Toadtorrent

They sell Subs, DJ's, Omega Speedies, Mont Blanc and Tags at my Costco...no Pateks or Breitlings though...not much selection either.

Funny discussion. Nice pics for pieces...very solid and great watches. The Legende is fantastic!! Too big for me though...was tempted to get one, tried on the gen, and thought too large. BEAUTIFUL though...

Very slick. I'm not sure what strap I would stick on one of these. I've never been a big fan of the Nato straps...I can see them being very comfortable and practical...but I imagine them getting stinky quick like my velcro Timex Ironman straps.

What did you get done on this one? Is this a gen movement and dial?? I do like these.

DOH!! I gathered that shortly after after posting that...but wasn't 100% sure. Hey...I'm a noob when it comes to movement history and the nuances of the variations. I'll be the first to admit I'm not expert on any of this vintage stuff...interested? ABSOLUTELY? Knowledgeable? For sure...I know how to spell Polex. Very interesting stuff to read...that's for sure!!! When did the handstack change from the "ICHS" to "CHS" order?? Would the old order apply to a 6542? Would the 1655 case be appropriate for that or am I WAAAAAAY off on this one??? I just want to get to have something that REMOTELY resembles any of Freddy's duos...from a pilot's view (i.e. 35,000' away) and have a 2893-2 looking for love ( know...wrong beat).

Given it's an AP ROO...a couple things could have happened...well documented: Zig's Guide to the A7750 If you set the date while the time was between roughly 7pm and 2am, you could have buggered the keyless works. This holds true for the gen ETA Swiss 7750 as well...it's a design fault. If this is the case, you need to get a watchmaker to fix the keyless works. If you were winding it vigorously by hand...not a good idea on an A7750. You may have worn the teeth down on one of the gears as pictured here: and documented in The Zigmeister's Post on Why Handwinding an A7750 is BAD. The latter will need a watchmaker to replace the gear and clean the movement of shrapnel. The parts may be replaceable with ETA parts...but I'm not sure on this. You'll have to have a watchmaker familiar with A7750's to know. Check out Francisco or Domenico in Europe for this service.

Nanuq is North Florida...

You and me both. The Seiko movements are readily available, solid and serviceable at good prices...why can't they use these as an alternative to ETAs???

Great stuff!! That is beautiful.

I contacted Seagull in China in English...and was able to pick up a few...but I don't know if that's a consistent thing as the contact I passed onto another member was unsuccessful in getting a reply!!

I'm liking that Panda Dial...very nice!!

Wow wow WOWWWW!!!!

That TWB gator is nice...gotta get one for mine...very nice collection.

DOH!!! Believe it or not, that's where a lot the "aging" on my gen Rollies has happened...literally bashing them on the bike stands locking my bike up. Another thing to note...realistically, in terms of price, spending $400 on a REP should be considered a status symbol even though it's a rep because most of society only spends $50 on their Timex or $100 on their watches.

Zig had done some analysis on things like the shape of gear teeth and found that on the gen ETAs they had more complex shaping of the teeth to create an epicycloidal train. The tooth shape increased efficiency of the movement reducing overall system friction...so in that sense, the ETA could be better...but very difficult to ascertain the real overall benefit in terms of longevity or reliability. Something to consider. Good for you on your movement servicing abilities...awesome stuff.

Duplicate post...

For the 6497 that might not be an issue for parts supply. For an A7750.current models seem to sometimes take gen ETA replacement parts...and sometimes not. With the Asian copies of things like the Seagull version of the ETA 2824...The Zigmeister has shown that the parts aren't compatible...aside from datewheels. In many cases, the cost of servicing is more than the cost of a replacement movement...many times over...if you can do the movement replacement. This makes taking your chances on the asian movement a better financial gamble than going for the servicing. The other issue is that the Asian movements come in so many varieties with different cannon pinion heights, hand size requirements, etc, that it can be a pain sometimes to do the movement replacement...and find the right movement... With these factors in mind...remember that, unserviced, some folks have had their A7750 movements run fine for many years...others for 6 months...so the economic calculation of serviced A7750 vs. unserviced A7750 vs. gen ETA can be a bit tricky. With a gen ETA out of the bubble wrap...frustration avoidance can make it possible worth spending the extra for this kind of movement. If you're not sure if you want to keep the watch for awhile, and are happy with having something to play with for a year...then servicing is not likely worth it. These are the things that run through my head when I'm deciding which route to go with. The dealers can generally get you the replacement movements if you want too...that's something else to consider.

I'm surprised nobody else has mentioned this...but I like them because I have a personal family connection with them as my family has bought them generations...so I like them because of the family nostalgia factor. They were all bought in the 60's for the most part...and bought as tool watches (no rare divers unfortunately)...and my family were tool users...so it's a nice history for me. The current buyers are doing it for status for the most part...and that's kind of annoying...but hey. I still like the current ones from an aesthetic and balance point of view too...but never down the bling path.

That's the thing...a gen ETA will always be better...but is a serviced A7750 good enough? It's a watch...not a surgical tool (then again, if you've seen how some surgical tools are used...this probably isn't the best example). It will keep time...reliably...and with the servicing...will last according to Zig as long as an ETA. The issue will be that if parts need replacement...that might be a problem...and that's where a gen ETA is always better if anything...because of the parts supply and serviceability.

Great writeup...and your wristie is FANTASTIC shot. I am sooo tempted by one of these...

Slick pics buddy!! When did you pick up a Doxa???

Wow...this is beautiful...just beautiful...fantastic photos as always too, that really complement the fantastic work.

Hey Robbie...great to hear from you. Glad to hear you're not feeling so well. Hopefully the work isn't driving you too crazy...hope you find the community here entertaining and fun again.

For the SS version...read BT's review HERE. As to who to buy from...if you're in the EU...choose one of the EU shipping dealers to avoid customs issues. It appears the cartel brothers offer this service now too...but you have to make sure to specify it. BT's Post on ICHS / CHS There are now about 5 versions of the GMT movement: Asian 21j modded - the cheap one with varying opinions on reliability...doesn't operate the same as a Rolex gmt movement Asian ETA Clone modded with Incorrect (Wrong) Hand Stack - ICHS - hand stack order is different from gen Rolex Asian Rolex 3186 (nickel plated ETA Clone with Rolex decorated bridges) modded with Incorrect (Wrong) Hand Stack - ICHS - hand stack order is different from gen Rolex Swiss ETA ICHS - considered reliable, but as with all ICHS movements, they don't function quite the same as the gen Rolex movement SWISS ETA CHS - Works the same as the gen Rolex movement, but is often considered unreliable, expensive and hard to source Freddy's CHS...note GMT hand sits above hour hand Most dealers will have the cheap Asian 21J modded, ETA ICHS, and Asian ETA ICHS. The bezel engraving on the GMT IIC can be good if you get the right one. Look for By-Tor's review above and additional posts on the GMT IIc...he is one of the big authorities on it, and has posted TONNES of info comparing various versions of it. I think he got his from Precious Time in the EU. Welcome to the forum...the fun begins.

Does anybody have an update on this one???