Best chronograph one can buy?

Jan 13, 2007,02:16 AM
 

Well actually for the money I think one can't get any better than this.  Here is my Vacheron Constantin Malt Chrono... uh.. Wanna-be.  It is actually yet another Chinese made Venus 175 chronograph cased in a copy of VC Chrono.  The case is 40mm so quite wearable.  It is not of highest quality, but again for the money it is not bad at all.  The watch keeps very good time and chrono functions are crisp and have good feedback.  The cost?  Just say it is less than a Panerai OEM croc strap.  This is a perfect entry level chronograph.  Just think, anything with a Swiss made Venus 175 will cost you way over $3000 and only other column-wheel chronograph one can get at this price is a vintage Seiko. 

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Of course, there is cost-cutting somewhere.  The ratched teeth base and columns are constructed of two parts and held together with the screw.  Traditionally they are constructed from one piece of metal.  One can imagine it won't hold up as long as one made using traditional method.

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Well...

 
 By: PeterCDE : January 13th, 2007-03:01
G'day, to each his own and not trying to put on anyone´s toes, but to me it´s a fake even if there´s no "big brand" name on the dial. Each component is making use on the efforts of others; be it the case/dial design (VC) or the movement (Venus). I fail to... 

Hi Peter

 
 By: loujo : January 13th, 2007-03:30
First of all, it is my understanding that the movement is either manufactured under license or Venus sold the IP to Chinese manufacturer while it was in financial trouble in the 80's or 90's. If this is true, then the movement can not be considered a fake... 

They own the design of the movement?

 
 By: J_Warden : January 13th, 2007-10:08
"First of all, it is my understanding that the movement is either manufactured under license or Venus sold the IP to Chinese manufacturer while it was in financial trouble in the 80's or 90's. " This sounds highly unlikely to me. First of all, licensing t... 

I don't know the manufacturer of the movement

 
 By: loujo : January 13th, 2007-11:01
and I doubt "Samson" is a name of a company, but just a brand someone put on the dial of the watch. But I am almost certain the movement is not "stolen" but legit. Maybe someone in the know can help answer this? Anyway, I am not here to start a debate on ... 

Ok.

 
 By: J_Warden : January 13th, 2007-11:43

If we take into account the fact that Chinese manufacturers produce copies of the Valjoux

 
 By: Marcus Hanke : January 15th, 2007-06:06
7750 automatic chronograph movement, which definitely are not legitimate, it is highly improbable that the Venus-clone is legitimate. Unlike the penal law, where the guilt has to be proven, in civil law the guilt needs only to be appear reasonable. And IM... 

Hmmm- that's a rather more serious problem. . .

 
 By: Jack Forster : January 15th, 2007-08:09
. . . if in fact the movements are being manufactured without regard for ownership of the designs or international norms in terms of protection of those designs then we go from 'possibly harmless' to 'morally culpable' I'm afraid. But then what about the ... 

That's a Sea-Gull St-19 from Tianjin.

 
 By: Watch Carefully : January 16th, 2007-12:16
I've got one of those in a Sea-Gull case and it's a remarkably nice watch for the $125 it cost me. Mine is a sort of Chinese Air Force model, though not the exact replica of the one they call the 1963. I've also read many places (including the Chinese Wat...  

It's an interesting problem. . .

 
 By: Jack Forster : January 13th, 2007-15:38
. . .I find myself very much thinking of Thomas' post over on Watchrap on intention. My own reactions to the watch are pretty complicated- at least they seem that way to me: -Oh, a fake Vacheron. . . gives way to -well, it's an affordable column wheel chr... 

Hi Jack

 
 By: loujo : January 14th, 2007-23:21
You are a true gentleman and great diplomat :) I think we also ought to be able to have some fun with our hobby sometimes. It is after all a

didn't realize my post got truncated

 
 By: loujo : January 15th, 2007-09:18
I was saying it is after all a

Let's not blame the Chinese for everything... :-) (more)

 
 By: gg2004 : January 14th, 2007-22:52
... particularly because both this pseudo-Lemania chronograph movement and the notorious carrousel tourbillon used in many "replicas" are apparently the output of the Japanese "Mac-Ai project" (www.mac-ai.com/). Perhaps some Japanese-speaking Purist can h... 

Mac-Ai watches (photos) >>

 
 By: MTF : January 15th, 2007-07:54
We first met the Japanese PuristS when we held the MJLC-PuristS dinner in Tokyo in 2004. Click for report and photos: watchprosite.com About the same time, at the first dinner date of the PuristS in Japan with US and UK members, we first heard of the Mac-... 

So did Chinese develop the tourbillon or is it a copy of someone else's design?

 
 By: loujo : January 15th, 2007-10:04
Would we consider it a fake or legit movement?

The movement itself is fully legit ...

 
 By: Marcus Hanke : January 15th, 2007-10:20
... it is an own design of the Million Smart Company. The funny thing, though, is that this company for a long time disputed to be the origin of the movement. That is strange, since in Europe, or in the US, a company able to mass-produce a tourbillon (eve...