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thermalboyz

IWC Pilot watch 3777-04 - GEN vs V6 vs ZF Comparison

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thermalboyz

IWC Pilot watch 3777-04 - GEN vs V6 vs ZF Comparison

Following comparison are credited to author from Lingmuwatch . IWC Pilot 3777-04 need no introduction as a popular pilot watch among pilot enthusiast. Also with famous ETA 7750 movement in place is a bonus too if anyone wanted to swap to an ETA.
 
Lets get start for the comparison between GEN vs V6 vs ZF
 
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Dimension: 43 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Bezel: Polished 316L stainless steel
Watchcase: 1:1 Solid 316L stainless steel case with anti-magnetic soft-iron inner case
Dial: Superlumed dial and hands (lumed with genuine Super-LumiNova C1)
Strap: High Quality 316L Stainless Steel bracelet
Crystal: Sapphire Crystal Glass with Double AR Coated (Swiss Standard)
Back Case: Solid Caseback with Detail Engraving
Movement: Swiss ETA 7750 automatic chronograph movement at 28800 vph with working regulator
Function: Hours, Minutes, Sub-Seconds, Day & Date Display
Other Feature: Water Resistance 10ATM (SEE GUIDANCE BELOW)
 
 
General Impression
 
In general, both factories did a great job on this 3777-04 model. It looks very similar in terms of Case, Dial, AR, print, sub-dial etc.
 
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Dial :
 
As you can see the blue tint on the crystal is an AR coating which same as GEN. The dial and sub-dial are in black colour.
 
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Sub-dial :
 
Concentric circle present on V6 and ZF, the number on sub-dial in GEN looks thinner than the REP. Number and Index printed are quite good in general.
 
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Hands :
 
Sec and Min hands on V6 and ZF has bent inwards like the GEN. V6 triangle @ 12 looks stands out more than the GEN. otherwise, both factories did a great job on Hands.
 
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Date :
 
From the Font point of view, it's really spot on of the Days and Date. However, in the picture below the Number "1" especially is NOT the same to GEN. Date frame window V6 looks closer to GEN as it has a deeper cut than ZF.

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LOGO/Fonts & Sub-dial :
 
Sec @ 9 colours is the same but Font on both factories looks a bit bolder than the GEN. In general, the GEN sub-dial print is more fine and details.
 
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Case :
 
Case thickness on both V6 and ZF are slightly thicker than the GEN. Brushing on GEN is finer and better looking.
 
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Crown / Pushers :
 
Ignore the blue sticker on both REP as they are for protection purposes for scratches and can be taken off. In general, pushers looks very similar to GEN. Crown wise V6 looks closer to GEN but still not as fine as GEN in details. ZF crown looks very poorly engraved as some of the logo/ words not stand out like the GEN.
 
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Back Case :
 
GEN engraving on the back case as always very fine and deep. V6 is Deep but not fine enough and ZF is not deep and too fine in fonts (especially spacing between words). Inside of the casing, V6 has 3 screws fixed to the mid-case but ZF only has one, which means V6 is better holding the movement to the case than ZF. Inner case details for the GEN is not available and risky to scratches. Movement pretty much same as both factory uses A7750 and GEN used ETA / VX 7750 so no need to compare.
 
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Bracelet :
 
Bracelet brush of both factories are quite nicely made and very similar to GEN. The only tell on the bracelet is the "IWC" on the clasp, GEN is deep and fine and both factories are not to that standard.
 
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TIPS:
 
Little tips of how to remove the bracelet.
 
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TIPs on using 7750.
1) Between 8 pm - 3 am, do not adjust Date and Day.
2) Don't often use the Chrono function (If not an ETA) and use it properly. Start > Stop > Reset.
3) When adjusting Day/ Date or Hour/min, pull crown to the correct position gently.
 
 
SUMMARY :  
 
As a summary, I think both factories has its plus and minus. Both factories did a great job on this Pilot Model 3777 and it's a 7750 movement so it is easily replaceable / swap to ETA. Well, swapping still not that simple as need a watch smith to fit the sec hand which is a 0.05mm difference.

Edited by thermalboyz

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Sakurai

Thoroughly enjoyable reading, thank you for posting! I have the new 3777 from ZF (only one date visible and cleaner dial without the min numbers on the perimeter) and absolutely love it. Really great reps of a fantastic gen.

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JSJ

Thank you very much for posting this. Very interesting.

 

If I may add a couple of points.

 

The tubes on the centre of the subdial hands are silver colour on the gen and brass on the reps. This is not easily visible in the pics here.

 

The bracelets are variable although all are at the higher end of rep bracelets. Some are very close to gen.

 

The end links fit better on some watches than others. The push clips which allow removal of the links are also very poor in a few rep examples. The IWC engraving on the rep clasps varies too. Some are much better engraved and nearer to gen.

 

The rep 7750 movements are variable. Some have dummy fine regulators, even nowadays and even when sold as having a 'functional regulator'. It's pot luck.

 

The rep caseback engravings can feel very sharp-edged. I find a few minutes rubbing with a Cape Cod cloth completely fixes that and gives a smooth and gen-like feel.

 

Hope these rather OCD points help other IWC nuts.

 

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thermalboyz

@jsj thanks for your points. OCD is good sometimes it shows that you are attentive and pays attention to details.

 

Sent from my pigeon

 

 

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AustinTech

Thanks.

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AustinTech

Does anyone know if this bracelet fits the gen?

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Moondustesp

Great read. Love these comparisons

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FunnyStarSystem

Does anyone know if this bracelet fits the gen?

 

It would be quite a bargain if it did since they are such great quality. I was happily surprised by the bracelet when I got my Spitfire. But as JSJ said above, your mileage may vary.

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Samtrigg

What a read. Loved it

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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