Sellita Caliber SW200-1

Sellita caliber SW200-1 is the main competitor to ETA’s 2824-2 workhorse. It is considered to be a 2824 clone. The SW200-1 is an update to the original caliber SW200. The SW200-1 was introduced at least as far back as 9/28/2012 with updates to the technical information as recently as 4/19/2021. Many reputable watch companies are using this movement as an alternative to the ETA mechanism due to it being more economical and readily available.

A note on spelling: You may have seen this movement written as the SW 200-1 or SW200-1, but that is in part because the manufacturer can’t make up their mind. On the official Sellita site, it is written as SW200-1, however, on their official tech sheets, it is SW 200-1. Caliber Corner recommends sticking with SW200-1 without the space, because that is what is found engraved on the movements, as well as for better searchability.

No-Date Version:

The standard SW200-1 is a 3-hander with a calendar complication (date at 3:00). There is also a no-date version available from Sellita. The reference numbers are:

• SW200-1 a – Date
• SW200-1 b – No-date

The tech sheets for each are the same, although there is a possibility that Sellita can provide no-date specific documentation when ordering the SW200-1 b in bulk.

The date version (a) has three crown positions: Winding, date-setting, time-setting. The no-date (b) only has two: winding, time-setting.

While there are lots of examples of no-date watches powered by the SW200-1, many of them still retain the datewheel because the brand is using an SW200-1 a, and simply covering the date with a dial that doesn’t have a window cutout. For that reason, when you come across a no-date SW200-1 watch, you may want to ask the manufacturer if it is a true no-date. If you have the watch in-hand, you can check to see if it has a phantom date.

4 Grades of SW200-1:

Just like the ETA calibre 2824-2, there are four grades of the SW200-1 movement:

• Standard – Adjusted in two positions; accuracy of +/-12 sec/day up to +/- 30 sec/day
• Special (Elabore) – Adjusted in three positions; accuracy of +/-7 sec/day up to +/- 20 sec/day
• Premium (Top) – Adjusted in five positions; accuracy of +/-4 sec/day up to +/- 15 sec/day
• Chronometer – COSC criteria

This page explains more about how Sellita grades their movements and the differences between them.

Sellita Date Codes:

Under the balance wheel, near the caliber number engraving, you may have seen what looks to be a laser etched code containing DM and XYZ.

• DM means that the movement origin is from Sellita Watch Co (where else would it be from we’re not sure).
• XYZ is a Sellita code (we’re not sure the meaning, comment below if you know)

As for the date part of the code, new movements produced in 2018 look like this:

• DM18.1/XYZ = JAN+FEB
• DM18.2/XYZ = MAR+APRIL
• DM18.3/XYZ = MAY+JUNE
• DM18.4/XYZ = JULY+AUG
• DM18.5/XYZ = SEPT+OCT
• DM18.6/XYZ = NOV+DEC

There is also a code for what Sellita refers to as “Renewed Movements”. The meaning of this still needs to be confirmed, but it appears that this is for movements that were sent back to Sellita for renewal. Perhaps brands are able to buy them at a discount. We still don’t know, but please check your movement for a two digit number starting with 2X. For reference:

Renewed Movements
A 2-digit customer service code is engraved to show that the movement has been renewed.
20 for 2020, 21 for 2021, etc.

Case study pics coming soon.

Crown/Stem Removal:

Official Sellita documentation states that the crown should be in the time setting position before being extracted. Use a 1mm screw-driver, avoid using tweezers or any other tool with a point because this could jam the setting lever and damage the setting lever spring.

Ratchet Wheel Issues:

The primary reason behind the evolution from SW200 to SW200-1 was to fix an issue with the teeth of the ratchet wheel breaking off, perhaps while hand-winding the movement. There are skeptics who question whether these problematic parts are a direct result of hand-winding, but as with many topics in the watch community, it is a topic that is debated between those who have experienced the issue (or repaired the issue) and those who have not. Likewise, experiences with the ETA 2824-2 having similar issues is also split with some saying they have experienced it, and others pointing to how ETA holds a patent for a ratchet wheel that is less prone to teeth stripping by design.

