QC: Vacheron Constantin Overseas Deep Stream

[honeybear]

These are QC photos of a Vacheron Overseas Deep Stream. Any comments or observations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[pallan]

Sorry I couldn't be of more help... but where did you get this? Looks good to me btw but the reps never get that VC logo 100% right.

 

[honeybear]

It's from Tony (asian7750).

 

[honeybear]

The logo is probably less of a tell than the silver bevel on the date window.

 

[Arism]

Sorry to be a downer, but 'Antimagnetic' is spelt incorrectly; says 'Antimacnetic'. It's on the caseback so it's not so bad, besides no one will see it unless they look at the back. Just depends how you feel about it.

 

[BADWIN BING]

There is an issue with the spelling on the caseback! This wouldn't bother me too much.

It's what's facing the sky that counts and, in my opinion, that sir is a beautiful looking watch.

 

[hakgwai]

the silver bevel on the date window puts me off

 

[mbjoer]

Disagree with the comments above.

The most important aspect is the overall quality of the watch.

This watch is not one you are likely to bump into in the local mall. - Or anywhere else for that matter. It is simply made in too small numbers.

So if the date window is well crafted and looks good, I would not be too concerned about it being inaccurate to the Gen.

By contrast the back really does let the watch down. Spelling mistakes are there to be spotted by the same 99.99% who cannot tell if the date window is correct or not.

And the detailing here seems to be somewhat bland, which leads me to suspect that the quality of the case may not be that good either.

However the watch will land with the right person. At least you can compare the overall quality of this one not only to a Gen, but also to other Overseas reps.

 

[honeybear]

By contrast the back really does let the watch down. Spelling mistakes are there to be spotted by the same 99.99% who cannot tell if the date window is correct or not.

And the detailing here seems to be somewhat bland, which leads me to suspect that the quality of the case may not be that good either.

However the watch will land with the right person. At least you can compare the overall quality of this one not only to a Gen, but also to other Overseas reps.

The casebacks have been progressively deteriorating, but unfortunately it looks like this current caseback with the crappy laser engraving, and the lightly detailed ship engraving seems to be used in not just the grey dialed VCO.

For example, if one goes to Puretimewatch, you can see that they have two versions of the black VCO, and the casebacks are quite different in quality. However, having seen many of the new VCO replicas people have been receiving, it seems like the older casebacks are no longer available.

The VCO in particular is a difficult replica to buy, since there are several different casebacks, and at least two different quality bracelets, two different cases (one with extra bracelet holes), and two different crowns. Not to mention different dials (Silix vs. cartel), and even different hours, minutes, and seconds hands.

What complicates it all is that I've seen these different parts mixed and matched, and even from the same dealer, one often finds vastly different offerings. For example, Silix had a version with the trapezoidal date window, and another where the arabic numerals were lumed (inaccurate).

Having said that, how often do you run into people expecting you to take off a $10K watch and hand it over to them to examine?

 

[mbjoer]

Having said that, how often do you run into people expecting you to take off a $10K watch and hand it over to them to examine?

I hear this often, but to me it is important. I like my watches to have a feel of quality, and that goes beyond the dial.

Mostly others would not ask to see your watch, but under some circumstances they do want to see them.

Because I am the only one in my otherwise sane group of freinds who collects watches, it happens that someone asks to hold one in their hands. In that situation it matters that it looks good throughout.

In my opinion it is lazyness on the side of the rep makers when this kind of thing happens to a VC. If a similarly poor Pam or Rollie was brought out it would never get a chance on the fora.

 

[honeybear]

I hear this often, but to me it is important. I like my watches to have a feel of quality, and that goes beyond the dial.

Mostly others would not ask to see your watch, but under some circumstances they do want to see them.

Because I am the only one in my otherwise sane group of freinds who collects watches, it happens that someone asks to hold one in their hands. In that situation it matters that it looks good throughout.

In my opinion it is lazyness on the side of the rep makers when this kind of thing happens to a VC. If a similarly poor Pam or Rollie was brought out it would never get a chance on the fora.

Rep makers at the end are focused on making a profit, they're not to bin a batch of parts just because they aren't fully accurate or have typos unless people refuse to buy them.

