I believe that most people who visit my website already know about VS Factory, but some may not yet be familiar with ZF Factory.
In fact, both VS Factory and ZF Factory are among the leading manufacturers of high-end replica watches. As super clone factories, their goal is the same — to pursue perfect 1:1 replication of genuine watches.
From my personal experience, the key difference between them is this:
VS Factory focuses more on refined, flagship-level replicas
ZF Factory develops a wider variety of models, covering more styles and brands
My own view is simple:
If the watch you like has a VS Factory version, then choose VS. If the model you want is only made by ZF, that’s perfectly fine — ZF is still a good option.
But if I had to choose between the two under the same conditions, I would personally choose VS.
The Relationship Between VS, ZF, and Other Factories
I can’t say this information is 100% insider truth, but based on many years in the market, it’s more reliable than most online rumors. If I’m not certain about something, I won’t say it casually.
Many years ago, before the term “replica watch” even became popular, factories didn’t use the brand-style names we see today. After all, the lower the profile, the better in this industry.
Then one day, “N Factory” suddenly appeared, and the market became very active. There was even something called the “Five Legendary Models of N Factory.” It was almost like a student getting an award title — more of a marketing label than anything else. Back then, those models were indeed well made. But today, many factories can easily achieve the same level, which made other factories eager to compete.
So, many bosses simply created their own factory names. These names don’t require business licenses — just a laser logo costing a few dozen dollars. Factories like JF, KW, and V6 followed this trend. Over time, English-letter factory names became everywhere.
Nowadays, whether a factory is newly established or simply rebranding products, they often create an English-letter name. This makes consumers think that a factory with a “letter name” must be big and professional, while one without a name seems like a no-name workshop. Honestly, it’s quite amusing. 4d78d71a-28bf-4d9e-87e5-4dc9459…
KW Factory and ZF Factory History
Let’s talk about which came first: KW came before ZF.
In the early days, before ZF was even called ZF, they were mainly distributing KW watches in the market. Later, KW decided not to let only one party handle distribution, and they brought in several distributors. This caused conflicts between KW and ZF.
Eventually, ZF went independent. Starting with Panerai, almost every model KW made, ZF also began to produce. That’s how ZF Factory came into existence. Stories about KW “training” ZF or teacher-student relationships are mostly rumors. In this business, no one refuses to make more money.
People who have followed me on WeChat for a while may notice that during holidays, the so-called “special promotions” from these factories often target each other, and the models offered are very similar.
Product Development Differences
ZF realized that simply following others wasn’t enough, so they started developing more dress watches from brands like IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre. Their wide model range once put strong pressure on KW.
The article also mentions that older Panerai automatic movements had average stability. KW later developed a new movement and split production under two names: XF Factory and VS Factory. Nowadays, KW rarely uses the “KW” name in the market. It’s said they changed names to keep a lower profile.
ZF still produces Panerai watches, though their new releases are slightly slower than KW’s. They also use integrated movements. Panerai promotion from ZF is not as aggressive as VS or XF, because ZF also relies on strong lines like IWC Portuguese and Jaeger-LeCoultre to support their product lineup. In terms of overall quality, both sides are quite similar.
Quality Control Discussion
The article criticizes ZF’s “QC” labels. Most ZF watches come with the letters “QC,” but this doesn’t necessarily mean strict inspection — dealers still need to check watches themselves, especially the IWC Portuguese line, which often requires careful review before shipping.
The article also mentions MK Factory changing its name to MKS. Officially it was for quality improvement, but the author believes it was more related to operational issues and warehouse relocation. MKS was formed without any myth behind it.
Final Conclusion
Factories today understand the power of advertising. Every new release is promoted heavily, and smaller factories sometimes exaggerate even more.
Don’t focus too much on marketing claims. Seeing the actual product is what truly matters.
The key message of this article is:
Don’t blindly trust factory names or labels. The real watch itself is the most reliable standard of judgment.
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