ETA is one of the best-known manufacturers of Swiss watch movements. Owned by the Swatch Group, they produce a range of quartz, hand-wound and automatic movements used in Swiss watches in every price range.
About the brand – ETA
ETA is the result of severalĀ mergers and takeovers in the Swiss watch industry over many years. It now incorporates a number of former Swiss watch movement manufacturers including Valjoux, Peseux and Lemania. Originally started as Eterna in 1856, it has been owned by the Swatch group since the 1980s. You will find their movements in many brands, although they have been restricting supply to non-Swatch group companies over the last few years and are expected to stop supplying third parties completely at the end of 2019.
ETA Movements
The most common ETA movements you will come across are:
ETA 2824
The 2824 is a workhorse Swiss movement, variants of which are found in everything from the cheapest automatic Hamilton to some of the top end Tudor watches (although they have now developed their own calibres). ItĀ is based on Eterna’s 1427 design, which dates back to the early 1960s. The newest version, the 2824-2, has been in production since 1982. It is a self-winding, three-handed movement with 25 jewels and a power reserve of about 40 hours. Four grades are available: Standard, Elabore, Top, and Chronometer. Each version is slightly more accurate (and expensive) than the last with the top two grades using significantly different materials to improve performance.
ETA 2824 – Specifications
Size: | D 25.6 mm, H 4.6 mm |
Specs: | Automatic, 25 Jewel, 28,800 A/h, 40h Power Reserve |
Special Features: | Incabloc Shock Protection, Etachron Regulator, Stone Lever Escapement, Quickset Date |
Clones: | Sellita SW200, STP1-11, Valanvron VAL-24, Hangzhou 6300, Seafull ST2130 |
Watches using the ETA 2824
ETA Valjoux 7750
The Valjoux 7750 movement is a self-winding chronograph which can trace its roots back to the 1960s in the Venus 188. It was initially a bit of a white elephant thanks to the quartz revolution but has come back into favour now that mechanical watches are more desirable. It has lots of variations and can include a day, date, moon phase and even a GMT complication.
ETA Valjoux 7750 – Specifications
Size: | D 30.0 mm, H 7.9 mm |
Specs: | Automatic, 25 Jewel, 28,800 A/h, 44h Power Reserve |
Special Features: | Chronograph, Incablock Shock Protection, Nivaflex Mainspring, Glucydur Balance Wheel, Stone Lever Escapement, Quickset Date |
Clones: | Sellita SW500, Shanghai 3LZF2 |
Watches using the ETA Valjoux 7750
ETA 2892
Less common but increasingly found as the supply of 2824 movements dries up is the ETA 2892-A2. In a sense this is an upgraded version of the 2824 – except it is a third thinner and has a marginally greater power reserve (42 hours). Omega, Breitling and IWC make use of this premium movement, as it is more accurate than its older cousin and is only available in Elabore, Top and Chronometer grades.
ETA 2892-A2 Specifications
Size: | D 25.6 mm, H 3.6 mm |
Specs: | Automatic, 21 Jewel, 42h Power Reserve |
Special Features: | Incabloc Shock Protection, Etachron Regulator, Stone Lever Escapement, Quickset Date |
Clones: | Soprod A10, Valanvron VAL-92, Sea-Gull 1812 |
Watches using the ETA 2892
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References: Wikipedia, 60clicks.com