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Tigerdragon

AP 15202 JF vs. DC Factory vs. Old Quartz vs. JF 15400 V2 - Review (HQ Photos inside)

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Tigerdragon

Introduction:

First of all thank you to @KSwatches who make this review possible :D without him this review wouldn't be possible.

It all started with his US Stock of the JF 15202. I wanted to purchase the watch but the watch got damaged during transport to UK (see his post in the forum) after some E-Mail exchange (trust me he is a great guy). He ask his supplier if he could get a new one for me (because he wanted to see a review too and supported me in that way) his supplier said he did not had any stock because only the "big" guys got stock and the release of the 15202 is very limited. Ok, i thought "thats it" (it was short after Christmas) but then i got an E-Mail from @KSwatches that his supplier got one and if i really want it (ofcourse i paid for it) because even he said the printing is shitty which is great for a guy who sells watches (very honest i like that) i agreed and bought it just for this review here and to see it compared to my two quartz versions. Then his supplier said the movement had an defect and the datechange is not working he need to exchange it with the factory (me and my luck :D ), so after that he got another one this one works now (was send short before CNY) arrived in UK he tested the watch and send it to my location here in Germany.

I can really recommend him he is a great guy and has an awesome customer service :)

Shot with an Xiaomi Mi A1.

The Dial:

The tapseries look good but the printing not so much its just not looking good also the AP logo is slightly crooked/slendered (but atleast its aligned, the two issues you can only spot with hires photos because on the wrist you don't spot them at all). Under electric light the dial looks better the blue is more blue/richer under normal daylight it looks dull and grey (sadly) the gen looks way more blue under normal daylight.

dialiljxl.jpgdial-1dukvb.jpgdial-2bmjqs.jpgdial-3rfjew.jpgdial-4d1kn9.jpgdial-5jvkp1.jpgdial-6m7jdv.jpgdial-79rjrc.jpgdial-913k5j.jpgdial-10rxkz1.jpgdial-113tkh4.jpgdial-12tokd7.jpgdial-1356j7o.jpgdial-14itjwb.jpgdial-15lnkgw.jpgdial-16rlk6f.jpglowlight5rkti.jpg

Video:

The Case:

The case is beautiful and looks gen like its 9.6 mm high so its 1.5 more than the gen buts its not noticable on the wrist but there is a tiny brushing error which is not good if you consider the 488 dollar price tag.

casewyjxx.jpground3ejmj.jpground-10vj3t.jpground-29bjgn.jpground-3fjj94.jpg

Video:

The Movement:

The case backside has a decorated miyota 9015 movement, they fixxed the spelling error but still need to improve it the color is totally wrong and also the AP logo itself is wrong also on my unit are scratches and mud (it's a replica but still a point to write down). It's a miyota 9015 movement with 28800 bps it runs very well but its noisy (like always).

movementunddekothkbg.jpgmovementunddeko-1yqknm.jpgmovementunddeko-376khf.jpgmovementunddeko-6eikk5.jpgmovementunddeko-7d7jew.jpg

Video:
[video]https://youtu.be/Y3B9SVndXn0[/video]

The Crown:

Looks spot on to me (not an expert on the crown not really caring that much)

crown-19fksl.jpgcrownidjlz.png

The Bracelet:

It's beautiful! It's thinner than the 15400 (same on gen) screws are the same like on 15400 with pins inside. Also the connections between the links are more outside like on gen (quartz version has the wrong layout) but JF fucked up the QC pretty much because they are some brushing errors (only minor ones), that should not happen on a 488 dollar watch. Also the innerside of the links are not polished anymore its brushed (same on never gens) the older gens had it polished (same with the 15400 versions).

brushingzwjk4.jpgbrushing-1n1jwb.jpgbrushing-2cbkjr.jpg

Video:

 

The Clasp:

Very good! I like it and it looks spot on.

claspm8kee.jpg

Lumeshot (also 15400 V2 included):

lumeshot15202vs.jf154zajxd.jpglumeshot7lk81.jpg

Video

 

JF 15202 vs. DC Factory Quartz Version (with automatic writing):

Personally the difference is night and day, the case and bracelet of the JF version is far better than the quartz versions BUT the dial of the new Quartz version has a slightly better print but a terrible AP logo and the color is not gen like (seems like they replicated the new platinum 15202 because the color comes very close to this one). The problem is the bracelet of the new DC Factory quartz version is so bad that (atleast on my unit) i can't wear it. It cuts in my arm and literally falling apart from time to time (screws are falling out lol) so i realy can't say that you should by the quartz version because the bracelet and the case itself is terrible (yeah its super thin but not gen like).
So at the moment i would say buy the JF 15202 and mod the dial or don't buy it and wait, i can't recommend the quartz version the QC issues are way to high on that model. The JF case is bigger in height but has a smaller overall dimension and the bracelet is tooo short its not going around my wrist actually also the QC issues of JF getting worse.

