Timelord

Thank you both Automatico & Mymanmatt!! As it was very late at night, I forgot to mention that he also commented on the train with the cheap wheels. Depending on which clone you get, some are better than others. I personally don't have anything against these clones, but if someone tries to sell you a clone at the price of a genuine, preying on one's ignorance or vulnerability then that presents a problem. Period!! My other concern is if eta clones can interchange with genuine spare parts, then I don't mind as I can always maintain the mvt. I have sourced many references and websites to learn to distinguish clones from the real deal, but I have also confronted some inconsistencies and inaccurate information where I can take a gamble hoping that the seller is honest. I have been scammed before with other items and not just here, but that is the risk one takes!! Of course, I would always buy an eta clone with the stampings from a seller that declares it as such, because at least I know that he is honest!!!!

Just by pure coincidence, as I was coming out of the watch supply house on Friday I bumped into a retired watch maker who I had my first discussion on eta clones and eta compatible mvts many moons ago. I recall at the time that he had complemented the clones as being good value for money and that they were the same standard as the genuine etas. I brought up the discussion again and this time he had a different opinion altogether. He called them junk movements as even though some have great accuracy and great time telling qualities, it not as durable nor lasting as the original movt., He said that when they play up they are really a throw away. He mentioned that the escapement wheel is of poor quality, wearing out quicker and the pallet fork is also of substandard quality which needs replacing sooner than your coffee money in a supermarket. The balance hair spring is ok but nothing special as it too has a frequency of premature wearing. What worries me is that some of these clones also have stampings and all the hallmarks of genuines often making them more indistinguishable from the real McCoy eta. Is there a tutorial or write up as to what to look for when buying a genuine or a clone as it is getting harder and more challenging to buy and then having to return, especially of charged full price of a genuine??

Well the glass clears it well and the same happened when the movement and dial was in another case with a higher crystal. This was just before it was serviced!!! in fact, it was the very reason that I got it serviced, because it stopped when you least expected it!!!

Hello and thanks for your input!!! Very valid points indeed. The hands are definitely not touching the dial but as for the crystal I cannot see any marks on it like rubbing and it was stopping at different times. When it did stop, it would run again after taking it out of my jacket pocket upon coming home as I would not leave a non working watch on my arm. After service it picked up 2 or 3 seconds max per day which I was more than happy with! Wished my genuine model ran this way! Interestingly, before service I had this movement in a different case (Tudor case) it stopped at exactly 9.27 and 33 seconds which was exactly the same time that it stopped in this different case AFter service My watchmaker still argues that it is the casing not being made for these movements and one will always expect such problems. Maybe the case was made for an eta 2824 in place of a 2836 as it is slightly thicker and any use of the stem could make it go funny!!! Brainstorming!!'!!! Brainstorming!!!

Thanks for your information. We had wondered if there was something preventing it from winding properly, but when watchmaker first opened it, it was the first test he did and manually unwound the watch to release the power in the mainspring - and there was plenty there!!! He thought that maybe there was not enough clearance between the hands and crystal which seems odd as it did not stop always with the same pattern. He reminded me that these basterdised Match and mix watches that are not designed by the a particular company and is like trying to make a well operating car by mixing car parts from ford, GM and Chrysler to make a compatible car

Oh yes!!!! Constantly rubber stamping -documents and travelling

Three months ago I had my eta 2836-2 serviced prematurely as it was unexpectedly stopping considering it is on my wrist for almost 20 hours daily. After almost a week from getting it back, it stopped again - twice in one day. I took it back to watchmaker and after he checked it out and tested it on an automatic winder, called me to pick it up claiming it was running perfectly, Again, in the middle of 3 weeks, the same thing happened, which is what the problem was prior to service. This time it happened when I hung it up on a key ring holder to take a shower as I never shower with it. It gets plenty of wrist time!! I took it back again and this time he thoroughly checked out if there could be a problem with the reverser wheels playing up which was not the case. The mainspring had been replaced at first service and he even looked at that. Yesterday after almost a month, the same thing happened. I just cannot for the life of me work out what is the problem. I am just sick of returning backwards and forwards to watchmaker who might think I am some kind of a nutcase as he cannot seem to see what I am on about. It wasn't cheap either as he is quite in demand with over 40 years experience. Why am I writing??? Has anyone ever had any similar experience, I would appreciate any feedback as I am really clutching my straws. With Endless THANKS!!!!

