Devedander

I have noticed over the last week or so that when setting the time on my Swan Neck 177 sometimes the crown just won't go back in... Procedure is: Open the lever Pull crown out Set time Try to push crown back in Sometimes it just goes right back in, no fuss and close lever done. But sometimes it fights me, and in these cases it will usually go what feels like 1 click, but that's only about half way back... at this position if I turn the crown it simultaenously winds the watch and moves the hands (I assumed this is bad so I try to not do this much and immediately pull it back out to time set) and at this point the lever will not close because the crown is still out too far. It seems there is about a 10 minute deadzone where it just won't go back in no matter how much I tinker... but if I set the minute hand around far enough (outside this 10 minute deadzone) it goes right back in... of course not at the right time anymore. I haven't been able to nail down a specific cause for this (ie certain time of day, setting only so far etc) but wondered if this is something that is just normal to this movement or if I should be looking for a specific cause... Thanks!

You collect flashlights? Like over on candelpower forums? My buddy and I were just looking at odd collection hobbies the other day and I think the most obscure we came up with was collecting flashlights... small world The funny thing is he asked me "why would you collect flashlights, you only ever need one..." then we both looked at the only wrist I wear a watch on...

That's a lot of little parts...

I agree wholeheartedly. Just to clarify on one point, as I posted above: Which makes it hard for me to believe that any movements are completely made in Asia and still marketed with the Swiss Made by a legit Swiss company... the loophole being the 50% value statement which means a $40 Asian movement can have a jewel replaced with a $40 Swiss Jewel and then qualify for Swiss... however I think the "assemble" part still plays a big role...

It's voila

My family finds out they are getting a visit from me much sooner than anticipated (they live in China).

0 feedback... looks like someone made the account just to sell the bag... 0 feedback... looks like someone made the account just to sell the bag...

Yeah and bear in mind that clarification is just how I see it... it may not be accurate at all for any given circumstance. However it is why I see it as more important to correctly lable the movements as "Swiss ETA" regardless of where it was made or assembled denotes that it has passed some quality inspection... that it's not part of that 40% that didn't meet spec going out the back door. I think we all know that parts that don't meet spec don't necessarily suck (most computer processors that have a higher clockspeed brother are simply the same chip that didn't meet spec and gets underclocked... often you can overclock it right back up to meet the original performance) so that 40% scrap isn't necessarily bad, just has a higher potential of failure when heald up to the same demands... It's all a gamble... pay super low prices for scrap that probably works decently but has a 20% chance of failure or pay high prices for a piece that should have been inspected to meet certain criteria and should have a very low chance of failure. As for the swiss movement swap question, I have asked and I believe I was told yes with the possilbility hands need to be changed to a different size... but don't take that verbatim.

@bbob If I order an AMD 3200+ CPU then I can't demand what stepping I get. But if it says Barton Core or a certain kind of stepping right on the advert, then yes I would expect I get that. And as for Dodge having VW engine... it would be nice if they said, but as long as they aren't saying "Dodge with Hemi" or something then stuffing a VW diesle in it's not the same either. More analogus would be to have a Hyundai labled "Porsche Boxter Engine" and really it's just a cheap Korean engine. @pollux it would be interesting to see... the thing is that from what I have seen "qualtiy" in Chinese factories is an interesting thing in that sometimes rather than hold the entire line up to a certain spec to get 95% yield at acceptable quality and scrapping the 5% crap, they work at a lower spec, get 60% yield at acceptable quality, but only pass that good stuff on to the contracting company but still come out ahead on cost. The crap... goes out the back door... quite possibly into reps... so you can't really say "quality from that plant" as you likely get high and low quality from the same plant.

He did say they have plants in Asia... and I would take his word over mine. But I haven't found where it says that on their website (not denying, just haven't found) however I have found that their list of production centers does not list anything in Asia. Also having production centers that create the entire movement in Asia would defy the "Swiss Made" rule set... Bear in mind that having plants is not necessarily the same making the movements there... the plants might be responsible only for stamping out some portion of the parts or doing some minor assembly.

It does in the Gen world... I think in the Rep world the Swiss tag is supposed to give a feeling of higher quality (ie actually Swiss) but in the Gen world I believe (and I may be wrong) that regardless of where the plants are that stamp the parts out, all ETA are Swiss made in the same way an item made entirely of parts from Japan but assembled in the US can be Made in USA. Thus in the Gen world I believe you won't see "Asian ETA" your Swiss ETA might be 95% Asian made and something finished to make it Swiss made, but as far as I know you will never technically come across a Genuine ETA (from the ETA company) that is anything but "Swiss". The original question being if Genuine Swiss ETA movements would be more expensive than Genuine Asian ETA movements... my thinking is there is no such thing as Genuine Asian ETA movement... I could be wrong on any of that, but it's what I have in my head from what I have read... This may have changed since the source was printed...

But I thought the company ETA finished/assembled/something or other that allows them to mark them all as swiss made... thus making all Genuine ETA movements technically Swiss...