jf15202vs.newquartz8rj3t.jpgjf15202vs.newquartz-13ujtp.jpgjf15202vs.newquartz-29ckdb.jpgjf15202vs.newquartz-3ybkwi.jpgjf15202vs.newquartz-4vjksc.jpgjf15202vs.newquartz-56tjz0.jpg

Video:

 

JF 15202 vs. JF 15400 V2:

The blue of the JF V2 just blows away the blue of the 15202 there is much more dynamic going on and the JF 15202 dial looks dull and greyish under daylight.

jf15202vs.jf15400v2k4jb4.jpgjf15202vs.jf15400v2-1cwkfo.jpgjf15202vs.jf15400v2-286koe.jpgjf15202vs.jf15400v2-3rekzy.jpgjf15202vs.jf15400v2-4xnj3z.jpgjf15202vs.jf15400v2-5czkf4.jpg

Video:

 

JF 15202 vs. old quartz version (without automatic and not available anymore)

The old quartz has a better bracelet but bezel is wrong (like on the DC version) AND the dial looks terrible, the printing is good but thats it everything else is wrong but i like it as a daily beater.

Video:

 

Thickness Comparison:

The Quartz versions are unbeatable and gen like but the JF 15202 is also not bad.

Measurements:
DC Factory  :   8.0 mm
Old Quartz  :   8.1 mm
JF 15202    :   9.6 mm
JF 15400 V2 : 10.02 mm

DC Factory Quartz Version vs. JF 15202

height15202jfvs.newqutqji6.jpg

Old Quartz Version vs. DC Factory Quartz Version vs. JF 15202 vs. JF 15400 V2 (backside)

height1tskj6.jpg

Video:

 

DC Factory vs. Old Quartz vs. JF 15202 vs. JF 15400 V2 (front/crown side sorry fucked up the order of the watch :D )

heightcrown118jbh.jpg

Video:

Weight:

Surprise Surprise the JF 15202 is the lightest! Unbelievable! The JF is the biggest (with the same movement!)

Measurements:
DC Factory  : 142 Grams (removed one link)
Old Quartz  : 147 Grams (removed one link)
JF 15202    : 136 Grams (added one link)
JF 15400 V2 : 174 Grams (removed one link)

gesamtenkic.jpg

Verdict:

Pros:
- case
- bezel
- brushing itself (more gen like)
- bracelet
- height

Cons/Flaws:
- dial print (its a shame)
- height (still not like gen)
- slendered/crooked/misaligned AP logo (sadly very common like on the 15400)

ap2018121501-02tnjer.jpg

- incorrect brushing on some units

royal20oak2039mm20152s9ji7.jpg

- rotor with scratches and dust/fingerprints(common issue on the 15400 aswell)
- not working movements (date change issue)
- noisy rotor
- bracelet to short

I'm a little bit unsure, the quality itself is great but the dial is really not that good under electic light it looks pretty but under normal daylight its just not good for the price tag. The price is ridiclious :D Sorry to say that but wtf is going on, the 15400 costs 100 dollar less and has more material (because its bigger). Not good from the factories/dealers also the QC from JF gets worse over the years the JF 15400 V2 had some issues but it looks like they don't give a fuck anymore and they are at a price point which these "mistakes" normally should not happen.

The watch is NOT waterproof and its hard to pull the crown out because the crown is tiny.

 

Edited by Tigerdragon

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Glaude

:clap:

That was a very enjoyable read and a great comparative review ! 

The colour of the DC is nice to me but the JF 15202 is really, really dark on your picture, if it's like that on the wrist it's closer to a black version than a blue !

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Tigerdragon

Sadly yes its almost grey/black i first thought its maybe the weather but look at the JF V2 blue its like really popping out against the 15202 :D

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semperfi55

Brilliant review sir! I particularly appreciate the side by side review of the quartz versions with the JF. Potential buyers have no excuses now :D 

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Tigerdragon

:)

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Tigerdragon

Thickness and weight added (also in the first post).

Measurements:
DC Factory : 8.0 mm
Old Quartz : 8.1 mm
JF 15202 : 9.6 mm
JF 15400 V2 : 10.02 mm

Measurements:
DC Factory : 142 Grams (removed one link)
Old Quartz : 147 Grams (removed one link)
JF 15202 : 136 Grams (added one link)
JF 15400 V2 : 174 Grams (removed one link)

gesamtenkic.jpg

Edited by Tigerdragon

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Glaude

That's a nice addition to this already very good review ! :thumbsup2:

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Tigerdragon

:)

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porschespeedster

Best version = watchband from old quartz, dial + watch head from new quartz +AP dial logo badge from some other auto version?

Its a shame we can't get a 'factory' to make and lume up some AP dial logos...would be a cool/cheap upgrade.

 

 

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Tigerdragon

No in terms of quality JF is miles ahead (they have issues too but they are not so crappy like the other versions)

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