Tudor Black Bay Eifty-Eight 58 Review comparison ZF to GEN // Many Photos

[germansubmarine]

Hey Guys,

anyone who knows me here or on discord knows I've aquired a Gen Tudor. A timeless Black Bay Fifty-Eight in Gilt Black. I just received a brand new ZF V2 version of the 58 and thought why not give something back to this forum which I just love spending time in.
Here is my review guys:

Here we have the two watches next to each other.
GEN on the left, ZF on the right!
Both beautiful watches.
So what differences can you see from this perspective?

What instantly feels off on the ZF is the color of the lume on the hands. Much more white than gen!
Also color of the dial looks dull compared to GEN. The gen dial has more texture to it.
Also the font on the gen is thicker but not as wide as the ZF.

So now up to the makro pictures.
From now on in EVERY PICTURE ZF ON THE LEFT and GEN ON THE RIGHT
Let's start with the bezel and pipe:


I have to say overall the bezel on the ZF version looks damn close to the gen! Texture, font, color - everything really close!
What i recognice is the color and shape of the pip is off in the ZF.
Also in this picture you can see the color differences of the hour hand between ZF and GEN!

Have a look on the different shapes of the pip between ZF and GEN
The next pictures show more examples in different angles of the bezel structure and color!
What can be seen? Bezel teeth are differently shaped on the ZF and the GEN. On the GEN if you look at the teeth from above the ZF version has a different angle and the teeth look shorter. Also the finish is kind of poor on the ZF bezel teeth, I couldn't even get them in focus properly.



In this angle the bezel structure looks good on the ZF compared to GEN:

What you can also see is the finish on the high polished line between brushed surfaces on the case. Have a look at the edges of the brushed surfaces in the transition to high polished.



Next to the crown and bezel printing as well: Here you can see that the printing of the bezel markers are not good on the 15 min marker of the ZF version. Inconsistent around the bezel.
Also the finish of the crown and the crown teeth is much smoother on the GEN. The stem of the ZF is longer than GEN, this is common knowledge of course.

Bezel action: Rotates very good, nice clicks to it and 60 clicks like GEN! Rotates with a bit less pressure than GEN! And one instant tell if you have handled a GEN 59 before: The GEN bezel rotation has a "harder" click when the pip is at 12 o clock, so you feel when you arrive at 12. The ZF version does not have that!

Next stop:
Hands and indices: The gen is way way way better polished. Also the lume has less texture and a creamy look to it. The indices also are better finished on the GEN as you would expect. You can see the rough edges on the left side ZF version
The 12 hour marker is a day and night difference in my opinion. The bottom of the 12 hour marker is smooth and bigger on the GEN compared to the ZF. Once you see this you can instantly tell the ZF from the GEN in my opinion. Also the round indices on the GEN have a bigger gold ring around them as the ZF.

Dial printing: The printing looks pretty good on the ZF to be honest. What I can see is that the GEN printing is higher but a noch thinner! Also the color is a bit darker on the GEN.





Lets flip the watches upside down:
What can you see? Instantly you see the cutting of the TUDOR GENEVE CALIBRE MANUFACTURE is disgusting on the ZF compared to GEN on the macro shots The cuts are rough on the ZF. Also the text is brushed to a darker tone on the GEN it almost looks like its painted inside. Instant tell if you have the both casebacks next to each other. Also the finish on the caseback teeth is rough and just looks different on the ZF version compared to GEN




Also the laser cutting of the serial number looks poor on the ZF compared to GEN. What i noticed is the finish of the lug horns also, they do a bent or kink on the ZF and on GEN they are brushed evenly in one turn. For cutting of the reference number the finish is the same as on the serial number.





Lets look at the bracelet and clasp:
Clasp looks really good and is definitely close to GEN. The finish of the TUDOR lettering is better executed on the GEN as you would expect. What always seems weird to me was the finish of the inside of the clasp in the ZF. You can see the differences compared to GEN!
Also the ceramic ball on the clasp is better finished on the GEN.
Brushing of the bracelet is really good on the ZF version. Maybe GEN is a bit higher polished but overall really really close to GEN!
Also the faux rivets are well executed, maybe the edges are a notch smoother on the GEN, but no big difference.
Bracelet feels great I have to say. I gave it an oil bath and now id handles very close to gen. It feels a bit rougher on the edges but not a big difference!





So what is the final verdict of the ZF version compared to GEN?
Overall a great replica for 300€! You get 99% close to gen for 1/10 of the price!
The weak points of the ZF version are in my opionion:
- dial color is „dull“
- crown stem a bit too long
- no "harder" bezel click when you turn over 12 o clock
- finishing of the hands
- lume color of the hands
- lume pip on the bezel
- finish of the caseback and laser engraving on the caseback

What do you guys think of the ZF?
I would suggest to buy one if you never had one. Its a banger for the bucks and definitely as close to gen as you can get for 300 bucks.

