Service life of a Rep

[Adam_Smith]

Hi all. A few days ago I acquired my first Rep, and a question arises. Gen watches tend to last a lifetime, at least in my experience they never break down, and can be inherited from parent to child. Rep watches, how long do they have? Do they last for many years, or do they break down more easily? What can cause the Rep watch to break?

 

[ShiroTenshi]

Hi all. A few days ago I acquired my first Rep, and a question arises. Gen watches tend to last a lifetime, at least in my experience they never break down, and can be inherited from parent to child. Rep watches, how long do they have? Do they last for many years, or do they break down more easily? What can cause the Rep watch to break?

That’s where the gen marketing got u. Gen watch don’t last a life time without breaking down, u still need to send it for servicing, just depending if you follow the “official advised interval” like 3-5 years, or just wear it until something seems wrong.

Depending on the movement u have in ur rep, with a common, proven movement, they can be the same as a gen.

Many rep uses ETA clone 2824/2836, and they are almost as good as the swiss version, but cheaper.
Some rep uses miyota 8215 or 9015, these are in every way as good as a gen using the same movement.
If the rep house a “clone movement” invented by the rep factory, that is where repair parts become a problem, and u might not be able to repair it if they are not in circulation anymore.


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[Rx4Time]

Okay to clear the air I will list out a couple of points here.

1. genuine watches require periodic maintenance just like any other mechanical device. Whether that maintenance is done or not is another question. Some genuine watches break after a very short period others can run for decades without attention. The same holds true for replicas.

2. I personally have several replicas that are a decade or more old and are still running fine, there's some members that have replicas that are 20 plus years old and still working without fail.

Here's a couple of examples of my older replicas. When looking for longevity you need to focus on what type of movement is in the watch, And how repairable it is should something go wrong. it's also a good idea to periodically service any mechanical watch replicas and genuine. A number of replicas, due to the conditions under which they're assembled, could benefit from a movement service right off the bat.

PAM 029b

IWC 3719

PAM 027 and 028

 

[Adam_Smith]

Depending on the movement u have in ur rep, with a common, proven movement, they can be the same as a gen.

Many rep uses ETA clone 2824/2836, and they are almost as good as the swiss version, but cheaper.
Some rep uses miyota 8215 or 9015, these are in every way as good as a gen using the same movement.
If the rep house a “clone movement” invented by the rep factory, that is where repair parts become a problem, and u might not be able to repair it if they are not in circulation anymore.


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When looking for longevity you need to focus on what type of movement is in the watch, And how repairable it is should something go wrong. it's also a good idea to periodically service any mechanical watch replicas and genuine.

First of all, thank you very much for your answers. Since you agree on the importance of the movement that the Rep uses, what do you think of the 2892 Asian movement? Do you think it can last for years? Is it difficult to repair? Is it better or worse than the 2824 movement? I have been looking for information in the forum, in the Tech section.

 

[Rx4Time]

First of all, thank you very much for your answers. Since you agree on the importance of the movement that the Rep uses, what do you think of the 2892 Asian movement? Do you think it can last for years? Is it difficult to repair? Is it better or worse than the 2824 movement? I have been looking for information in the forum, in the Tech section.

For comparison, the ETA 2892 is considered a higher end movement than a ETA 2836 and 2824 (although they are both good durable lasting movements) The same would hold true for the Asian counterparts since they are copies of the Swiss movements. Like anything else there is always a chance it might need some kind of attention due to mechanical issue or buildup of dirt and old oil over time, but overall the movement should last for a very long time. With periodic cleaning and servicing there's no reason why you shouldn't see decades of use out of it.

 

[Ex-ki]

First of all, thank you very much for your answers. Since you agree on the importance of the movement that the Rep uses, what do you think of the 2892 Asian movement? Do you think it can last for years? Is it difficult to repair? Is it better or worse than the 2824 movement? I have been looking for information in the forum, in the Tech section.

After wearing your rep for a while you can replace the A28xx movement by its ETA equivalent if you wish. It will extend its durability.
I own a TC Submariner v2 with an ETA movement inside for 7 years now and it still runs very well (and without any service done).

 

[PAM_BOY]

I have Gen PAMs and MANY Rep PAMs, some are 10-15 years old and I have to say: NO problems!
They all work fine! From time to time my watch smith does some cleaning and movement settings, if necessary and that's it!
So don't worry and just enjoy your watches!

 

[mech500]

10 people could tell you that they’ve had 10 rep watches that haven’t broken down in decades but that doesn’t mean your rep won’t break on day 1.

The point to consider here, is that rep movements are generally very robust in 2020 (with the exception of the known problematic GMT and certain chrono movements etc).

The good news is that if/when your rep movement does break, it might cost you £100 to repair, whereas if/when your gen Rolex breaks, you’d be looking at a £800 bill and a 12 week wait.

Personally, I’d rather wear a rep for a fraction of the purchase price and take a £100 repair cost hit as and when. So I agree with the above poster, don’t worry and enjoy your watches.




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[Katarsis]

The good news is that if/when your rep movement does break, it might cost you £100 to repair, whereas if/when your gen Rolex breaks, you’d be looking at a £800 bill and a 12 week wait.

Personally, I’d rather wear a rep for a fraction of the purchase price and take a £100 repair cost hit as and when. So I agree with the above poster, don’t worry and enjoy your watches.




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This is the main thing that keeps me from buying
​​​​​gens. Not only is the gen counterpart at least three times as expensive as my Frankens whereas the gens are ten years old and the frankens are new.
​And then the services on the gens are also at least three times as expensive.
​​​​​

 

[kavorca1]

It's also important to treat your rep like it's a gen. In other words, don't toss it around or bang it or drop it or wear it in the shower thinking, it's just a rep. If you treat it right it should last a while. If you live near a humid area or cold or wet area you might want to get it serviced to avoid rusting

 

[Art Tic]

Life span of a rep watch: DOA to 2+ years. It is like Gump's box of chocolate.
In general, pick a reliable movement (relatively speaking), like A2824 or Miyota 9015.