Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

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Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by CGSshorty » Wed Oct 10, 2018 8:32 pm

Interesting video posted by Jake from Dagaz. I wonder if they are all like this.

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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by manitoujoe » Wed Oct 10, 2018 9:07 pm

Jesus. This would make me sick. Great catch.


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Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by manitoujoe » Wed Oct 10, 2018 9:07 pm

Dp
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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by mfxr » Wed Oct 10, 2018 9:08 pm

Damn. That's interesting.
I haven't had any issues with the 3 models I have had (still have 1)
Makes me curious about having a look inside though.

I will interested to see what (if anything) Unimatic has to say about this.. :think:

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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by manitoujoe » Wed Oct 10, 2018 9:30 pm

Yeah something is shady AF
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Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by manitoujoe » Wed Oct 10, 2018 9:30 pm

Dp AF
Last edited by manitoujoe on Wed Oct 10, 2018 9:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by mfxr » Wed Oct 10, 2018 9:50 pm

I will speculate:
They designed and prototyped the case/watch with the Miyota movement in mind.
For whatever reason (cost, availability, whatever) they had to go with the Seiko NH35. Obviously this caused fit issues with the case, and the easiest (not best) solution was to come up with that extra plastic spacer ring that seems to work ok for most of the watches.

The caseback 21800 bph typo was a minor but silly mistake to top it off (maybe born from the movement choice swap-over fiasco)

I am going to email Unimatic when I get a chance, see what they say.

I also just tagged them in the Dagaz Facebook post on the subject. :popcorn:

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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by Ryeguy » Thu Oct 11, 2018 5:05 am

Well, based upon this I think we can conclude with some confidence that the watch really was made in Italy.

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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by Ryeguy » Thu Oct 11, 2018 6:07 am

I wonder if the dial feet for a Seiko movement are the same as for the Miyota? I suspect not. I also suspect the hands are different due to differing pinion sizes.

If my suspicions are correct, this would mean Unimatic had the cases machined first, then their Miyota supplier flaked so they had to reverse engineer in the Seiko movement with a new dial and handset. It was probably a scramble and therefore that crap plastic spacer was used.

You might be able to swap in the Miyota movement aftermarket, and even use the Unimatic dial by clipping off the dial feet and using those little sticker things, but I think you'd have to swap in replacement Miyota hands.

It is weird that Jake says he will have to return this watch unfixed to his client. Just looking at his web store, it seems he has all the parts necessary to correct this situation.

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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by Ryeguy » Thu Oct 11, 2018 6:08 am

PS- love the crying baby in the background just as the video starts. Too funny....

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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by ericf4 » Thu Oct 11, 2018 6:13 am

Talk about sloppy ass watches....damn
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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by pbj204 » Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:13 am

Interesting video. Unimatic should be embarrassed.

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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by AtomicTom » Thu Oct 11, 2018 9:22 am

Now that is weird Chris ! ..Definitely makes you wonder about all the rest of
the watches, but even other watches from tons of other brands over the years
sir. :? Really was a terrific find by Jake, and thank YOU for posting about it ! :thumbsup:

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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by tattoo chef » Thu Oct 11, 2018 9:37 am

Ryeguy wrote:I wonder if the dial feet for a Seiko movement are the same as for the Miyota? I suspect not. I also suspect the hands are different due to differing pinion sizes.

If my suspicions are correct, this would mean Unimatic had the cases machined first, then their Miyota supplier flaked so they had to reverse engineer in the Seiko movement with a new dial and handset. It was probably a scramble and therefore that crap plastic spacer was used.

You might be able to swap in the Miyota movement aftermarket, and even use the Unimatic dial by clipping off the dial feet and using those little sticker things, but I think you'd have to swap in replacement Miyota hands.

It is weird that Jake says he will have to return this watch unfixed to his client. Just looking at his web store, it seems he has all the parts necessary to correct this situation.
Maybe the client doesn’t want to pay for the repair as now it’s a little more complicated. Personally I would want my money back from the company as that is complete shit for a $700 watch.


