Valjoux 7733 Bifora chronograph

[mseamaster]

Hello everyone,

I am considering a watch trade with a forum member here on OF. The watch offered is a Bifora based on Valjoux 7733 movement. After I confirmed he's okay with me inquiring in the forum I wanted to get an opinion on this movement and the watches based on it. I couldn't find much info online.

I usually collect only Seiko and Omega, but I am wondering if this watch is worth making an exception. Thanks

 

[MRC]

mseamaster

Hello everyone,

I am considering a watch trade with a forum member here on OF. The watch offered is a Bifora based on Valjoux 7733 movement. After I confirmed he's okay with me inquiring in the forum I wanted to get an opinion on this movement and the watches based on it. I couldn't find much info online.

I usually collect only Seiko and Omega, but I am wondering if this watch is worth making an exception. Thanks

Valjoux 773x are absolute workhorses. Well understood, parts available, still in production in much-developed form as the ETA 7753 range. You cannot go wrong. Concentrate on dial and case, not the movement.

 

[X350 XJR]

Agreed the 7730 and 7733 are good in availability of parts, there were a lot of them made.

One thing to note is that many of these chronographs particularly off brand ones had plated cases as opposed to stainless steel, leaving them prone to wear and pitting.

 

[mseamaster]

X350 XJR

Agreed the 7730 and 7733 are good in availability of parts, there were a lot of them made.

One thing to note is that many of these chronographs particularly off brand ones had plated cases as opposed to stainless steel, leaving them prone to wear and pitting.

Caseback says stainless steel. Would it imply it's all stainless?

 

[X350 XJR]

mseamaster

Caseback says stainless steel. Would it imply it's all stainless?

NO. It says stainless steel back specifically, meaning as I noted the case is not stainless steel.

 

[Scarecrow Boat]

mseamaster

Caseback says stainless steel

Caseback says “stainless steel back” which means only the caseback is stainless steel. The watch has a chrome case.

 

[mseamaster]

Interesting. Thanks a lot for this info. I've never seen a chrome case before, didn't know it was a thing. All my watches are SS.

Why is this done though? Isn't SS cheap enough? Like, isn't the movement much more expensive than the case making it a very slight cost saving.

 

[MRC]

mseamaster

Interesting. Thanks a lot for this info. I've never seen a chrome case before, didn't know it was a thing. All my watches are SS.

Why is this done though? Isn't SS cheap enough? Like, isn't the movement much more expensive than the case making it a very slight cost saving.

It's slight yes, maybe 5%, but the base+chrome cased variants were a thing in the 1960s. Chrome can be bad, but a good one wears just as well as the SS. Here's one

I don't wear it if I think I might get acidic sweat on it. (Just for @mseamaster -- it has a Valjoux 7733.)

 

[mseamaster]

I should mention here that I have a genetic condition where I sweat abnormally above 26 C. No idea if it's acidic or not. But when I take off my watch in hot weather the back is usually drenched with visible droplets.

Hence why I don't wear vintage in hot weather at all. Wouldn't want sweat inside my watches.