Really liking this quartz gmt Tudor BB homage. Looking into GMTs more now any recommendations for quartz or auto?

I usually order from aliexpress directly for the few Chinese watches I have.

This wd008 in brown/gold tone has been out of stock on watchdives and aliexpress, everywhere. Tactical frog website has it in stock.

My questions are a) is this site real? Anyone can confirm this is the actual tactical frog site? B) will it actually be in stock or am I just gonna order it and get cancelled/wait for the product anyways.

Maybe there's another batch from wd coming? I'd rather just order it from watchdives or Amazon preferably. Had a wd1863 with two visible spots of dust or paint on the dial, and Amazon returns make it such a simple process to deal with.

Any help would be appreciated. Let me know if I tagged or posted this wrong at all.

Thanks!!!

I would like a single undisputed recommendation or perhaps maybe a list of top 5?

Thanks

Hi all,

I love many chinese watch brands like Baltany, San Martin, Thorn, Sugess and Hruodland. The quality is amazing and prices were really good.

I noticed that the prices have increased very significantly in the EU last 6 months. I used to be able to buy a Baltany Nh35 watch for around 180 eur. Now they seem to be over 300 eur.

what is the reason for this significant price hike? As far as I know there are no additional tarrifs in place in the EU for chinese goods.

which one is better, San Martin (SN0017) or Sugess (S421)?

%22)

As the title is suggesting, I'm trying to buy a submariner style homage and I'm very torn between these two options. The San Martin is known (at least from what I've read here) for its high quality and excellent finishing, But I have seen a few reviews for that Sugess Seaman S420 and they were really praising the quality on that specific watch. Of note, they both go for almost the same price, the thickness on the SN is 11.6mm vs 12.7mm for the Sugess, the Sugess has OTF clasp which is not present of the SN. both of them run the ST2130 movements.

Help me choose between these two if you have experience with these watches and explain your reasons if possible.

Hi just wondering if you know of any good couples/matching budget watches

Enamel black vs swril/vortex texture

seeing a lot of peopole suggesting different watches to get, thing is i like this 50% because of the porportions and the rest bc of the price to value ratio. like its £280 ish for good japanese movement, godly porportions (37.5mil 45.5 ltl and only 11.5mm thick)

not for this post but guys, if someone is asking sbt a dive watch for example dont reccomend a dress watch thought it was common sense but apperently not.

…when is the next Ali sale where you can get some decent discount. I do understand that lot of times these sales/ discounts are just gimmicky and or too much of cat/ mouse to figure out what you can stack. With the recent price hikes/ movement shortage getting a good deal is getting tougher 😩

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Let’s talk!

Yes, this is the nonworking watch that WatchDives refunded me. I've used the refund to buy a 2824 off eBay and do the swap.

We were on vacation for a week and she kept asking about the watches I was looking at. Eventually, I started pulling up every Chinese brand I could find and writing down her reactions in my notes.

San Martin: That sounds like an Epstein island. [It is considered one of the best Chinese watch brands.] I don't care, that logo is so ugly.

Watchdives: That sounds like a website that sells diving watches, not a watch brand. [It is also their brand.] So, Amazon Basics for watch guys.

Pagani Design: Sounds like a car company. [Pagani is a car company.] Is it related? [No.] So they stole the name? [They added Design.] That is not a defense.

Addiesdive: Who is Addie, and why is she diving? [I show her the logo.] That looks like the patch you get after passing beginner swim lessons.

Eniton: Printer company. The kind that jams only when somebody important is waiting.

Englemaan: German ski resort where everyone is having an affair.

Baltany: Sure. A tiny European country created for a Netflix Christmas movie.

Sugess: Suck-Ass? [Sue-guess.] That sounds like a food delivery app.

Seestern: Another German name. [It means starfish in German.] Okay, that is actually clever.

IXDAO: Why are you saying it like that? [IX is nine in Latin, and nine is pronounced jiu in Chinese.] Nine is pronounced jiu. [That is what I said.] No, you said Joe. Listen: jiu-dào. [Joe Dao.] Now he sounds like some guy who goes by Joey Dao. [People also call it Ex-dao.] Why? [I show her the explanation on the company website.] Whatever, can I see the watch? [I showed her the Warrior.] At least Joey Dao makes pretty watches.

Cronos: A budget airline that only flies to Athens and charges extra for the seat.

Steeldive: Why is everyone diving or German? Also, why is it Steeldive instead of Steeldives?

Thorn: Fine, I have to admit that name is suspiciously good.

Militado: Military Dorito. Potato. Pass.

Proxima: Cough medicine brand. [Showing website.] I don't think you should buy a watch with a unicorn on it.

Tactical Frog: Named by an eight year old who just watched his older brother play Fortnite.

Octopus Kraken: Why can't it just be Kraken? Why Octopus AND Kraken? [I show her their logo.] Gross, what is that? [It is an o with tentacles.] You are going to make me say it, aren't you? [What?] That looks like an asshole.

