Marcoman 0 Posted September 15, 2016 Hi folks...a query for you veterans of the rep world.... Doing a lot of browsing on td sites and one thing I note is the difference in prices for versions of the same watch. Now I'm not completed stupid, I know quartz will generally be cheaper than auto. One specific example that I'd like direct feedback on if possible is the iwc pilot top gun...I see on Tora you can get a quartz version for 200 less than the auto version. Is the only difference the movement? Is the quality of the casing, crystal and strap and general feel the same? The reason I ask is that it wouldn't bother me going Quartz for half the price if the look and feel was the same. I think I've also noted big variations in the price of omega PO...is this down to variations in quality? On a related topic, do many watches get Quartz reps even if there is no gen and if so is it best to avoid these? Cheers guys! Just trying to educate myself on reps.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Genius 281 Posted September 15, 2016 Generally the quartz versions are lower quality but there are quite a few where it will state "same case set as best version" or something along those lines Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stewart 0 Posted September 15, 2016 Many times the quartz versions feature mineral crystal instead of sapphire and generally do not have AR. Not true in every case however. Generally you get what you pay for. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Left Coast Guy 24 Posted September 15, 2016 The issue with the quartz versions is that they're not as well liked on the rep boards, so folks don't really buy as many, nor do the detailed reviews of the watches....so there isn't the same factory and version tracking that there is with the higher end reps.....hence harder to figure which ones are good and which aren't. Its more about the demand for the watches than anything else.....the folks who typically care about accuracy don't go for the quartz, so the factories don't spend a lot of time/money on making the quartz accurate. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RichardMiami 4 Posted September 15, 2016 Remember that as a general rule, the quartz movement requires the second hand to "tick" one beat per second. While the mechanical movement results in a smooth sweep.. the second hand does not stop between beats (or stops for a very short period of time). If the watch being repped was only available as mechanical, the ticking second hand is an easy tell. Different rules apply for chronographs of course. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2hot2trot 4 Posted September 15, 2016 Remember that as a general rule, the quartz movement requires the second hand to "tick" one beat per second. While the mechanical movement results in a smooth sweep.. the second hand does not stop between beats (or stops for a very short period of time). If the watch being repped was only available as mechanical, the ticking second hand is an easy tell. As Richard said this is the biggest tell and NO matter how good the Casing is, the Dial, Hands etc to the gen, this is the first thing that any Tom, Dick or Harry in the street will recognise. We all know that (most) Rolex in particular are generally known for the "sweeping" seconds and that is always the first port of call in conversation. In all said, I have a few quartz that I wear regularly and I don't really care what other opinions are. If you enjoy it, wear it.............. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gavmeister 1 Posted September 16, 2016 Each one of us will have a strong opinion either way with quartz so this can be a divisive thread. Personally, the more accurate the rep, the happier I am. Any glaring tell like the dates on the Cartiers, or the tick of the Quarts just puts me right off. However, as suggested, form your own opinion and if quarts doesn't bother you, then your hobby just got a lot less expensive than mine! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marcoman 0 Posted September 17, 2016 Thanks for all the comments guys....the one watch I'm particularly interested in is the iwc top gun on tora. I doubt the gen has a quartz version but I don't think it would bother me to have a Quartz in it as it's just a sub dial so don't really notice it moving as much. My main questions is do people know if the standard of finish and casing is the same as the more expensive auto version? My bucket list is growing daily and it includes a top gun so if I could save a bit on a Quartz (Mary said the auto version movement was not great, a seconds a 6 issue maybe?) then happy days! Any thoughts? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
