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Explorer I 214270 - Who has the best ARF, BP or JF?

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northantsrich

Explorer I 214270 - Who has the best ARF, BP or JF?

Has anyone got any of the new Explorer I reps, the last one I had was a good few years ago and was frankly  terrible.  From my understanding  looking at a recent thread on RWI it seems the BP and ARF are getting close to super rep status.

ROLEXP1020 - Explorer 1 Ref.214270 904L SS/SS Blk BP Asia 3132

ROLEXP1011 - Explorer 1 214270 SS/SS Black JF Mod. SA3132

ROLEXP1017 - Explorer 1 Ref.214270 SS/SS Black ARF Asia 3132

If any of the above are now at super rep status then I think I have just decided on my next rep.

Look forward to your thoughts guys.

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GingerApple

I've got the ARF. I think next door the consensus was that the BP was better value for money (from memory, could be wrong), but I can't see a single thing wrong with mine, I love it. A few randoms:

V854RA.jpg

V8lgeo.jpg

V8lke6.jpg

BZky6.jpg

BZ08q.jpg

 

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Khronos

I have a JF V2 with the correct EXPLORER text spacing and it's absolutely amazing:

IMG-20190713-183547.jpg

I got my ex coworker the ARF version, which is basically JF, only in 904L steel. They were exactly the same in every light condition imaginable. Actually his was worse, because it had poor SEL fitment. I had mine cleaned and oiled and it feels exactly like gen. I'm yet to experience a good quality BP watch, every single one I had so far was inferior to any other factory product. 

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Jasonbaylee
I've got the ARF. I think next door the consensus was that the BP was better value for money (from memory, could be wrong), but I can't see a single thing wrong with mine, I love it. A few randoms:
V854RA.jpg
 


Yeah mate I remember that too!
BO has the best bang for bucks! I would go for BP except for 116500, it will be ARF.

Nice shots


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StarsSuck
I've got the ARF. I think next door the consensus was that the BP was better value for money (from memory, could be wrong), but I can't see a single thing wrong with mine, I love it. A few randoms:
V854RA.jpg
V8lgeo.jpg
V8lke6.jpg
BZky6.jpg
BZ08q.jpg
 
That's really nicely done!

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Pierre Sec

I think i need one too. Are these also available with 2824 movements? Or is there a good reason to go for a clone movement?

Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-G960F met Tapatalk

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Jasonbaylee

Freckled, can share what u got that blue strap pls?

I’m toying in mind to get this watch n do a swap to have a 114300 dial on it.

I do not like a 39mm. Anyone share my thought?


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Jasonbaylee

Thank you mate!


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northantsrich

Thanks guys. I think the ARF with extra care of SEL fit in QC it is.  

I see over on RWI they have said its almost a super rep. Its such a simple watch I am surprised its taken this long to make a decent copy. 

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Mak52580

I've been close to pulling the trigger on one of these too, but also had a hard time determining the manufacturer.  To one's point above, is there any advantage of a 3134 over a 2823?  

I'm also not sure if the 904L is worth the extra money.  People seem to have different opinions on it.

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ciaoman21
On 7/16/2019 at 5:50 PM, Mak52580 said:

I've been close to pulling the trigger on one of these too, but also had a hard time determining the manufacturer.  To one's point above, is there any advantage of a 3134 over a 2823?  

I'm also not sure if the 904L is worth the extra money.  People seem to have different opinions on it.

the SH 3132 is not safe, if something does not work, you have no parts to replace it! if you choose the ETA clone movement, you can change everything!

the 904L is harder and brighter but it's more expensive than the 316F, if you can buy it!

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Glaude
11 hours ago, ciaoman21 said:

the SH 3132 is not safe, if something does not work, you have no parts to replace it! if you choose the ETA clone movement, you can change everything!

the 904L is harder and brighter but it's more expensive than the 316F, if you can buy it!

904L is not harder nor brighter, it's just a gimmick, not worth paying for the metal, the only exception being that ARF seem to take good care of their finish on their alleged 904L version

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Jasonbaylee

Glaude thx for that valuable Input!


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Automotiveromance

904L is actually a little softer than 316L. Rolex use 904L for it’s added corrosion resistance and ease of finishing (it polishes a little easier, because it’s softer). It’s not some indestructible super alloy.  

Like the Camembert gobbler said, visually there’s no difference. 

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ciaoman21
6 hours ago, Glaude said:

La 904L n’est ni plus dure ni plus brillante, c’est juste un gadget qui ne vaut pas la peine de payer pour le métal, à la seule exception que ARF semble bien prendre soin de sa finition sur sa prétendue version 904L

I read a very interesting article about RWI!

https://forum.replica-watch.info/forum/replica-watch-general-discussion/81091-ss-316l-vs-316f-vs-904l-the-final-verdict-a-technical-study

I had read that it was more harder which is a fact (in absolute terms)!

The color is slightly different, little yellow ... subjective maybe (different chemical composition)

a RWI person took 2 watches and tried to scratch one on the other, a 904L and a 316F.

The 904l has scratched the 316F because harder!
it is the resistance of the materials ...

shine, it's certainly more subjective!
can everything depend on everyone's eye?

Edited by ciaoman21

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Glaude
5 hours ago, ciaoman21 said:

I read a very interesting article about RWI!

https://forum.replica-watch.info/forum/replica-watch-general-discussion/81091-ss-316l-vs-316f-vs-904l-the-final-verdict-a-technical-study

I had read that it was more harder which is a fact (in absolute terms)!

The color is slightly different, little yellow ... subjective maybe (different chemical composition)

a RWI person took 2 watches and tried to scratch one on the other, a 904L and a 316F.

