Updated September 2026 · Source: RWI Forum

RWI 2026 Submariner Comparison: RICH Factory 310/340 — First Place

Six replica factories vs. the genuine Rolex Submariner 126610LN, scored independently by the RWI Review Team. RICH Factory: 310/340 — ahead of the genuine Rolex (304) and VSF (302).

What Is This Comparison?

In June 2026, a member of the RWI Review Team (Savoury) ran a head-to-head comparison of the best 12-series Submariner replicas currently on the market: ARF, CPLUS (Clean Plus), QF, RICH Factory, RWF and VSF — with a genuine Rolex Submariner 126610LN included as the benchmark. The author states the photo material was kindly provided by PureTime, that it was not a sponsorship and no gifts or watches changed hands. Each category was scored out of a fixed number of points; the main review included a price category, while the four team members who added their own scores deliberately left price out as too subjective. The author also published the Excel spreadsheet used, so anyone can re-score the watches with their own priorities. The full thread with all photos, per-category posts and team scores is linked above.

Final Scores — Main Review (340 Points)

The headline table of the thread, scored by the thread author including price/value. RICH Factory finished first with 310/340, ahead of the genuine Rolex (304/340) and VSF (302/340):

RICH Factory: 310/340 — first overall, ahead of the genuine Rolex (304) and VSF (302). Figures as published by the review author, including the price/value category.

Category-by-Category: Photos, Scores & Commentary

Each section below pairs the reviewer's comparison photos with the verbatim score sheet for that category, plus the reviewer's own commentary. RICH Factory's column is bold. Nothing is cherry-picked — categories RICH did not win are shown in full.

Case — 90 points

Reviewer: "None of the differences between these cases are likely to be noticeable from more than 30 cm away." RICH's Stainless and Model No. engraving scored joint best-in-test (8/8, above the genuine's 7); the genuine took the category overall (80/90) with RICH and VSF tied second (77/90).

Measured Dimensions — informational (no points)

RICH's case thickness measured exactly the genuine's 12.4mm — the only factory to match it — and its 157.6g weight was the closest to the genuine's 158.9g alongside VSF.

Dial — 40 points

Reviewer: "VSF and RICH offer the most three-dimensional appearance"; RICH's indices were judged "noticeably smoother" and scored a perfect 10/10. VSF took the category by one point (37 vs RICH 36, tied with the genuine).

Hands — 10 points

Reviewer: CPLUS and RWF led with "extremely fine" stamping; on the center pinion, "ARF and RICH do the best job" — he disliked VSF's "target" look. RICH 9/10.

Crystal / AR Coating — pictured (scored within Dial & Date sections)

Reviewer: magnification is correct across the board; AR tint is a taste call — "For those who prefer blue AR: VSF wins… For those who prefer neutral AR: RICH takes the crown".

Bezel — 40 points

Reviewer on the pearl: "RICH: just as sharply defined as the gen, and the pip isn't overly bulbous" — RICH and VSF shared 10/10, ahead of the genuine (9). VSF took the category overall (37 vs RICH/GEN 36).

Date — 40 points (RICH Factory wins)

Reviewer: "Winner of this category: RICH." RICH's date window was judged "sharply defined, very close to Gen", the texture deliberately fine with print that "still reflects nicely" — 35/40, three clear points ahead of the genuine (33) and six ahead of VSF (29).

Movement — 10 points

Judged purely on aesthetics: genuine first (10), RICH's JH3235 second (9) — the reviewer even proposed "the JH3235 as the base, paired with the RWF rotor" as the ultimate clone movement. His caveats stand: JH3235 is too new for long-term reliability opinions, and for a closed caseback he personally prefers an easy-to-regulate caliber.

Crown — 20 points

Reviewer: "RICH is simply much more sharply defined. The individual tips are cleaner, crisper, and stand out better." RICH tied the genuine and VSF for first (18/20).

Bracelet & Clasp — 90 points

RICH tied the best bracelet score in the test (80/90, with the genuine, CPLUS and RWF). Reviewer: "every manufacturer in this comparison has brushing that is… indistinguishable from the genuine article", with RICH among the finest internal engravings. Honest caveat from two team reviewers: the RICH Glidelock is machined very tight and glides less freely than it should.

Price / Value — 10 points

The reviewer scored value: every factory 10/10; the genuine Rolex, at more than €10,000, scored 2/10. This value weighting is what puts RICH Factory (310) above the genuine (304) in the final table — see the team tables below for aesthetic-only scores.

The Team's Scores — What the Other Reviewers Said

Four further RWI members scored the same watches with price deliberately excluded, and the genuine Rolex took first place in every one of their tables. RICH Factory placed second twice (@derjenigewelcher: 329/340; @CF_Stan: 308/340), third once (@marcsp2675: 322/340) and fourth once (@GenMaximus: 285/340, who also flagged the tight Glidelock). We reproduce each full table below — the honest picture: judging purely on appearance, the genuine is still the reference; judging overall value, the main review's table puts RICH Factory first.

@derjenigewelcher (price excluded)

Podium: GEN 333 / RICH 329 / CPLUS & VSF 327

@marcsp2675 (price excluded)

Podium: GEN 327 / VSF 323 / RICH 322

@CF_Stan (price excluded)

Podium: GEN 337 / RICH 308 / VSF 307

@GenMaximus (price excluded)

Podium: GEN 320 / VSF 293 / RWF 289 (RICH 285 — this reviewer also gave RICH its lowest Case score, 71, and co-flagged the tight Glidelock)

What This Means for Buyers

No comparison settles taste, and the thread's own closing line is worth quoting: "There simply is no 'best' Submariner. The best one is the one that best fits your taste, your priorities, and your budget." What the 2026 RWI data does show is that a RICH Factory Submariner now scores at or near the top of every category that can be measured — and that its Submariner 126610LN was the reference watch reviewed. You can browse the full Submariner collection, and read the complete independent thread — every photo, category post and score — at the RWI link at the top of this article.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the RWI 2026 comparison?

An independent, third-party comparison published on the RWI forum in June 2026, scoring six replica Submariner factories (ARF, CPLUS, QF, RICH Factory, RWF, VSF) against a genuine Rolex 126610LN. RICH Factory scored 310/340 — first overall, ahead of the genuine (304) and VSF (302).

Is the RWI comparison independent of RICH Factory?

Yes. It was written and scored by RWI Review Team members on the forum. RICH Factory USA was not involved, did not commission it, and quotes it here only as a third-party source. The full thread is linked at the top of this article.

Did RICH Factory really beat the genuine Rolex?

In the main review's total including price/value, yes — RICH Factory scored 310/340 against the genuine's 304/340. When four additional reviewers scored appearance only (price excluded), the genuine finished first in their tables, with RICH second in two of four. Both tables are reproduced above.