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

[speedywombat]

@Yondu, I spent a long time agonizing over what model would be my first AP. This was the single most helpful, and most "scientific" thing I found after looking at every relevant wrist shot and post I could find on RWI, and trawling the depths of the internet for pictures and videos. Thank you!

With a 16.5cm wrist and 52mm span, I now think I should be able to swing the 15500 without distasteful overhang, particularly in blue or black. I do tend to like larger faces, but draw the line at giant divers watches (so far!) because I like them to still slide effortlessly under a tailored button-down sleeve.

Minimum wrist spans for these models appear to be:
15450: 49mm*
15500: 50mm*
15202: 51.5mm*

*These are the best numbers I could find, so please DM me if any are incorrect, and I will update

It will be on the large side, but I think you can still pull it off.

 

[2tick]

Anyway someone of you guys have an ZF 15450 with a rubber band? any photos?

 

[Swiss_goupil]

I have a question about the AP15202 equipped with the Myiota 9015. Would it be possible to swap the movement to a non modified 9015 to get the quick date adjustment back?

The 15202 is a pain in the a@@ especially if you have to adjust the date by more than 3 days. It takes ages.... seriously WTF? I want my two 15202s to have 3 crown positions! So that I can actually enjoy the watch more and not wait 30 days in my rotation to enjoy them.

And yes it does bother me to wear a watch with the wrong date on.....

 

[legend]

I have a question about the AP15202 equipped with the Myiota 9015. Would it be possible to swap the movement to a non modified 9015 to get the quick date adjustment back?

The 15202 is a pain in the a@@ especially if you have to adjust the date by more than 3 days. It takes ages.... seriously WTF? I want my two 15202s to have 3 crown positions! So that I can actually enjoy the watch more and not wait 30 days in my rotation to enjoy them.

And yes it does bother me to wear a watch with the wrong date on.....

The keyless of the modified miyota can be modified to give a quickset date change. This is a standard mod done for the 16202 rep.

 

[Swiss_goupil]

The keyless of the modified miyota can be modified to give a quickset date change. This is a standard mod done for the 16202 rep.

Interesting! Thanks @legend

 

[speedywombat]

Interesting! Thanks @legend

Sorry for possibly over reaching, but I just want to make sure that you are aware that the gen 15202 does not come with date change via crown, only the gen 16202 does... if that matters to you.

 

[Swiss_goupil]

Sorry for possibly over reaching, but I just want to make sure that you are aware that the gen 15202 does not come with date change via crown, only the gen 16202 does... if that matters to you.

I know and thank you for pointing this out. But the watch is seriously unwearable if you can’t use a quick function date. It is just terribly silly that in this day and age you have to spend 10min changing the date on that minuscule crown. It just takes away the enjoyment of wearing the watch

 

[speedywombat]

I know and thank you for pointing this out. But the watch is seriously unwearable if you can’t use a quick function date. It is just terribly silly that in this day and age you have to spend 10min changing the date on that minuscule crown. It just takes away the enjoyment of wearing the watch

Are you using the semi-quick set function? it's not as perfect as quick function via crown, but it is still far faster than 10 mins.

 

[Swiss_goupil]

Are you using the semi-quick set function? it's not as perfect as quick function via crown, but it is still far faster than 10 mins.

back and forward in between 10pm and 2am? Not sure how damaging it is for the movement....

 

[grillbrill]

I know and thank you for pointing this out. But the watch is seriously unwearable if you can’t use a quick function date. It is just terribly silly that in this day and age you have to spend 10min changing the date on that minuscule crown. It just takes away the enjoyment of wearing the watch

If you own 20+ watches then it may me a good tactic for watch rotation to pull off that watch whose date matches with or close enough to the actual date.

 

[speedywombat]

back and forward in between 10pm and 2am? Not sure how damaging it is for the movement....

It was back/forth between 8 pm and 12 midnight for me. Good point regarding damaging the movement though. When I had my 16202 rep, I've been using that method for about 6 months or so, and it was still fine. However, It does still feel kinda crappy doing that.

 

[speedywombat]

If you own 20+ watches then it may me a good tactic for watch rotation to pull off that watch whose date matches with or close enough to the actual date.

I am trying my darnedest to resist adding another watch box...

 

[Swiss_goupil]

If you own 20+ watches then it may me a good tactic for watch rotation to pull off that watch whose date matches with or close enough to the actual date.

That is what I am doing at the moment

 

[legend]

I know and thank you for pointing this out. But the watch is seriously unwearable if you can’t use a quick function date. It is just terribly silly that in this day and age you have to spend 10min changing the date on that minuscule crown. It just takes away the enjoyment of wearing the watch

What you mentioned ties in with history of the 15202. The lack of a second hand and the choice of movements available then allowed the 15202 to maintain its thickness at 8.1mm, as the thickness of the watch was a key design criteria then.
Today, of course the development of the 7121 caliber allows the 16202 to feature a quickset date (a necessity in any basic modern watch with a date feature I agree) and even the addition of a second hand if need be. But I guess keeping it as a 2-hands design is AP doing its part to continue the heritage of the product line.

 

[legend]

back and forward in between 10pm and 2am? Not sure how damaging it is for the movement....

Between 2000-0000hrs. The movement is designed to be handled that way for the date to be changed so don’t worry it’s fine.

 

[kidcreole]

This Q must've been asked but I can't find the answer. The 3120 movement rotor plating colour is poo. Has anyone been able to find a fix? Flandad tells me it can't be plated is this true? Are aftermarket components available? It's bloody odd that a factory spends that much to clone a movement but can't get the gold tone remotely in the ball park. Rant over.

 

[speedywombat]

I've heard that the 15510 reps have clone movement, same as the 15500 but just using different decoration. But from a recent ZF 15510 thread, someone stated that it is using a Miyota movement. Can anyone chime in?

 

[legend]

I've heard that the 15510 reps have clone movement, same as the 15500 but just using different decoration. But from a recent ZF 15510 thread, someone stated that it is using a Miyota movement. Can anyone chime in?

Yes one maker uses the miyota movement for the 15510. Its zf if I’m not mistaken.

 

[speedywombat]

Yes one maker uses the miyota movement for the 15510. Its zf if I’m not mistaken.

That's interesting. ZF usually is on the higher end, wouldn't think of them to be the one using Miyota lol.

 

[Giammy]

I bought an IPF 15450 and it is a nightmare… often I can’t change the date with the crown because it tilt on an half position, so I have to change the date manually moving forward the time and then it come back to works with the crown, after some hours it will tilt another time an so on. The date wheel has faded numbers, the 17 the 22 and the 23 and a screw from the back sometimes came off and I can’t tight it to the end cause it turns free… the TD offered me a new datewheel but my watchsmith said that to repair the movement and to replace the datewheel I need about 300€ that it’s close to the price of the whole watch… so I’m about buying another one with same movement (to have replacement in case of need) but from another factory, thought ZF but there is APSF too and this research pointed me to this thread
Some opinion?