ARF SD43 v. GEN

[RollyCR 0]

New member here, first post. 

I've bought a few reps over the last year and appreciate this forum, it has definitely helped me make more informed decisions. I also buy the occasional gen watch, and have gotten into the habit of buying the best rep I can find before deciding on pulling the trigger on a gen. A couple of months ago I decided I probably wanted a gen SD43 but I wasn't able to try it on since the AD doesn't actually carry them. I put my name down on the list and ordered the ARF rep from Pure Time while I waited. I've had the rep for a month or so, and the gen came in today.

I really can't tell the difference. I brought the rep into the AD and showed the sales person (who was totally cool with it). We had them side by side and couldn't see any meaningful difference in the store lighting, without a loupe. Honestly the only difference is when you pull out the stem to wind or change the time/date, there is definitely a different feel to the movements. But even the bezel turning felt exactly the same. Weight was close enough that we couldn't tell by hand.

In the outside light you really can see a difference, between the numbers on the bezel, the rep is duller (a known issue). Still, I've yet to see a rep that was this close. 

Edited April 26, 2018 by RollyCR

[Surftime 0]

Thanks for sharing! Is the gen on the right? 

[RollyCR 0]

No! :-) You can see the gen tags hanging off the bottom of the left one. 

[Luxuracer 14]

16 minutes ago, RollyCR said:

No! :-) You can see the gen tags hanging off the bottom of the left one. 

Why are you telling ... so soon !?! 

[k3rm87 180]

Love these comparisons, I really cannot see a difference. 

 

Another one to add to the list!

[fatarms 7,777]

Again, it's the bezel engravings that are the biggest give away.  Gen bezel engravings are always wider on the gens.  On reps, they are always too narrow.  Compare the 20, 30, 40 and 50.  You'll see what I mean.  And that is across every single ceramic insert rep out now.  Unreal how they can't get the width of the engravings correct, let alone the platinumization.

[McGilli 1]

2 hours ago, Surftime said:

Thanks for sharing! Is the gen on the right? 

 

2 hours ago, RollyCR said:

No! :-) You can see the gen tags hanging off the bottom of the left one. 

 

And the easiest way to tell?

The crown on  the rehaut on the fake - is nicely centred...

Genuine Rolex are always off-centre

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=547989

[GingerApple 7,291]

3 hours ago, fatarms said:

Again, it's the bezel engravings that are the biggest give away.  Gen bezel engravings are always wider on the gens.  On reps, they are always too narrow.  Compare the 20, 30, 40 and 50.  You'll see what I mean.  And that is across every single ceramic insert rep out now.  Unreal how they can't get the width of the engravings correct, let alone the platinumization.

That certainly looks the case in that photo, but equally, the Gen looks quite a bit bigger in general in that photo (the entire watch looks bigger I mean), so could there be a camera angle effect? I'm not disagreeing with you though.

Thanks for posting OP, awesome first post. #1. I'd love you to do the 5 minute, $5 Molotow paint mod (search for it) to see if that improves the colour difference on the bezel indices - if you did, your basically become a forum legend......

[GC 4,494]

3 hours ago, McGilli said:

 

 

And the easiest way to tell?

The crown on  the rehaut on the fake - is nicely centred...

Genuine Rolex are always off-centre

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=547989

I clicked the link... best thread ever! 

 

[McGilli 1]

6 hours ago, GC said:

I clicked the link... best thread ever! 

It's very comforting to read people spending $10,000 - $20,000 on their watches from R-Factory suffering with the same 'QC issues' as many of us  Seriously - it's helped me to not care as much about the rehaut alignment - and see off centre as being a sign of genuine.

[ANTIOM85 0]

Thanks for sharing ! Expect the bezel engravings there isn't so much tell 

[Stufuse 73]

 
And the easiest way to tell?
The crown on  the rehaut on the fake - is nicely centred...
Genuine Rolex are always off-centre
https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=547989

Haha great link, people aren’t so nitpicky when buying the genuine item and why would you be. It is how it comes and that’s it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[knol 0]

On 26/04/2018 at 09:04, RollyCR said:

New member here, first post. 

I've bought a few reps over the last year and appreciate this forum, it has definitely helped me make more informed decisions. I also buy the occasional gen watch, and have gotten into the habit of buying the best rep I can find before deciding on pulling the trigger on a gen. A couple of months ago I decided I probably wanted a gen SD43 but I wasn't able to try it on since the AD doesn't actually carry them. I put my name down on the list and ordered the ARF rep from Pure Time while I waited. I've had the rep for a month or so, and the gen came in today.

I really can't tell the difference. I brought the rep into the AD and showed the sales person (who was totally cool with it). We had them side by side and couldn't see any meaningful difference in the store lighting, without a loupe. Honestly the only difference is when you pull out the stem to wind or change the time/date, there is definitely a different feel to the movements. But even the bezel turning felt exactly the same. Weight was close enough that we couldn't tell by hand.

In the outside light you really can see a difference, between the numbers on the bezel, the rep is duller (a known issue). Still, I've yet to see a rep that was this close. 

 

you still keep the rep to wear on some occasions or you only wear the gen now ?

[RollyCR 0]

On 5/13/2018 at 17:07, knol said:

you still keep the rep to wear on some occasions or you only wear the gen now ?

I'm going to sell the rep when I get around to it. Or give it to my friend.

[knol 0]

On 19/05/2018 at 04:19, RollyCR said:

I'm going to sell the rep when I get around to it. Or give it to my friend.

It has been a while since you created this topic. Is it still difficult to see the difference between gen and rep or is it easier now that you have worn the gen more and are more used to it ?

[WatchDog21 3,345]

ya know what they say about a picture... great share.  Nice to see them side by side like that.

On 5/18/2018 at 17:19, RollyCR said:

I'm going to sell the rep when I get around to it. Or give it to my friend.

Let's be friends 

[RollyCR 0]

11 hours ago, knol said:

It has been a while since you created this topic. Is it still difficult to see the difference between gen and rep or is it easier now that you have worn the gen more and are more used to it ?

I haven't looked at the rep since I got the gen, and after I got the gen SD43 I got the Pam 438 rep (see my post history) and I've been wearing that. I have too many watches, reps and gens. :-)

[NFleischer 4,355]

To me the bracelet looks a lot better on the gen, same for bezel.

I'm not sure I'd bring my rep to AD to compare like that.

[Lagger 160]

7 minutes ago, NFleischer said:

To me the bracelet looks a lot better on the gen, same for bezel.

I'm not sure I'd bring my rep to AD to compare like that.

Tbf I wouldn't myself, but bought a gen the other day and the lass selling me it, who surprisingly knew her stuff, said people show her reps in store all the time, and she said she can' tell the difference most times,I don't think they are as bothered as people make out

[RollyCR 0]

2 hours ago, NFleischer said:

To me the bracelet looks a lot better on the gen, same for bezel.

I'm not sure I'd bring my rep to AD to compare like that.

I know him pretty well and have bought many gen's from him. He's cool with it. I actually brought in a different rep that I bought solely for the rolex clasp so that I could put it on a RubberB strap and didn't want to use the real one. He helped me swap it out.

[tabuktime 54]

30 minutes ago, RollyCR said:

I know him pretty well and have bought many gen's from him. He's cool with it. I actually brought in a different rep that I bought solely for the rolex clasp so that I could put it on a RubberB strap and didn't want to use the real one. He helped me swap it out.

I'd imagine that you've spend a fair few dollars in his store and he's aware that the reps you've bought have been gateways (at times) to spending even more with him...

Smart man!