Holy shit, I was just looking at this watch on Ali and then searching for reviews and boom! My favorite reviewer dropped a video two minutes ago... I think the universe is telling me something 😅
@entropicallydriven haha exactly, it's in the cart and ready to go. I'm only debating between the nh35 and the seagull version. I literally went from aliexpress to the UA-cam search bar, and bam jody shows up 🤣
This is a fabulous watch, fabulous. I got it for 177 including tax. I chose the black and gold/gilt version, I normally don't like gold but it is exceptional. It's a no brainer for the price. I prefer V1 and not the newer V2, the size of the crown on V1 is fine to me.
You won’t be disappointed. I was new to AliExpress watches and picked this up and was gobsmacked when I received it. I’d take one of these over a £400-£500 seiko ANYDAY!!
To be fair, the Glashutte takes a big haircut right off the top and is one of the many watches you should never pay retail for. It goes for around $8k on chrono, but that’s still way more than most could pay.
Yes, If I were to buy another G.O., it would have to be second hand. My first and only G.O. is an 18Kt Senator with date, power reserve, and moon dial. Today, I could buy the same watch (mint, box, papers) for about $2K less than new. That being said, I did not buy it as an investment to buy/sell. Rather, because it's a lifetime watch that had exactly the look, specs, quality, and dimensions that I desired. The backstory of G.O., and its rise like a phoenix post Cold War, is also something that drew me to that watch. The workmanship at this price point is also something that made the G.O. a compelling purchase for me, at the time. The gold accents within the exhibition back are truly captivating.
@@jb678901 if it’s only down $2k that’s not bad at all for most luxury watch brands. Still a nice watch. I like the brand and I buy watches for me, not to flip, but I’d still rather let someone else take the initial haircut so I can retain more of the value I paid for it
Every time I review a Seestern I love it! Seestern have also just released a Nomos homage. Looks incredible, would like to see your opinion of it, Jody
The SeaQ is itself a carbon copy of an old "Le Forban" french skindiver watch that came out in 1969, you can look it up. Originality depends on the obscurity of your sources, as they say ;)
Well said. I didn’t know this, but I learned from another channel how half a dozen brands all used the exact same design during the 60’s and 70’s so as far as I’m concerned the GO and the Seestern are both reissues. One’s a bit more affordable though. 😅
Actually, the SeaQ takes its design cues from a dive watch made by G.O.'s East German predecessor, GUB. However, GUB borrowed the design from a French Navy watch... Le Forban Securite Mer. Bottom line, both the Seestern S435 AND the G.O. SeaQ are technically, a homage.
Damn… I’m never gonna save up for that Omega Seamaster professional…. I’m stuck halfway there… And now I’m going to be $200 less than halfway there.! Thanks Jody!
I bought a Panorama Date SeaQ last year for my first major luxury watch purchase. Wanted a sub but my local Rolex AD jerked me around with a estimated 6 month wait. Went down the road to my Glashutte AD and picked up a green dial SeaQ. I haven't been disappointed.
Great watch. I liked the G.O. history and bought a Senator (39-44-03-11-04) back in 2008. The movement is a work of art. Although I bought a Rolex sub 16613 in 1998, that SeaQ caught my eye a few years ago. I happen to prefer it over the sub...it's delivering similar quality at a slightly lower price point, is more accessible to purchase, and I like the distinctive and less ubiquitous design. However, one G.O. is enough for me...hence I went with the S435.
Would've bought this Seestern homage as I really like the design, especially in that blue colour varient. But the last time I bought a Seestern (62MAS), the QC was dreadful. The bezel was misaligned, and when unscrewing the crown, it would pop out in such a way that the date would change as you were unscrewing it 😅 When I left a poor review on their website, they just deleted my review.
This is the far best of Ali watches in 2023! Best 200$ watch to get, it is literally destroys the Seiko and Citizen entry-mid range specs wise. I have S434 and S435 and strongly recommend S435.
