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VSF 1663 out as well

Hazing

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So let's see... Where to start? 1st of all, this is Pic heavy with full size images so sorry if it takes too long to load.

I haven't had this watch long. Today is the 2nd day and it's been busy and cloudy so I haven't had much time to think about it or take good pics of it. I will say that I'm trying hard to like this watch. I really am but I'm not sure how I feel about it yet.

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The case material - especially the texture, it looks almost like it is 3d printed but it feels more like ceramica instead of Carbotech but it is light. But it's closer to Carbotech then it is ceremica because you can see how it's layered when you look up close. (I suppose similar to the way something might be 3d printed).

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The dial looks nice but it lacks the character that I've come to love these models for. Like the 1118 and 1661. Those dials come to life in different lights. But this dial has a lot more character to it in its base form.

As far as the engravings on the crown guard, I think they might be etched a little too deep and it's just a shadow but when you look at it with the naked eye, it doesn't look nearly as dark as it does in certain pictures. You almost don't really see it when you look at it but when you take a picture it just looks more like a shadow than black engravings. Although the engravings dont look as clean as you'd expect.

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Here you can see how it's not that dark but you can also see it not that finely engraved.

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The white you mentioned around the date window might be a reflection of the date. I haven't changed dates but it looks like the white reflection of the 14 on the edge of the 2 pieces of the dial. There might be a little white lume eeking through I can't tell yet.

Here you can see it in a few different lighing Conditions. But I will break out the magnification scope and get pics up much closer later.

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Here are just some general pics of details you asked about.

Also it is pretty light at 95 grams.
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Mille M

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Received mine.
Love this carbotech material.

The rotor is too noisy (I suspect it's based on Miyota) and there's no hacking on the seconds hand.
Can you confirm?

But I'm liking the first impressions.

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I'm now preparing the bracelet and I'll wash the watch.
Tomorrow I'll post better pics.

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Mille M

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It does have a hack function.

Yes, after a while, I tried again and it hacked.
But the rotor does a lot of noise and I feel it turning when I move the wrist (I feel the watch moving).
I think it's called the helicopter effect...

I might remove the rotor and transform this watch into a manual winding watch.

All the rest is amazing...
 

Hazing

And So It Begins... Again
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Yes, after a while, I tried again and it hacked.
But the rotor does a lot of noise and I feel it turning when I move the wrist (I feel the watch moving).
I think it's called the helicopter effect...

I might remove the rotor and transform this watch into a manual winding watch.

All the rest is amazing...

I’m sure you know, you can just lube the rotor and it quiets down quite a bit. Quite a bit.
 

Mille M

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Merry Christmas!

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Have been searching, and it seems that the gen P9010 also has rotor noise.
Have to live with that.
It keeps great time tho, so it's fine.

Very nice watch.
 
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themannier

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Mine finally arrived yesterday after 50 days....
I decided to work in the case, the bezel ans the CG to mimic the "stone" effect from the gen Fibratech material...i think it's more accurate now....or not ? :confused:

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Mille M

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Mine finally arrived yesterday after 50 days....
I decided to work in the case, the bezel ans the CG to mimic the "stone" effect from the gen Fibratech material...i think it's more accurate now....or not ? :confused:

Pics please!

Bezel is Carbotech on the gen...
 
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Hazing

And So It Begins... Again
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Mine finally arrived yesterday after 50 days....
I decided to work in the case, the bezel ans the CG to mimic the "stone" effect from the gen Fibratech material...i think it's more accurate now....or not ? :confused:

​​​​​​​
Sorry but what did you do?

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Mille M

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If my eyes don’t deceive me, he have applied a glossy coating to the watch...
 

KOT1917

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Mine finally arrived yesterday after 50 days....
I decided to work in the case, the bezel ans the CG to mimic the "stone" effect from the gen Fibratech material...i think it's more accurate now....or not ? :confused:

You seem to have polished it? I've seen forged carbon cases get polished and they come out with a brighter texture. The case from fibratech in photo gen, it seemed to me, on the contrary, more rough and colorful than rep.
 

themannier

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If my eyes don’t deceive me, he have applied a glossy coating to the watch...
Actually no there is no coat of polish as I used soft, fine and medium grained nail files ... I think it made the carbon look more melted, and also I noticed in the gen 1663 photos that the aspect was not as matte and uniform as on the VSF, a bit like worked and polished stone. In reality the result is quite good but relatively difficult to show on the pictures, I am quite satisfied! Regarding the Carbotech bezel, I also gave it a more uniform and satin aspect, softer in fact. I find the stock VSF bezel a bit too "raw"! I say this because I was able to observe Sub Carbotech at my AD and it looks more like what I did.
 
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themannier

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Here is more pictures to share with a different light :rolleyes:
Forgot to tell also that the outer AR coat on the chrystal has been removed ! There is no gen Panerai with outer AR afaik...





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KOT1917

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I understand that this is probably a discussion on a separate large topic, not relevant here, but nevertheless, how did you remove AR?
Was it sanded, or is it possible to do it with some kind of solvent?
 

themannier

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I understand that this is probably a discussion on a separate large topic, not relevant here, but nevertheless, how did you remove AR?
Was it sanded, or is it possible to do it with some kind of solvent?

Believe me, the best and the fastest way to remove the AR is to use a dremel with the small polishing wheel, grey Dialux paste, and the result is perfect, just perfect.
You can get the same thing with the cape cod clothes with a lot of effort, but it takes 5 minutes with the Dremel ;)
 
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Hazing

And So It Begins... Again
9/5/19
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Believe me, the best and the fastest way to remove the AR is to use a dremel with the small polishing wheel, grey Dialux paste, and the result is perfect, just perfect.
You can get the same thing with the cape cod clothes with a lot of effort, but it takes 5 minutes with the Dremel ;)
You should have recorded it. It would have been interesting to watch. No pun intended.

Also, I saw some threads on people refinishing titanium cases. Was that you? It changed the look of the titanium case to actually what this gen case looks like iirc.

But good job. Looks good. Although I don't know if I could have done it.


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themannier

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You should have recorded it. It would have been interesting to watch. No pun intended.

Also, I saw some threads on people refinishing titanium cases. Was that you? It changed the look of the titanium case to actually what this gen case looks like iirc.

But good job. Looks good. Although I don't know if I could have done it.


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Thanks for the kind comment bro !

I leave next to a very, very big AD in my town, picture below...
I know them very well coz i spent my time in their shop when i had enough money to buy a ton of gen Panerai, Rolex...etc
I took my time to look at every watch to see how they are finished, brushed in real :rolleyes:
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I have worked on a lot of watches trying to get the most perfect result with my tools, by hands or with my polishing wheel. To get a good result i like to use some soft polishing files for nails, or a fine satin wheel Bergeon or Bufflex for the sides of the watch case.
Sometimes the brushing on rep cases is quite rough, a PAM 47 titanium case from VSF for example. You can get a very nice finish on the lugs by using this soft files...If you do it straight of course !

I could work on a watch case every day, i like that :eek:


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