Can anyone recommend a good supplier for a timegrapher

[Bill2024]

Hi All,

I'm looking to get a timegrapher and the model I'm considering the Weishi 1900. 

I can see that Cousins sell it in the UK but their price including VAT and postage is over £270. When you google around there are literally hundreds of suppliers offering the same model for much less but with varying reviews. 

Can anyone recommend a reliable supplier for the timegrapher please. I'm in the UK.

Best,

Bill

[neevo]

Maybe you’re not comfortable with ordering from China but I’ve found the best pricing for the same items from AliExpress.

All my watch tools/parts has been from them and I bought a few machine DRO’s that have been faultless.

example:

I just found this on AliExpress: AU$439.75 | Weishi NO. 1900 Timegrapher Mechanical Watch Timing Tester Machine Multifunction Auto Calibration Timer Machine
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mL7o5oL

Edited December 13, 2024 by neevo

[AndyGSi]

Try Amazon as a little cheaper and currently can be returned until 31st Jan.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weishi-Timegrapher-NO-1900-Machine-Multifunction/dp/B0178B9DYM?crid=P4ZUY8673NC0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.d_7TmJBSDEPiwoRr1UuVqx4MZ7UoR_Q2KgWtTDfacV0vVvaBI-vk7-WjfJwAHBYK.cRN0xfLbDD_5H_kUADoqjmenhJDMU2Ujsl1XCwx3m4U&dib_tag=se&keywords=Weishi+1900&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1734073730&sprefix=weishi+1900%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-1

[oldhippy]

Just be careful of cheap imitations. I would stick to a reputable watch tool suppliers. You don't get something for nothing in this world.  

[JohnR725]

1 hour ago, oldhippy said:

Just be careful of cheap imitations. I would stick to a reputable watch tool suppliers. You don't get something for nothing in this world.  

the problem would be how can you tell which one is the cheap imitation if it exists it and which one is the real one? They basically all look the same.

 

 

9 hours ago, Bill2024 said:

I'm in the UK.

obviously as others have pointed out the best prices order out of country as it comes from China in order for Chinese supplier. If you're concerned about issues then you just order from somebody in the UK who has a return policy. That would either be Amazon or eBay. But for both of these you do want to make sure that it's actually in the UK although from Amazon it might not be an issue for a return policy. We look at eBay some of the sellers are a UK or claim to be UK sellers but it's coming from China and others claim to have it in the UK as I said if you're worried about or concern just make sure they have a return policy if you're unhappy.

 

 

[mikepilk]

On ebay UK they start at £191 (post from UK) and £159 from China. Many that claim postage from the UK actually get posted from China. Check the feedback to see how people rate delivery time.

As John says, they all look the same. I'd be surprised if anyone bothered to make copies.

[oldhippy]

I would say if it's cheap it is not the real mccoy.  

[AndyGSi]

There are some copies on Amazon but they aren't much cheaper.

Edited December 13, 2024 by AndyGSi

[mikepilk]

20 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

I would say if it's cheap it is not the real mccoy.  

I don't see why anyone would make a cheap Chinese clone of a cheap Chinese tool. 

The 'cheap' ones look just like the one on Cousins.

[Bill2024]

3 hours ago, oldhippy said:

Just be careful of cheap imitations. I would stick to a reputable watch tool suppliers. You don't get something for nothing in this world.  

Yes I’m sure you’re right. I’ve bought cheap movements/cases/dials etc from Ali Xpress to practice on with no issues; but for something a bit more expensive that is going to have to last a while I’m more skeptical. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, Bill2024 said:

Yes I’m sure you’re right. I’ve bought cheap movements/cases/dials etc from Ali Xpress to practice on with no issues; but for something a bit more expensive that is going to have to last a while I’m more skeptical. 

Recent bad experience with Ali, Evri driver lost my parcel and neither them or the seller wanted to know, Ali themselves weren't particularly helpful either. Buy in this country and you have more chance of sorting out any issues

[JohnR725]

8 hours ago, mikepilk said:

As John says, they all look the same. I'd be surprised if anyone bothered to make copies.

Interesting problem here is they all looked the same. Any that I've ever seen including if somebody takes the back off there are all identical circuit boards are identical everything is identical. In the case of the 1000 machine the only differences I've seen have been different markings on the case in other words different people selling. Plus there's some minor software variations is a slight difference in how the screen looks and others are some bonus numbers when it's doing the graphical display of telling you what the rate is and at least one variation has the ability to change the gain control but otherwise visually they all look the same.

So the problem becomes if they all look identical which one is the legitimate one in which one is not? How do we know that cousins a selling the legitimate one versus the counterfeit one if there even is a counterfeit one? Conceivably maybe if there are counterfeit which side suspicious of maybe they're all purchasing from the same source.

So then basically it comes back down to can you get your money back if you're unhappy. As far as warranties go what warranty? True on the back of the 1900 users manual there is a name of a company and a link to a website that no longer functions the company does seem to exist in China but it doesn't list the product on their website

The ones I always get nervous of but for the most part I've had success is the tiny Chinese Amazons selling on eBay where if you look at the other products are selling its everything in the universe including your timing machine. But for the most part with things I've ordered from them even that's worked out mostly.

5 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Recent bad experience with Ali, Evri driver lost my parcel and neither them or the seller wanted to know, Ali themselves weren't particularly helpful either. Buy in this country and you have more chance of sorting out any issues

Shipping issues can affect all everything. I was trying to think of my bad experiences with the? I can't quite remember all my bad experiences and they typically were watch products there are other things. The little Amazons I have the feeling they toss everything a box and somebody goes the post office and just dumps at a big box and if it doesn't make it into the box doesn't show up in shipping and then when you pester them about that at some point time the refund your money. Because they really have no idea what happened to the product and they really don't care. It's back to finding somebody or purchasing of where you get some sort out if there's a problem you get your money back

Then as others have mentioned always look at the reviews. I ordered something I can't quite remember what it is now and it was supposed to be in the US somebody had complained about shipping. So I figured out it was based on the names they had it wasn't really in the US probably it probably came from China and didn't show up for tracking for an entire week I guess was lost in the warehouse that extends from California all the way to China and at material. Which is basically what somebody said in the review and it was some weird shipping company before they handed off to the US mail. Which in itself presents a problem because stuff coming from California tends to be much slower than stuff coming from other places.

 

 

[Bill2024]

On 12/13/2024 at 7:10 AM, AndyGSi said:

Try Amazon as a little cheaper and currently can be returned until 31st Jan.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weishi-Timegrapher-NO-1900-Machine-Multifunction/dp/B0178B9DYM?crid=P4ZUY8673NC0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.d_7TmJBSDEPiwoRr1UuVqx4MZ7UoR_Q2KgWtTDfacV0vVvaBI-vk7-WjfJwAHBYK.cRN0xfLbDD_5H_kUADoqjmenhJDMU2Ujsl1XCwx3m4U&dib_tag=se&keywords=Weishi+1900&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1734073730&sprefix=weishi+1900%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-1

Thanks - ended up going for this after looking around. Not a bad price and a degree of confidence regarding returns if needed.