Silix's New VC Ultimate Overseas

[Craytonic]

Jay told me when I emailed to order a few days ago that they had different serial #s. Take it as you will.

[Richard Tracy]

Nice photochop, count me inspired.

Filing of the date window bevel... practically speaking how straightforward would that be? I'd be nervous about getting the window either out of proportion, over-large, screwing up the dial... would this be up the alley of one of our wonderful modders?

You would have to pull the hands unfortunately,

but the filing with jeweler's flat files would be simple,..

just a matter of taking your time and using a loupe.

The mark above the 'E' could be done by stencil tape...

Edited June 9, 2007 by Richard Tracy

[drop]

OK then, the horse has been led to water. Appreciate the ideas.

[Watchmeister]

Well, when I get mine (it may already be here as I have been travelling) I will post some pics. I ordered the white along with a spare black dial and hands for my original white. I already have a spare black dial from the last version so I will be able to compare everything. By the way, on this watch Chieftang's AR coat is a necessity. It enhances the dial aesthetics dramatically.

[dvn]

ordered mine few days ago. waiting for tracking number from Jay. I'll post pictures once

the watch arrives.

[maxse]

Damn it. I had no interest in this watch before. And just decided to brwo the "Other Brands Area" and WAM!

I really like it, but I have a feew questions before I go through with the purchase...

1) I think someone asked about this but how shiny are the polished areas of the bracelet? I havent seen the gen but I am sure it would have a "breitling" type of finish, but the rep apears to not have such a nice mirror finish to it as on the breitling reps. Of course it could be just the pics. Can anyone comment on this please?

2) Are we sure that there is a modder that would be able to put the tick mark above the 'e' (Flavor Flac where are you)? That seems like a dead giveaway to me. Thanks.

[Danae.]

Hi all

For future mods:

if I

[Watchmeister]

D - Is that true?

On the bracelet finish even on the last version it is excellent. Yes, not quite as good as the gen but the key highlights of polished versus brushed still jump out at you. Some do require some rework where the bracelet meets the case as it can look rough but it is one of the better made (aesthetically) bracelets. Like many other rep bracelets though you should loctite the screws as soon as you have adjusted. Some folks have complained about loosing screws.

The other great thing about this rep is it is simple in terms of having only one screw-down crown and as such I used mine all last summer as my swim watch.

[Danae.]

D - Is that true?

I coment this issue because seems to me not correct at Photoshop representation post.

BTW we I think that I

[Richard Tracy]

Danae,

I looked all over the web for close-up photos to no avail...Can you share where

you found to make the determination ?

I ended up finally taking my cue from photos of version 3, {which is basically version 2 with a different bracelet clasp}

Maxse, the Polished area on mine, is highly polished to a mirror finish..

[Jumbie]

It's hard to tell even on the VC website but it looks like Danae may be correct.

I'm trying to find pics as well.

Check this one out hxxp://www.tp178.com/ag/Vacheron/steel%20chrono/brand.jpg replace the xx with tt

Edited June 11, 2007 by Jumbie

[Jumbie]

hxxp://people.timezone.com/jmerino/patrimony.jpg

[archibald]

Yeah, I agree. The same old one step forward, one step back. Beveling is too wide. No mark over the "e" in Geneve. Hands are wrong. Font on "Automatic" seems a bit off.

LOL! You're pulling our legs, right? The .2mm of date window bevel and a .1mm mark above an "E" count as steps? I just can't see the what's wrong w/ the hands and "automatic font" except they both look a little more crisply executed on this version.

[Watchmeister]

I am with Arch on this one. It is a major step forward.

[HauteHippie]

I prefer the previous model (2nd gen) after appropriate mods are performed. This one has the better cross on the dial: Good. This one attempted the trapezoidal date window shape: Good. But it's overly exaggerated in shape (too trapezoidal): Bad. The trapezoid is so subtle on the gen, that I'd rather it be square as on the 2nd gen than overdone as on this one. The tips of the hour and minute hands are shaped incorrectly on this one: Bad. The bezel points are a bit rounded instead of looking crisp and sharp as on the 2nd gen and the gen: Bad.

Also, this white dial is.... WHITE! The gen and the 2nd gen rep are slightly silverish, not bright white. So, if you're considering this model, I'd say DEFINITELY get the black dial.

As far as fonts, I dunno. I can't tell. But I do agree that the date window bevel is overdone and noticeable. Though it's not the first flaw I see when I look at the watch.

Genuine article below.

[Watchmeister]

I will be curious to see. On the dial I can attest that the previous generation "white" with a Chieftang double AR coat is exactly spot on. Without it, it is not. I put the gen next to the rep at Tourneau.

[Richard Tracy]

I think photos of the white version color may be misleading,...

as are most photos,...

Since however I have the watch sitting here live while I type...

Let me comment, on the other issues,...

Regarding the Bezel points, mine are sharp, Zero difference to gen.

Hands I feel are more accurate, though a bit exaggerated, there was attempt to

shape them more like gen.

Date window bevel is not as wide as the they look in macro photos, however can be modded

easily, to bring them 99% to gen. Something you can do nothing about in version 2.

The position of the window is also better placed in V4.

Overall, not even including the cost of parts and mods to V2,...

V4 is the most accurate Overseas to this point right out of the box,...

and if modded {which are by the way, simple and free to do} jumps

way above V2 in accuracy,.. QC, and possibly quality, as the bracelet did

not require any work or mods as were required in V2.