I own it (S435) and would have to agree...except for a serious challenge to that crown by another Seestern, the S446 (GMT homage to Grand Seiko SBGM221). I have the full stainless steel blue dial/blue bezel variant of the S435 and the black dial variant of the S446. Between the two...it's a tough decision as to which is the better buy/better watch. Notably, the S435 has the SeaGull ST2130 while the S446 GMT has the S.I. NH34. I could not decide...so I bought both.
Glashütte are made about an hour up the road from where I live in Germany. Might as well be on mars though in terms of price. Im a fan but this particular model wasnt really on my radar. Great looker though and an absolute corker of a GADA from Seestern 🔥🔥🔥
My first time in the town of Glashutte was unplanned. This was about 20 years ago, before Google maps and smartphones were a thing. I had been driving the autobahn long distance from CH and figured I could look for petrol when the tank was at 1/4 full. However, the autobahn in that area seemed to have no places to get off and get gas...so I got very nervous...as it was nearing 23h00 on a cold winter's night and the wife and kids were asleep in the car. I decided to exit on what appeared to be a truck departure point and HOPED to find a petrol station. I drove...and drove...and watched the fuel level drop to the last stop on the gage. At some point, I realized I was in the town of Glashutte. I began to visualize which front door I would approach to seek refuge if the car stopped running. It was then, like an oasis, that I stumbled upon a small mom & pop gas station on a side road just on the edge of that town. The lady was closing and I was her last customer of the day. She must've thought I was nuts...I nearly hugged her.
$15k for a watch? No thank you. I’ll stick with my sub $600 price point for all my watch purchases. Thanks, Jody and Happy New Year to you, Mrs. JOMW and your little precious boy. 🎉
1. You don't buy a GO new from an AD (and if you do you get a significant discount). You buy GO grey, usually for 40-50% off. 2. The value in the GO is in the movement. GO make almost everything themselves - they train their own watchmakers and even make their own tools. It's a haute horology diver. Although one could argue it's frankly wasted on the SeaQ as it has a closed case back.
@@thefallenangel01 MSRP is $12.4K. Can find them for $7-8K pretty easily (maybe even less if you look really hard). Look at C24. GO for whatever reason doesn't hold retail value, but can be a steal on the secondary market.
tbh I'm completely jaded by all the "in-house" nature of watches. I understand that there is craftsmanship to be had here, but I'd rather see the quality I'm paying for on wrist than not seeing it. I'd be happy to pay for an El Primero, Perpetual Calendar movements, Spring drives, those are the type of movements I'm willing to pay for because I can actually see it on my wrist. Off the shelf 3rd party movements are already great enough to make your watches tick reliably for a long time, not to mention the non-hassle of having them serviced. I can just go to a local watchmaker maybe with a Miyota or a Sellita and they'd do as well of a job as sending it out to Europe, paying an exorbitant amount of money just to keep it ticking reliably. It's just non-sensical marketing for some watch brands sadly, and imo, people need to understand and need to learn that 3rd party movements are just as good, if not better in the long run.
@thefallenangel01 you won't find them. This is a common and typical exaggeration that never pans out in reality. Like 99% of luxury watches, a 25-30% depreciation on the secondary is the more realistic range.
@@ErikL727 Indeed, very common on youtube and we have yet to see a source. I will be gladly contradicted on this. Unless you buy it stolen from a drug dealer, then you can have a Rolex for half the retail price, they sell those to each others like that because they want the bling, but it's not their source of income so they don't care so much about the price, and don't want the attention from a reported serial number. And I bet half of them are fake anyway.
Sometimes, when you own the "real" thing, a very nice homage watch can be a perfect substitute for times where the expensive watch is better left in a secure place. I do not take my Rolex 16613 on business travel and I typically avoid wearing it around town. I value my arm more than any watch. Frankly, one can own a small collection of really nice watches (4~5) from San Martin, Cronos, Thorn, Steeldive...for the price of 1 Rolex maintenance bill.
