Discussion
I’m looking at buying a tag heuer aquaracer with the calibre 5 movement. I will only wear the watch at weekends etc so wondering if it’s a good idea to be getting an automatic or will it just cause issue with the movement stop starting etc.
Also is this a reliable watch as I’ve only ever had quartz and never had issues. Thanks.
Also is this a reliable watch as I’ve only ever had quartz and never had issues. Thanks.
An automatic would be fine for weekend only use, I and others have automatic watches which are left to stand far longer than that without issues, I can't comment specifically on Tag Auto's as I haven't owned one, I did have an Aquaracer Quartz and it was reliable in my ownership.
Some people with Automatics will use watch winders, others (myself included) will just let them sit, there are pros and cons for both, but as a rule an automatic watch will not suffer from being left alone for a week at a time.
Some people with Automatics will use watch winders, others (myself included) will just let them sit, there are pros and cons for both, but as a rule an automatic watch will not suffer from being left alone for a week at a time.
I have a few automatics including a Seiko chronograph from early 70s, none of them are on winders and they probably get one day per month wrist time. They all start without a problem. The date window is a pain though, so I tend not to change it if I'm just wearing it into the office.
Entry level simple movement, modified existing movement: https://calibercorner.com/tag-heuer-caliber-5/
Same movement effectively can be found in much cheaper automatics. Pretty much every modern movement is reliable, given its simple nature makes it one of the most reliable movements. Weekend use will not be a problem. The date on the C5 can be fast wound (quick to adjust).
I use mine as a daily in a F1, looses about 10/15 seconds a day which is normal.
Similar watches for much less money but they don't have that "Tag" look. Second hand prices are not strong - mass produced.
Same movement effectively can be found in much cheaper automatics. Pretty much every modern movement is reliable, given its simple nature makes it one of the most reliable movements. Weekend use will not be a problem. The date on the C5 can be fast wound (quick to adjust).
I use mine as a daily in a F1, looses about 10/15 seconds a day which is normal.
Similar watches for much less money but they don't have that "Tag" look. Second hand prices are not strong - mass produced.
I’ve had a Carerra with that movement for ten years. It’s done long stints back in the box or just on a desk, mixed with occasional wear and bouts of daily wear. Never had an issue with it and never noticed it losing time.
I’d imagine most watches from a decent manufacturer will be reliable and stand up to being used occasionally for many years. The thing I prefer with an automatic or mechanical watch is there’s no reason to ever wonder if the battery might be leaking and causing damage as there is with a quartz.
I’d imagine most watches from a decent manufacturer will be reliable and stand up to being used occasionally for many years. The thing I prefer with an automatic or mechanical watch is there’s no reason to ever wonder if the battery might be leaking and causing damage as there is with a quartz.
DamanC said:
Entry level simple movement, modified existing movement: https://calibercorner.com/tag-heuer-caliber-5/
Same movement effectively can be found in much cheaper automatics. Pretty much every modern movement is reliable, given its simple nature makes it one of the most reliable movements. Weekend use will not be a problem. The date on the C5 can be fast wound (quick to adjust).
I use mine as a daily in a F1, looses about 10/15 seconds a day which is normal.
Similar watches for much less money but they don't have that "Tag" look. Second hand prices are not strong - mass produced.
Losing 10/15 seconds a day is not normal !! Same movement effectively can be found in much cheaper automatics. Pretty much every modern movement is reliable, given its simple nature makes it one of the most reliable movements. Weekend use will not be a problem. The date on the C5 can be fast wound (quick to adjust).
I use mine as a daily in a F1, looses about 10/15 seconds a day which is normal.
Similar watches for much less money but they don't have that "Tag" look. Second hand prices are not strong - mass produced.
I would not be happy with 10/15 seconds a week never mind a day.
The tolerance on the timekeeping when it leaves the workshop should be +\- 0 seconds a day, with a possible loss or gain of a second in certain positions.
