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Asian VS "Swiss" Movements Toughness


HEWLIO

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Im trying to figure out if its worth it to buy supposed swiss movements rather than regular asian movements. The main factor im looking for is what wont break if i drop the watch on its face real bad. I know about the beat stuff, i guess. My reason for wondering this is i was planning on buying that Sea-Dweller for $198 that josh has then i look today and hes got one for $98. I really dont wanna spend $200 on reps anymore. But if they are going to last longer i guess i would spend the other 150 to get the "swiss" movement. Thanks

Edited by HEWLIO
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Im trying to figure out if its worth it to buy supposed swiss movements rather than regular asian movements. The main factor im looking for is what wont break if i drop the watch on its face real bad. I know about the beat stuff, i guess. My reason for wondering this is i was planning on buying that Sea-Dweller for $198 that josh has then i look today and hes got one for $98. I really dont wanna spend $200 on reps anymore. But if they are going to last longer i guess i would spend the other 150 to get the "swiss" movement. Thanks

I bought a swiss movement rolex sub date from PT (the supreme version - wm9 v1 i think) worn it every now and again in the 9 months I've owned it. It stopped working a few days ago. I have now got to send it back to China (i think) for them to repair it hopefully free of charge. The date wheel is misaligned, the time keeping is rubbish and the pearl fell off the bezel. This cost me

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From what I've read, 'Swiss' movements are more easily repairable should the needs arise.

On the flipside of that argument, Asian movements (while possible to repair) are cheaper to replace completely rather than repair...

I've been able to adjust an Asian movement to +0.2 seconds a day, with nothing more than a small screwdriver, and close attention to a digital clock.

When that is possible, why pay more for 'Swiss'? The chassis of the watch will be identical anyway...

The only reason I would now buy a 'Swiss movement', is for two projects I have planned, which require hands, which are not available to fit on Asian movements... I need the hands to 'complete the look', and as the hands won't go on Asian movements, that only leaves one option... :whistling:

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What i has seen is that if you have a well serviced Asian it will be just as good as a well serviced ETA movement, but the crap shoot is that you dont know if the ETA movement you will get is

A. New

b. Clean

c. Serviced

At least with the asian copy it will be new

you may want to read this post on TZ.uk for an unbiased expert opinion

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What i has seen is that if you have a well serviced Asian it will be just as good as a well serviced ETA movement, but the crap shoot is that you dont know if the ETA movement you will get is

A. New

b. Clean

c. Serviced

At least with the asian copy it will be new

you may want to read this post on TZ.uk for an unbiased expert opinion

thanks for posting

13 pages is a lot though :D

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  • 2 weeks later...

Do these movements make a noticeable rattling type noise when shaken or moved and can you hear the winding when shaken. I ask this because on the gen rolex watches, there are none of these noises. I am thinking of buying a rep but dont want the watch to sound like its cheap.

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DG wind in only one direction there fore when the rotor is spinning in the non winding direction it can be moving very fast and also loud

ETA type movements (non Chrono) wind in both direction and tend to be quieter

All 7750, swiss or asain have the same issue as the DG movements above, the swiss tend to be quieter than the asian, i drop of D5 oil on the winding bearings helps matters greatly.

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Do these movements make a noticeable rattling type noise when shaken or moved and can you hear the winding when shaken. I ask this because on the gen rolex watches, there are none of these noises. I am thinking of buying a rep but dont want the watch to sound like its cheap.

I would say it depends on the ambient noise of the surroundings. If I'm sitting in a quiet room with hardly any noise/no music etc, then yes, I can hear the rotor of the Asian movement winding. However. If I was in a more crowded situation, then the noise would be masked. I'm not sure if I would hear it winding say, in an office where people were milling about, and there would be background chatter. To be honest, no one's going to notice what you're wearing anyway, let alone think that the sound was a 'sign of cheapness'. On the contrary, they might well consider being able to hear the rotor working as a positive sign that it is an automatic movement ;):victory:

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If you are in the CONUS, then you can buy the $98 watch, get a gen Swiss 2836-2 from Otto Frei for $138 and you know what you have. You will need hands. Get Noob hands for ETA from BK...$20 shipped in CONUS.

I have both gen and clone. They are both good, however, when you wind the gen it is like butter...smooth and quiet. When you wind the clones they seem to be clunky, almost like the gears aren't meshing good. I have also had to reassemble the keyless works on the clones...not the gens.

Just my $.02.

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It's strange that there seems to be so much trouble with ETA movements in Reps. I have and I know other members have, low to mid range genuine watches with the Swiss ETA 2824-2 movement that work without problems for years. I agree with Preacher, if the watches are the same ( case, crown, crystal, hands, etc.) buy the cheap one and when it stops, drop in a genuine Swiss ETA and keep on going. It (the clone) may last for a long time, or it may quit in a month, who knows. When you drop in the genuine, you should have a reliable watch for a long time.

Just my Dos centavos

Arthur

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