They Look Great, but do they work??

[JoeyB 0]

The level of reps these days is pretty high, and worlds away from just 10 years ago. For under $100 some of our preferred dealers can deliver a watch that can only be identified as a rep when the case is opened. For under $400 pawn shops, jewelers, ADs and some watchmakers are fooled even with the case opened. We all know, and have seen all the pics and wristies, most of these reps today are very good looking watches (except the ones with ragged bezel numbers) and are virtually indistinguishable from the gens. Except by us. 

 

But how do they run? Watches, after all, are a tool to tell time. They must work. They must function, and function within certain parameters to be useful and not just a "Chinese toy". Most of us have several, if not too many rep watches. We switch off daily or weekly, or, as AllergyDoc does, hourly to match the color of his shirt. They first need to be somewhat accurate, and we want them to lume to see them in the dark, or, as in AD's case, light up the room. Most of us want the chronos to work, the bezels to dial, the 4th hand to track as it's supposed to. And we want them to run with a long enough reserve, and be able to withstand at least some water, if not the bottom of SFA's swimming pool, or RolexAddict's ocean depths, or greg_r's beer baths. We even want them to run in all positions, even upside down a must for Trailboss and the crew from Oz.   

 

I recently took two weeks in Hawaii visiting my son for his birthday. I took my Rolex GMTIIc, and lived with it the whole time. Last February I went there for 3½ weeks and had taken my Rolex GMTII 16710, so now I could compare how these two run. Both are supposed to be Swiss Eta 2836-2 movements. After thorough checking by all that's been written here I believe they are. The ceramic came from Mary and the 16710 from Joshua. Both were calibrated by me, and both were gasket greased by me as per RolexAddict's tutorial. Both were wound before I left 30 winds. And both were used the same way, wearing them when going out, to meetings, driving around the island, but not at the beach or on the boat, as I don't want a tan line. I do not wear a watch to bed. Each was locked in the safe when not used. 

 

The 16710 ran beautifully, gaining about 2 seconds/day. It would run a little more than 3 days with the outlined activities every day, and stop. Wind it 30 turns and it would run another 3-4 days.  OK, but not great.

 

The ceramic also ran beautifully gaining 3 seconds a day. But it never stopped. I didn't need to wind it at all. In fact, it finally stopped today at 2 A.M. after sitting on my desk, untouched, since Wednesday at 4 P.M. I think that is great, and I was impressed.

 

How do your watches run? What do you guys experience? 

[AllergyDoc 40]

Some run fast and a few run slow. I rotate them so much that I haven't bothered adjusting the timing on one for a couple of years.

 

The DJ II I got from Josh last week won't keep time on the winder, with it rotating either way. That's strange. It's a A 21J.

[Demsey 9]

Here is my experience;

 

For watches that run fast, over time, you can unscrew the crown, pull the stem out to the third detent and set accordingly to a known datum. For watches that run slow, over time, you can unscrew the crown, pull the stem out to the third detent and set accordingly to a known datum.

 

Replica watches without this feature should be avoided.

[JoeyB 0]

Is that the little thingy on the side of the watch?

[GC 4,534]

If a watch (rep or gen) doesn't keep good time, what the hell is it worth?... nothing IMO!

 

Running fast or slow by a few secs a day or even a min a day and we're in business,

running fast or slow by a few mins a day and I'm already annoyed because I'm late!

 

Some hold the aesthetics of a watch higher than the functionality... I need a watch to tell time and look good!

 

I'm happy to say all my rep watches fulfill both aspects

 

fwiw: I own a several different movts in my reps, 3x Asian 21j low beats, 1x ETA 2846, 2x ETA 2836, 3x A7750's, 2x 23j SeaGulls, 3x A6497's... the most accurate to date (only by seconds of course) are the less expensive ones...crazy!

[Demsey 9]

Most watches.

[Brightlight 0]

Pesonally I will only have watches with ETA movements, preferably Swiss but clone will do. In good order these should run for the published power reserve when fully wound. If they don't come close the movement needs a service. Clones of the ETA 28xx can require this from the beginning sometimes as they are assembled with the usual Chinese QC and little or no lubrication so can be hit or miss. 21J movements have the same issues but are not worth servicing as the parts are not available and it would cost more to service than to replace.

 

To check the power reserve, wear the watch for a couple of days or fully wind manually. Take note of the time and date and leave to run down in a place where it will not be picked up or disturbed. When fully run down, check the time and date and calculate the power reserve. Check what the power reserve for your movement should be, use search on this website -

 

http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi...&ETA_2824_2

 

If appreciably lower than published, have the movement serviced. An ETA 2824-2 or 2836-2 for example should have 40 hours PR, a 6497 56 Hours.

