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PolonusTM

v6/KW Tudor Pelagos review

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PolonusTM

When Joshua asked me “I have KW version of Pelagos, no need to wait for ZF version - do You want it?” - I simply agreed to this offer.

 

When considering all these behind the scenes wars between makers and dealers - I am taking everything with a grain of salt now. Last such war for PAM 441 with supposed two makers: V6 and Kuvarsit (KW) ended with confirmed fact it was the same watch.

 

With this watch I am not so sure, that the ZF’s version offered by Pure Time is the same like KW’s version - there are some small differences but overall - looks like these two version share most of parts.

 

The gen Pelagos was introduced in Basel 2012 along with Black Bay but was not available as a rep until now. The whole watch is executed in titanium which makes it paper like weight. You simply forget You have it on your wrist. Some people will like it for sure. I got the watch together with ceramic PAM 438 which appears now as bulky heavy watch when comparing to Pelagos.

 

THE CASE SET:

 

Rep Pelagos is executed in titanium, too. Maybe it is a proof the case work is indeed from KW since:

- the inner edges of lugs are not sharp (as they used to be on ZF’s Black Bay) and the sharpness is not removed by single sanding strokes as in ZF’s version. They’re just not sharp and gives pleasant feel when touched.

- the crown guards ends are sharp as per gen (on ZF’s version as presented on Pure Time’s site they’re rounded)

 

All the rest of case shapes are done perfectly when comparing with photos of gen. Crown has well defined shield logo on the top and screws down nicely with visible o-ring on threaded tube.

 

Brushed titanium is my favorite - it is so easy to rebrush it with conventional kitchen scotch-brite sponge.

 

BEZEL:

- nice solid clicks, 60 of them. Unidirectional.

- minimal play when rotating but “wants” to stay in correct position

- minimal play when pushing bezel from left to right, as if the bezel has a fraction of mm too wide hole for sapphire…

- bezel ceramic insert fills the bezel perfectly

- lume application on bezel is perfect in shape BUT is not flat when you observe it closely. On all gen photos it was rather flat - here it is hefty amount luminous paint (probably with some reinforcing resin) printed on bezel’s surface. Hard to observe but evidently not flat.

 

SAPPHIRE:

- flat, with nice polished edge

- AR looks like weak double AR; it is quite easy to get annoying reflection of light since it is flat. I saw many movies with gen Pelagos and it seems the same easy to get that frontal reflection so maybe we have to live with this flat sapphire….

 

DIAL and HANDS:

- dial has all these lumed indexes glued on by hand. That’s where QC is crucial. There are “little bays” where indexes are applied and they can be “dancing” where not enough QC was forces. I was worried about this since on one of Pure Time’s photos they were dancing ;)

 

From Pure Time’s photos:

TUD2014110601-02_enl_zps1e98ad6e.jpg

 

When I get this watch - the QC concerning the precision of how lumed indexes where glued on dial’s surface was much better. Not perfect but no such flops like indexes on 11,12 and 1… so PAY ATTENTION to this on your QC photos.

 

Two-dimensional dial surface looks perfect as per gen, even with that “graphite like grain” in the center. Perfect printings on dial.

 

Date window has correct bevels. Anyway, the date wheel seems to be fraction of mm sunken on both KW and ZF Pelagos when comparing to gen photos and movies. Nothing alarming anyway. Sometimes I think I can see difference, sometimes not. Nitpicking ;)

 

Nicely executed hands. Lume application on both hands and dial is a bit bulky but as per gen (it is not flat on a gen). Nice blue luminova everywhere.

 

IMG_0542_zpsed928c10.jpg

 

HE VALVE:

- looks acceptable, maybe text engravings are less pronounced when comparing to gen

- wonder if it works or just pure decoration

 

BRACELET:

- looks exactly like on ZF’s photos, so both watches probably share the same bracelet factory ;)

- works OK, even quite complicated clasp construction was replicated correct way.

- clasp has two working modes - solid 3 position and free expand mode. The latter uses two quite strong springs to control the force of expansion. I like the way it works, ingenious idea by Tudor and great replication by bracelet maker.

- perfect SEL fitment

- I did not have to tighten any screws

 

RUBBER STRAP:

- no smell at all!