I don't think there is such a thing as a Genuine Asian ETA... ETA is a Swiss company... if it's a Genuine ETA I would think it comes from that company in Switzerland...

I don't think I am alone in saying "If it leaves The Zigmeister with a doorstop, it's absolutely a concern to the rest of us". While it's not so much the Swiss vs not issue, I still think it falls into the same category... and in general I think more accuracy in description is important. I know it gets people riled up when someone says this but: The dealers make a hefty profit for their services... I don't think it's too much to ask that their margins include as accurate a description as possible and being heald to it. I mean mistakes happen and things may be overlooked, but something as important as ETA (that can double or triple the price of a watch) I would think warrants attention. 1:1, Light AR, Swiss ETA... After all, I say again, aren't we here to help each other find out about exactly this kind of thing, not make reasons for why it's ok? I am glad our dealers are as honest as they are, and that we have an alternative to the scam sites listing "Exact 100% identical" reps... but let's not let a slope get started here... who knows how slippery it could get...

I am always reminded when wearing a gen watch with lume, what it could be and it does make the reps seem kind of sad... I really hope superlume becomes the standard for reps soon...

I get the feeling that "ETA" is becomming more broadly excepted as "not asian 21j or quartz" instead of meaning what it actually says... And I can see both sides of it in that, as long as it works, what does it really matter, these are all reps anyway - as well as the other side which is be honest with me about the details even if you don't think they are important, especially if that details can cause an increase in price... It's just a slippery slope kind of thing... I never like slippery slopes... would we put up with it if an ebay dealer sold a rep as "Gen Omega with replaced third party movement" for $400? No... it wouldn't matter that that's not a particularly bad price for a rep with a nice working movement or that someone who knows a lot would be able to spot telltale signs of what it really is or that it's a decent value or whatnot... we would be all over him for missrepresenting even though in the end, it all works out to a fair value. One reason I think bears keeping in mind is that often people pay extra for the ETA model because parts and skill to replace or repair it should be readily available later on... I would think this might be undermined in receiving a copy movement that mimicks the functionality but not the actual parts/layout.

Thank you TVT I think that's exaclty the kind of honest answer the community can benefit from... after all, aren't we all here to help everyone make educated decisions based on the truth of a subject? Sure people who have been around a lot and know a lot may be able to decipher what the real meanings are, but I think it's great to let noobs know the truth right up front, after all it doesn't hurt anyone... a seagull movement watch is probably still a great deal at $200-300. I can understand why dealers resort to "little white lies", one only has to look as far as the noobmariner or ultimate PO or the recent HBB to see what marketing can do even in our educated community, and you can't really blame a dealer for not wanting to be the one selling "Generic Asian Rolex Daytona" when everyone else is selling "Swiss 7750"... but then again it does beg how far it can go... I mean we are getting 1:1 reps with drawn on screw heads... It's one thing to say "it's still a good value" or "everyone should know" but those are all excuses... just like we tell people the truth about the $1000 swiss replicas untruths, I would think that, especially amongst ourselves, we would want all the truth about everything on the table for the communities benefit...

I think that's a good mindset to have as it certainly avoids potential dissapointment, but it still skirts the question... what exactly are the details behind the Swiss ETA dealers sell?

Yes.

I have tiny wrists... but I like big watches... and no I am not compensating

I think the question the OP is getting at here, details asside, is when a watch is labled "Swiss ETA" is it the same thing we would get in an AD from a watch that would use the same movement? In other words does "Swiss ETA" have a different meaning in the rep world than it does in the gen world? Regardless of whether they are a good value or what else has a different meaning in the rep world, I think this is a legit question and I would like to know also... it has been my understanding that those marked with Swiss are at least the same parts as their swiss counterparts (thus the ease of repairs down the road).

That makes me like the Black Bang even less...

I am by no means an expert, I could just as much be wrong on my Miyota statement as right Hmmm... I think l Rolexes use VERY high standard completely in house movements I believe... they are mightily overpriced, but there is no denying they are absolutely excellent movements. But what movements are you noticing too much ticking on? I mean Gen Rolex's tick... just very small ticks... if you are noticing a significantly worse tick on your ETA watches then maybe something is wrong with them... My 21j asians hold up to the passing eye and I feel my "ETA" reps are pretty darn smooth...

Are you sure about that? I was under the impression that Miyota cranks out some top notch stuff on some of it's movements. BTW I believe it has been said here that all the ETAs you see in reps have their parts made in China, however some are sent to switzerland to be assembled and finished and those are labled swiss.

I think the pics look nice, especially the second one with the cigar... the cufflinks in that one look kind of like weird sunglasses I prefer higher contrast photos though, so maybe more light overall and maybe a bit more time considering layout and composition. I see angles in your shots that look more crooked or off center than properly angled or dramatic. Also I usually find it more pleasing to the eye if you focus on the midground instead of foreground... many of your shots have the closest part of the watch focused and the back blurred... I think it's best to focus on the middle and let the front and back be blurred. But overall I say very nice shots and I agree, they have that sort of old style look... almost like they should be sepia or something.