the zilla has landed!! WTFWTHOMFG!

[azgjav]

first, big thanks to EL for bringing such a good rep to the community! 8) ordered last week before the zilla was officially released and the beast arrived within a week from taiwan to australia.

now, the is one of the best asian made watches i've ever seen! case work is laser sharp, finishing is topnotch, bezel mechanism is good, dial is beautifully done, lume is decent, movement is keeping good time...and the list goes on..

pls note that i'm reviewing the zilla as a watch instead of a rep as i won't be doing the makers, designers, assemblers and EL justice if i pick on all the flaws, differences, etc...

case: laser cut, high quality stainless steel w/o as much dirt and impurities as ur usual rep. top notch finishing, even on surfaces not seen usually (under the bezel, under the caseback, inside the lugs, under the CG, CG lever)

crystal: this baby is thick! i measured ~2mm protruding out of the case when i removed the bezel..no AR but who cares?! date mag is decent.

bezel: very good 60 click mechanism. bezal came loose and misaligned, but i've fixed it. nothing a little modding can't solve! tweaked the click spring, tapped the bezel spring, etc and now the bezel is 120 clicks, tight and ultra smooth! as smooth as the seiko BM. finishing is top notch, underside of the bezel is nicely finished as well. markers seem to be bonded pretty firmly onto the bezel. finishing on the markers is excellent but the edges are cut a lil too sharp imho..

dial: semi matt black w applied markers, decent lume. circular patterns on the subdial gives the watch more character. hands are the usual high end repanerai quality

movement: hi beat asian 7750 beating steadily..winding is smooth. i've changed the rotating weight w a swiss one to reduce the 7750 whir. now it's almost unoticable.

accessories: the rubber strap is one of the best! it's softer than my gen breitling rubber! very good quality, a keeper for sure! i'm able to mod the strap to fit the deployment. no problems at all!

now, some photos, sorry but i can't take the beast off my wrist for a nice eyecandy shot!

and i just realised that i can pull off a 47mm..fiddy and chronozilla, here i come!!

 

[By-Tor]

That's the coolest looking PAM I've seen. I could almost consider getting one (almost being the key word here).

I'm completely ignorant about PAMs... so I ask: does it have something to do with the "Slytech" model? It looks a bit similar, with that rubber strap and all... I know Slytech is a chronograph but it has the same "styling".

 

[azgjav]

haha...the 194 is the same size as the slytec..but appears smaller cause it's on my HUGE 6.5" wrist..no i'm joking. :lol:

the bezel is different. the 194 has it's markers closer to the outskirts of the bezel whereas the slytech has round markers. the 187 has markers in the middle of the bezel. that and the extra markings on the inner circumference on the bezel and thick rubber strap makes the 194 appear smaller.

love it!! ..i have a smaller 40mm watch coming soon..and a 44mm non panerai prob next week..

 

[pamfried]

Will you be modding

the lever that seems a bit far out from the case?

Nice watch!

Congrats!

 

[takashi]

It looks massive. I shall say it's definitely bigger, beefier and thicker than Breitling Avenger series.

 

[pamfried]

What's your opinion azgjav

now that the bezel markers are situated more to the outskirts do u think its more liable to fall off compared to the 187?





Thanks.

 

[azgjav]

taka..yeah, but it'll NEVER take the place of my gen breitlings..

pamfried - nope, i don't intend to reshape the CG..think it's alright. i actually find it easier to open the lever with the lever slight ly away from the case..no more broken nails! as for the bezel markers, i'm can't really comment as i've never had any bezel markers fallen on me before..but the bezel markers seems very sturdy. it has sort of a slot-peg design..the part of the marker at the outer circumference is embedded in the bezel(2mm length and ~1mm depth embedded), the part closer to the inner circumference has abt 2mm flat on the bezel. i guess both are glued or tension fit + glued.

 

[pamfried]

Thanks!

[quote="has sort of a slot-peg design..the part of the marker at the outer circumference is embedded in the bezel(2mm length and ~1mm depth embedded)[/quote]


Cool, especially like the Embedded part. LOL! No pun intended. But the description seems that the markers are well stuck fast to the bezel!!




Cheers!!

 

[takashi]

Sadly this watch would be an overkill to my wrist. I'm sticking to 44mm and below.

 

[Novesh]

that thing is bloody huge!!!!

everytime I see these i feel as though the owner is going to tie it to a rope and beat people to death with it.

 

[azgjav]

pamfried: haha..only time will tell..

taka: that was what i told myself a month back..then quarks told me that his 187 fitted his tiny wrists even tho he can't pull off the fiddy..the difference is that the 194/187 is thicker and has a smaller dial w a HUGE bezel..so it looks like it's meant to be worn as an oversized toolwatch instead of a large dresswatch for a big wrist. in any case, feel free to try mine!

oh, btw, mine's numbered 936 while EL's 990...i guess they're individually numbered?

 

[Schnappy]

:twisted: Great watch! How is it compared to Arktos 092 or the GMT with wrong caseback?

 

[PannyLover1]

Nice one Bit to funky for me but it looks great!

 

[dadog13]

really great rep this 194....and really huge...i just love the look of it!....wear it well my friend!

 

[watchlover]

..now.. if they can only make it in Ti..

 

[bignasty]

Thats a beaut! If it were Ti I'd have one now too!

 

[kruzer00]

Very nice review. I received mine a few days ago as well. I do think the markers are well stuck on. It is a little rough where the bezel marker meets the bezel but so is the gen. I am glad to hear you can take the bezel apart. Mine doesn't rattle but it it is clanky when you move it. I also noticed it has the same bezel marker at 12 issue as the 187 where it never looks straight relative to the 12. Planned upgrades include relume, insert of plastic around the cg pin (too loose), adjustment of the bezel, upgrade of the date font when it becomes available and possibly removing the silver ring around the inside of the dial. That ring is a remnant of the 187 version where it is on the gen. To my eye that ring should be removed on the 194. I am told it is aesthetic and serves no purpose. As you may have said it is the relief He valve rather than the engraved one as on the Honpo 187 rep and gen. Curious to know whether you think the part of the bezel marker which hangs over the bezel is properly polished and whether you think it is the usual chrome over copper or actual SS markers. By the way my guess is the markers are glued. Did you notice when you took the bezel apart? By the way 120 clicks?

 

[repliking]

I love it!! Looks HUGE on you....but if you can pull it off,great!! :wink:

 

[crick]

that is sweet! looks great on you. i bet there's some heft to that thing?

now all you need is a brat to threaten "don't make me hit you with the pam arm!"

*thwack!*

 

[Panerino]

Great watch. I also am concerned about the silver ring around the inside of the bezel and also the base of the hour markers should be black. Still all in all these big 47mm beasts are great.