Does davidson use real ETA movements?

[russianhockeynut]

Does davidson use real ETA movements? And fakemaster wrote in one of the posts that a rep's life expectancy is 5 years, do these davidson reps with the ETA mov'ts have a longer life exp.? I wear many different watches (including gens) and had a very cheap sub which I got at a fee market (first rep) I had it for five years and wore it on and off and it still works great (left it at a brothers house in CA on my last trip), maybe the time was a minute off after a day of wearing it but it was as clean and worked well (never stopped) as the first day I got it!

I would like to get one of these ultimate 111 or 112 ETA from davidson, but just want to be sure it is a true ETA and if it is worth it?

Thanks, in advance for the help! Like always!!

russianhockeynut

 

[ThreadLocker]

Fakemaster is a really nice guy, but there is no life expectency for a rep. It could be DOA or last for 50 years. Saying that the average is 5 yrs is a joke. Where did this come from? A double blind placebo controlled study? Sorry Fakey, but that was really funny. Anyway, if Davidsen says it is Swiss, then it is. He is a great dealer. He sells both, but you will get what he promises.

 

[Mike29983]

im not sure what you mean, but i think real ETA movements are only used in "real" watches.
the ETA movements in davidsens PAMs are clones of an ETA movement i think.
there are only different qualities of`em,
but i never had a problem with my asian clone
movements and my "swiss" called movements neither.
both run great
im sure some of the experts will tell you the exact difference

 

[ThreadLocker]

im not sure what you mean, but i think real ETA movements are only used in "real" watches.
the ETA movements in davidsens PAMs are clones of an ETA movement i think.
there are only different qualities of`em,
but i never had a problem with my asian clone
movements and my "swiss" called movements neither.
both run great
im sure some of the experts will tell you the exact difference

Not correct. The Swiss 6497 movements in DSNs watches are genuine swiss. They are just modified to look like PAM movements with the engravings and bridges. The movement itself is Swiss. The Asian clone and New Asian clone are Chinese reps of the 6497 nd have a higher beat-rate than the gen Swiss 6497. They are cheaper and alot of people like them because of the higher beat-rate. Also, the PAM movement and the clones have flared legs on the balance wheel. The Swiss 6497s have straight legs.

 

[Mike29983]

yes i had a movement like this in my 183 i sold.
this was it

but are they real swiss?
i mean are those the movements used in gen PAMs?
i really dont know for sure, i thought they were all made in asia

 

[fakemaster]

Well I'm sorry but taking it out of context like that is not funny. I have never said that as a standalone statement. What I have said is this. The average rep if never serviced, meaning treated like many around here do will be about five years. It could be less it could be longer. I have mentioned many times a 21J that I have is 12 years old and still running strong. But I have serviced it. I have also said repeatedly that even if your rep lasts that long more than likely the outside is going to be tore up much like my 12 year old one which I would be embarassed to take out in public. Finally I have also stated that by the time your movement dies you either will have become bored and/or moved on to half a dozen other models that have caught your fancy. So don't get all uptight about it. These aren't some 10k watch that you're taking out a loan for. They're reps, they're cheap. When they die you throw them away and get another.

I hope that is cleared up now.

 

[ThreadLocker]

yes i had a movement like this in my 183 i sold.
this was it

but are they real swiss?
i mean are those the movements used in gen PAMs?
i really dont know for sure, i thought they were all made in asia

The picture quality is pretty bad, but based on what I can see, it is a Swiss. It does not have the Dagger Swan-neck, or the bridges; however, it does have the straight legs and solid ring around the shock system.

 

[ThreadLocker]

Well I'm sorry but taking it out of context like that is not funny. I have never said that as a standalone statement. What I have said is this. The average rep if never serviced, meaning treated like many around here do will be about five years. It could be less it could be longer. I have mentioned many times a 21J that I have is 12 years old and still running strong. But I have serviced it. I have also said repeatedly that even if your rep lasts that long more than likely the outside is going to be tore up much like my 12 year old one which I would be embarassed to take out in public. Finally I have also stated that by the time your movement dies you either will have become bored and/or moved on to half a dozen other models that have caught your fancy. So don't get all uptight about it. These aren't some 10k watch that you're taking out a loan for. They're reps, they're cheap. When they die you throw them away and get another.

I hope that is cleared up now.

What is funny is the raw guess that you are making. Outside of pure speculation, what ddo you base this on? saying that the average rep will last 5 years, without any evidence what-so-ever is very funny! What if I were to make a statement that the average life of a rep is 3 years? How would you prove that 5 is right and 3 is wrong? You can't! Therefore, you cannot make that statement.

Until you do a study with several hundred reps from all makers, and get an average, it is just a pure guess. That is all I am saying!

 

[hooligan]

...but are they real swiss?
i mean are those the movements used in gen PAMs?
i really dont know for sure, i thought they were all made in asia

Yes, real Swiss 6497. No, not the movements used in gen PAMs. I'll save you the really in-depth explanation, but gen PAMs use 6497-2 movements modified by a company called SOPROD. What you have pictured there is a bone-stock 6497-1 with foil plates glued on top of the bridges to make it look more like a Panerai movement.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[russianhockeynut]

FAKEMASTER I REALLY RESPECT YOUR OPINION AND LIKE MANY OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE POSTED! I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST ROUTE TO TAKE WHEN PURCHACING MY REP'S SO THEY WOULD LAST LONGER! I AM PRETTY NEW TO THIS AND DID NOT MEAN ANYTHING BY IT! BUT NOW I SEE WHAT YOU MENT!

