# Chinese watch pretending to be German



## hatless (Mar 7, 2017)

About ten years ago I bought an automatic watch on eBay for less than £20, new. I believe it is Chinese, though it claims to be made in Germany. The brand is Trias. It has run pretty well, though it gains when I take it off overnight and it's less fully wound.

Can you still get similar watches for a similar price?

The reason I think it's Chinese is because a watch repairer said so after looking at it for nearly one second, then looking away in search of something more pleasant to look at. Would it be a Chinese movement in a German case? How could I tell? Would the movement be worth servicing? I am thinking of trying this myself - I have a couple of pocket watches to practise on.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Here's some info. The link was posted in 2004. There are quite a few German sounding watches with Chinese movements. As to whether they are worth servicing, compared to the replacement cost is debatable.

http://xflive.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?/topic/2575-trias-watches-germany/&do=embed


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## hatless (Mar 7, 2017)

Thanks for the link. The person on that link seemed quite happy with his Chinese watch, and I've used mine heavily for 10 years, so are the movements OK? Short lived? Variable in quality?


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

hatless said:


> Thanks for the link. The person on that link seemed quite happy with his Chinese watch, and I've used mine heavily for 10 years, so are the movements OK? Short lived? Variable in quality?


 Any Chinese watch I have bought, has been done on the "understanding" that if they break, then they go in the bin. All of them have been cheap, so the cost of a repair including postage is much more than the replacement cost. However, Gerlach watches use Chinese Seagull movements, which unless anyone can say otherwise, seem to be of good quality.










I have a few vintage Seagull manual wind watches, and they have all been reliable and accurate.










and some cheapo Shanghai "reissues", which have also been very good for the money. (Under £30 Inc post when I bought them).


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## Timemachine.fi (Mar 30, 2017)

I have bought few KS (Kronen und Söhne) watches from Ebay. If you google brand, you can find a very nice looking webpage. They claim that brand is German design, but chinese made. That´s for sure that they have chinese movement. I have still surprised quality of KS watches. They are low-budget watches, but they have been working very well in my use.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Generally speaking, you get what you pay for! I have no doubt that almost all the Chinese watches I own - - SOKI, ALPHA, SHANGHAI, and others - - were under £30 new and have given good enough service and timekeeping whilst I have owned them. :yes:

I've also bought a few various makes used, and with a short sharp clean and lube, they continue to work well enough, but none of them will ever win prizes as miracles of horological engineering. They can be both Value for Money, and also absolute rubbish - - Quality Control can be very patchy.

Doesn't put me of buying them  They're fun and affordable - - two of my main criteria - - :clap:


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