The problem with the VCO in particular is that the demand seems to be quite low, and as such there aren't the well defined V.1 - V.x models you see in high volume replica models like the Omega PO, AP ROO, Pams, Rolexes, etc., where the parts are relatively consistent in each batch.

The VCO seems to have a low but reasonably consistent demand, which is high enough for the replica makers to make a pretty decent case, bracelet, and caseback, at least as some point in time, but not so high volume that the quality is maintained between batches. Even with high volume watches like the Pams and Rolexes, we see that each new version is usually a case of two steps forward, one step back.

The VCO is a ripe candidate for frankening from replica parts, where one can hand pick the best crown, dial, hands, caseback, and bracelets from the many variants that were available in the history of the replica.

One could ascribe a nefarious conspiracy theory to it all, but I suspect it's just a lack precision and repeatability in their manufacturing process. It would certainly be eyeopening to me to see how a high quality replica is made, to get a better sense of whether it is within their manufacturing capacity to maintain exacting tolerances in manufacturing parts that are produced in infrequent batches.

Interestingly when Patek first commenced US distribution, they had a batch of tang buckles made with a typo on them. They were fixed in the next batch, but the ones with the typo still made it into the retail channel.

In fact, even with high volume replicas like the Pam, the situation did not dramatically improve until this past year, where two replica factories, H-Factory, and Noob Factory started getting in competition with each other, and as a consequence, there was a improvement in accuracy and price. The free market doesn't really work unless there is sufficient competition in it.

 

[mbjoer]

Rep makers at the end are focused on making a profit, they're not to bin a batch of parts just because they aren't fully accurate or have typos unless people refuse to buy them.

That is the key, and where the fora from time to time have an impact. As was the case with the AP Diver and (to some extent) the Porche Worldtimer.

I think it is important in comments and in particular in reviews to mention all the negative aspects as well as the rest. All too often the owner of a watch gets too enthusiastic about his new beauty and glosses over the very obivous faults.

In particular the spelling mistakes should be shouted out here. There is no justification for those. As I keep saying: These can be spotted by the same 99.999% of the population who cannot tell if the date window is correct or not.

So from my little corner I will keep telling others to avoid these. In the hope that better watches will sell instead.

 

[SuperLory]

didnt want to start a new thread for small issue so im digging this one up from the bottom of the barrel.

I fell in love with this beauty after seeing it on a m2m by a singaporean fellow members. Contacted him but unfortunately he sold it in 5 mins.

So i hit Ken @ chazingtime and he promptly found it for me. Paid and then QC photos arrived.

Then the disappointment hit me hard in the face.

The watch has vastly improved on the dial part from the photos I saw up here, and also the engraved ship at the back is much more defined, but apart from dented screws which could be easily replaced, there is still the FuFFing typo

ANTIMACNETIC

!!!

I mean i can live with a slightly slanted numeral (i'm not the fussy/anal type of repper) but a typo is unacceptable imho.

First time I had to refuse a watch.

 

[WingNut]

I must say...

I was the one who got this from Shiro...

The misspelling on the caseback is something I wish was NOT there...but you will never see it... nor I until I take it off and lay it on my dresser...upside down.

I can live with it...what would bother me is a flaw on the dial or bezel...

Dented screws...not sure what you mean...it IS a fine looking watch.

Happy Hunting...

 

[SuperLory]

Ken, he is great, went to another factory to come to the conclusion that, no, nothing they can do and it will always have that typo.

I agree it's a beauty nonetheless but since it is such a small and amendable (imho) flaw I'd rather wait for it to be corrected. It's a matter of principle. Before spitting out $300 i have to think for like a couple of minutes straight..

 

[ShiroTenshi]

Ken, he is great, went to another factory to come to the conclusion that, no, nothing they can do and it will always have that typo.

I agree it's a beauty nonetheless but since it is such a small and amendable (imho) flaw I'd rather wait for it to be corrected. It's a matter of principle. Before spitting out $300 i have to think for like a couple of minutes straight..

I doubt they will come out with a new rep for the overseas (at least not in the near future). If the typo is on the dial it would bug me as well, but on the caseback, not so much as long as it's not too obvious.
I suggest to grab yours first, and enjoy it while waiting for another (if ever) version, or risk it being out of production.