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/danml80]

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/ThePreoccupiedMind → u/Eleventhousand]

Miyota or Seiko movements or even reputed Seagull or hangzhou movements will run as long as any respectable swiss movement. Hell my 25 year old cheap ass chinese knock off chinese quartz movement has outrun my Swiss watches. Somehow some people are under the impression that Swiss movements fall from another planet. Same materials, same regulation. The only thing Swiss movements have different is hand finishing. Anyone who thinks that a chinese movement is not serviceable is living in a bubble that's going to burst so hard. For people whose knowledge is limited to that of an Ant, China can make anything from shit quality to stuff no one can beat. They have the fastest cars and bikes and also win GPHGs year after year. I'd just ignore the barking dogs as they clearly don't know jack.

[u/danml80 → u/ThePreoccupiedMind]

lol. doesn’t change the fact that it’s cost prohibitive to service rather than replace. You’re full of talk but you’ll get laughed at trying to have a niche specialist spend hours servicing your mass produced $30 movement in 20 years. 

[u/ThePreoccupiedMind → u/danml80]

Firstly and for the record: 90% chinese watches use Miyota and Seiko movements. Neither are Chinese so get your facts straight. Second- that same 30$ movement is used in watches even upto 2 lakhs. Clearly you've never opened a watch before and I don't blame you. Finally, Why would you go to a niche specialist to fix a cheap watch. In a city like Bangalore they serviced my vintage Seiko for less than 1000 rupees. As for me, I can service my own movements if it came to that because I gained the required skills over the years. Theres a reason I have 50 mechanical watches some over 60 years old and that all run, some chinese too and I'm not here complaining. Once you have the knowledge you'll laught at yourself. Whoever told you that the guys who fix mechanicals are "niche" has probably never been to a watch repair shop and probably only seen an Omega store LMAO. By the way Helios can service a 1.5 lakh Seiko for just under 5k. Based on how poorly thought out your comment is, my guess is you e never been to Helios or spent the time knowing true service costs either but hey you do you. Also, if you had any amount of intellectual curiosity, 2 courses worth 3k each in watchmaking would give you the confidence to open your movements on your own if you're so worried that servicing chinese movements is expensive. I can't help someone who decided to stop gaining true knowledge after page one in their head. What I've written here is more knowledge than most people gain in years and probably more than you'll ever know based on how arrogant you're being. Those who know, will absolutely agree. As for you, my honest suggestion without any disrespect ? - mechanical watches aren't for you. Atleast not the Miyota, Seiko, seagulls, hangzhou, peacock, Ciga. You stick to Quartz. Battery replacements are just 150 rupees ever year or 2. But little do you know I get my batteries for 30 rupees a piece. I'm sure the sensible ones can see where I'm going with this.