Life of a IWC 3714 Porguguese?

[bonbigirl 0]

Hi all,

 

Been reading around different forums all day and noticed a trend with reps of this particular model dying extremely soon after purchase! This is very worrying for me as I *hope* to wear this as a daily - although it seems impossible from what I've read so far.

 

Is it even remotely possible to wear this watch every day and not have it die on me within 3 months?

 

Would love some advice as I'm really loving this watch!

 

Cheers

 

Edit: more specifically, this rep: http://tswatchltd.com/14232-14232.html

Edited April 29, 2014 by bonbigirl

[1littlegreen 1]

Welcome! To answer the question requires some care and feeding of the 7750. It has mixed reviews on reliability, and not to scare you, more misses than hits. Personally, I have owned many, some have been great and some have been replaced and serviced. Even some gen ETA7750 movements are prone to failure, believe me, it's not just exclusive to reps.

 

The ones to be leery of are the Daytona seconds @6. Again, hit or miss, but do eventually break.

 

Here is some great reading.

 

http://www.rwg.bz/board/index.php?showtopic=6101

 

If you follow some easy steps, it will be more likely to run longer, but again no guarantees.

[Wriggles 12]

As above, but specifically for the 3714 it's a sec@6 model so reliability and longevity is more likely to be a more problematic route than a regular secs@9 A7750 movement

[1littlegreen 1]

As above, but specifically for the 3714 it's a sec@6 model so reliability and longevity is more likely to be a more problematic route than a regular secs@9 A7750 movement

Ahhh....great catch! I missed that Thanks!

[Wriggles 12]

As above, but specifically for the 3714 it's a sec@6 model so reliability and longevity is more likely to be a more problematic route than a regular secs@9 A7750 movement

Ahhh....great catch! I missed that Thanks!

No problem, I knew you just overlooked that it was one of the secs@6

 

@OP, there has been mixed success with members and the 3714, there is plenty of info on the forum about them so keep reading and you should get enough information to decide if you want to give it a try or not

 

There is a belief that the module used to make the A7750 a secs@6 version is not the major failure point, but rather the quality of the A7750 it is mounted on. I've also heard the more recent A7750 models are of a poorer quality level than some of the older versions of this movement and this would lead to the secs@6 movements being even more prone to failure.

 

I have no experience of this myself, and some of what I've read may just be conjecture. All my A7750's are of the older variety and are standard secs@9 versions and have been very reliable to date.

There is plenty of threads and info about these, so just keep reading and if you have further doubts post a question

 

Good luck

[JSJ 0]

Here is my thread, just updated to show the latest (3rd) fixed watch http://www.rwg.bz/bo...showtopic=69834 The latest one, yet again was not an issue with the secs@6 module. I put a new movement in this one.

 

The Daytona secs@6 mod and the 3714 mod are not the same module. I have not yet stripped down a Daytona module but it is clearly quite different. The 3714 only moves the seconds subdial from 9 to 6. The Daytona must be moving the three subdials.

 

I have put the word out for non-working 3714s and only one has appeared since January. The other two I have picked up from M2M by keeping an eye out.

 

Again, if anyone has one they don't want, PM me please. I'm in the market.

 

I think that is the biggest statement. Nobody has a broken one. So, a lot of this talk about the dreaded secs@6 comes from years ago when I believe there was a serious issue, plus there may well be more of an issue with Daytonas.

 

By the way, anybody heard of problems with the standard 7750 datewheel mechanisms? Of course we have! Well, I can tell you now, you will never, ever have that issue with the 3714. Nor will you have the famous hour counter creep. It doesn't have an hour counter and the bits are removed.

 

Sounds like I'm selling the idea of the 3714s. I just think it's sad for people to deprive themselves of these watches.

 

Buy one. Write off the money before you buy it (like all the other reps you buy) and you will be happy.

 

[<RJ> 0]

Yea, It would be nice to have some intel on a batch with somewhat better assembled movements. The five ive bought the past year are all crappy one way or another, So crappy they took the fun out of the hobby since then.

[JSJ 0]

Yea, It would be nice to have some intel on a batch with somewhat better assembled movements. The five ive bought the past year are all crappy one way or another, So crappy they took the fun out of the hobby since then.

Wow! Five! What's up with them mate? I'm really interested to know.

[Wriggles 12]

There is a small discrepancy with what you said. " Because nobody has broken ones to sell proves they aren't really very bad,"

This is a statement that doesn't necessarily hold true.

 

Potentially many of these that failed have since been parted out, trashed or sold on.

Just cos no-one on the forum has broken ones left doesn't mean many more in the wild owned by non-forum members are not sitting as door stops somewhere

Due to the issues over the years, most likely a lot of forum members have been put off from purchasing these, leading to the fact that nobody has any to sell on M2M!

