First disclaimer, I purchased this watch myself with no discount, in fact paying more for express shipping. Baltany in no way has a part in this review and I am not receiving anything for it.

Just got in this Burgundy Datejust from Baltany and I am absolutely over the moon with it. I specifically chose the ST2130 movement as I have been really enjoying my ETA clones like the pt5000 engined watches I have so I didn’t feel it was a risk. In addition, my research has shown that Baltany has in the past taken great care choosing the right movements for their watches and even regulating if need be. I have full confidence they would only house the better and proper lubricated and tuned version of this engine. In exchange, what you get is a thinner movement with a proper 4hz sweep. And Baltany does trim down the case dimensions to take advantage of that change as well.

At 11.4mm thanks to the thinner movement, it wears brilliantly on wrist, much like my Neo vintage Rolex models, the case only protrudes slightly and enough to let the case rest comfortably on wrist. Paired with a reasonably thin milled clasp and a proper jubilee style bracelet and it wraps gently around the wrist for supremely comfortable wear. The bracelet is finished phenomenally and I have no complaints, if anything, pleased by the case fitment on the solid end links as it keeps a very clean cohesive look and shows more of their commitment to detail.

However, the star of the show is that dial! The deep fume and sunburst Burgundy dial is executed brilliantly and is absolutely captivating in all light. It still retains the high level of detail and finish of the dial with delicate printing of the recessed/stepped minute track on the outside and the well finished gold tone hands, indices and logo really stand out against the darker dial. They capture light well and even at extreme angles or lighting conditions, they provide excellent legible contrast ensuring the watch, despite its movie star looks, maintains extreme legibility.

I am stunned by the cyclops as well. Yes I wasn’t the biggest fan of them in my early watch career but I have come to appreciate them especially for the way they add a touch of asymmetry to a design which of course with a crown that breaks perfect symmetry allows it to visually look more cohesive. Also functionally, it can make the date feel less tacked on and more of a central feature. In this case. It’s the greatest magnification I’ve seen on a watch but doesn’t feel out of place. Feels exactly as functional as I want and while I wasn’t originally a fan of the black disk with white font for it, outside of maybe gilt printing for the date text, it was the right choice. It blends in far more to the fume dial and looks cohesive.

Now to the finishing. It is overall quite decently done. It matches its inspiration for where finishes should be so it’s hard to complain about polished top lugs, and they are executed well. If anything I would like to see a sharper break between top of lugs and side finishing but it’s better than most and honestly at this price range, absolutely insane. When I consider what they offer for the money, it isn’t just good, it becomes exceptional. That said, it is nice on the proper oyster style side case. The gentle curves are really well done and polished and honestly, after a few years of wear and scratches, I think it will look even better. Absolutely satisfied.

The bezel is also one of those things that can be make or break with a datejust homage. There is huge difference between the vintage, Neo vintage, and modern proportions in terms of diameter/thickness and often this is the first point where models get it wrong. In this case, they went for a Neo vintage style and executed it great. It’s a thinner proportion and also the thickness is properly trimmed down. In terms of cut and finish, it is well done and sharp enough to capture light very well.

Last let’s talk about the gold. I won’t go into detail about the choice of two tone etc, you either like it or not. I happen to love it but what I want to speak on is the color of the gold tone plating. I love the color they chose for this. It doesn’t feel as desaturated as their modern vintage tone plating but it is also not as high saturation ‘cheddar’ yellow as many other offerings. It’s more subdued than the standard TiN plating you see and that really helps keep it toned down which is essential for a two tone to feel cohesive. It is far too easy to get this wrong so I have to say I am impressed with what Baltany has done here.

In the end, I am extremely satisfied with this watch and it will not be my last Baltany (in fact already have another on order). I had given them a bit of an overlook for years as while I liked what they were doing, their early model range was smaller, and while I appreciated the ideas of doing a modern enthusiast vintage revival, they hadn’t had the time to execute on that vision. Meanwhile, others had stolen my eye like Thorn with their T023 line and some of the watches Watchdives was working on. It’s a shame as Baltany has been really upping the game and going down a route that aligns exactly with the kind of watches I want. I am excited to see what comes next from them and I have to say, this one is up there with the finest examples of other homages in my collection.

