Santos 35mm – 3KF vs AF vs BVF. Which one is the best?

General Question

I’m looking for a Santos 35mm and I’m a bit confused about the differences between 3KF, AF and BVF.

I’ve seen plenty of opinions about each factory individually, but I haven’t found a proper side-by-side comparison of all three.

For those who have handled or compared them, which one would you consider the best overall and closest to Gen?

I’m particularly interested in case shape and dimensions, dial and printing, crystal, bracelet/clasp quality and overall finishing.

I also noticed that AF is usually around $100 cheaper than 3KF and BVF. Since they all seem to use Miyota movements, I’m curious about where the actual difference in quality is and whether the higher price of 3KF/BVF is noticeable in the watch itself.

Would love to hear from anyone who has actually compared two or all three in person. Pics would be even better!

Thanks!

Posted Sep 21, 2026, 6:12 PM UTC

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