ZF RM55, new super clone movement

[5711]

Maybe just me but the rib painting almost looks like icing on a cake. Like it's just caked on. The RMF has better finishing but looking at the comparison video posted a few pages back. ZF has a thinner case, better case shape and just looks better overall (ribs aside).

I have a feeling this model will be a success so ZF may wait before a v2 but hopefully others will come in with competition to force the hand of ZF to update.

I think the thinner case and case shape are much better selling points than accurate rib finishing lol. The thickness and shape are immediate tells but the ribs are very tiny details.

 

[sunrayminor]

I think the thinner case and case shape are much better selling points than accurate rib finishing lol. The thickness and shape are immediate tells but the ribs are very tiny details.

Agree, on the wrist, so hard to really see, and the chances of running into someone with extensive RM experience would be extremely unlucky Buy and Enjoy I think

 

[afdxb22]

Alls we need is a modder to refinish the ribs, install the free sprung balance (priced fairly IMO) and we’re there. To Valhalla boys.

 

[Cheesegrater]

How much does a free sprung balance cost usually? Not the inflated price of a TD but really the cost in China?

 

[afdxb22]

How much does a free sprung balance cost usually? Not the inflated price of a TD but really the cost in China?

Probably not much if produced in large quantity.
2000RMB isn’t bad, especially given that it’s just came out

 

[tangokilo]

What I do not understand about ZF is they can make the movement without painting the ribs like they do on the RM035, but for the RM055 they choose to paint them on?

 

[TagHeuerFan1963]

These ribs and how theyre painted, at this point I’m afraid to ask how to distinguish this.

 

[Reaps]

These ribs and how theyre painted, at this point I’m afraid to ask how to distinguish this.

Compare the ribs on the ZF here :

ZF RM55, new super clone movement

Yeah I’m about to order this one from RMF. Ntpt looks awesome https://biao6688.com/309734.html Amazing what a difference the right lighting can make, thought it looked flat under Intime's but looks pretty good in that pic, great choice

forum.replica-watch.info

To the RMF here:

ZF RM55, new super clone movement

Yeah I’m about to order this one from RMF. Ntpt looks awesome https://biao6688.com/309734.html Amazing what a difference the right lighting can make, thought it looked flat under Intime's but looks pretty good in that pic, great choice

forum.replica-watch.info

The ZF looks too raised and 3D, like blobs, almost like someone painted them on, or as I like to put it ZF took some white out pens and went crazy on the ribs.

 

[tangokilo]

I cannot unsee the painted on White now. The good news I suppose is that with the White ceramic case the contrast of the White ribs is not as evident as it will be with the black ceramic case.

 

[dogwood]

Re-finishing the ribs should be a pretty simple mod to perform.

1) disassemble the movement same as you’d do for a full service.

2) use a jig and sand paper to grind down the paint from the ribs and expose the metal grain.

3) wash everything in an ultrasonic cleaner to remove any traces of abrasive.

4) might as well clean everything in a parts cleaner since we have it apart anyway.

5) reassemble and lubricate appropriately.

I would think that’s 3-5 hours of work at the bench.

 

[xZeroCoolx]

Re-finishing the ribs should be a pretty simple mod to perform.

1) disassemble the movement same as you’d do for a full service.

2) use a jig and sand paper to grind down the paint from the ribs and expose the metal grain.

3) wash everything in an ultrasonic cleaner to remove any traces of abrasive.

4) might as well clean everything in a parts cleaner since we have it apart anyway.

5) reassemble and lubricate appropriately.

I would think that’s 3-5 hours of work at the bench.

Are you offering the service?

 

[Dollar_short]

Re-finishing the ribs should be a pretty simple mod to perform.

1) disassemble the movement same as you’d do for a full service.

2) use a jig and sand paper to grind down the paint from the ribs and expose the metal grain.

3) wash everything in an ultrasonic cleaner to remove any traces of abrasive.

4) might as well clean everything in a parts cleaner since we have it apart anyway.

5) reassemble and lubricate appropriately.

I would think that’s 3-5 hours of work at the bench.

the way i am seeing it = the paint "is" the ribs. so if you sand it down there is nothing left to finish.

 

[dogwood]

the way i am seeing it = the paint "is" the ribs. so if you sand it down there is nothing left to finish.

Yeah that’s the worry. If there’s no metal standing proud of the structure underneath then it’s a non-starter. I don’t have one of these movements on hand so I can’t really say without looking at the bridges under a microscope.

 

[dogwood]

Are you offering the service?

If you’re volunteering your watch, I’ll give it a go.

 

[GiantSquid]

I'm supposed to get my Yas Marina tomorrow, I'll take a look with a loupe at the ribs but from the previous photos I've seen it definitely looks like there's some metal underneath the paint or terrible finishing or whatever.

 

[Cheesegrater]

Oh so they cut back on the metal and replace it with paint? What’s wrong about using the previous version of metal??

 

[BIONONE]

Oh so they cut back on the metal and replace it with paint? What’s wrong about using the previous version of metal??

Seems like the extra step of sanding the raised parts of the ribs requires tight tolerances so they won’t damage the underlying parts. Maybe there was an issue with flatness or thickness of the extruding ribs during this batch production so pad printing took care of it.

You can see that the competition is fast and the release was urgent.

Too much guessing with little to no gain of knowledge. It has to be examined to be sure.

My last 2cts - it was not by coincidence that ZF is the go to choice for franken/modding builds of the past. Build quality and choice of materials has been superior to any competing factory so far.
Without direct comparison it is again guess work to claim ZF is better but in certain aspects it has been proven right (let alone these weird releases with the old miyota „clone“).

… Oh and by the way the ZF is missing serials and number count of the edition.

 

[tangokilo]

What serial numbers and count of edition is missing?

 

[tangokilo]

Oh and PureTime replied to me and said BBR RM055 V3 no stocks available and no time given for new stocks.

 

[Dollar_short]

Seems like the extra step of sanding the raised parts of the ribs requires tight tolerances so they won’t damage the underlying parts. Maybe there was an issue with flatness or thickness of the extruding ribs during this batch production so pad printing took care of it.

seems to me that machining the mold for ribs, coating, then a basic sanding would be a lot easier than making paint stamping tools. but what do i know.