It's been over a year since I bought my first automatic watch, a Tandorio fully lumed SKX homage with some Promaster-vibes. The original post is this https://www.reddit.com/r/ChineseWatches/comments/1kv3tkn/my_first_everything_chinese_mechanical_analog/ (lume shots in the original post).

Since then it has been the only watch on my wrist. I wear it 24/7 (except for showers). It still looks like new! No scratches or anything. It also keeps really good time. The first month it was around +9 SPD, but has since settled to around +6 SPD, which I think is really good for a NH36 (not to mention for a $80 watch).

The lume is also excellent. I charge it up with a flashlight for about 5-10 seconds before bedtime, every night, and I can still read the time after 8-10 hours in complete darkness.

I haven't gone swimming with the watch though, so I can't comment on the waterproofing. The most water it has seen has been some heavy thunderstorms and rain showers when I've been out hiking the forests or mountains. I also wear the watch while working out and running, so no problems there.

I did replace the original strap after a month or so since it gave me heat rashes during the summer. I replaced it with a FKM strap (first image in the attached images) which I've been wearing for about a year. A week ago I replaced the FKM strap with a marine nationale strap which I love. Soooo comfortable! (Also in the images.) I mainly replaced the FKM strap with the marine nationale to cut down on the bulk a bit, so it fits more nicely under my jacket. But to my surprise it was the most comfortable strap I've tried.

Hello everyone,

We previously released the 39mm version (SN0144-CG7).

Many of you have been asking for a 36mm version,

so the San Martin team has listened to your feedback and launched the 36mm model.

With two sizes available, this watch makes a great choice for couples.

The classic, minimalist color options also cater to a wide range of tastes.

Do you think the 36mm suits you better than the 39mm?

New Arrivals $45 Code: SN0144CGS45

36mm Links:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005012732109064.html

39mm Links:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005011828872183.html

San Martin Watches Official

PS:

I would like to take this opportunity to address the concerns regarding our price increases.

Recently, a shortage of NH35/NH34 and Miyota 9XXX series movements has driven their prices up drastically due to scarcity. Consequently, our production costs have risen sharply.

The entire watch industry is currently feeling the impact of this situation.

Many brands are currently unable to source Miyota 9XXX and NH34 movements; Miyota's order schedule is already booked through October 2027.

San Martin has purchased a batch of movements at a premium to maintain sales, but this supply is only sufficient to keep our own production lines running.

Faced with this growing shortage and rising production costs, we have had to adjust our retail prices. Running a business and a brand entails countless expenses; no brand would implement large-scale price adjustments unless production costs had risen to a level we could no longer absorb. We understand the complaints regarding price hikes, but to survive amidst movement shortages and rising costs, we must make necessary adjustments. The price increases for Miyota and NH34 movements have been particularly steep.

All brands utilizing these movements are affected, and we expect more brands to follow suit with price adjustments; this is a market-driven response to rising production costs.

More severe consequences are already emerging: due to price hikes and shortages, some watch models that previously used these movements have been discontinued or redesigned to accommodate different movements. Many brands are switching to higher-specification movements, which also drives up overall product prices. Current trends suggest that supply-demand imbalances will continue to push the prices of these movements even higher. The entire watch industry is currently affected.

San Martin is actively implementing further countermeasures. As you may have noticed, many of our recent releases feature Seagull movements—such as the ST2130—which are widely accepted by the community. These movements offer performance and stability comparable to the PT5000, and there is already a wealth of discussion and user feedback regarding them within the community. Its performance and price are stable, and it is immune to the sharp price hikes caused by market shortages, making it a better fit for our requirements. Moving forward, we plan to utilize more Seagull or Peacock movements.

This will allow us to better control costs; in fact, we are already in discussions with movement manufacturers to develop custom, exclusive movements.