Well, Glashütte is far better watch than Sub. Also I have already mentioned it but once again: this design was pretty standard for dive watches in the 60' so it's not a copy of Glashütte. For sub 200 USD watch with NH35, this has no competition.
I live near Düsseldorf, Germany, where there are two Glashütte Original ADs within 200 yards of each other. I compared my black Seestern S435 with the GOs on display in the shop windows and it's scary how close the Seestern comes to the GO. The GO's bezel is shiny as well BTW, and it's only the crown and the datewheel that are visibly different, but you'd really have to look very closely to spot that.
Agreed. I own the blue dial S.S. version of the S435 and can attest to the accuracy of this homage. However, I would argue as to the origin of the design, as it seems to closely follow classic divers from the 1960's, like the "Le Forban Securite Mer". It seems that G.O.'s East German predecessor, GUB, came out with a similar design to the French diver...and the G.O.Sea Q follows the tradition of the GUB diver. Therefore, the SeaQ is also a homage, IMHO. I am very impressed with the fit/finish/quality of this S435. It's exceptional and a steal at the $200 price point. The ST2130 is, of course, an inferior movement to the SeaQ's world class/in-house movement. However, unlike the G.O. Senator that I've owned since 2008, the SeaQ does not have an exhibition caseback...so the beauty of that decorated movement cannot be fully appreciated. However, when it comes to maintenance costs...here, the ST2130 wins, hands down. Frankly, I hold the reliability of the SeaGull ST2130 right up there with the SW200 and ETA 2824-2. It's a good high beat rate movement.
@@jb678901Wow that Le Forban Securite Mer is a great discovery, thank you! On how close the Seestern and the original GO are... on the looks yea, but in what we "can't" see on the surface the GO is above and beyond by light years of the Seestern... Teddy Baldasarre was in the factory (very cool video) and the amount of work, hand-made work that goes into this pieces is truly insane. Not just talking about decorations, these guys even make their own tools for their own screws, absolutely everything and I mean everything is made in-house with epic quality control. Not saying the SeeStern is a bad watch, not at all, I probably will get it, but facts are facts.
Alright, you talked me into it. My wife's going to be thrilled to hear how much I saved today! I only saved $14,970 though, as I went for the S435 version with the high beat movement.
I'm not in the market and just about zero chance I'll buy one but I've got to say, that's a darn good-looking watch! A bit more 'fieldy' vs a pure dive watch look which suites me just fine. Great size. I would prefer a bit more of a satin/matte look overall but yeah... not bad.
Some may claim this S435 is a homage of the Glashutte Sea Q. Not quite. The Glashutte Original SeaQ is arguably a homage of the "Le Forban Securite Mer" that had been originally introduced in 1966 for the French Navy, a few years prior to the vintage East German (GDR) produced Glashutte (GUB) diver from that era. Clearly, the SeaQ takes its CUE from the GUB diver...which was a "commie copy" at the time. Therefore, the SeaQ is also, technically, a homage...and the Seestern S434/435 is either a homage or a homage of a homage. This leaves us all with a choice, picking the exclusive and expensive homage with a world-class in-house movement (hidden by a diver's caseback), with future maintenance by G.O. that will run ~$1500...OR... a high quality homage at a very low price, with a cloned but highly reliable high beat movement that can be cost effectively replaced for well under $80, rather than maintained. Choices.
I got this S435 and it runs great and look great, so feel like I made the right choice, would be ages untill I'd be comfortable to spend that kind of money for the Glashutte, and if I did, I probably wouldn't want to wear it as much anyways.
Not only is the Seestern a stellar value, the exact design was used by numerous brands (Helbros, Herma, Andre Bouchard, Arnex, amongst others) in the 60’s and 70’s. Thanks as always Sir!