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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by Axelay2003 » Thu Oct 11, 2018 10:23 am

Damn. This isn’t good. I have the white dial U1 DW still brand new from last year and was thinking of putting it up for sale.
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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by Joeprez » Thu Oct 11, 2018 10:28 am

Haven't been able to watch the video... what is the issue here, a plastic holder for the movement?
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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by CGSshorty » Thu Oct 11, 2018 10:48 am

Joeprez wrote:Haven't been able to watch the video... what is the issue here, a plastic holder for the movement?
The movement and holder are too small for the case, which appears to have been designed to accept a different movement. The whole assembly moves around inside the case when the crown is pulled.
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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by Heuerville » Thu Oct 11, 2018 11:15 am

Wow, that's disgraceful.
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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by Ryeguy » Thu Oct 11, 2018 11:17 am

tattoo chef wrote:
Thu Oct 11, 2018 9:37 am
Ryeguy wrote:I wonder if the dial feet for a Seiko movement are the same as for the Miyota? I suspect not. I also suspect the hands are different due to differing pinion sizes.

If my suspicions are correct, this would mean Unimatic had the cases machined first, then their Miyota supplier flaked so they had to reverse engineer in the Seiko movement with a new dial and handset. It was probably a scramble and therefore that crap plastic spacer was used.

You might be able to swap in the Miyota movement aftermarket, and even use the Unimatic dial by clipping off the dial feet and using those little sticker things, but I think you'd have to swap in replacement Miyota hands.

It is weird that Jake says he will have to return this watch unfixed to his client. Just looking at his web store, it seems he has all the parts necessary to correct this situation.
Maybe the client doesn’t want to pay for the repair as now it’s a little more complicated. Personally I would want my money back from the company as that is complete shit for a $700 watch.


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Absolutely for sure. If this were my watch new from Unimatic, it would never have gotten to Jake. It would've been on its way back to Italy for a refund as soon as I saw the dial swim around in the case.

Given the watch is with Jake, I'm guessing the watch is no longer returnable. This is why I thought about the possibility for a fix. Figure $60 for the movement, plus $30 for the handset, plus maybe $200 for the service to swap things over. I'm not certain how much an Unimatic costs, but I think for about $300 you could make it kinda "right" (except for the dial dots used to mount the dial - those are kind of ghetto).

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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by logan2z » Thu Oct 11, 2018 11:22 am

Micros :rolleyes:

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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by tattoo chef » Thu Oct 11, 2018 11:24 am

Ryeguy wrote:
Absolutely for sure. If this were my watch new from Unimatic, it would never have gotten to Jake. It would've been on its way back to Italy for a refund as soon as I saw the dial swim around in the case.

Given the watch is with Jake, I'm guessing the watch is no longer returnable. This is why I thought about the possibility for a fix. Figure $60 for the movement, plus $30 for the handset, plus maybe $200 for the service to swap things over. I'm not certain how much an Unimatic costs, but I think for about $300 you could make it kinda "right" (except for the dial dots used to mount the dial - those are kind of ghetto).
The Unimatic is $600 USD (more if you live in Europe and have to pay VAT), so $300 to “fix” what never should have been, now you’re $900 (or more) in for a pretty obscure microbrand.


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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by Ryeguy » Thu Oct 11, 2018 11:25 am

A bit sad too as I think these are actually pretty decent looking watches.

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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by streetracer101 » Thu Oct 11, 2018 11:27 am

Looks like Unimatic took a play out of the Crepas playbook.

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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by smalls » Thu Oct 11, 2018 11:56 am

I know there are exceptions to the rule but this is why I generally stay away from micros.

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Re: Wrong Movements Installed in Unimatic U1?

Post by tmw » Thu Oct 11, 2018 12:05 pm

Wow. Just Wow.

that is going to be a shit show.
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