# ETA VS. Unitas 6497



## jkarl

I am wondering how close these two movements are to each other mostly for the purpose of interchangeability of parts. I know that there are some notes added to the TZ course that covers this movement to show minor differences in parts appearance so I guess I don't know _how _different they are. I was hoping to buy a couple non working Unitas movements to have parts for an ETA branded one. Will it work?
Thanks


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## lysanderxiii

There are six types of movements in the 6497/6498 family.

The 6497,

The 6498,

The 6497-1 

The 6498-1

The 6497-2, and

The 6498-2

Within each type all parts that are common, between the two different base models, the two different -1 and the two different -2 all parts, except the bridges are interchangeable. There are a few parts interchangeable between all types.

ETA or Unitas does not matter.


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## Tourby Watches

i don´t think that he have a -2 movement as this are very rare

it make a difference between

Unitas 6497/98
ETA Unitas 6497/98 
ETA Unitas 6497/98 - 1

the difference between ETA and ETA -1 is the pallet bridge. The pallet bridge is the part under the balance spring.

here the pallet bridge of ETA Unitas 6498 (with 1 blued screw)









here the pallet bridge of ETA Unitas 6498-1 (with blued 2 screws)


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## jkarl

So does ETA still produce the caliber 6497? I found tech documents for the 6497-1 and -2 both nothing without the suffix. I was looking at a current production watch to grab the movement out of and it is listed as ETA 6497 so I didn't know if that is really what they meant or did they really mean 6497-1. I have sent an email off to the seller to try to get some clarification. Tourby, thanks for the pictures, they helped me figure out what you were talking about. Thanks to the other reply as well.


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## Tourby Watches

ETA do not produce any more 6497 or 6498

the produce only 6497-1 or 6498-1

(-2 movements are also in production for special brands like Panerai etc.)


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## BullDawg

Hi Tourby Watches,

That is a funky pattern on the neck and bridge. Yet the under lying letter are still there. Will you post some better photos of this watch, back out a few clicks where we can see it all?

Thanks,

Bulldawg


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## jkarl

Thank you again. I just got an email back from the seller who confirmed that it was a current production 6497-1. I will go ahead and purchase it and begin my project. I will probably have more questions, and pictures, along the way. Can't wait to see how it turns out.


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## Tourby Watches

Hi BullDawg

i am a official sponsor of watchuseek. You can check my website.



Hi jkarl

i can´t wait to see your pictures. Should you need any help let me know.


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## gigfy

So let me get this straight. There are 8 versions (with the base ETA & Unitas versions being identical)?

Unitas 6497 (small pallet bridge)
Unitas 6498 (small pallet bridge)

ETA 6497 (small pallet bridge)
ETA 6498 (small pallet bridge)

ETA 6497-1 (larger 2 screw pallet bridge)
ETA 6498-1 (larger 2 screw pallet bridge)

ETA 6497-2 (larger 2 screw pallet bridge, higher bph)
ETA 6498-2 (larger 2 screw pallet bridge, higher bph)

Cheers,
gigfy


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## lysanderxiii

gigfy said:


> So let me get this straight. There are 8 versions (with the base ETA & Unitas versions being identical)?
> 
> Unitas 6497 (small pallet bridge)
> Unitas 6498 (small pallet bridge)
> 
> ETA 6497 (small pallet bridge)
> ETA 6498 (small pallet bridge)
> 
> ETA 6497-1 (larger 2 screw pallet bridge)
> ETA 6498-1 (larger 2 screw pallet bridge)
> 
> ETA 6497-2 (larger 2 screw pallet bridge, higher bph)
> ETA 6498-2 (larger 2 screw pallet bridge, higher bph)
> 
> Cheers,
> gigfy


Not quite.

1) Unitas parts are interchangeable with ETA parts, the only thing ETA did was stamp their own logo on the mainplate. However, there seems to have been a change somewhere along the production and some parts aren't quite the same. In order to cross check what the changes were, you should compile a list if Best-Fit part numbers for both versions (6497 and 6498) and see what numbers are not common. (Jules Borel lists Best-Fit PN in their on-line catalog), personally, I am not that interested.

