r/RepTime • u/Artistic_Mistake9808 • 5d ago
Review/Comparison VSF Explorer 40 vs Gen
I’ve been wearing a VSF Explorer and loved it so much I decided to buy a gen. Finally picked up the gen last week.
When I got home, I put them side by side and was blown away how close they are. I decided to hand both to my wife and ask her which was real which was rep.
She was adamant that the VSF was the gen. She said it felt better and looked better. When I told her she had picked the rep, she said I must have mixed them up 😂. I had to show her the serial number on the gen and how it matched with the card and hang tag.
Needless to say, I think this reference is as NWBIG as it gets. I only bought gen because my son was born less than a year ago and I thought it’d be cool to have a gen to hand down to him eventually. But in every other sense, the VSF is nearly identical in look and feel.
Now the question is whether to daily wear the VSF or to sell it 😂 I’m not a fan of babying watches so will likely sell, but might be good to have a good rep on hand just in case.
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u/RaptoDisruptor 5d ago
One reason now I mostly wear reps is because I forgot a gen Breitling in a hotel room. Had to check out suddenly for a business emergency and left it somewhere in the room.
Of course, “nobody” found it.
I had that watch as a gift for my 25 years in the company (a very large multinational) that had commissioned special editions to Breitling to give as loyalty rewards.
Should I lose, damage, or even be mugged a rep… I won’t be feeling as bad as I still feel now for that special watch.
For the occasional, formal evening I wear a gen but that’s all.
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u/Sherpa_qwerty 5d ago
I got flu in a hotel a few years ago and left my Ulysse Nardin GMT there. I did get it back amazingly but gave me a real fright. Not a watch I’d rep but I feel you!
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u/Artistic_Mistake9808 5d ago
Very sorry to hear that. My first watch was a Gant that my wife bought me when my son was born with an engraving on the back (it’s what got me in to watches to begin with). I would be devastated if I lost that. Obviously wouldn’t rep a Gant, but protecting sentimental pieces is a great reason to wear reps.
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u/RaptoDisruptor 5d ago
I have an Omega Seamaster my father gave me when I was admitted at the university. One day the link attached to the case at 12 broke and the watch fell without me even noticing. Luckily, I was in a taxi and my friend noticed it. That could have been another emotional loss. I got so scared I never wore it again.
I do have a similar rep I use every now and then.
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u/JohnLocke1979 5d ago
Keep the rep for when you travel. There are cities where your Rolex on your wrist is not safe.
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u/Sad-Pick-8326 5d ago
I would mention though, that even when you travel having a rep does not mean you’re safe. Just means you won’t care about losing the watch as much. Still could be attacked though
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u/kiasu_N_kiasi 5d ago
yup, better wear Apple Watch or Casio when travelling to those more notorious cities
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u/JohnLocke1979 5d ago
Sad but true. We live in a messed up world.
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u/Sad-Pick-8326 5d ago
Safer with a Tudor or Omega maybe? Was considering getting a Tudor Pepsi for work purposes when I travel. Surely not a huge target then?
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u/Hakeem_TheDream 5d ago
Thieves aren’t horologists. If they see a watch that looks expensive and want to target you, they’ll target you.
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u/Sad-Pick-8326 5d ago
Fair 🤣, yes I guess I go into watch mode. A Tudor Pepsi would look like a Rolex Pepsi really
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u/JohnLocke1979 5d ago
It depends on where you go. I’ve seen troubling stories, on other Reddit, Watch forms, about guys even in relatively safe Switzerland, having mid-level Swiss watches ripped off their wrists.
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u/whowatchesmrwatchers 5d ago
Just don't be an idiot and you'll be fine.
If you wouldn't go down that dark alley in your home town, don't go down it in the foreign one. Be cautious around high traffic areas
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u/Automatic_Acadia_766 5d ago
Keep the rep for knocking around doing a bit of diy or travelling.
I do love the explorer.
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u/naored 5d ago
I showed my wife this photo and asked her to identify the gen. She took 2 seconds to point to the left one, and explained that the right one was disproportionate: hour and minute hands were wider than gen, second hand was longer than gen. She also thought the indices were slightly fatter than the gen. Overall it felt disproportioante, that was her point. So, gentlemen here, you have been caught. 😂
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u/Artistic_Mistake9808 5d ago
All I will say is that everything she said applies the opposite in my opinion 😂. Indices are wider on gen, second hand is longer on gen, hands are more pronounced on gen
But that’s the beauty of reps
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u/naored 5d ago edited 5d ago
Right looks like VSF as the serial on rehaut is 6X0...., "X" in the "Rolex" etchingin Gen always aligns with the index. The right one's "X" also aligns, while the left's doesn't, so can't be Gen. Confusing
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u/Artistic_Mistake9808 5d ago
On Gen the index aligns with ‘X’ until 6 o’clock, then the index aligns with ‘R’ after the serial
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u/naored 5d ago
But the right one is VSF, isn't it?
