I think compared to the Gen on the picture I attached, the SEL on the VSF is more on point, don’t you?
But your word in gods ears
You have the Gen so you can tell more precise I think
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Vsf / xf sea dweller now comes with vs3235 !
- Thread starter tongsui
- Start date
I think compared to the Gen on the picture I attached, the SEL on the VSF is more on point, don’t you?
But your word in gods ears
You have the Gen so you can tell more precise I think
Facts! Without a side by side it’s near impossible to tell.Thats weird, because the winding and date adjustment feel very smooth on mine!
Bezel rotation feels solid…
But I never held the ARF SD43 in my hands, so I can’t tell anything about it - but I believe in what you say! Mostly the weakness shows up, when something stronger is next to it…
Alone, the first thing I notice is the VSF and XF both feel like a replica. The ARF feels more like the GEN.
The gaps between the SEL and lugs on both XF and VSF are unsightly, it’s mind blowing.
The sharpness of the lug and general flow is indeed gen like, and nice from a distance.
The ARF SEL just fits RIGHT and even has some back and forth play, but no one but me would ever notice that cause I’m batshit crazy about Seadwellers.
I do not have a gen SD43, I have the VSF and ARF and just sold an XF.
I think compared to the Gen on the picture I attached, the SEL on the VSF is more on point, don’t you?
But your word in gods ears
Also, keep in mind, the VSF is on the left in ALL pix.
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I’ve had a few gen seadwellers, I do not have any at this time.I thought I read it in some thread - but then I mixed it up with someone elsemy fault
So here’s the simple summary:
If modding:
THE best would be VSF/3235 base with ARF bezel assembly (springs etc) VSF insert, ARF bracelet and clasp, gen crown and gen crystal. (Gen parts are impossibly expensive for the SD43, or impossible to find undamaged)
If not modding at all:
The better complete watch, in the hand, is ARF V4 out of the box.
Observational note: wearing the VSF for the last few hrs, set up the same as my ARF, the crown is riding into the back of my hand. I haven’t felt this since I was rockin a 47mm Big Pilot (which has that crazy onion crown) and also, the taper of the lugs measures the the same width lug to lug (outside) but LOOKS sharper, pointier, more flow into the bracelet, and I like that.
If modding:
THE best would be VSF/3235 base with ARF bezel assembly (springs etc) VSF insert, ARF bracelet and clasp, gen crown and gen crystal. (Gen parts are impossibly expensive for the SD43, or impossible to find undamaged)
If not modding at all:
The better complete watch, in the hand, is ARF V4 out of the box.
Observational note: wearing the VSF for the last few hrs, set up the same as my ARF, the crown is riding into the back of my hand. I haven’t felt this since I was rockin a 47mm Big Pilot (which has that crazy onion crown) and also, the taper of the lugs measures the the same width lug to lug (outside) but LOOKS sharper, pointier, more flow into the bracelet, and I like that.
What’s really odd, is in some lighting the ARF pearl looks exactly like the gen, in others it looks nothing like the gen.
The XF/VSF looks like a gen pearl in every light.
@Seadwellermike,
Thank You very much for the comparison and thoughts on both. Would You mind sharing Yout wrist size?
Cant wait to get my hands on my watch
Thank You very much for the comparison and thoughts on both. Would You mind sharing Yout wrist size?
Cant wait to get my hands on my watch
Sounds like you have all the parts (except for a gen crystal) needed to put together a pretty good ARF/VSF franken.
I think the description I’d use would be hybrid since Franken implies gen parts and the only gen part in hand for this is the crown. But yeah, you are correct, and I MAY do it.
That was the exact intention with the XF when I got it, the hybrid. But I couldn’t justify the work once in hand, so I sold it.
So after a few days of careful examination, the lug shape on the VSF is more favorable. In fact, it makes me want to keep the watch head only, just for that (and CG’s which are great also) The rehaut engraving appears almost gold in color, in fact so does the bracelet. Compared to the ARF, which is a whiter tone of silver (call it cooler color temp, and VSF warmer color temp) and I’m not sure which color temp I prefer.
The bezel is def off about 1°, so I’ll have to remove the insert and realign it. Which if I’m doing that, I might as well take the ARF apart and hybrid them.
