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Titanium Yatchmaster 42mm - 2023 release

biff1001

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Supposedly has a 72 hr power reserve; interesting.

It will have to be a ti case and bracelet to get it to the claimed 100g weight.

Since there isn't a gen to compare it to (for now), we can basically just take a wild guess on how good of a rep this is based on the factory's reputation.
I think it will be mid tier quality so i will wait for VSF. Still good to see that things are moving. I was thinking that we wouldn't see a decent rep before the end of 2023.
 
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Slugger

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I think it will be mid tier quality so i will wait for VSF. Still good to see that things are moving. I was thinking that we wouldn't see a decent rep before the end of 2023.
I’m interested but I’m not assuming VSF will get it right. They did a bad job, I mean really bad job, with the titanium NO Time to Die and have done nothing to correct their defects. I‘m going to be cautious with VSF.
 

pippo

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I’m interested but I’m not assuming VSF will get it right. They did a bad job, I mean really bad job, with the titanium NO Time to Die and have done nothing to correct their defects. I‘m going to be cautious with VSF.
Why would you say that?
I thought the Seamaster NTTD ws considered unanimously an excellent rep.
 

muiramas

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It would be better to base expectations on a VSF Yachtmaster on their past Rolex reps, not their Omega ones. though I have a feeling Clean will be first to come out with something out of the two.
 
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biff1001

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It would be better to base expectations on a VSF Yachtmaster on their past Rolex reps, not their Omega ones. though I have a feeling Clean will be first to come out with something out of the two.
I wonder if the top tier factories will wait till they get hold of a gen watch to copy
 

muiramas

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I'd imagine it's next to impossible to get one right now, but they should be able to get close enough from available imagery.
 

Slugger

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Why would you say that?
I thought the Seamaster NTTD ws considered unanimously an excellent rep.
Looks good but…

The bracelet, if you go that option, isn’t the tight weave pattern and the metal doesn’t match the case. The NATO isn’t bad though.

The movement, in spite of the solid case back, is a decorated A2824-2. You can’t regulate the movement without removing the rotor and decoration. I also don't like the decorated rotor as it is light and cheap. The smart move is to remove the decoration and replace the rotor.

The case tubes and crowns are notorious for stripping. Instead of the screw in tube Omega uses on the genuine NTTD, VSF went with the push in (friction fit) tube from prior versions of the 300M diver.

If you want, you can buy real titanium bracelet. You can remove the movement decoration and replace the rotor. The case tube and crown issues can be fixed but, in the case of my watch, the tube was too soft to be removed and had to be drilled out.

So, in my opinion, it has too many flaws to be counted among the great reps. As I pointed out above, the defects in VSF’s NTTD are all ones that VSF could fix but they haven’t. Another issue with VSF is they don’t sell replacement parts so, when it comes to simple repairs, you’re on your own.

We know they are capable of assembling high quality reps so, I’ll hang out on the sidelines and see if the titanium Yachtmaster is a quality build or not.
 

pippo

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Looks good but…

The bracelet, if you go that option, isn’t the tight weave pattern and the metal doesn’t match the case. The NATO isn’t bad though.

The movement, in spite of the solid case back, is a decorated A2824-2. You can’t regulate the movement without removing the rotor and decoration. I also don't like the decorated rotor as it is light and cheap. The smart move is to remove the decoration and replace the rotor.

The case tubes and crowns are notorious for stripping. Instead of the screw in tube Omega uses on the genuine NTTD, VSF went with the push in (friction fit) tube from prior versions of the 300M diver.

If you want, you can buy real titanium bracelet. You can remove the movement decoration and replace the rotor. The case tube and crown issues can be fixed but, in the case of my watch, the tube was too soft to be removed and had to be drilled out.

So, in my opinion, it has too many flaws to be counted among the great reps. As I pointed out above, the defects in VSF’s NTTD are all ones that VSF could fix but they haven’t. Another issue with VSF is they don’t sell replacement parts so, when it comes to simple repairs, you’re on your own.

We know they are capable of assembling high quality reps so, I’ll hang out on the sidelines and see if the titanium Yachtmaster is a quality build or not.
I understand what you mean although crown and tube issues are quite common among reps. Even so called super reps.
As for the rotor I agree with you but same downsides in many reps.