2) The 6497-1 and 6498-1 (same for the -2) do not share commonality in the following parts: (all others common)
- Mainplate
- Barrel Bridge
- 3rd Wheel
- 4th Wheel
- 4th Wheel (no second pinion)
- Stem
- Set Lever
- Setting Lever Jumper
- Yoke (-2 variants only)

3) The -2s (operating at 21,600 bph) have the following interchangeable with the slower -1s:
- Pallet Bridge
- Stem
- Sliding Pinion
- Winding Pinion
- Crown Wheel Ring
- Click Spring
- Yoke Spring
- Setting Wheel
- Intermediate Setting Wheel
- Case screw

4) The differences between the base and -1s are more than just the pallet bridge. The reason for the larger pallet bridge was to incorporate the banking pins into the bridge. The base model has mainplate mounted banking pins.

The hairspring stud, and regulator were also upgraded to the adjustable one found on all current ETAs. There were other minor changes to simplify production.


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## Caliper1681

jkarl said:


> So does ETA still produce the caliber 6497? I found tech documents for the 6497-1 and -2 both nothing without the suffix. I was looking at a current production watch to grab the movement out of and it is listed as ETA 6497 so I didn't know if that is really what they meant or did they really mean 6497-1. I have sent an email off to the seller to try to get some clarification. Tourby, thanks for the pictures, they helped me figure out what you were talking about. Thanks to the other reply as well.


Hi there. May I ask where you found the tech documents for this very movement. I'm gathering information since I will be starting a project watch with this movement.

thanks in advance.


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## Eeeb

Caliper1681 said:


> Hi there. May I ask where you found the tech documents for this very movement. I'm gathering information since I will be starting a project watch with this movement.
> 
> thanks in advance.


eta.ch in the support section


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## Caliper1681

Eeeb said:


> eta.ch in the support section


 :thanks. Got them.


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## Isthmus

On more question for the experts.

I recently purchased a watch with a Unitas 6497 clone in which the movement is rotated 180 degrees, so as to make the watch left handed (crown at 0900). I'm looking to find a replacement dial, and I assume that any dial that fits this movement would have the feet in the same place, and that only the dial print would be rotated 180 degrees. a friend suggested that What I really wanted was a dial for a 6498, as that caliber was essentially a 6497 altered to be rotated 180 degress while allowing the crown to operate normally.

Does this sound right to you guys?


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## nyo

Isthmus said:


> On more question for the experts.
> 
> I recently purchased a watch with a Unitas 6497 clone in which the movement is rotated 180 degrees, so as to make the watch left handed (crown at 0900). I'm looking to find a replacement dial, and I assume that any dial that fits this movement would have the feet in the same place, and that only the dial print would be rotated 180 degrees. a friend suggested that What I really wanted was a dial for a 6498, as that caliber was essentially a 6497 altered to be rotated 180 degress while allowing the crown to operate normally.
> 
> Does this sound right to you guys?


No that's totally wrong! 6498 movement has the seconds at '6' so either way (I mean 0 or 180 degrees) the seconds will remain at 6! I guess you have a 6497 clone with seconds at '3' (left handed, the original has the seconds at '9'). So in your case you will need a dial printed with 180 degrees rotation on the seconds subdial.

General rules of ETA-UNITAS movements
-*6497 *
When crown at '12', seconds at '6' (pocket watches)
When crown at '3' , seconds at '9' (wrist watches)

*-6498*
When crown at '12', seconds at '3' (pocket watches)
When crown at '3' , seconds at '6' (wrist watches)


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## BullDawg

Today I saw a 6497BD (big date). It was nice but can't find it now. The big date was at a low 12. 

Bulldawg


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## Shawnny

I would like to hear more about these movements. Where can you buy used ones? I have a 6498, but don't know which version. Anyone know? I want to buy a used one to do a project.


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## Shawnny

Anyone??


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## Barnaby

Shawnny said:


> Anyone??


They crop up on eBay from time to time. Otherwise, Otto Frei sometimes sells used movements. Don't know many other sources except in old watches...


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## dunarit

I have Unitas 6497 (small pallet bridge) incabloc
May I put the screw balance from _ETA 6497-1 _


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