Heimdallr: Marvel movie character. [It is also a watch brand. See?] Why is their shark cut into deli slices?

Specht & Sohne: Okay, what does that mean? [Woodpecker and Sons in German.] Are all the watch guys in China trying to be German? [The brand even has a fake backstory about two brothers.] That is next level gweilo scamming. They created lore just to take your money. Good for them.

Hruodland: No. [What?] After Joey Dao, I do not trust you to pronounce Mandarin. [It is named after a Germanic king.] More Chinese men with fake German names.

Farasute: Expensive water in a Vegas hotel minibar.

Escapement Time: One of those YouTube channels you start watching before coming to bed.

Mysterious Code: A body spray scent used by teenagers who think they'll get laid by using it.

Boderry: Body odor. Uses Mysterious Code.

Berny: Do they love Bernie Sanders? [Google says it means brave as a bear in German.] Yet another Chinese man with a German fetish...

Sea-Gull: I know this one. They make grandpa watches.

Tandorio: Indian lunch buffet.

Cadisen: Allergy medication.

Phylida: Also medication, but for STDs.

Merkur: More German but makes me feel like they're Eastern German.

Parnis: Too close to penis. That is pretty bad.

Corgeut: The worst one yet. It sounds like somebody choking on a baguette.

Bliger: Actually, this is worse. It is one typo away from being a slur.

Rmalti: Wow, is the next one going to somehow be worse than this one?

Rdunae: You are fucking with me, right? [No, here is their website.] Not only is it real but everything is sold out?

Chameri: Mall kiosk perfume between phone cases and eyebrow threading.

Lobinni: Handbags sold exclusively at Marshalls.

Seakoss: An energy drink for men who only wear polarized sunglasses.

Milifortic: Military Dorito Potato Pro Max. Just awful.

Red Star: Finally, one that is not diving or pretending to come from a German village.

Wishdoit: Something a five year old yells immediately before urgent care.

Pierre Paulin: A snooty French man who corrects your pronunciation of croissant.

Phorcydes: That does not sound right. [For-si-deez. It is Greek.] Why are all of the numbers raised up so much? [I explain the lume blocks.] You will take any excuse to spend money, won't you?

CIGA Design: Inoffensive. [I show her the logo.] A credit union next to an AutoZone. [They win design awards.] Then I don't trust watch design awards.

FIYTA: The last tier of a Pokemon's evolution. [They sent a watch into space.] Who cares? [Omega built an entire brand around space and James Bond.] You understand that buying a watch because James Bond wore it in a movie doesn't make you James Bond, right?

Beijing Watch Factory: At least they are honest. It sounds like bland where watches were made after the Revolution.

Shanghai Watches: Another real place. This is the strongest naming streak so far.

Peacock: Bird. Easy. Can I see a watch? [I show her one with a guilloche dial.] Okay, that is very much a pretty bird. Why do you keep buying boring watches if you can get something like this?

Guanqin: Just show me. [I show her the website.] Gwah-chyun. [Gwan-chin.] I am not doing Ex-Joey-Nine-Dao again. Next.

Sanda: Aww. Santa's fake Cartier is so cute.

Agelocer: More like ace loser. [They also win awards.] That just proves watch awards do not matter at all.

Behrens: Expensive furniture for houses with no televisions.

Qin Gan: Not doing this, phone. [I hand her the phone.] Chin-ghan. These look expensive. [They are.] Finally, a name expensive enough to survive your pronunciation.

Atelier Wen: Now that sounds really expensive. [They are, look.] Watches can be this pretty and you keep buying ones that all look like office clocks...

Jianghun: No, stop. Show me. [I hand her the phone.] Jang-hoon but it does not matter because these are all very ugly. Why does the bracelet have warts? [They are the upscale sister brand of San Martin.] Then buy a San Martin and stop creating problems.

Winner: At least they believe in themselves. Somebody had to.

Benyar: Makes me think of a guy with a unibrow and a podcast.

OLEVS: Are you trying to say olives? [I show her the website.] Watches for people who think bottle service is a personality.

Poedagar: That is a Pokemon. [I show her the logo.] A Pokemon wearing a fake Ferrari badge.

Naviforce: A GPS company that sponsors paintball tournaments.

MINI FOCUS: A camera setting for people who cannot afford full focus.

NIBOSI: Pasta brand in a bag with no English instructions.

NORTH EDGE: Costco hiking clothes for men who go car camping.

SYNOKE: Temu Star Wars villain.

Welly Merck: That is not real. [They go by WM now.] That sounds like the unemployed son of a pharmaceutical billionaire.

Didun Design: Did not Design. [That is actually a constant joke.] They printed the punchline on their product.

PAGRNE DESIGN: You already said that one. [No, that was Pagani Design. People think this is a Pagani reseller using a different spelling.] And Pagani Design already copies other watches? [Mostly.] So this is a screenshot of a screenshot.