Regardless, the ratchet wheel teeth issue that was supposed to be remedied in the original SW200 is still experienced in the SW200-1. This isn’t to say one should avoid the SW200-1, but it is advisable to avoid aggressively or excessively hand-winding your SW200-1 watches as much as possible. Aggressive or excessive force is subjective, but what is generally not as subjective is the function of the automatic winding unit, which delivers a more consistent and regulated dose of energy to the ratchet wheel. Hence, the suggestion to minimize manual (and unregulated) winding of the SW200-1.

What is it?

The gold tone ratchet wheel with 63 teeth is located above the mainspring barrel. This wheel is attached to the barrel’s arbor via a single screw. It is responsible for transferring energy to wind/coil the mainspring. The energy is stored (power reserve) and released (time keeping). The stored energy is a result of either manually winding the movement via the crown, or from the spinning of the rotor on the automatic wind unit.

How to diagnose a broken ratchet wheel?

The easiest way to tell that teeth have been sheared or stripped from the ratchet wheel is by visually examining it. You may also feeling of slipping when manually winding the movement. Additionally, the watch will have dramatic loss of power reserve because of not being able to transfer full energy to the mainspring.

What to look for:

Ratchet wheel replacement part:

If your ratchet wheel needs replace and you want to attempt to DIY, the Sellita part number is #415. Below is what the packaging looks like for a genuine part from Sellita.

How much is the part #415 and cost of replacement?

The part itself doesn’t cost much. With shipping included, you can expect to pay between $10-15 USD. For watch parts wholesale accounts, the cost can be as low as $5 and sometimes even less. While the price sounds low for a replacement part, it’s important to remember that it’s not the part itself that makes it a costly repair… it’s the time it takes and service that is involved to do it right. That is because unlike other broken parts in a watch movement, the ratchet wheel teeth can break off and spread throughout other parts of the movement. Sure, you can simply replace the cheap part, but the tiny pieces of metal can get into other areas and cause issues. For that reason, most watchmakers will recommend a complete cleaning and overhaul when repairing a Sellita SW200-1 ratchet wheel.

Replacement Prices:

At the time of this article, replacement prices for the SW200-1 were found online in the range of $189.00 to $199.00 USD. This is for one standard grade movement. Be advised that the prices can fluctuate depending on quantity and grade of the movement ordered. If you have experience with ordering bulk from Sellita, please share in the comments below…

Sellita Caliber SW200-1 Drawings:

Examples of the Sellita caliber SW200-1:

Below is a Sellita cal. SW200-1 found in this Serket Reef Diver 2.0 microbrand watch. Standard grade with Novodiac anti-shock device and a custom rotor with a scorpion image.

The image below is a chronometer grade (COSC certified) Sellita SW200-1 found in a Formex Essence watch with a custom cut-out rotor.

The example below is a Marathon GSAR Large Diver powered by an SW200-1 with Incabloc and a custom rotor.

Oris also uses the SW200-1 in some of their models, of course adorned with their signature red rotor.

Below is an Invicta Ocean Ghost (model 5015) with a gold tone SW200-1 with an Incabloc shock absorber and a custom rotor.

The image below is of a standard grade Sellita caliber SW200-1 with a Novodiac shock absorber. This movement was found in this Pharos Sentinel watch.

Below is another standard grade SW200-1, found in this Farr + Swit Seaplane Automatic Day Trip watch.

Video Action:

Here is a video of a standard grade Sellita caliber SW200-1 found in a Brew Watches Retromatic.

Watch brands with their own caliber number but using the SW200-1 as the base:

This section will attempt to list the brands marketing their movements as Brand caliber XYZ, where XYZ = SW200-1.

• Tudor T600
• Tudor T601
• Oris 733
• Oris 732
• Marathon M2
• Alpina AL-525
• Maurice Lacroix ML 115
• Davosa DAV 3021
• Norqain NN08
• Ball RR1103
• Glycine GL224
• Tag Heuer Calibre 5
• Frederique Constant FC-303

Additional Resources:

• Must Read: Sellita SW200 Vs. ETA 2824
• Comparison: Sellita SW200 VS SW200-1
• Official SW200-1 tech sheet here
• Shop for watches with the SW200-1
• List of Sellita watch movements

Search Assistant: SW 200, SW 200-1, SW200-1A, SW200-1B, Selitia, Selitta, Sellitia, Selita