BP – Rolex Explorer 1 124270 36mm black dial by BP factory
BP factory produces decent watches, with a few considered top tier. Their Rolex Explorer 124270 36mm is regarded as one of their top-tier watches based on reviews by our rep fams, and hence, I am writing this review to go through its flaws and share my thoughts. The seller will be referenced at the end of this review.
Movement
The A3230 is the same as the VR3230 movement; the factories just rename it. This movement is a hybrid between the 3135 and 3235 authentic movements and not a true clone of the authentic 3230 movement used in the Rolex Explorer I. The movement is reliable, but the parts are harder to source. However, this movement can be easily found online at the cost of 100 USD. The power reserve of this movement is 40 hours or less, which isn’t the same as the authentic movement.
Measurement / Water proof
Authentic case diameter: 36mm || BP case diameter: 36mm
Authentic case thickness: 11.5mm || BP case thickness: 12mm
Authentic waterproof depth: 100m || BP waterproof depth: 50m
Flaw 1
Point 1: The alignment of the triangle markers differs on both dials. BP’s triangle markers are closer to the white line, while the authentic ones are further apart. A closer inspection reveals that all the markers on BP’s dial are out of alignment.
Point 2: The words “SUPERLATIVE CHRONOMETER OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED” are wonky; the characters aren’t uniform compared to the authentic version.
Point 3: BP’s rehaut isn’t as prominent as the authentic, but the alignment is on point. What a shame, and I hope BP factory can improve in their upcoming batch, as I pay a lot of attention to the rehaut.
Point 4: The reflectiveness of the hands differs. BP’s hands aren’t as dull compared to the authentic ones.
Point 5: While the “SWISS MADE” text is similar on both watches, a nitpick from me would be that BP’s character “I” isn’t as thin compared to the retail version.
Flaw 2
The crown debossing differs on both watches and is the worst, coming from a top-tier watch. It’s acceptable when the Rolex logo debossing differs slightly in size, but BP’s Rolex logo debossing is completely off, including the bottom design. Much disappointed.
Flaw 3
The engraving differs on both the rotor plates. BP’s has missing words, and the Rolex logo engraving differs in shape, color, and prominence.
The “3230” engraving on BP’s top plate is decent, but the edges of the numbers aren’t as sharp as the authentic.
Flaw 4
BP’s engraving on the clasp differs from the authentic in terms of placement and size. Their font size is thicker than the authentic. BP’s Rolex logo engraving is alright but isn’t as prominent as the authentic, and the size is slightly larger, making the placement slightly off.
Conclusion
BP’s Rolex Explorer 1 ref 124270 36mm black dial is decent, and what threw me off would be the crown. A simple mistake in getting the shape wrong on a top-tier watch is unacceptable. Other flaws aren’t considered so bad. I would love to get my hands on this watch for a deeper review, but it’s not on the priority list. I would get it when I have spare cash. The design of this watch is sleek, and I love the black dial, which doesn’t attract much attention. I would wear it daily if I had it. As always, peace out and stay vibey.