[curiousMan]

famous icon, mechanical feast beating 36 000 bph! Going for $7.4k on Amazon, google the fame, bow in respect. And look at the work of the good folks at Le Locle - magnified for your convenience.

Here it is - pics from Amazon:

and here are details. Summary - boy, oh, boy! I owe an apology to the hard working folks at the 1st Moscow Watch Factory, anywhere I looked here I got some kind of scratch, speck of dust, dial indices treated badly, cracked bearings, even some red thread peeking out from under the indice at 3...

 

[bluloo]

You could have found human poo inside, and I'd still want this one.

Another excellent pictorial.

 

[curiousMan]

You could have found human poo inside, and I'd still want this one.

Another excellent pictorial.

thank you! As for the enhancement you request - it'd be extra 2500 Swiss francs

 

[merl]

Wow, thanks for sharing! Still like it! Probably being badly serviced ;-)

 

[curiousMan]

Wow, thanks for sharing! Still like it! Probably being badly serviced ;-)

recently sold as new on Amazon by Amazon

 

[curiousMan]

poll added to the top of the thread, vote!

 

[ckot]

It probably shows a less modern watchmaker than the ultra-automated, clean room, factories owned by ETA/Swatch. An entry-level watch from a higher end maker like PP might have even more faults.

How to explain why it is wo much worse than the B&M, however??? B&M does have a relatively new factory. They are also owned by a corporate master that is a little smaller and might still care more about details (vs. marketing).

I'd like to see how these compare to a (similarly priced) Seiko or Orient automatic chronograph.

 

[Levelman]

Amazing watch!
But how is this in the "Affordable Watches" section? You must swim in a very deep pool. ;-)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[curiousMan]

psst, this is part of the Affordables conspiracy, poor man guerilla investigations, don't tell rich snobs, they won't like it

Amazing watch!
But how is this in the "Affordable Watches" section? You must swim in a very deep pool. ;-)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gagnello]

Hmmm. Interesting indeed. I agree with Bluloo that you could have found anything in there and I'd still want one, but it is a bit disappointing I think. I would expect a Zenith to be pretty pristine on the dial as well as the movement side. I find it hard to understand how the 60 year old GP was nicer under magnification. I would love to see a higher end Japanese watch under magnification such as a GS or Ananta. Man, I love this series you have put together. Great stuff.

 

[skywatch]

Was that an eyelash on the dial, or just micro-hair lint? Actually, I would say the screw-heads looked clean, but we can see a few intrusions here and there, and a pit or two, a weird glitch on a jewel? I put it on one step below the B&M, above the lovely vintage but in very different (more modern) ways. I don't crave the watch (I would prefer Z's ultra-thin) but I'm not put off by it. Excellent photos as always! Indeed you are doing us "affordables" dwellers a great service to remove the Emperor's clothes and show us the inner works. Plus, the nerd in me just like to see details, regardless of QPR (Quality to Price Ratio.)

 

[xingfenzhen]

Thank for this thread, took way some of the mythical pedestal from luxury watches. Though could Amazon being selling badly sourced watches? After all, aren't these brands being very strict on authorized dealers.

 

[curiousMan]

Thank for this thread, took way some of the mythical pedestal from luxury watches. Though could Amazon being selling badly sourced watches? After all, aren't these brands being very strict on authorized dealers.

it's supposed to be new, or new-like from Zenith, authentic

 

[xingfenzhen]

it's supposed to be new, or new-like from Zenith, authentic

Yes, but it does call into question if brands like Zenith bins their watches. I think a while ago there was a omega vs. costco lawsuit on costco selling grey market omegas where they source their watches from lower priced international Zenith distributors. Would there be quality difference between different retail channels, even though they are supposed to be the same thing? This sort of thing happens in cars, wonder if they do in watches too.

 

[mpalmer]

I'll still take one...

 

[kore]

even the great watch still have flaws

 

[Unikagen]

For these amounts of money I expect pristine detail. If my $250 Sea-Gull already looks decent under a microscope I expect nothing but perfection from a $$$$($) luxery watch.

 

[jason_recliner]

The watch is rubbish. You might as well send it my way, post haste.

 

[AsAnAtheist]

Thank you for the pictures once against Martin.
More to study!

 

[waldoh]

I find it acceptable IF I cannot see any of those imperfections with the naked eye. I am sure if you look at any high end brand at that magnification you will find imperfections (I am hopeful that Grand Seikos do not, as I have always thought of them to have perfect finishing).

As others have posted, you could have found a dead bug and I would still want the watch lol.