AR Factory (ARF) makes Rolex models only, and it still leads several rows of the May 2026 r/RepTime "Who Makes the Best" guide: the Submariner 16610 with the top mark NWBIG, the GMT-Master II 116710LN, the Explorer II 226570, the Yacht-Master 268622 and the Datejust 36 with a 3135 clone. In June 2026 Reddit users reported a raid. Several commenters said that only a warehouse was hit, ARF watches kept shipping, and in August 2026 members wrote that ARF now uses the name ONE.
AR Factory at a glance
| Status, October 2026 | Warehouse raid reported in June 2026; watches still shipped, some under the name ONE (August 2026 reports) |
| Known for | Rolex only: Submariner 16610, GMT-Master II 116710LN, Explorer II 226570, Yacht-Master 268622, Datejust 36 |
| Movements in the guide | 3135 clone, 3186 clone, 3285 clone, 3235 clone, 4131 clone |
| Community guide, May 2026 | First choice in 5 rows; NWBIG for the Submariner 16610 |
| Where to buy | RepTime Boutique on our Trusted Dealers list lists AR Factory watches |
What ARF makes best: the May 2026 guide
| Model | Movement in the guide | ARF's place |
|---|---|---|
| Submariner 16610LN and LV | 3135 clone | First, NWBIG |
| GMT-Master II 116710LN (black) | 3186 clone | First, Super Rep |
| Explorer II 226570 | 3285 clone | First, Super Rep |
| Yacht-Master 268622 (37 mm) | 3135 clone | First (the only factory listed) |
| Datejust 36 | 3135 clone | First in the 3135 clone row (VSF leads the 3235 clone rows) |
| GMT-Master II Rootbeer | 3285 clone | Second, Super Rep |
| Daytona, gold 126XXX, weighted | 4131 clone | Second, Super Rep (QF free-sprung first) |
| Yacht-Master 226627 titanium | 3235 clone | Second, Super Rep |
| Submariner 126610 | 3235 clone | Third, Super Rep (VSF first, Rich second) |
| Daytona platinum and Le Mans 126529 | 4131 and 4132 clones | Third, Super Rep |
ARF in 2026: what happened
- February 20, 2026: the guide added ARF as Super Rep for the Submariner 126610, put ARF in place of Clean for the Explorer II, and rated ARF above VSF for weighted gold Daytonas.
- March 29, 2026: an owner received an ARF Datejust 36 after a five-month wait for a VSF version, and switched on the dealer's advice.
- May 11, 2026: a collector showed a "pre-raid" ARF Yacht-Master 268622 from about seven years earlier. A commenter wrote that ARF closed for a short time years ago, that the "boss sold up", and that new management took over.
- May 29, 2026: in the guide update, QF's free-sprung version is first and ARF second for the weighted gold Daytonas.
- June 11 to 15, 2026: members reported that ARF was raided. A top poster answered that only a single ARF warehouse was raided, "Nothing more." Another commenter wrote that it "was a warehouse not the factory". A thread quoted one dealer who said ARF had shut down, and asked for more evidence. On June 15 a buyer reported an ARF Daytona QC that morning, and had heard that one person was arrested, paid a fine and was released.
- August 2026: members wrote that ARF was "renamed to ONE". One commenter said ARF had one warehouse raided about three months earlier and had sent batches under the ONE name. A buyer waited 18 days for a 116710LN QC after a 3 to 7 day estimate.
ARF movements
The guide gives ARF a 3135 clone for the Submariner 16610, the Yacht-Master 268622 and the Datejust 36, a 3186 clone for the GMT-Master II 116710LN, a 3285 clone for the Explorer II and the Rootbeer, a 3235 clone for the Submariner 126610, and a 4131 clone for its gold Daytonas. In March 2026 a commenter wrote that ARF is underrated "now that they're using Dandong movements"; that is a single comment.
For a lower price, an owner compared three Panda Daytonas in September 2026: the ARF used a 4801 movement, and the owner called it an excellent budget choice "since VSF no longer make the 4801 version at the MOMENT". A commenter called it "the ARF with the Peacock 4801".
What owners report about ARF
Crystal. In March 2026 a commenter wrote that they had heard that ARF "lacks in crystal/bezel". The owner had a deep crystal fitted through the dealer for 65 USD; another commenter said the deep crystal magnifies single digits too much.
Build. The June 2026 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. That is one opinion.
Durability. The owner of the pre-raid Yacht-Master 268622 reported +5 seconds a day after about seven years (May 2026).
Where ARF falls short
- The stock crystal, according to owners.
- An unclear status: the raid reports of June 2026, the ONE name and QC delays.
- Rolex only: ARF does not appear in other brand rows of the guide.
How to buy an ARF watch
- Ask the dealer if the watch is ARF stock or ONE stock, and when it was made.
- Ask for movement photos and check the crystal and the bezel in the QC photos.
- Allow extra time for QC; one buyer waited 18 days in August 2026.
On our Trusted Dealers list, RepTime Boutique lists AR Factory watches in its Rolex catalogue. Ask which version is in stock before you pay.
For direct comparisons, read Clean Factory vs AR Factory and VSF vs AR Factory.
Sources
All dates are the posting dates of the threads.
- Who Makes the Best guide, spreadsheet updated May 29, 2026 and the February 20, 2026 update post (r/RepTime)
- ARF is doing it right, March 29, 2026 (r/RepTime)
- The legendary pre-raid ARF Yacht-Master 268622, May 11, 2026 (r/RepTime)
- ARF shut down? June 11, 2026, Has ARF been shut down? June 12, 2026 and ARF raided, June 15, 2026 (r/RepTime)
- ARF, August 5, 2026 and ARF gone? August 18, 2026 (r/RepTime)
- ARF GMT has not received QC in 18 days, August 29, 2026 (r/RepTime)
- Three Panda Daytonas compared, September 2, 2026 (r/RepTime)
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