[Roundup] DDF, the "Who Makes the Best" guide and the WIRED effect: the week in brief

bilanciere · October 20, 2026, 4:57pm

Morning, everyone. Busy week, so I’ll try to sort it out the way a watchmaker works at the bench: verifiable facts first, rumours second. If you have more recent information, feel free to correct me.

1. DDF: raid NOT confirmed
Since 14 October, dealer messages have been circulating in the communities claiming that DDF (the factory known for Patek and AP, i.e. exactly the integrated bracelets I follow most) has been hit by a raid. I rechecked the sources on 20 October and the picture remains unconfirmed:

a dealer who gets quoted a lot talks about “an issue with a distributor” and a temporary move of the warehouse, but expects major delays and advises against new DDF orders for now;
on RWI, one user says they checked the sellers’ channels and found no sign of a new raid. Others suspect only a distributor was hit, as was said about ARF a few weeks ago;
another dealer, also on RWI, admits that everything he’s heard is “second- or third-hand”. He has still paused DDF orders until things are clearer.

Bottom line: no official confirmation, only conflicting reports. I’d advise caution, and don’t take any “confirmed” at face value without a source.

2. “Who Makes the Best” guide updated (16/10)
The curator, who describes himself as a watchmaker, has changed the formatting (NWBIG entries are now dark green) and a number of entries. For the movement-minded: the Submariner sections with the 2836 have been replaced by ones with the “free sprung” 3235, with Rich and QF added. For the Daytona 126500 the new recommended pick is RWF. He himself says to read it “with a big grain of salt”, which strikes me as a healthy approach.

3. The long tail of WIRED
WIRED’s August investigation is still being talked about: in the communities people complain about a wave of new users asking questions the guides already cover. One user points out that forums, unlike feeds, keep discussions alive for years. That’s exactly what we’d like to do here.

Do you have DDF orders in progress, or first-hand news (not “a friend told me”)? And what do you make of the changes to the guide?

Related threads: [Press review] Counterfeit seizures around the world: the week of 13–20 October, Counterfeits and EU customs: what the rules say about personal use, post and luggage, The big factory raids: which factories went quiet, and how the map changed.

Sources