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AP 44mm Panda: short review


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OK I just received this today. I bought this off Kingwatch. Connie of Kingwatch has been my regular dealer for the past 3 years, and she has never let me down.

 

If you are the impatient sort, the short verdict is: yes, its very well-made, and you can buy it if its your kind of watch

 

The watch feels like a solid, premium quality watch and the dial looks very detailed and accurate.

The dial color is hard to capture, but it is not white, but rather a soft shimmery silver, which can vary in shine depending on lighting and angle.

The black subdials and red subdial hands contrast nicely with the main dial, giving it its apposite nickname, the "Panda".

 

The dial 5min markers, and the ring markers are done accurately. Slight variance in the tachy ring fonts to gen, but hey, who is going to notice those when its on the wrist? Another minor tell is, again, the date window position. In the gen, it is slightly to the left, and the 3 o'clock marker would extend just a wee bit more to the edge of the date window. In the rep, it is slightly to the right. Again, not a major tell for me too, but it is there. 

 

AR seems to be single AR, but good enough for me.

 

The case is well finished. From the polished black ceramic bezel and chrono pushers, to the sandblasted pusher guards, to the crown and brushed steel casing. The craftsmanship is definitely finer than the previous generation ROO reps. 

 

Caseback: Ugly as a dead coyote strung on a signboard after 40 days. The A7750 movement, the blue screws and the see-through caseback just do not go together. A decorated movement plate would be nice. This is the main weak point of the rep the way I see it. 

 

Strap: Its comes on a rubber strap. Not bad in quality to be honest, but can be improved. Buckle finishing is reasonable.

 

In conclusion, if the AP ROO is your thing, and you are deciding which version of the new 44mm ROOs to buy, you cannot miss this one. My forged carbon ROO order was cancelled after I noticed the dial flaws, and I ordered this one instead. The gold one could be next on the list, but this was a must-have for me.

 

Thank you for looking!

 

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I woke up this morning and I watched my phone and I saw a message from you with "AP ROO 26400". That's a good way to start the day! But also an expensive way to wake up because now I want this watch :p

Thank you mate for this review! It's a stunning watch wear her in good health 
 

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More pictures please- don't suppose you'd trade it for my place in the forged carbon never-never- queue :-D

Lol I think I was one of the earliest who pre-ordered the FC 44mm.. but like I mentioned, I cancelled the order after noting certain dial flaws.

And its those types of flaws that draw the eye once you see them. ;)

The Panda is not perfect either, none of the ROO reps are. But I could at least live with the flaws in this one. 

I woke up this morning and I watched my phone and I saw a message from you with "AP ROO 26400". That's a good way to start the day! But also an expensive way to wake up because now I want this watch :p

Thank you mate for this review! It's a stunning watch wear her in good health 

 

And you know you need one mate. :)

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Well Sir, that is a beautiful watch, and it really looks good on you, but as we have spoken about, I'm afraid this one exceeds my size limits!!  Good for my bank account. It really is nice, and it's nice to know that the flaws are "livable" rather than some that make you want to box your watch up as soon as you get the plastic off and send straight to a modder!! Wear it well. :good:

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Well Sir, that is a beautiful watch, and it really looks good on you, but as we have spoken about, I'm afraid this one exceeds my size limits!!  Good for my bank account. It really is nice, and it's nice to know that the flaws are "livable" rather than some that make you want to box your watch up as soon as you get the plastic off and send straight to a modder!! Wear it well. :good:

Mate, I probably got smaller wrists than any of you here.. :lol:

 

Small wrists and temerity go well together when trying on big calibre watches! ;)

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beautiful watch !! congrats and enjoy

Thank you sir.

 

Congrats buddy fine looking piece ... mine should also be arriving any day now !!!

And you, mate, are probably going to mod this and make the unmodded ones look really bad. :p

Thats why I sometimes dislike you rather intensely. :lol: :lol:

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Like that one wear in good health my friend, now could you tell me how long that strap is ? :g:  Might be my first AP............................. :partytime:

Mate its 130/85..

 

Very good strap size for your first AP! :D

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Mike, You can pull this one off with ease!!  :)  If the rubber strap doesn't work, a nice black  Donerix hornback, regular Caiman or gator, or shark would look super. I heard he just caught a 12 foot gator , so he should have a hide long enough to make your strap   :whistling:


how thick is ur wrist in inches? would you recommend it for someone with a 6.7 inch wrist?

Don't worry son, just keep doing what your name implies, and you will soon have a man size wrist, just got to learn to use your left hand!! :Jumpy:

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how thick is ur wrist in inches? would you recommend it for someone with a 6.7 inch wrist?

Don't worry son, just keep doing what your name implies, and you will soon have a man size wrist, just got to learn to use your left hand!! :Jumpy:

 

 

oh, A.. :lol: that was a good one.

 

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how thick is ur wrist in inches? would you recommend it for someone with a 6.7 inch wrist?

My wrist is small, about 6"? 

 

You can definitely carry it off with a 6.7" but I guess watch compatibility is a lot more than wrist size isn't it? :)

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