Manual Wind Chronos !

[Kiterpete]

Still a relative 'newbie' around her. I'm looking to buy a classy dress watch and I've been led to understand that the Lemania movement is considered the 'best buy' my question is, why does it seem that all of the watches with Lemania movements are Chrono? I would prefer a plain dial when it to a dress watch with no sub dials and I'm not really looking for an auto.

Any suggestions.

[PAMman]

I assume that you are referring to reps when you refer to the Lemania movement and the positive feedback.

Firstly the 'Lemania' movement in reps isn't a Lemania at all - it hasn't got anything at all to do with Lemania. This so-called 'Lemania' movement is actually a handwind Seagull two-register chronograph movement which is a Chinese copy of an old, Swiss Venus movement. The modern Seagull is rightly well regarded and is a very good movement. This Asian copy thing is a similar set-up to the Poljot 3133 which is a Russian copy of the original Swiss Valjoux 7134 - again a very good handwind chrono.

In a rep, the Seagull (Lemania) is considered a better buy than an Asian 7750 automatic chrono (copy of a Valjoux/ETA 7750) modified from its normal three-register 6, 9, 12 layout to give a register at 3. However the latest Asian 7750 auto is a very reliable movemnet in an unmodified form.

If it's a non-chrono dress watch that you want, forget about chrono movements and go for a genuine ETA automatic movement. The Lemania is only considered a 'best buy' in specific circumstances where the alternative is a bastardised Asian 7750.

Edited June 11, 2008 by PAMman

[Kiterpete]

Excellent information - thanks

I assume that you are referring to reps when you refer to the Lemania movement and the positive feedback.

Firstly the 'Lemania' movement in reps isn't a Lemania at all - it hasn't got anything at all to do with Lemania. This so-called 'Lemania' movement is actually a handwind Seagull two-register chronograph movement which is a Chinese copy of an old, Swiss Venus movement. The modern Seagull is rightly well regarded and is a very good movement. This Asian copy thing is a similar set-up to the Poljot 3133 which is a Russian copy of the original Swiss Valjoux 7134 - again a very good handwind chrono.

In a rep, the Seagull (Lemania) is considered a better buy than an Asian 7750 automatic chrono (copy of a Valjoux/ETA 7750) modified from its normal three-register 6, 9, 12 layout to give a register at 3. However the latest Asian 7750 auto is a very reliable movemnet in an unmodified form.

If it's a non-chrono dress watch that you want, forget about chrono movements and go for a genuine ETA automatic movement. The Lemania is only considered a 'best buy' in specific circumstances where the alternative is a bastardised Asian 7750.

[andreww]

Not sure if the Seagull is any better or worse than the 7750, but it does come clean and properly oiled. This fact alone would account for the better reliability record.