[HauteHippie]

I will be curious to see. On the dial I can attest that the previous generation "white" with a Chieftang double AR coat is exactly spot on. Without it, it is not. I put the gen next to the rep at Tourneau.

Indeed.... I have done the same thing. And it's incredibly close. This new white dial looks bleached. It's really just par for the course though. Fix a few things, break a few others. The bevel and shape of the date window are the next things I notice after the bleached dial, which means the black dial version will be better but still off. Not much you can do with the date window in either this version or the previous, either. Oh well. As I said... Nice watch regardless.

And, as always, double AR is a must no matter which version you've got. :-)

[Richard Tracy]

I still say someone will have to hold the white version before we know,...

Disagree about the date window being impossible to mod,..

even though without touching it, the cut is precision, unlike V2 which

looks pushed through and a bit ragged..

I do appreciate the magnificent work done by Chieftang on his V2 and agree

that AR would be great, on V4, as well as a lume job...

[HauteHippie]

I still say someone will have to hold the white version before we know,...

Disagree about the date window being impossible to mod,..

even though without touching it, the cut is precision, unlike V2 which

looks pushed through and a bit ragged..

I do appreciate the magnificent work done by Chieftang on his V2 and agree

that AR would be great, on V4, as well as a lume job...

Can't wait to see your V4 date window re-bevel mod. That'll take some real craftsmanship and will be impressive to say the least.

I don't have the "pushed through and a bit ragged" look on my dial, so I can't say I know what you're talking about.

[Richard Tracy]

Can't wait to see your V4 date window re-bevel mod. That'll take some real craftsmanship and will be impressive to say the least.

I don't have the "pushed through and a bit ragged" look on my dial, so I can't say I know what you're talking about.

I guess you lucked out and got one of the better pieces....

Here are photos of what I was referring to,.. also notice the window placement..

Regarding the bevel mod,... never said I would do it,..nor the mark above the 'e'...

Those issues don't bother me, .. having seen them in person, the perspective live

is soooo small that I have to squint and hold the watch to my face to even notice..

I do know however having done quite a bit of filing in my life of most materials that

this could be done quite easily,... only requirement is the right tools for the job..

[dodger]

From what I understand most of the date windows have been updated to more closely resemble the correct location. They still do not have the taper or the very small bevel around the edges. From my point of view the newest version attracts too much attention to the date window with its rather large bevel that comes to close to the 5 o'clock marker. Notice how much further away the date window is from the 5 o'clock marker in pics 1 and 3. I don't think that sanding the inside of the hole down will fix this problem 100% because the outside location of the bevel will still be located too close to the 5 o'clock marker. All in all both are great reps. In my opinion it just depends on how close to the original we want our watch to be and what factors are most important to us.

Pic 1) Here is an example of the date window from the one that Sash has

Pic 2) The newest version that Rich has

Pic 3) Gen

[HauteHippie]

From what I understand most of the date windows have been updated to more closely resemble the correct location. They still do not have the taper or the very small bevel around the edges. From my point of view the newest version attracts too much attention to the date window with its rather large bevel that comes to close to the 5 o'clock marker. Notice how much further away the date window is from the 5 o'clock marker in pics 1 and 3. I don't think that sanding the inside of the hole down will fix this problem 100% because the outside location of the bevel will still be located too close to the 5 o'clock marker. All in all both are great reps. In my opinion it just depends on how close to the original we want our watch to be and what factors are most important to us.

Pic 1) Here is an example of the date window from the one that Sash has

Pic 2) The newest version that Rich has

Pic 3) Gen

Good summary. I agree. The date window is just a huge distraction with this version. The gen 2 has the location correct, and IF you look closely you'll notice the shape of the window is square instead of slightly trapezoidal as on the gen. The window on the new version just jumps out and yells at you "LOOK HERE". And now that I look even closer, it appears as though the numerals on the new version are polished instead of brushed metal as on the gen. *sigh*

[Richard Tracy]

If I had spent money & time modding a watch, only to have a better model come out the next month..

maybe I would react like Chieftang,... though I hope not...

I always strive to save the community as much money as I can, and no-one can disagree that V4 is much more

of a economically sound investment than V2, and feel that most will agree, more accurate, once they are

holding the watch in their hands, verses squinting at photos, most of which were taken with a camcorder no less..

This window issue is small,.. so small that you will need a loupe to even notice it in person..

Our eyes are not blowing up photos in our heads,.. There is No Screaming,... Not even a

whisper,..

Also it's worked to smooth edges unlike the previous version that lacks refinement like it was

punched out then left alone, and that to me is an issue that separates what anyone would know

about a rep or a gen... Not the amount of thickess of a bevel or a infinitesimal mark about an e,...

but the QC.

Take a look at the Gen photos that I have posted and you will see that the date window is supposed to be a

trapezoid, not a square like the misleading photo posted above by dodger.

Then take a look at the photo-shopped image where all I did was carve out a bit of the window,.. never moving

the opening, only opening it the same as if someone were to file it a bit.

You will notice that it still is in the correct position, only the bevel, which believe me, you will not notice one

that small unless you had a magnifying glass, is made smaller.

This is the last post I will speak of regarding accuracy,.. The photos are up and anyone can judge for themselves..

[HauteHippie]

LOL, RT. Putting words in my mouth now, eh? Too funny. Fact is the VCO is a watch that was fun to mod (aren't they all?), is now extremely accurate as reps go, and yet rarely sees any wrist time. This new version, if anything, makes me glad that I obtained the previous version before it was discontinued. Now go ahead and have the last word. I know you must.

-Chief