Undinist 20 Posted September 8, 2019 I've always wanted a minute repeater and today I tripped over the bizarre Campanola brand, a Citizen project. They sell battery quartz watches which they describe as Complications. They've taken over some Swiss watch makers and made weird frankenbeasts for the Japanese market only. Most of them look disgraceful, but a couple of models seem to have captured Swiss old school design language quite nicely. They don't hold their value! If I could prize off the crystal and de-emphasize the brand name with a dash of white paint... This AH7000-04A tonneau was on ebay for £700 nearly new: This one is the Grand Complication AH4030-51A. $3400 new. The repeater noise is on youtube here Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
goleiro 0 Posted September 8, 2019 Citizen are a fine watchmaker. Although these are not to my taste, they are, technically, fine watches. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Undinist 20 Posted September 9, 2019 Agreed. But they've got a bit of a cheek calling them Complications. The Swiss must be hopping mad. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
goleiro 0 Posted September 9, 2019 They are. I emailed this to them and they're hopping. Summat about heritage, Rolex... LVMH...Richemont. Ignore them I say, I have for years and years and years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Glaude 1,615 Posted September 9, 2019 Citizen has a very old history and made some very nice classical watches, with complications and minute repeaters back in the day. Those quartz minute repeater sound awful, you should try to find a vintage minute repeater (pocket watches mainly) from them on eBay, sure it won't be a modern design, but it'll be a real mechanical minute repeater Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Undinist 20 Posted September 9, 2019 Don't say that! This is my only chance to have a repeater on my wrist!* Unless I win the lottery. I thought the chime sounded OK...not that different from a proper Swiss one. *I'm ruling out the butt-ugly ones from Seiko and Breitling. They seem to be the only vaguely affordable ones. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Psssniper 84 Posted September 9, 2019 One of the perks of my volunteer work is that I get to see all the watches that are donated to the thrift store before they go to our watch guy. He puts batteries in and makes sure things are ticking before we sell them. Found a Citizen Eco-Drive Minute Repeater G900 last week, dead of course. Stuck it outside for a few days to recharge, found a youtube video on setting it, voila! @Glaude your are right it sounds awful ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Glaude 1,615 Posted September 9, 2019 13 hours ago, Undinist said: Don't say that! This is my only chance to have a repeater on my wrist!* Unless I win the lottery. I thought the chime sounded OK...not that different from a proper Swiss one. *I'm ruling out the butt-ugly ones from Seiko and Breitling. They seem to be the only vaguely affordable ones. I'm on the same boat, I would love a minute repeater, and I have a minute repeater table clock, those things can sound very nicely ! But that Quartz chime is horrible in my taste. If you like it, go for it, you know how things works, don't let people ruin the fun for you (sorry for doing it a little bit already). But those pocket watch minute repeater can be turn in mariage watches (turning a pocket watch into a wristwatch) and that would be your best option to get one not to expensive with a great sound and history Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Undinist 20 Posted September 9, 2019 Yeah, I was looking at marriage options...but £6,000 for a 55mm antique which needs care and regular maintenance...it's not for me, I'd ruin it. The quartz chime in the video sounded just like vids of Patek or Jaquet Droz! Maybe my PC speakers are a bit muddy. I also like the Campanola because it has day-date and a chrono and an alarm, and it's shower proof. It would be a good travelling watch for cycle touring. It ticks so many boxes for me. If I had the tonneau I'd get a stingray strap for it. Gorgeous! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Glaude 1,615 Posted September 9, 2019 3 hours ago, Undinist said: Yeah, I was looking at marriage options...but £6,000 for a 55mm antique which needs care and regular maintenance...it's not for me, I'd ruin it. The quartz chime in the video sounded just like vids of Patek or Jaquet Droz! Maybe my PC speakers are a bit muddy. I also like the Campanola because it has day-date and a chrono and an alarm, and it's shower proof. It would be a good travelling watch for cycle touring. It ticks so many boxes for me. If I had the tonneau I'd get a stingray strap for it. Gorgeous! The first one you posted is totally my style and for a brief moment I was thinking you may have found a mechanical minute repeater for cheap, I was ready to buy it ! But I've done a lot of research some time ago about minute repeater, and I've compared many times the sound of the quartz Vs the mechanical ones, and for me, it doesn't work, but if it work for you, by all mean, buy it and I'm sure you won't regret it ! Sometime you can get a good deal on a pocket watch minute repeater, but you have to watch ebay every day and win it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FudgyDocker 3,497 Posted September 9, 2019 This is beautiful. Nice looking Patek.https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/V-RARE-COMPLICATED-PATEK-PHILIPPE-SKA-W-GENEWIE-7-5-MINUTE-REPEATER-MOVEMENT/233260330817?hash=item364f662f41:g:k8EAAOSw5uJdB6iX Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
