/V6F replica. They have experience in making PAM 508 first hand. To make perfect bezel replica makers would have to go great lengths to achieve all the effects of a gen. Other than that, they can offer better price and DLC’ed black CG pin
- to buy or not to buy - I decided to buy it now, do this small review and have a great summer watch. If makers came up with revised version - I will try to import just a bezel or cheaper version and swap movements. So no buyer’s blues at all
Some quick photos (it is early morning with weak light, will add some more later):
Small video:
Gen says hello:
The main difficulty with this application was to replicate carbon fibre based material used for case set. Let me quote fragment of one of reviews of genuine 616:
“(…) Carbotech is used to make the case, the rotating bezel and the lever bridge which protects the winding crown; the composite was designed to enhance both the aesthetics and the performance of the material. To form the plates of Carbotech from which these components are made, thin sheets of carbon fibers are compressed at a controlled temperature under high pressure together with a high-end polymer, PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone), binding the composite material and making it even stronger and more durable. The carbon fibres used are very long to ensure great aesthetic uniformity; the sheets are superimposed and pressed together in such a way that the fibres of each layer are set at a different angle to the ones above and below it. This produces a stripped matte black appearance which varies according to the cut of the material, resulting in each watch being truly unique.(…)â€
Carbon fibre straps are applied into a mould, layer by layer, with each layer rotated a bit and then compressed. Due to carbon fibre ability to reflect light, we can observe semi-shiny parts, depending on direction light comes from.
Despite the V6F/KW maker went great lengths to rep it nicely, some areas appear hard to replicate. Let’s take a look at some of them:
BEZEL
Bezel is an end-level boss from video games of 80’s replica maker tried to beat up but the winner is still a boss. Short list of details:
- bezel dots (5,10,20,25,35,40,50,55) should almost not protrude over the surface of a bezel. This replication was based on maker’s knowledge about PAM 508 where they were protruding. Very minor detail, anyway.
- 15, 30 & 45 indicators have gold paint - which is correct as per gen
- 15 minute grooves on a bezel have CORRECT gold paint inside, despite a lot of people thought it should be like lume etc… GEN has it golden in these places.
- replication used carbon fibre straps the way there are only 2 visible ‘streams’ on the bezel’s surface; gen used like 4 different carbon straps (or they were applied the different way) so gen’s effect is giving impression of 4 shades of grey (or more correct, 4 light reflecting areas). Rep has 2 or, with some luck with light - 3.
- knurling and edge of bezel - hard to compare against gen photos
The way Panerai achieved so interesting pattern on bezel surface was a bit tricky. First of all they have more than one type of carbon fibre straps or sheets with different light reflection abilities OR they turned each sheet 90º to each other to gain that light difference. They they formed many layers of such fibres into the mould and shaped them into somewhat arched block. The bezel is then cut (probably as slices when 1 slice = 1 bezel) and some flat angle, trough the layers, to get that “wave†pattern. I tried to explain the way they did it by this drawing:
General problem expands to the method of cutting: while main case is just a matter of moulding of the block of carbon fibre straps/resins and then cutting whatever you want out of it - the bezel is a problem of its own. First of all, the cutting is very (!) precise on the gen. All straps are clean, there are no burns, rough edges and apparently no heat affected zones left (delamination visible as white edges on straps’ borders), cutting without melting and so on. All this points to water jet cutting. Apparently, this method is not yet / not easy available to the rep makers or it is too costly to apply.
Visible delaminations an a rep:
No wonder Panerai dropped the idea of doing whole caseset this way
As you can see, the bezel was cut through many arched layers, the same way on rep and gen. Water jet cutting on gen gives better results, apparently. Anyway, on most photos prototype 616 in shown in artificial, strong light. Maybe in daylight it will look different, more toward the way replica looks.
CROWN GUARD, CROWN CAP
- replication used carbon fibre straps the way there are only 2 visible ‘streams’ on the CG’s surface; gen used like 4 different carbon straps (or they were applied the different way) so gen’s effect is giving impression of 4 shades of grey.
- another difference: REG. T.M. text is engraved on replica while it seems to be stamped on genuine (pressed in somehow). Note that there is no change in color despite bottoms of letter are clearly below the surface of CG.
- I am not sure about CG screws - if their silver colour is as per gen or maybe gen uses black ones instead.
- lever pin looks like DLC’ed metal on gen - rep has it matte. I am not so sure about this detail, since I found photos of 2 different gens - one with shiny black DLC’ed top and the second - with matte one.
Look at CP and REG.TM. on a gen:
- crown cap is made from carbon fibre material, as per gen
CASESET (except bezel, CG and crown)
- replication is almost flawless, really. To compare what’s wrong we need to handle rep and gen in hand at the same time - otherwise, not enough photos to compare and detect that something is wrong.
- lug holes are a bit lower in the rep
General notice to carbon fibre composite parts on gen: they look like wax shined or something like that while replicated elements are bare carbon fibre composite. I should try to somehow wax it to see if it’s better.
Photo of caseback as taken from my QC:
DIAL
- to me it looks flawless.
- hands lume application on rep seems even better than on a gen
- CP cap is OK
MOVEMENT
Standard these days - A7750 without chrono module but with decorative plates. Problems with delivering power from rotor to autowind module - probably are sorted out long ago, with first versions of decorated P.9000 movements. The rotor is noisy, probably due to the material caseset is made from (i.e. the case of noisy movements in watches with casesets made from titanium). The movement is hold in case by a means of a rubber o-ring - no metal tabs visible.
STRAP
- looks like standard submersible 26mm accordion strap but with black, matte DLC’ed buckle
- not too stiff, not too soft - they got it right, I think.
- the blue Panerai logo is done well; it doesn’t look like “let’s glue that logo somehow and be done with it†approach - it looks like properly redesigned standard strap to have that logo done right way - no shortcuts.
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS:
- ALL is great with exception of bezel being not executed as gen one. Really - all the rest is OK
- in real live, to have really so contrasted “straps†visible on the bezel you need to play with strong, artificial sources of light - both rep and gen. In broad daylight the effect is less apparent.
- the carbon fibre material feels more like ceramic than plastic (as this was the case with i.e. AP FC Diver). Great feel when touched.
- Maybe replica makers will solve problems with bezel manufacturing; in such case I will buy cheap version of it when it becomes reality and swap movements.
- I counted like 3 gen prototypes judging by various photos and they have little differences (besides carbon fibre patterns) so who knows how final gen version will look like
- I truly cannot imagine other makers will came up with something of better quality. It is typical KW/V6F replica. They have experience in making PAM 508 first hand. To make perfect bezel replica makers would have to go great lengths to achieve all the effects of a gen. Other than that, they can offer better price and DLC’ed black CG pin
- to buy or not to buy - I decided to buy it now, do this small review and have a great summer watch. If makers came up with revised version - I will try to import just a bezel or cheaper version and swap movements. So no buyer’s blues at all
Some quick photos (it is early morning with weak light, will add some more later):
Small video:
