RM 11-03 Mclaren ABD/ZF a story to follow ...

[_DC_]

Since im at it, why not here are a couple photos i could grab from their wechat..i was sent these as i was looking for an upgrade to my current rm35-02.. DISCLAIMER: not promoting their product. just making my point and sharing whats out there in terms of rep quality regarding RMs currently.

Thank you for posting this, it is good to finally see some decent pictures of what they offer currently.

I could never understand people paying circa $1,000 for something based off the KVF or Z Factory RM035 as the whole case shape was flawed.

Looking at this and comparing it to my Z+F it is clear they are now using the Z+F as their base, if not for the case then certainly for the insides.

This case shape looks a lot better than KVF and Z Factory, similar if not the same as Z+F so could be modding the Z+F case but couldn’t say for sure. What I can say for sure is they are not just modding the Z+F bezel. I know this because the problem with the Z+F bezel is the carbon layers are arranged at 90 degrees to one another, so you only get a grain going from side to side and another going from top to bottom, two distinct grains which make the striped pattern. This will only ever produce a striped pattern not the random intricate pattern of the gen or what you can see in this ABD watch. To achieve that you have to lay the carbon layers at 45 degrees so you get three directions of grain (you can see some of the patches have a diagonal grain to them, you don’t get this with 90 degree layering).

So, ABD do provide a good product, which is at least an improvement over when they were charging the earth for a bit of sandpapering.

What are they charging for this version?!?

DC

 

[Kastro26]

You are kidding me. Right?

How is the mainspring more exposed on this ABD version you posted compared to the the Trustytime pictures?? It’s exactly the same. The crown looks the same on both. There’s no difference. Thanks for providing pictures that back my point. Your modded ABD is very close to (or the same as?) the latest RM 53-01 released on TT.

the bezel shines more in the ABD pictures. But that has to do with the different lighting conditions the pictures were taken in.


And I didn’t ask you to post links, videoes or pictures from ABDs sites or accounts. It doesn’t make sense to repost marketing media.

What I asked for is a review by one of you guys with one of your own ABD “modded” watches. And detailed comparison to the base version of your watch (or later releases of the base version).

If it doesnt make sense to repost marketing media, then i guess it doesnt make sense for anyone to be posting ANY pics from TDs or Factories right? cos well its just marketing media. I posted to share. I dont see a wrong in sharing what may be the current best looking RM rep out there.

if this is wrong and looked down upon in one of the biggest REP forums there is, then its no wonder why the factories are not making great improvements in terms of visuals as no one really knows what the best looking rep is out there(irregardless of price). Hence factories are getting away with producing half assed looking reps that people will buy as its deemed "as best as it gets" or "What do you expect? its a rep"

if you cant see the glaring difference between the JBF v2 and ABD ...then i have nothing more to say. as i feel what ever i say or post, there will always be a "are you kidding me?" to an obvious difference in the 2.
ive pointed out the facts and that was previously, the thread about this JBF was around the fact that JBF v2 provided the mainspring mod out of the box, as clearly seen on TrustyTime, the mainspring mod has NOT been done. hence that completely clears up the issue of "is ABD simply reselling upated versions as a marked up price?"

if you refuse to accept that fact than there is no point explaining anything to you as your biases is through the roof. im not vouching for anyone here but if you wanna diss anyone do it right do it proper with shit to back ur claims. not just yapping about shit even after a clear comparison and information has been provided. again if u cant see the difference between the stock JBF V2 and ABD.. then i hope you arent one of those who calls out any minute detail thats not right in an AP or Rolex rep. LOL.

with that, i rest my case and im done with this discussion thats going no where.

 

[jm_brc_7057]

Since im at it, why not here are a couple photos i could grab from their wechat..i was sent these as i was looking for an upgrade to my current rm35-02.. DISCLAIMER: not promoting their product. just making my point and sharing whats out there in terms of rep quality regarding RMs currently.

This one looks decent. And haven’t seen a rep from the factories that looks like this to be honest. Do you have other pictures of it? Side profile. The case shape and thickness could be interesting to see.

 

[Kastro26]

jm_brc_7057 Oh also i dont appreciate you posting in a hostile tone only to edit and change the tone of your post after. for what ever reasons it may be, i hope its nothing as lowly as trying to trap someone to sound aggressive for no reason. This isnt the first time i noticed you doing so hence im pointing it out.

 

[Kastro26]

This one looks decent. And haven’t seen a rep from the factories that looks like this to be honest. Do you have other pictures of it? Side profile. The case shape and thickness could be interesting to see.

Sorry I dont see a point in reposting marketing pics as pointed out by you in an earlier post which has since been edited.

