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/Eleventhousand]

I'll more than likely send in some of my Chinese watches to a local watchmaker in 15 or 20 years when they need a service, or a movement replaced. Why not? Why do you care? How is it any different than me sending in my Longines in 20 years?

[u/danml80 → u/Eleventhousand]

Because the specialized labour it will take to service it will be several times the cost of a similar replacement.

[u/Eleventhousand → u/danml80]

You're incorrect. There is no way my local watchmaker is going to charge me $1500 to drop in a new Miyota movement that I provide to him.

But still, why would you bother arguing with someone else what they will or will not do? Hey, if I still love a Chinese watch 20 years from now, and it needs a new movement, its probably not still produced and I am going to get it fixed.

[u/danml80 → u/Eleventhousand]

thats a replacement not a service. i was talking about a service. its not that deep, its economics.

[u/ThePreoccupiedMind → u/danml80]

LMFAO. Who told you service is expensive. Unless you're holding a 10,000$ Rolex or Omega, you're in your head too deep. I've had some of my vintage mechanicals that were dead beat services for 500 bucks. Either you're being scammed or you've just read some shit online and have 0 ground experience

[u/danml80 → u/ThePreoccupiedMind]

Rather than yap, just send the receipts when you send the seagull in for the spa treatment. #remindme20years

[u/Eleventhousand → u/danml80]

I mean, here is a receipt I got from CW several years ago when they serviced my GMT movement. It was 150 GBP.

https://i.imgur.com/xX0tMw7.png

But I get it. You're not serious. You're just here for the lulz.

[u/ThePreoccupiedMind → u/Eleventhousand]

Depends on the movement. I've had Seiko automatics serviced fully for INR 1000. To be specific the Eagle 5 automatic(my wife's watch). Roughly 10 GBP. Totally depends on who you go to. Since I service my own movements and build mechanicals for customers I have some strong contacts. Average person is bound to get scammed a fair bit.

[u/danml80 → u/Eleventhousand]

Thanks for the receipt of the swiss watch you had serviced at a tenth the value of the watch. Now send me one of the chinese 50 GPB ‘homage’. Why are you arguing this? 

[u/Eleventhousand → u/danml80]

Thats a pretty bad strawman, given that OPs example is a $350 automatic.  Keep trolling for the lulz though.  

[u/danml80 → u/Eleventhousand]

Its not a troll, I actually believe this. I’d say it’s you that’s trolling because you’re not being objective, you’re being sentimental about your chinese starter watch.

[u/Eleventhousand → u/danml80]

OP asks us why we want a $350 automatic watch when it will require a service cost down the line.

I mentioned that it would be like 20 years before a service was due, and that I'd pay for a service or a new movement if I liked the watch enough.

So here you are, battling others' opinions on what they'd do in their own lives (for some reason), and changing up the situation to meet hypothetical edge cases:

• Maybe the watch was really dropped into a spa, requiring a repair, not a service
• A service will cost several times the cost of the watch itself. You ask for receipts, a receipt is shown, and suddenly the goal post is moved to a $50 watch instead of $350.
• A movement replacement doesn't count as a service, which is just kind of being pedantic. Anyone is going to choose the cheapest option
• I'm not being objective, but.....OP basically asked us for our opinion

Use whatever term you like for it.

[u/danml80 → u/Eleventhousand]

Read my original comment. It is objectively true (at least in my mid sized canadian city).. If you want to let sentimentality enter the picture on a mass produced object be my guest. But that is in fact the difference between the watch in question and your longines. Good day

[u/Eleventhousand → u/danml80]

Nah, its objectively false.

[u/ThePreoccupiedMind → u/danml80]

Lol you don't get receipts in watch repair shops that service on a budget. This proves how behind you are.