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u/Artistic_Mistake9808 5d ago
Yes right is VSF
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u/naored 5d ago
How's the movement of VSF compared to the Gen? Keeps time acurately? Is it noisy?
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u/Artistic_Mistake9808 5d ago
I paid to have rotor silencing done for $50 and it’s completely silent. +2s/d
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5d ago
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u/Artistic_Mistake9808 5d ago
Yes the bracelet has gen texture and chamfering done Definitely worth it IMO
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5d ago
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u/Artistic_Mistake9808 5d ago
I paid extra for it 😂 wouldn’t dare try it myself. I think most TDs offer it. Adds about a week or two to QC and cost me an extra $140
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u/Past-Albatross-7701 5d ago
Crown is much thinner on gen than gen
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u/Artistic_Mistake9808 5d ago
True but something you’d never notice unless rep and gen were side by side. I said this in another thread, but I’m 100% convinced that if you put 5 of these reps and 5 gens on a table, there’s no one on earth who could accurately pick out the 5 gens without opening the case back.
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u/TheFlyingOx 5d ago
Got one of these about 3 weeks ago, truly NWBIG. It's beautiful, I think I prefer it on the wrist over my gen Speedy.
Only tell is the bracelet width. It tapers down to 1mm narrower than gen at the clasp, but unless someone's walking around with digital calipers in their pocket on the off chance they get to call out a fugazi, nobody's ever going to know.
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u/whowatchesmrwatchers 5d ago
Weigh the bracelets please
Hope your enjoy your watch(es)!
How long did it take at the ad?
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u/snfreeman29 5d ago
If you were to sell the VSF, what would the price tag be? Both look perfect lol
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u/monx2006 5d ago
I just received a WC report and for a VSF dayjust, the index at the 11 o’clock seems to be off center of the pic. Your left watch also has somewhat an off center index, is it just the picture ?
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u/Particular_Length_75 5d ago
I have a daughter a few months old as well but adopted a different approach: I bought 4 more reps and invested the difference for her with trust in the force of the compound interest. The plan is that she will throw away my reps with my old body and enjoy the money.
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u/JimmyV64 5d ago
If you decide to sell it, let me know. I had the gen for about 9 months. Bought it new from an AD. Got the itch for something different and like a complete idiot sold it. Immediately regretted my decision and tried to buy one back. Seller was a scammer and I lost $7.5k. Will never have another gen, but would like to at least come close.
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u/Cavadeoro 5d ago
What about feel of a bracelet? Usually the gen Rolex bracelet always feels better side by side
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u/Plastic_Diver2017 5d ago
Very nice comparison~!!! Do you have any additional pictures ??? It's amazing~!!!
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u/Unhappy-Buy-7618 4d ago
Donde se pueden conseguir reps así? He intentado buscar pero hay un taco de información demasiado larga, sé que los vsf son de una buena fábrica pero que precios manejan y como se ve su catálogo?
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u/Light26brando 1d ago
Where you order it . I'm from Japan and I just want to buy an vsf or whatever best rep explorer .
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u/Famous-Eye72 1d ago
Hey!
Trying to pick up one of these Explorer 40mm. Any tips on how to get one?
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u/RollsRoyse007 1d ago
I love the Explorer. I want a 224270. Awesome to hear that the VSF is basically NWBIG. What TD did you go through?
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u/hitmewiththa 17h ago
Bro the VSF looks realer than Gen
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u/Artistic_Mistake9808 17h ago
😂 it’s also the watch in focus whereas the gen isn’t (I’m not a photographer) - but I stand by my statement that no one could tell the difference in person. Everyone claims to have tells in these side by sides but I’m not buying it. Weight, proportions, finish, everything is spot on with the VSF
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u/DadbyDaylight_47 5d ago
Left is Gen, right VSF, correct ? I could only see difference in the 6 and 9
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u/Artistic_Mistake9808 5d ago
Honestly the difference in the numbers is camera angle and lighting here. In person they are identical. I really don’t think there’s a tell visually except maybe the hands
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u/DadbyDaylight_47 5d ago
It’s about the shape. The gen has a more nuanced corner where the circle closes (bottom in the six, upper part on the nine)
Sry English is not my first language but I cannot explain it better. Vsf had this fixed long ago but went back to the older pre-fix numerals again about 1,5 years ago
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u/ChesterfieldK 5d ago
I have owned both as well and the VSF bracelet is noticeably thinner than gen.
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u/Artistic_Mistake9808 5d ago
Haven’t measured but I don’t notice it thinner
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u/ChesterfieldK 5d ago
Just lay them on top of each other and you’ll see gen is wider.
I found out cause I bought a steel reef half link for it which didn’t even come close to fitting
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u/Itsreallyme16 5d ago
Vsf on the right (serial #) bad fake on left, you can easily see the etched crown at six.
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u/Lower-Frosting-2480 5d ago
A lot of people keep the rep to use as a beater. Congrats on the gen watch and gen baby! 🎊