Long Term User Review on Rep Watches ????????

[55676239 0]

Hi Everyone!  Newb here with a question for some of you veterans of rep owners .

How has your rep watches held up with long term use?  1 year?  5 year?  etc... In terms of Best Quality Grade A rep rolex watches specifically, but also would like any other reviews on long term use with other watch reps as well .

I've been hearing online and internet that Rep watches will fall apart and won't last very long.  

Also, what has anyone's experience been around your rep watches being water proof.  What has been your experience with the watches being use around water, swimming, washing hands, rain etc... 

Can I go swimming or step into a shower with the watches without worry of it being damaged?  

Thank you! 

 

[Rokerite 2,441]

Some old timers on here have reps over 10 years old still working, watches can be made water resistant by someone that knows what they are doing, but don't trust any watch til you have had it tested for this (Worked for a guy who had a genuine Rolex ingress water as the "o" ring seal on the crown was faulty, luckily for him was still under warranty). 

[55676239 0]

Thank you Rokerite!  

[GenTLe 1,501]

First of all forget the "1st class AAA+" bullshit. You HAVE to know what you are buying (eventually with the help of the forum) and not looking at what vendors write on their site.

That said, a good rep with a good movement will last forever if well maintained. And by well maintained I mean what is valid for any kind of mechanical watch (genuine ones costing thousands of dollars too):

- don't drop it

- don't swim with it unless the gaskets (crown and case back) have been greased, the case back checked if properly tighten and, most important, the watch has been pressure tested at at least 5 bar

- don't set the date from the crown if the watch is showing between 9pm and 3am

- if it's a chronograph don't play too much with chronograph functions if the movement hasn't been serviced and never try to reset it if you haven't stop the chrono first

- if it's a chronograph don't use the watch with chronograph engaged (that is a function to be used only to time some event, not made to run all the time)

- if the movement starts to have low power reserve or not to keep the time properly, have the movement serviced (=disassembled, cleaned and properly lubricated during reassemble)

For the reps these rules are all valid, and, more than these, also very important is to get a watch with a decent movement (i.e. NOT those crappy old "Swiss movements" that are, with few exceptions, much worse than the Asian clone counterparts).

A mechanical watch in the end is like an old car, treat them well, do the right maintenance and they will last long years. Treat them badly and even a brand new Mercedes will stop working.

[SCShrek 494]

1 hour ago, GenTLe said:

First of all forget the "1st class AAA+" bullshit. You HAVE to know what you are buying (eventually with the help of the forum) and not looking at what vendors write on their site.

That said, a good rep with a good movement will last forever if well maintained. And by well maintained I mean what is valid for any kind of mechanical watch (genuine ones costing thousands of dollars too):

- don't drop it

- don't swim with it unless the gaskets (crown and case back) have been greased, the case back checked if properly tighten and, most important, the watch has been pressure tested at at least 5 bar

- don't set the date from the crown if the watch is showing between 9pm and 3am

- if it's a chronograph don't play too much with chronograph functions if the movement hasn't been serviced and never try to reset it if you haven't stop the chrono first

- if it's a chronograph don't use the watch with chronograph engaged (that is a function to be used only to time some event, not made to run all the time)

- if the movement starts to have low power reserve or not to keep the time properly, have the movement serviced (=disassembled, cleaned and properly lubricated during reassemble)

For the reps these rules are all valid, and, more than these, also very important is to get a watch with a decent movement (i.e. NOT those crappy old "Swiss movements" that are, with few exceptions, much worse than the Asian clone counterparts).

A mechanical watch in the end is like an old car, treat them well, do the right maintenance and they will last long years. Treat them badly and even a brand new Mercedes will stop working.

Wow. I for one appreciate that list, some of which I was aware of. I am showing my ignorance, but why should you never adjust the date between 9 and 3?

[fatarms 7,777]

20 minutes ago, gwbmcse said:

Wow. I for one appreciate that list, some of which I was aware of. I am showing my ignorance, but why should you never adjust the date between 9 and 3?

Most movements begin to engage the datewheel gears before midnight (visually evident in some watches where the date slowly turns over in the window as it approaches midnight).  By not changing the date between 9P and 3A, you're essentially making sure that you do not chip any gear teeth or anything like that if the date wheel is engaged.

As a rule of thumb, I always set the watch to 6:00 (doesn't matter if it's AM/PM) before changing the date.

I do this even with the gens I own.

[KarmaToBurn 1,419]

I been collecting for around 8 years and I've had very very few of my many many watches fail on me. I'd say my failure rate is about equal with my gens and reps. 

As for the water issue... I would not trust a rep to be waterproof. I've never had an issue with washing hands or the rain but I would avoid submerging the watch in water. You can however have a watch tested if you really must swim with it. 

[SCShrek 494]

11 minutes ago, fatarms said:

Most movements begin to engage the datewheel gears before midnight (visually evident in some watches where the date slowly turns over in the window as it approaches midnight).  By not changing the date between 9P and 3A, you're essentially making sure that you do not chip any gear teeth or anything like that if the date wheel is engaged.

As a rule of thumb, I always set the watch to 6:00 (doesn't matter if it's AM/PM) before changing the date.

I do this even with the gens I own.

Thank you sir, makes sense. I found this as well for all the other newbies: https://quillandpad.com/2016/06/20/5-unexpected-ways-might-damage-mechanical-watch/

[GenTLe 1,501]

These too (I love this channel!!):

 

Or this:

 

[55676239 0]

I appreciate all the advice!  Everything you mentioned makes total sense.  Thank you!