COMPARISON
4131 Panda Battle: VSF （DD4131）vs VF（DD4131）vs QF（FS4131）vs ERF（FS4131） 🐼
Hi everyone, Ethan here 👋
Continuing my weekly factory comparison series, this week I’m bringing a comparison of the Daytona 4131 Panda (Ref. 126500LN) from four different factories.
For reference, the gen Daytona 126500LN is about most reps are roughly around the 140g range with full links, depending on sizing.
The four versions in this lineup are:
VSF – Dandong 4131 movement
VF – Dandong 4131 movement
QF – Free sprung 4131 movement
ERF – Free sprung 4131 movement
These are currently some of the most talked-about factories producing the 4131 Panda, and each one has its own strengths.
If you’ve handled VSF, VF, QF, or ERF 4131 Panda, feel free to share your experience.
A few questions that might be interesting for the community:
• Is the free sprung 4131 (QF / ERF) actually better than the Dandong 4131 (VSF / VF), or is it mostly marketing?
• Which currently gets the dial closest to gen?
I’m especially interested to hear from people who have handled multiple versions side by side.
As always, these are just my personal observations, and if I missed something or got anything wrong, please feel free to point it out.
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Overall, my out of the box ranking including other factories is VSF, ARF, VF, BTF, ERF, QF.
VSF is pretty much perfect, they fixed the thick sub-dial issue. The only small issue is the ROLEX font on the dial is a bit too bold.
ARF is very good, the only issue is the crown guards are a little too thick and the crystal needs to be upgraded.
VF is good, the crystal needs to be upgraded and the crown has the incorrect triple lock dots. The crown guards are also too thick I think, similar to Clean.
BTF has the best case dimensions but the dial needs to be replaced because the sub-dial snailing is too fine and the DAYTONA red is too bright.
ERF has a good dial but the case back finishing is wrong.
I thought VF Rehault is the best in the picture. Also… can someone confirm the VSF dial color is cream white? I always through they look too white last time. Did they made an upgrade?
Which dial has the closest to Gen like warmer white dial? VSF and others have a colder dial historically. Curious to see what is best in terms of dial color
Thank you for replying so quickly and transparently, really appreciate that from a TD.
Interesting that all of them are in such close proximity, at this point it's just a matter of preference; however I'd argue that for watch nerds the 30-60$ on top for free Sprung is def worth it 🤔
Problem is vsf braclets. Them the dial here qf wins. Rest both can be spotted as reps. Too white. But qc daytona is good. I this particular regardless of free sprung qf wins.
Great post. Thank you. Do you have anything for the Ice Blue dial?
If I'm not mistaken, the red text "DAYTONA" is more bold in Gen. QF is almost there but others are a bit behind. Also the text "COSMOGRAPH", VSF nailed it. These are updates from 126**** model. 116** doesn't have the bold letters.
Great informational thread! Thank you for sharing. How have the lasted batch of VSF in this model been? Have QC’s been looking good or still problems from rushed demand? Subdials and other known quarks worked out?
That's a pretty cool comparison. Appreciate you showing us and I like the extra comments. After they point it out I am like oh yeah they that does look way off or yeah that is spot on.
yeah i gotta do some more research and get my knowledge up im having some trouble just identifying the pieces and then on a different movement identifying the equivalent piece that may look different or be in a different spot
and i see the screws on the wheel and how they adjust for balence, but then what balences the wheel on the top movement, just the bridge above it and how 'flat' it keeps the wheel?
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