Best regards
germansubmarine

 

[germansubmarine]

If you have any further questions or parts of the watches that need comparison in detail I can make another round of pictures. Just let me know!

 

[Parto]

Thanks great write up and much appreciated

 

[FaintOrGloch]

Thanks for the amazing work @germansubmarine - it's timely as I'm considering a 58. Shame about the lume colour on the ZF. I'm browsing trustytime right now and the description says "Dial has been improved" but the lume looks off too. It may be close enough for me....

TUD066 - Heritage BB Fifty Eight 39mm SS/SS Blk ZF V2 A2824 [TUD066] - $318.00 : Trusty Time Watch, Your Trusty Watch Shop

Trusty Time Watch TUD066 - Heritage BB Fifty Eight 39mm SS/SS Blk ZF V2 A2824 [TUD066] - ZF Factory Tudor Heritage Black Bay Fifty Eight 39mm V2 Edition **Updated Case Kit & Bracelet **Dial has been improved MOVEMENT: Nickel Plated Asia Eta 2824-2 Automatic Movement, 25J, 28800bph CASE DIAMETER...

trustytimewatch88.io

 

[germansubmarine]

Thanks for the amazing work @germansubmarine - it's timely as I'm considering a 58. Shame about the lume colour on the ZF. I'm browsing trustytime right now and the description says "Dial has been improved" but the lume looks off too. It may be close enough for me....

TUD066 - Heritage BB Fifty Eight 39mm SS/SS Blk ZF V2 A2824 [TUD066] - $318.00 : Trusty Time Watch, Your Trusty Watch Shop

Trusty Time Watch TUD066 - Heritage BB Fifty Eight 39mm SS/SS Blk ZF V2 A2824 [TUD066] - ZF Factory Tudor Heritage Black Bay Fifty Eight 39mm V2 Edition **Updated Case Kit & Bracelet **Dial has been improved MOVEMENT: Nickel Plated Asia Eta 2824-2 Automatic Movement, 25J, 28800bph CASE DIAMETER...

trustytimewatch88.io

Thanks mate! It’s only noticeable directly compared to Gen. I would totally recommend the ZF BB58!! Go for it my friend!

 

[MSC19]

@germansubmarine thanks for your time making this full review! People say, and I must agree, a picture makes more than 1000 words...
I believe this review will be helpfull for members which are visiting the Tudor section from Popular Brands, maybe can be place there, as well?

 

[germansubmarine]

@germansubmarine thanks for your time making this full review! People say, and I must agree, a picture makes more than 1000 words...
I believe this review will be helpfull for members which are visiting the Tudor section from Popular Brands, maybe can be place there, as well?

Thanks for your kind words my friend, really appreciate it a lot!
That’s also my approach, many pictures side by side do give a good feeling even when the two watches are not in your hand. So I hope I’ve given a good representation!
Good idea thanks for pointing this out, I will consider the options for linking or posting the review in the Tudor section!
Best regards

 

[FaintOrGloch]

Thanks again @germansubmarine - I just ordered a 58 from Andrew at TrustyTime. I have always wanted a gen Tudor (BB36 or 58) but if the rep is as quality as it looks, I've saved a few 000 bucks

 

[Eddio]

Hey Guys,

anyone who knows me here or on discord knows I've aquired a Gen Tudor. A timeless Black Bay Fifty-Eight in Gilt Black. I just received a brand new ZF V2 version of the 58 and thought why not give something back to this forum which I just love spending time in.
Here is my review guys:

Here we have the two watches next to each other.
GEN on the left, ZF on the right!
Both beautiful watches.
So what differences can you see from this perspective?

What instantly feels off on the ZF is the color of the lume on the hands. Much more white than gen!
Also color of the dial looks dull compared to GEN. The gen dial has more texture to it.
Also the font on the gen is thicker but not as wide as the ZF.

So now up to the makro pictures.
From now on in EVERY PICTURE ZF ON THE LEFT and GEN ON THE RIGHT
Let's start with the bezel and pipe:


I have to say overall the bezel on the ZF version looks damn close to the gen! Texture, font, color - everything really close!
What i recognice is the color and shape of the pip is off in the ZF.
Also in this picture you can see the color differences of the hour hand between ZF and GEN!

Have a look on the different shapes of the pip between ZF and GEN
The next pictures show more examples in different angles of the bezel structure and color!
What can be seen? Bezel teeth are differently shaped on the ZF and the GEN. On the GEN if you look at the teeth from above the ZF version has a different angle and the teeth look shorter. Also the finish is kind of poor on the ZF bezel teeth, I couldn't even get them in focus properly.



