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Comparison · 9 min read

Clean Factory vs VSF in 2026: Which Submariner to Buy Now

Clean FactoryvsVSF Factory
Two visually similar luxury automatic chronograph watches with black dials and three sub-dials facing each other on matte black surface
Stewart Charette, watch industry analyst, holding a brass loupe at a watchmaker’s workbench
Stewart Charette
Updated

Clean Factory vs VSF is no longer an even fight in 2026. For a Rolex Submariner Date 126610LN or 126610LV, VSF is the default choice now, because the community no longer treats the original Clean Factory as a producing factory. r/RepTime reported a raid on Clean in July 2025, and the February 2026 update of the community "Who Makes the Best" guide removed every Clean recommendation.

Clean Factory vs VSF: the side-by-side table

Clean Factory (original)VSF
Status, October 2026Reported raided July 2025; removed from the community guide in February 2026Producing; new 126610 QC posts in September and October 2026
Submariner movementVR3235 on older stock, later SH3235VS3235
What owners likedCase shape, bracelet feel, the green LV insert on older batchesCrystal clarity, movement, steady supply
What owners flaggedHour markers close to the minute track (2025 report)A "floating m" in the dial text on some batches; a blue tint in the coating of the date magnifier (2023 report)
Where to buy todayLeftover stock only; ask for proof of the movementMost trusted dealers stock it

What happened to Clean Factory

The story is short, but the dates matter:

  • July 14, 2025: r/RepTime posts reported a raid on Clean Factory. Other users disputed the reports on the same day, so the first news was contested.
  • September 19, 2025: a promotional post introduced "Clean Plus" and said new owners continued the production and that the parts factories were safe. Nobody has verified that claim.
  • February 20, 2026: the maintainer of the community guide removed all mentions of Clean Factory and added ARF for the 126610.
  • April 17, 2026: a buyer posted QC photos of a Clean 126610LV with an SH3235 movement and called it leftover stock.

So a Clean watch in 2026 does not prove new production. If a seller insists that Clean still ships every week, ask for photos of the movement before you pay.

Clean Factory vs VSF on the Submariner, part by part

The reports below come from owners on r/RepTime and r/RepTimeQC. Each one describes a single watch or batch, not a factory-wide test.

Crystal and date lens. In December 2023 a VSF owner who compared the watch with a genuine one saw a slight blue tint in the coating of the date magnifier (the cyclops). In early 2025, commenters said the newer Clean crystals were close to VSF, but a VSF owner in March 2025 still preferred VSF. In October 2026 a VSF LV buyer reported a centered date and a straight lens.

Bezel and lume pip. An owner in 2022 preferred the green insert of the Clean LV. In 2023 VSF owners reported a better pip and less bezel play on newer batches. A QC post from October 2026 shows a centered pip on a VSF LV.

Bracelet and clasp. Clean bracelets had a good name, but the best known review cleaned and oiled the bracelet first. A 2023 VSF owner found the bracelet a little looser and sharper than genuine. A VSF LV QC in October 2026 reported tight end links. The old Clean advantage was a preference, not proof that VSF bracelets are poor.

Dial printing. A March 2025 VSF owner said Clean placed the hour markers too close to the minute track, and admitted the VSF "floating m". In 2026 one VSF LN batch had no floating m, and one LV batch still had it. Check this in your QC photos.

Case thickness. No owner has posted a current caliper test of both factories. Do not choose on thickness.

Movement. VSF uses the VS3235. One owner measured about 66 to 67 hours of power reserve and +8 seconds a day after almost a year (December 2023). Owners also report failures, for example a crown problem after about three years (March 2026). Nobody has a failure rate for either factory.

Clean Factory vs VSF: other factories to know in 2026

  • Rich: second for the 126610 in the May 2026 guide, with a free-sprung 3235-type movement. The guide maintainer kept VSF first because of its better crystal.
  • ARF: added for the 126610 in February 2026 and third in the May 2026 update. Members reported a raid on an ARF warehouse in June 2026, and in August 2026 they wrote that ARF was renamed to ONE.
  • QF: free-sprung versions added to the guide in May 2026 for the Yacht-Master and GMT-Master II.
  • RWF: one forum reviewer favored its 126610LN in July 2026, but the factory carries the name of the reviewer's own forum. Treat that as a lower-confidence opinion.

How to choose in 2026

  • Submariner 126610LN or LV: VSF with the VS3235. Ask your dealer for photos of the movement and the date window.
  • You want a second option: Rich (free-sprung) or ARF. Ask your dealer if ARF stock is ARF or ONE, and compare the QC photos side by side with VSF.
  • A dealer offers "Clean": ask if it is original leftover stock or Clean Plus, and ask for movement photos. Price it as a risk, not as a premium.
  • Do not confuse versions: the cheaper VSF "Youth" version uses an Asian 2836 movement, according to the community guide, not the VS3235.

For the Daytona, read our best Daytona factory comparison. For Omega, VSF now has a real rival: see VSF vs ORF on the Seamaster 300M.

Sources

All dates are the posting dates of the threads.

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