Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Serge D

AP Diver V2 vs V3 pictorial review (pic heavy)

Recommended Posts

Serge D

Didnt find anyone else post this, so after getting a v3 head w/swiss mvmt at a steal price i decided to make a side by side review, comparison. The following are the only improvements i know of. Be kind and let me know if there is more.

 

First, date window, date font, cyclops, oscillating rings. All in one shot:

V3

cfed0c63-5b79-a857.jpg

V2

cfed0c63-5ba6-9e2a.jpg

Cyclops has got the annoying blue AR, other than that, everything improved verry well.

 

Next caseback texture. Also improved, more defined/rough.

V2

cfed0c63-5ea1-a9c7.jpg

V3

cfed0c63-5ebe-c92d.jpg

 

Serial font is more gen-like

V2

cfed0c63-5f15-96b0.jpg

cfed0c63-5f48-6913.jpg

V3

cfed0c63-5f83-29b8.jpg

cfed0c63-5f97-7113.jpg

 

Numbers font on bezel is smaller and sits closer to the dial.

V2

cfed0c63-5ffd-da18.jpg

V3

cfed0c63-6014-474b.jpg

 

Bezel triangle mark at 12 smaller as per gen:

V2

cfed0c63-6060-a1dd.jpg

V3

cfed0c63-6077-0b8b.jpg

 

Lume is way better, but still not superlume as promised:

V2

cfed0c63-60df-9d22.jpg

V3

cfed0c63-60f9-9e55.jpg

 

rubber gasket on v3 protrudes more than on v2 (not sure whats closer to gen)

V2

cfed0c63-6121-5d3d.jpg

V3

cfed0c63-617f-3330.jpg

 

"SWISS MADE" font is corrected, not as thick and heavy as V2

V2

cfed0c63-61db-ce4d.jpg

V3

cfed0c63-61f4-e45e.jpg

 

Cutouts in case for crown are rounded

V3 on the left, V2 on the right.

cfed0c63-621c-b5e5.jpg

 

Crystal sits higher on V3

V2 on the left, V3 on the right:

cfed0c63-6290-af34.jpg

 

Caseback profile is changed v3 on the right, has a smaller bevelled edge but thicker look, compare to V2 on the left.

cfed0c63-62d6-148a.jpg

 

Crownguards are thinner on V3 on the left, than on the V2 on the right.

cfed0c63-6353-6cd9.jpg

 

Bezel screws are sunken in:

V3

cfed0c63-6493-08a2.jpg

V2

cfed0c63-64aa-c46b.jpg

 

This sums it up so far. I am still waiting on the strap with buckle and links from Toro.

Here is a few more side by side shots.

cfed0c63-63f6-cbf1.jpg

cfed0c63-6404-3029.jpg

cfed0c63-6413-696e.jpg

cfed0c63-643b-3241.jpg

 

Hope some of you find it usefull/interesting.

Serge.

 

*Edit*

Also found this great writeup of V3 vs Gen diver, so you can compare/judge it furthermore.

http://www.rwg.bz/board/index.php?showtopic=29910

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Cyril_Clunge

Excellent comparison Serge, thank you.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
jeffw69

Thanks Serge! Now I really want a V3!!!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Serge D

And what version do you have now Jeff? :wink:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
jeffw69

V2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Del

Very good comparison! Finally, I now understand the differences between the v2 and v3! :clap:

 

Although, I'm still not trading up from my modded v2......;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Dendo

Seems H factory is coming out in a few months with a v4 but N factory made v1 v2 and v3, so this is H factory's v1. From all reports this V3 is so close to the rep it is almost indistinguishable.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Serge D
Thanks Serge! Now I really want a V3!!!!

Thought you had a v3. My V2 is unmodded, so its worth to upgrade now imo. Or just wait when v4 comes out and there will be a sweet spot in time when a few V3s will pop up at a very reasonable price, it is so close im just going to mod/service it and keep it. Doubt you can ever be called out with a superlumed and ared cyclops V3.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
seclark007

Great Job! I too will stick with my modded V2. :thumbsup2:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
gB.

Great info. Thanks for the write up.

 

:)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
baxter

Thanks Serge! Now I really want a V3!!!!

yep you've fucked it up for me as well !! Great review - thank you Serge.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
baxter

question guys - who is the best person to send my V2 to for modding ? or is it better to sell it and get a V3 ?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Serge D

In my case i have an unmodded V2 with sellita mvmt, an i picked up the swiss sellita V3 head and strap at a beyond reasonable price totalling in 308 alltogether.

About to put my unmodded V2 on sale.

So for me its better to invest in mods and have a modded v3 than v2 :-D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Serge D

Thanks Serge! Now I really want a V3!!!!

yep you've fucked it up for me as well !! Great review - thank you Serge.

Dont we all sometimes look for an excuse/reason to get a certain watch?

Youre welcome :wink:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Dendo

question guys - who is the best person to send my V2 to for modding ? or is it better to sell it and get a V3 ?

It would be cheaper and quicker to do the latter.

 

 

 

I would predict that the V4 might not be an improvement on the V3, it is probably one step forward and a couple backward - it is coming from a different factory after all - so it should really be X1 or something like that.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
baxter

Thanks Serge! Now I really want a V3!!!!

yep you've fucked it up for me as well !! Great review - thank you Serge.

Dont we all sometimes look for an excuse/reason to get a certain watch?

Youre welcome :wink:

 

Lol yes indeed Serge :)

question guys - who is the best person to send my V2 to for modding ? or is it better to sell it and get a V3 ?

It would be cheaper and quicker to do the latter.

 

 

 

I would predict that the V4 might not be an improvement on the V3, it is probably one step forward and a couple backward - it is coming from a different factory after all - so it should really be X1 or something like that.

 

cheers Dendo - My thoughts confirmed. Any idea when the V4 is due, i hadn't even heard there was one on it's way.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
jeffw69

It's not really a V4.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Serge D

A V1 from H. But V4 is already godfathered...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Dendo

It's not really a V4.

I agree

 

It is crazy for one factory to be claiming an incremented version of another factory's watch.

 

@baxter - they say in a few months (Josh says August - it supposedly has better lume and inner bezel (rehaut?)).

 

But to reiterate - the V3 is probably going to be better and this new one is a marketing ploy by another factory.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
mianos

Somewhat like the Hublot Diver. V3 is not better than V2, just different. In some details it is better in some worse. There are still good reasons to choose V2 over V3 and some not to.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
UmpaHimself

Very nice comparison. So informative. What's weird to me is seeing older version reps of any brand/model selling for $20-$30 less than the latest versions. Do our older reps really hold value like that?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
alex.cpa

I want to provide serge with my vacuumed Swiss V2 and ask him to update the thread with V2 vs V2 Mod vs V3 shots.

 

this would end the "what diver i should get" debate for many but surely will reignite the current one for others.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Kaiser
Somewhat like the Hublot Diver. V3 is not better than V2, just different. In some details it is better in some worse. There are still good reasons to choose V2 over V3 and some not to.

 

:huh:

 

In what details is the V3 worse than the V2? All the differences shown by Serge are details showing the V3 being closer to gen than the V2. Even the blue cyclops AR on the V3 is arguably closer to gen than no cyclops AR on the V2. What good reasons would there be to choose a V2 over a V3 apart from price?

 

BTW, great review Serge :thumbsup:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
KeNnY

Love the V3 one day I will get that super rep :) thanks for the review

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
GreenHornet

There's a lengthy thread over on RepGeek debating the V4 diver. Worth a read.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×