XF SD43 126600 - review & macros

[LuoIsBoss]

Just RL this one SEL looks horrendous to me. Looks like the bracelet isn’t seated properly one side. What do you think? am I being to fussy? Also bezel is off but this may just be they have rotated it one click too many.

took a little while to get as XF factory apparently not working much at the min.

Wouldve GLed it.

 

[Perpetual_One]

Thanks. I didn’t mention the 12 originally as that was separate issue. Was just seeing if I’m being fussy on the SEL really and seems like I am! I’m 99% sure bezel is fine and just over rotated for the pic. Think I’m scared re bezel as have had issues with them on recent Btf Daytona purchase!

Appreciate the input

 

[txpam]

Does anyone have a set of gen SD43 hands they’d be willing to part with?
I’m also looking for an ARF bracelet.
Pic for attention.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Armcandy]

I tried on a gen of this today. Loved it. I’m going to get the rep. That said, I’m more confused than when I started. Which factory makes the best now. I have a BP James Cameron. Some threads are saying ARF (including the NWBIG list) and others are saying XF. Seems like the XF is the newest version It’s unlikely I’ll leave a steel bracket on it. Any thoughts?

 

[wubsub]

I tried on a gen of this today. Loved it. I’m going to get the rep. That said, I’m more confused than when I started. Which factory makes the best now. I have a BP James Cameron. Some threads are saying ARF (including the NWBIG list) and others are saying XF. Seems like the XF is the newest version It’s unlikely I’ll leave a steel bracket on it. Any thoughts?

XF is the best by far. the case and bezel are miles ahead of ARF.

 

[Armcandy]

XF is the best by far. the case and bezel are miles ahead of ARF.

Thank you, I appreciate your help!

 

[Vi-Lo]

Does anyone have a set of gen SD43 hands they’d be willing to part with?
I’m also looking for an ARF bracelet.
Pic for attention.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Don‘t know if you already got want you searched for - but Puretime can source the ARF bracelet separately! It costs 168$ + shipping
If you search for M2M then just ignore

 

[Vi-Lo]

@txpam

The ARF bracelet does indeed fit, and the springbars are specific (the little nub that goes into the lug is larger) I have found the $17 Everest bars to fit the best on both ARF and XF/VSF. Putting the ARF in the XF/VSF will help the SEL fitment, but ultimately it’s dude to the lug shape. So it’s better but not great.

Rolex Sea-Dweller 43mm 1.5mm Spring Bars | Everest Bands

Everest Bands offers a set of affordable Rolex Sea-Dweller 43mm replacement spring bars. The spring bars are custom made to the exact tolerance, size and quality that Rolex uses. These 22mm long spring bars are exact replacements for the Rolex Sea-Dweller 43mm bracelets. The spring bars measure...

www.everestbands.com

I bought those and they look the same as the ARF stock ones, but fit differently ever so.

See this post… you will have to use different springbars obviously

 

[txpam]

Thanks.
I did get both the hands and the ARF Bracelet.
My franken is complete.

 

[Vi-Lo]

@txpam would appreciate it to see some pics

 

[JTL12]

Just catching up on this thread...

Wow this watch is so incredibly nice!

 

[JTL12]

Holy shit. This is something else. The guest bathroom has the best indoor lights lol.

Sorry...this watch!

 

[Seadwellermike]

XF is the best by far. the case and bezel are miles ahead of ARF.

This is not true anymore, but was 100% true a few months ago.

The ARF V4 is on the NWBIG list for a reason (incl. V3 iirc, but could be wrong). Both are amazing, please don’t get me wrong. The XF/VSF has better CG’s and there is def a nice insert on it. But the HEV, SELs and bracelet def take away from it. Often not mentioned is how oddly noisy the clasp is. Not sure why, feels hollow almost, hard to explain, but next to the ARF the clasp is def different.

ARF has worse CG’s, but most don’t see it, and the insert on the V4 is amazing. ARF bracelet we all know is better, and as above so is the clasp. SEL fitment on the V4 is spot on, case shape measures to exactly the Gen in every measurement I’ve taken when comparing, which I am so sorry I do not have pix of.

I bought the latest ARF and XF solely to make a hybrid of the two, and once in hand, and after very careful consideration and staring at them together for a few weeks, I just couldn’t see the benefit. In person, the bezels are almost impossible to tell apart. In person, I could tell the watches apart by the SEL fitment and the clasps the most. Some pix for reference…. You can tell which is ARF V4 and which is XF/VSF, both are amazing. (Side note: the ARF winds smoother, tho both are A2824’s, and in these pix has a Gen grown)

 

[Seadwellermike]

Just catching up on this thread...

Wow this watch is so incredibly nice!

They are amazing, on so many levels. The XF, the ARF, the Gen, to me it’s the best watch Rolex has made.

 

[Vi-Lo]

They are amazing, on so many levels. The XF, the ARF, the Gen, to me it’s the best watch Rolex has made.

I wonder why we can see so many more Subs on the wrists out there - because the SD43 IMO is the more “charismatic“ watch, the bezel alone looks so much better with the continuous intermediate indexes. I think it‘s because of the size maybe, so the Sub is the more suitable watch for most people - what do you think?

 

[wubsub]

They are amazing, on so many levels. The XF, the ARF, the Gen, to me it’s the best watch Rolex has made.

i agree with all you said above. Arf has been silent and officially updated so many times i have lost count. the latest one def has better dial etc, and insert is very close to XF. i remember owning one in 2019 and this updated one is miles ahead.

 

[BiH855]

I personally like the ARF insert more than the XF one. ARF imo is the only factory which gets the bevelled inner and outer diameter and the bevelled cutouts right. Love how the light reflections bend on the edges and every single cutout, exactly like on gen inserts. Everytime i see an ARF insert i think it's a gen on first sight lol

 

[muiramas]

The ARF Seadweller V4 came out a year ago.

What silent updates has it had / has there been an update since?

The crystals on ARF watches have usually been terrible as well - I haven't seen anything to the contrary.

 

[Seadwellermike]

The reason many see subs and not SD’s is because the sun is more known, and people assume the size of SD means it wears larger. It does not actually, having had both on the wrist at the same time. In fact, the proportions are almost identical to the 16600 making it wear a lot like the 5 digit (while still being larger) see image below, scaled up for the 5 digit, but they are basically the same “shape” and wear a lot alike. See the sized altered pic of the side by side, not my pic and it’s of GENs, but you get the idea)

(Also I’ve had both new and old, 16600, rep and Gen, and all the deep sea’s as well, with the exception the 136660 which I do not believe is replicated yet, and have not held nor owned the Gen of that either. There’s a reason for my SN )

As for the crystal comment above: with V4 I will kindly disagree. Most have indeed sucked, but once you see the V4 in the flesh, I promise you it’s different. Clearer, smoother, hard to explain but it is probably the best crystal I’ve seen to date on a rep, akin to my BTF Daytona in clarity. It’s very good. V3 and earlier were agreeably awful. Comical in fact. Here’s some odd angles…. (Again, ARF V4, sorry it’s not the XF the thread is about, but still on topic)

 

[cK75]

ARF V4 is the same as MK2?