 

[LOUDERPLEASE]

I bought my father in law a dodgy gold rolex (auto movement) from a beach seller in Bali back in '94. He actually still wears it. The "gold" is long gone, but it still keeps time like a trooper.

My 117 I picked up in Thailand stopped working on the trip home. . . I guess you never know.

 

[ThreadLocker]

I bought my father in law a dodgy gold rolex (auto movement) from a beach seller in Bali back in '94. He actually still wears it. The "gold" is long gone, but it still keeps time like a trooper.

My 117 I picked up in Thailand stopped working on the trip home. . . I guess you never know.

Only the "fakemaster" knows. He is kinda like the Watchmen for Watches!

 

[Sperry]

Yes, real Swiss 6497. No, not the movements used in gen PAMs. I'll save you the really in-depth explanation, but gen PAMs use 6497-2 movements modified by a company called SOPROD. What you have pictured there is a bone-stock 6497-1 with foil plates glued on top of the bridges to make it look more like a Panerai movement.

Hope that helps a bit.

You sure helped me, I never know those were foil plates glued onto the bridges. Thanks.

 

[fakemaster]

You must be having oneof those days. Look I simply clarified what was quoted was not accurate. As far as the rest of it goes I have been around reps for 20 years. i build them, I work on them, I have handled more than I could ever count. I have spent about 18 hours a day reading almost every post on multiple forums for the last 2+ years. So agree with me or not I would like to think in that time I might have gathered enough information to have some sort of opinion. Do I expect people to agree with me? Of course not. I wish they did because there'd be a lot fewer GMTIIc, AP ROO, Jandrew and 7750 threads cluttering up the place.

But this has nothing to do with the question th OP asked so before the thread is derailed and it gets 'locked' we'll just say you are right and I know nothing ok?

Back on topic...

@russianhockeynut

I know you didn't mean anything. I remember speaking with you before. As I said earlier. There's no way to know exactly what the lifespan will be. But the key is always going to fall back on proper maintenance. A poorly serviced movement can be just as bad as a bone dry one. But honestly like mentioned. This is only the beginning of your addiction. You may think that what you want is the holy grail watch. But it won't end there. Next, week, next month, you'll see something new and buy it. And by the time this one dies it probably won't even be getting wrist time anymore. Or you will have sold it. Trust me. I spent months building my Holy grail Tag and by the time I was done with it I didn't want it anymore. It's a hobby have fun with it.

 

[ThreadLocker]

I know you didn't mean anything. I remember speaking with you before. As I said earlier. There's no way to know exactly what the lifespan will be. But the key is always going to fall back on proper maintenance. A poorly serviced movement can be just as bad as a bone dry one. But honestly like mentioned. This is only the beginning of your addiction. You may think that what you want is the holy grail watch. But it won't end there. Next, week, next month, you'll see something new and buy it. And by the time this one dies it probably won't even be getting wrist time anymore. Or you will have sold it. Trust me. I spent months building my Holy grail Tag and by the time I was done with it I didn't want it anymore. It's a hobby have fun with it.

+1 The watches that got me into this are long gone. Started out dying for a Daytona. Now, it is a dust collector. Still works, but not my style anymore. 40MM seems small these days. However, the DSSD just may get me back into Rolex, but for now its HBB, AP ROO, and PAM.

 

[sean]

Please don't try to wind up fakemaster. The man is a living legend. His information, tutorials and opinions are pure gold and his and other watchgurus' contributions help make this the best forum there is.

The 5 years discussion is stupid anyway.

 

[ckswartwood]

Lets look at the meat and potatoes here of what Fakey is saying
-Service your movements!
That is the best way to insure proper functionality of your timepiece.
Any Gen if ill-cared for wouldn't last as long as one that was (DUH)
Now, most of the time having replica watches (out of the box) with inferior parts to a Gen is open to much more room for failure....buts that the reason they are a 1/16th of the price!

I have a 111H that had seen the service shop 3 times in one year!
-Complete movement lockup
-Busted crystal
-Second hand fell off
Now I have the movement cleaned once every six months....and its 3 years old now. I agree with what Fakey is saying....read through the lines-what he said seems pretty clear to me.

---
ck

 

[fakemaster]

Any Gen if ill-cared for wouldn't last as long as one that was (DUH)

Good point and it reminds me of something I related on the forum a long time ago. I used to own a gen Daytona. I blew up the movement on it. Yes you heard it right...a gen. Why? Because I left the CHRONOS RUNNING on an unserviced movement. Even a gen will not take that kind of abuse.

 

[ThreadLocker]

Please don't try to wind up fakemaster. The man is a living legend. His information, tutorials and opinions are pure gold and his and other watchgurus' contributions help make this the best forum there is.

The 5 years discussion is stupid anyway.

Hello 7 post man. Please do not try to give me advise. I have known the Fakemaster since he was in rep forum diapers.

 

[fakemaster]

and I must say I was a cute kid.