Massive price increase of Swiss 7750 movements

[Jawo]

I was all gung ho about purchasing a IWC Aquatimer Cousteau from Joshua or Andrew. I decided that I was going to make the purchase the following day. When I went to check the watch on Joshua's site, the price jumped from $758 to $1058. Holy S#it that is a big jump!! I e-mailed Joshua and asked what the deal was and he said that Swiss Eta 7750 movements increased in price from the manufactures by $300. If this is true, most models that I was eager to purchase in Swiss have suddenly become unfeasable for me. All Asia 7750 pricing will remain the same.

[t]

if asia7750 and swiss7750 has the same hands size... you could buy a swiss 7750 movement and install it in asia7750 watch version.

But i think not same hands size???

@The Zigmeister knows it better

[Pugwash]

But i think not same hands size???

Not the same.

[crystalcranium]

if asia7750 and swiss7750 has the same hands size... you could buy a swiss 7750 movement and install it in asia7750 watch version.

But i think not same hands size???

@Ziggy knows it better

It isn't but i believe hands that fit an Asian 7750 can be modified to fit an ETA 7750.

That price increase changes the equation quite a bit. A Ziggy serviced Asian 7750 watch is now a much better value. With nothing to choose between the two movements after a professional servicing, why not buy the Asian chronograph?

I wish our Asian friends would realize they have the makings of a terrific chronograph movement and that if they would just put some decent QC into the assembly and lubrication process, they could offer a much better product.

[PAMman]

The Asian 7750 manufacturer should also make the posts for the hands the same size as the Swiss movements. This would avoid a lot of hassel and also allow their movements to be used as a replacement in gen watches where the ETA movements have died. I cannot understand why they have opted to use a different hand size as this has involved manufacturing new hands for watches where the older Asian 7750s were previously used (Navitimer etc).

[Pugwash]

I cannot understand why they have opted to use a different hand size as this has involved manufacturing new hands for watches where the older Asian 7750s were previously used (Navitimer etc).

Because this movement isn't designed for replica modders?

[Usil]

I wish our Asian friends would realize they have the makings of a terrific chronograph movement and that if they would just put some decent QC into the assembly and lubrication process, they could offer a much better product.

Amen to that.

The Asian 7750 manufacturer should also make the posts for the hands the same size as the Swiss movements.

Could this be put to them? Who can try to talk about this change?

Usil

[t]

i will get next week my new batch of decorated valjoux 7750 from ETA switzerland. get what you can get, maybe the last time that i can offer this movements. ETA has now a waiting period of 24 month for valjoux 7750 movements. And after 2010 is FINITO. CLOSED. END. VORBEI.

[Watchmeister]

I have no idea about the price increase but the days of readily available ETA movements are coming to a close. ETA is rationalizing its line as we speak. The 7753 will be a thing of the past. In terms of what to do here are your options:

Get the Asian 7750 serviced and you will have a well running movement. Ziggy has serviced many of the newer 7750 movements and last I heard he has never had one back for repair

Buy your own Swiss 7750 and either buy the Swiss hands if your dealer can get them or a skilled watch smith can fit the hands. Ziggy has done that for me on many watches. He is doing it on my HBB and Aquatimer as we speak..

[archibald]

a latest-version asia 7750 torn down and competently serviced is nearly as good as swiss. A 7753 might be worth paying the rep dealer markup for since they're damn near impossible to find, but a straight 7750? No f'n way.

[Jawo]

So far I have no real probs with the A7750. I will however get a few pieces serviced including my HBB. Damn, this forces me to buy as many reps as I can in the next couple of years I'm going to go broke.

[Richard Tracy]

A7750 serviced makes sense... {depending upon who is doing the servicing that is...}

When the cost of a replica comes to 25% of gen,.. it's not worth it to me...

10% or less is what I shoot for... and hit 90% of the time...

[PAMman]

Because this movement isn't designed for replica modders?

The movement may not be designed for repica modders but I have yet to see it in any genuine branded watch. Similar to any other spurious component (car parts etc) the cloned part should be fully interchangebale with the original. There seems to be little point in replicating a watch mvement which could be marketed as a viable replacement for the more expensive ETA equivalent and then failing to hit the target by altering the hand sizes. Lets start to campaign to have this irritating anomoly sorted.

[Rolexman]

The movement may not be designed for repica modders but I have yet to see it in any genuine branded watch. Similar to any other spurious component (car parts etc) the cloned part should be fully interchangebale with the original. There seems to be little point in replicating a watch mvement which could be marketed as a viable replacement for the more expensive ETA equivalent and then failing to hit the target by altering the hand sizes. Lets start to campaign to have this irritating anomoly sorted.

I'm with ya a 100% of the way PAMman!

[ravishingrick]

1058$ makes no sens, for 3250$ you can purchase a gen aquatimer chrono? The following link is a link to a used one, but I have seen brand new aquatimer chroho's going for 3.4k$ on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/IWC-AQUATIMER-TITANIUM...bayphotohosting

[Usil]

This is getting to be a pretty expensive hobby.

Usil

[Chronus]

Is this a way for rep makers/dealers to get everyone buying Asian 7750 copy movements and eventually phase out the ETA versions and keep the Asian 7750 prices high (as with the Big Bangs) ?

[Pugwash]

Lets start to campaign to have this irritating anomoly sorted.

To whom are you campaigning?

The company that makes these movements can't hear you and I doubt the counterfeit lobby is loud enough.

[chrgod]

To whom are you campaigning?

The company that makes these movements can't hear you and I doubt the counterfeit lobby is loud enough.

I just wonder... if the Asian 7750 is not used in any "genuine" brand watches, it might well be a movement designed just for the counterfeit trade??? It seems a bit odd, though..

[RWG Technical]

I just wonder... if the Asian 7750 is not used in any "genuine" brand watches, it might well be a movement designed just for the counterfeit trade??? It seems a bit odd, though..

I don't think it's odd at all, this movement is (in my opinion) designed for the reps and nothing else. Most movements are marked with the hallmark of the maker, but these don't have any markings on them. If they were designed for the mainstream market (unlikely since ETA still holds the design rights for the movement, compare the A7750 to the Seagull ST-XX copy of the Venus 175, day and night fit and finish...) then I think they would have makers marks, and be finished a whole lot better.

Overall it's not a bad movement, once clean and oiled and adjusted...

Seems it going to be the only game in town soon, I know my spares bins are stocked with all sorts of ETA movements, if only for scavenging parts...

RG

[Watchmeister]

The curious question is whether the price has risen so dramatically to the factirues or is there just a very limited supply so that it is whatever the market will bear. By the way if anyone is interested in organizing a group buy on the 17j Swiss movements let me know and I will give you the details. I will even buy a couple. You can buy those for $175 or less and even with $100 or so for movement swap you will be way ahead of the game. I would do it but I am already long the cost of a bunch of crowns.

[stockey]

Trusty was talking about new movements coming this summer,maybe they are great movements coming soon.

[halley]

I also think the dollar being weak, every dealer selling products in that currency is adjusting it's price...

Same thing goes on gen, zeetan increased it's price from 600-1000 usd as I can see, the monaco I paid 1990 usd is now 2590!

The sad thing is, like gas, prices will never go down when the dollar reaches the level he was a few months back...