I'm currently on vacation and it's quite chilly here, making me reluctant to expose my hands to the cold. However, I'm available to respond to your inquiries if there's anything you wish to know. Our New Year holiday is brief, but the various watch factories will enjoy a more extended break, with most resuming operations on February 6, although some might remain closed for the entire month. Today, I’d like to share some insights about these watch factories, particularly focusing on ZF and Clean.
Understanding the Watch Factories
Firstly, the watch factories in our market differ from the traditional factories you might be familiar with. Typically, a factory is imagined to have dozens or even hundreds of workers. However, the watch factories you encounter online or in watch forums, such as ZF, VS, APS, Clean, GF, HBF, GM, MK, V7, etc., are not of that scale. Many have only a small workshop with one or two watchmakers assembling watches daily. Larger factories like ZF and VS might have more than five watchmakers to handle assembly and repairs, due to the higher volume of orders they process. It's important not to perceive these watch factories as large or formal; their enigmatic nature is part of their survival strategy.
Inside the Watch Market
If you ever visit our watch market and arrange for someone from a watch shop to place a large order with a factory like ZF, you might request a direct meeting with the boss. You’d likely find their workspace quite modest. In my view, the actual factories collaborating with ZF, VS, and other manufacturers are parts suppliers. These factories provide movements, cases, bracelets, dials, hand sets, sapphire crystals, and other components to companies like ZF, VS, APS, and HB, which I consider more as profit seekers than traditional factories.
The Evolution of Clean Factory
Clean was once a genuine factory known for producing bezels, particularly the highly regarded green ceramic bezel for the 116610LV model. However, I’m uncertain if Clean remains the same company. Typically, a parts manufacturer would avoid assembling watches themselves due to the risks involved. Therefore, it's plausible that an entity using the "Clean" name assembles and sells these watches. Alarmingly, they price their watches steeply, with the Panda Daytona fetching significantly more than the Daytona from Noob. Despite competition from the BT factory, they refuse to reduce prices.
Pricing and Quality Concerns
The Z Factory operates similarly, launching new models at premium prices. The quality appears impressive, especially the movement visible through the crystal back. However, no replica is flawless. Consider carefully before purchasing a newly released ZF replica, as some parts may be prone to failure. This issue is acknowledged in their newer models, though their longstanding products with established reputations tend not to suffer from such defects. My recommendation is to avoid their recently launched replicas. In any case, I hope Clean and ZF continue striving for superior quality, as their high-priced offerings should deliver perfect clones. Buyers expect durability; otherwise, dissatisfaction arises if a watch fails after minimal use.