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Reliability ! ! ! ! ! ! !

goldman555

Known Member
4/8/16
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I guess this is kind of a silly question really because we all know that reps are not made in highly sterile environments and watches particularly mechanical watches can be broken by some of the slightest pieces of dirt et cetera.

But I have about five APs and a couple of old Noobs all of them have stopped working completely. I've had them backwards and forwards from various different repair/service people and still they work for a week or so and then they completely fail up. On the other hand, the less complicated movements without things like chronographs et cetera do seem to hold up a bit better but not much.

In general, the Noob Rolex's are fairly reliable apart from the CHS although ironically my one is still ticking along.

I just wondered what are the most reliable reps with a combination of being "not worth buying gen" I'm excluding Panarai because I don't like them.

I have over 40 replicas and I think I probably bought quite a few more over time. They are definitely getting more reliable but it's really annoying that expensive replicas like JF AP's are super super unreliable and only last a few months at best. I know some smart person can come up and say they've had a JF AP or other similar complicated movement working for years and it still keep's time right down to the second... Sorry, don't believe you.

I really wish they could put a little bit more effort into reliability as they do into making the watches look so identical to genuine there must be a balance somewhere.

My best watch is the Blancpain 50 fathoms from ZF I have three of them and they are pretty solid. I also have some V6 big bangs that are pretty reliable. The new A4130 clone from Noob maybe the next frontier because this is super reliable as far as reliability and power reserve it's freaky good. Maybe if they can fix the face a little bit it will be as perfect as the Blancpain 50 fathoms from ZF

About 70% of the watches I own all seem to crap out after a while.
 
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PlanetZoom

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You can increase the odds of having a more reliable movement that lasts longer by staying away from 313x movements. Also by not using the chrono function on reps.
 

goldman555

Known Member
4/8/16
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Thanks,

that is some pretty sound advice is strange though that replica manufacturers put so much effort into decorating the internal dials rather than actually making them semi-reliable you would have thought with the amount of watches made in China they would have figured out how to make the movements even remotely reliable.

Like I said before on average most of my watches 70% of my watches only last a few months and then they've had it for one reason or another. I guess we are buying off criminals et cetera so shouldn't complain too hard. But if they could step up the reliability game like they have done with the Daytona A4130 and BlancPain FF I think they would be able to charge a lot more money. I would pay well over $1000 for a reliable AP. Instead you pay $650 or something for something that lasts five minutes...
 
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Tigerdragon

Mythical Poster
19/10/13
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AP 15400 v3 with miyota movement
Hublot sang Bleu with miyota movement

2824 movements are pretty good too
 
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Rx4Time

Supporter, Panerai lover
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My general rule, stick with eta clones and miyota. If it craps out just pick up a gen ETA and have it dropped in. In my experience, I've had very good luck with some running solidly for years including my CrPO and BPFF noob v1 as well as others. I suggest avoiding any modified 7750 (read AP ROO chronograph) as it's often not the movement but the modifier plate that gives problems. Also, the superclone movements are hit or miss. I think you are setting yourself up for a failure with the SA4130 movement right now as they are too new to know how reliable they are. Initial reviews I've read and a watch Smith I know who pulled one apart were encouraging, but replacement parts are non existent and I don't know if anyone has tried swapping in gen Rolex parts. Only superclone movement to consider is the SH31** as they are mostly compatible with gen Rolex, although repair costs are high. I'd go for an AP diver (non chronograph model) based on your comments above, perhaps a 15400 if also?
 

PgrPgrPG

You're Saying I Can Sell?
21/5/18
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40 reps... congrats for your commitment... what about converting a number of them in fresh cash to buy a gen? Think you might get a nice reliable gen watch and continue to play with fancy reps aside. My 2 cents


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Hinclimincli

I'm Pretty Popular
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18/12/09
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AP 15400 v3 with miyota movement
Hublot sang Bleu with miyota movement

2824 movements are pretty good too

This. Stick to ETA clones and Miyotas. Three hands only and a date wheel perhaps. I had ETAs working for almost 10 years without service, and I expect the current ones I have to last more than that. Worst case I'll replace the movement.

In my experience, when a rep dies is not because of the movement but because from some fail in one of the components that cannot be replaced (bracelet that is no longer made, hands that won't fit, bezel that's no longer made, etc). Movements are easy to replace, a SEL for a model no longer made... Not so much.
 

goldman555

Known Member
4/8/16
184
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I don't think I would be able to convert many of the nonworking ones into cash and if I sold the working ones I would probably end up with enough money to buy one fairly decent genuine. I rather have the selection.

I have got one or two genuine's as well. But I'm afraid the quality of steel Rolex and the 50 fathoms will put you off spending ridiculous money. When you have them side-by-side. By the way supreme kudos to the people who put together the NW buying genuine list it's a good guide. I just hate Panarai. Apart from that very good list.

AP, on the other hand, is a different kettle of fish. I love the Royal Oak Offshore chronograph but I've never been able to get one that is even remotely reliable. Only the 44 mm version seems to last a little bit but this is hard to pull off because it is a seriously expensive seriously exclusive watch.

I will probably give up my quest for a decent AP and just get the offshore diver I guess that's fairly reliable.
 

