VSF vs AR Factory is a real Rolex choice in 2026, but the answer depends on the reference. The May 2026 r/RepTime "Who Makes the Best" guide ranks VSF first for the current Submariner 126610, the 116610 and the steel Daytona, and ARF first for the five-digit Submariner 16610, the GMT-Master II 116710LN and the Explorer II 226570. In 2026 the practical difference is availability: VSF waits are long for some references, and ARF had raid reports in June 2026.
VSF vs AR Factory: model by model
| Model | Movement in the May 2026 guide | VSF | ARF |
|---|---|---|---|
| Submariner 126610 | 3235 clone | First, NWBIG | Third, Super Rep |
| Submariner 16610 | 3135 clone | Not listed | First, NWBIG |
| GMT-Master II Pepsi and Batman | 3285 or 3186 clone | First ("VSF v3"), Super Rep | Not listed |
| GMT-Master II 116710LN | 3186 clone | Not listed | First, Super Rep |
| GMT-Master II Rootbeer | 3285 clone | First, Super Rep | Second, Super Rep |
| Explorer II 226570 | 3285 clone | Not listed | First, Super Rep |
| Daytona 126500 steel | 4131 clone | First, NWBIG | Not listed |
| Daytona gold 126XXX, weighted | 4131 clone | Third | Second |
| Datejust 36 | 3235 or 3135 clone | First in the 3235 rows | First in the 3135 row |
Status and availability in 2026
VSF. VSF is producing. In 2026 buyers reported waits that ranged from days to months: in March 2026 an owner switched from VSF to ARF for a Datejust 36 after a five-month wait, and in September 2026 a buyer reported a four-month wait for a Submariner "Hulk".
ARF. In June 2026 members reported a raid; a top poster wrote that only a single warehouse was raided. In August 2026 members wrote that ARF had been renamed ONE, and one buyer waited 18 days for a GMT-Master II QC after a 3 to 7 day estimate.
What owners say
- Crystal. The guide maintainer kept VSF first for the Submariner in May 2026 because the free-sprung alternatives have an "inferior crystal to VSF". A March 2026 commenter had heard that ARF "lacks in crystal/bezel".
- Case and plating. In June 2026 a poster called ARF's plating "top notch". In August 2026 one commenter preferred the ARF case to a VSF case that, in the commenter's view, was square with thick lugs.
- Price option. In September 2026 an owner called the ARF Panda Daytona with a 4801 movement an excellent budget choice "since VSF no longer make the 4801 version at the MOMENT".
Sources
All dates are the posting dates of the threads.
- Who Makes the Best guide, spreadsheet updated May 29, 2026 and the May 30, 2026 update post (r/RepTime)
- ARF is doing it right, March 29, 2026 (r/RepTime)
- ARF shut down? June 11, 2026, ARF, August 5, 2026, ARF gone? August 18, 2026 and ARF gmt hasn't received QC in 18 days, August 29, 2026 (r/RepTime)
- 3 Rep Panda Daytona! Does the factory name really matter? September 2, 2026, With VSF wait times being CRAZY, school me on RCF, September 2, 2026 and Anything going on with VSF? September 5, 2026 (r/RepTime)
Next steps
Gold, platinum and custom versions
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