RWG Technical

Here you go, in living colour... Newest 7750 review... RG

Well said... I come here for watches as well... RG

Thanks for the kind words. It was a challenge and one of the more difficult ones I have done, the hands especially, as they are flat surfaces, not a hole to fill like on most models...3 coats of lume on the hands, and they turned out fine... RG

Not sure, as I have seen some with the jewel and pivots the same size as the Swiss ones, and others are not the same size...there are so many variants out there, even identical looking movements can have different sized parts. Location will probably be right (location of the actual jewels), but size of the holes in the jewels may be a problem... You'll have to try it to find out. RG

Most likely a too short stem, but it could also be the clutch in the crown that is not releasing and pulling the stem out, instead of only the crown popping out... RG

Stay away from the "Hour hand adjustable" model... I reviewed it here... HOUR hand adjustable model RG

I was thinking the exact same thing... I had visited once in a while, but this past week it's been a turning point for me...crap doesn't even come close to describing what is going on there... RG

They both look great, the pictures are also really nice, I like the background... Well done, thanks, RG

I do now...sorry...I was in a rush and missed the fine print...oh well, maybe someone can use this to remove the Date Disk. RG

It's easy to get it off... It all depends on if you have a stuck on date disk over the original one or not... Normally all you need to do is this Datewheel installed...this is without a stuck on datewheel... See these notches, they are there for a reason, so you can remove the datewheel without taking anything apart... What you do is move the datewheel gently until these line up, and it pops off... If you have a stuck on datewheel like this one, you do the same thing, but you have to feel it because you can't see what your doing... SO you move the datewheel gently while putting a small screwdriver between the wheel and the movement and gently prying on the datewheel disk...once the notches line up, the wheel will pop off the movement... Installation is the reverse but you have to push on the datewheel spring out of the way when you install the wheel... RG

Small amount is normal, as there is friction in the click wheels as they freewheel in the reverse direction (meaning they are designed to work with the rotor, not with the winding stem...) Sounds as if it's normal... RG

Turning anti-clockwise doesnt' do anything but ratchet the sliding pinion against the winding one...there is no real reason to turn the crown this way as it only wears out the ratchet teeth... There should be some resistance in the forward direction, as your not only winding the mainspring, your also turning a bunch of gears in the autowinder...and two of these - the click wheels - are very prone to damage from too fast or too much handwinding... If you have a lot of resistance while winding slowly, wind the watch with the dial up, and see if you can feel any movement inside the watch...if you can feel something moving (the rotor will be spinning) then the click wheel(s) are either damaged or in need of cleaning. See my signature for more info, basics 101 and 102 has more info... RG

Oops, my oversight...thought a 7750 due to the scaricity of the 7753's... As long as you have the correct dial, should be an easy swap...let me know if I can help. RG

I did have one of these in for service, the autowinder did not work... Actually, I still have it in my scrap bin as I could not fix it. The problem was a defect in that the transfer gear from the autowinder to the mainspring barrel did not engage properly...after much messing around, and swapping ETA parts, I finally gave up and installed a new ETA movement in the watch. This is the only time I have seen one of these, hopefully mine was a one-off and they are not all defective... ETA is not the be all to end all, there is a need for good quality mechanical movements, and someone can set up and produce them for the market... ETA not selling to anyone outside of the Swatch group may be their biggest mistake... Look at the mess Rolex is in today, after the closed all the "Authorized repair centers" and pulled it all in house...sure they continue to sell every watch they make, but there is no one left for the after the sale support and servicing of these watches... Which is why Rolex is supporting schools and encouraging young people to get into the watchmaking trade...they screwed themselves over big time, and are now scrambling to replace the shortfall in people with the skills to repair watches... I see the Chinese stepping up and filling the hole left by ETA. RG

Very nice job... RG

GOT IT WORKING>>> I removed the extra gears for the running seconds, and the watch is working fine for the past 24 hours...I have cased it and will see how it goes over the next day or so, and it should be fine now... So the problem was the extra gears, and the extra friction...just the way it goes sometimes... At least there is a fix, and all is not lost... RG

There could be an easy fix, it all depends on your skill level... Open the caseback, and look at the bottom pusher and where it touches the lever for resetting the chrono... What you want to note is this, does the bottom pusher touch the reset lever on the movement, or is there space between the two... IF there is NO space between the pusher and the lever, then most likely the pusher is pressing on the lever JUST enough to cause the brake lever to release... THe test is to remove the movement, and monitor it...if the 12 hour stays fixed, you know the problem...if it continues to move, then it's inside the chrono...and requires teardown... RG

Nice genuine ETA 7750... How are you dealing with the 30 minute subdial issue...is this 7750 already modified or are you going to swap the parts around... Can't wait to see the final results... Lots of pics please... RG

Wonderful...just wonderful... If I did not feel stupid enough by destroying one of the crowns, I may have a blob of white gold on my hands...as if I couldn't feel any worse... I'll polish it up over the weekend and see how it looks, it may be worth something to someone even with the foil removed... Next time, I ask first, then destroy... RG

