seagull11 Posted November 25, 2006 Report Share Posted November 25, 2006 I want to treat myself to a more dressy watch for Christmas (well that's the excuse I'm conjuring for another rep purchase!) I like the VC Malte Chronograph but wonder about the long-term life of the crown & tube with having to unscrew and wind every day (it will get a lot of wrist time I hope). Two other VCs look nice on Josh's site: Perpetual Calendar and Malte Classique. They have the advantage of an ETA movement but I've not seen much discussion about them on the forum. Anyone have any experience of these and can vouch for their quality and comment on their accuracy v genuine (I'm not a VC expert as you can tell)? And can anyone who's owned the Malte Chrono for a while, and used it regularly, advise how it's holding up? Many thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchmeister Posted November 25, 2006 Report Share Posted November 25, 2006 I have the Rose Gold Jubilee and the perpetual calendar in gold and SS. I would go for for the Rose Gold Jubilee (power reserve). It looks incredibly dressy on the wrist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
addingwatch Posted November 25, 2006 Report Share Posted November 25, 2006 I have had the RG Malte Chrono for two years and have had no problems with the crown. It is a great watch. The classique is also simple and nice. Kruzer is also right on the Jubilee. The RG plating is very good on it. Regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seagull11 Posted November 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2006 I've shied away from gold until now but it makes a nice contrast to all the SS. It appears that the plating is pretty good on many reps. And gold watches are coming back into fashion: the London watch boutiques report that they're selling more than they have for years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaca22 Posted November 25, 2006 Report Share Posted November 25, 2006 (edited) ..... Edited November 14, 2007 by vaca22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchmeister Posted November 25, 2006 Report Share Posted November 25, 2006 Hey I have that one too. Looks good and still keeping very good time. Still partial to the Jubilee if going with Gold otherwise the Malte Perpetual looks fabulous in steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craytonic Posted November 26, 2006 Report Share Posted November 26, 2006 I think the patrimony is worthy of consideration... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalcranium Posted November 26, 2006 Report Share Posted November 26, 2006 I've shied away from gold until now but it makes a nice contrast to all the SS. It appears that the plating is pretty good on many reps. And gold watches are coming back into fashion: the London watch boutiques report that they're selling more than they have for years! Most gold plating on reps is crap. Base metals are sometimes a mystery and I've known rep platings to brown sitting in the box unworn. As stated, there are exceptions in certain manufacturing runs, but the general quality of Chinese platings on gold watches is pretty poor. I hope PVD golding on watches produces the revolution it has the potential to generate. A virtually indestructable titanium nitride gold colored coating that is beautiful and tough would be any reasonable persons preference over a real gold plating with a limited life span. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchmeister Posted November 26, 2006 Report Share Posted November 26, 2006 Are there any reps or gens that have this "PVD Gold" coating? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalcranium Posted November 26, 2006 Report Share Posted November 26, 2006 (edited) Are there any reps or gens that have this "PVD Gold" coating? This one and others from Tissot. Hamilton also PVD coats in titanium nitride. Supposedly, it's as tough as other PVD scratch resistant titanium coatings. I have this watch and it's pretty spectacular. A gold colored coating that will last forever. Will this revolutionize the watch and jewelry industry??? This coating is already widely used in the plumbing industry to "gold" fixtures and by the medical engineering people to coat indwelling devices. Edited November 26, 2006 by crystalcranium Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highflyingclive Posted November 26, 2006 Report Share Posted November 26, 2006 Most gold plating on reps is crap. In that case, I have been incredibly lucky. I have a couple of yg plated reps that are about six years old and there is not a mark on them. Of the two rg plated reps pictured below, the VC was bought a couple of years ago, secondhand and the 147 came from Jos about a year ago. Not a mark on these, either. To be fair, they don't get as much wear as my steel watches... but no sign of "browning in the box". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalcranium Posted November 26, 2006 Report Share Posted November 26, 2006 In that case, I have been incredibly lucky. I have a couple of yg plated reps that are about six years old and there is not a mark on them. Of the two rg plated reps pictured below, the VC was bought a couple of years ago, secondhand and the 147 came from Jos about a year ago. Not a mark on these, either. To be fair, they don't get as much wear as my steel watches... but no sign of "browning in the box". Not to doubt you, but the eye is very forgiving and filling with regards to the yellow color of gold and yellow colored base metals. My guess is if you put your 6 year old reps that get modest use next to new versions, you would see significant wear. It's like in woodworking when you put like structures close together, for example, spindle turnings for a railing, your eye looks for symmetry and can easily pick out variations. When you put some distance between them, like leg turnings for a table, your eye fills in the symmetry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highflyingclive Posted November 26, 2006 Report Share Posted November 26, 2006 You may well be right, CC - but I am so confident in the quality of gold plating on reps today that I have two more rose-gold watches on the way - one from Narikaa and the other from Joshua. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaca22 Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 (edited) ..... Edited November 14, 2007 by vaca22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeroy697 Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 I have a Malte Perpetual Calendar with brown strap and its a very nice piece. The only problem is that I droped the thing and now it will not work. I need to send it out after the holidays to get fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seagull11 Posted November 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 Thanks for all the thoughts. Decisions decisions......! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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