In this angle the bezel structure looks good on the ZF compared to GEN:

What you can also see is the finish on the high polished line between brushed surfaces on the case. Have a look at the edges of the brushed surfaces in the transition to high polished.



Next to the crown and bezel printing as well: Here you can see that the printing of the bezel markers are not good on the 15 min marker of the ZF version. Inconsistent around the bezel.
Also the finish of the crown and the crown teeth is much smoother on the GEN. The stem of the ZF is longer than GEN, this is common knowledge of course.

Bezel action: Rotates very good, nice clicks to it and 60 clicks like GEN! Rotates with a bit less pressure than GEN! And one instant tell if you have handled a GEN 59 before: The GEN bezel rotation has a "harder" click when the pip is at 12 o clock, so you feel when you arrive at 12. The ZF version does not have that!

Next stop:
Hands and indices: The gen is way way way better polished. Also the lume has less texture and a creamy look to it. The indices also are better finished on the GEN as you would expect. You can see the rough edges on the left side ZF version
The 12 hour marker is a day and night difference in my opinion. The bottom of the 12 hour marker is smooth and bigger on the GEN compared to the ZF. Once you see this you can instantly tell the ZF from the GEN in my opinion. Also the round indices on the GEN have a bigger gold ring around them as the ZF.

Dial printing: The printing looks pretty good on the ZF to be honest. What I can see is that the GEN printing is higher but a noch thinner! Also the color is a bit darker on the GEN.





Lets flip the watches upside down:
What can you see? Instantly you see the cutting of the TUDOR GENEVE CALIBRE MANUFACTURE is disgusting on the ZF compared to GEN on the macro shots The cuts are rough on the ZF. Also the text is brushed to a darker tone on the GEN it almost looks like its painted inside. Instant tell if you have the both casebacks next to each other. Also the finish on the caseback teeth is rough and just looks different on the ZF version compared to GEN




Also the laser cutting of the serial number looks poor on the ZF compared to GEN. What i noticed is the finish of the lug horns also, they do a bent or kink on the ZF and on GEN they are brushed evenly in one turn. For cutting of the reference number the finish is the same as on the serial number.





Lets look at the bracelet and clasp:
Clasp looks really good and is definitely close to GEN. The finish of the TUDOR lettering is better executed on the GEN as you would expect. What always seems weird to me was the finish of the inside of the clasp in the ZF. You can see the differences compared to GEN!
Also the ceramic ball on the clasp is better finished on the GEN.
Brushing of the bracelet is really good on the ZF version. Maybe GEN is a bit higher polished but overall really really close to GEN!
Also the faux rivets are well executed, maybe the edges are a notch smoother on the GEN, but no big difference.
Bracelet feels great I have to say. I gave it an oil bath and now id handles very close to gen. It feels a bit rougher on the edges but not a big difference!





So what is the final verdict of the ZF version compared to GEN?
Overall a great replica for 300€! You get 99% close to gen for 1/10 of the price!
The weak points of the ZF version are in my opionion:
- dial color is „dull“
- crown stem a bit too long
- no "harder" bezel click when you turn over 12 o clock
- finishing of the hands
- lume color of the hands
- lume pip on the bezel
- finish of the caseback and laser engraving on the caseback

What do you guys think of the ZF?
I would suggest to buy one if you never had one. Its a banger for the bucks and definitely as close to gen as you can get for 300 bucks.

Best regards
germansubmarine

Very curious, had the gen last year and now the ZF is incoming. Thanks for the extensive comparison

 

[Mrlemonwaters]

Wow amazing write up - for the price point definitely a great grab but the gen will always be gen

Gz on the pickup

 

[johnchpark]

What are everyone’s opinion about the ZF’s crown tube being slightly too long?

I thought the V1 had this issue and the V2 fixed it, but I guess apparently not?

I think the slightly longer crown tube is one of the most noticeable differences with the ZF BB58 compared to GEN’s, not to mention it kind of looks funky even on its own. I wonder why they didn’t address this in the V2.

I ordered and just got QC pictures for a ZF BB58, but the crown tube looks obnoxiously long so I’m getting hesitant.

 

[germansubmarine]

What are everyone’s opinion about the ZF’s crown tube being slightly too long?

I thought the V1 had this issue and the V2 fixed it, but I guess apparently not?

I think the slightly longer crown tube is one of the most noticeable differences with the ZF BB58 compared to GEN’s, not to mention it kind of looks funky even on its own. I wonder why they didn’t address this in the V2.

I ordered and just got QC pictures for a ZF BB58, but the crown tube looks obnoxiously long so I’m getting hesitant.

It’s a known issue yes. There are also several threads here on RWI on how to shorten the tube to gen specs! I don’t know why this issue is not fixed yet but in my opinion there are more important issues which need to be fixed: dial color and texture on both blue and black version, a „harder“ click on the 60 minute rotation of the bezel and so on …
But overall a great rep and the tube length would not be an issue for me!

