The Iwc Aquatimer Chronograph Cousteau Divers

[uziuzi]

My critique :

[maybe i am too critical....]


dial:
1) numbers on outer ring too close to the edge
2) datefont different from the gen (but i must admitt its pretty close)
3) numbers on the inner ring (which is supposed to be rotatable) are centered but they actually should be closer to the middle of the dial !!!!

other than that, the dial looks very very close, nice work.. =)

watch back:
1) wood looks like some cheap plastic, its too bright brown
2) engravings are ALL TOO THIN AND NOT DEEP ENOUGH !!! look what massive engravings the gen has and different font

watch side:
1) crown engravings not as crisp as the gen !

other than that, great rep !!!

 

[takashi]

@uzi: I was referring to marker below bezel at 12 o clock. the square looks crooked.

 

[uziuzi]

@uzi: I was referring to marker below bezel at 12 o clock. the square looks crooked.

True, you are right ! Sorry for missunderstanding....and my name is uziuzi not uzi (JK !!!!) LOL !

 

[takashi]

Sorry for the abbreviation. I will call you uziuzi next time ^^ Crooked right?

 

[uziuzi]

Yes looks crooked if i compare it with the pics of the gen i posted....

but actually, i am not sure anymore about my critique point 3 concerning the dial...
3) numbers on the inner ring (which is supposed to be rotatable) are centered but they actually should be closer to the middle of the dial !!!!

on some gen pics it looks like the numbers on the inner bezel are printed exactly into the middle of that bezel ring on others it looks like they are closer to the middle of the watch. Its tricky because that inner bezel is not flat but rather diagonal....what do you think ? Here a couple of more shots of the gen...

But either way, i think the back engravings and the wood-part is dissapointing...looks so cheap compared to the gen...or is it the light with the wood ???

 

[zetterdawg]

what everyone else said and:

1. inner ring should be whiter and shinier. The rep looks off white and almost mat-finished
2. subdials are slightly too big. Compare the areas where the 11 oclock marker is closest to the 12 o'clock sub.
3. bottom chrono pusher looks slightly too thick.
4. 3 o'clock lume marker is missing but I see the holes for it, so it should be on the final
5. the words "SWISS MADE" at 6 should be slightly more bold
6. bevel on date window is a bit too big.

nice looking watch. I just wish it wasn't going to be $500 with asian movement.

 

[time_bandit]

One more observation; it may just be the phots, but the back on the rep does not appear to have a crystal over the wood like the gen.
Note the relfection on the back from uziuzi's pic of the gen :

 

[takashi]

Well... I would say that based on the semi final product, it's far from matching the quality of notorious de facto standard Hublot Big Bang replica.

 

[uziuzi]

Well... I would say that based on the semi final product, it's far from matching the quality of notorious de facto standard Hublot Big Bang replica.

I agree, although the engraving on the back of the HBB rep is also too weak compared to the gen...seems they do not have a good machine for doing the deep, strong engravings...or the machine is really special used to do the ones on the gens...

I was really hoping since this does not have a display back so the movement will not be visible, that they are going to be able to make it literally indistinguishable from the gen...looking at it over and over again, i think the dial will be indistinguishable considering the amount of zoom we have in looking at the pictures....but the engravings and especially the color of the WOOD make me scream........

 

[uziuzi]

BY the way:

Angus should still have the gen the maker bought for replication (remember he showed us in the first post...)

WE should ask him to do a side by side shot !!! In that way we can really point out the flaws and we wont have problems with different angles, light conditions, zooms etc. in comparing the two !!!

Who is voting for this ???

 

[uziuzi]

Ok, i thought to be able to better compare, I copied the pictures Angus showed us of the gen the maker used for replication with the rep sample side by side (rep on the Left, gen on the Right ): Enjoy ! and comment please !

 

[tutima]

Its taking shape, but you are right, it is not nearly as good as some of the other ones that have come out, like the Hublot BB and the Breitling Chronomat EVO and Steelfish SO. Could be better in my opinion. I especially don't like the wood on the back (if it is even wood to begin with in the first place), there is no deep engraving, and it seems to make the entire watch look rather cheap IMO.

I also did see the missing 3 hour marker, but i thought it was eyes playing tricks on me. That would be a silly mistake if it happened on the final revision of the watch.

 

[moggio]

THEY ALREADY CANCELLED THIS SERIES PRODUCTION!!! Thats what I got an information yesterday...











Im just Joking ..well anyway...the watch dont look good on the back...I hope DEEPER ENGRAVING ..AND THE WOOD MORE TEXTURE THE SAME LIKE THE ORIGINAL ONE...The ship diagram on the wood looks like they just glued it on..LOL ...

 

[thehorse]

You can see 2 holes near the 3 o'clock marker. I think the marker dropped out when the shot was taken.

Its not perfect, but neither is it ready - please let's all give our feedback to Angus so that the manufactuer can refine it further!

 

[takashi]

If this is the final product, I would predict that there will be 2nd generation and so on...

 

[tutima]

If this is a final product, we will all cry... [smilie=crybaby2.gif]

 

[sam_tgg]

My not. I like it, specially in a difficult rep. Somethings must improve, others, are.... well, I can not understand how people can see so many things for a photo. It is increible. every angle, every light, changes a lot. And you start to scream all about. some things are clear, like the deep of the engraving in the back side, but I must admit, that I am a man that always use to wear the watch , with the time face up. But may be just me. Even, I know no person that have the gen (just 1500 pieces were done), but I find someone, I swear I will not show how deep is the engraving...
about the orange, that is no orange... in a digital photo you can say that two oranges are not the same??? With different cameras, different angles and differn light? Please... that is a great joke!
about the wood: you want more texture? so you have a chair, and all the wood have the same texture? you want the same texture as in the photo???
even I have read that the radar zone is not the same in the ship. In the gen is round and in the rep not... uhmmmmm interesant......
there are certaing this that can be better (lume is not one, do not expect something with this, like ALWAYS).
Taka, I do not think it will be a scond version: there is never a scond version with IWC (at least with good reps).
I read someone is waiting for the "perfect" Ingy

 

[takashi]

@sam: really appreciate your input but I think this one simply comes with too many flaws and not so good built. Judging from picture alone, IWC GST Ti Chrono is better build that this piece. I agree that Costeau Diver's IWC is much more complicated but I don't see it's impossible to refine it given that what they have done in Hublot Big Bang replica.

 

[uziuzi]

@sam: really appreciate your input but I think this one simply comes with too many flaws and not so good built. Judging from picture alone, IWC GST Ti Chrono is better build that this piece. I agree that Costeau Diver's IWC is much more complicated but I don't see it's impossible to refine it given that what they have done in Hublot Big Bang replica.

Thats exactly the point, the dial looks actually sooo good and it is the most diffcult part. Just imagine getting the color just approximately right....thats difficult and all the details...and yet they can do it....SO WHY THE HELL do they stuff up so relatively easy things as the engraving ?? The depth of it can be measured and done exactly like that on the rep, there are machines for duplicating engravings....not so with the color and details of the dial...i am starting to believe the rumor that this is a business...stuff it up just a little bit and we can release version 2,3 etc. and collectors will buy it...sad

 

[takashi]

Another point... get it if you really really want it badly. I am not dying not having an extra new rep for a few months or so. ByTor is correct. Quality comes first.