You need your watch serviced.
Just saying
RiggaTheMighty said:
Losing 10/15 seconds a day is not normal !!
I would not be happy with 10/15 seconds a week never mind a day.
The tolerance on the timekeeping when it leaves the workshop should be +\- 0 seconds a day, with a possible loss or gain of a second in certain positions.
You need your watch serviced.
Just saying
A chronometer is -4/+6 so expecting 0 either way is optimistic. I would not be happy with 10/15 seconds a week never mind a day.
The tolerance on the timekeeping when it leaves the workshop should be +\- 0 seconds a day, with a possible loss or gain of a second in certain positions.
You need your watch serviced.
Just saying
Someone could regulate it to be better I'm sure, but 10s a day isn't terrible.
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A chronometer is -4/+6 so expecting 0 either way is optimistic.
Someone could regulate it to be better I'm sure, but 10s a day isn't terrible.
[/quote]
That’s the manufacturers absolutely worst specs though.
Not what is expected of the movement.
I wouldn’t let a Swiss automatic leave with any more than 1 sec a day loss/gain.
Even though Tag now use Selitta movements, which are absolutely useless, they can still be serviced and regulated to 0seconds a day in 7/8 positions.
10 seconds a day simply isn’t acceptable for any watch movement outside of Japan.
Barchettaman said:
Rigga, always an unexpected delight to have you back on the watches forum.
Just out of interest and curiosity, what don’t you like about the Sellita eta clones? Do they arrive at the manufacturer badly regulated?
TIA
Simon
I am so busy trying to catch up at the minute that I keep forgetting to pop in and see if anyone needs any help. Just out of interest and curiosity, what don’t you like about the Sellita eta clones? Do they arrive at the manufacturer badly regulated?
TIA
Simon
If it wasn’t for Pistonheads, via my past customers, I would have no work at all. Lol
Well… it’s a topic I could talk for days about. Lol
Putting it plainly, they just aren’t anywhere near the quality of the calibres they are replicating.
But that’s the point, they are replica movements of the perfect Swiss movements.
They now make replicas of the 2824, 2892 & the 7750.
While I feel for the brands, as they had no choice but to find someone to supply movements, I still shudder when a watch comes in for service and it has a sellita movement.
I can almost guarantee the wheels that I need to replace before I even open the case back.
On the ETA, you could probably get 20yrs of wear, before you need to replace the winding mechanism (manual wind and automatically), and even then it would likely be the reverser wheels that would be a bit worn.
On the sellita, we have seen that on nearly every watch that comes in for service, both of the reverser wheels, the intermediate wheels that they mesh with and every wheel between the crown and the mainspring, need to be replaced. Every time……
Sometimes we get a watch back after 18months or so, with all of those wheels worn out, teeth missing, broken springs, damaged pivots, etc, etc.
It’s like they are just made from completely inferior materials.
Sellita state that all ETA parts interchange with the Sellita replica, but that just isn’t so.
If you fit ETA parts to try and better the quality and therefore better the service interval, it just doesn’t work. The wheels “just” don’t match up properly, the pivots are “just” the wrong size, or the teeth are “just” too unfinished.
That’s why it is amazing to see brands developing in-house calibres, albeit using movements from Seiko watches in the 60s and 70s and modifying them to make them current.
I’ve been hoping that Sellita would improve in time as so many brands adopted their movements, but it’s just never happened.
That’s why I always recommend looking for a watch with an ETA in it. Or an in-house movement.
The watch manufacture in this country does seem to be on the way up, so hopefully a new dawn is on the way.
Hope that makes sense.
I bought a Tag Aquaracer calibre 5 about 6 years ago, and for most of that time it was used daily until the pandemic hit, then it sat completely unused for a year. I recently revived it for occasional weekend use and it still seems fine, and I'd not had a problem with mine at all before then either. Still seems to keep good time.
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