@fellfell Interesting comments to say the least...not sure where they come from, or what they are based on, but interesting for sure... You have not commented very much on the forum, so I am not sure why you have such a opinionated view of this particular topic...and why you chose this particular thread to post your views... If I read your comments correctly, you say 3 things, 1. our watches are junk, 2. our watches dont' have any genuine ETA movement in them, and 3. I am getting paid off by the Chinese to post and say what I say ...(I hope that last one is true, and that my bank will cash a chinese cheque...) Anyone can buy 1 ETA movement, or 100 of them, or 1000 of them... send me a cheque for $10,000 and I will get you whatever type of ETA movements you want... Your suggesting that the ETA movements are not actually ETA ones, but Chinese copies... Well I am here to let you know that those that I see that are marked as ETA, are indeed ETA movements... there are copies of various movements in our watches, that is nothing new. Are the copie movements junk?? NO, not at all, for the most part they are really good quality. I'll put out an open invitation to anyone on this forum to come and sit at my workbench, and see for themselves a genuine ETA and a copy...after you handle as many watches as I do, you can see a Genuine ETA as soon as you look at it... Critisizme and accusations without any supporting info is simply worthless...it's your opinion, nothing else. I am not sure why your so [censored] off, if you dont' like the watches that are being sold here, then dont' buy them...you have a choice... I have posted dozens of posts with supporting information and pictures (some of it not positive) on various movements, you can do the same. Anyone can say whatever, lets see you back up your accustations and statements with some proof.... RG

No thanks...I decided to strip the metal off, so it's my problem... I have been sitting on these for a long time, just never thought about what they were... The stripped one I'll polish up, and find a use for it somewhere... I was going to throw them out until we spoke the other day... RG

Well that being the case, I guess I'll polish up the one I ruined, and maybe it will be usable... As for the other one, I'll not ruin it and leave it alone...guess I jumped the gun by stripping the foil off, but it could have been a twinlock model...oh well, live and learn... RG