 

[germansubmarine]

What are everyone’s opinion about the ZF’s crown tube being slightly too long?

I thought the V1 had this issue and the V2 fixed it, but I guess apparently not?

I think the slightly longer crown tube is one of the most noticeable differences with the ZF BB58 compared to GEN’s, not to mention it kind of looks funky even on its own. I wonder why they didn’t address this in the V2.

I ordered and just got QC pictures for a ZF BB58, but the crown tube looks obnoxiously long so I’m getting hesitant.

With both watches side by side it’s not a big issue in my opinion

 

[johnchpark]

With both watches side by side it’s not a big issue in my opinion

I noticed with your ZF pictures, the crown tube didn't look that long compared to others (including my QC photos).
Did you do some grinding down on the tube yourself? Or it is stock from ZF?
Seems like some ZF BB58's have longer tubes than others .

Also, from that picture, the lume colors are immediately noticeable between the ZF and GEN. GEN definitely seems whiter and the gold also a brighter gold, while the GEN looks little darker and yellower, giving it a more vintage look.

 

[germansubmarine]

I noticed with your ZF pictures, the crown tube didn't look that long compared to others (including my QC photos).
Did you do some grinding down on the tube yourself? Or it is stock from ZF?
Seems like some ZF BB58's have longer tubes than others .

Also, from that picture, the lume colors are immediately noticeable between the ZF and GEN. GEN definitely seems whiter and the gold also a brighter gold, while the GEN looks little darker and yellower, giving it a more vintage look.

The ZF is stock!
Yeah the Lume colors are immediately noticeable when you have both watches ob hand!
For the color of the hands it is really good on the ZF, maybe it is because of the lighting …

 

[Stu89]

Thanks for posting! I have the GEN BB58 in black and gilt and just ordered the ZF BB58 Blue to mix things up. I got the GEN on the OEM brown leather strap and am going to play around with the ZF bracelet on my GEN.

 

[Eddio]

Very curious, had the gen last year and now the ZF is incoming. Thanks for the extensive comparison

So i have had the ZF version now for a few days. Thinking back about my gen a few things are noticable. But before i mention these i must saw i was still impressed.
The dead giveaway for me was not immediately visually (since i dont have my Gen anymore for a 1 on 1 comparison). It clearly was the feel of the watch. The case has sharp edges, the bracelet is a bit flimsy and the clasp is just too tight. The bezel action however was not bad at all.
But again those sharp edges are a clear tell its a rep.
The movement is ofcourse also a dead giveaway lacking a buttersmooth feel but hey its a rep and under the hood so no problem. Wearing it on the wrist all these feel issues disappear though.

So visually?
The dial lacks that blackness and texture of the gen dial. Its flat, almost dull, and greyish in direct sunlight. Without direct sunlight and going into the evening however this is not noticable anymore. The hands look a bit cheap but i think it has all to do with the lumen, which on the hands and dial are just too white.
The bezel look is excellent, the lumepip difference, while being a huge difference under macro, is not noticable irl.

If ZF could get that dial improved, the lume less white, the sharpness of the case removed and a good clasp action this would be a NWBIG contender in my opinion.

 

[germansubmarine]

So i have had the ZF version now for a few days. Thinking back about my gen a few things are noticable. But before i mention these i must saw i was still impressed.
The dead giveaway for me was not immediately visually (since i dont have my Gen anymore for a 1 on 1 comparison). It clearly was the feel of the watch. The case has sharp edges, the bracelet is a bit flimsy and the clasp is just too tight. The bezel action however was not bad at all.
But again those sharp edges are a clear tell its a rep.
The movement is ofcourse also a dead giveaway lacking a buttersmooth feel but hey its a rep and under the hood so no problem. Wearing it on the wrist all these feel issues disappear though.

So visually?
The dial lacks that blackness and texture of the gen dial. Its flat, almost dull, and greyish in direct sunlight. Without direct sunlight and going into the evening however this is not noticable anymore. The hands look a bit cheap but i think it has all to do with the lumen, which on the hands and dial are just too white.
The bezel look is excellent, the lumepip difference, while being a huge difference under macro, is not noticable irl.

If ZF could get that dial improved, the lume less white, the sharpness of the case removed and a good clasp action this would be a NWBIG contender in my opinion.

Absolutely right! I agree on all points!

 

[Shakennotstirred]

Thanks for the write up! When I had my ZF BB58 the I noticed the lume and general finishing of the hands was not quite right.

 

[germansubmarine]

Thanks for the write up! When I had my ZF BB58 the I noticed the lume and general finishing of the hands was not quite right.

Yes you’re right, as I’ve pointed out the finishing of the hands as well as the lume color could be better