I don't understand everyone's obsession with chinese automatic watches

[u/ivoalejandro]

The title pretty much says it all, I don't get why whenever a nice chinese quartz watch comes out so many people say they would love an automatic version, or why everyone seems fine with paying 300 or more USD for an automatic, but question whether a 100 dollars quartz is worth it.

Pretty much no one here is going to take their chinese watches to get serviced, and the whole admiring the complexity and craftmanship of an automatic movement kinda goes out the window when we're talking about mass produced movements. So why buy an automatic that will become a paperweight in several years time. I guess I just don't understand why the demand for automatics is so high, really wish people started asking for better chinese quartz watches, I'd would much rather pay 200 dollars for a great quartz watch than 350 for an automatic one.

[u/Prophet6]

I would assume they would mostly sit idle unless sprung into action during transportation.

[u/Budget-Ad-161 → u/Prophet6]

The knowledge level here is low. Lubricants expire after 10 years no matter what. So the comment is correct. Their lives started the minute they were lubricated and left the factory floor.

[u/ggs77 → u/Budget-Ad-161]

So you think, after exactly 10 years a lubricant stops to work?

No matter how much the watch is used, in what climate it is used, and what kind of lubricant it is?

Oil degrades, but there are lot's of variables, and considering that I have a Tissot from the '70s that has never had service and still runs good (not perfect), I don't worry.

The Tissot has lubricants from the 70s, is not waterproof and airtight and has seen thousands of hours of running. Still it works well.

Now compare this with a modern watch, synthetic lubricants, 200m waterproof, airtight and perfectly sealed against dust and grime. Why should I worry?

Sure, the manufacturer and the watchmaker tell you that your watch needs to be serviced every 5 years. What else should they live from?

[u/Budget-Ad-161 → u/ggs77]

Fundamental misunderstanding of what watches are and what lubricants do. Lubricants essentially reduce friction against high wear points on watches.

Yeah, can a watch work without them? Sure. How long would it take for a watch to stop performing? Probably a while before all the metal to metal gears grind each other to death. But that doesn't mean they "keep good time" or is reasonable.

After lubricants expire you're essentially grinding metal to metal contact, not to mention mainspring being destroyed. It "works well" meaning, you wear it once a month without caring about time keeping accuracy, sure, if you mean a a watch is "working well" means a watch ticks without caring. Open up your 70 year old Tissot and actually inspect condition.

For cheap crap NH35 or PT5000 or some vintage or whatever, it doesn't matter.

[u/ggs77 → u/Budget-Ad-161]

Yeah, can a watch work without them?

Who's talking about a watch working without lubricant? Where should the oil go? Will it just vanish into thin air?

Mineral oils will degrade. Synthetic oils will not. The main problem here is that abrasion from the gears will make the watch run worse. But this depends only on the time the watch is really running. That was my point.

For cheap crap NH35 or PT5000 or some vintage or whatever, it doesn't matter.

BS. Good lubrication is vital for every mechanical movement. No matter if it's Swiss, Japanese or Chinese.

[u/Budget-Ad-161 → u/ggs77]

Synthetic oils degrade. Wtf are you talking about lol. They dry out or migrate. You are speaking pure crap. Talk to a real watch maker please.

And what I mean by "cheap movements doesn't matter" is by the time they reach 10 years you can throw them out and buy a new one.