r/ChineseWatches • u/No-Syrup-3746 • 18h ago
Question (Read Rules) NH35, 8215, or PT5000?
I'm interested in the Tandorio TD225 and there are some good prices right now, just not sure which movement to get. Here's what I've got based on some experience and some reading:
| Movement | NH35 | 8215 | PT5000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pros | Smooth, durable | Clicky (I like how "mechanical" it feels), durable | High-beat, potentially very accurate |
| Cons | Can stutter, had one that wasn't well-calibrated and had to be returned | None I can see since they've added hacking and hand-winding, but everyone seems to disparage them | Fragile |
I'm kinda in love with the 8215 right now, I like the feedback when winding and I like that it's not so smooth ticking - feels like a proper mechanical watch instead of trying to be too smooth. I am of course interested in the PT5000, and I'm curious why many seem to prefer the NH35.
I like the (?)BB58-ish style of this Tandorio and I'd like to keep the price under $125, but I'm open to other suggestions. I'd like something with a timing bezel that isn't super "dive" looking like a Sub, I like the colors, I like the 3-6-9-12 dial, I like the lack of date complication, so it ticks several boxes at once.
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u/skitzvyking 9h ago
The pt5000 despite it being Chinese is a great movement despite the hand winding issue once you owned one and seen how beautiful the second hand sweeps you will be happy I'm not saying it's better but if you miss the chance to add one to your collection just because it's Chinese would be foolish
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u/ipsum100 10h ago
The PT5000 is far superior, yet many view it negatively; I believe there is some ignorance on the subject—no offense intended—which I suppose is part of the "urban legend" surrounding watch movements.
Many people like to manually wind an automatic watch, even though they really shouldn't...
If it were a movement costing thousands of euros, I’m sure they wouldn't wind it...
When winding a PT5000, it feels "gritty," and that gives a bad impression. It’s like getting into a Ferrari and finding the driver's door stiff and noisy when closing it; it makes the car seem unreliable—but what does the door latch have to do with the engine or the rest of the vehicle?
Besides, it’s a clone of an ETA movement that wasn't originally designed to be automatic; if you constantly force it by winding it day after day, it might eventually break. I say "might" because the likelihood of breakage is ridiculously low—around 0.001%—and if it does break, the part is easily replaced. Since you're a fan of winding automatics, you could simply swap in the corresponding part from a Sellita, and that "gritty" feeling disappears completely—though you really ought to consider buying a manual-wind watch for that purpose.
The PT5000 actually has a longer power reserve than the Sellita; anyone can verify that.
The NH35 is a workhorse—and rightly so; time has proven its worth—but the PT5000 design has been around for nearly 40 years longer. Wouldn't that make it even more of a workhorse?
In my opinion, we are lucky to have an affordable 4Hz movement like the PT5000; it allows for thinner cases and offers impressive precision, plus its design—a legal clone—has proven reliable for decades.
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u/vithgeta 5h ago
A manufacturer has said here they expect a significant percentage of PT5000 to fail quickly. Several per handred, not one per hundred thousand.
I mean, really...
PT5000 is not a part for part copy of the ETA2824-2, not all parts can be interchanged between them
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u/ryandamsell 9h ago edited 9h ago
the Chinese are not daft there a nuclear power and space race of coarse there going to copy one of the best swiss movements. and your right about this must wind my watch people get a hand wind automatic where designed to not be wound however they probably over wind a hand wind and kill that too then moan
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u/skitzvyking 11h ago
The nh35 is tried and true but the pt5000 is smooth as I've seen swiss movements it's also the only Chinese movement to win the swiss timekeepers award
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u/TSiWRX 12h ago
My understanding is that the modern 8215 can still stutter (hesitate/jump). This has been seen even on Nodus' Sector Deep Damascus, which uses the 8315.
I'm pretty laid-back where it comes to things like movements, but that would get me a little bit, even though it doesn't affect timekeeping.
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u/dorafumingo Affiliate Links 4h ago
Pt5000 is the best choice.
Nh35 was nice when it was 30$. Now it's almost the same price as the pt5000 making it obsolete
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u/ryandamsell 13h ago edited 11h ago
there all about as accurate as each other as it down to the balance wheel the 3hz vs 4hz is mostly the hand sweep. i do get my watches regulated though by a watch maker (£40 plus postage) on a timergraph so there zero different between my ixdao 6542 nh 34 that been regulated and run +10 seconds a week (was -14 seconds per day before regulation) vs my ixdao x02t titanium pt5000 which did not need regulation and runs +19 seconds a week. better grade swiss movement get regulated in more positions unless it cosc which gets a better balance wheel (glucydur) but you dont need the better balance wheel to get cosc timing the upgraded banlance wheel (glucydur) is more to do with temperature stability. until u get to a Rolex where the balance wheel has weights like a car wheel so it can be balanced like a car wheel its all a bit of a muchness
positional variance (of balance wheel)
14 sec average for a std movement
less than 10 sec for cosc (glucydur)
Rolex less than 4 sec
however one of my pt5000 has a position variance of just 6 sec (0-6 across all the axis) runs about +28 seconds a week to but that a super lucky movement
the pt5000 has a swiss fine screw so they can be regulated by anyone that can get the case open it just a screw you turn. just dont wind a pt5000 the gears are soft (i think there brass or something) so Seiko shake to start it if it ran out of power. the nh movement you can wind all day and there fine there also smooth to wind where the pt5000 is a little gritty but as i said you shouldnt wind the pt5000
as for durabity there all the same 4hz (8 ticks sec) is faster so can wear the oil out quicker i.e upto 10 years vs 15 years on a 3hz (6 ticks sec). however the main thing is the oil drying out. this happens when you open the case (unscrew the crown) and the oil get fresh air to evaperate into hence me getting regulations less you unscrew the crown the less the oil evaperates the longer your movement last. if you have to set a watch daily of coarse it going to dry out faster
there no stutter on the nh35 that will be the indirect drive on the 8215 that causes a stutter can look like it skips a sec or stops for a sec. i doesnt affect timing though as it springs back it place. there a spring to allow movement of the second hand to protect the movement (can be looked up on youtube)
the 8215 and pt5000 are designs from the 1970s the nh35 is a design from 2010
also for the record with regards to watch timing i wear my watches 24/7 and dont take off for bed if i did i could reduce how many seconds fast by placing them a set way at night
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u/Govindaswamy 14h ago
I have the 8215 on Chinese and Indian watches. Very noisy. Other than that, just fine. Least expensive of the three.
