Carrera Racing reloaded

[Importr]

Hi All
I 'd initially bought this rep from the RWI/King group buy quite a long time ago; when the Carrera Racing rep was first released. It served me very well
but then the movt packed up on me around the autumn of 2007. Since then it had been living (or in cryogenic storage?!) in the dead watches drawer...until yesterday

I finally managed to source the bits required for a complete overhaul of this prized rep:

brand new Swiss ETA 7750 28.8k movt
rep Carrera 7750 hands set
genuine TAG Heuer rubber straps
new case gasket
new spring bars

First task, to switch the rep (28.8k) movt out. Notice how the rep movt (top) lacks the day change wheel?

then clean the dial and replace the hands. The rep hands went on without too much fuss, but the minute and large seconds hands needed broaching to
fit onto the Swiss movt.

new movt fitted, functions checked. All gaskets greased, caseback reassembled.

and here we have it, lookin good!

next up, the straps. The rep straps although good enough, feel "greasy" compared to the gen straps; which also have a very slight textured finish.
The profile where the strap meets the case is perfect - not so with the rep. Finally, the holes are clean all the way thru on the gen

and thats it! Job done and now I have an almost perfect rep! ...with hopefully a lot, lot more mileage than the rep movement!

 

[jayFlyer]

Looks great! Wear it well.

 

[chillininla]

Very nice work. Now that's a "super rep" if i ever seen one.

 

[Importr]

Hey thanks for the comments!

I've been wearing it everyday since saturday and its been keeping the same time as my Nokia N95....so I think thats ok.

Will have to keep a lookout for a TAG rotor.....just to complete the job.

 

[toolman]

Wow, great job! Beautiful watch...

 

[nielsen]

Thanks for the photo-walk-through. I've yet to try my hand at something as complex as this, but you are very inspiring. Next question: I hear that the genuine 7750 is an absolute jewel of a movement. Where does one get such a genuine article, and for how much? Is one safe to buy a genuine 7750 and to expect to receive the real thing? Finally, is the genuine really that much better than the Chinese clone? You've certainly given me ideas.......

 

[Importr]

Thanks for the photo-walk-through. I've yet to try my hand at something as complex as this, but you are very inspiring. Next question: I hear that the genuine 7750 is an absolute jewel of a movement. Where does one get such a genuine article, and for how much? Is one safe to buy a genuine 7750 and to expect to receive the real thing? Finally, is the genuine really that much better than the Chinese clone? You've certainly given me ideas.......

Yes I beleive it is a jewel of a movement, 25 in fact! :lol:

I got this one from eBay, but you could get one from Cousins UK, not cheap at around 280 GBP - you must be sure that the donor watch case is worth it!
ie. simple enough not to fall apart and accurate enough to look genuine

Its always a matter of Buyer Beware, so you would have to use your judgement on who you get the movement from.

IMO, i think the ETA is that much better than the clone. I've not had a single problem with my transplanted movements, and I know my watchsmith will
be able (& willing) to repair them. Some people will disagree (as usual) and say that the clones are getting better by the day, but my point is - the clones have some way to go before they equal or better the ETA's quality. A look thru a 10x loupe will show the quality difference between a clone and an ETA.

 

[nielsen]

Thanks for the advice. What I've digested from all the reading here is that the Chinese 7750 really is a good movement, but essentially unfixable except by a very few brave souls. The genuine ETA 7750 is not only less likely to need repairs in the ifrst place, it is fixable by any good watch repairer worth his salt. Would you agree? So far I've kept away from rep. chronos out of sheer paranoia (probably misplaced). I must admit to being very drawn to the Hublot ceramic--the one that is all black. Would the genuine 7750 fit in it if the Chinese version it comes with died?

 

[Importr]

Thanks for the advice. What I've digested from all the reading here is that the Chinese 7750 really is a good movement, but essentially unfixable except by a very few brave souls. The genuine ETA 7750 is not only less likely to need repairs in the ifrst place, it is fixable by any good watch repairer worth his salt. Would you agree? So far I've kept away from rep. chronos out of sheer paranoia (probably misplaced). I must admit to being very drawn to the Hublot ceramic--the one that is all black. Would the genuine 7750 fit in it if the Chinese version it comes with died?

Hi
Yes, you hit it on the head! Don't get me wrong though, I have got a lot of a7750s which are fine, and keep time as well as any other watch. About 6 or 7 of them have been problematic so far - in 3 or 4 years of rep collecting.
When my asian 7750s pack up, i find it easier just get get another one to replace it. By the time someone has attempted to repair it, its already cost about the same!Maybe one day I'll have so many spare a7750 parts that my WS will be able to swap the good bits for the bad.

The HBB rep uses an adapted a7750 - where the subdial wheels have been rearranged to form the 3,6,9 layout. Its date wheel remains the same size as the 7750. The real HBB uses an ETA 7753 (i believe) which has a date wheel slightly smaller; about 1mm. So, where the ETA 7753 will fit the rep dial, you would be left with a very slightly misaligned date window.
The other thing essential to the Hublot look, would be the correct rotor.

If these 2 things don't bother you, then great!

The biggest hurdle is finding a 7753 movement! I've been looking for one for years (which doesn't cost more than $500), to fit to a Navitimer with gen dial....

 

[nielsen]

Hmmmmmmm..... sounds like the Chinese 7750 is the ticket for the Hublot. I'm hoping someone will do a good review of the black ceramic dial rep. before I decide to take the plunge. The best version, of course....

 

[Tazzie]

That looks great.