Random thoughts about where we have been, and where were going with replica’s… If we have not reached the pinnacle of quality of replica’s, I have a feeling it’s right around the corner… I say this while thinking about just how far we have come in the past 24 months (I joined the original RWG on October 14, 2004). This is what I remember about how much things have changed for us – for the better… I sincerely think we will not get it any better than we have it today, regarding quality of the reps we can buy, the reliability and consistency and honesty of our dealers, and the help from forum members. Here is a short version of but a couple of changes I have seen…if you don’t know where we were, you can’t appreciate where we are today… 2005 – first part of the new year… PAM’s are just starting to get popular, I buy the latest model – a Titanium 118 with a see-through case back… it has a ETA 6497-1 for power, with the “wrong shaped bridges” and of course the stuck on foil with the “Panerai” engravings… The crown is “ok” but the CG lever is thin and crappy… This is the best of the best rep at that time, looking at it today, it would be considered a joke and so crappy as to not even warrant being worn… Over the next few months, we wonder and think about how nice it would be to have a movement with anything even close to the genuine PAM shaped bridges… And then the impossible happens, we get a movement in with modified bridges, in the shape of a Genuine PAM, and we are so excited for this dramatic turn of events in the rep world… But…….. the fever dies down, as this new movement - although looking like a genuine one - does not have a “Swan Neck” fine regulator…so we sit back and wonder and hope … “ Sure it has the correct bridges, and engravings, but look at that missing Swan Neck regulator…” Fast forward a few months, and wouldn’t you know it, someone comes out with a movement, that not only has the correct bridges, but WOW, it also has a Swan Neck regulator…Yea!! There is joy on the forums, and the people rejoiced and feasted on the lams and the yews…oops that’s not actually true… The last vestige of rep-dome has been reached, correct bridges, and now a Swan Neck regulator… But alas, all is not as it seems… since this swan neck regulator – while looking real – does not actually work…so we sit and sulk again…”those rep makers, what is wrong with them, can’t they get anything right….” Well wouldn’t you know it, more time passes, and next thing you know, we have a functioning Swan Neck regulator, correct Panerai style bridges, and …….. just as we think we have it all, our chins drop down again… now the printing on the bridges “Panerai” is not EXACTLY the right size…Sigh… The dealers must be listening to us, and be willing and able to initiate changes, otherwise we would still have the standard wrong bridges ETA 6497 with the stuck on foil plates. Look at the changes on this movement alone… This is but one example of many… If you don’t know the history, you can’t appreciate the amazing watches we have today… PAM 188 circa 2005… Date: February 2005, a new PAM is shown, a beautiful 188, with a 7750 (modified to look like a 7753) and the people rejoice, “Yes, look at this beauty…yea!!” I jump on the bandwagon, order mine from TTK, and sure enough, it shows up 3 weeks later imbedded in a Haggis and I am so excited…what a beauty… Well, the excitement fades for some when these posts start showing up, “the dial is too silver in colour, it should be white, the subdials are not recessed, and look at that stupid datewheel location, it’s too far from the dial, and not like the genuine one…” So again, the dealers step up to the plate, and amazingly the unbelievable happens, the dealers get Genuine ETA 7753’s, correct the dial flaws, print it in white – with recessed subdials – and send them out…here we have the IDENTICAL movement, correct dial etc, but what it this?? Oh no, not again…the datewheel font is bad, the hands are not as crisp edged as the genuine one…etc … Some complain about the price but don’t consider that a Genuine 7753 from ETA is $500 or more (if you can even source one…). Since ETA 7753’s are so scarce, the availability of these models quickly dries up…those that got them, are very lucky indeed…(wish I had gotten one for myself…). PAM GMT, PR models: 2005-2006 If you thought you couldn’t get any better than this, next up is this wonderful run of PAM’s with genuine ETA movements in them, that duplicate the real ones to a “T”…wow, simply unbelievable. The GMT models have a ETA 2893-2 in them, just like the genuine ones, and they are extremely well made… The PR model, with the “soprano” (spelling) Power Reserve bridge and module is virtually identical to the genuine, and it also sells out quickly… These needed very little in ways of mods to make them even better, other than poor lume, they are amazingly accurate. Those that got one of these models have keepers for sure, and although the price was high for the watches, taking into account the cost of the movement alone, your only paying about 20% of the cost for the actual watch, as the market price on these movements (if you can even find one) is 80% or more of the asking price of the whole watch…exceptional deal. What’s my point The dealers must be listening to our comments, or nothing would have changed during the past 2 years. Sure our watches have various “flaws”, but in my mind, that is what makes them unique and wonderful… So what if there are minor flaws, given what we have in terms of quality, and availability, I couldn’t be happier with what I have bought. So what does the future hold? The 7753 powered models have come and gone, the 2893 and 2892 models with the PR indicator, are also gone…why were these great watches short lived? I think the key issue is the movements… Ever thought about where the movements come from… There are only so many surplus or extra movements available on the open market, have a look at www.ofrei.com site and see what Bob carries, he’s been in the business for years and yet, with his connections, he is limited to buying “Surplus” ETA movements on the open market. He can’t get anything from ETA… There is a larger demand for quality movements than are available movements on the market… I think the times are changing and we will continue to see less and less models with ETA movements in them…I am not saying this is good or bad, but reality… I also think that the quality of the actual reps have or are about to reach the peak. How much better can they be?? I can still buy ETA movements from my supplier, Surplus ones (Silver in colour) and Genuine From the ETA Factory ones (at 2X the price of the surplus ones, Gold plated, as all Gold coloured ETA’s are from ETA). Other than the ETA 7753, I can also source any and all spare parts for the ETA movements we have in our reps. Ok, so what about the Asian models we are being offered…ETA is not going to sell outside Swatch Group after 2009…what happens to us then?? I have always supported the use of Asian movements in our reps, that is if they are well made (given regular maintenance, all movements will last a lifetime – even Asian ones). Regular maintenance is not restricted to Asian movements, ETA Swiss movements need regular maintenance as well…maybe not initially, but certainly in the long run. For the most part the Asian movements are very good quality, the only problem being that of spare parts…there are none available, not only that, but you can’t buy any spare movements to part out for spare parts… This has been and will continue to be a problem, I wonder if once ETA stops selling, will the supply houses like Otto-Frei carry Seagull movements and parts??? I hope so… What does the future hold??? Of course we will never be satisfied, as there will always be something that is not “right” with our reps, I consider this part of the lure of replica’s…but overall, I think it’s good to remember where and what we started with, in context to what we have available to us today… My examples are but only a small sampling of the improvements we have had over the past couple of years. From where I sit, there has never been a better time than now for the quality and diversity of the watches we can buy. I for one, am buying what I want today, as I am afraid that this golden era of high quality reps will not last forever… We have seen the higher quality models show up and disappear as quick as they arrived (I still have my Omega 007 – you know the model, and those that have DW Daytona’s are not parting them out). I hope what we have today will continue and get better, but I fear that things are going to change in the next few years…maybe for the worse…especially when ETA stops selling movements… If you don’t know where we have been, it’s hard to appreciate where we are today… What do you think? RG

My thoughts as well...maybe between the twin lock and triple lock... Oh well, one is not so "rare" anymore with the foil removed, but I will try and polish it and see and post pics of the results... I still can't figure out what tube would work, I have a 6mm tube, it's too small...I have a 7mm tube, but it's got the O'ring grove and does not work... Crown without a matching tube is useless.... RG

The strange thing, is that every crown I have gotten from this seller - has been genuine... The one you have on yours Randy (that you told me was a vintage whatever...) is from this seller...so it seems unusual for this fellow to carry replica parts. I can't wait to see what comes of this, someone knows what these are, hopefully we get answers. RG