 

[GingerBubba]

jm_brc_7057 Oh also i dont appreciate you posting in a hostile tone only to edit and change the tone of your post after. for what ever reasons it may be, i hope its nothing as lowly as trying to trap someone to sound aggressive for no reason. This isnt the first time i noticed you doing so hence im pointing it out.

As an aside, and not wanting to start a war or argument, I just thought I'd mention that in this thread, Kastro, you come across as a bit obsessive about ABD (almost aggressively Pro-ABD as if you are marketing them) and also a bit aggressive in your general responses. No one else appears aggressive to me.

I don't think that's your intention Kastro, but it's the way your posts read. BTW, I don't 'know' any of the people in this thread so I've no bias. I do also appreciate your obvious knowledge and welcome your contributions, but your tone just seems a bit much. I hope I've not offended you - not my intention.

 

[Kastro26]

As an aside, and not wanting to start a war or argument, I just thought I'd mention that in this thread, Kastro, you come across as a bit obsessive about ABD (almost aggressively Pro-ABD as if you are marketing them) and also a bit aggressive in your general responses. No one else appears aggressive to me.

I don't think that's your intention Kastro, but it's the way your posts read. BTW, I don't 'know' any of the people in this thread so I've no bias. I do also appreciate your obvious knowledge and welcome your contributions, but your tone just seems a bit much. I hope I've not offended you - not my intention.

Thank you and i apologize if i have came across as aggressive. Thank god the quotes in the forums dont reflect the edited versions of the posts. You might want to take a look at the "quotes" i replied to. Might explain some of the passice aggressiveness i had.

Cheers~


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jm_brc_7057]

jm_brc_7057 Oh also i dont appreciate you posting in a hostile tone only to edit and change the tone of your post after. for what ever reasons it may be, i hope its nothing as lowly as trying to trap someone to sound aggressive for no reason. This isnt the first time i noticed you doing so hence im pointing it out.

Nope. You were just too fast to reply I was still editing my post while your answer came in.
I edited it because I saw after posting it, that you had managed to change your post and add pictures of the RM35-02. These pictures seemed convincing and therefore I found it obsolete with some of my comments to be fair.

Regarding your other post:

You can shout as much about it as you like. But until some of you start making proper reviews of your ABD modded watches or a proper comparisons to the base watches and go through the details. It’s gonna be a ongoing discussion and questions will remain if they just resell you a watch at a higher price for a few minor changes. Any watchmaker can remove a deco plate, change jewel or screw colour, clean/polish the movement or change the mainspring for small money. So that don’t justify double/triple the price of the watch.

Until now I have only seen your posted two pictures that look like something that is potentially a significant upgrade to the alternatives and could justify a higher price. But that again is impossible to determine from only those two pictures.

 

[_DC_]

Sorry I dont see a point in reposting marketing pics as pointed out by you in an earlier post which has since been edited.

Hi Kastro

Ok, igniting all the pro ABD and anti ABD stuff. I’ll post the pic because it’s an important discussion.

We all love RM, and we all want an accurate RM, and right now, as you rightly point out, ABD seem to be the only people capable of providing it. That is not in debate as far as I am concerned.

Here is the side profile, taken from a video on their IG...

Now here is my question, and I want you to be honest with me here. What are ABD saying they have done to this watch?!? I have heard mention of custom bezel AND custom case.

My concern has always been their pricing, and how they go about trying to justify it. I know they have previously lied if not stretched the truth, and I suspect they are still doing so. Custom bezel is not in debate, I’ve said that it MUST be a custom bezel and they have pictures of uncut bezels on their IG. But custom case, THIS IS NOT!

I’m currently holding my Z+F and it is identical (ignore lighting obviously)...

This is where I am concerned that they are using phrases like “custom case” and “scanned gen” to suggest they are doing more than they actually are. This is clearly a Z+F case with Z+F insides (albeit with the clear jewel mod) and a custom bezel.... and this is what, circa $1,000?!

The shame is that ABD could do a huge amount of business with members of this forum, myself included, but the prices don’t make sense and their claims are questionable. I hope they start to be honest about what they do, and charge accordingly!

DC

 

[Kastro26]

Nope. You were just too fast to reply I was still editing my post while your answer came in.
I edited it because I saw after posting it, that you had managed to change your post and add pictures of the RM35-02. These pictures seemed convincing and therefore I found it obsolete with some of my comments to be fair.

Regarding your other post:

You can shout as much about it as you like. But until some of you start making proper reviews of your ABD modded watches or a proper comparisons to the base watches and go through the details. It’s gonna be a ongoing discussion and questions will remain if they just resell you a watch at a higher price for a few minor changes. Any watchmaker can remove a deco plate, change jewel or screw colour, clean/polish the movement or change the mainspring for small money. So that don’t justify double/triple the price of the watch.

