RWG Technical

The Studs are the quick and easy way to recognize the Balance and [censored] as being Asian or ETA... There are more differences, but visually, if you note the type of studs, you can quickly determine the heritage, is it ETA or not... In my experience, Asian studs, means mostly Asian parts...not that this in itself is a bad thing, it's just the way it is. Other than the 2892 copies, all the other Asian models I have serviced are fine. I am only voicing my problems with the 2892 models, as they are the only ones I have had no luck with getting them to run after numerous overhauls. If you want to look at a picture and know "Is it Asian or ETA..." note the type of stud, and you'll be 95% sure of what your getting. RG

Removable studs ETA Fixed studs Asian RG

Hallmark and movement ID look genuine...on the mainplate below the balance. Balance [censored] and levers are Asian from my exprience (NOT removable studs, but fixed) and the screws are not ETA. ETA uses black (blued) screws only on the autowinder bridge, the rest of the screws on ETA movements are nickel, note that all the screws on this one are blued, therefore in my view, a ebauch. Mainplate is most likely ETA, rest is most likely Asian... There is a huge market of ebauches bought and sold over the world, very well known places such as Ofrei buy ALL their ETA movements on the open market, not directly from ETA... RG

I personally have never seen a copy or Asian model with a Hallmark, so it appears the movement manufactures, while duplicating a movement, are not trying to pass it off as something else. They may exist (those with Hallmarks), but I have never seen it (and I like to think I see my share of movements under a 4X loupe). I can tell by looking at the balance wheel [censored] if it's ETA or Asian... ETA uses removable studs for the hairspring regulator and stud arm, Asian uses non-removable attachments. Easy to spot from a mile away... RG

The only reason I replaced my 2892 was that it would not work, even after numerous services...another watch I have has one of these in it, and it doesnt' work either, after being serviced, and yet another member, with the same 007 as mine, is getting the movement replaced...'cause his doesn't work... Plus I have another one sitting in the spares bin, not working, sent to me by a member. Maybe this is a fluke that I have had nothing but bad luck with these models...even after servicing them. I have no problems with copy movements, if you consider my comments on the 7750 and other Asian ones. But this 2892 copy, in my limited experience, is problematic. So I bought a genuine ETA one, and my problem is solved. As to which ones are genuine or not from the sellers, I am not prepared to analyse each and everyone to find out. RG

The only ETA 2892 I have, is the one I bought myself and installed in my first run Omega 007 watch, you know the one, very rare, exact copy with a Genuine ETA...no wait, a copy of an ETA...hence why I installed my own. I have yet to see a ETA 2892 in any rep, that does not mean they dont' exist, but I have yet to see any... RG

No, it's Asian, and I don't mean "Asian ETA", I mean ASIAN... Have a bunch like it here, scrapped out for parts... RG

Nice work as always... RG

Whew...I thought I was going to see an EL Primero in this post...I can relax again... RG

I am always leery of buying on behalf of someone else, and shipping it to someone other than the buyer, and also, RUSH RUSH, what is the big panic, it's a pool cue, is the Japan customer in a game and needs you cue tomorrow to play... Smells too fishy, I am sure the "Customer" in Japan has heard of Ebay...why is he going through someone in the USA. I would stay away from it, too many warning signs... RG

Understood... RG

Makes sense...so I guess it's not an option for me...I am not willing to dump $300 from my Visa to MB, only to get tagged with who knows what in service fees from Visa... That puts an end to my rep buying options...sigh... Can't wait till someone else offers and puts PP out of business, Google have anything in the works to crack the ebay/PP monolopy?? RG

So I signed up for Moneybookers, and they debited my Visa to verify who I was. The total was a couple of dollars... I check my statement on-line, and there next to the debit from Moneybookers, is a "Cash Advance fee" of $5. I never take any cash advances on my Visa, so I called them (Visa). The long and short of it is this: The reason they charged me the $5 cash advance fee, is that in their system (Visa one) Moneybookers is considered and labeled as a GAMBLING money laundering" outfit... ouch.... Well I was a bit shocked to say the least, so I explained that it was the same as PayPal and as she can see on my statement, there are PP charges, but no associated $5 cash advance fees...so why with Moneybookers do they charge me $5. She said that it was listed as on-line gambling, and when they debited my account (MB), since I was gambling (to the tune of less than $3...) they consider this a cash advance... I managed to get the $5 refunded, and they will look into it for me (whatever that is worth) and hopefully fix the error. So what is the deal with MB, and why is it considered gambling? Anyone have the same problem??? Until I know what is going to happen if I send money to them (MB) I am not going to do anything else...as it stands, I am thinking of having Visa block their access to my account. I dont' like unknowns, especially these types... Comments, RG

