Did D4M accidentally send me a Swiss ETA in the group buy?

[KBH]

Got your attention?

I just received the Omega Seamaster UPO and I have to say it's an excellent watch. No flaws that I can find. Heavy as hell. I might have to try it on a strap. I'll leave the nit-picking to others since I'm not an Omega expert but it looks perfect to me.
I'll put up a couple of quick and dirty shots and then get to the heart of this post.

Next I opened it up and was pleasantly surprised. Looks just like a nice Swiss ETA 2824-2. All the correct markings. Nicely finished. Sure would have fooled me.:

I figure I better take a closer look with a real ETA. First difference is the shock system. I believe ETA uses both so that's not a real giveaway. Let's keep looking

Here we see the giveaway. Notice that intermediate wheel on the ETA has holes in it? The clone wheel is solid. From previous posts relating to clone vs. ETA that I've read, this confirms it is just a clone.

So the moral of the story is all you guys that have paid for the Swiss ETA model from other dealers better open them up and take a look. You may be very unpleasantly surprised.

 

[watchbuff]

Great post.
Cant trust the other dealers when ETA could mean clone!

 

[LegendofSpeed]

Getting a true swiss watch is very, very difficult these days..... and if you are buying something 2824, then I would say it's almost nil, but then what do I know?

 

[swissaddict]

Aren't genuine 2824's a silver color rather than brass or gold?

 

[LegendofSpeed]

no.... nickel is used for movements made in Switzerland..... brass is used for movements made with swiss parts in Asia....

Check this link for a 2824 that is [s:1gkg329b]brass[/s:1gkg329b]... opps... it's gold plated...

http://www.ofrei.com/page_183.html

 

[LegendofSpeed]

thinking about it.... i don't think i have ever seen a brass 2824... i'll keep looking...

 

[swissaddict]

so a SWISS Swiss ETA 2824 would be silver color (nickel).. but not a genuine ETA assembled in Asia.. is that right?

I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THE WATCH I GOT FROM JOSH IS REALLY SWISS SOMEBODY HELP ME!!

hehe... sorry... seriously, I'm curious if there are any gen swiss movements being put in reps these days, even from dealers like eurotimez who 'verify' and 'guarantee' it.. :?

 

[LegendofSpeed]

I just checked ETA's catalogue and the 2824 does come in a brass...

Anything brass was not assembled in Switzerland... only the nickel ones are...

 

[KBH]

so a SWISS Swiss ETA 2824 would be silver color (nickel).. but not a genuine ETA assembled in Asia.. is that right?

I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THE WATCH I GOT FROM JOSH IS REALLY SWISS SOMEBODY HELP ME!!

hehe... sorry... seriously, I'm curious if there are any gen swiss movements being put in reps these days, even from dealers like eurotimez who 'verify' and 'guarantee' it.. :?

The ETA it's being comparing to just came from D4M a couple of days ago, so yes, there are still real ones in the wild.

 

[LegendofSpeed]

I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THE WATCH I GOT FROM JOSH IS REALLY SWISS SOMEBODY HELP ME!!

Well... if it's a brass movement, then it's not Swiss Swiss..... but still, it is a swiss movement.... just lower grade swiss..

as far as did he actually send you a swiss or swiss swiss movement? we need to see a pic.... but if it's a 2824 powered one that was bought in the last 3-4 months? i would prepare for a let-down...

 

[Time4Direct]

Absolute nightmare there are sliver nickel clones around as well and even in the last few weeks 2892-3 clones with all the markings before they were seagull plain no markings.
The Holes as well are being replicated now the factories are to blame here they are calling everything ETA Asian and ETA Swiss nothing about clones and as been pointed out ETA made them in both places.
A major distributer in Hong Kong has just been busted for selling Indian ETA as original as well the Indian ones are even more correct than the Chinese and rumor has it they are using the same basic components as were used by ETA sourced for their production in India.
My guy in Thailand is ex ETA worked there for 15 years in the design and development dept and he tells me that they are so good now he would need hour and hours to say 100% for sure .

 

[KBH]

Maybe we should see the glass as half full instead of half empty. If they are getting that good, does it really make any difference. I said in a thread 6 months ago that the Chinese were going to amaze us all in the next few years when all those thousands of new CNC machines start cranking out the best fakes we've ever seen.

I've pretty much given up on buying ETA watches. I just wanted one for a "special" watch.

 

[LegendofSpeed]

I agree with what you're saying.... except that the pricing still reflects "Swiss"....

 

[Time4Direct]

You are right LOS the price is not a good indicator as to the actual origin of the movement and another thing also is that the factories will at 1st use Swiss and then when supply becomes difficult use whatever without saying anything to the dealers.
This is a major problem that is only going to get more and more common.
There is no real easy answer to it unless every watch is going to be dismantled and hours spent on checking which as you can imagine in the real world is not going to happen in the main

 

[KBH]

I agree with what you're saying.... except that the pricing still reflects "Swiss"....

What I'm saying is just to stop buying "Swiss", especially when you can get the exact same watches with much better clone prices.

Right Robert? :wink:

 

[LegendofSpeed]

Just buy ETA clone and pretend the dealer sent you the wrong watch.... you'll feel lucky and naughty all at the same time....

 

[Time4Direct]

Basically thats true I think it really is pot luck as I see it right now .
There are of course as has been said some Gen ETA out there but day by day they are becoming less plentiful and the new models are coming out thick and fast so logically it would seem the movements are needed more and are less available.
So you don't really need any insider information to imagine what will happen given that the factories need to produce watches to meet demand.
They are not about to refund money to dealers and distributors over a simple thing like they can't get correct movement when they are able to get something that looks the same!
This of course is only my view of the situation some will argue that they can supply Gen ETA and you can easily tell the difference I am really not that sure to make such a statement

 

[cybee]

I have been playing around with an 6497 copy and a genuine 6497 and so far all of the parts on the clone fit the genuine and vice versa...I found that I have been naive for a very long time in thinking that the reps actually had "swiss" movements in them. Now I am more persuaded that they are either totally clone movements or asian ebauches with a few Eta parts added on and sold as "swiss."

 

[LegendofSpeed]

On the 6497's, I do believe that the "Swiss" ones are Swiss... that movement is available at a very cheap price as a swiss and is very plentiful... you would be correct in saying it has a lot of chinese bolt-ons though...

The parts interchange between the two due to simplicity of the movement...

 

[R2D4]

Maybe we should see the glass as half full instead of half empty. If they are getting that good, does it really make any difference.
I've pretty much given up on buying ETA watches. I just wanted one for a "special" watch.

I agree with all of you. I have no problems with these Eta clones and in fact if they are clones I hope they start a price war really soon. I mean we should be able to get a SuperOcean Steel Fish with a Sapphire crystal for under 150.00. Oh wait that has already happened. Keep them coming! That new SuperOcean 42MM should be offered with the Eta Clone for under 150.00 too IMO. Also those A7750's should start to come way down too.