No bracelet in titanium is the real flaw for me considering I am not a fan of nate straps. That's the reason why I haven't bought it despite the super rep status ( with qc issues).
 
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Slugger

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I don’t think NATO straps look good on modern submariners.
I agree and my day-to-day watches are on their appropriate bracelets or leather.

Though we are getting off topic, let me say why and when I wear a NATO

I surf and I lost a genuine 1675 when one of the springbars failed. How do I know? I got it back about a year later. Great story but too long to share here. Anyway, I started wearing NATO straps on my “water watches” (I also dive and race sail boats) after that for the added protection that two springbars would need to fail, not just one.
 

APjumbo

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I agree and my day-to-day watches are on their appropriate bracelets or leather.

Though we are getting off topic, let me say why and when I wear a NATO

I surf and I lost a genuine 1675 when one of the springbars failed. How do I know? I got it back about a year later. Great story but too long to share here. Anyway, I started wearing NATO straps on my “water watches” (I also dive and race sail boats) after that for the added protection that two springbars would need to fail, not just one.
On one of the forums (maybe this one) one of the members lost a sub style watch (ginault?) that was on nato. It had gen spec shouldered spring bars and I guess the nato fabric pulled the bars out somehow simultaneously. Good to check that the bars end pins are the correct diameter for the case holes I guess.
 

LongyUK

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I see the watch is on trusty... HERE

MOVEMENT: A3235 Automatic Movement, 28800bph with Fully Decorated Rotor and Bridges & Plates like Genuine Rolex Calibre 3235
CASE DIAMETER: 42mm
THICKNESS: 12mm
DIAL COLOR: Black Dial with Dot Markers (With Swiss Grade Blue Superlume Applied)
CASE MATERIAL: Titanium Case (Only 100g)
BRACELET:
Titanium Braclet Black with Deployant Buckle
FRONT GLASS: Sapphire Crystal (Same thickness as Genuine) - Etched crown at 6:00 position
CASE BACK: Solid case back
BEZEL: 120 Soft Clicks Bi-directional Ceramic Bezel
HACK MOVEMENT: Yes
CLASP TYPE: Deployant Buckle
DATE INDICATOR: At 3:00 position (Adjusted via the crown)
 

Feefo

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Ah

me too!! :)
Willy Wonka Reaction GIF
 

Slugger

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I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that I'd quite like to read that story if you would like to share it!
Oh dear! I don’t want to hijack this thread. Now I think I shouldn’t have said anything.

I’m kind of in a tough place so here is a quick version.

My watch was found by a Japanese diplomat snorkeling at the reef where I lost my watch. It was working when he found it, being wound by the waves! He took it back to Japan and cleaned it up.

Later, when the diplomat was back in Honolulu meeting with Governor Ariyoshi, he asked the Governor if he recognized the name on the case back and the Governor did because of my family’s business!

So, to wrap it up, Governor Ariyoshi returned my watch in front of a gaggle of press in his office at the state Capitol. I got my watch back. Pictures were taken and Rolex, and the family business, used the story in print ads.

Epilogue:

About 10 years later my home was broken into. The burgler was in my closet when I got home and we ended up face-to-face. He had a knife and so I kicked him to avoid getting cut.

He fell back and I took off. He got up and took off in a different direction. He’d stolen many watches, including the GMT.

Well, that’s what I thought. My brother, hearing the story encouraged me to take a look in the closet where the burgler fell back after I kicked him.

The only thing I found was my GMT!

That’s it! Please, if you have comments or questions, PM me. I feel badly for hijacking the thread.
 

muiramas

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That’s a pretty cool story. I guess the universe has ordained that that GMT is never leaving you! Thank you for sharing.
 
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GTgamo

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im wondering why they made a watch that looks almost identical to a submariner, basically a matte submariner....and called it a yachmaster
Yachtmaster is bi-directional bezel - Sub is uni-directional for safety as you can only loose subsurface time with uni and not risk decompression sickness. Same on the Sea-Dweller and Deepsea
 

EuroTime25

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Yachtmaster is bi-directional bezel - Sub is uni-directional for safety as you can only loose subsurface time with uni and not risk decompression sickness. Same on the Sea-Dweller and Deepsea
Actually its Submariner because people who own these watches have Submarines and Yachtmaster is for people who own Yachts. See so simple. So just see do you own a Submarine or Yacht and go buy a corresponding watch. Duh.