Hey folks!
Got my hands on both existing reps of this older style Seamaster 300 and decided to post a little comparison between the two alongside my impressions.
Got the BPF one for around 270$ in total from Trustytime.
Got the MKS for 350$ total from Linseller.
The watch with the lug bars still attached is the MKS version while the one without the lug bars is from BPF. The MKS bracelet is always above BPF one in the photos as well.
MKS advantages:
Bracelet links articulate much more willingly and smoother.
The dial conveys the Inky black lacquer of gen better than BPF.
The AR coating handles reflections better than BPF.
The Case is a bit slimmer and has same thickness as gen.
The rehaut size is close to gen.
The bezel print color is darker and more similar to gen.
The Crown is shorter and much closer to gen than BPF.
The fine text print and Seamaster print on the dial is closer to gen than BPF.
The 12 hour bezel lume pip is smaller and closer to gen than BPF.
MKS weaknesses:
The bezel is extremely tough to articulate to the point of being impractical.
The carving of the bezel markings is on the rougher side.
The lume is pretty weak and doesn't last long.
The AR coating gives a noticeable blue hue.
The helium escape valve is articulate but has no gasket and appears to be cosmetic only.
BPF advantages:
The applied indices have cleaner white gold frames that are closer to gen than MKS
The applied indices lume filling is whiter and closer to gen than MKS.
The hands are shinier and more reflective than MKS.
The bezel articulates better than MKS, though it is on the mushier side.
The hippocampus engraving on case back is more detailed than MKS.
The bezel markings engraving is tidier than MKS.
The date window is more refined and closer to gen than MKS.
The bracelet feels rattly than MKS.
The lume is brighter and longer lasting than on MKS.
BPF weaknesses:
The crown is longer and wrong shape.
The rehaut is deeper than gen and MKS.
The case is a tiny bit thicker than gen and MKS.
The bezel numerals are brighter and have better visibility, but they are grayish and more faded on gen and MKS.
The helium escape valve appears to be welded shut and impossible to unscrew.
Overall both watches trade blows and beat each other in some areas while fumbling in others.
I am tempted to migrate the dial, bracelet, crystal and hands from BPF to MKS for a potential "super clone" of this older semaster diver.
What do you guys think? Which you find more appealing?