Seestern is in general better than SM, but they fail here at something they've been failing lately, which is the clasp. Using the same generic off the shelf clasp as SM and others, instead of sticking to what they did best, great bracelets. That gap between the clasp and the bracelet doesn't exist in Glashutte.
2:00 1. Rolex should not be your price benchmark (10k for a 3-hand-diver? C'mon^^) 2. If you ever should be able to hold/try on/examine a Glashütte Original a bit further, i. e. in persona, you will be able to understand :) But be sure to look at one with an open case back. The fronts are already nice, but the back of the watch is where the party is starting. The normal SeaQ does not have an open case back, but the PanoDate version has one, for example. Or rather take a Panomatic Lunar to look at. (and from there, at the latest, you will never Rolex as benchmark for anything again, trust me) P.S.: I know that we are talkin about 15k for a threehander here as well, BUT this one does play leagues above Rolex in every respect. These are the "grail watch" kind.
It doesn’t help that the real deal is drastically overpriced (even for luxury). No way it should be more than a Sub. Should be between a Seamaster and a Sub imo
I cannot imagine what is worth $15k on a Glasschutte. No cache. Stainless steel. Mechanical movement. But this Seastern is definitely worth $300. And Jody, at least Patrick is on the buckle, not the watch face.
I’m with you and will go further and say the entire GER watch industry (except Junghans - they have reasonably priced watches). Love the Sinn U50 - but it’s about 25% too high. Nomos - even more. In house movements only go so far.
10:11 jesus, how can you review watches for this long and not know the spring on dive watch crowns is in the crown and not in the movement? Sigh. Noobs everywhere.
i fear another purchase! my berny titanium, bell & ross (square red dial), megir drum barrel are on the way! really like my timex vintage seamaster and timex limited edition Q (blue dial manual wind) from worn add wound. also just got a D1 MILANO quartz command (force) in gun metal
I absolutely love mine. I have the blue and gilt dial. I took it off the bracelet and put it on blue FKM rubber. But I've always been a fan of the SeaQ over the Rolex or Omega.
Just incredible value for money! It’s got it all…nearly. What would have made it perfect for me, is if it had incorporated a metal frame around that date window. But that’s it, very nice indeed 👍
Nice review. No half links though. So you're gonna need that on-the-fly to get a good fit. And then there is a good chance youre gonna be at one of outer edges with a good fit. Then on a cold or hot day you won't have any room to move. San Martin have this issue too. Large links, no half links and small range for adjust isn't really that useful after all. Need a half link to make it so much better.
@@marksaxby607 thanks for the comment. It does not address my specific issue, and how the functionality can be increased so much by including a half link, but anyway. I'm pleased that it works for you. AliX is great
I have had the blue version with gold details for six months. On the NH35 mechanism, at the time there was no alternative, more expensive version. One of the nicest watches from China that I have. It cost me just over $190 with taxes, in November the price was even lower. Recommended.
Just watched Teddy's recent video on the Glashutte. The design doesn't appeal to me at all. The movement however is a bit special but not sure if it's £12k special.🤔
Good looking homage but I’d go with the NH35. No one knows what movement it’s running & as it’s a Chinese homage, the NH35 is more than adequate & a known workhorse. Each to their own but I’d save the extra bucks. Still the specs on these are really good!👍🏼
I have this Seestern watch for some time. But if that is a german name the pronunciation should be see-sh-tern ? The sea star is such a great name for a watch. Chinese people are fond of the word star. If you will make diver watches the Sea Star brand is a perfect pick.
I have the black version with the NH movement. Great size, very comfortable to wear. The bezel action is great. I think the bezel action is bit underrated here. It feels fine, but the back play is surprisingly satisfying. I wouldn't say it's a back play, but more of a spring action, which puts it back into perfect alignment. At least with my watch. For the price, it's a great beater.
The Seagull movement I got in this watch is a lot more accurate and better decorated than my automatic Tissot, Seiko and Miyota movements, so I am definetly NOT complaining.
