VS Factory Rolex Yacht-Master 226659 Black Dial Oysterflex 42mm Super Clone

VS Factory Rolex Yacht-Master 226659 Black Dial — Weighted V3 Edition Full Breakdown

So you've been eyeing the VS Factory Yacht-Master 226659 in black. Specifically the weighted version. Good — because that's exactly what we're tearing apart today. I've had this V3 weighted edition on my wrist and on my bench, and I'm going to walk you through everything that matters: the heft, the build, the movement, the small stuff most sellers won't talk about.

Let's get into it.

---

Why Weight Is Everything on This Ref

Here's the thing about the gen 226659. It's white gold. Not steel pretending to be something — actual 18k white gold, which is 75% gold and 25% other alloys. That's what the "750" hallmark on the case means. And that gold construction pushes the gen to around 164g total.

Now picture a standard 904L steel rep. Way lighter. Embarrassingly lighter, honestly. You hand it to a buddy who knows watches and the jig is up in about two seconds. He doesn't even need to look at the dial — just the weight gives it away. A 42mm case that feels like a toy? Yeah, no.

That's why the weighted versions exist. And that's why they matter more on this particular ref than almost any other rep out there.

---

Three Versions — How We Got Here

VS Factory didn't just wake up one day and nail the weight. It took three rounds. Here's how it played out:

V1 was the OG release. Plain 904L steel, no weight tricks. It looked right but felt completely wrong on the wrist. Feedback came in fast — guys were saying it was a dead giveaway the moment you picked it up. A 42mm case with zero heft just doesn't pass.

VR came next. VS heard the complaints and bumped the weight up to roughly 130g. Better, sure. But still about 34g short of gen. You'd notice.

V3 is the current top-tier. This is the one sitting in front of me right now. 150g on the scale. That's a serious jump and it's the closest any factory has gotten on this ref.

---

How the V3 Weight Trick Actually Works

The V3 uses a tungsten insert inside the case — tungsten being one of the densest metals you can work with. Then the whole thing gets wrapped in a 904L steel shell on the outside. Clever bit is that it doesn't add any extra thickness. The caseback still fits flush, dimensions are still on point, nothing looks off compared to earlier versions.

Few things to be upfront about though.

Only the case head is weighted. The clasp isn't — current tech just can't do it on a folding clasp with a glidelock-style mechanism. So the 150g total is close to gen but not identical. You're still 14g short.

Because the head carries all the extra mass, there's a slight top-heavy feel on the wrist. The watch can shift side to side if the bracelet — well, strap in this case — is too loose. Easy fix: just wear it a notch tighter. Honestly not a big deal at all.

Now the question everyone asks. Will the tungsten layer separate from the steel over time? I asked VS directly. Their answer: theoretically it shouldn't. My honest take? This version has only been out for about a month, no reports of delamination so far. But I'm not going to guarantee anything long-term — it's too early to call. If anything changes I'll update this page.

---

Dial and Case Finishing

Black dials are forgiving. No color-matching headaches, no "is this the right shade of blue" debates. The VS black on this 226659 is clean and uniform. Zero complaints there.

The hour markers are applied using a pad-printing process, and each index is polished to a mirror finish. They catch light from every angle — genuinely impressive for a rep. Solid construction too, not hollow. The hands have beveled edges with proper finishing, and the thickness checks out when you look from the side.

Ceramic bezel insert has a matte-brushed base with polished numerals and indices on top. Matches the gen's approach. The grit of the matte texture is fine and even. VS consistently does a solid job on their ceramic work and this piece is no exception.

---

Strap and Clasp

The oysterflex-style strap is made from imported rubber with an internal steel blade for structure. Soft on the skin. Doesn't attract dust or fingerprints the way silicone straps tend to. This thing should hold up for years without degrading — the material quality is legitimately good.

Out of the box, the strap fits wrists between roughly 15.5cm and 18cm. If you're outside that range either way, you'll need to source a separate strap.

Clasp snaps shut with a satisfying click. The gap when closed is minimal — almost invisible. Flip it open and you'll see the W5T serial engraving, plus the precious metal markings: 750 hallmark, the dog-head stamp, all the correct engravings that should be there. Inside finishing is decent. Nothing mind-blowing but it passes inspection.

---

VS3235 Movement

Pop the caseback and you're looking at a clone 3235 automatic movement. One quick way to tell a real-functional 3235 from a decorated fake: watch the gears when you wind the crown. On a proper clone, everything moves — the gear train is fully operational. On a dummy movement with a 3235 dress-up, those gears are just for show. None of them rotate.

The regulator and fine-adjustment lever are clearly visible and positioned correctly. That's another quick tell.

Inside of the caseback is rough — raw tungsten doesn't polish smooth the way steel does. That's just the nature of the material. Flip it over and the exterior surface is perfectly finished, so it's a non-issue visually. The caseback alone weighs 22.3g which tells you how much density the tungsten adds.

Crown operation: screw-down crown, unscrew to position 0 and wind clockwise to build power reserve. Pull to first click, turn clockwise for quick-set date. Full pull, turn counter-clockwise to set time. Same operating logic as gen. Power reserve sits around 70 hours. The movement is rock solid — this clone 3235 has proven itself across a ton of VS references at this point.

---

The Bottom Line

This VS Factory Rolex Yacht-Master 226659 weighted V3 is, hands down, the best version of this ref available right now. 150g gets you into a weight range that actually feels convincing on the wrist. The finishing, movement reliability, and strap quality are all consistent with what we've come to expect from VS — which is to say, above average across the board.

The one gap: no weighted clasp. If you're the type to chase perfection, custom 18k gold clasps do exist. Expect to pay around ¥10,000+ for one though, mostly because of the glidelock mechanism complexity and goldsmith labor. Personally? I wouldn't bother. The watch already wears great as-is.

Questions about this piece or anything else in the VS lineup — hit us up anytime.

---

Published by vsfwatcheshub. Original content — please credit if reposting.