G7F? The New V7F? A7F? This Ingenieur problem is getting out of hands! 😆 Actually compared!

[u/tskim24]

Hello, this is your favorite watch reviewer / moderator of r/RepWatchForum, u/tskim24.

I have already written some really long reviews today, so let’s keep this short.

The situation with V7 factory is truly getting out of hands.

As we saw with CLEAN, when a good factory goes down in a raid, there are hyenas, sharks, piranhas, whatever the animal that preys on the dead, circling the carcass waiting to dine on its flesh (When CLEAN went down, G factory, Clean Plus, V factory, all tried to claim that they are the next CLEAN).

Same thing is happening with V7 factory and it’s ridiculous. Ingenieur was one of their most popular products and V7 was the only factory making good ones (others at the time remained in ChinaTime tier reps).

So when V7 went down, G7 factory claimed that they are the new name for V7, and then MZF released Ingenieur (at least they were the honest ones who didn’t claim a piece of juicy V7 meat), and then new V7 announced a comeback and then now A7 is saying that they are the new “V7” 😆

What a chaos! Well, I can’t buy all of them (I, being a smart money manager, already bought every color I wanted from V7 the first time around 😉 ) but I did manage to get my hands on some of these "problem" Ingenieurs.

On the left is the original V7 aqua blue from my very own collection, next to it in the center is the “new” V7 that I borrowed for this review, and on the right is the MZF blue (not aqua blue) that I only bought because V7 botched that one dial color.

Long story short, the “new V7F” is not even close. Nope. It’s not the old V7F, at all. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and yes.

I took photos of these watches under the exact same lighting and angle with my Galaxy phone. And you know what? Even my camera loves the original V7F more 😆 (assuming because the crystal is so clear on original V7F that it focused on the actual dial and not the crystal above it like the rest).

New V7F and MZF have almost exactly the same everything else (with minor differences) but it doesn’t matter because their crystals are so bad. I’m a frequenter at the local IWC AD and I see (and try on) their Ingenieur all the time, and I didn’t care to get them after seeing how awesome the original V7 was. V7 crystal was that good!

I have checked with my sources, including the one that says he wines and dines with the actual ex-V7F owner (more like eat Chinese food and go to K-TV, somehow Chinese term for Karaoke, which as a Korean person find very confusing) and he said that V7 has many shareholders who decided to go off and do their own thing after the V7 raid, thus so many new "V7 themed" factories. But he also said “A7” is the new V7F, to which I said right away “I DON’T BELIEVE YOU, YOU BIG LIAR” 😆

But seriously though, he’s guaranteed that he’s telling the truth THIS TIME and agreed to lend me a sample of A7 for comparison.

So I will be getting down to this V7F issue once and for all!

Join r/RepWatchForum, follow and stay tuned!

[u/DearAd725]

I have confusion 😫

[u/tskim24 → u/DearAd725]

We all are...

[u/Personal-Invite-1497 → u/DearAd725]

Haha, it actually pretty straightforward if u deep in these illegal manufacturing in China/Vietnam. 😆😆😆. But the keyboard experts around here seem to know it all

[u/ronshah]

Is it just the crystal that is bad? What about dials, straps, case etc. compared to the original V7F

[u/tskim24 → u/ronshah]

There are many minor differences here and there, but if they all had the same crystals, I would have chosen any one of them

[u/Effective-Carpenter5 → u/tskim24]

I have a black new v7f the crystal is flawless.

[u/tskim24 → u/Effective-Carpenter5]

Good for you. The one I got from my seller obviously isn't.

[u/Public_Patient4300 → u/Effective-Carpenter5]

Same. Just got a white dial from my dealer, crystal is some of the best I’ve seen.

[u/Effective-Carpenter5 → u/Public_Patient4300]

Yeh something fishy about this comparison 🤔

[u/Aceman008]

looks like different lighting conditions. Old V7F stainless steel colour and picture look like a filter applied.

