You got your watch... now what?

[realreplica]

So here's a first post for this new RG area... I think the info you'll find on the link below might save you a lot of grief and maybe even some money. Hope rex doesn't mind the steal!

First I would like to advise all of new members to get their watches serviced by a competent watchsmith, there are plenty in the forums here that will service your watch. Although this is not a strict requirement it is adviseable especially for chrono movements as the A7750 is often in need of a service when it arrives to your hands. Watch movements (even chinese) are precision mechanical pieces and as such are subject to wear and tear, if a movement is not properly oiled it can stop working and/or damage jewels & gears due to friction. Quality Control on chinese replica factories is simply put non exitent, basicly what they do is assemble the movement, throw it in the case, slap it a few times and check if the watch is keeping half decent time, if so they will ship it to the dealer that in turn will ship it to you. So if you can and deem worth it, service your replica as soon as possible.



Just got my watch! What am I going to do? by rex450
This is a what not to do thread, read this or you risk breaking your watch within the first week.

I was actually looking to include another link on the movements that I think was also written by rex but I just can't find it anymore. I've read it somewhere, probably the tutorial section but I went through every page there and couldn't find it, if anyone remembers an article where (I think) rex explains the myths about the movements please let me know and I'll include it here.

[Gilbou]

Now...

CIGARS !!!!

Start with the Repgeek sample ones

[txcollector]

While I agree most movements need servicing, specially those watches you want to keep for many years, I'd not use that as a blank statement.

I have a number of reps that I won't bother servicing until I have problems with them. I can't get myself to pay $100 to service a 6497 that costs $50. I'd rather pay $150 for a gen ETA instead.

More complex and expensive movements maybe.

[realreplica]

While I agree most movements need servicing, specially those watches you want to keep for many years, I'd not use that as a blank statement.

I have a number of reps that I won't bother servicing until I have problems with them. I can't get myself to pay $100 to service a 6497 that costs $50. I'd rather pay $150 for a gen ETA instead.

More complex and expensive movements maybe.

Yes you're right, there's no doubt about that but I was mostly referring to chronos and more specifically to the 7750 although I failed to reffer that... so post updated!

[bobbywaingro]

Great info thanks

This will be a great place for us beginners.


Anyway is there any good watchsmiths in the EU who can service reps, and what does a "service" include and what is the going rate for a service?

[realreplica]

There are a few Domenico in germany and Francisco in spain are both very good. Francisco is a member here and you can contact him over PM, Domenico I'm not sure if he's a member but if you want his contact drop me a pm and I'll give it to you.
I wouldn't like to give you prices because it may be different depending on where in the EU you're located.

There's watch boot on Piccadily circus in London that also works on reps as far as I know.

[tyson]

will i get any dirty looks, or rejections from a regular watchsmith for telling him to work on a rep???

[realreplica]

Nah I don't think it will happen what might happen is him telling you he's not familiar with the movement and is not willing to risk repairing/servicing a movement he doesn't know. But honestly with the recession probably most watchsmiths will welcome work

[iPhreak]

I had a couple of watchsmiths in US by phone tell me that they did not work on "junk." But after I brought my rep in to one of them and they looked at the movement, they did in fact service it.

So you might be better off just taking it in and telling them up front it is a rep and has sentimental value to you and would they mind taking a look.

EDIT TO ADD: do not try at AD, but I figured you knew that.

[realreplica]

Ye NEVER EVER even think of bringing your replicas into a Authorized Dealer, for any reason not just for repairs!

[tyson]

thanks guys

[seungjinhk]

aside from rex and speedy, who else does servicing from repgeek?

[realreplica]

In the US and members here I think only Rex and Speedy. But in EU you have Francisco (Spain) and Domenico (Germany) that are very trustworthy workers.

You can also check the replica friendly watchsmiths thread on the general forums.

[kbh]

", basicly what they do is assemble the movement, throw it in the case, slap it a few times and check if the watch is keeping half decent time, if so they will ship it to the dealer that in turn will ship it to you. So if you can and deem worth it, service your replica as soon as possible."

Not meaning to be argumentative but the replica factories don't assemble movements. They are made in rather large and often state sponsored factories. Quite often they are the same movements found in many other non-replica watches. I'm sure that it's possible that the lower quality and even factory seconds may find there way into some of the reps, but they are by no means all in need of an immediate servicing.

You may do as you please but I've have very good luck with replica movements and have only have a very few that needed any servicing.

[sergio27]

great a place for n00bs like me!

Of course it will take me time to get all the abbreviations.

What does HEV mean? From what I gather it is something on the face of a watch?

[realreplica]

What does HEV mean? From what I gather it is something on the face of a watch?

Helium Escape Valve aka Helium Release Valve

A helium release valve, or helium escape valve, as it is also called, is a feature found on some diving watches. It provides functionality for professional divers operating at great depths for prolonged periods of time or under saturation.