 

I'm not saying you're wrong, just that statement is a little bit of an assumption

 

I'm certainly encouraged to reconsider making a purchase

[JSJ 0]

Yes you make some good points and I agree that the stories about the secs@6 may well be putting people off buying them, hence there are none available from members.

 

My statements are based on evidence not assumption. I have fixed three 3714s and none of them had a problem with the secs@6. That is a very small sample but it's still 3 out of 3.

 

The first 3714 had been dropped and a broken movement retention screw and bracket were inside the movement. The second was a power issue and the third was some issue deep inside the movement which I have not looked for, preferring to replace the movement. Those things could happen to any watch, so the secs@6 often gets blamed when something goes wrong with the 3714. No evidence, just assumption. Have a look through the forum and see how many different watches have an issue. Lots. If they are 3714s, it's often blamed on the secs@6. Evidence or assumption? The other watches don't have secs@6 so it must be something else.

 

I've tried to have people to show me the broken 3714s and so far they haven't. I would have thought they would. You are right, that is not evidence that things are OK.

 

I fixed a secs@6 Daytona today (which I bought as having an issue). It was reported as stopping intermittently, needed hand winding. It was the automatic device not winding, not the secs@6. Still testing this so I may eat my words . I'm actually quite interested to get inside one. Apparently it has been modded by Domi so that should be even more interesting. But if it is reliable I may move it on. I don't even like Daytonas much and I have two now.

 

I have spent a whole career gathering and analysing data, deciding what is wrong and acting. One of the biggest issues is that people jump to conclusions without evidence.

 

It's a bit like saying Skodas are crap cars. They certainly were but they are not now. The comments I read on the forum are either talking about old 3714s from years ago or they are simply repeating what they have read elsewhere. It's not unusual. It's called rumour, anecdote, folklore. But it's not evidence.

 

I'm actually not that bothered. I have three stunning 3714s and I expect I will find more. The only reason I'm even slightly bothered is that I like to think some of the people on RWG are friends and if they want a 3714, I'm trying to present a balanced view for them so they can decide.

 

What fun this is . Fixing is better than wearing for me. I currently wear my 3777 most of the time and the latest Portuguese a couple of days a week.

[Wriggles 12]

Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted with your findings. I just said it was a little bit of an assumption, note the "little". 3 watches does not a very good statistical sample make.

However, I agree that there is a lot of info out there propagated based on little experience.

Any time I warn anyone about these movements I make it clear that it is the opinion of others and encourage whoever asks to do their own investigations first.

 

However, I also believe there is no smoke without fire, so at some point, even if not necessarily 100% true today, I expect these gave a lot of problems.

 

To put it another way, perception is reality. If something is perceived to be a certain way then it is taken to be real fact.

Bit like the Skoda cars, I agree they are a fine make since VAG took them over, at least vastly improved, but reputation is perceived by certain customer groups that they are sub standard.

 

Now, some people will ignore that reputation, have an open mind and give them a shot. A portion of those will probably regret it, and a portion will be delighted they did.

Because car makes& models, as with reps or gen watches, will always have a few lemons in there.

 

Even VW, BMW, Audi, Merc etc churn out some honkers and do not have the reliability that they are reputed to have.

But perception is that they have remarkable build quality, and therefore everyone says you can't go wrong with a VW.

I know from experience you very certainly can

 

Even the vaunted Toyota have been plagued recently with a lot of recalls. However, they are a fine make still, which I also know from experience, and even the recalls are not significantly impacting their reputation because the same perception feeds the belief that by issuing all the recalls they are providing top notch aftercare for their valued customers.

If so many recalls happened with Renault, or Skoda, or Citroen then you'd have loads of people saying that it's a sign of how piss poor they really are.

 

Perception. It's a powerful thing.

 

As is Assumption. Assumption is the mother of all fuckups. At least, I assume that to be the case

 

Anyway, it's all mainly semantics, I agree with your view, now the only issue is to decide if I want the 371446 or the 371445......

[baxter 6]

Interesting reading .... I've been considering taking a chance on the 3714.

I obviously have been cautious due to the perceived collective wisdom about the secs @ 6, but my own experience with daytonas ( 2 of them ) has been fine.

I was looking last night at Ryans ( intime ) site and he actually states " reliable " at the side of the movement description ... I'm not saying that's a guarantee but Ryan is a pretty good dealer and i've found him pretty trustworthy in the past.

Anyway i'm probably going to take a leap of faith on one because it's high time i got a nice dress watch in my collection

[<RJ> 0]

Wow! Five! What's up with them mate? I'm really interested to know.

To be clear, This is just general whining about a7750 reliability, Not the one mounted in these more recent 3714.

 

The first three was just your regular crap, Jerky seconds, Chronograph not resetting correctly, Chronograph stopping whenever it feels like. Basicly the kind of bad craftmanship you learn to live with in the rep business.