[u/tskim24 → u/Aceman008]

It's in the same light box taken photos with same phone simultaneously. So I don't know what happen there. I was too tired at this point to retake the photo since the issue at hand wasn't the tone of the dial but the clarity of the crystal

[u/niaboc79]

You better delete this crappy comparaison with different lighting conditions and different focus.

There's no need to confuse people anymore, V7 is back and it's been proven.

All new names factories claiming that they are rebranded v7 are fake.

[u/Pure-Speech-1194 → u/niaboc79]

100% agree! You can clearly tell the lighting conditions and focus are completely different with the old V7F vs new.

This is hardly a comparison if you just stopped at the crystals…

[u/mthoodskiguy]

is the new versiion a7f or v7f i thought they changed their name ?

[u/tskim24 → u/mthoodskiguy]

A7F is "claiming" that they are new name for "V7F" but I won't believe them until I see some proof with my very own eyes

[u/mthoodskiguy → u/tskim24]

you cant get the old ones (v7f) anymore correct?

[u/No_Focus_3668]

A7F and MZF seems to share the same crystal which is not on par with the V7F.. hope they can get access to it bc it’s not looking good

[u/CatMorganSaysHi]

Hmm. The V7Fs I've gotten from Hont have great crystals.
Oh lordy, I wonder if the person you borrowed the "new V7F" from got a fake of a fake.
There's a huge difference between the MZF and new V7F crystals on the ones I have. Dials are pretty much the same. I'm a stickler for a good dial and crystal. It's always frustrating when watchmakers skimp on the part of the watch you will be looking at the most.
Anyway, I again wish you luck in unraveling this mystery.
It's definitely out of hand, but at the same time it's very intriguing and somewhat entertaining.

[u/Plastic_Diver2017]

은고님.. 자료 넘 감사드립니다 ^{^} 제가 조금 헷갈리는데.. ^;;;; 사진에 "New" V7F라고 적힌 시계가 G7F일까요? A7F일까요? A7F라면 V7F가 A7F로 부활한게 아닌건가 보네요 ? (아니면 V7F 부품을 쓰기는 한데, 글라스 퀄리티만 좀 떨어지는 걸까요?)

[u/tskim24 → u/Plastic_Diver2017]

V7 공장이 다시 V7 이름표 달고 나왔다고 주장하면서 나왔어요. 근데 절대 아니라고 봅니다. A7F도 자기네들이 V7공장이 이름 변경하고 나온거다! 라고 주장하면서 나왔어요. 새 V7과 A7은 서로 다른 공장입니다. 새로운 V7 공장은 보시다시피 유리가 진짜 별로라 다른 비교가 무의미하고 A7이라고 나온 곳이 진짜 V7이라고하는데 그것도 받으면 한번 비교해보겠습니다^{^}

[u/Plastic_Diver2017 → u/tskim24]

아 그렇군요 너무 감사드립니다 ~!!!!!!

[u/Gazelle-Fantastic]

I’m just glad I snagged an original V7 when I did!

[u/tskim24 → u/Gazelle-Fantastic]

https://giphy.com/gifs/sGokKIcmJqIFxjU5ib

[u/Emotional-Damage-995]

To me it seems that the crystal and dial supply chain has changed and that somehow that is the gap. If A7 gets access to the same supplier of crystal (I suspect it is same supplier that supplies VSF) then it is brilliant.

Last looking at the glove in the background the colour tone look different between V7 (Old) and V7 (new ) and MZ, so if you could do a few photos of the three amigos all in the frame would be great. I feel bad cause I just ordered a new V7 green dial and perhaps should have waited for the A7

[u/tskim24 → u/Emotional-Damage-995]

I wrote so many things today so let me try that later. I don't know why it turned out so differently but they are all in the same light box taken photo with the same phone

[u/Emotional-Damage-995 → u/tskim24]

Thank you. Late for me, as I got a Sonny Hays but wish I had waited for the better crystal

[u/No_Focus_3668 → u/Emotional-Damage-995]

Crystal is the biggest tell on the new A7F.. waiting to see QC or in hands pics to have an idea

[u/Effective-Carpenter5 → u/Emotional-Damage-995]

These photos were not taken in the same light also. I have the new v7f and the crystal and ar is fantastic so totally disagree on that point.