The bracelet on the VSF is light yrs below the ARF. The gaps in between the VSF lugs is terrible, and it’s embarrassing for a 550-600 dollar rep in a time where many rep watches have bracelets that fit. I’ll measure it, but I’d bet the end link is 21mm, where the lug width is 22.05 or so. I can see my wrist through the gaps. It’s bad.
Also, the “babe, which is better and why” test, she chose the VSF, because the bezel is easier to turn with nails. (Women, am I right?!?
) but she could tell literally no other difference with the ARF. None, nada. And I’ve had her staring at watches full time for 18mo.
She’s not wrong, they are so close, it’s almost comical. The tiny tiny differences almost don’t exist, and to me the true solution is hybrid them. Then franken, then buy the next accurate version that comes out in 6 months, and unload these for Pennie’s on the dollar.
Someone above asked my wrist size: 7” or about 18cm.
The bezel is def off about 1°, so I’ll have to remove the insert and realign it. Which if I’m doing that, I might as well take the ARF apart and hybrid them.
The bracelet on the VSF is light yrs below the ARF. The gaps in between the VSF lugs is terrible, and it’s embarrassing for a 550-600 dollar rep in a time where many rep watches have bracelets that fit. I’ll measure it, but I’d bet the end link is 21mm, where the lug width is 22.05 or so. I can see my wrist through the gaps. It’s bad.
Also, the “babe, which is better and why” test, she chose the VSF, because the bezel is easier to turn with nails. (Women, am I right?!?
) but she could tell literally no other difference with the ARF. None, nada. And I’ve had her staring at watches full time for 18mo.She’s not wrong, they are so close, it’s almost comical. The tiny tiny differences almost don’t exist, and to me the true solution is hybrid them. Then franken, then buy the next accurate version that comes out in 6 months, and unload these for Pennie’s on the dollar.
Someone above asked my wrist size: 7” or about 18cm.
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I would hybrid them if i were you. You have both donor watches in hand and the ability/equipment/knowledge for the job.So after a few days of careful examination, the lug shape on the VSF is more favorable. In fact, it makes me want to keep the watch head only, just for that (and CG’s which are great also) The rehaut engraving appears almost gold in color, in fact so does the bracelet. Compared to the ARF, which is a whiter tone of silver (call it cooler color temp, and VSF warmer color temp) and I’m not sure which color temp I prefer.
The bezel is def off about 1°, so I’ll have to remove the insert and realign it. Which if I’m doing that, I might as well take the ARF apart and hybrid them.
The bracelet on the VSF is light yrs below the ARF. The gaps in between the VSF lugs is terrible, and it’s embarrassing for a 550-600 dollar rep in a time where many rep watches have bracelets that fit. I’ll measure it, but I’d bet the end link is 21mm, where the lug width is 22.05 or so. I can see my wrist through the gaps. It’s bad.
Also, the “babe, which is better and why” test, she chose the VSF, because the bezel is easier to turn with nails. (Women, am I right?!?
She’s not wrong, they are so close, it’s almost comical. The tiny tiny differences almost don’t exist, and to me the true solution is hybrid them. Then franken, then buy the next accurate version that comes out in 6 months, and unload these for Pennie’s on the dollar.
Someone above asked my wrist size: 7” or about 18cm.
To be honest, the hesitation comes from the ability to sell the unkept piece. At the end I will have two hybrids, both awesome but one made of all the “better” parts per se.
Like TWINS with Devito and Schwartzenager, one perfect, one not so perfect, but both great.
How does one value the Devito when I’m keeping the Schwartaneger?
Therein lies the conundrum.
Like TWINS with Devito and Schwartzenager, one perfect, one not so perfect, but both great.
How does one value the Devito when I’m keeping the Schwartaneger?
Therein lies the conundrum.
Closer inspection while swapping the ARF bracelet onto the VSF, sadly the lugs are still gapped, I can see springbar through the gaps, it’s gross. And if you look back at my comments a few pages ago I said the same of the XF. Makes me so sad.
Also, dial is crooked. An easy fix, but should not be. That’s just poor form for VSF.
In all the following pix the VSF is on the left, or labeled. The spring bar through the crack makes me so sad.
Also, dial is crooked. An easy fix, but should not be. That’s just poor form for VSF.
In all the following pix the VSF is on the left, or labeled. The spring bar through the crack makes me so sad.
PS, date mag on VSF is trash, but likely due to gasket height. If they were the same gaskets on both, I’d bet it would be fine. Looks like the ARF is thinner when face down.