Hi,
didn't want to start a new thread but just wanted to express my experience with a shortly received PAM683 from Sead (TD).
It is my first REP and i can only compare it with my "high grade" GEN Doxa SUB300T from 2020.
* Size and build quality:
The overall build quality is really good, i am fully impressed with it! I would say it is superb!
I know the thickness of the REP PAM683 is 14,5 instead of 13,4 like a GEN, i was aware of it and wanted something like PAM682 (GEN and REP are having 14,5mm thickness) but with a ceramic bezel.
So, the overall size for my 17,5mm wrist is perfect! I love it's 14,5mm thickness!
*Lume:
The lume is also very good, not like a Seiko one but for me it seems way better than on my Doxa
It's stays really long during the night, very good job by VSF!
*Bezel:
The Bezel action is very smooth, the clicking very satisfying! It turns soft and light, probably a bit too light - it could be more stiffer.
Only "bad" thing is the "30" on the 6 o'clock. It's is a very bit rotated and not lying horizontal, but it is barely visible. I thought i would remove the bezel and correct it (as i know it is screwed in on the backside of the bezel), but after wearing the watch for three days, decided to leave it like that! Anyway, observing other pictures here on RWI i noticed the same "30" mark mis-positioning on other PAM's. Anyway, it is so small one can barely see it, specially from the usual perspective (wearing the watch on the wrist and looking on it from the 7 o'clock perspective.
*Crystal:
Yes, i see some fisheye effect, but is is not really bothering me. Was surprised to see the same (even worse) on my Seiko Alpinist 1959 re-creation. So, i will leave it like this
*Movement:
Yep, the rotor noise was there, on the second day of owning i just opened the watch and removed the rotor to lubricate it - was a simple task, now it is not noticeable!
While the watch was opened, i checked the "chinese lubrication" of some jewels by tapping them with some rodico and noticed they were dry, which means probably the whole movement is dry. So at the first stage i just re-lubed the jewels with a little bit Moebius. Later on i will try to gently dis-assemble the main parts and re-lube the necessary components.
Further the movement was a little bit dirty (fingerprints) but not bad at all. I've also noticed the case has two gaskets, one inner and one normal "outer", probably for better water resistance.
The watch was running with -5 sec / day. I have regulated it to +1 sec / day, so it is running almost perfect on my wrist (nonstop) since two days. While regulating it, i noticed it is as "difficult" as regulating a Seiko (6R) Movement, no screw for simpler regulation but with a calm hand it is possible
What i don't really know is the lift angle to use if try to measure the movement speed. I have tried out 49 degree like for 7750 but i know some use 52. The amplitude of my P.9000 clone was around 280-290, for a dry movement really good! (i guess, i am not a professional watchmaker).
*Strap:
The Rubber is soft, i was surprised by it's quality. Only negative thing in the beginning was a chemical smell which i got rid of by putting the strap in a boiled water with some nice smelling shampoo
because i usually do some rubber adaptations (put it in boiling water in a glas to hold the strap in place around the measuring cup so it stays bended at the end) for a better fit on my wrist.
*Dial:
Here everything is perfect, nice and clean! Of course the cannon pinion is a bit huge (not like on GEN), but it seems for me it is similar like on a GEN PAM682 (after observing some youtube videos)
At the end, a very good REP by VSF! Basically it is a PAM682 but with a matte ceramic bezel instead.
And now, some pics: