Which is the best Jaeger-LeCoultre moon phaser? Can ZF Factory replace the GF with its upgraded V2 one-piece 925 movement?

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Wristwatch model is produced by ZF Factory with an 18K thick gold-plated case, standard case diameter and Miyota 9015 high frequency movement architecture. It is among the most successful 1:1 super clone watch reviews on the market, with its sapphire crystal AR coating glass, original case tolerances and detailed workmanship.

Which is better, GF Factory or ZF Factory?

In the replica world, ZF Factory and GF Factory factories were previously competing with the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master moon phase model. Both factories were using the 925 movement, which was a replica of the Japanese 9015 movement by changing the bridges; However, compared to that of the ZF Factory factory, GF Factory has remained more faithful to the original by applying a carved design on the mainspring box. Both factories have a ruler adjustment design in the balance position, which is an important part of the mechanism; This part is a point that cannot be fully adapted to the weight adjustment mechanism design of the original Cal.925 movement. On the appearance and dial side, GF Factory has applied a depression treatment to the outer ring of the dial; In addition, the dial texture has been finely processed, the hands have been sandblasted, and the moon on the moon phase dial has gained a more three-dimensional appearance. In terms of appearance and mechanism, GF Factory greatly surpasses the previous ZF Factory model.

But these good days did not last long; As they say, you never know what will happen to you. The GF factory also could not withstand the turmoil that occurred last time, and this watch also disappeared from the market. So, is the remaining ZF factory boasting and enjoying it? Instead of guessing here, let me get to the point: ZF Factory did not stay where it was, on the contrary, it made an upgrade and released the current V2 version. However, this coincided with a new period of control; That's why the ZF factory didn't make much publicity, but rather kept it pretty quiet. However, I will examine this ZF Factory Jaeger-LeCoultre Master moon phase V2 version in detail for you, from appearance to movement.

First, the appearance side: This time, ZF Factory has made a huge improvement on the dial. The silver-white dial is full of texture feeling; The 39-millimeter stainless steel case has been polished to a fine and soft shine, and when combined with the simple silver round dial, the overall appearance is extremely flashy and sedate. At the same time, the ZF case has also applied the "case thinning" workmanship of the original; This makes the watch look more "slender", and when combined with classic clothing, it gives an even more gentlemanly atmosphere. This time, ZF Factory has applied a collapsed process to the outer ring of the dial, faithful to the original.

The dial texture is distributed in fan-shaped straight lines; In the macro shot, each line is neatly lined up and evenly distributed. However, when every detail is in place, the overall texture feeling of the dial can capture the taste of the original. The Jaeger-LeCoultre lettering and logo font match the original, the three-dimensional feeling is good, the printing is clear and there is no bleed. At the same time, the central axis of the hands is also true to the original.

Jaeger-LeCoultre has masterfully combined the date dial with the moon phase function. The date indicator surrounding the outer ring has been slightly collapsed, creating a layered appearance. Even days are separated by dots, making it easier to read. ZF Factory has once again improved the details of the moon phase dial; The CD pattern on the small dial is clear. The craftsmanship of the moon on the moon phase dial is still a little flat, and it does not fully capture the uneven and protruding feeling of the original; This is a bit sad, but this is something that is only noticeable in macro magnification.

Yin-yang style protruding hour and minute hands are the distinctive feature of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master series; The play of light and shadow in different tones divides the hands into two, giving the feeling of a distinct layer. The second hand is blued steel; The triangular hour markers are rhodium plated. ZF Factory, on the other hand, used stainless steel material for the hands and applied sandblasting to their surfaces with great care, beautifully giving the effect of the original protruding tip hands. As for the thickness, I measured 10mm; This is almost indistinguishable from the 9.9 mm original. Anyway, big factories generally stay true to the original at this point.

Now let's get to the movement: The original Cal.925/1 movement has gone through many upgrades and adjustments. Although the model name has not changed, there are differences between the materials, appearance and performance of different versions. The early Cal.925/1 movement had a power reserve of only 42 hours; It used a steel automatic rotor machined with Geneva trim and bore the gilded Jaeger-LeCoultre 1000-hour test mark. In the versions produced after 2017, the automatic rotor was upgraded to 18K gold material, and the brand logo with engraved workmanship was replaced with text. Since no changes were made in parameters and performance, the Cal.925/1 movement in this period can be considered a "transitional model". Finally, in 2020, the brand increased the power reserve of the movement to 70 hours; This resulted in a significant improvement in usage.

This time, in addition to the appearance improvements, the ZF factory has also upgraded the mechanism. The one used in this version is not the traditional Japanese 9015 movement with bridge replacement, but a one-piece 925 movement made from the mold of the original. The appearance and structure of the mechanism matches the original more than 95 percent; What an ordinary watch enthusiast will see at first glance is quite “flawless”. With its engraved design of the mainspring box, it has finally corrected the shortcomings of the first generation. This time the writings on the bridge are literally engraved; not pressure. The fact that it is a truly engraved mechanism undoubtedly means a lot to us replica watch enthusiasts. Moreover, the bridge engravings this time are extremely fine and clear; The Geneva decoration and fish scale pattern workmanship on the mechanism bridge are in place.

There is no big difference in the shape of the shock absorber part on the balance; On the balance adjustment side, there is still the ruler adjustment design. Weight assembly is present, but no weight is used to adjust the error. Some people may ask: If the mechanism was made in one piece, why didn't they remove the entire ruler and switch to the real weight setting? The reason is this: adjusting the error on the watch by weight is extremely troublesome, requiring repeated fine-tuning to keep the error within a reasonable range; It is very simple to adjust with a ruler. Speaking for myself, if the ruler fits well in my hand, I can correct the error in three minutes, while when the ruler fits poorly, it takes ten minutes. In other words, in terms of replica watches, both the usefulness and ease of ruler adjustment are superior to weight. The weight is more visually pleasing compared to the ruler; But the most important thing is to distinguish well in which context it is used.

The strap is calfskin, in the form of a folding buckle with a silver colored part; The buckle is a rose gold colored pin buckle. The buckle quality is very good. This is a part that cannot be found externally in the market; Factory accessories are only available from the factory.

Summary: With this upgrade, ZF Factory has addressed previous shortcomings of the Jaeger-LeCoultre moon phase model; It revived the original to the highest degree, both in terms of appearance and mechanism. This is the top version of the Jaeger-LeCoultre moon phase replica in the industry currently; Watch lovers who like it can buy it and enjoy it with peace of mind.

I hope this article was useful to you. I will share more detailed disassembly, real shot review and real-replica comparison in the coming days.