 

It's worth noting that few watches can be regulated to remove more than +/- 60 secs a day (if that. depends on the position of the adjustment lever before starting) with standard adjustment. If your watch is out more than this there is likely to be something wrong, either it needs a service, the balance wheel amplitude is wrong, hair spring is sticking, etc, etc.

[greg_r 83]

My watches are 'accurate enough'. Given that I rarely wear the same watch two days in a row, I tend not to be aware of minor inaccuracies anyhow. Of the two or three that I tend to take when I'm on vacation, the Breit SOH, Fiddy and 'mini Egi' all keep accurate enough time that I don't need to adjust them during a week away. How many seconds per day? Honestly, I neither know nor care - so long as they're accurate enough to get me to the pub at opening time, that's good enough for me

 

Power reserve varies. Currently the worst is about 28 hours - the best around 60 (swiss 6497 in my Fiddy).

[rc42 0]

I've been through loads of reps, they're all accurate enough if you rotate regularly and don't keep them in a winder but I just can't be bothered with setting the time before I wear them anymore.

I've tried regulating watches and it certainly helps but even setting the time once a week on a daily beater was getting too much so now they all sit in the box and just look pretty, unfortunately, the desire to get the next 'toy' has faded, it was fun while it lasted though.

 

My current watch serves all roles and only gets taken off overnight, it gains but only around 1 second per week which is jaw dropping for an automatic mechanical watch, the lume sucks because its an old tritium dial but it turns out that I'm mostly asleep when its completely dark so I don't much care to see the time.

 

So what do you think, is it possible to stop searching when you've found a watch that ticks all the boxes or is the hobby with you forever?

[dingle 57]

yes. My watches work.

[JoeyB 0]

...but I just can't be bothered with setting the time before I wear them anymore.

 

So what do you think, is it possible to stop searching when you've found a watch that ticks all the boxes or is the hobby with you forever?

 

I'm almost there. When I'm in a rush I just grab one that is running. I just bought an Omega SMP from Mary who could not find me a quartz model. She got me a very nice and accurate looking 21j, and I will swap the quartz from Otto Frei in it myself. That'll be my 'grab and run' watch, when I don't need the GMT function. 

 

 

I've had many hobbies over the years. Still do some, some just sit in their place only played with occasionally. But I still love all my toys!

[Member X 91]

I've been through loads of reps, they're all accurate enough if you rotate regularly and don't keep them in a winder but I just can't be bothered with setting the time before I wear them anymore.

I've tried regulating watches and it certainly helps but even setting the time once a week on a daily beater was getting too much so now they all sit in the box and just look pretty, unfortunately, the desire to get the next 'toy' has faded, it was fun while it lasted though.

 

My current watch serves all roles and only gets taken off overnight, it gains but only around 1 second per week which is jaw dropping for an automatic mechanical watch, the lume sucks because its an old tritium dial but it turns out that I'm mostly asleep when its completely dark so I don't much care to see the time.

 

So what do you think, is it possible to stop searching when you've found a watch that ticks all the boxes or is the hobby with you forever?

What watch is it?

 

 

Most of mine vary between being being accurate to 30 seconds over a day and some that are a lot better - either way I don't really mind as I rarely wear a watch for more than one day at a time, and I haven't got a watchwinder to keep them going when I'm not wearing them.

 

Somewhat ironically, I swear that my £500 mobile phone is gaining time to a far worse extent than any of my cheap asian movements... lol

[rc42 0]

Its a Rolex Explorer II, white dial ('96 T serial) with a GMT IIc bracelet (I love the quick extension). I bought it over on RG nearly a year ago.

 

I only bother adjusting the time when I have to do the date on months with less then 31 days, and because its very slightly fast I just have to put in into the hack position for a few seconds and then back again. Actually, that happens nearly everytime I try to set the date anyway

 

Its the one on the left below:

 

[mulder 0]

I have a cheap tag Rep and I set it at day light savings change over and then 6 months later changed it again.

It was probably one to two minutes fast. Im pretty impressed with this $50 watch.

[ferret 0]

I've bought far too many cheapies from canal street living here in the city. My 1950 (swan neck, 80 bucks) runs beautifully. Arktos and cheap ass submersible run well, though noticably low beat. The worst watch I've bought is the Uboat, but I still keeps decent time even if the power reserve sucks. I bang these things on subway turnstiles, on my desk at work, they get wet, etc. I'm hooked on reps haha. Can't wait to try out a pricier eta one!