The AP questions thread (All the questions you want to ask about AP but were afraid to)

[serumdiesel]

Hi guys,

I’ve been looking for a long time. I have a 16202 AP 39mm ZF with a green sunburst dial. It’s only about 2 weeks old, I was wondering if it’s worth it to platinum plate the entire piece as gen is platinum. Would this be a required mod?

There are no “required” mods, just preferred ones and some that are commonly preferred. I don’t like SS imitating gold or platinum, both because of the weight and the (very slight) visual discrepancies. If I had to have one, though, I would definitely do the plating. It’s all a matter of deciding what it is you actually give a shit about.

 

[germanynrw]

Facts, this is why I actually prefer the ZF 15202 and just swap a green dial in it. At least it has the old style date change so it's the same as gen. I also like the 15202 is thinner than 16202 (ZF)

I think the 15202 has also instant date?

 

[cbshitter]

The white gold plating is not worth it unless you spend hella money on a special tungsten case and bracelet. Platinum is way way heavier than steel. Honestly you can if you want to, but you'd basically be spending 2-500$ on a few shades difference. This watch is such a unicorn no one will know or care if it's really made from steel or platinum.

Pizza hands, date wheel, service, and case and bracelet refinish and you will be set for a decade.

I think this is what I’ll invest in next. The hands need a little trimming and that’s going to include all these services.

 

[willthewristmaster99]

I think the 15202 has also instant date?

Nope, you can check for yourself here. I also don't like the 50th rotor and extra .5mm.

 

[willthewristmaster99]

I think the 15202 has also instant date?

It is why they say the ZF/XF 15202 functions just like gen. That date change is basically the only big difference between 15202 and 16202 , and ofc rep factories only add the 50th rotor. Typical ZF.

 

[germanynrw]

Nope, you can check for yourself here. I also don't like the 50th rotor and extra .5mm.

Bro, thats instant date change.
You mean quick date change?

 

[willthewristmaster99]

Bro, thats instant date change.
You mean quick date change?

Yeah I meant that you can instantly pull the crown out and quick change the date. I didn't realize you were talking about the snap vs roll over midnight date flip. That's what I call that, the midnight date flip either it snaps or it rolls over. Sorry for confusion. You are right gen does have instant date snap at midnight and no rep has that fixed yet. Expect ofc the 4302 clone but we're talking about jumbos so.

 

[germanynrw]

Yeah I meant that you can instantly pull the crown out and quick change the date. I didn't realize you were talking about the snap vs roll over midnight date flip. That's what I call that, the midnight date flip either it snaps or it rolls over. Sorry for confusion. You are right gen does have instant date snap at midnight and no rep has that fixed yet. Expect ofc the 4302 clone but we're talking about jumbos so.

I wish one day they do it.

 

[willthewristmaster99]

Bro, thats instant date change.
You mean quick date change?

Then I should reword what I was saying before. The 16202 has QUICK DATE CHANGE FUNCTION FROM THE CROWN. The rep does not.

Where as the ZF 15202 and gen 15202 both have the slow date change where you must roll back to 8:30-9PM and roll passed midnight to push the date forward.

Neither of them have INSTANT DATE FLIP AT MIDNIGHT (reps) but both gens do. Less of a deal to me vs the QUICK DATE CHANGE absence.

 

[willthewristmaster99]

I wish one day they do it.

It's coming, I give it a year or 2 max. I'm holding out for the upgrade, but I think I'm just gonna get a 15202 because it's thinner.

 

[germanynrw]

I also love the 15202, better choice bro.
Please show pictures after trimm the pizza

 

[willthewristmaster99]

I also love the 15202, better choice bro.
Please show pictures after trimm the pizza

Actually I am thinking of swapping this dial+handset/DW into a ZF, then getting my crystal Prof AR coated (current watch is BF 15202)

What do you think of these hands? They look better than stock ZF to me.

 

[legend]

Then I should reword what I was saying before. The 16202 has QUICK DATE CHANGE FUNCTION FROM THE CROWN. The rep does not.

Where as the ZF 15202 and gen 15202 both have the slow date change where you must roll back to 8:30-9PM and roll passed midnight to push the date forward.

