Can Sellita SW 200-1 basic grade be upgraded to 'higher' grades?
Hello 😀
I was contemplating a very nice watch with a decent but very basic Sellita SW 200-1 in the basic grade, and I soon started to wonder if it could be upgraded (in due time) to a higher grade. Obviously screws could be heat blued and so on, but I'm thinking about the more functional parts.
I suppose that would mean changing certain parts for others parts. Springs made of other (better) materials as they are with 'top' and COSC grade as compared to 'basic' and 'elaboré'. Would they even fit? Is it a better idea to just swap entirely to a new 'top' grade movement and get the old engraved rotor installed on it? Would watchmakers generally be up for a task like this?
I know it would render the watch 'unoriginal', but I'm thinking from a functional stand point mainly. To make a nice watcher nicer.
Sorry, but that sounds like a ridiculous waste of money to me. Of course, it could be done, and watchmakers take money from crazy people too, I suppose.
This makes zero sense. IF it were possible it would be cheaper and easier to just buy the better movement and have it put in.
Either way there is really no reason in the world to do this.
It would be cheapest to just buy a new movement and drop it in. All grades of the SW200 are the same size. BUT, it would still be far from cheap to do so. It's a major waste of money to do so and I bet your SW200 runs great, and if it doesn't you can have it regulated to run at, or close to COSC specs.
You can swap a top tier movement in but beyond a little fancier finishing, you’re not really getting anything. You could pay someone to regulate your basic movement. You could buy an elaborate grade Chinese copy and it would directly drop in , as well as transfer the rotors.
See here for details on the differences between the Standard, Special, Premium (Top) and Chronometer grades of the SW200-1.
https://calibercorner.com/sellita-grades/
Bottom line, it’d be “cheaper, faster, funnier” to simply buy a higher grade than to modify a Standard grade to a higher grade.
SW200 is very reliable and accurate. I really wouldn't bother.. it's the best movement that you can buy, at least as good as an ETA 2824 and will be as accurate as any swiss brand movement.
I’d either stick with the standard movement or buy a different watch. Probably the former.
Thanks for the replies to all of you. I guess I'll keep the original movement, and only if it needs complete restoration contemplate getting a higher grade as a replacement.
I thought, though, that the 'better' parts were actually so, but seems they're not that much better if it's not worth it.
Thanks again for the replies, including those insinuating that I'm crazy 😀
Thanks for the replies to all of you. I guess I'll keep the original movement, and only if it needs complete restoration contemplate getting a higher grade as a replacement.
I thought, though, that the 'better' parts were actually so, but seems they're not that much better if it's not worth it.
Thanks again for the replies, including those insinuating that I'm crazy 😀
It's mostly decoration and regulation that makes it better