Movement economics

[whitestripes]

So I have an incoming Omega Speedmaster Date with the ubiquitous A7750 movement. Reading The Zigmeister's reviews of it has shown that it's a good movement if serviced. However, I don't have any watch makers that are willing to do a service on a rep movement, but he is willing to replace pushers and switch hands. I was thinking, why not just run my watch into the ground every few years and replace it with a 7750? I bet the movements cost less than a servicing--certainly an option if you don't have access to one who will do it.

Actually, The Zigmeister, if you read this, is it much harder to service an Asian movement vs an ETA one? i.e. is it a 100% copy (except for that regulator on the balance wheel bridge) and anyone with the Swiss service manuals could do the work on the Asian one? Thanks so much for your help. I just want some watches that I can keep on my wrist for a while.

[steppen]

new movements are approx 120 usd and can be sourced from any dealer

[Toadtorrent]

I was thinking, why not just run my watch into the ground every few years and replace it with a 7750? I bet the movements cost less than a servicing--certainly an option if you don't have access to one who will do it.

Actually, The Zigmeister, if you read this, is it much harder to service an Asian movement vs an ETA one? i.e. is it a 100% copy

This is one of the options many will choose...and it can be a good one. However...unless you do the swap yourself...it will still cost $100 for the swap which any watchmaker should do if you provide the parts.

The movements are functionally the same (ETA vs. A)...but the parts are not 100% compatible. That's why you'll read some posts by The Zigmeister that say he's had to toss movements because of running out of supply of some the A7750 parts because of having no more donor movements. Sometimes ETA parts fit...sometimes they don't. Sometimes SOME ETA parts fit but a different batch won't.

For this reason...many watchmakers won't touch them...but The Zigmeister does...and boy are we thankful. The Zigmeister's analysis has shown that any watchmaker SHOULD touch them because they are solid movements...but being built in China means many turn their eyes to even considering working on them which is sad.

[RobbieG]

Plus if you buy a movement for say $120 then pay another $50 for the swap and postage they thing still might die in 4 days. No, it isn't better to just swap the movement assuming it is a known good Asian movement. They just come either dry or over oiled and all are pretty much asking for trouble - even that brand new one for $120 you can buy.

A high beat movement with considerable torque and friction is an accident waiting to happen if dry and/or dirty. You can sometimes get away with a little more with the 21.6k and 18k stuff but not the 28.8k stuff. They may have easier to achieve superior rate results at that frequency, but they also have a shorter service interval and it is critical that they don't run dry or dirty for too long.

The fact is this is why most rep watches fail, not because the movements are crappy. Many, if not most standard time and date or time, date, chrono Asian movements are just as capable of lasting a lifetime as a gen AP with a JLC or Piguet ebauche. No, I'm not joking and I mean that wholeheartedly.

They may not be pretty but as long as they are serviced right and have no inherent friction problems like the seconds at 6 complications, etc. they are just as sound mechanically really. So the only question really is whether or not you will keep the rep. If yes then service it right away, don't swap it. In fact, if you are really serious about the hobby do both. Buy a couple A7750's to keep around for repair parts if they are needed, but if you service the watches right away it is much less likely anything will wear out.

.02

[RWG Technical]

Is it harder to service a Asian 7750 vs an ETA one?

The parts fit and process is all identical, where it gets "harder" is correcting the defects that exist on all the Asian 7750's...that takes time and skill beyond being able to take it apart and put it back together...there are a number of parts that are not to the required specifications and need to be adjusted, modified, fixed, etc to get the movement to work correctly.

As the other posters noted, replacement is not a simple task, simply because you have no idea until you actually service a movement as to it's condition or if all the parts are adjusted to specs...

Even buying a genuine ETA is no guarantee of serviceability, until it's been serviced.

It's really difficult to get reliable and accurate timekeeping without having to invest in servicing at some point along the way.

Or you can run it into the ground until it stops, and throw it out, some get years out of their watches this way...to each their own I guess...

RG