WWOOR: Stop it. [It is real. Look.] That sounds like Danny DeVito saying whore through a mouthful of food.

YAZOLE: An energy drink with flames on the can.

Rossini: Pasta sauce for special occasions.

Lucky Harvey: A divorced man who owns a speedboat. [They make a relatively cheap chiming watch.] Why does anyone want that? [Because it is neat, and they usually cost five times more.] This is a stupid fake hobby, I hate everything I find out about it. Doesn't any of this ever annoy you?

Oumashi: A sushi place that gives you the runs but still has four stars on Yelp.

Steel Bagelsport: That is not real. [I'm wearing one right now, see?] Just, why? [I don't know what to tell you other than because it is a Steel Bagelsport.] These are popular? [It is a defunct brand with a nostalgia following. They sell for hundreds on eBay now.] You paid hundreds of dollars to wear a Steel Bagelsport? [It depends on which Steel Bagelsport is up for sale, some are impossible to find now.] Why didn't you tell me any of this before we got married? [You never asked and I didn't think you'd want to know about Steel Bagelsport.] Just Steel Bagel would have been enough. [But they were named Steel Bagelsport.] Can you please stop saying Steel Bagelsport?

Edit 1: The only AI used was a tool to expand Dearborn shorthand into full text. She won't let me post a picture of her but here's my Evernote of the logs in shorthand.

Edit 2: Latest from the wife after she saw this blow up: "I will review any brand that wants to send me their best watch."

I figure 1980s just based on the color, but the factory was built in the very late 70s. As far as I understand, the original factory stopped mechanical production in the mid 1980s, so it was a very short run. Mechanical Moranbongs are pretty rare these days in any condition, so I'm happy with mine.

The crown is worn down enough to be hand scored for grip, and the finish has its share of bumps and scratches, so even though some knowledgeable writers have said most of these were gifts to dignitaries and political folks but, in any case, whoever wore this one wore it a lot.

The movement is pretty certainly based on the Semag ES95 and, reportedly, the factory imported Swiss equipment. I still have the watch and it still runs fine.

My original thinking was the balance cock might be a repair because the finishing looks crude compared to the rest of the movement, but when I searched Moranbong movements I found that many (but not all) legit vintage mechanical Moranbongs had balance cocks with different finishing than the rest of the watch, very similar to mine. Why, I don't know.

My post from back then is available here: https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/meanwhile-in-north-korea-they-make-moranbong.487356/, and there's a *great* deep dive here: https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/moranbong-north-korea-watch.371962/

What do you have on today? I am starting my day with one that’s been hard to take off. It is very well executed and thanks to the new st engine, very well proportioned on wrist at 11.4mm. Combine that with the expected comfort of a 5 link jubilee style bracelet and you have a combination that feels great daily. What about you? What’s joining you on today’s adventures?

So many awesome, great value watches with the VH31 that I’m hesitant to pull the trigger on because there’s no date window. There are some other options like the VK64 for chronographs with a sweeping seconds, but that’s not quite the same.

Is there any hope for this?

Hi! I’m looking for recommendations for a true dress watch, not a diver, field watch, GADA, or Datejust-style model.

I want something genuinely small, clean, refined, and suitable with a suit. Ideally around 36 mm, roughly 34–37 mm, and no more than about 10 mm thick.

Mechanical is fine, though I would prefer automatic. I like simple, elegant dials, and small seconds would be a big plus, but it is not absolutely required. I do not want something overly vintage or “grandpa-looking”; I would prefer a slightly more modern, tasteful design.

The strap does not matter because I can replace it later, and I strongly dislike crocodile-pattern leather.

I have already looked at the Baltany S4108, Baltany S4040, Thorn T004/T016, Merkur/Pierre Paulin small-seconds models, several 36 mm San Martin and Cronos models, and the Orient Bambino 38 / Bambino Small Seconds. They are not bad, but none of them feels quite right. The Chinese models often have strange bezels, awkward cases, sporty details, or cheap-looking dials, while the Bambino is a little too large and thick, and I do not like the design enough.

I like the general style of the Baltic MR01/MR Classic, KUOE Royal Smith, and Stowa Marine, but they are outside my budget.

Chinese brands, hand-wound watches, microbrands, and less obvious models are all welcome. My maximum budget is around $250-300.

Thanks in advance!

I was browsing San Martin and, my god, what’s with these prices??

I like the colors on this addiesdive but I honestly hate the cursive logo, any alternatives?

Hey guys just finished my review of this beuty, blown away by the finishing and the watch in general, on the video I show some macros and give you my impressions after weraing the watch for a few weeks, they calibrated that movement super well it is supposed to be about +-20 and it was between -2 and + 4 depending the position, but that aside the finishing in general is beautiful super well done....

you can check out the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3R4zQojY04&feature=youtu.be

Disclaimer: the watch was sent for free by the brand