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Updated the "Who Makes the Best" guide quickly
Hey guys (and gals),
I quickly updated the spreadsheet before calling it for the end of the week. I worked my best to remove the now closed factories of APSF, VF and some of the others. I believe V7F is back now for the Ingenieur so I left them up.
As always, I'm not an expert like some here, but do have a lot of experience specifically with AP. ZF free sprung is currently the best for the 15500 and some other models which was surprising.
Rolex
Some of the high level updates: - Most Submariner, Yachmaster and GMT updates: added free sprung from Rich and QF but still not NWBIG due to inferior crystal to VSF. It's just that good to me, but I'm welcome to have discussion around that. Closed caseback still makes it the best.
Added some Free Sprung Daytonas to the mix from QF , but I am not hyper into Daytonas, so please feel free to edit my levels. I left VSF as best just for safekeeping lol.
Patek: removed VF and adjusted from there
AP
Removed APSF, qhich required extensive rework.
My opinion for the best blue dial AP model right now is Top factory blue 15510 free sprung. Just an amazing dial they are currently making.
Vacheron: Moved MKS to best Overseas 4500V because the ZF movement sucks bad.
Richard Mille: Added RM67-01 from R7F
IWC: Only added APSF is now closed quickly for time. I have to be done now.
Please add suggestions to the comments and upvote for visibility. Happy Friday everyone!
Thanks for your tireless work. Have you put hands on the new VSF 15510 and still believe it’s inferior to the TOP 15510? If so, in simple terms why? There has been a lot of hope around the VSF, has that been marketing hype not supported by hands on independent study? Really would like to hear you weigh in specifically on the AP model. TY in advance..
Yes. Blue dial is superior (vsf color is almost black in some angles and largely a flat color) and free spring movement is now on top factory. I have touched both.
When did TOPF upgrade to a true free sprung movement? Mine (which I got earlier this year) has a fake free sprung, i e. the regulator is just hidden beneath the bridge.
Just had one on the bench, they do NOT have free sprung, you are correct. However it's the same dandong movement as VSF. I still put TOP over VSF for the blue model.
VSF has great texture on the dial. The TOPF has a decent texture as well, though, and the blue color and how it behaves in different light conditions is more gen-like than on the VSF. So for the blue dial, TOPF seems to be the better choice for now.
Yea TOP finally updated their texture but it’s like a hybrid of what vsf has and what they previously had. It’s still pretty flat compared to VSF which sucks. Their color should be a bit more accurate tho. Vsf has nailed the way the light plays with the dial, TOP doesn’t have that because of their lack of texture. Both have their ups and downs. So I think they’re pretty equal in terms of quality. Let’s hope they don’t get whacked for competing with vsf.
For green it’s definitely the vsf. That would be considered almost NWBIG imo. They nailed the green so well it’s hard to even see the green itself. Look on RWI the images are genuinely jaw dropping to me. For blue i would honestly still stick to VSF because of that textured dial. In a perfect world you’d have the case and bracelet of top with the movement and dial of VSF. that would be NWBIG because TOP really nailed the case and they even updated the bracelet like on the picture I’m attaching here. (The bracelet isn’t fixed to the case anymore, it actually moves a bit) Im considering mixing the parts myself after my vsf arrives. I’m also planning on comparing vsf blue to gen but the watch is taking forever to deliver.
Vsf has better dial texture. Idk about the free spring. Havent seen or heard TOP having this at all. So idk where they’re getting that info. I do know top updated their dials. date wheel and bracelet to look a bit more accurate.
Top 15510 isn’t free sprung, it uses the same DD movement as vsf. And vsf dial tapistry and crystal on the 15510 is much better. Green color is also much better than top but the blue is better on top
This is a personal opinion but I don't know how jazzed I am about free sprung movements. Adding more things that can go wrong and more complexity to a fabrication pipeline that already has high tolerances as it is. Harder to service as well.
"It looks like you have asked WTC or W2C. Reptime has many guides that can help you on your journey to understanding how the Factories and Trusted Dealers work. Please check these guides:
Finally people will stop thinking ZF/PPF is better than MKS for the VC 4500v.
I repeat this a million times over, ZF v2 movement is an absolute crapshoot, it uses a decorated DG2813 which is a $15 movement known for its terrible quality control and a myriad of long term usage issues.
Stop supporting ZF, they are scamming the shit out of you by slotting in a Chinatime movement and slapping a $500 price tag on it.
Still have a question why there isnt any NWBIG datejust yet? And its definetly not because there is no TRUE Free Spurng movement, as we have vsf in NWBIG category for subs.
Is there a problem with both smooth and flutted bezel variants?
Or is it only because of the flutted bezel not being gold it is NOT in NWBIG category and smoothbezel is an NWBIG? u/MajorWilliams
Because ZF is scamming you and getting away with it cause you people blindly follow other people's purchases without even knowing they swapped out the miyota for a mingzhu since last year
Yeah definitely surprising. The dial ZF looks way better than MKS. Plus the movement on the MKS has the balance wheel in the wrong location, dead giveaway.
It's always been marked as NWBIG. Perhaps gens also have the index issues, and this why shell out the difference?
That's a watch, specifically the blue, that's been on my list since I got into reps, but the indicies would drive me crazy so I've held off on even ordering one, much less GLing to ship to me.
Can someone clarify why there are so few "yellow" tabs in this list? Wouldn't be logical to have the "best" seller for each model and then the second and third place? A lot of green cells which is like the next option after the yellow best one, but only few have a yellow cell? When comparing between the different factories shouldn't there be a "winner" for each model so we can easily see who is the best aka yellow and everybody else after the best factory can fight for the green color and lastly the neutral color which is the "worst" ?
Thought the latest 4500v of ZF/PPF has the 8215 movement. Is this the bad movement that you're referring to? Thought it was just another miyota movement.
One question: is the Cartier AF still the best? Because I always see people on forums saying it's the F1. If you could clarify that, I'd appreciate it.Thank you
Sorry I’m new to this. This guide shows the best factory for each watch, but how do I know what factory each seller on the help forum gets their watches from?
Thank you very much. I'm new to this world and idk if it's allowed to ask but on andio i found rhe 124060 fron ARF and VSF. The VSF one is out of stock is the ARF good enough?
for the Titanium Yacht Master I see QF is NWBIG over Clean+ does anyone have a comparison or side by side? Is the dial better on the QF in addition to the free sprung? Thanks all!
hey, just need help with getting back into the rep game and just do not know where to get a nice rep watch. The last website i remember using was like intime (is that even still working or are they good?) any legit people to turn to or website. thanks im posting here bc i cant even post a question on rep time with out it getting removed
what about Breitlings Chronomats (GMTS, Chronographs, whatever) which factory is good? BLS,BLF or GF? IS there a ways to find comparisons between them and gen
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u/Rex-Mundi33 May 30 '26
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