Reliable Explorer 1016?

[Brucelles]

Hi,

 

My wife's beloved gen 1016 is back with its maker for some love, and will be gone for an estimated 4 months. She has a gen JLC Albatross as a backup, but it's a bit girly for her after the Rolex, so she wants a rep to keep her going.

 

I have 4 rep explorers (I Like them), but despite having not been worn or bothered much for about a year they are all dead. Three came from Trusty, and one from Ruby. 

 

Can anyone recommend a seller of reliable 1016s? Alternatively, I am open to buying something I can cannibalise for its movement, though I am not an experienced horologist. I could probably get it apart and back together again.

 

By the way, if anyone sees a decent JLC Albatross rep, please let me know, as I may need to cannibalise one since my wife caught her gen in the car door, and JLC want €900 to service and repair it.

 

[tomhorn]

Depending on what movement is in your 1016's, why not just send one for a service? Or if it's one of the Asian 21j movements it's easy enough to just buy a new movement if you think you are up to the challenge of swapping it.

[Brucelles]

Depending on what movement is in your 1016's, why not just send one for a service? Or if it's one of the Asian 21j movements it's easy enough to just buy a new movement if you think you are up to the challenge of swapping it.

 

I put all four of them in the shop for a service and three of them he couldn't fix easily; the 4th is still in there, but it's the 39mm version which my wife thinks is too big. I guess I could actually just ask my watch guy to fix one of the 1016s with a replacement movement, but I sort of like the fun of getting a new rep in the mail.

[automatico]

The reliable 1016, my two cents:

In my experience there is only one fix for a replica 1016...a fresh swisseta 2846 or some other suitable swisseta 21600 movement. 

 

I have worn (or tried to wear) watches with Asian '21 jewel' movements and only two types give good service...Sea-Gull ST6 and ST16. Never had much luck with DG and NN Miyotaclones...usually low power reserve and/or erratic timing. Some members have had good luck with Asian etaclones but I do not like them very much either.

Why?

Because I c/o most of my watches and would rather spend time working on a swisseta than an Asian etaclone that may break down with no parts available.

 

The Sea-Gull ST16 is basically a Miyotaclone with a Seiko type Magic Lever winding system. The Magic Lever winding system is more efficient than the Miyota 8215 type of winding system and keeps the mainspring wound with less daily activity.

The dial and hands from a DG or NN Miyotaclone should fit a Sea-Gull ST16...I say 'should' because you never know with these things.

[preacher62]

The reliable 1016, my two cents:

In my experience there is only one fix for a replica 1016...a fresh swisseta 2846 or some other suitable swisseta 21600 movement. 

 

I have worn (or tried to wear) watches with Asian '21 jewel' movements and only two types gave good service...Sea-Gull ST6 and ST16. Never had much luck with DG and NN Miyotaclones...usually low power reserve and/or erratic timing. Some members have had good luck with Asian etaclones but I do not like them very much either.

Why?

Because I c/o most of my watches and would rather spend time working on a swisseta than an Asian etaclone that may break down with no parts available.

 

The Sea-Gull ST16 is basically a Miyotaclone with a Seiko type Magic Lever winding system. The Magic Lever winding system is more efficient than the Miyota 8215 type of winding system and keeps the mainspring wound with less daily activity.

The dial and hands from a DG or NN Miyotaclone should fit a Sea-Gull ST16...I say 'should' because you never know with these things.

 

Thanks, automatico - I appreciate that insightful assessment of the "Miyotaclone" movements.  Many, here, laud these movements but I, too, have not had much luck with them.  I only have one that I am using and it is a DG3804B that is in a 1655.  So far (8 months) it has been reliable and keeps very good time. 

 

I am quite sure that the ETA movements are superior to the Asian counterparts.  All one has to do is to examine the wheels with a 10X loupe and difference is easily seen.

[Brucelles]

Actually, Automatoco, that's brilliant. I can either do it myself, as I have one spare to play with, or get my friendly, neighbourhood horologistto replace it. I have even found a movement on ebay. Thanks very much.

[Nightwatch]

Otto Frey and Cousins have the cheap replacement movements, just 20 to 30 usd plus the labour for switching.

[DynaStreetBob]

I put all four of them in the shop for a service and three of them he couldn't fix easily; the 4th is still in there, but it's the 39mm version which my wife thinks is too big. I guess I could actually just ask my watch guy to fix one of the 1016s with a replacement movement, but I sort of like the fun of getting a new rep in the mail.

Was any more detail provided on why the 3 1016's couldn't be repaired?

[Brucelles]

Was any more detail provided on why the 3 1016's couldn't be repaired?

Errm, possibly. The problem is that I work in Paris but speak schoolboy French and my watch guy, though he's really good, doesn't speak English. One of them, at least, was working, but totally inconsistent, sometimes it was 20 minutes / hour fast. Another was working, but kept stopping until I moved my wrist again. The watchman said that he had serviced them all and tried to fix an issue with something I translated as a regulator, but I am not really in a position to have a technical discussion with him. Oh, and one rattled. Not a good sign.

Otto Frey and Cousins have the cheap replacement movements, just 20 to 30 usd plus the labour for switching.

That's a very helpful piece of information. Thanks very much.