[oak1971]

So I bid and won a 1970's Seiko 5 and never checked where it was coming from. Turns out that's India. I have nothing against folks from India, but my track record with watches from that area is fairly grim. Anyone have the same experience?I've seen painted dials, non working movements billed as recently serviced etc.

 

[Spaceview M2]

 

[oak1971]

Yeah, I own a paperweight. Likely the dial is trashed and the movement is drenched in motor oil and or hopelessly gummed up.

 

[mikeyt_53]

Unfortunately most of the watches coming from India are crap and I avoid them like the plague.

 

[CometHunter]

Move over and lemme get in line too! This is a Fortis auto like the one that those blessed souls sold me.

But mine is "different". The dial was re-painted in a solid bluish-black that looks like it was done with a can of cheap spray paint.
The hour markers were done crudely by hand in white paint: (non-luminous), the 3,6,9, and 12 were oversize triangles. And the hour, minute and second hands were painted white as well.
I grudgingly must admit that for my winning bid of $15 it does keep decent time. If only it didn't look like crap!

 

[Mattaphysics]

Yes, so any watch coming out of India are frankenwatches. They find whatever parts they can out of whatever they have. I had a Citizen watch I bought from there some time ago, in my ignorance, the impulse jewel fell off the roller which also fell off the balance staff.

These things are a travesty to watchmaking and I wish we could ban them. They are a false advertisement, they promise the trappings of a vintage Seiko at a fraction of the price. Those ignorant to this don't realize they're getting a shoddy, pieced-together, mish mash that isn't what it seems. Do yourself a favor and street clear

Sent from my moto g stylus 5G (2022) using Tapatalk

 

[CometHunter]

Not "any watch"...just certain non-Indian brandings. The HMT brand (formerly Hindustan Machine Tools, Ltd.) is quite robust and dependable! If I may be allowed to make a generalization, the people of India have a love and fascination with watches almost equal to that of the United States. And just like the Canal Street scam artists in Manhattan NYC, India has its vendors who will have no qualms about taking advantage of the gullible. And I'm not blindly defending India. I am also a victim - see thread #5). The Fortal I bought on EBay had a re-painted dial that looked like it had been done by a fourth-grader.

 

[Ezra New York]

I bought a orient stainless president from India maybe 8 or ten years ago. Paid $30. I couldn’t believe I won the bid. Hands fell off in days.
now I search eBay with the location set for N. America only, primarily to avoid India based auctions.
now if I can figure out how to search for “Automatic Watches that aren’t Invictas.”
nothing against the brand (or India,) but every search for “newly listed” starts with 200 $.99 Invicta pro divers.

 

[mikeyt_53]

If you are doing an eBay search for watches and want to exclude a certain brand etc, just type " -Invicta" in the search bar and that should exclude all Invictas from your search.

 

[Ezra New York]

If you are doing an eBay search for watches and want to exclude a certain brand etc, just type " -Invicta" in the search bar and that should exclude all Invictas from your search.

seriously? It’s that easy? Thanks a million.

 

[mikeyt_53]

seriously? It’s that easy? Thanks a million.

Yep, that easy.