Who me?:;-)? Don't worry, you have come to the right place. Everyone here is nice!!!!! As the saying goes; "love thy neighbor and love thy enemy" because they are the same kind of people!!!!

Great video!! Keep them coming!!!! If you had also shown that same one with the DWO, it would be a jackpot!,, the world keeps getting smaller, you don't happen to live next door???

I have always used the advice I found on this tutorial, even though this guy does not recommend it if you are not familiar with working with watches. Before I discovered this video I always stuffed up especially when I had to remove and reposition the date wheel. Good luck!!!!!

what is a fake watch??? A watch that functions well and tells the time as it should is too real in my book. More to the point, I see a lot of fake people starting from Politicians, Shrewd business people and those that call themselves friends only when their lawn mower breaks down and borrow yours,the only time you ever see them. A quality replica timepiece regardless of if it has Rolex label on the dial or no label at all, gives me as much pleasure as something issued by Rolex or Timex. Before i got married, I had the privilege/blessing of earning well and indulged in buying a WG Daytona, Datejust 1601, including a Submariner 16080. That was my equivalent that critics may have seen as a bad habit similar to the stigma attached to gambling, drinking and smoking. The difference was that I still had the items to sell off even at a loss to get something back. The problem came when I had these gems attended to by RSC and the costs were getting beyond what I deemed feasible,, especially if I intended to alternate them between occasions and to prioritise the cost of raising a young family which always comes first at all costs. Sadly the genuine timepieces had to go when my eldest son was diagnosed with Autism and treatments became first priority. Reason why I hadn't posted much, but been on this forum for several years when I first discovered the joys and education of the art behind what some of you guys do and share, This runs circles over those that only own genuine watches and have no clue in what is behind what they own. Surely there are those that own genuines as well as replicas and appreciate them both, where the replica may be an every day beater and the genuine may be put aside for special occasions!!!! Each to their own.. I purchased some replicas back when they still used eta mvts and I have been more than happy with them no different to when I also owned the genuine pieces. The joys of acquainting my fellow members here and lurking on this forum, is worth more than the price of any genuine timepiece!!!!!

To clarify, of course, if left only to what is done at the assembly line with no quality control, you are right to say - an accident waiting to happen. In my situation that is exactly what happened - one day my sub fogged up. However, replacing my sub with an oem crystal gasket, oversized back seal, quality crown and tube, followed by UV glue around crystal - it passed the pressure test to over 100metres. Not bad for a replica, as could be the case for other timepieces if given the same attention. Oh, not forgetting that I used lithium vacuum pump grease around ALL the seals!!!!

Out of curiosity, this post got me all worked up to get my replica sub, pressure tested. Before I went in, I opened it to check the seal and the gaskets around the crown and all seemed intact. I took it into one of the watch booths that pressure test them and I was pleasantly surprised that it tested well to just over 100 meters. Now this is something that I purchased from Paul several years ago (with sapphire crystal). As someone posted in another earlier thread, these replicas are far more water resistant than they are given credit for - even more so than some 6 digit priced dress watches. Imagine if it mine and some of yours had the genuine crown/tube, genuine crystal gasket, I would imagine that it would have tested even better. One important point that most seem to overlook is the crystal gasket on the sapphire crystal models They do need to be replaced more often than people may think as they go hard and brittle. Mine was very bad when it initially fogged up. It is also how they are pressed in at factory assembly. Hopefully most of these replicas accept genuine parts and if so, it is worth the cost. I forgot to mention in my earlier response, that when I worked on water proofing my watch, I had acctually purchased vaccuum pump grease which is also a lithium white grease which I got when I went to the plumbing store to buy my tap washers. This also helped. Good luck fellows, it is a privilege for me to belong to this forum

