Bokey TimeHello everyone, this is Bokey Watch Industry. When it comes to watch movements, the Swiss ETA 2824-2 and ETA 2836-2 series movements have always been renowned for their exceptional cost-effectiveness. Due to their excellent quality, they are widely used in mid-range watch brands (categories 2 to 4) and high-end replica watches. This very fact has made them the prime target for counterfeiters. In the fake watch market, counterfeit ETA 2824-2 and ETA 2836-2 movements are rampant and ubiquitous. Below, combined with images and text, we will teach you how to identify these movements to avoid being deceived when purchasing replica watches in the future.
For the original ETA 2824-2 and ETA 2836-2, there are two common types of shock absorbers: the Incabloc shock absorber and the triangular shock absorber (also known as the Novodiac shock absorber). So far, no movements with these shock absorbers have been found in Hangzhou imitation movements, but Seagull (a Chinese watch brand) does produce them. Therefore, do not rely solely on the shape for identification.
The domestic Seagull 2836 with an Incabloc shock absorber. Although the appearance is similar, a close look reveals differences in the color of the jewels. The original ETA ruby is bright red, while the ruby in the domestic Swiss-style imitation movement is slightly purple. At the same time, the tail of the shock spring has no chamfer.
The triangular shock absorber of the original ETA movement has three trapezoidal notches on the edge, with a more delicate and tortuous shape, while the domestic Swiss-style imitation movement has only one semicircular notch. Similarly, the rubies in the genuine ETA movement are bright red, whereas those in the domestic imitation ETA are slightly purple-tinged.
Another key difference lies in the finishing of the patterns: Seagull has always been high-profile, with all 夹板 (bridge plates) featuring fish-scale patterns. However, imitation ETA movements often only polish fish-scale patterns and basically do not invest much effort in meticulously engraving the genuine ETA’s Geneva stripes. (Characteristics of Geneva stripes: fine, horizontal diagonal lines).
Genuine ETA movements feature bright red rubies, shock springs with chamfers (for Incabloc shock absorbers) or three trapezoidal notches (for triangular shock absorbers), and both fish-scale patterns and Geneva stripes. Domestic imitation ETA movements have purplish rubies, shock springs without chamfers or with only one semicircular notch, and lack Geneva stripes. Knowing these differences will help you avoid being deceived when buying watches, as counterfeit ETA movements and domestic imitations in replica watches can look deceptively similar—those unfamiliar with these details are easily misled.