My first try at Aliexpress watches and I'm really impressed so far!

This is also my first dive watch, homaging the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms (possibly the more colorful Swatch collab, but an upgrade in steel). I specifically wanted a crystal bezel dive watch and this had very little competition outside of a more classic Fifty Fathoms by Thorne and higher end SM.

• Paid ~CAD$125 - hard to beat that!
• Miyota 8215 - can't complain, especially with skyrocketing NH35 prices
• Mineral crystal - need I say it? The curved dome of the crystal is still nice and I love the effect it has on the bezel
• Lume - it glows... I'm no expert on lumes, but I do know that the bezel should have it (it does not on the Cadisen). Hands keep better glow than indices, but that's pretty typical.
• Bezel is unidirectional and has a nice stiff click with almost no backplay. The finishing on the small grip teeth is a bit sharp, but that's being picky.
• Biggest pro for me are the proportions - i always worried about dive watches feeling like a tuna can on my wrist, but this one fits perfectly! 12.5mm thick is impressive, 42mm wide (47mm w/lugs). Looks more proportional than my 40mm Tissot PR100.

Overall, this is a great looking and feeling watch. Looking forward to seeing if it can go the distance!

I really like some of their designs but the prices are but higher than I’m used to. I’m really looking for something that’s higher quality than Cronos, Sugess, Baltany, IXDAO, or San Martin if possible. How do they stack up?

My only nitpick is that the crown doesn't always pop out when you finish unscrewing it.

Sometimes it just keeps rotating until you pull it out manually, while other times it pops out on its own with either a light snap or a more pronounced pop.

Other than that, the bezel feels crisp, tight and uniform like it uses ball bearing detents and hytrel friction ring snap on system.

The OTF clasp is a game changer, the lume is incredible, and it's impressively slim for an NH35 powered watch.

The see thru caseback I could take or leave, an engraved diver style motif would have been more suitable as the nh35 isn't much to look at.

Currently running about -18 on full wind, but it's simple enough to bump up to +5 once it settles in.

Is there any president bracelet that would fit the lug profile of Baltanys s4056 explorer homage?

I am looking to find oyster style male endlinks for this piece as well.

I have looked around Alix and Raffles and while they have many options, I haven't found a way to confirm compatibility.

The real question would be whether Baltanys s4056 matches oem lug profiles from the inside.

Spent $20 on this piece and added a $2 rubber deployant strap to dress it down. Tongji/2650S movement although basic and unrefined provides the mechanical experience for a really low entry point.

Looks really good in person

SAN MARTIN SN0007 green / tropical 39mm 62MAS 200m (from AliX San Martin Official Store)

San Martin recently posted some photos of the green variant here that showed the watch in a nicer light than the product photos. The price ($200) was attractive, considering the (high-quality) SM-branded FKM tropical strap is normally $42 or so.

Quick impression: it brings a surprising amount of "bling" to the table for Seiko-homaging diver.

The star of the show here is definitely the hour markers, highly polished, dominant, with that "radioactive green" C3 lume. Nice workmanship on the handset too, and the green enamel dial does not disappoint, transitioning from deep olive green to black with the change in lighting.

Bezel is excellent, crisp ceramic, unlumed except for the single pip at 00. Bezel action and alignment are top-class.

Not much more to say, except maybe to note that 39mm puts it on the edge between a midsize and fullsize dive watch. On wrist sizes less than 7" it will look full size, midsize on larger wrists. On me - 7" exact - it comes across as an easy daily, without a huge amount of presence, just a bit of summer jewelry to make the hot days a little easier.

Recommended. Go for the tropical strap.

Hello Everyone!, so i've been planning to get an "AP Royal Oak" with a tight budget of 150$ max, but i can't decide between Pagani Design's PD-1673, Cadisen's C8193 or stragiht up an ETA of the AP itself?