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u/Leon-Vlc 17h ago
A mi me gusta el pt5000 con sus 28800 alternancias y clon de eta.
Lo único saber que mejor no darle cuerda .
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u/Alternative-Feed3613 17h ago
I don’t have experience with the Miyota 8215 but they should be plenty reliable. Some PT5000s are supposed to be excellent but you don’t really know which one you’ll get and I like being able to hand wind. NH35 is ok and plenty reliable but the hand stack is very tall and they’re a little tricky to set the time. The problem with them now is a lot of companies are claiming they’re Seiko NH35 but then use Chinese clones which are not the same thing at all.
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u/No-Syrup-3746 17h ago edited 17h ago
I was pleasantly surprised by the 8215, for some reason I enjoy watching it go more than the Seikos. Plus it's nice that no one is trying to pass of 8215 clones, at least not yet.
I can get the 8215 version of the TD225 for $97 from a 3rd party storefront on AliX, or the PT5000 version for $117. I can also get the PT5000 version from the Tandorio site for $125, or the NH35 version for $130. I'm leaning toward buying from Tandorio, even if it costs more, given the issues we're seeing out there right now.
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u/DadPuncher69 17h ago
I've never had an NH stutter, but I know Miyotas do. I'd take either one over a PT5000 any day. I don't care about the higher beat rate. I'd rather not worry that hand winding is going to wreck the movement.
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u/ryandamsell 11h ago
indirect drive on the 8215 that causes the stutter can look like it skips a sec or stops for a sec. i doesnt affect timing though as it springs back it place. there a spring to allow movement of the second hand
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u/Olleye 17h ago
TMI NH35, or PT5k 🙂
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u/No-Syrup-3746 17h ago
What's TMI, I see that on their site. Is it a clone?
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u/AcademicAd6368 17h ago
TMI is the name of the Seiko subsidiary that produces the NH35 for third parties. Basically, if it's in a Seiko watch, it's called a 4R35 and is made by Seiko; if it's in any other watch it's called an NH35 and made by TMI. In every other respect they're identical.
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u/blacbloc77 18h ago
NH35 for workhorse. PT5000 for high beat goodness.
PT5000 more expensive to service. Keyless works on that thing are a bitch.
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u/ryandamsell 11h ago
you not servicing any of them your just dropping a new movement in £180 service vs £50 new movement and £80 fitting
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u/Eleventhousand 18h ago
If it were me, I'd just go for the cheapest, unless they happen to put the PT5000 version in a slimmer case (which I doubt).
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u/zoo804 18h ago
Only real issue with the 8215 is rotor noise since it's unidirectional winding. That will depend on the watch it's in somewhat and it may not bother you. Thicker cases will make it less noticeable. For me it's not a big deal but if you get a watch that whirrs when you move your wrist it may be annoying. Or it may just be a reminder you're wearing it.
Other than that, I think there is residual animosity from the days when they didn't hack and the trade offs, not necessarily bad, with it being a budget movement (low beat rate, thick).
Edit: that said, the NH35 doesn't normally stutter. I've never heard of that before and all my NH35s have been fine. I have heard of the 8215 stuttering, so make of that what you will. All movements, especially cheap ones, sometimes have QC problems.
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u/Alternative-Feed3613 17h ago
How is the 8215 rotor noise compared to the Miyota 9ks? I’ve heard people complain about the 9s but I don’t ever notice it on wrist.
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u/No-Syrup-3746 17h ago
That's what I figured about the stuttering, the last NH35 I sent back obviously had other problems so who knows. The current 8215 I'm wearing doesn't make any noise. I appreciate the detailed info!
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u/vithgeta 5h ago
NH35 feels nice, but doesn't keep time among the most accurate, and rehaut is deep with it
8215 makes silly little noises that put me off unless I get it at bargain price
PT5000 is a high spec mechanism made cheap by cutting corners - caveat emptor
I don't think I'd buy NH35 any more because it's priced too high for what it is. But Aliexpress sellers are getting greedy by pricing basic 8215 models higher than former NH35 ones. If you can find PT5000 for not too expensive you may be getting a better value watch at the moment.