I have never seen one of these... If anyone has one they want "serviced", I'll do the work for free (customer pays return shipping only) and do a teardown, pics, and comparison to the ETA model. From my experience, it's very doubtful that it's a direct copy of the ETA, I doubt that the parts are interchangeable...but you never know. The offer is on the board, the first to contact me who has one of these and wants to get it torn to pieces, let me know on PM. RG

Well I thought I had seen it all, guess not... RG

An automatic movement requires movement of your wrist or hand to wind...if during wearing, you typically sit still say at a computer or doing some other activity that requires little wrist action, there is no winding going on... Power reserve is directly proportional to amount of wind, which depends on how much the rotor has moved during wearing, no movement = no power reserve... Has nothing to do with break in... RG

The 7753 does indeed have a quick date set pusher, it's right next to the balance wheel, and needs and external pusher at the 10 position on the case to activate it. The reason the quick date set pusher in where it is, is due to the 3 transfer gears on the 12-3 30 minute counter, and the fact the datewheel is above the gears not below them as in the case in the Asian copy... there is no room to have a quick dateset assembly connected to the crown/stem, which is why it's where it is. Panerai did not "fit" the quickset pusher on the movement (they dont' even build movemnets) they put a pusher in the case, to line up with the one built into the ETA 7753 movement. The 2894 chrono attachement plate, does not contain any user (watchmaker) parts, it's not capable of being opened or serviced by anyone other than the ETA factory...very complex and scarry...even scarrier than a El Primero... RG

Nice work, such fine results with such large tools... RG

We can't stand her either, she pisses most Canadians off...thank god you took her away from us in Vegas. RG

Yes there are some nice folks on the Gen sites for sure, but from a watchmaker perspective, the fellows who are supposed to be "helping" others can be down right nasty and mean. Many believe that you must make each and every mistake that they did, in order to progress and move on... Some love nothing better than saying "Yes, of course you broke the himmelerblog hammer, I forgot to mention that small tidbit when I responded to you, but then again, all of us have done the same mistake, welcome to the club..." As selfish as it will sound, go to TZ and try and find any post (other than the Walt Odets ones) that shows how to do stuff, or detailed breakdowns of movements, or how to photograph, or anything even remotely resembling the wonderful posts and great contributions we have here. The one post on TZ that did it for me, was the one in which the fellow posted that he "Finally made it on my AD's Daytona waiting list, 3 years to go..." The follow on comments sounded like this fellow discovered a cure for cancer, and applauded his fantastic move, and also suggested that he "Bring flowers and wine to the Manager for his wife..." "kiss the managers ass" (ok I made that one up, but you get the picture) ad nauseum... I like it here thanks very much...even though I do own some Gen's... RG

Great, just Great... First the Hockey Puck incident (messing with our National Sport) and now you descrate our National Symbol...the BEAVER... Whereas countries such as the USA have the Majestic EAGLE for their national animal, in Canada, you have to look down the tree...a bit further down...yes look further down, and there right at the bottom, is our national animal, the beloved rodent, the Beaver. And I see that this particular one, is not the brightest one in the pack. I have to go now, I dont' think I can take any more of this, what next...mocking Anne Murray and the Snowbird song...the horror, the horror... RG

I chose the "Ignore User" function for Flip a long time ago... I have commented once and only once, as I think he's wasting everyone's time...a flake to say the least. RG

Great pics and write up... Thanks, RG

I registered with MoneyBrokers but for some reason, it's not working... I have been waiting for days for them to deposit some money in my Visa account so I can validate it, but nothing is happening... I do have a PP account, and if someone I know has a Moneybroker and PayPal account, and is willing to lend me a hand, plse let me know. Obviously I bought something, but I can't pay for it with PP, so I would transfer the money from PP to someone who then can forward it using their MB account to the seller. I'll cover the fees etc for the transaction. If anyone I know (for obvious reasons) has both a PP and MB account, and would like to help me out, plse send me a PM, no reason to post it here. Thanks RG

Looks great, nice job on the pics...wear it well. RG