When commercial divers operate at great depths, they often spend prolonged hours in diving bells under pressure breathing a breathing gas mix like trimix or similar, that contain the gases helium or hydrogen. Since helium molecules are the second smallest and hydrogen molecules the smallest found in nature, these gas molecules are able to work their way inside the watch, around any o-rings or other seals the watch may feature. This is not a problem as long as the divers stay under pressure, but when the decompression stops during resurfacing aren't long enough, a pressure difference builds up between the trapped gas(es) inside the watch case and its environment. Depending on the construction of the watch case and crystal, this effect can cause damage to the watch, like making the crystal pop off.

Whilst many watch companies react to this effect by simply offering an even more robust case/crystal construction, Rolex and Doxa S.A. however thought of a different concept when they co-created the helium escape valve in the 1960s (first introduced in the Rolex Submariner/Sea-Dweller and the Doxa Conquistador): A small, spring loaded one-way valve integrated in the watch case that is activated when the differential between the inner and the outside pressure reaches a critical level. Result: The valve releases the helium, hydrogen and/or other gases used in the breathing gas mix trapped inside the watch case.

Automatic helium release valves usually don't need any manual operation. There are however helium release valves featuring an additional screw-down crown at the side of the watch. When the diver starts to ascend, the diver simply unscrews the valve's crown to the full open position, allowing any breathing gas that may have been trapped inside the watch to escape during decompression.

Helium release valves can primarily be found on mechanical diving watches featuring a water/pressure resistance greater than 300 m (1000 ft) and therefore positioned as more extreme dive watches. Models that feature a helium release valve include most of the Omega Seamaster series, Rolex Sea Dweller, some dive watches from the Citizen Watch Co., Ltd, Breitling, Girard-Perregaux, Panerai, all watches produced by Enzo Mechana, and selected Doxa and Oris models. Other watch manufacturers such as Seiko still offer high-level dive watches that are guaranteed safe against the effects of helium gas without needing an additional opening in the case in form of a release valve.

[GMT66]

My $.02...
I have local a watchmaker who is both Omega and Rolex certified. He is a graduate of 2 different watchmaking schools, attending the Rolex school in Switzerland in the seventies. He's serviced a number of my reps, and spent a lot of time with me on some very useful education, as I like to tinker. He looks forward to the gen ETA's, hates the 7750's. His opinion: the Asian 7750's are filthy, shipped dry and bound to fail, and parts he orders do not fit on a routine basis. Especially the jewels. They are almost never the correct size. He's asked me not to take him any more. "They're not worth screwing around with".The bottom line, the Swiss ETA's I'm pretty sure any watchmaker outside of an AD will work on. The majority of the watches shipped from Switzerland have ETA movements in them (although a lot are modified to varying extents).The Asian movements you may get some push back on. I often wonder when I read posts that say that this Asian 7750 has been completely serviced. That to me means a complete tear down, cleaning lube and reassembly plus timing and regulation. I doubt it. But, I digress. I think you'll find that ETA movements won't be a problem with most independent WM's.

[rAc]

steps:

1. receive watch in mail
2. put watch on wrist
3. ????
4. rock out with your watch out

[realreplica]

My $.02...
I have local a watchmaker who is both Omega and Rolex certified. He is a graduate of 2 different watchmaking schools, attending the Rolex school in Switzerland in the seventies. He's serviced a number of my reps, and spent a lot of time with me on some very useful education, as I like to tinker. He looks forward to the gen ETA's, hates the 7750's. His opinion: the Asian 7750's are filthy, shipped dry and bound to fail, and parts he orders do not fit on a routine basis. Especially the jewels. They are almost never the correct size. He's asked me not to take him any more. "They're not worth screwing around with".The bottom line, the Swiss ETA's I'm pretty sure any watchmaker outside of an AD will work on. The majority of the watches shipped from Switzerland have ETA movements in them (although a lot are modified to varying extents).The Asian movements you may get some push back on. I often wonder when I read posts that say that this Asian 7750 has been completely serviced. That to me means a complete tear down, cleaning lube and reassembly plus timing and regulation. I doubt it. But, I digress. I think you'll find that ETA movements won't be a problem with most independent WM's.

I haven't yet disassembled one of the chrono movements and probably won't either anytime soon but that is the opinion of most of the people that work on the A7750. They aren't built to the standard of the ETA but if properly looked after they should last.
I'm sure the likes of Rex, Francisco, SpeedyG, Domenico, etc will completely disassemble, clean, oil and reassemble the A7750 without many problems.

[GMT66]

Point well taken. There are guys on this and other forums who specialize in the A 7750's. Most independent watchmakers have an aversion to them. Certainly didn't mean to call into question the integrity of the guys you mentioned!