More About In house Movement

Aftermath on the last article on In house movement
When the quartz watch hit the market by end of the 60s, most watch companies embraced it with a vengeance. It was cheap, light, durable, super accurate. The advantages over all other mechanical types were beyond question. It seemed too good to be true and it was.

The shortcomings of the quartz watch didn't manifest themselves for two decades and by that time most watch companies and the ebauche industry had been dramatically downsized.

Audemars Piguet was beaten to moribund until savior Gerald Genta created the Legendary Royal Oak Jumbo to save the company from being Bankruptcy.

Omega stopped making their in house movements because it seemed that they wouldn't compete against the new Electronics Quartz technology. Movado did the same. Many Ebauche companies were devastated. AS and ETA were already the big players so they stayed in business.

The rejection of quartz by consumers of high end watches was settled fairly quickly as HK$10,000 premium watches began dying. Old established companies like Patek Philippe, Rolex and JLC wisely kept their mechanicals coming and benefitted greatly. Omega at one point discovered a supply of old manual wind movements put aside years before because they wouldn't sell as manual winds.

They did casing them into retro solid gold cases and got over HK$10,000 each for the lot. At this point in the game Omega and virtually all the other brands use the ETA 2824, 2892, and 7750 or a derivative thereof. Rolex still makes the Rolex, Patek Philippe still makes PP and JLC dabbles in new technology of their own design but stays with their automatics.

Why do we prefer the old in house movements? They were beautiful and unique. Omega won many timekeeping awards with their in house products. I am still thinking that the best Omega is still the Constellation in the 50s and 60s.

They are the best even built in house Omega Movement that once captured numerous people hearts, and Omega was more expensive than Rolex at that time… but sooner they lost to Rolex in the 90s’ due to lack of versatility and newer model to defect Rolex.

However in fact some of the Patek Philippe and Vacheron movements are based on "Lemania", and many of the Blancpain movements based on "Piquet"... Rolex used El Primero on their Daytona.

Most of the big brands use "in-house" movements but many of them use also movements from other manufacturers. IWC and Panerai have some nice in-house calibers but working also with ETA movements.

So If I categorize this way since the beginning of the Watch making , no other non-in-house watch movement have been used, Who else can claim they use 100% in house Movement!?


I think only Roger Dubuis, A Lang & Sohne, JLC , Seiko and someone mentioned Vulcain?

The Last one yet to be verified!?


Someone mentioned Seiko had been working Casio to build movement, So Can I remove Seiko form the list!?

Confirmed 100% In house Movement- JLC, Roger Dubuis, A Lang & Sohne.

To be further verified; Vulcain, Seiko?

Sham Shui Po Snob

Brand new Rolex Submariner Ref 116610LV Two Pieces reserved for You

I have reserved two pieces of Submariner Green Bezel Green Dial from HK Rolex AD ready now till next Tuesday 25 June. Whilse Stock last...
Price HKD$66,100 no dicsount.
Note that this special watch is allowed to have only 1-2 pieces is allocated to shop of Rolex A month.
HK Snob

PS Sold Out 23 June 2013

Five Watch Brands is still making his own in house Watch Movement

There are 5 watch-making brands who are producing 100% in-house movements are Patek Philippe, Jaeger LeCoulre, Rolex, A. Lange & Sohne and Roger Dubuis.

Amongst these, Roger Dubuis has increased the number of watch production to nearly 5,000 pieces per year; whereas Patek Philippe is producing 42,000 pieces per year and 25,000 pieces for Vacheron Constantin. Rolex is largest about 480,000 pieces a year.

Ferrari produces about 6,000 cars a year, so in terms of Volume, Roger Dubuis is even more exclusive than them! Therefore, Roger Dubuis timepieces remain very exclusive when compare to other watch brands like Patek Philippe and VC. But Roger Dubuis is yet attaining the big brand name as PP as they established in 1995 where Patek Philippe was established in 1839. Recently we have a lot of Hollywood stars are wearing Roger Dubuis especially in the past 5 years.

Rolex on the other hand is no quetsion that they have a much bigger production volume as they are having the most sophisticated manufcaturing facilities amongst those 4 other Manufcaturers in Switzerland. Much of their parts are turned out from automatic micro-machine
and mini robots.

If you want to purchase a watch, you should consider that these are the key factors that the brand name would not be eroded by OEM their movement to some other body. As for Collector’s choice, everything should be the maker’s orginal deisgn and manufacture.

In view of the auction, we seldom can see OEM movement watch in the bid, except the Panerai 1997 PAM00021 using vintage Rolex Movement which had limited 60 pieces. it went up to a Auction price of HKD$1,124,000 in Christies. Probably because of the Rolex Movement!

Sham Shui Po Snob

Ps , The data ws obtained from the general manager of Roger Dubuis Hong Kong, correct me if the data is not right!

Seiko Astron, First GPS watch powered by Solar

Seiko Astron builds its own Caliber 7X52 movement and encased in titanium. The Astron’s ability to adjust time accurately and automatically to whatever timezone its in. While such watch already exist on the market, the Astron will be the first to utilize orbiting GPS satellites instead of radio transmission towers.


There are several immediate advantages, including limitless range and the inclusion of all 39 timezones around the globe. To activate the automatic calibration, simple push a button and the high-tech system will do the rest. In fact, with its perpetual calendar accurate to the year 2100 and a solar power unit that functions in any forms of light source, the SEIKO Astron GPS Solar watch is taking a first step in a brand horology category. Prices of this one is Hong Kong is about HKD$20,000.