Hinclimincli

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For AP you can stick to the 154xx series, with Miyotas 9015. You will hardly see any of these failing.
 

rcom440

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10/11/12
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70% of your reps crap out after a few months??? Ether you are extreamly unlucky or you are “abusing” those watches.

i have many noobs sa3135 movements ( only one serviced), clone Asian etas, myotas, a7750s, and tourbilion. All of them run great! No problems what so ever and some of them are over 2 years old.

I had only problems with JF/ARF’s SH movements. I won’t touch those again unless they will refine them.
 

vcappp

I'm Pretty Popular
20/6/18
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I guess this is kind of a silly question really because we all know that reps are not made in highly sterile environments and watches particularly mechanical watches can be broken by some of the slightest pieces of dirt et cetera.

But I have about five APs and a couple of old Noobs all of them have stopped working completely. I've had them backwards and forwards from various different repair/service people and still they work for a week or so and then they completely fail up. On the other hand, the less complicated movements without things like chronographs et cetera do seem to hold up a bit better but not much.

In general, the Noob Rolex's are fairly reliable apart from the CHS although ironically my one is still ticking along.

I just wondered what are the most reliable reps with a combination of being "not worth buying gen" I'm excluding Panarai because I don't like them.

I have over 40 replicas and I think I probably bought quite a few more over time. They are definitely getting more reliable but it's really annoying that expensive replicas like JF AP's are super super unreliable and only last a few months at best. I know some smart person can come up and say they've had a JF AP or other similar complicated movement working for years and it still keep's time right down to the second... Sorry, don't believe you.

I really wish they could put a little bit more effort into reliability as they do into making the watches look so identical to genuine there must be a balance somewhere.

My best watch is the Blancpain 50 fathoms from ZF I have three of them and they are pretty solid. I also have some V6 big bangs that are pretty reliable. The new A4130 clone from Noob maybe the next frontier because this is super reliable as far as reliability and power reserve it's freaky good. Maybe if they can fix the face a little bit it will be as perfect as the Blancpain 50 fathoms from ZF

About 70% of the watches I own all seem to crap out after a while.

Do you usually store your watches on winders? or just cases without winders?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

hartdoc

Active Member
14/9/11
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70% failure rate is pretty high. I have 5 reps and only one needs service and it was my fault because I dropped it.

With kinda cash you’re dropping on reps you may want to consider getting one of our watchmaker doing you a custom build.

The ones that I have had built run within cosc




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capice

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my experience is totally different....all my "old" reps(10-12 years) run as good as they did when bought...all are A2824/2836/7750's and an occasional 21J(now dg2813), they all run like new...all heve been serviced when they arrived...not all dayly beateres but still...From the watches I bought the last few monts, 3 had problems when they arrived(new) but it were easy fixes besides a missaligned bezel on a Pepsi from Nembo whereas the salespost did show a perfectly alligned bezel.... What annoyed me was that he holds on it was the same watch that was shown in the salespics and the one which was received...the bezel is glued so it couldn't move during shipping...Lesson learned on reliability.
But for reliability on the mvts, I am not complaining at all.
 

vcappp

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my experience is totally different....all my "old" reps(10-12 years) run as good as they did when bought...all are A2824/2836/7750's and an occasional 21J(now dg2813), they all run like new...all heve been serviced when they arrived...not all dayly beateres but still...From the watches I bought the last few monts, 3 had problems when they arrived(new) but it were easy fixes besides a missaligned bezel on a Pepsi from Nembo whereas the salespost did show a perfectly alligned bezel.... What annoyed me was that he holds on it was the same watch that was shown in the salespics and the one which was received...the bezel is glued so it couldn't move during shipping...Lesson learned on reliability.
But for reliability on the mvts, I am not complaining at all.

That’s amazing! your watches run more than 10 years. Do you usually store your watches on winders? or just cases without winders?


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capice

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no winders whatsoever, just wear them on a weekly/monthly basis...depending on the watch...but I think the servicing after buying is essential.
 
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terryj

You're Saying I Can Sell?
6/9/17
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Like I said before on average most of my watches 70% of my watches only last a few months and then they've had it for one reason or another.

I did a calculation, 91.6% of the reps I have bought over the last 9 months are working fine. One has stopped completely but that is because I changed the date when the time was at 11.45am, but it is an easy fix.

You must be storing them Captain Koons style.
 

Piero 88

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haven't had any stop working, however the first rep i purchased like 2 years ago the minute hand and one of the markers became loose and fell off after like 6-7months. besides that i have like 4-5 pieces which are going strong!
 

vcappp

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Mine also. I have watches over ten years and they all run like champs.

I am asking a question to people who owns great healthy rep watches run like 10years. Do you usually store your watches on winders or just cases without winders?


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WIS_Kid

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This. Stick to ETA clones and Miyotas. Three hands only and a date wheel perhaps. I had ETAs working for almost 10 years without service, and I expect the current ones I have to last more than that. Worst case I'll replace the movement.

In my experience, when a rep dies is not because of the movement but because from some fail in one of the components that cannot be replaced (bracelet that is no longer made, hands that won't fit, bezel that's no longer made, etc). Movements are easy to replace, a SEL for a model no longer made... Not so much.


Wow after reading your post, i am rethinking my decision to look for an AP chrono, unless i go into it with the notion of buying one to install a real chrono movement. The failure rate you are hitting makes me wonder why buy a fake at all if its only a throw away after a few months/a year.
 
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