Just got mine today! It's gorgeous and I noticed that it has a much nicer quick adjust mechanism on it than the old one they were using which appears in the video. What a deal for $200!
Well done Glashütte original, that's a good looking watch. The Seestern is also, and affordable with the Seagull inside it will be a good watch. I could live with the starfish where it is, it's the dial side of a watch that's seen most.
Its always interesting when people bring movement into the equation for a simple 3 hander with date. Have not figured out why anyone cares. Annual / perpetual calendar with an open case back - yeah love to see the superior movement. A diver with less accuracy than a Casio - I'll focus on the actual finishing and looks.
Thanks, Jodie. This looks like an excellent value for money watch. The dial is really nice, a lovely colour, although I wish manufacturers would stop including the depth rating text. Worth a look though :). Cheers!
Love the shirt! I also like the GO SeaQ, but I am with you that it’s tough to see the value proposition in a watch like that. Maybe we’re ignoramuses together, who knows. For a couple of hundred bucks, Seestern did a nice job with this homage, it looks really sharp. But yeah, the starfish logo. Yep.
I love the look of this Seastern, Ali Express just keep putting out great value watches. Got myself a Baltany recently, haven't looked back, might have to get myself an New Year's present.
The Glashute is way better than an Omega. They handmake them in Germany, make most of their parts as well. No comparison. Unlike Omega and Rolex, that is worth the money. However, this is more accessible. And looks good. I am bored of Rolex "homaages". Nice to see variety.
Ordered mine yesterday, was a 20 usd discount coupon for it. First chinese watch I've pulled the trigger on, unless counting seikos. First chinese microbrand at least.
I had the black dial with gold accents & loved it. Incredibly well made, with a gorgeous applied numeral dial that has such a thick 3 dimensional appearance. I ended up gifting it to my brother because it wears small on my 7-1/2" wrist. I still consider it my best value for money Ali Express purchase ($160 on sale with NH 35 mvmnt). Definitely recommend!
Do you also check the alignment of the hour/minute hands, at 3/6/9 o' clock, and when exactly does the date change over, e.g. how close to midnight? Would be interesting to know if certain brands are better or worse than others.
The extra springy crown may have been an answer to the problem that isn't mentioned much. On some otherwise excellent homages the spring in the crown/stem assembly doesn't have enough strength to fully reset the mechanism that allows you to change the date and time. You may have seen the hands moving as you tighten the crown or even the date wheel clicking around on faulty examples. Sometimes the stem is not the correct length, but stronger springs are the way to go.
These Chinese microbrands are quickly becoming really impressive, whether original or homage. $200 for this?? It makes me want to start a UA-cam channel just to justify buying them all, because how do you choose anymore??
Other than a Daytona, I'd rather own just about any Glashutte instead of a Rolex. Their catalog is gorgeous and their movements are stunning. Rolex hides a good deal of their movements.
I just wish Seestern would do something about the font or the branding, it just looks off, I don't know, makes it look generic, I know it's an 'homage' but regardless.
Non può esserci nessuno svantaggio quando ci sono 15500 $ di differenza. Francamente è così discreto che sia bello di suo e neanche mi fa pensare all' originale. Ho iniziato ad indossare i 39mm ma, resto dell' avviso che gli orologi con ghiera debbano essere 41 mm di diametro.
Lack of any real interest? Come on Jody! Glashütte is the german Mekka of watchmaking and they're all there: A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte Original, Nomos, Nautische Instrumente Glashütte. The place was run down during the era of the German Democratic Republik but today they're making fantastic watches. By the time Ali has the next sale going on, that Seestern will hopefully have the right crown...
I don't see the point in spending more than US$100 for a watch. There is not much that a cheap watch can't do just as well as a more expensive one. In fact, my awesome 3-watch collection cost less than US$100 in total.
