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Updated Royal Oak Tourbillon by R8 Factory are out
- Thread starter THXuk
- Start date
mine…arrived yesterday…oredered from Li ( jtime) only asking him info about this model.
he send me a few of pics and then ordered.
no post in his catalogue…
This looks like the power reserve indicator is in a different spot than the other pictures posted here. Is the power reserve indicator working?
Ok never mind I looked at the wrong orientation. Seems to be in the same spot. Probably no power reserve. Who cares though still a great piece.
Ok, now that I'm on a computer, here's what I mean about the decorative backplates (and a few other things).
On the gen, the backplate has several holes cut into it (green "1"), this is done on the most recent version of the rep (red "E" and faux jewels red "D"), but the problem is that while those cutouts are technically more gen-like, the rep movement doesn't have gear wheels in the spots where the cutouts are... so there are cutouts that just show through to the back of the un-decorated rep movement. I think on a previous version of this rep there were non-functional decorative wheels that were placed under the backplate, but I assume these were removed to try to make the rep watch thinner. In my opinion, I think the backplate would look better without these faux cutouts. The reason for all of this is because the gen movement has these gears on the crown side of the movement, whereas the rep movement has these drive wheels on the far side from the crown. I think these cutouts also look really strange because they actually DON'T line-up with one of the gears in the winding mechanism (red "C" on the watch with the blue strap).
Next is the main spring barrel. It looks like the updated rep now has a gen-like look. This is good. The older version (red "A") looks very different from gen (green "2").
I like the divided backplate with the backplate for the movement and a separated bridge for the tourbillon (red "F").
The differences between the three reps in terms of the manual winding gears is interesting (red "C"). I'm guessing that the thinnest version was the oldest (bottom left) since it's backplate didn't even cover the winding gears, whereas on subsequent versions the backplate sits on top of these gears, making the watch thicker. This also shows in the way the backplate on the bottom left version needs to have cutouts (red "B") for where the movement is anchored to the case; the other rep versions have this mechanism covered by the backplate.
Yes the bottom pic is of the AP Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon; the others are of the AP Royal Oak Tourbillon Extra-Thin. For the gen "Flying" version, it has an automatic movement and doesn't have a support bridge for the tourbillon on the dial side (the gen "flying" is 10.4mm thick). For the gen "Extra-Thin" version, it has a manual movement and does have the support bridge for the tourbillon on the dial side (the gen "extra-thin" is 9.0mm thick). I assume the process of making it "extra-thin" meant that it wasn't possible for the axel of the tourbillon to be held aligned exclusively from the caseback side; whereas for the "flying version" the extra thickness of the case or different movement allowed this.
Thank you buddy, appreciated.
11.4mm isn’t bad but kind of disappointing. those factories must do better
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
11.4mm isn’t bad but kind of disappointing. those factories must do better
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The factories can always do better in terms of build quality, true.
For such watches however it’s often the calibers of the wearer which are tells for others. If a replica of a high end watch like this is to be worn as a gen, it won’t look believable on most guys, even with all the correct details. That’s a fact. If it’s to be worn as a novelty to amuse the self, then accuracy of details won’t matter.
If you want something respectable for such a high end build, the only right thing to do is to fork out the cash and buy the gen. Every problem with tells solved. The details in the gen are just too intricate to replicate convincingly for a highly priced luxury watch like this. Alternatively, why not try living with the shortfalls of this (and any other AP rep) for a change? They did very well I think considering the price vs quality/details ratio.
APs reps are meant to be enjoyed as fun watches on their own for most people. A fellow gen AP owner I know has purchased this and slapped it on the wrist and called it good, thickness and whatnot nonwithstanding. It’s always about the caliber and attitude of the wearer, not the watch. Reps will never ever be perfect. If you want “better”, get the gen and you’ll not be happier.
Accurately painful for some and blissfully fulfilling for those with the right attitude and presentation.
Well a lot of guys tend to forget that this is a rep of a $200-250k watch. Detail accuracy like thickness and color and such aren’t important at all. The ability to afford the gen of this watch is the main tell. Unlike the plebeian and ubiquitous diver, this is a watch which in real life is extremely limited in terms of boutique allocation and carries a hefty price tag. The members criticizing the details are often blissfully unaware that they are the main tell wearing such a watch if their lifestyle, status or bearing or all do not support the ownership of such a timepiece. Even a genuine specimen will look questionable on the average guy.
I do not deem myself to be someone who can carry off such a timepiece given my lifestyle and societal status. I’m happy to stick to the relatively earthly ROs and ROOs.
For me such replica timepieces are meant to be worn for fun. 1mm thickness variance here, difference in the dial details there, so be it. Let the gen preserve its status as an exclusive model out of reach for most mortals and let the rep be something fun for the common man to try out purely for the fun of it. I think this was the original intention of the replica. Let’s not take it too seriously.
i can guarantee you will see me with an ap tourbillion on the bus 
i can guarantee you will see me with an ap tourbillion on the bus
LOL. I frequently wear one of my Patek 5711 reps at my workplace. Me and my colleagues are rated as average Joes and Janes in my country.
I GL'd this one yesterday. Pretty excited for when it arrives. My only minor issue (not a real issue) is that the second A in Audemars is a little thin at the top compared to the printing on the gen.
zenmaster
Known Member
- 21/8/09
- 126
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