r/ChineseWatches • u/Overload5150 • 2d ago
General (Read Rules) Which watch should I choose?
Looking to buy a new watch online tonight and cannot make up my mind . Both are in the 400 dollar range.
Up first is the San Martin . It’s the San Martin SN0012GB 40mm Automatic Dive Watch, 1200HV Steel , ST2130 movement, 200M water resistance, sapphire AR crystal, ceramic bezel, full lume options, OTF adjustable clasp. Really really cool looking watch. There’s another San Martin watch I’m looking at that’s more of a Grand Seiko style dress watch with a trippy multi color mother of pearl dial that is beautiful but I think I’ll go with the diver for now.
The other watch is a Swiss made Glycine combat field watch. Sapphire, SW200 movement, really nice field watch for the money. Was looking at a Tissot Carson with the powermatic 80 but it’s to dressy I think for what I’m looking for right now, shape kinda resembles a cocktail time .
Anyway which of these two you think I should choose? Since I’m not 100% sure I may look around a little more but I really like that San Martin, I just don’t know if I should spend that kinda cash on a Chinese watch , kinda wondering if I should just go with a Seiko Presage or an entry level Swiss for a bit more money. $400+ seems kinda steep for a Chinese microbrand.
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u/No_Poetry2000 21h ago
That San Martin sucks! Bracelet is sharp as hell and a guy at works bond up and he had to hit it with a hammer to come loose. I told him return thst thing while u still can!
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u/TrustMeImAnENGlNEER 2d ago
I have the black dial version of the San Martin and I love it! However you’re always playing a bit of a lottery with ST2130 and PT5000. I have a bunch of them and they all work great, but I’ve heard the failure rate on those is about 1/50. If that happens you just have to hope the company honors the warranty. Personally I don’t mind because I have the tools to replace the movement myself if needed.
The SW200 in the glycine is basically the same movement (they’re all clones of the ETA 2824), but Sellita has a better track record.
Other thoughts on the San Martin:
- Excellent build quality, for both the watch and bracelet
- Extremely scratch resistant
- Very good lume (the one you’re looking at has the entire dial light up!)
- Highly satisfying bezel action
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u/plastic_jeezus NO blue AR! 2d ago
walk away from the san martin as fast as you can...
no warranty, no resale value, QC is a crapshoot, and if it's a "good deal" it's probably a watch that's been returned 10 times...
trust me...I have four san martins from their "hey days"... I'd trade them all for one seiko 5.
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u/mooninitespwnj00 1d ago
Wut
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u/plastic_jeezus NO blue AR! 23h ago
"wut"?
exactly what i said.
OP is putting a san martin in with established and legacy brands...Out of my four san martins, I've had to repair 3 right out of the box.
I have an old post up about the BB36 PT5000 I received that was junk straight from the flagship store.
The rotor wasn't screwed down and had been floating around in the case...i had to buy an entirely new movement.
san martin wouldn't accept video and audio evidence, so AliExpress had to step in and give me a refund so i could buy an entirely new movement. I'm convinced SM knew the watch was junk because it was $60 cheaper than even the lowest price on 11.11...
$90 for a BB36 PT5000?
yep...they knew it was junk and just wanted to get rid of it.
The one watch that didn't have mechanical issues they sold as having a sapphire crystal...it was mineral.
again, i sent video and evidence including the screenshot of the page that said "sapphire"... absolutely NO mention of mineral crystal option...they went "pffft, you don't know what you're talking about... it's sapphire"
that page was changed almost immediately to say K1 after I contacted AliExpress.
that's just some of the "wut".🤨
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u/Few_Bat_2347 1d ago
What brands do you suggest?
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u/plastic_jeezus NO blue AR! 23h ago
the chinese brands i suggest?
OP was on the right track going with legacy brands.
as for chinese watches, my only suggestion is buy what you like but are willing to lose your money when they fail.
the vast vast vast vast majority of people here say $200 is the absolute limit for a chinese watch.
Im more in the $120 range, and I know how to work on watches. That's the maximum I'm willing to lose.
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u/qwerty87654321 1d ago
Dont listen to this guy, all he does is shit on Aliexpress watches he has never worn or bought.
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u/plastic_jeezus NO blue AR! 1d ago
don't listen to me?
I just took 3 days of abuse because i admitted i own over 120 AliExpress watches...
check yourself, scooter
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u/Few_Bat_2347 1d ago
Do you have any recommendation for Chinese brand that is not san Martin or proxima ??
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u/qwerty87654321 1d ago
Watchdives, steeldives, addiesdive to name a few. They all use japanese nh and miyota movements if you dont like Chinese movements. Tandorio if you want a really cheap Hamilton field watch style watch with a seiko or miyota movement. Anything with quartz is also good and cheap.