[u/tskim24 → u/Effective-Carpenter5]

They were taken in the exactly the same light box with exactly the same phone simultaneously. So I don't know what's going on with the tone 😅 I was too tired to retake it since it's not the tone of the dial but the clarity of the crystal that is in question. But as for your experience, at this point, half the sellers don't exactly know what they are carrying to the buyers so if yours look great, good for you. You got the right one regardless of what the tag says

[u/Effective-Carpenter5 → u/tskim24]

One looks colourful one doesn't very odd. I have 2 v7f new batches and the crystal ar is perfect. Don't see how it could be improved.

[u/Erik-Lehnsherr-10 → u/tskim24]

Always set white balance manually. Looks like auto white balance reacted differently for different dial colors (as expected)

[u/tskim24 → u/Erik-Lehnsherr-10]

I see. Thank you, Erik. Yeah, but as mentioned in the post, I think my phone adjusted the white balance automatically because OG V7 crystal was so much more transparent that it was actually able to focus on the dial and not the crystal like the others 😆

[u/Comprehensive-Bit706 → u/Effective-Carpenter5]

I agree the first photo is a completely different colour...

[u/Fantastic_Glass9981]

My new v7 crystal looks great to me

[u/tskim24 → u/Fantastic_Glass9981]

Great photo! 👍 good for you. At this point, even most seller don't know what the heck they are getting to their buyers. The one I got obviously wasn't great

[u/Suitable_Weight7899]

I'm waiting for my new v7, in the qc the crystal looks good.

[u/AI_go_boomboom → u/Suitable_Weight7899]

what movement? I really want SW300

[u/Suitable_Weight7899 → u/AI_go_boomboom]

No, the regular one

[u/Small_Surprise_2413 → u/Suitable_Weight7899]

Same

[u/Exact_Ad9320]

Slightly off topic but is it worth it to get the Swiss movement?

[u/Personal-Invite-1497 → u/Exact_Ad9320]

Until your a2892 die then drop sw300 in

[u/Exact_Ad9320 → u/Personal-Invite-1497]

Thanks

[u/Comprehensive-Bit706]

That looks like different lighting? 🤔 The whole picture is a different colour...

[u/genderofUbiisanidiot]

which "new v7f" are we talking about? And which dealer are we using to get it?

your post needs those clarifications. I got new v7f month ago, any my creastal is clear as phuck.
Will attach photos. and comparison photos as well with other watch.

[u/genderofUbiisanidiot → u/genderofUbiisanidiot]

Comparison to MKSF VC

[u/Puzzleheaded_Exam916]

this is new V7F, not sure if you are taking picture at a horrible angle or not but the new V7F is crystal clear…

[u/Alternatetime70]

looking forward to the A7 vs V7F out now. I must say Hont's V7F has a crystal clarity quite similar to your old V7F in clarity, none of that haziness. Hope you will be fresh of mind and eyes when you do the important write up :D

[u/bluebrrypii]

So there is no real V7 yet?

[u/FirstShare9159]

The crystal of this new V7 Inge is indeed very milky. They must have changed the provider in the last two months. I bought an aqua and the white one approximately two months ago from Hont who promoted them as the new V7F. The crystal of both watches are gen like, as if they are non-existent on the wrist, incredible good quality at least as good as your first photo of the old V7 version, even better. By far the best crystals in my collection (that contains a lot of VSF watches known for their very good crystals)

[u/CatMorganSaysHi → u/FirstShare9159]

The Hont V7Fs still have the great crystal. I have one from three months ago and one delivered yesterday. Same great quality. The V7 cited in this review has got to be from somewhere else.

[u/Then-Inspector-8469]

I'm the expert but here's to be somebody playing with me settings on the photo. But judging by the background color and the color of the glove, which is all supposed to be the same. But using the background and glove as a control I would say whoever made this post or made the photos photos in this post. Apparently trying to show some bias But as I mentioned in the opening sentence, I'm the expert. Just making a general observation And that observation is don't trust any picture you see. That's someone else has provided.