Posts reposted from : https://www.watchuseek.com/posts/57603946/
Author: Cozmo
Up front, I really like this watch. The following comments are, for the most part, my own experiences with two recent V4 versions of the Tactical Frog FX, V4.
The Tactical Frog FX model (it is not a FXD) can currently be had for less than $180. I like the research almost as much as wearing a nice watch. If one wants to see the evolution of the Frog FX, over the past 18 months, this thread pretty much covers it all, from the first release, to the current watches.New Ti diver from Tactical Frog | WatchUSeek Watch Forumsand what I consider one of the better informed reviews on the earlier versions of the FX.Tactical Frog FX Diver Full review (youtube.com)The first couple of pages of the thread posted above pretty much covers a lot of watch owner's thoughts on homages and Chinese homages in particular.
I am pretty sure it is nowhere near the real thing in all aspects except the price
I own samples of both watches, the Tudor FXD and the Tactical Frog FX. "Devil's in the details", as people like to say. When you look closely at the details in both brands of watch it is obvious the watches aren't the same. But, to be clear, the actual similarities are rather striking in everything but price. The retail price difference does cover some of the detail differences, but certainly not all imo. We are talking $180 delivered on the FX NIB and $4150 plus sales tax (I paid $4399 for mine from a local AD) and delivery for the FXD.Then there is the ubiquitous NH35 movement used in the Frog FX.
That is pretty cool. If it didn’t have a NH35 I would be all over it.
More on the NH 35 and my own comments further down the page.
I've been wanting an FXD. I'm on the list with the AD. I seriously considered this, but I just worry it would sour me to the real thing.
Some real truth to that statement. And why my Tudor FXDs are sitting in my watch box unwound and I am wearing one of my Tactical Frog FXs again today.Let's start here. I really like a nice watch. But a "nice watch" means a lot of different things to different people. I am a decades old fan of Rolex tool watches. So that is my standard for a "nice watch". If you have worn a Rolex for long most know they aren't always that reliable for accurate time keeping. I have owned and sold dozens of Rolexes over the years that didn't keep COSC time. +6spd was acceptable. Any watch faster was not. If the watch ran slow, I simply sold it off and it was replaced. Seldom would I return a Rolex to be serviced. Although I have done it for a baker's dozen to date. They were simply tools for me. Easy to replace if you had one to sell or trade, which was always cheaper, than having one repaired by a qualified Rolex technician.So, a "nice watch" for me is one that keeps stays within the +6spd of a COSC chrono certified watch.
I, like most, don't go looking for a NH35 movement when looking for a "nice watch". But there is a reason it is the best selling automatic movement in the world. The reasons? It is cheap, it is durable, it is accurate "enough" and doesn't require servicing very often, if ever, in its typical 7-to-10-year life span. When it does need service it is easier and cheaper to simply replace it. And just as importantly if one were paying attention, it is 23 years newer technology than any of the other excellent and well proven, movements I listed prior.How accurate is "accurate enough"? The NH35s I have owned have not been very accurate. Anywhere from 10 to 20 seconds slow a day, to 30 seconds fast a day, prior to being properly regulated. They are unusable to me when unregulated.So then, just how easy is the NH 35 to regulate properly?I had never opened a case back before deciding I liked the Frog FX enough to attempt it. The result hopefully, a watch I would find useable as an actual timekeeper. No time-grapher involved in my effort (although it would have made it a lot easier and faster to accomplish). I eventually got both my Frogs (one originally running wild at +30spd) well within COSC specs, where they have been now for over a week. One is running -0-spd and the other is at -2spd currently. Over a 24hr time frame on my wrist both run between 0spd and +6spd. The do vary daily but it is usually half that @ 0 to +3spd. (Edit: two weeks in now and both NH35s are at a steady +4spc. Both movements are very susceptible to position changes in the watch box)Mind you I have never regulated a watch prior. Never even had a watch back off. Plenty of info on YouTube which is where I went to understand how it was done. But it was the experience and comments of several posters here on the forum that encouraged me to try.
How Do I Regulate My Seiko Watch? 7S26, 4R36, NH36, NH35 Movement Regulation with Timegrapher (youtube.com)That kind of accuracy (-4 to +6spd) is equal to the majority of vintage Rolexes I wear. One of my Tudor FXDs has held to well under +2spd, right out of the box. My older MN FXD ran slow by more than -2 spd. It is currently at Tudor being repaired under warranty, as their accuracy standard is -2/+4spd. Their warranty is excellent IMo and covers any owner of the watch in the first five years. Caveat is you have to have the watch's original warrenty card!My take on what is, "accurate enough"? That is a set of numbers you'll have to make your own decision on. Once, well regulated, the Frog FX is easily accurate enough for my own use. That "accurate enough" time frame, that I rely on, is from being a habitual user of vintage Rolexes using those same movements/calibers I listed previous for reference.My preferred everyday watch, from my small, vintage, Rolex collection was a 16800 Submariner which uses Rolex’s caliber 3035 movement, introduced in 1977.The titanium case? It is a blatant rip off of the Tudor FXD design. But as a watch it is also 9gm lighter (Frog is 64g, the Tudor 73g) and 1mm smaller at the bezel. So not a 1:1 3D printer copy. Both the changes in size on the Frog are attributes I really appreciate for my own use. And both measurements easily discernable on my wrist. My comment on titanium? Titanium cases are for me the single, most important stand out innovation, in sport watches over the past 50 years. They are more comfortable on your wrist because titanium is hypoallergenic and it is significantly lighter than any stainless steel. I have enough titanium inserts located in my own body to attest to those qualities "Titanium is the most “biocompatible” (read: hypoallergenic) metal in the world. This is because of a number of factors, but most notable among them is titanium’s resistance to corrosion — thanks to a protective oxide film that forms in the presence of oxygen — preventing it from reacting with its surrounding environment (e.g., your skin). This trait is the reason why titanium is so commonly utilized in medical implants and prosthetics."
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