Until now I have only seen your posted two pictures that look like something that is potentially a significant upgrade to the alternatives and could justify a higher price. But that again is impossible to determine from only those two pictures.

Id love to see more reviews and comparisons done on the watches. as for someone who owns an ABD, I am in no where knowledgeable enough to do comparisons. how ever, as ive said before, If theres a modder out there in this forum who can achieve ABD's quality with better prices, by all means i my self am willing to get it from them instead.

cheers

 

[Revolper]

Hi Kastro

Ok, igniting all the pro ABD and anti ABD stuff. I’ll post the pic because it’s an important discussion.

We all love RM, and we all want an accurate RM, and right now, as you rightly point out, ABD seem to be the only people capable of providing it. That is not in debate as far as I am concerned.

Here is the side profile, taken from a video on their IG...

Now here is my question, and I want you to be honest with me here. What are ABD saying they have done to this watch?!? I have heard mention of custom bezel AND custom case.

My concern has always been their pricing, and how they go about trying to justify it. I know they have previously lied if not stretched the truth, and I suspect they are still doing so. Custom bezel is not in debate, I’ve said that it MUST be a custom bezel and they have pictures of uncut bezels on their IG. But custom case, THIS IS NOT!

I’m currently holding my Z+F and it is identical (ignore lighting obviously)...

This is where I am concerned that they are using phrases like “custom case” and “scanned gen” to suggest they are doing more than they actually are. This is clearly a Z+F case with Z+F insides (albeit with the clear jewel mod) and a custom bezel.... and this is what, circa $1,000?!

The shame is that ABD could do a huge amount of business with members of this forum, myself included, but the prices don’t make sense and their claims are questionable. I hope they start to be honest about what they do, and charge accordingly!

DC

Given the crown is the same size it actually looks like the ABD is slimmer. I talked to Aurasash about a week ago and apparently their latest case is about 13.8mm thick.

That aside, I too am still waiting for someone to provide a proper comparison to the ZF.

 

[_DC_]

Given the crown is the same size it actually looks like the ABD is slimmer. I talked to Aurasash about a week ago and apparently their latest case is about 13.8mm thick.

That aside, I too am still waiting for someone to provide a proper comparison to the ZF.

Oh jeez, come on man, it’s the same f*cking case. It doesn’t look slimmer, it’s identical, just a very slightly different angle and different lighting, don’t start that nonsense. The crown is the same too, which is something ABD used to make themselves but have even given up on that because the Z+F is good enough already.

This is a Z+F with jewel mod and custom bezel. It’s as plain as the nose on your face!!

DC

 

[jm_brc_7057]

Hi Kastro

Ok, igniting all the pro ABD and anti ABD stuff. I’ll post the pic because it’s an important discussion.

We all love RM, and we all want an accurate RM, and right now, as you rightly point out, ABD seem to be the only people capable of providing it. That is not in debate as far as I am concerned.

Here is the side profile, taken from a video on their IG...

Now here is my question, and I want you to be honest with me here. What are ABD saying they have done to this watch?!? I have heard mention of custom bezel AND custom case.

My concern has always been their pricing, and how they go about trying to justify it. I know they have previously lied if not stretched the truth, and I suspect they are still doing so. Custom bezel is not in debate, I’ve said that it MUST be a custom bezel and they have pictures of uncut bezels on their IG. But custom case, THIS IS NOT!

I’m currently holding my Z+F and it is identical (ignore lighting obviously)...

This is where I am concerned that they are using phrases like “custom case” and “scanned gen” to suggest they are doing more than they actually are. This is clearly a Z+F case with Z+F insides (albeit with the clear jewel mod) and a custom bezel.... and this is what, circa $1,000?!

The shame is that ABD could do a huge amount of business with members of this forum, myself included, but the prices don’t make sense and their claims are questionable. I hope they start to be honest about what they do, and charge accordingly!

DC

This one looks really good to be honest, but also looks like a ZF with these changes:

1. The jewel color is changed
2. The wheel at 12 is painted black (black on the gen), it's silver on the ZF.
3. The bezel is changed and is massively superior than the ZF.

My concern is, if we are looking at the V2 ZF before official release, or is this in reality a bezel ABD made themselves? Guess we will know for sure when the ZF V2 finally releases.

 

[Kastro26]

Hi Kastro

Ok, igniting all the pro ABD and anti ABD stuff. I’ll post the pic because it’s an important discussion.

We all love RM, and we all want an accurate RM, and right now, as you rightly point out, ABD seem to be the only people capable of providing it. That is not in debate as far as I am concerned.

Here is the side profile, taken from a video on their IG...

Now here is my question, and I want you to be honest with me here. What are ABD saying they have done to this watch?!? I have heard mention of custom bezel AND custom case.