- soft rubber

- strap has metal tubes incorporated to hold lug bars

- brushed stainless steel buckle (most GEN reviews address the material of this buckle as titanium but not all)

- to attach the rubber to a watch You need to use solid end links (SEL) taken from bracelet

- additional expansion strap (with brushed stainless steel buckle, too)

 

MOVEMENT:

- Asian nickel plated 2824 ETA clone, 28k, automatic, no jerky seconds hand :)

- nothing smart to say - works like +2secs/day OTB, we will see how it will perform later, great so far

 

OVERALL CONCLUSION:

- this is one impressive watch! Both as replication and as a watch per se. Get it regardless the maker.

- when comparing photos, no reason to wait for ZF version, I suppose. Maybe ZF will have better (more flat) lume application on bezel but, on the other hand - annoying rounded CG edges.

 

Now, to the photos:

 

IMG_0543_zps567791d0.jpg

IMG_0544_zps93c15094.jpg

IMG_0545_zps354e8f32.jpg

IMG_0546_zps2d520d90.jpg

IMG_0547_zps6a88ca6d.jpg

IMG_0548_zpsa1d36b20.jpg

IMG_0549_zpsd90b1d40.jpg

IMG_0550_zpsfef9e357.jpg

IMG_0551_zps915015de.jpg

IMG_0552_zps4d3f0b71.jpg

IMG_0553_zpsc501e288.jpg

IMG_0554_zpsd4d07c53.jpg

IMG_0555_zpsad946ac4.jpg

IMG_0556_zps7987815c.jpg

IMG_0557_zps908b1e1f.jpg

IMG_0558_zpsf7d0457b.jpg

IMG_0559_zps5a9a914c.jpg

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ShovelnTC

Great review and pics, thanks for going to the trouble, I've been trying to resist more purchases but I love a light watch and love my BB's so may have to relent.

 

Ooops just realized it costs over my Rep budget ceiling, a beautiful Rep though!

 

Cheers,

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Daywatch

Great and ultra-fast review job. Thanks for bringing us this. It looks fine indeed. Congrats on the new stunner!

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Kemist

Great review and beautiful watch. Wear it well.

Can we have a Looom shot please :D

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digger2

Interesting, thank you very much!

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Kwt

Nice review man - great write up.

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Paparolf

Great pics of a great watch congrats

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replicastuff

Very nice, thanks for the review.

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TheSav

Great review and awesome pics! I wasn't a huge fan of the pelagos but your pics could convince me otherwise.

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PolonusTM

wristshoot:

IMG_0560_zpsdee0df70.jpg

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baxter

thanks for the review .... looks like this one was worth waiting for !!

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HeavyKrush

Fantastic review. Had no idea the indexes alignment was such an issue with this watch. Thanks much.

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Not That Rich

Thanks for the great review and pics, next on my list to buy

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MetalMickey

Thanks for those it looks great. Will keep me going till mine arrives next week

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Icemix69

Great review, im still trying to "bond" with mine

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yctwatch

Ouch, ouch, that's my wallet moaning. Been trying to resist the Pelagos rep, but a post like yours with pics like that... man, this should come with a warning.

 

 

:)

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Lt. Dan

nice review

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nunu78

thanks for the nice review.

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fatehbajwa

Awesome....I'm new to the rep game. Bowled over by this review and pictures.

Could someone please guide me about the two makers mentioned....KW and ZF.

If I can find a replacement of the quality seen in these pics, it's a no brainer for me.

Thanks.

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Pinnicca

Thanks for the pictures! I know this thread is pretty old but it looks like the lume is very sloppy on the bezel, how bad does it look in person. I'm looking through some of our TD and it looks like most of them have this issue. Any insight would be great, or if anyone knows of a version that doesn't have this issue I would appreciate the help!

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NCRich

LOL, which part of that is sloppy? You realize that is a macro photo?

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BadApple

I'm not usually picky but the pictures seem to have some text missing off the watch.

 

23sb5o8.png

 

2qcghu8.png

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NCRich

????

 

What are you talking about? That is a different version of the gen.

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BadApple

top piccy isn't

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splke

It is the earlier gen version had less text (much cleaner imo)

for what its worth on mine the applied bezel lume looks good, not sure under a macro but ffs I bet the gen would be all over the shop under a macro lens!

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