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APSF and ZF Royal Oak 15500 w 4302 clone caliber

steve_theonewatches

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We posted a Comprehensive Comparison of 15500 Blue Gen with several well known factories on 8/5/24, you can wander into the sticky thread, the Comparison is in the "Gen vs Reparison Compilation Thread" posted by moderator Mr. QueTip.

Or you can go directly to the following link to view
https://[[Redacted due to phishing warnings]]/index.php?route=journal3/blog/post&journal_blog_category_id=6&journal_blog_post_id=99 (Comparison link content on our official website)



Hi everyone, this is Steve. In the last couple of days ZF has updated the AP Royal Oak 15500 to V3 and we got the watch on our hands and took some HD photos.

f56106d8.jpg

The factory has not given any clear information on the upgrade, but as far as we can see, it is mainly a movement upgrade;

the ZF V2 has a Miyota 9015 and the V3 version has been replaced with a 4302 all-in-one movement, the same movement as the APS 15500 V2 version.

e26f126d.jpg

As you can see, the position of ZF V3 balance wheel has changed and is as the same as APS V2, the GEN is in about the same position! So the similarity of the back of the movement has been improved.

The main thing is that the date of the 4302 movement changes instantly, whereas the 9015 movement is a long, slow jump.

8fcf76c8.jpg

In terms of colour, the black dial is still the most reproduced.

Let's look at the most loved blue dial, the ZF V3 has become a little darker and the color difference with the GEN has become smaller.

While the APS V2 version is too dark in blue. As for the whites and greys, both factories and the GEN are still off by some margin!

Well, that's it for today's share.

There is no perfect replica, only the one you like best

Have a great time here!


Steve

Website: theonewatches.cc

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Last edited:

PAPA_WHALE

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Hi everyone, this is Steve. In the last couple of days ZF has updated the AP Royal Oak 15500 to V3 and we got the watch on our hands and took some HD photos.

f56106d8.jpg

The factory has not given any clear information on the upgrade, but as far as we can see, it is mainly a movement upgrade;

the ZF V2 has a Miyota 9015 and the V3 version has been replaced with a 4302 all-in-one movement, the same movement as the APS 15500 V2 version.

e26f126d.jpg

As you can see, the position of ZF V3 balance wheel has changed and is as the same as APS V2, the GEN is in about the same position! So the similarity of the back of the movement has been improved.

The main thing is that the date of the 4302 movement changes instantly, whereas the 9015 movement is a long, slow jump.

8fcf76c8.jpg

In terms of colour, the black dial is still the most reproduced.

Let's look at the most loved blue dial, the ZF V3 has become a little darker and the color difference with the GEN has become smaller.

While the APS V2 version is too dark in blue. As for the whites and greys, both factories and the GEN are still off by some margin!

Well, that's it for today's share.

There is no perfect replica, only the one you like best

Have a great time here!


Upon further look I have discovered that ZF v3 date wheel numbers are closer to the right, compared to V2 ZF and APS V2.
 

dogwood

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It's too bad the ZF has a spelling error on the movement... It's supposed to be THIRTY-TWO(32) JEWELS not THIRTY TWO(32) JEWEES... sigh... maybe they'll get it right on v4.
 

legend

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8fcf76c8.jpg



Let's look at the most loved blue dial, the ZF V3 has become a little darker and the color difference with the GEN has become smaller.
There are 2 things I will like to comment on/ask here:

1. What did you mean by an "all-in-one" movement?

2. When you try to illustrate that the ZF V3 dial has become darker with the above picture, you can see that everything about the watch is darker, including the color of the steel bezel, case etc. They are taken under different lightings. So the new dial may or may not be darker but that is not a proper way to illustrate the point and also, I also think that the ZF V2 dial is very good in terms of the color accuracy vs gen, and that the V3 needs to be assessed under equal lighting to determine the visual closeness vs gen. The gen color is also dynamic and changes under various lighting. I do agree that the ZF 15500 dial is a lot better than the APSF one (whatever color) in terms of tapisserie geometry and texture.
 

Dantona1984

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It shall be interesting and truly telling when somebody manages to do a side by side comparison.

It seems as first glance the only differences are the dial and the dreaded EE.
 

exacten

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How can ZF actually produce those batches with an obvious spelling error on its movement?
same thing happened with the VC 4500V where it said SWSS made instead of swiss made on the back, and they had to pull it back to release with fix instead. :poop:
 

peterpl

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I reckon the ZF dial looks better than the APS.

If they are using the same movement all the ZF has to do is fix the spelling mistake when they officially release and I think we'd have a better version. Even their bracelet finishing and the edges look better to me.

ZF always made pretty good AP reps. APS is still newish to the game.
 
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Fervid

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The tapisserie dials for the ZF 15500's definitely have a lot more depth compared to the APS. Seems like the better choice of the two if you're not fussed about the JEWEES typo.
 

legend

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The tapisserie dials for the ZF 15500's definitely have a lot more depth compared to the APS. Seems like the better choice of the two if you're not fussed about the JEWEES typo.
Both the ZF and APSF dials are nothing like the gen if you study them in detail. Having said that the ZF dial, like you said, is a lot better than the APSF one where tapisseries construction goes.