The 904l has scratched the 316F because harder!
it is the resistance of the materials ...

shine, it's certainly more subjective!
can everything depend on everyone's eye?

Except it's not as absolute as the article mention : it can be harder, but it's generally on par with 316F because it's not the hardness of the material that make it interesting but rather his corrosion resistance. It was not designed to be harder. This topic has been well covered already

This is a fact https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=1022 & https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=2382 check out the hardness and be surprised ;) 

Everything else is just trivial testing without any control nor data, don't rely on that, you don't know the grade of the 904L nor 316L, you can scratch 316L with another 316L if one is harder than the other, all 316L or 904L are not exactly the same. Google is your friend on the subject as it's not related to watches here.

Shine will depend way more of the way the material is finished rather than the material itself when it come to those steels

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ciaoman21
6 minutes ago, Glaude said:

Sauf que ce n'est pas aussi absolu que l'article le mentionne: cela peut être plus dur, mais c'est généralement à égalité avec 316F car ce n'est pas la dureté du matériau qui le rend intéressant, mais plutôt sa résistance à la corrosion. Il n'a pas été conçu pour être plus difficile. Ce sujet a déjà été bien couvert

C’est un fait https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=1022  &  https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=2382  vérifiez la dureté et soyez surpris;) 

Tout le reste n’est que des tests triviaux sans contrôle ni données, ne vous fiez pas à cela, vous ne connaissez pas la qualité des 904L et 316L, vous pouvez gratter 316L avec un autre 316L si l’un est plus dur que l’autre, tous les modèles 316L ou 904L ne sont pas exactement les mêmes. Google est votre ami sur le sujet car ce n'est pas lié aux montres ici.

La brillance dépendra beaucoup plus de la façon dont le matériau est fini que du matériau lui-même lorsqu'il s'agit de ces aciers

Thank you so much for all these sources of information.

I do not know what to think, I want to buy a SUBMARINER 116610LN, but I read so much about it, that I do not know if I have to take that of Mary (IR, ex VRF), or Kevin (FF), or then an ARF or even a VRF max ..

In short the only point where I almost decided is the option of ETA like 2836 movement type but it seems that the NOOB V9 SA3135 have updated the movement with an improvement in reliability!

I am lost .... lol

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Glaude
1 minute ago, ciaoman21 said:

to take that of Mary (IR, ex VRF), or Kevin (FF), or then an ARF or even a VRF max ..

Trusted Dealers don't make watches.

Golden rule here is to choose your dealer, then pick the watch you want, they can pretty much all get the same stuff ;) 

Read the new members posts, it'll help you

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deju

@TheFreckledTampon Forget the best version. Shave your arm or something you cant see your watch :lol:

baby-orangutan-playing-zurich-zoo.jpg

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ciaoman21
17 minutes ago, Glaude said:

Trusted Dealers don't make watches.

Golden rule here is to choose your dealer, then pick the watch you want, they can pretty much all get the same stuff ;) 

Read the new members posts, it'll help you

I know that dealers don't make watches, they just sell it... they haven't got stock... that's why QC arrive after payment 

I wanted to say:

Mary propose to sell IR watch to great price, Kevin propose to sell FF à good price too... what's the best value versus ARF and other known brands.

for me i look many picture, and it's a difficult choice ! 

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Rokerite

Mate nobody is going to tell which watch to buy, read up and see which one you think is better yourself :D

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deju
3 hours ago, ciaoman21 said:

Mary propose to sell IR watch to great price

I don't know about the sub but the IR Datejust is far from perfect. Wrong bezel shape, crystall is wrong and datewheel font looks off. I'd advise going through the images very closely with that factory.  

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Gangan
On 13/07/2019 at 16:58, TheFreckledTampon said:

I've got the ARF. I think next door the consensus was that the BP was better value for money (from memory, could be wrong), but I can't see a single thing wrong with mine, I love it. A few randoms:

V854RA.jpg

V8lgeo.jpg

V8lke6.jpg

BZky6.jpg

BZ08q.jpg

 

As you have responded to my posts about the Explorer I've ordered, I came across your post and would comment about the face.  I have ordered a BP factory one as I picked up a comment in the forum about BP being the only one with the correct font.  All the others (many costing more) have the rounded number 3 like yours while the 3 on the original is squarer.  Check out pics of the original and the difference is clear.  Your still looks stunning though.  The blue strap looks really good.  Can you recall where you got it?  Might have to have one of those!

Thanks again for your helpful responses to my posts.

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GingerApple
1 hour ago, Gangan said:

As you have responded to my posts about the Explorer I've ordered, I came across your post and would comment about the face.  I have ordered a BP factory one as I picked up a comment in the forum about BP being the only one with the correct font.  All the others (many costing more) have the rounded number 3 like yours while the 3 on the original is squarer.  Check out pics of the original and the difference is clear.  Your still looks stunning though.  The blue strap looks really good.  Can you recall where you got it?  Might have to have one of those!

Thanks again for your helpful responses to my posts.

Indeed, the 3 is known to be a weakness on my model, but I'm a bit of an ARF fanboy so tend to choose ARF over other factories if the watches are much of a muchness - which for me on this occasion, they are. Even the 'super reps' are likely to have flaws, it's about picking the ones you can live with and for the Explorer, I preferred the ARF bracelet and hands over the slightly different 3 (which if I'm honest, I can barely see in macro shots, let alone on the wrist).

The strap was from Watchbandit here (though in a sale):

https://watchbandit.com/product/canvas-strap-blue-wb-original/

Thanks for the comments :thumbsup2:

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