Longevity of Reps

[sawalke4]

I tend to keep a watch for a few months, sell or trade it, then move onto another style of watches. It seems that the two I always come back to are the sub or the PAM111. Anyway, every watch that I have kept for over a year has eventually failed in some way. Markers or hands falling off, time not setting, keyless works, dial rotating, watch not winding, rotor loose, etc. So, rather than keeping them long term, I sell after a few months and get another. Recently I purchased a 4th gen PO that I have had the Gen ETA (confirmed) serviced, regualted, and waterproofed. This watch has been my daily beater for the past four months now, and has not skip a beat, runs smooth as butter and I have even taken it diving to 60 ft with no problems. The big question is, will this watch last me a lifetime if kept serviced? Or, like all the reps I have kept for a long term watch, will it something fail? Interestingly a close friend of mine purchased a PO after he saw mine and it has been his daily beater for some time. It will be interesting to see whose will need attention first!

My friend purchased a Gen. (for $2200 brand new btw)

 

[ochaves]

I have mixed experience, but most of my reps are lasting more than two years with no problems.


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[sawalke4]

I have mixed experience, but most of my reps are lasting more than two years with no problems.


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- Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Is that straight from the dealer? Or do you service before hand? What problems do you usually have?

 

[cvp3]

I have a UN Chronometre from Canal Street that I paid $40. Owned this for 3 years now. I wore this 3 times a week for 2 years and now about once a month. Movement is 21J I believe. It's definitely a hand winder and has the glass back on it. It's been flawless and the gold plating is still in great shape with no rub throughs.

 

[rol_man]

I have a 10 year old Sub rep that has been serviced once. Has an ETA movement and other than cleaning, it's been trouble free. (I don't baby my watches either)!

 

[Andreasf81]

Dont mean to 'dicksize' but I have a rolex daytona and a datejust that I bought 15 years ago which have never been serviced and still run like the day I bought them. The datejust clasp is quite loose and bracelet is fading but the daytona is still as shiny and Probly more of a gen silver SS colour than any of the reps I buy today.

However. I had many that did not make it over the years.

I think reps are getting less reliable as the complexity of the gens advance. Especially the chronographs.

The simpler the watch the better if you are looking for strong build and good replication. That's my opinion anyway.

 

[rsea]

6497 ftw
Simple reliable cheap movement

 

[shirazi_r]

6497 ftw
Simple reliable cheap movement

+1

The 6497 can be swapped out with ease. If it happens to die, no biggie!

 

[mclarendude]

2 or 3 years max for me. And I treat them well. Service them every year.

 

[bigdeal]

I'm confident mine will last at least as long as I want to wear them...

Surely on average wont last as long as a gen, but cheap and easy enough to get fixed(at least the non-chrono models). My tastes change faster than they wear out regardless...


.

 

[RWIGWH]

I have a few (cheap 21J) reps 10 years and older that function just fine, and without service.

 

[rudi]

I have had a rep Rolee chrono since 2006 after the original was stolen and a friend recommended buying a rep rather than buying another original. ( back then i wore it more often) but it has been excellent always worked and at a fraction of the price i thought if it lasted 12 months great but in excellent condition only the gold coating on the adjuster has turned silver but not to noticeable. so 5 YEARS.

AND BACK FOR MORE CARTIER ORDERED FROM MARVELOUS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ochaves]

Is that straight from the dealer? Or do you service before hand? What problems do you usually have?

I have had problems only once. It's funny, because it was in the only watch I've bought from a TD. All the others came from other members of the forum.

The problem is in a Omega SMP blue dial from WBK. I can't set the day. I've been careful no modifying the date between 9 and 3, but it broke after some weeks. Anyway the watch is really nice and runs great,except for the date (I can't set it, but it changes every day)

I haven't serviced a watch yet. +2 yrs and still running them all. The Tag aquaracer is more than 14 yo and no problems. Of course, quartz rarely broke

 

[tagman26]

Great thread. I often wondered about this. I have several gens that I wear and I mean wear. (get my money worth). I believe that that if you spend thousands for a high end watch you should be able to wear it with confidence as described by the AD when you open your wallet.

Since finding reps, I have several BK Rollies including the latest TW product (which is a awesome Sub BTW) I am wondering if I can get the same wear from these higher end reps? I like to swim, dive, hike and travel in my watches without worry. So, I'm putting them to the test now. We will see how they last. They sure look great and the ETA movement is silky smooth.

 

[kaliban]

This is why I'm now into hand-wind watches, the 6497's will last and last, and are cheap to replace.

I used to like the SA, but after killing the movement in one, and another that felt a bit noisy and rough, I moved to the pam112 and haven't looked back.

 

[txrob779]

I have a rep that I bought in 1989 and has an early 80's ETA 2846 17jewel movement in it...just had it serviced last month and it works better than new. I have changed the style of the rolex DJ but the engine is still working. I claim ditto on complex reps...i.e. Datyona's and most chrono's...some of the mods to get those close to gens can be problematic. I have found that the clone ETA....not so much the 21j's are really really good and with a one time service they will beat and beat and beat for a good ling time....the ETA's are going to get harder to but Sellita makes a SW200 that will take it's place in time I believe....buy em...wear em....then mod em. That's my 2 cents.

Rob

 

[avenger007]

I have a rep that I bought in 1898 and has an early 80's ETA 2846 17jewel movement in it...

Wow.....1898......now that's longevity!

 

[txrob779]

Wow.....1898......now that's longevity!

I speak typo knothead LOL thanks for pointing that out mate.

 

[Q5?]

:lol:

 

[Daniel]

2 or 3 years max for me. And I treat them well. Service them every year.

I am not how/where you get your reps serviced. You can't really take them to a regular watch smith. If you send them off to the ppl from here it will cost a very substantial proportion of the price of the watch. Not sure what the answer is...