Chinese water torture...

[Deleted]

This is a picture of 3 Chinese diver style watches that are rated to 3ATM in a water bath after having been dry pressured to 4ATM(the max my setup can do).

I did not see any bubbles coming from the cases so I left them for about 15 minutes then pulled them out.
After carefully drying each one, I opened up the case backs expecting a gallon of water to pour out. Nada, nothing, dry as a bone!

These are the watches in the water...



After this exercise, I would not hesitate to get any of them wet or even swim with them  

[HiBeat]

Well played definitely no problem to swim with these guys. :

[tritto]

But why would you, when you have a 150m rated 7548?

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Sept 14, 2019 1:41:34 GMT -8 tritto said:

But why would you, when you have a 150m rated 7548?

I haven't been swimming in over 35 years; just not my thing 

[thianwong]

My Parnis gmt hasn't been tortured yet...for the $80 it makes a fancy beater

parnis gmt bracelet by toypoodleKimi, on Flickr

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Sept 15, 2019 14:08:54 GMT -8 thianwong said:

My Parnis gmt hasn't been tortured yet...for the $80 it makes a fancy beater

parnis gmt bracelet by toypoodleKimi, on Flickr

No need to torture that one.
I ran the test because someone said all Chinese watch are leakers in spite of what is printed or stamped on them.
I took up the challenge and proved them completely wrong 

[HiBeat]

Sept 15, 2019 14:08:54 GMT -8 thianwong said:

My Parnis gmt hasn't been tortured yet...for the $80 it makes a fancy beater

parnis gmt bracelet by toypoodleKimi, on Flickr

I had a few Chinese-powered Parnis's along the way early in my watch collecting career.  I remember one where the case was maybe 42 of 44 mm in diameter and when I spun the back off the movement inside was insanely small in diameter with a plastic movement ring that took up like half the space inside.

I gave my Parnis "blued hands" GMT to my good friend who was born in China, educated here, and promoted to be a big wig for our company back in China.    He still wears it regularly.    Well made watches those Parnis's, I agree with Zeke.

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Sept 15, 2019 17:13:12 GMT -8 HiBeat said:

Sept 15, 2019 14:08:54 GMT -8 thianwong said:

My Parnis gmt hasn't been tortured yet...for the $80 it makes a fancy beater

parnis gmt bracelet by toypoodleKimi, on Flickr

I had a few Chinese-powered Parnis's along the way early in my watch collecting career.  I remember one where the case was maybe 42 of 44 mm in diameter and when I spun the back off the movement inside was insanely small in diameter with a plastic movement ring that took up like half the space inside.

I gave my Parnis "blued hands" GMT to my good friend who was born in China, educated here, and promoted to be a big wig for our company back in China.    He still wears it regularly.    Well made watches those Parnis's, I agree with Zeke.

Chances are that that movement was a Sea Gull ST6 which was small enough to power ladies watches. Fortunately the ST6 was probably one of the best common calibers the Chines made; then or now. They are robust, reliable and can hold very good accuracy for years.

I have two ST6 powered watches and they are easily the most accurate ones I own(at least according to my Timegrapher).

[thianwong]

Yeah, I took the back off this nice watch and it was the ST6, small with large plastic spacer. But, no big deal as the watch is still in the collection and a nice reminder of days with Chinese Mechanicals...

IMG_0011 by toypoodleKimi, on Flickr