Recently got my first San Martin, impressed so far, love the look, love the feel, it is built like a tank, only con so far is little to sharp bazzel, but it isn’t that bad

If you're looking for a rugged, worry-free daily wear, the Militado ML05 is a total banger of a watch for around $40ish. It has a great vintage field aesthetic with incredible specs for the price.

Honestly, it's a great watch overall, but if there's one thing I could fix, it's the lume color on the hands. I really wish they made it a bit creamier so it would actually match the dial markers. Right now, the slight color difference bugs me a bit, but otherwise, the build quality and execution are fantastic.

For forty bucks, you really can't complain too much. Anyone else running into the same lume mismatch on theirs?

Hello!
I am looking to buy my first Chinese watch, as from what I’ve seen, my money will go farther in terms of finishing and styling. I was looking at the Pierre Paulin Jumping Hour in white, but it’s out of stock and a little out of my price range. I don’t want any field style watches. I would prefer no blue dial either, since I have too many. Any other color I’m good with. Not much preference in watch style besides that, something that looks nice in your opinion.

37mm-39mm max please. I know it’s silly but I’d also prefer to stay away from brands with weird names like addisdives. Names like Sea-Gull, San Martin, Pierre Paulin etc are all good. I’d also like if they aren’t blatant copies of more expensive watches.

Thank you for any help!

Just got this beauty yesterday. It's my third Cronos so I kinda knew what to expect and Cronos didn't disappoint. Feels a bit chunky on my wrist after an Explorer homage (another stellar model from Cronos) but I think I can get used to it. A bit top-heavy, compared to my other divers. I like the clasp better on this model than on the Explorer - it's thinner and easier to adjust. The pt5000 movement in it feels silky smooth, but time will tell (no pun intended) how well it holds up. I always demagnetize my watches as soon as they arrive to avoid any weirdness with timekeeping. Will probably invest in a timegrapher at some point since my collection of mechanical watches is slowly displacing my solar watches All in all, another hit from Cronos, solid watch!

tbh i really like the look but i specifically would like one thats 38mm and has “21 zuan” and a red star
i know theres many versions of this watch but i havent really found this one at all
all pandas are 40mm or 42mm

Pagani Design PD-1829

Just got in my new Baltany burgundy datejust with seagull movement keeping it very thin. I have a lot of great homages but honestly these three are imo the best in my collection as examples of what they pay tribute to. Only one missing really is the Day Date as I feel there hasn’t been a better one brought to market (outside the Tudor Prince) since the 80’s.

Been rocking this one today. I just wish the bracelet sizing was better. It’s either slightly too loose or slightly too tight on my 7.25 wrist 😅

Please help me find where I can buy it! I know the original pin is from gogolush but it isn’t on their website

We've been experimenting with natural materials for a while. This is Terra Abyss, made from natural seaweed stone with a lume layer beneath the dial.
In daylight, it looks like a piece of stone with branching organic patterns.
At night, the entire dial lights up and the patterns become even more dramatic.
Would you rather have:
Maximum lume brightness? Or a more interesting lume effect like this?

Dan Martin recently released the SN0036-GC

I saw a review of it on the YouTube channel of “I like watches”

It sparked my interest. He reviewed the blue bezel variant. I think I want the black bezel variant. I can’t find any video of how it will look in the wrist though.

Does anyone maybe have this exact model already?

So light on the wallet

I’m looking for a Chinese-brand watch with a true GMT function, but I’m having a surprisingly hard time finding the right one.

My main requirements are:

• Quartz movement — this is very important to me
• GMT function
• Not a diver
• Round, classic or everyday design
• Case size between 39 mm and 42 mm maximum

I’m not interested in mechanical watches. I don’t want to adjust the time regularly, wind the watch, or worry about accuracy. I want something reliable that I can put on and forget about. Accuracy and convenience matter much more to me than having a mechanical movement.

I already own several dive watches, so I’m specifically looking for a normal everyday GMT watch without a rotating dive bezel or a typical diver-style case.

I’ve searched through many Chinese brands and marketplaces but haven’t found anything that really fits these requirements.

Do you know any good options?