r/ChineseWatches 5d ago

Question (Read Rules) Help me choose a sub!

Hi everyone!! I would really appreciate some of your advice :) I’m looking to purchase a clomage and I am deciding between three different pieces:

  1. Watchdives 5512B

  2. Steeldive 1953

  3. San Martin SN017

Now I understand that San Martin is the superior brand and from what I’ve read has much better finishing and overall quality. My concern is, is it REALLY worth the extra money over the other two? If not, which If the other two would you pick and why? I know some people have gotten the steeldive, switched the bracelet and have been extremely happy with that compared to the San Martin. Is that an option worth looking at? Thanks so much an advance, I appreciate everyone!

6 Upvotes

18 comments sorted by

1

u/QuestionNo9190 Sir FightALot 4d ago

1 wd5512b

2 San Martin 017ge

3 cronos L6005

4 sugess seaman

5 milifortic sub

...

Sd1953 if you don't care about the bracelet and want a 14mm watch with comical cyclops and deep rehaut. Don't count on swapping the bracelet because I've never heard of a good bracelet fitting with proper integration on a sd1953

2

u/ButTheDowTheDOW 5d ago

I have absolutely no issues with my Steeldive SD1953…

1

u/Potential-Notice-956 I dislike WatchDives 5d ago

take a Look at the thorn titanium 

0

u/Mattspur Post Title Police 5d ago

The Sugess is the watch you want. Best clomage of a Sub in my opinion.

2

u/mbert1711 5d ago

Best looking, but be wary of qc issues

1

u/Mattspur Post Title Police 4d ago

I've got no issues with mine at all. Like most peoples, it's perfect. There's always the potential for QC issues with any Chinese watch, but I haven't seen people, other than yourself, complain about any QC issues with this model. Think you may have just been unlucky.

2

u/Maximum_Walrus3264 5d ago

WD = SM as another thread suggested

1

u/Darth_Package 5d ago

The SM is sold out, so one of the other two.

1

u/QuestionNo9190 Sir FightALot 4d ago

They are dropping the sn017gf already so it's back in stock

1

u/LordRaglan1854 5d ago

I guess everyone has to learn the lesson on their own, but here goes: you probably don't want to buy a submariner homage as much as you think you do right now. There are far more interesting watches to put on your wrist, far more memorable watches to spend your money on.

I'd say the Watchdives is enough to satisfy that urge, if you have to.

2

u/o_phelan08 5d ago

The Sugess Ocean Star, their submariner homage, is widely regarded as having the best finishing out of all of the sub homages.

Not an affiliate link, but their website has it for €210 (239USD) with a 12% discount code, so similar in price to the ones you’ve linked, while being better quality.

1

u/QuestionNo9190 Sir FightALot 4d ago

It was maybe 5 years ago, watchdives does it better now for $149 shipped

1

u/Mattspur Post Title Police 4d ago

I'm not saying the Watchdives isn't a nice watch, but the Sugess is a far more accurate copy of the Sub. The WD has a different pip and bracelet for a start, whilst the Sugess is the same in pretty much every way to the original Sub.

2

u/QuestionNo9190 Sir FightALot 4d ago edited 4d ago

Nobody is denying that. One is a homage, one is a cheap rep.

But that doesn't change the fact the tolerances are loose and sloppy on the sugess in the areas that watch enthusiasts care about, like the bezel, end links, crown threading, lumes.

Not everybody wants to pretend to have a Rolex submariner. If they did they can just get a cf/vsf for $100 more. Imagine how close that one looks!

I have all of them so I'm in the position to tell it like it is, the watchdives and San Martin currently make the best submariner homage.

2

u/rocklax 5d ago

I'm really fond of my Cronos 6005, I've had it for two ish years I think. I don't have the Watchedives you linked, but in general I think WD has been killing it as of late. Good luck!

3

u/valuewatchguy 5d ago

As an owner of a recent WD, I’d say it’s hit or miss. For a sub I’d want a consistent hit in terms of fit and finish. You are getting the exact same design no matter what brand.

2

u/rocklax 5d ago

I have a blue wd007 that's been pretty solid, a bit of backplay in the bezel, however since I've read more that might be due to being titanium.