PT5000 Experience?

[firebynight]

I've been hearing a lot of various reports about the new PT5000 movements, which are ETA 2824 clones.

Has anyone had any hands on experience with a PT5000 and can share any insight about the quality level (or lack of) of what they've seen?

https://calibercorner.com/hk-precision-technology-caliber-pt5000/

[jdm]

13 hours ago, firebynight said:

Has anyone had any hands on experience with a PT5000 and can share any insight about the quality level (or lack of) of what they've seen?

How can one tell if his Chinese watch has a PT5000, Seagull, or whatever other Chinese made 2824 copy? They purposely make the true origin and grading of movement impossible to discern for the consumer. Even the linked article  clearly states the same:

Quote

 

We have previously noted the confusion with identifying Chinese made movements and the inconsistency around the factory or manufacturer associated with specific caliber numbers. The confusion continues with the PT5000.

Given that some variations in quality and cost do exist, one can get an idea of the typical qualities of a Chinese 2824 looking at our Mark's videos

 

 

 

[TempusTortus]

I recently decided to try out one of these PT5000 movements. I had been hearing good things and had an appropriate project, so I figured "why not"? The movement arrived fairly quickly from an ebay seller and came packaged in the typical round plastic box. Initial impressions were positive: the plastic box was taped shut, and the overall appearance of the finish was very nice. However, once placed under magnification, my opinion changed. I've seen quite a few Chinese movements, but I've never seen anything so completely covered in crud in my life. I have scrap movements that are cleaner.

However, I had to see how it would run, so I wound the movement and set it on the timer. In dial-up position, it actually ran well: -1 sec/day, 270 degrees amplitude, 0.1ms BE. Not half bad. So, I decided to give it a go to see how it would do over time. For about 20 hours, no problem, but then it siezed up and would run no more. Jostling and rewinding had no effect. It was done working. This brand new movement needs to be overhauled before it can be used in a watch! What at first seemed to be a great, well made alternative to the 2824-2 turned out to be a complete waste of time.

Check the photos below and you'll see a well made movement covered skin cells, fibers, metallic debris, heavy finger print residue, what looks like bits of food and droplets from someone talking or sneezing all over the movement, and in the oil around the jewels. HK Precision is SO CLOSE to making a great movement, but they utterly blew it on assembly. Such a crying shame!

PT5000__009 DIRT.tif PT5000__010 DIRT.tif PT5000__007a (6) DIRT.tif PT5000__007a (7) DIRT.tif PT5000__007 DIRT.tif

Edited April 11, 2021 by TempusTortus

[jdm]

3 minutes ago, TempusTortus said:

HK Precision is SO CLOSE to making a great movement, but they utterly blew it on assembly. Such a crying shame!

How much you paid it? Chinese grade thier production based on who buys it, and how many for how much. They can make a dirty batch to be sold dirty cheap, and another that actually has decent QC because otherwise the customer wouldn't pay for it. That happens in watchmaking and most other industries.

[TempusTortus]

Sorry, but no one with respect for their product or their customers ships something non-functional. If they ship movements in this shape frequently, it should be obvious that thay are destroying their reputation and eliminating their own market.

There has to be a minimum standard, and a non-functional movement must, by definition, fall below any minimum. This should not have been sold in this condition, except as "non-working" or "for parts only".

[jdm]

13 minutes ago, TempusTortus said:

Sorry, but no one with respect for their product or their customers ships something non-functional.

What I was trying to convey is that their business model and ethics it is not what we in the West believe it should be. They don't care about reputation because they know from years of experience that there will always be a buyer at the lowest price, be it USD20 for a single piece or USD10 for 1,000. If you pay little enough they will send stuff that doesn't run at all, not just 20 hours, that's why I asked how much you paid it.

You can be enraged by that but in the end that is what made China export grow exponentially over the years. Quantity over quality - unless you pay for quality. BTW the Hong Kong naming is deceiving, that is just the commercial company doing international business, all the factories are in mainland China where a good salary is €700 a month.

[jdm]

14 minutes ago, jdm said:

What I was trying to convey is that their business model and ethics it is not what we in the West believe it should be. They don't care about reputation because they know from years of experience that there will always be a buyer at the lowest price, be it USD20 for a single piece or USD10 for 1,000. A large part of thr cost is assembly which is all manual. The kits can be given to subcontractors working in filty basements with workers paid for quantity, so they bring food to work in order to save time. If you pay little enough they will send stuff that doesn't run at all, not just 20 hours, that's why I asked how much you paid it.

You can be enraged by that but in the end that is what made China export grow exponentially over the years. Quantity over quality - unless you pay for quality. BTW the Hong Kong naming is deceiving, that is just the commercial company doing international business, all the factories are in mainland China where a good salary is €700 a month.

 

[TempusTortus]

1 hour ago, jdm said:

 

Understood. Not "enraged", it was shock stimulated by the contrast between such a well made piece of hardware and awful condition in which it was received. 

BTW: I paid USD$78

 

[jdm]

20 minutes ago, TempusTortus said:

BTW: I paid USD$78

That is way too much for what you have got, a low grade Chinese 2824 should not cost more than USD30 shipped.

Personally I would go ahead and make a claim with the payment card issuer and return the item if asked to do that. I am afraid that there is no point in getting redress from contacting the seller but you may want to try that route first. Good luck in any event.