Swiss ETA Movements

[rrari1]

We have all read about the difficulty people are having buying swiss ETA movements.  What are people actually getting in their rep watches?  I know my BK Sub has a Sellita movement in it. Is that what people are generally getting now, or are they re used ETA movements.

 

I kinda prefer the idea of a Sellita movement, as it seems more likely to me to be a new movement, and has probably been oiled at the factory in Switzerland, even if installed in a messy rep factory in China.

 

Most of the AD's on the forum seem to only be advertising either ETA or Asian ETA movements.

[rrari1]

Thanks MD2020.  Am I right to think that the Sellita movement is likely to be new, and factory oiled?  i know you are a big fan of the Asian ETA movement, but only once it has been serviced. 

[panerai153]

I guess it would depend entirely on the packaging of the movements. I would guess Sellita has the same bulk deals that ETA has. The movements are shipped in trays with say 20,50 or 100 movements. They are packed in a clean room environment and sealed. The big problem is what happens to them once they are unsealed at the rep factory? It wouldn't take long if they were left out open in a dirty, dusty environment to get pretty dirty,and as most folks who deal with movements know, it doesn't take but a few grains of dust or other foreign material to mess up a movement.

So,to service or not is a question that only you the watch owner can answer. If it comes with a brand new Swiss movement, is running fine accuracy is spot on, probably OK, but who knows if a grain of sand in a strategic location is slowly destroying a part of the movement. That will only be known if the movement starts to do strange things. Service now and have the peace of mind that you know everything is good, or take a chance and possibly add parts replacement to the service later?

[phillycheez]

The Sellita has been repped so it's definitely no guarantee.

[gtanak]

I dun trust em unless its sealed Brand new from ETA

Wat a shameless sales pitch haha

[SSTEEL]

I just purchased a genuine Swiss ETA 7750 Calibre 16 Tag Heuer movement.  It cost me $600.  You get what you pay for

[Bidle]

Nothing wrong with Selita!

For the record even IWC uses these movements.

35110 =SW200

[Noel Fleischer]

The trouble is; SW mov't are not available in many of the reps and they have been cloned as well.

 

So it seems the chances of actually getting a Gen Swiss mov't are quite low. Plus the costs ave nearly tripled- I've seen

 

$170 now for the 'Swiss' version. When it was $50 I would be more likely to gamble on getting the real thing. That's why in some cases,

 

I end up with a lower cost Gen watch.

[phillycheez]

http://www.replica-watch.info/vb/showthread.php?t=141045

I would never buy a swiss from the rep factories... Ever.

If you want swiss buy the movement separately and have it installed.

[1680]

I would never ever buy a rep with a swiss or asian ETA/clone, I would buy the cheapest version and then put real ETAs in it (sourced somewhere else). Why? Because I always get a gen ETA with Incabloc or Kif, I find them a lot easier to service my movements get always a new service and mainspring from me.

[1680]

You are right on the Kif, I love them, they are super easy to service, are said to be very good (Rolex used them in the past, still found in the Tudors and other Top Grade ETAs) and look nice.

However I've only had a Kif a few times in a movement, mostly Incabloc.

[rrari1]

How much work is doing a movement swap?  Do the rep hands fit right onto a new ETA movement.  I have been mulling over buying a Vacheron Constantin Offshore rep for a while. (non chrono)  Would it be a simple job for me to buy an ETA or Sellita movement from Otto Frei, and swap the movements out myself, or is that something best left to a watch smith?

 

I have never worked on a watch before, but if it is a simple job of disconnecting the stem and the hands, I would hope I could take a shot at it.  Would the datewheel line up, or would I have to swap the rep one across?  Maybe I need to look into finding a rep friendly watchsmith in London...

[sneed12]

How much work is doing a movement swap?  

 

Not a lot, IMO.

 

 

Do the rep hands fit right onto a new ETA movement.  

 

If they're ETA rep hands...

 

 

 

 

I have been mulling over buying a Vacheron Constantin Offshore rep for a while. (non chrono)  Would it be a simple job for me to buy an ETA or Sellita movement from Otto Frei, and swap the movements out myself, or is that something best left to a watch smith?

 

I have never worked on a watch before, but if it is a simple job of disconnecting the stem and the hands, I would hope I could take a shot at it.  Would the datewheel line up, or would I have to swap the rep one across?  Maybe I need to look into finding a rep friendly watchsmith in London...

 

 

It's not that hard, but at the same time if it's your first time I don't think I'd start on a watch I really cared about.