Durability of rep. watches

[makoberry]

Hello everyone,

Been lurking around some rep. forums and read some posts about the durability of movements, bracelets, straps and so on. Most of the time it's the usual BS about "the watch can work for 1 day or 30 years, depending on... ". So it's about time for a little survey!

Please write:

Watch name: <ex. Breitling Superocean Steelfish>

Movement: <ex. Asian 7750>

Used since: <ex. 2007, daily/weekly/almost never>

Serviced: <if yes, when?>

Defects: <ex. low power reserve, bracelet coming apart>

Other: <Write anything you want>

Edited August 24, 2009 by makoberry

[Packard]

Timex

Quartz

perfect time for about 12 years

requires new battery every 3 years

Defect: "Timex" logo on the face.

Maybe Zigmeister can put on a new face?

[andreww]

Watch name: <Breitling Navitimer 3-6-9>

Movement: <Modified Asian 7750>

Used since: <2005 used at least weekly>

Serviced: <never>

Defects: <None... until a few days ago>

Other: <My Navi has almost five years on it, and worked fine up until last weekend. The quick set date stopped functioning, and the watch is now with my watchsmith>

[vlaletom]

Well writing in the asked form is too much a hassle if i had to revew all the watch i have had

So i'll rather go with the usual [censored]

But i can be more specific :

- Watch with asian movement & added complication, stats : 100% rip

ex 2* rolex 1655, cause of death : gmt module (1st less then a week, second maybe a few month)

Pam 196 with old style 7750, cause of death : "no trip to The Zigmeister for service", time lasted 2 year.

JLC with real alarm, cause of death "unknown".

- Watch with Swiss ETA, stats 0% trouble with movement.

MBW 1665, MBW 1655 (yes with gmt mod and still doing great), TW best SD, Omega SMP pro...

- Trouble with Case, stats : around 25%

Mostly Minor trouble like case clamp falling off after a while.

PAM 196 old case : 2 screw for crown gard too lose, conducting in the crown guard falling off after doing Motorbyke, (at home fortunatly)

Smp Pro : losing it's cristal after a good day of freeride at "chamonix les grand montet"

A rep sub : losing several lume dot after a good day of freeride in "la grave"

also a broken crown tube on an omega blue smp pro.

In the other hand some reps are just rock solid, like my TW best SD that i now use every time i am going snowbording, and that i used to dive up to 25 meter in Koh Tao this summer.

so my overall conclusion is:

Asian movement are reliable unless they are modded to make stuff they where not designed to.

ETA are 100% reliable.

Casing of reps are not equaly robust, most do fine as long as you don't intent "big action" with them, but only a few resit hard core shock and vibration over a long time.

[FxrAndy]

I have to say i only have one that is not currently working and that was the fault of me sending it to the wrong place.

I have had some problems with a slipping hand on an asian 7750

The 28xx style movememnts be from eta of other factorys are all still working

I have never had a watch fsail to be water resistant to the degree of a shower and i have swam in most, Althought i dont wear chronographs in the shower.

Please bear in mind that i am capable of rectifiying small faults on my watch and a bit of modding, i check my gaskets and make sure my crowns are screwed down.

The faults i have dealt with are

Lume falling out of rolex dials once

Crapped out asian movement in a bell and ross after 18 months (changed for a myota)

Dropped watches and hands coming loose once

and slipping hands on a 7750

Apart from that i have had good luck

The problem is you can never tell, I have taken time to buy what i have reasearched as being reliable complications, I had a porto with seconds @ 6 in my early days and that was fine and i hear still is.

[LapTime]

Good thread idea, nice to see a catalog of everyone's experience in one place, not spread about the forum.

I'm relatively new to the rep scene, but ive had great experiences so far with my 4 watches!

Watch name: TAGHeuer Carrera Racing

Movement: Asian 7750 28,000 BPH

Used since: Purchased in May 2008, worn practically daily for basically the remainder of the year, never skipped a beat.

Serviced: Not yet, but it's in the plans. Been keeping the 'miles' off it recently to be one the safe side.

Defects: Takes a little while to 'start up', but it was like that from day 1. Otherwise none, it's been a flawless timekeeper and my favorite watch. Might lose 30s in a day, but has not been regulated.

Other: Given how well its performing, i'm almost tempted not to service it. But i want to keep it for a long time, so i'm planning on getting it serviced soon. Until then, I only really wear it occasionally just in case. This watch usually follows me to the racetrack, has gone karting with me (high vibration) on occasion, and I use the chronos regularly. Even handwound on occasion. No ill side effects so far.

Watch name: Rolex Submariner (n00bmariner)

Movement: "Asian ETA" 2813

Used since: August 2008 (i think). Worn at least 1-2x a week.

Serviced: No plans to, either.

Defects: Easily my most unreliable watch. Sometimes i'll look down to my wrist and its lost anywhere from 5-60 minutes, but that's fairly uncommon. Sometimes if i set it down on a surface the watch will stop if its not laying perfectly face up it will stop completely until i lay it flat, and it will start again. Oh, worst power reserve ever too. Even if i wear it all day it will stop the next day in the watch box....have to wear it several days in a row to keep it going for more than 24 hours in the box. When it's running it keeps pretty good time, actually. I'd say +/- 30s/day.

Other: I beat the crap out of this thing, relatively. I take it where i don't take my other watches (camping, hiking, swimming, I even wear it when i work on my car...thats right). I guess i'm running my own durability test to see how long it can hold up! The pearl has since vacated, and there are a couple scratches on the bezel & bracelet, but cosmetically its holding up fine.

Watch name: Pam 113

Movement: Asian Unitas 6497

Used since: November 2008. Worn a couple times a week, usually kept wound more than its on my wrist.

Serviced: Not yet.

Defects: None. Freaking bomb proof.

Other: Definitely the most pampered watch I own, don't wear it that often and when i do, its casual. Keeps awesome time and has a 60 hour power reserve. Yikes.

Watch name: 42mm Omega Planet Ocean (the POrikaa)

Movement: Asian 21J

Used since: May 2009. Turned into my most frequent daily wearer.

Serviced: Not yet.

Defects: None.

Other: This thing kept perfect time (to +/- 5 sec) out of the box, and hasnt changed since. Nice power reserve & I can take it off my wrist and leave it in the box for a day or two and not worry about winding it back up. Phenomenal watch for the money.

And who says that the asians arent reliable?

[maxman]

Well some will last one day and others 30 years. I really cant add much to this topic but I will throw my hat In the ring non the less. I have eight reps that have been purchased over the period of seven months. They are all running great and keeping very good time. I have one issue with a Raymond Weil Nabucco. The top pusher will start the chrono but It takes multiple trys to stop It. Outside of this one problem I have been very satisfied. The pusher Issue Is a easy fix, so I have heard. Imho these reps will only get better as time go's by, good luck with yours Mike

[fakemaster]

All the ones I have are still going.