I wanted to post this to be fair and honest about what seems to be the biggest Rep Drama topic of the year. The year of the Rep Pam382 Bronzo. Having both ZF and KW Bronzos in my hand should prove who and what is the best of the two..if any.
Lets start with saying that these are just $500 replicas of a $30k watch. For saving $29,500, I would say that both would get the job done for a fraction of the gen price.
This isnt a true equal comparison though. The KW arrived to me DOA and upon inspection and tear down, I found the balance bent, and the keyless broken with the set gear ground into the set lever as if someone jammed the stem in without lining up the gear first. It couldnt have ever left the factory working like this. So what you will see is the KW case set compared with the head of the ZF since I have removed the dial and hands and storing them for a new movement that is on the way.
To be honest and fair, both watches have had slight mods to the crown guards. Both cg edges were chamferred, ends blunted and rebrushed, lever roller pin polished, new stiffer custom made lever bushings, lever center pin flattened and polished and recessed. I am the process of repairing and modding the KW for the owner so the dial is awaiting a new movement and wont be in the shots. Most of what people are comparing is the bezel, crown guard, and case anyways.
The ZF is the complete head and the KW is the case only. I washed them both in an acidic solution of lemon juice and baking soda right before the photos were taken so these are true color pics of the case materials.
The ZF color is more red-gold while the KW is more brass-gold colored. The ZF is more brushed matte finished while the KW is shinier. The KW case is thicker and taller and the bezel pips are taller as well. ZF pips are shorter and nearly flat to the bezel. The KW pips had sharp edges and actually nicked my finger a bit when turning the bezel. KW bezel lines up perfectly and has a solid click feel with a little play betwen the clicks. ZF bezel had to be manually lined up and has more play. Tightness is about the same. Bezel shape is different on both. The ZF is more flat with polished edges while the KW is more rounded. Pearls are clearly different. ZF is larger with really white lume and the KW is smaller with a more bulbous green shiny lume. Crystals have the same inside AR coating and appear to be identical.
The crown guards are completely different size and shape. The ZF is thicker and more robust while the KW is shorter and more shallow. Both levers are about the same and they both had the same clear/white plastic bushings which were flimsy and cheap. Both crown guards had to have the edges chamferred and the ends blunted as they were both not as the genuine. These will not interchange. Crown guards must stay with their own cases. Crwosn are pretty much the same but the crown on the KW sits right up against the case when the CG is snapped shut. The ZF has the gap that the gen does.
Casebacks are almost identical. Engravings are nice and deep with the bead blasted inlay finish. Edges of the casebacks are both polished. Pretty much a draw.
When the KW really shines in the lume (no pun intended). I know I didnt get any dial shots but the KW lume is insane bright. Probably really close to gen. ZF lume is ok but the hands/pearl are brighter than the dial. A relume would take cae of it but really its a moot point. Marker shape and size on the KW are better. The dial font on the ZF is better though with a glossy sheen in the script and bolder. While the KW fonts are faint and matte finished like the dial. Hands are better on the KW as is the cannon. ZF hands are overly polished.
Date wheels are the same. Movements are a draw and both P9000 clones. Both are kind of the Achilles Heel of the watches. Very hard to service. Very difficult to work with. Keyless is a crap shoot, plates are a pain in the ass to remove. Rotor screws are glued on heads that are really really tiny. Regulation is tricky with a plate glued on top of the regulator. The movement ring on the KW is nicer with swirled finishing where the ZF is a cast piece of unfinished metal.
Overall they are both really different and good in ther own ways. Neither is perfect. Its a rep of a $30k watch. Be glad anyone made one at all. My personal preference is the ZF. I have modded and worked on probably 20 or so ZF Bronzos and they all had the same issues. Bezels not lining up, Cg put together sloppy, dials off center, crappy straps. But I could correct those flaws. I have had ONE KW in my hand and the case color was yellow and shiny, the cg shallow and crown pressed against the case, bezel pips too tall and sharp and it arrived DOA. Its been harder to correct the KW and difficult to work on.