It is a real versatile Watch, Timeless, battery less, Auto calibrate when you travel from one time zone into others. It is Big and clear that you won’t miss anything on the dial, it is light to wear, water proof and durable. Spending HKD$20,000 for a watch and technology is really your decision!
This one shown is Limited Edition of 500 pcs.

Sham Shui Po Snob

Your Watch and the Shoes

Life can be so funny and can be so harsh, all depends on how you look at it.

Watch and Shoes is two major items that you can tell how the life style of the guys is.

The Japanese men treat their shoe "KAO" Face of the man. see how important the shoes are to the men.

A man with a decent watch does not mean he is rich.

I my opinion, a man with a pair of expensive shoes 90% he is rich...as

Why as since the first day you wear the shoes, it starts wearing off. But for watch, it may retain certain amount of value even you use it. And some of the watches of celebrity can be so much expensive in Auction. Like JFK and Elvis Presley's Rolex!

Well, there is a lot of way we would think about our past which is the most important Properties of life. No matter Happy or sour, still that is our History!

When I look at my Watch, sometimes I think of my Father who is the man who created me and my life and my fate to know you!

So the watch is the Crystal Ball to look into the history and I think I will not able to bring you into future. But You can,... Wearing a good decent watch may change your character over the time as it will keep reminding your life in past, present and Future...

Have Fun with you watch...dont abuse your shoes and your watch!

Sham Shui Po Snob

Money or Rolex, Rolex or Money? Collector's Dilemma!!

             Rolex OysterQuartz DD Ref 19018 with Birch Dial

                                Western Electric WE300B Vacuum Tubes 1995

                                   RCA Victor 1959 The Royal ballet LP Mono Two LP Album

                                               Telefunken 1958-1965 ECC803 Vacuum Tubes

Teresa Tang LP all Printed in Japan 1973-1979

                                 Rolex DD Ref 18049 White Gold with Dimond bezel

When you have no money, try to find it, when you have found some money, you should look for something you like!

Buy a Rolex for you wife, your daughter, you brother, Father and mother, but most of all, buy the dream Rolex for yourself. That is the best reward to your hard working in the past, and most of all Rolex has a good power to work again inflation. It won’t earn money for you but I think Rolex is better than bank to keep money sometimes.

I should say this way, you won’t lose too much, at least you will earn the “Daily wearing of it” That is my attitude toward Rolex.

I bought Telefunken ECC803 Vacuum Tube at about $2,000 with Box 10 years ago, now the market price is $5,000 no box. NOS with box is $20,000 a piece. Once I had 26 pieces of such great tubes and I was so nervous that price would fall and I sold some of them to Audio Space some 6 years ago at cost. Now I feel regret as there is no way to buy at $5,000 a piece. So sometimes stay Calm, the Physics is right, the old good stuff will becoming less and less, that is why Vintage Rolex price soring high.

I bought Western Electric WE300 vacuum Tubes at $6,300 a pair at Audiotronics 7 years ago, now they are selling $24,000 a pair. I bought two pairs, but will I sell it!?

I bought my Teresa Tang Japanese Release Vinyl about $500 to 800 12 years ago, now , it is about $1,500- $30,000 a piece!

I bought the Royal Ballet at $5,000 four years ago, now it worth more than $15,000!

I bought a few Rolex OysterQuartz each at $56,000 3 years ago, now it price is $65,000- $75,000 for good colour dial.

I bought a AP Royal Oak 1972 Jumbo at $120,000 4 years ago, I think now If I sell it I can get at least 80% more.

But the problem is, Will you sell it. That is a Collector’ dilemma, “Always it is very hard to find, and even harder to sell!”

Another funny things I saw is that when there are so many pretty ladies in front of the sailors at Mona Lisa Massage Parlour, they could not make a choice, but when the ship was moored at Siracha more than 1 month,,, I bet an old lady of 40 can be the queen for the night!

Same as Rolex, I had order three Ref 116610LV for friends, but when the watches arrived AD, They all disappeared and after the next day when those Gem are sold, someone came to me again asking for the Watch!

So Today, be calm, work hard for money, and when you have spotted good Rolex, go and buy!

Take your time to search and find it, I feel that the process of searching something is more enjoyable than the time you have bought it…

Sham Shui Po Snob

Audemars Piguet Quantieme Perpetuel

AP is another brand of watch that I like, this is a Pepertual Calendar watch made of solid 18 KT gold.
The No. 88 is perfect for Chinese, we call it "Double Rich"!

HK Snob

Father's Day special, Rolex ref 18238 and Patek Philippe 5170

There are many studies to tell the average life expectancy of father is shorter than mother.


As being a Father has to face thee pressure from the job, society, his never ending demanding bosses except I as I treat people with respect at least…, and had to work hard to maintain the income for the family…

Though we cannot underestimate the work of the mother, the 9 month pregnancy is a torture and I was told the consequency is that that mother would love her kid more!

Old Chinese Saying: The furious tiger won’t eat her kid… as she know they are her kids. Nothing would be changed since the day they were borne.

That is to be fair Father day should be treated with same importance as Mother day!


Wish all fathers could be happy and wish all kids understood how tough father has to support the family.

And I hope My children would buy me either one of these watches to me on this special Father's day.

WISH YOU ALL HAD A WONDERFUL HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

HK Snob

The Rolex Watch Ref 19018

This is a close up of OysterQuartz Ref 19018 Yellow gold DD!

HK Snob

Rolex Ref 1803 Fat Boy

This is one of the so called "Fat Boy", an early issue from Rolex under the model Ref 1803.
It looks bigger, and in fact, it is wider on teh case!

The black Roman Numerals on champange dial is a good match.

Worst thing is Paul always say: "Not for sale!" , likely because it is "Near Mint" condition.

It is a Classic Relex DD!

Sham Shui Po Snob