 

Then i got a Breitling Blackbird, One of my grail watches, Ive been searching for a brushed one but kept missing them on m2m so i decided to go for the polished one @ $278.

 

One of the first times i set the time the date got stuck between 7-8. I assumed it needed the same precautions as any other 7750 and i may have been abit sloppy and tried to set it close to the forbidden area of quick set. So maybe, just maybe i have to blame this one on myself :P

 

Then i got another one to replace the first. I tried to get the first one repaired but to make the story short. No watchmakers on the forums or my local one can quarantee they could get spareparts for the big date complication. So instead if risking $100 for repairs and shipping i got a new one.

 

The new one arrived and only issue i noticed was the jerky seconds @3 so I sent it off for a $300 service to prevent further disasters. Got it back with a new main spring and driver canon pinion. Seconds @ 3 still jerky. All else good for two weeks of usage. Then after a chronograph test it reset 3 sec before 12 instead of smack on like before. And the winding is getting difficult to the point that id rather just slap the wacth going. I need to pull the crown and at the same time wind it (while pulling it), If the stem decides to engage the winding gears it works. Then the watch have the onion crown, Making it even harder.

 

Between these watches i got two "bulletproof" quartz watches that arrived with crowntubes messed up :help3:

 

But i wont give up!

[Matsuri 0]

I expect I will take a gamble with a v3 3714 shortly. With any luck my wife won't notice that the dial on my every day watch no longer says Quartz

[kim875500 0]

mine lasted for around one month lol, i got it on april

[JSJ 0]

mine lasted for around one month lol, i got it on april

What's wrong with it? Did you tell the TD?

[kim875500 0]

mine lasted for around one month lol, i got it on april

What's wrong with it? Did you tell the TD?

Yes. Actually, I asked for a help from you lol.

It's from Tswatch and I haven't yet sent it back to China, but I'll let you know how it goes

 

I appreciate your help a lot !

[JSJ 0]

mine lasted for around one month lol, i got it on april

What's wrong with it? Did you tell the TD?

Yes. Actually, I asked for a help from you lol.

It's from Tswatch and I haven't yet sent it back to China, but I'll let you know how it goes

 

I appreciate your help a lot !

Oh sorry, missed your username on my phone lol. It will come back and be OK, you see!

[Dr. Jimmy 29]

I've had mine for several years without any issues. That being said, I wear it very rarely (maybe 5 - 6 times a year) and always keep it hacked when in the box. If I weren't so afraid of the movement imploding I'd wear it a lot more often.

 

[yawn 122]

Dona jewel mod or get the grenkin one and never be worried again.

 

Here is mine:

 

[JSJ 0]

Dona jewel mod or get the grenkin one and never be worried again.

 

Here is mine:

 

Nice watch.

 

There are words in your post I don't understand. Dona? Grenkin? More details would be appreciated.

[yawn 122]

Dona jewel mod or get the grenkin one and never be worried again.

 

Here is mine:

 

Nice watch.

 

There are words in your post I don't understand. Dona? Grenkin? More details would be appreciated.

 

It's fat finger syndrome, I was trying to type 'do a' jewel mod, this means add jewel to make second at six more reliable on Asian clone movement. Genkin refer to almost all gen build rep, try to source a gen movement and all your problems are solved.

[JSJ 0]

Dona jewel mod or get the grenkin one and never be worried again.

 

Here is mine:

 

Nice watch.

 

There are words in your post I don't understand. Dona? Grenkin? More details would be appreciated.

 

It's fat finger syndrome, I was trying to type 'do a' jewel mod, this means add jewel to make second at six more reliable on Asian clone movement. Genkin refer to almost all gen build rep, try to source a gen movement and all your problems are solved.

OK thanks.

 

The movements I have already have extra jewels compared with the earlier ones. Not sure how many more jewels could be put in them.

[Left Coast Guy 24]

Very interesting read guys, thanks for the time to detail all of your experiences. Really appreciate learning from smart folks!

[missa146 0]

I truly love this IWC. I was considering getting the gen but wanted first to get a rep so I could really make sure that this was the right watch for me. So I ordered one few months ago from Rochest and Mary. I didn't regret my choice at all when it arrived: a stunning piece part of my favorite watches, along with my Nautilus.

But it is also a very dangerous watch for a clumsy dude like me ! Just a few weeks after I received it, one the little chrono pushers got stuck in a lady's sweater as I was walking in the streets of NY. It ripped her sweater off and the pusher disappeared... I have been trying to find a replacement pusher from Mary and Rochest, but they can't source one. I need to find that piece somewhere else...

 

Obviously no issues with sec@6 with mine during that short amount of time.

Before the accident:

 

 

After the accident: