TC 16610LN vs ARF 16610LN

[jokgga]

Been searching for the coveted TC V7X 16610 LN but now wondering if I should be going for the ARF 16610 LN for quality/close to gen sake.

1.) Is the Asian 2824 movement (TC?) better/more reliable than the 3135 clone movement (ARF)
2.) I am seeing TM / RAF as other options are they worth considering?

 

[ap9791]

I just ordered an ARF 16610LV from Geektime after doing some research, from my understanding:
TMF are new and yet to be evaluated for gen spec accuracy, build quality and reliability.
RAF comes with SH3135 movement which is not great and will inevitably need replacing.
ARF are listed as having SH3135 but come with VR3135 movements which should give decent reliability for a relatively long time.
I have had VS3135 and A2824 movements in the past and vs3135 is more temperamental especially with the keyless. The A2824 is way more forgiving and robust especially to a novice like myself.
I opted for the ARF with VR3135 hopefully get a few years trouble free use, then maybe upgrade to a vs3135 in the future
Hope this helps

 

[peterpl]

I dont think any 5 digit sub rep will beat the TC subs. Not any thats currently available right now anyway

TC v5, V6 and v7 are all superb reps imho and as rare as hens teeth. I've got TC LV v6 and looking for a unmolested like new LN version. Impossible to find.

I regret not buying as many TCs as I could have back in the days.

 

[m5smg2]

To be fair, there are downsides to TC today. TC fans forget to point out:

— A2824 has wrong time set direction.
— case, bracelet are in 316, not 904 like gen.

 

[pompompurin]

I am in the unpopular camp, but I personally like the latest arf 16610 more than the tc v6/v7x (i own them all at the moment).

I can't comment on the TMF though because I haven't handled it yet. ARF 16610 is better than RAF 16610 because the latest ARF 16610 comes with vr3135 movement (whereas RAF 16610 comes with sh3135 movement which is inferior). I definitely prefer the vr3135 movement more than the TC 2824-2 movement because of the vr3135's functional accuracy and compatibility with genuine dial/hands/date disc.

The arf 16610 is a very good copy of the late 16610 which i believe has slightly shorter lug-to-lug length (according to online measurements while comparing to my measurements, but a bigger sample is welcomed). The bezel on the arf 16610 clicks much more precise and crispier than the tc (including v7x) as well. The vr3135 movement functions the same as genuine, and I find the latest arf 16610 hands to be extremely nice and well made.

However, TC 16610 has its charm as well. I believe the TC 16610 is a copy of the early 2000s 16610. TC was the pioneer of a super-rep rolex that can be worn right out of the box without any modification. The legacy, research, and passion by TC was very fascinating: he documented these areas in his old blog (before the blog was removed). To me, owning a TC feels like owning a boutique replica opposed to a mass manufactured rep.

 

[Jackster]

I like this thread and am very interested in others opinions....

 

[jokgga]

I just ordered an ARF 16610LV from Geektime after doing some research, from my understanding:
TMF are new and yet to be evaluated for gen spec accuracy, build quality and reliability.
RAF comes with SH3135 movement which is not great and will inevitably need replacing.
ARF are listed as having SH3135 but come with VR3135 movements which should give decent reliability for a relatively long time.
I have had VS3135 and A2824 movements in the past and vs3135 is more temperamental especially with the keyless. The A2824 is way more forgiving and robust especially to a novice like myself.
I opted for the ARF with VR3135 hopefully get a few years trouble free use, then maybe upgrade to a vs3135 in the future
Hope this helps

Thank you...this is exactly what I was looking for. Is the VS3135 that much better than the VR3135?

 

[Karbon74]

Are we saying that the ARF is better than the BP?

 

[Jackster]

Thank you...this is exactly what I was looking for. Is the VS3135 that much better than the VR3135?

Yes it's better, by how much?

 

[ap9791]

Thank you...this is exactly what I was looking for. Is the VS3135 that much better than the VR3135?

A3135, SH3135, VR3135, VS3135 I believe this is the chronological order of the evolution of the clone Rolex 3135 movement. Each version just gets slightly better quality and the parts get closer to gen dimensions. The VR3135 works fine, but the advantage of the VS3135 is it's parts are closer to gen specifications so you can just drop in a gen part without any modification needed. If your not planning on upgrading with gen parts the VR3135 is perfectly adequate.