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How long do replica watches last?

grimydrainhair

You're Saying I Can Sell?
27/11/16
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Some questions I am sure a lot of us are thinking. Would be good to get the collective wisdom

1. How long do these watches last for?
2. Does the movement matter for the longevity?
3. Do any of you service your reps? How often?
4. Is it embarrassing to take a rep to get serviced?
 

Jonj480

Supporting Vendor
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3/11/14
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It depends on the quality level of the reps you buy, I think movement matters some too, but I have A7750 reps that are 5 years old, haven't been serviced and still keep awesome time. I do get them serviced when they need it. I send them to a modded on here, so no embarrassment.
 

andylaw1919

Known Member
27/11/14
134
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It depends how often you wear the watch... My father purchased a $100 Datejust with a Sea-Gull movement back in the 1990s and its still running fine without any servicing.
 

gavmeister

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27/5/16
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They can last many years if you look after them. Just like a gen they may need servicing from time to time. Movements that are cheap will tend to deteriorate faster. A good movement will remain good, keep accurate time and power reserve will remain strong.


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orson

Renowned Member
8/12/09
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I have reps going strong from the last decade, I tend to sell on if not worn but I have a beater from 2002
 

25minutestoolate

Renowned Member
22/8/16
505
4
18
Asia
I've only been in the rep game for a year but so far everything I've got has been working great and keeping good time.

Look at it this way - if they fail after a couple of years, that's just the perfect excuse to get some new ones. :D
 

ahaddad

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19/12/16
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I have a watch that is 26 yrs old, only changing batteries from year to year.

Still working and keeping time <3


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iPwnage

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1/6/14
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8 years old WM9 V2 16610... Works pretty well!
6efaf3691a1bc8605f0bf36e4b84779d.jpg


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amptor

Banned member, the goat does not approve
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1/5/07
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If it ain't broke don't fix it

I heard somewhere you're suppose to get watches serviced every 3 years even if you aren't wearing them. I haven't ever got any serviced but I feel like my watches are living on borrowed time due to that.

Also it seems like it'd cost more to service my Seiko 5 diver than I paid for the thing. Kinda silly. I guess it really comes down to how attached to the watch you are.
 

Tucker

Lunnyfied by Raddave
Supporter
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23/12/11
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It's hard to tell. I have a 25 + year old rep that still keeps good time.


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afdaddy

Renowned Member
13/12/13
531
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Reps lifespan is pretty analogous to gen lifespan (without service), maybe slightly less due to improper oiling.

Mov'ts with more complication tend to be more like to have issues, so simple configs (no chrono, no date wheel, etc) will last longer than complex stuff.

Asian 7750's seem to have a weaker mainspring then gens, so that alone will lead it to have issues earlier.

No reason to service until it breaks.

The difficulty with servicing is two-fold -- first, finding someone that will work on reps, and second, finding someone that will do it at a reasonable price. You have to imagine most of the mechanical watches that need service these days are high-end, so folks are maybe more willing to pay $500 to get an $8K watch serviced......so if you're charging $500 on the regular, you may not be interested in lower priced work.
 

XAD

Renowned Member
15/8/16
869
19
18
As with many products - it depends exactly what you have, and how its used. If you asked someone "how long does a Chevy last" they might tell you if they were happy based upon their personal experience, but how they use their car matters most.

If its a standard do they routinely redline it? Some watch movements are really sensitive to over-winding - theres a parallel there. Do they change the oil when dirty or just pour in more? Do they run it of-road? In the city? Highway? Knock it around? Baby it? Similarly you might beat the hell out of a watch, and someone like me might be gentle and rotate it with 40 other watches so it looks just as good after 10 years as it did when it arrived. And how tolerant are they of "little issues"? Some people let little things add up then one day it just bursts into flames. Other people fix whats broke the week it breaks. Its when you have a cascade of little problems that most people decide to get rid of a watch or a car.

Me? I drive a 1997 Suburban that has close to 300k miles but I fix everything as it comes up so it runs like a new car. I treat most watches that way too.

Anyway, all that aside, Asian clone movements are not as nicely built as the gens. And the price reflects that. In fact many of the movements are so cheap that they are considered throw-away. You don't repair many of them - you just buy a new movement on eBay for $30 and have your repair dude slap it in. Thats what I'd do with most of my reps. But there are exceptions - the ones I've fallen in love with. With those I'll run the Asian clone into the ground, then buy a gen ETA off eBay and put that in the clone case - and have something that will last a lifetime. But I'll need to periodically clean and lube that gen movement and thats not cheap.

Thats one of the main reasons I got into reps to begin with. To avoid repair gen costs. For what it would cost me to maintain a gen Rolex or Omega every few years I can buy a really nice rep and toss it in the trash if I wanted to when it stops - and I'll still be ahead of the game.

Your question might seem simple on the surface - but its really rather complex. :)
 

Specter1000

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18/2/15
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I heard somewhere you're suppose to get watches serviced every 3 years even if you aren't wearing them. I haven't ever got any serviced but I feel like my watches are living on borrowed time due to that.
I wouldn't worry too much about the 'published' service interval times...I have heard similar. When the watch slows down and can't regulate with adjustment, then it's time to service.

I have had only 1 rep out of 8 or so that needed immediate attention on arrival. The movement was incredibly dirty for a new watch, now it's stripped and cleaned and runs like a champ.
 

cdas71

You're Saying I Can Sell?
11/2/17
72
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It depends on the quality level of the reps you buy, I think movement matters some too, but I have A7750 reps that are 5 years old, haven't been serviced and still keep awesome time. I do get them serviced when they need it. I send them to a modded on here, so no embarrassment.

US modder? I've been looking for one


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Limp Wrist :(

Known Member
23/2/14
115
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Ive started the process of intalling gen movements in my high quality pieces. Really, its the only way to fly.