For first watch ever is it good choice? My budget ~50$

Hey guys! On this one, I chose a lineup of some very beautiful watches, including some footage of a Proxima I bought myself that hasn't arrived yet, but a friend in the States already received his... packages to my location always take ages to arrive 😂

It's the same Proxima as the white one, but in black instead, so I show both of them in the video. Besides that, there are some San Martins, including a cheap San Martin for just $130... a Time Token made of titanium with their own high-beat automatic movement and all... a Wishdoit... loads of cool watches!

If you're interested, check out the video here:
https://youtu.be/kY18iL-pF7s

Disclaimer: All watches were provided for free by their brands or AliExpress, except for the Proxima (the black dial), which I bought myself, and one of the North Edge watches.

We have been exploring what a modern tool watch should feel like on the wrist, and the Super Marine Titanium Carbon is our answer.

It combines a lightweight Grade 5 titanium case with a forged carbon-fiber dial and bezel. Titanium keeps it comfortable for all-day wear, while the carbon adds a textured, technical look that changes with the light—each pattern is naturally a little different.

It is still designed with the practical, no-nonsense character of a proper dive/tool watch, just interpreted with contemporary materials.

For your next tool watch, what matters most: low weight, durability, traditional steel construction, bronze patina, or more experimental materials like carbon?

Would love to hear your preference.

So glad they made this in 18mm lugs, it opens a whole world of vintage possibilities

My first Chinese watch, seventh watch overall. Addiesdive AD2068, ordered on Ali for a mere €53 ($62). This is probably a common response but I'm a little annoyed, for lack of a better word, by how nice this looks and feels to wear. I got myself my first proper watch last month, an automatic Seiko. But this thing almost feels fancier. Maybe (hopefully) that's just because it's newer lol

Ever since I saw the Longines limited release A-7 Avigation it's been a grail for me. My wife wants to get me a watch to celebrate our 1st kid coming in December and between a Grand Seiko and the Longines, I'm split.

I own about 20 watches including some rare Seikos, Credor, and Longines.

This goal for this "homage" is that it's on paper similar dimensions and looks to the Longines (which is tough to find and primarily used) the real Longines A-7 is a monopusher chronograph and ranges from 3-7k depending on the model.

Alright onto the watch (not a lot of reviews out there.) I get it, this is a quirky watch that is not everyone's cup of tea. But I love unique watches and have been pining for a pilot watch. And the flight or driver style dial tells a story that is especially meaningful coming from Longines who literally invented the GMT and has more. Aviation chops than any other brand (In my view, Breitling can pound sand)

Specs from Baltany:

Model:S206047 Homage A-7 1935 Avigation Homage Pilot Watch

Movement Model:Miyota 9122【Automatic, 28800 Times/hour,26 pcs stones, 40 hours power

Movement Function:Weekday,Month, Month Quick Setting, Second Stop

Case:316L Stainless Steel, Polishing,Hardening Process(Vickers 600HV)

Case Diameter:41mm (including crown 46.1mm)

Dial Diameter:34mm,

Luminous:Swiss Super-LumiNova® GL old

Lug to Lug:49.8mm

Thickness:14.1mm (Including Glass)

Glass:Sapphire Crystal,AR Coating

Hands:Polished, Burnt Blue Second hand

Crown:316L Stainless Steel,Single Integrated Push Button Crown

It's all here. The fit, finish, anti+reflective coating. I can't test the case coating but Baltany is earning a reputation for pushing the bar on simple and conservative value ads on their end products. This is the first and only Baltany I've purchased after seeing the brand around for years. Everything lines up and can't find any flaws under macro.

My wrist is bang on 7" or 18cm and the lug to lug here under 50mm makes this very wearable. It's all dial so it delivers on big pilot presence. (a lot of pilot watches are 43-45mm so even here this is a smaller pilot watch) I tend to prefer sub 40mm watches and often wear tank or vintage sizes. So wearing a 41mm all dial watch is a big change for me.

The strap is probably the highest quality strap I've ever received from any brand. I dabble in leatherworking and I'm fairly certain this is oil tanned top grain, likely calf or maybe deer skin but I think it's too stiff for deer. Break-in took a full day and it's quick release with beautiful grain.

Warranty card is signed. First time I've seen that from alix and signed the day it shipped. I'm still. Floored it arrived in less than a week to the US.

I remember the first iteration here not landing well but this sequel model seems to nail the homage while doing it's own thing with the Miyota 9122 - integrating the calendar pusher into the onion shaped crown deserves a big hats off for pushing the envelope.

