What Changed After VS Factory Returned to the Market in 2022

The weeks immediately after the Lunar New Year holiday are always important for the replica watch industry. Every year, collectors, dealers, and factory workers wait to see which manufacturers return first, which production lines resume normally, and which factories remain silent longer than expected. In many cases, the first month after the holiday often determines the direction of the market for the next several months.

This year felt especially uncertain before the factories reopened. During the holiday period, many people believed some major names would delay their return or even disappear permanently. Logistics interruptions, factory inspections, supply-chain instability, and movement shortages had already changed the market significantly throughout the previous year. Because of that, many collectors expected a slow recovery period after the holiday.

Instead, the opposite happened.

Only a short time after production resumed, several major factories confirmed they were operating again, and among all the news circulating in the market, the return of VS Factory became the biggest topic almost immediately.

VS Factory Returned Faster Than Many Expected

Before the holiday, there were already rumors suggesting VS Factory might reopen, but many people were skeptical. The factory had experienced long interruptions before, and collectors were uncertain whether the production lines would truly return to normal. Some dealers even prepared customers for long waiting times extending into March or April.

However, once business resumed after the holiday, it became clear that VS Factory had restarted operations earlier than many expected. More importantly, the factory name itself did not change. Dealers continued referring to the manufacturer as VS or VSF, which immediately restored confidence among long-time buyers who were already familiar with the factory’s reputation in the Panerai and Omega segments.

At the moment, several important collections are available again from VS Factory, including Panerai models, Omega Seamaster pieces, Omega Planet Ocean references, and Rolex Submariner watches.

Unlike previous periods when orders could remain pending for weeks, delivery times now appear relatively stable. According to several dealers, many VSF models can be prepared within only a few days before quality-control inspection and shipment. In the replica watch world, that is usually interpreted as a sign that production has resumed in a reasonably organized way rather than through scattered small-batch assembly.

The return of VS Factory also immediately changed the conversation around Rolex replicas, especially the long-running comparison between VSF and Clean Factory.

The Competition Between VSF and Clean Factory Became Intense Again

For Rolex enthusiasts inside the replica market, the debate between VS Factory and Clean Factory has never completely disappeared. Even during periods when VSF products were difficult to obtain, collectors continued comparing older VSF Submariners with newer releases from Clean.

Now that VS Factory is back, the discussion has become active again almost overnight.

The reason is simple: both factories dominate different aspects of the modern Rolex replica market.

Clean Factory became extremely popular because of its case finishing, bezel work, crystal appearance, bracelet construction, and overall exterior consistency. Many collectors believe Clean produces some of the best visual details available on modern Submariner and GMT-Master replicas.

VS Factory, meanwhile, earned its reputation largely because of movement performance and mechanical reliability. Their use of clone movements based on the Dandong platform helped establish VSF as one of the strongest choices for buyers who prioritize functionality and long-term daily wear.

For Submariner replicas specifically, many collectors divide the comparison into two categories:

• Clean Factory focuses heavily on external accuracy and visual refinement.
• VS Factory focuses more on movement stability and balanced overall performance.

This difference explains why the market immediately reacted once VSF resumed production. Many buyers who postponed purchases during the shutdown period are now reconsidering whether to choose a Clean Submariner or return to VSF.

At the same time, some uncertainty still remains. Certain Rolex collections from VS Factory are not fully available yet. For example, Datejust models remain difficult to source, and several dealers still report unstable stock conditions for those references.

Panerai and Omega Continue to Be Core Strengths for VSF

Although Rolex discussions attract most attention online, experienced collectors know that Panerai and Omega are still among the strongest product categories produced by VS Factory.

For years, VSF Panerai watches built a strong reputation because of their movement decoration, power reserve consistency, and dial construction. Models using the P9000-style clone movements became especially popular among enthusiasts who preferred larger sports watches with practical daily wearability.

Even after long production interruptions, many collectors still consider VSF Panerai watches among the most convincing modern Panerai replicas available in the market.

The Omega Seamaster and Planet Ocean collections remain equally important. These models helped VS Factory establish its reputation years ago because the factory invested heavily into clone Omega movements and case engineering instead of relying entirely on generic movement solutions.

The Seamaster line in particular continues to attract collectors who want something less common than a Rolex Submariner while still maintaining strong technical specifications and recognizable sports-watch styling.

One reason the Omega replicas from VSF remain respected is the balance between case finishing and movement architecture. Many earlier Seamaster replicas from other factories looked acceptable externally but lacked convincing movement structure once the caseback was opened.

VS Factory changed that expectation by developing movements designed specifically around Omega-style bridge layouts and rotor systems.

Collectors also continue discussing the factory’s work on ceramic bezels, lume application, crown-thread finishing, and helium valve construction on Planet Ocean references.

Other Factories Also Returned With Important Releases

While VS Factory dominated most discussions after the holiday, several other factories also returned to production quietly.