Hello, I may not know much about watchmaking apart from pulling out a mvt, changing the crystal, and repositioning the yoke popping out in the keyless works. I can say that I had a similar problem with a sapphire crystal submariner I purchased from Paul, [censored] or Aspire whatever his current alias is now. It was good to swim with and to dip my hand in the bucket etc, until one day it fogged up like yours on a very hot day. I removed the mvt immediately and it seemed fine and left it in a container of rice for a few days.. I closed off the case with the stem etc and placed the empty case in very cold water which I got out of the fridge. I immediately pulled it out from cold to very hot water (approx 60 degrees) and noticed bubbles appear near the top part of the crystal and some near the back case. Glass and rubber have a higher coefficent of expansion than steel. This sudden change in pressure allowed me to see some weak points which would be what a pressure test would do. I bought a new crystal gasket and a back gasket that was slightly thicker and rounder that when I closed off the case back, I could feel the springy rubber feel as I was closing it. I also removed the o ring gasket inside the crown which was very thin and put some silicone around inside the crown - where I then gently pressed the crown o-ring in to even it in. I ordered a UV glass kit from ebay and dabbed some around the crystal retaining ring after I had pressed in the crystal. Do NOT ateempt this it with the bezel on as the UV glue will bind the bezel to the crystal Surprise surprise!!!! A few days later, I repeated the hot/cold water test again and NO bubbles appeared anywhere. It has been over 12 months and I can swim with it and on hot and cold days,my crystal has never fogged up again. Just wanting to share my backyard approach. HOPE that yours will be fine too.

Sorry for not being specific as in asking for generic replacement, I wasn't all that fussed about the nitty gritty 1-1 details. It is one to replace one of Josh's mid of the road submariners with a sapphire crystal. I just needed it to seal/close it properly as it is a replica that has typical giveaway signs to be a replica. I had a quality one made of stainless steel where you could actually feel the way it closed and opened to be like one from a genuine Seiko or Tissot standard, but I don't recall where I got it from. Tube had threads on both sides as well, but crown had no logo

Interesting!!!! What are the symptoms if the wheel is dislocated at the bottom???would the watch run fast ,slow or stop altogether ???

I am trying to locate a quality generic stainless steel crown to fit onto my genuine submariner tube and would appreciate if anyone can direct me where to purchase one that would accommodate the threads of the tube??? I was thinking of getting a second hand genuine one, but on 2nd thoughts, considered in getting a new ss generic. Thanks for any suggestions

WOW!!!! thanks for sharing your experience and of your misfortune!!! I learn something new everyday! I don't want to hijack this thread,as I am sure the OP has resolved his issue from the above answers. You now really got me very worried as to how far one has to look outside the square to cover every possibility of what nasty surprises could lie underneath their prizes possession. how did you discover about your case tube being jammed in, instead of being screwed in? Is there any way of telling besides at service time when there is a need for replacing it ? It sends chills down my spine reading about your answer, especially happening on a solid gold genuine case

I am absolutely speechless!!. No words come close to praising this.!! a home printed dial! I would never have guessed it!,, next time you may want to create a review/ tutorial with some pictures showing at each stage up-to the final development as not many people have ever seen a watch dial being printed. It would be the only known web page in the world that would show how a dial would have been made in a traditional manner!!! i salute you!!!!

A couple of people here held up a bank with their full name tags on their work logo, and the police arrested them at work! Maybe the seller is one of them

The SSD V2 was one of my favourites of its time as it was the closest that I remember in terms of modifications. It was also good value for money!!! Too bad the modder no longer does this!!

Has anyone ever seen or know of the replica version of the TAG Heuer WK 1120-1? If such a model exist, would a genuine bezel fit on it? with Thanks!

Had you only said this two or three years ago when I was looking for an economy's hard to find fluted bezel . Feels like reading about a cure to a disease when the patient is dead!!!! Sorry!!! I cannot recall if it was a silix case or one that jmb uses did'nt know this - now you got me thinking

Yes I have dealt with raffles in the past and is very good to say the least as he also caters for economy brands especially if you are trying to fit a trivial part on a citizen I recall buying a smooth generic Datejust bezel from him for approx $20 two or three years ago. Thanks once again!!

Thanks everyone. I had tried raffles several times but according to his webpage he has been out of stock for quite some time which is why I bothered the forum members