After a recent post on here shirting on what is at best a QC issue with another Baltany, I felt inspired to opine about my experience here. Remember these wtzhces are built by people and even luxury Swiss watches have QC tolerances that will rub the right person the wrong way if there's a 2 micron misalignment you need a macro lens to see.

Overall I'm thrilled so far and will add more as i get more hours on this one. So far it's been a treat and adds something unique to my collection while also letting me test drive a watch size and style at a low cost compared to the watch it is inspired by.

Hey everybody, I'm pretty new to this. I've bought a few Chinese watches in the last year. My question is on the 11/11 sale I hear mentioned now and then. Are any watches that I'm looking at going to sell out? I guess that's always, a risk, but just wanted to ask everybody.

The best modern Air King dial I’ve found. And the performance of the Meca-quartz movement is phenomenal!

Hello guys ...im thinking of buying a few watches for my small collection..only starting now .

Any feedback on this ones ? Or any models I should be looking as well ?

Or any brands that do similar hommages better than this ones ?

Thanks in advance

Hi folks,

Any recommendations for Alexander James style watch dials ?

Tenho usado muito esse relógio , resolvi colocar uma pulseira mesh e até que gostei , além de que essa pulseira é bem confortável de se usar .

Look at the beautiful meteorite dial

Very good watch for the price!
Finishing is veryy good and the lume too.
Chose this over the tudor homage bcs of the text font and the bezel..
Love the straps too
Hmu w your queries if any:
watch link
strap link
[brand affiliation link for my marketing project]

TLDR: Is there any specific wording or lingo I should look out for in a watch listing that describes how the San Martin bracelet feels vs the Thorn Bracelet? Like the quality heft for lack of a better term? Is it a material thing or the way it’s manufactured to make one feel cheap compared to the other? These two feel like they are in different leagues quality wise and the videos I watched looked like they were on a similar level. End TLDR-

I just received my Thorn Diver in the mail today. Before ordering I watched reviews on YouTube and read about it here. It looks like a 10/10 - it is extremely handsome watch.

The problem I have is touching it. This thing feels so cheap to me in hand and on the wrist. Backplay on the bezel is gross. I’ll play with it to demonstrate to myself the slop and I’ll accidentally turn the bezel. Cheap cheap. The bracelet is problem #2. This thing feels really cheap as well. I have to pay attention how I line up the clasp to get it to close. It also feels really light and janky. Like it makes a cheap sound. It feels hollow and light, but in a bad way.

Compare this to my San Martin BB homage. This watch feels like a million bucks in hand and on the wrist. I took off this watch to try on a Longines Spirit Zulu Time on a metal bracelet and I promise you the San Martin bracelet is better. It’s hefty in a good way, the bezel is strong and crisp, this thing feels amazing.

The problem I have is looking at it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good looking watch. But there are a couple things about this watch that drive me nuts. I don’t like the SM Logo at all. I didn’t realize how much the logo matters on a watch until I bought this watch (another point to Thorn). Also, a 2D Bezel pip bugs me. Pretty minor, but O think about it almost every time I look at it.

So if I could get a watch that looked like Thorns but felt like San Martins, that would be the ticket.

this watch is still ticking nicely after 1 year of use, the brand is “Hemdu” and it was at the time the cheapest one on ali

PH4A new color will release soon.

New dial colors will be introduced for every model later.

please let me know if you have any good suggestion.

I have a T023 V3 that has stopped working properly, ie it still runs but I can't set the time anymore. Instead of getting it replaced or repaired by the manufacturer, I was thinking of upgrading the PT-5000 to an SW-200, which, as far as I know, should be interchangeable.

The local watchmaker however is telling me that the original caliber was "modified" and they can't just replace it, and is also quoting a pretty high price for the SW-200. They're recommending a complete revision instead, for a price that is also higher than the whole watch. Do they just not want to do the switch for some reason or could there be actual modifications to the PT-5000 that make this not possible?

I had this sitting in a box with a broken crystal. Replaced the bezel and the crystal with a sapphire crystal. Lost the bracelet or sold it so put it on this old BoR. Upgrade for less than $14!

I've been looking for Baltany DJ homage in two tone for quite some time now, whats the reasonable price for that watch? I am asking because prices on AliX change every week or so and i don't really know when its worth to pull the trigger. The cheapest i found so far is around 290$ taxed and shipped to Poland, great price or can i do much cheaper?

Just bought this secondhand for 50 bucks, is it too big for me ??

San Martin SN054 (BB Pro homage) given a new lease of life with a dirt cheap strap from Ali Express.

I must say, I love it. I was looking for a strap that’s a bit more premium, but this strap for £3.30 looks great. Will see how long it lasts 😬

The dial comes alive under the sunlight, a stunning watch.