The verdict? They are both winners. Pick the one you want and can live with and be happy. You saved over $29k and didnt have to switch to Geico Insurance.
Thanks for reading!
Lets start with saying that these are just $500 replicas of a $30k watch. For saving $29,500, I would say that both would get the job done for a fraction of the gen price.
This isnt a true equal comparison though. The KW arrived to me DOA and upon inspection and tear down, I found the balance bent, and the keyless broken with the set gear ground into the set lever as if someone jammed the stem in without lining up the gear first. It couldnt have ever left the factory working like this. So what you will see is the KW case set compared with the head of the ZF since I have removed the dial and hands and storing them for a new movement that is on the way.
To be honest and fair, both watches have had slight mods to the crown guards. Both cg edges were chamferred, ends blunted and rebrushed, lever roller pin polished, new stiffer custom made lever bushings, lever center pin flattened and polished and recessed. I am the process of repairing and modding the KW for the owner so the dial is awaiting a new movement and wont be in the shots. Most of what people are comparing is the bezel, crown guard, and case anyways.
The ZF is the complete head and the KW is the case only. I washed them both in an acidic solution of lemon juice and baking soda right before the photos were taken so these are true color pics of the case materials.
The ZF color is more red-gold while the KW is more brass-gold colored. The ZF is more brushed matte finished while the KW is shinier. The KW case is thicker and taller and the bezel pips are taller as well. ZF pips are shorter and nearly flat to the bezel. The KW pips had sharp edges and actually nicked my finger a bit when turning the bezel. KW bezel lines up perfectly and has a solid click feel with a little play betwen the clicks. ZF bezel had to be manually lined up and has more play. Tightness is about the same. Bezel shape is different on both. The ZF is more flat with polished edges while the KW is more rounded. Pearls are clearly different. ZF is larger with really white lume and the KW is smaller with a more bulbous green shiny lume. Crystals have the same inside AR coating and appear to be identical.
The crown guards are completely different size and shape. The ZF is thicker and more robust while the KW is shorter and more shallow. Both levers are about the same and they both had the same clear/white plastic bushings which were flimsy and cheap. Both crown guards had to have the edges chamferred and the ends blunted as they were both not as the genuine. These will not interchange. Crown guards must stay with their own cases. Crwosn are pretty much the same but the crown on the KW sits right up against the case when the CG is snapped shut. The ZF has the gap that the gen does.
Casebacks are almost identical. Engravings are nice and deep with the bead blasted inlay finish. Edges of the casebacks are both polished. Pretty much a draw.
When the KW really shines in the lume (no pun intended). I know I didnt get any dial shots but the KW lume is insane bright. Probably really close to gen. ZF lume is ok but the hands/pearl are brighter than the dial. A relume would take cae of it but really its a moot point. Marker shape and size on the KW are better. The dial font on the ZF is better though with a glossy sheen in the script and bolder. While the KW fonts are faint and matte finished like the dial. Hands are better on the KW as is the cannon. ZF hands are overly polished.
Date wheels are the same. Movements are a draw and both P9000 clones. Both are kind of the Achilles Heel of the watches. Very hard to service. Very difficult to work with. Keyless is a crap shoot, plates are a pain in the ass to remove. Rotor screws are glued on heads that are really really tiny. Regulation is tricky with a plate glued on top of the regulator. The movement ring on the KW is nicer with swirled finishing where the ZF is a cast piece of unfinished metal.
Overall they are both really different and good in ther own ways. Neither is perfect. Its a rep of a $30k watch. Be glad anyone made one at all. My personal preference is the ZF. I have modded and worked on probably 20 or so ZF Bronzos and they all had the same issues. Bezels not lining up, Cg put together sloppy, dials off center, crappy straps. But I could correct those flaws. I have had ONE KW in my hand and the case color was yellow and shiny, the cg shallow and crown pressed against the case, bezel pips too tall and sharp and it arrived DOA. Its been harder to correct the KW and difficult to work on.
The verdict? They are both winners. Pick the one you want and can live with and be happy. You saved over $29k and didnt have to switch to Geico Insurance.
Thanks for reading!