XF Factory continues producing Tudor Pelagos replicas, which remain popular among collectors searching for lightweight titanium-style sports watches with understated design language.

The Pelagos line occupies an interesting position in the replica market because it attracts a different type of buyer compared to Rolex enthusiasts. Many Pelagos collectors prefer technical utility and everyday comfort rather than polished luxury aesthetics.

APS Factory also continued attracting attention with the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15400.

The Royal Oak replica market has become increasingly competitive during the last several years, especially regarding dial texture accuracy, bracelet articulation, and case thickness. APS Factory entered this segment aggressively and quickly became associated with improved finishing quality on certain 15400 references.

GF Factory’s Jaeger-LeCoultre Moonphase models also appeared again after the holiday reopening period.

Moonphase watches occupy a smaller niche inside the replica industry, but they remain important because they demonstrate whether a factory can successfully handle more delicate dial layouts and dress-watch proportions instead of focusing entirely on sports-watch production.

Meanwhile, experimental designs continue gaining popularity among younger buyers, especially carbon-fiber-inspired Rolex customization projects.

These DIW-style carbon Rolex watches from JH Factory target collectors interested in modified aesthetics rather than strict visual similarity to standard factory Rolex references. Over the last two years, this customization trend has expanded significantly throughout the replica market.

Another release attracting attention recently is the GS V4 Rolex GMT-Master II.

GMT-Master replicas remain technically difficult because collectors pay close attention to bezel color transition, hand stack structure, crystal height, and movement functionality. Even small differences become obvious quickly under close inspection.

V6 Factory Returned After a Long Silence

Another important development after the holiday was the reopening of V6 Factory.

For most of the previous year, V6 Factory remained unusually quiet, and many collectors assumed the factory had already disappeared permanently. During that period, several dealers stopped listing V6 products entirely because stock became almost impossible to confirm consistently.

Now, however, V6 appears to have resumed operations again.

That matters because the factory still maintains strong recognition among collectors interested in Hublot Big Bang, IWC Aquatimer, and Cartier Ballon Bleu replicas.

These are not the highest-volume categories in the market compared to Rolex sports watches, but they remain important because they attract buyers looking for something different from the mainstream Submariner-Daytona-GMT cycle that dominates most replica discussions online.

Cartier Ballon Bleu replicas especially continue attracting steady demand because of their versatile sizing and simpler overall design structure.

The “Noob” Daytona Situation Is More Complicated Than It Looks

One of the most confusing developments after the holiday involved several newly released Daytona models advertised under the Noob name.

Many collectors immediately noticed colorful Daytona references appearing across dealer websites, social media channels, and reseller groups. In numerous listings, the watches were described as “Noob Daytona” models.

That description created confusion almost immediately.

The reason is that these watches are not necessarily produced by the original Noob Factory itself.

Instead, the situation appears more complicated. According to multiple discussions inside the market, these watches may simply use 4130 clone movements originating from the same movement suppliers that previously worked closely with Noob Factory.

That does not automatically mean the watches themselves are assembled or finished by the original Noob production team.

For experienced collectors, this distinction matters a lot.

Inside the replica watch industry, movement origin and factory origin are not always the same thing. A watch may contain a movement strongly associated with one factory while the case, dial, bracelet, crystal, and finishing are completed somewhere else entirely.

As a result, many collectors remain cautious until more detailed reviews become available.

The purple Daytona release immediately attracted attention because colorful Daytona variants have become increasingly fashionable in both genuine and replica markets.

Rainbow Daytona replicas remain controversial because gemstone setting quality varies dramatically between factories. In many cases, the difference between average and high-end execution becomes obvious once collectors inspect stone alignment and bezel consistency carefully.

The Tiffany-blue Daytona reflects another broader trend visible throughout the market: collectors increasingly prefer unusual dial colors instead of only traditional black-and-white sports configurations.

The Replica Watch Market Entered a New Phase After the Holiday

Looking at the market now, the most important change is not simply that factories reopened. The bigger shift is that competition returned again.

During periods when major factories disappeared temporarily, the market became cautious and somewhat stagnant. Buyers delayed purchases because they were uncertain about long-term support, movement sourcing, and future spare-part availability.

Now, with VS Factory operating again, V6 returning, and multiple other factories releasing updated models, the market feels active once more.

At the same time, experienced collectors have become more careful than before.

Instead of trusting factory names automatically, buyers now pay closer attention to movement origin, assembly quality, case finishing, and consistency between production batches. The period when any watch labeled “Noob” or “VSF” could immediately dominate discussions without skepticism appears to be ending gradually.

For collectors, that may actually be a positive development.

The replica watch market has become far more technical during the last several years. Buyers now compare rehaut engraving depth, crown proportions, movement beat accuracy, crystal clarity, rotor noise, bracelet tapering, and even weight distribution between different versions.

As factories continue returning after the holiday shutdown, competition will likely become even more aggressive throughout the rest of the year.