My concern has always been their pricing, and how they go about trying to justify it. I know they have previously lied if not stretched the truth, and I suspect they are still doing so. Custom bezel is not in debate, I’ve said that it MUST be a custom bezel and they have pictures of uncut bezels on their IG. But custom case, THIS IS NOT!

I’m currently holding my Z+F and it is identical (ignore lighting obviously)...

This is where I am concerned that they are using phrases like “custom case” and “scanned gen” to suggest they are doing more than they actually are. This is clearly a Z+F case with Z+F insides (albeit with the clear jewel mod) and a custom bezel.... and this is what, circa $1,000?!

The shame is that ABD could do a huge amount of business with members of this forum, myself included, but the prices don’t make sense and their claims are questionable. I hope they start to be honest about what they do, and charge accordingly!

DC

I found a better comparison pic.

this their latest RM35-02 stacked above the ZF. crown, case and even carbon is different. thickness too.

 

[jm_brc_7057]

Oh jeez, come on man, it’s the same f*cking case. It doesn’t look slimmer, it’s identical, just a very slightly different angle and different lighting, don’t start that nonsense. The crown is the same too, which is something ABD used to make themselves but have even given up on that because the Z+F is good enough already.

This is a Z+F with jewel mod and custom bezel. It’s as plain as the nose on your face!!

DC

Agree.

Here my ZF compared the the ABD:

 

[_DC_]

I found a better comparison pic.

this their latest RM35-02 stacked above the ZF. crown, case and even carbon is different. thickness too.

This is clearly not the same watch as in the video on their own IG. Rubber round the crown is thicker, bezel is thicker, mid case is thinner....

... which watch are they making here, all of them?!?

I’m so confused, and that’s the problem. Their own pictures don’t make sense!!!

The watch in their video is a Z+F case, and is NOT the same watch as you just posted there!

PS: The one on the bottom looks better to me. That’s honest not just BS because it’s Z+F, but the thick crown rubber looks pony, the thick bezel and big bevelled edge which is what I’ve always hated about KVF is also pony!! The one in their video is better!

DC

 

[Kastro26]

Ill try and see if i can get a better comparison pic from ABD, ill update if i do get one.

looks like ABD has been reading the forums. Aurasash just msged me this..

dont mind me just passing along the message sent to me.. now i still hope i can get that comparison pic LOL

Anyways, Cheers~

 

[_DC_]

Ill try and see if i can get a better comparison pic from ABD, ill update if i do get one.

looks like ABD has been reading the forums. Aurasash just msged me this..

dont mind me just passing alot the message sent to me.. now i still hope i can get that comparison pic LOL

Anyways, Cheers~

I’ll go have a word with him, happy to do so, if he can convince me of what is going on with all these contradicting photos then maybe we can sort this out to some extent.

To clarify, I hadn’t mentioned details of the transaction he is talking about because it isn’t relevant to the discussion, and I respect my friends privacy, but since he is happy to bring it up I see no issue with talking about it openly (I have made my friend aware that I’m discussing it, but this will be my one and only post on that subject, he doesn’t want to be drawn into this and nor should he be). I believe I have said in other threads that friends of mine have purchased and have received what they ordered, hence I don’t regard him as a scammer and have said that before.

The facts of that situation are that my friend ordered the watch, paid what I believed to be too much money ($2,200 is the figure I was told) but it’s his money and he has plenty of it so it’s not my place to question him (plus he’d already sent funds). The order was then delayed time and time again and communication were not good. My friend reached out to me for my opinion on numerous occasions as he began to be concerned that he had thrown away $2,200. I actually reassured him that although I’m no fan of ABD because I think they charge ridiculous prices I didn’t believe they would take his money and run, because that is not my knowledge of them based on other forum members. Also it was during CNY and the whole virus outbreak so that was more than likely the reason, but it did seem that ABD kept changing their story on why there was a delay and when the watch would be shipped.

So contrary to what Aurasash May think, I actually defended him on that one, but indeed the watch arrived and indeed my friend is happy... now... he was not happy at the time!

DC

 

[jm_brc_7057]

Ill try and see if i can get a better comparison pic from ABD, ill update if i do get one.

looks like ABD has been reading the forums. Aurasash just msged me this..

dont mind me just passing along the message sent to me.. now i still hope i can get that comparison pic LOL

Anyways, Cheers~

Lol this was a fun read. If they were transparent there wouldn't be all this circus sorrounding ABD.

 

[_DC_]

Lol this was a fun read. If they were transparent there wouldn't be all this circus sorrounding ABD.

He says he wants to reply to “the minion DC” but I messaged him on WeChat two hours ago and have had no reply, so he can’t be that keen to defend himself or explain the differences and exactly what they are charging all that money for!

DC