Neither of them have INSTANT DATE FLIP AT MIDNIGHT (reps) but both gens do. Less of a deal to me vs the QUICK DATE CHANGE absence.

I have already modded a few rep 16202s to have the quickset date function via the crown. It is not difficult to do.

 

[legend]

I’m thinking of making this one a super franken project and most of the plating services I know recommend not wearing the watch before you plate it.

I am curious about this, why can't one wear the watch before plating it? I have done plating for a lot of used watches.

 

[Reaps]

I am curious about this, why can't one wear the watch before plating it? I have done plating for a lot of used watches.

The argument, which I think came from Nikz19 is that the watch if the PVD plating is damaged or tarnished, creates uneven surface when plating, or makes it more difficult to plate.

But I'm not a plating expert. Let me find the thread.

 

[legend]

The argument, which I think came from Nikz19 is that the watch if the PVD plating is damaged or tarnished, creates uneven surface when plating, or makes it more difficult to plate.

But I'm not a plating expert. Let me find the thread.

That is true yes thank you sir. But there is a difference between a worn watch, and one which is dinged, scratched or tarnished.
The watch can be worn but be in excellent condition, and I was therefore confused by the gentleman's statement. If he had cautioned against plating a watch in "scratched or marred" condition, I would have understood perfectly. Thank you once again!

 

[legend]

Hi guys,

I’ve been looking for a long time. I have a 16202 AP 39mm ZF with a green sunburst dial. It’s only about 2 weeks old, I was wondering if it’s worth it to platinum plate the entire piece as gen is platinum. Would this be a required mod?

The things about platinum are the weight and the sheen when new. For used platinum watches, under certain lighting, they can look a lot like high polished stainless steel unless you’re specifically scrutinizing the case material.
So by plating it, you’re creating minimal aesthetic difference with the salient weight difference still being a tell the moment someone in the know handles the watch. It all depends on what matters to you. If it’s jfor accuracy, I wouldn’t recommend a plating as there are many other tells to the watch. If you like the sheen of platinum and need to have it no matter what then yes go for it but be advised that it will still look very similar to how it was after the plating.

 

[legend]

Legend, with all these factors would it do any good to compare photos of a gen dial with a rep? Seems like time of day, lighting in a room, etc. would factor in when comparing the blue dials. Would you be willing to post comparison photos of an AP or PP Nautilus high end rep versus gen dial?

Well the primary visual differences would be the dial tapisseries construction and the resulting color and finish especially on the blue and grey dials. You just need to google pics of gen 15500 blue dials they are available in all kinds of lighting and angles. Same for the rep blue dials. If you’re conscientious enough or seen the gen in person you would be able to perceive the differences. It is not a difference you can do anything about anyway, so my advice would be to get the color you like and enjoy it. Even if the color is somehow close, you’re still wearing a $500 replica and not an actual AP which will come with its own issues and inaccuracies if you know where to look. Even if it looks accurate you will always know that it’s not a gen so you need to reconcile that with your visual assessment of the watch.
So don’t worry about color. The blue of the gen and rep will never be identical. Ever. But they can appear close enough in real life and that should be good enough for the majority. For those who still cannot accept the visual variants, the only way is to fork out money to buy the gen and the worth of doing so is down to the individual. No right or wrong but rather what you can accept and what you can’t.

 

[willthewristmaster99]

I have already modded a few rep 16202s to have the quickset date function via the crown. It is not difficult to do.

Very interesting. Would definitely be worth just getting a 16202PT and having that mod done if it wasn't .8mm thicker than gen where the 15202 from ZF is .4mm thicker and could be thinned possibly. But I'm sure the 16202 could be thinned if it didn't have that big rotor.

You always make the best points, thanks for dropping another knowledge bomb and giving the people the right way to have expectations on replica watches vs their gen counterparts. What matters most is that it's a watch you love to wear! Change and mod what matters to you and keep what works!

 

[cbshitter]

I am curious about this, why can't one wear the watch before plating it? I have done plating for a lot of used watches.

Hi legend!

I had contacted a few plating services on rwi and reptime, and they stated that they can only plate a watch if it’s new/unworn because scratches make the watch harder to plate and they’d have to repolish it and then replate it. However I’ll stay off the PT plating since there’s not that much of a visual difference