What's the best: ETA 2892, ETA 2824, Asian 2892

[keiron99]

I'm trying to home in on an Omega Aqua Terra, possibly from SilixPrime or Perfect Clones.

However, they sell them with a variety of different movements, and I can't fathom which is the best choice. There is ETA 2892, ETA 2824 and Asian 2892 (which I've not heard of before). Curiously, the ETA 2824 and Asian 2892 are exactly the same price.

Can someone please offer some guidance? Thanks in advance.

[RWG Technical]

If price is not a factor, the ETA 2892 (as long as it's really an ETA), or if price is a concern, then the ETA 2824.

RG

[chet]

If price is not a factor, the ETA 2892 (as long as it's really an ETA), or if price is a concern, then the ETA 2824.

RG

I'm relatively new to the rep hobby and this thread brings up some question s I've not been successful finding an answer to.

1) I've read that the movements offered by rep dealers stating "Swiss ETA xxxx" in their specs, are rarely true Swiss made movements but only Asian clones of the ETA design. The impllication being they are not of as high a quality as the "true" Swiss made movements.

2) Then I read that the ETA movements are almost all made in Asia and supplied to gen Swiss watch manufacturers. I assume then there is more than one Asian factory suppling ETA movements and that quality can and does vary amongst them, with the Swiss buying only from the best Asian factories.

3) The dealer pricing in most cases doubles or more for a "Swiss ETA 2824-2" vs the common Asian 21j movements in most all reps. Is this pricing justifiable in the experienced time accuracy and longevity of the ETA versus the 21j? Or is it a crap shoot depending on which movement factory supplies the movements? An example is the Seamaster at $108 for the 21j and $238 for the ETA.

4) An interesting pricing question arises when you look at the Aquatimer. The Asian V7750 model is priced at $388 while the "Genuine Swiss 7750" model is priced at $1058. Almost triple the cost!

How can we as buyers, when making a choice between the standard Asian 21j and what is stated to be the Swiss ETAxxxx movement option, be certain the ETA that will be supplied is from one of the better Asian movement factories that supply the Swiss manufacturers their movements? That would seem to be the only justification for spending double or triple the cost over the 21j Asian standard movement.

Am I missing something here?

Chet

[funky123]

good question chet, i too wanna knowafter extensive reading i still feel completely lost in regard of how to differentiate the stuff in terms of quality and pricing.

[FxrAndy]

The Asian 2892 will proberbly be a seagull ST18 and is a perfect clone of the swiss 2892 and will work perfectly if serviced just as well as a swiss version, i have had one in my Aqua terra and is fine, when i comes to the cost of this movement against the swiss 2824 they sell at the same price from cousins UK, this will be my choice of movement for my next project.