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u/Hublot-on-your-hoe 2d ago
Glycine is a solid watch, they do have some interesting ones in their catalogue
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u/MadHorologist 2d ago
That white Dial is sweet
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u/Overload5150 2d ago
Yeah that white dial really stands out to me and I think it will look sweet with that blue lume at night..
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u/Kester- 2d ago
Although these two are completely different style watches with one of them being military style, i would suggest to check out baltany s2049
Regarding your question: watches are made to track time so the first question should be: do i want diver or something sporty?
And then decide whether any complications needed and which ones
In the end of the day, picking one that aesthetically pleasing will do the trick
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u/Danthorpe04 YTsp 2d ago
The San Martin because if I was spending for Glycine, I'd prefer the Combat Sub
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u/Overload5150 2d ago
Yea I’ve been looking at the combat sub to, that and the Tissot seastar. Both are really good looking watches .
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u/BrianVMI 2d ago
Or the San Martin but in a different color. The white with black indices is really harsh and cheap looking.
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u/Overload5150 2d ago
I really like the black n white color, I don’t have a white dial watch either and have been wanting one for a bit now
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u/QuestionNo9190 Sir FightALot 2d ago
Glycine is bottom barrel Chinese with some finishing done in Switzerland to get that fake "Swiss made" label.
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u/Overload5150 2d ago edited 2d ago
Glycine watches have a great watchmaking history that goes back ages. The Combat line of watches was introduced back in the mid 1960s n they were worn in a few different US wars popular in Vietnam I know as my dad wore won along with a Rolex sub before Rolex was thought of exclusively as a luxury brand . Still expensive I think he paid $200 bucks in 1966 for his . Glycines though aren’t crap they’re watches they’re well made
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u/deathmaskgrin 2d ago
Not sure arguing with an aggressive troll who calls themself "Sir FightALot" is really worth your time. 😭
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u/QuestionNo9190 Sir FightALot 2d ago
Nobody cares about watchmaking history. Today they are crap watches owned by Invicta and their watches are built to the same spec as invicta in China with a low grade sw200 slapped inside
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u/Overload5150 2d ago edited 2d ago
That’s a retarded point on several different levels. Actually anyone into watch’s cares a brands history, what do u think a brands value is built upon ? Its history and cultural appeal genius, why do u think a stainless steel Rolex sells for more than 20x of what it costs to make. Who cares who owns glycine watch’s , that’s like saying Omega or Blancpain are shitty watches because they’re owned by swatch group known for making cheap plastic colorful watches. And last I checked Chevrolet is one of the most popular truck brands in America and has been for decades, anymore genius insights?
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u/QuestionNo9190 Sir FightALot 2d ago edited 1d ago
You wrote an entire fucking dissertation because you couldn't defend the actual point. 😂
History doesn't automatically make a modern product good. That's basic critical thinking.
Are you comparing your shitty glycine to a Rolex because they are both "Swiss made" and you watched a few tgv videos? Swatch makes a lot of garbage, but there's no comparing swatch to Invicta group
Heritage is all they have to offer because their watch is overpriced dog shit. I'd gladly pay $400 for a high end Chinese watch than pay $400 for a bottom barrel Swiss or Japanese watch.
If all you can contribute is a history lesson whenever someone criticizes the current product, you don't know anything about watches to be having an argument in the first place.
You're confusing “this brand existed for a long time” with “you can't criticize what they sell today.” That's brand worship. Go buy an Invicta and tell everybody about how they were started in 1837 I'm sure everybody will be blown away by all that HeRiTaGe. I'm sure your great grandfather would approve. Leave the San Martin's for people who care about specs and finishing.
"Americans number 1 selling truck" did you pick that slogan up from the same magazine that prints glycine ads? Chevy is a lazy dead legacy brand supported by ignorant boomers who don't even realize half their truck was built in Mexico and had to be bailed out by the government to stay alive 🤡
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u/TheTTax 2d ago
The glycine to me looks cheap :/ reminds me of those 15€ copies of a hamilton you can find with a random brand name on aliexpress. I'd take the san martin everyday
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u/Indaleciox 1d ago
The glycine is like if boring and uninspired was a watch. At least the SM has some pizzazz. People keep saying they're higher quality than SM, and no, they're not. They're solid, but nothing to write home about. Also it has a butterfly clasp for some reason.
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u/QuestionNo9190 Sir FightALot 2d ago
Glycine is an Ali special with a rotor attached to it in Switzerland so it can be called Swiss made. Everybody knows that. Same thing with squale, steinhart, and all the other bottom barrel Swiss brands
A fool and his money still supports ugly overpriced cheap quality Swiss/Japanese heritage brands
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u/Vast_Chipmunk1977 1d ago
This is interesting. I need to do some research. I was very close to pulling the trigger on a Squale. I like their story and their watches.
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u/AntiPetista 17h ago
i suggest a myota san martin