Holy shit, I was just looking at this watch on Ali and then searching for reviews and boom! My favorite reviewer dropped a video two minutes ago... I think the universe is telling me something 😅
Congrats on the new watch then 😂
@entropicallydriven haha exactly, it's in the cart and ready to go. I'm only debating between the nh35 and the seagull version.
I literally went from aliexpress to the UA-cam search bar, and bam jody shows up 🤣
This is a fabulous watch, fabulous. I got it for 177 including tax. I chose the black and gold/gilt version, I normally don't like gold but it is exceptional. It's a no brainer for the price. I prefer V1 and not the newer V2, the size of the crown on V1 is fine to me.
You won’t be disappointed. I was new to AliExpress watches and picked this up and was gobsmacked when I received it. I’d take one of these over a £400-£500 seiko ANYDAY!!
Jodi has sold me several watches.
To be fair, the Glashutte takes a big haircut right off the top and is one of the many watches you should never pay retail for. It goes for around $8k on chrono, but that’s still way more than most could pay.
Yes, If I were to buy another G.O., it would have to be second hand. My first and only G.O. is an 18Kt Senator with date, power reserve, and moon dial. Today, I could buy the same watch (mint, box, papers) for about $2K less than new. That being said, I did not buy it as an investment to buy/sell. Rather, because it's a lifetime watch that had exactly the look, specs, quality, and dimensions that I desired. The backstory of G.O., and its rise like a phoenix post Cold War, is also something that drew me to that watch. The workmanship at this price point is also something that made the G.O. a compelling purchase for me, at the time. The gold accents within the exhibition back are truly captivating.
@@jb678901 if it’s only down $2k that’s not bad at all for most luxury watch brands. Still a nice watch. I like the brand and I buy watches for me, not to flip, but I’d still rather let someone else take the initial haircut so I can retain more of the value I paid for it
Got mine for $6500, and for that price? No brainer
@@Sasquatchi that’s a great price. Well worth it.
@@Christopherjoe I thought so! And if I’m being honest, the SeaQ is my favorite watch in a crowded collection
Every time I review a Seestern I love it! Seestern have also just released a Nomos homage. Looks incredible, would like to see your opinion of it, Jody
A nice watch indeed, except for the "original" on the dial in italics, which is anathema to everything Nomos stands for
The SeaQ is itself a carbon copy of an old "Le Forban" french skindiver watch that came out in 1969, you can look it up.
Originality depends on the obscurity of your sources, as they say ;)
Well said.
I didn’t know this, but I learned from another channel how half a dozen brands all used the exact same design during the 60’s and 70’s so as far as I’m concerned the GO and the Seestern are both reissues. One’s a bit more affordable though. 😅
@@adk7962 Exactly. Another proud S435 owner...just arrived in the mail today. What a watch! Really happy with this one!
Actually, the SeaQ takes its design cues from a dive watch made by G.O.'s East German predecessor, GUB. However, GUB borrowed the design from a French Navy watch... Le Forban Securite Mer. Bottom line, both the Seestern S435 AND the G.O. SeaQ are technically, a homage.
I must admit this is a quite convincing package for the price.
Damn… I’m never gonna save up for that Omega Seamaster professional…. I’m stuck halfway there… And now I’m going to be $200 less than halfway there.! Thanks Jody!
I bought a Panorama Date SeaQ last year for my first major luxury watch purchase. Wanted a sub but my local Rolex AD jerked me around with a estimated 6 month wait. Went down the road to my Glashutte AD and picked up a green dial SeaQ. I haven't been disappointed.
Lovely watch. Sadly, too large for me.
Great watch. I liked the G.O. history and bought a Senator (39-44-03-11-04) back in 2008. The movement is a work of art. Although I bought a Rolex sub 16613 in 1998, that SeaQ caught my eye a few years ago. I happen to prefer it over the sub...it's delivering similar quality at a slightly lower price point, is more accessible to purchase, and I like the distinctive and less ubiquitous design.
However, one G.O. is enough for me...hence I went with the S435.
Would've bought this Seestern homage as I really like the design, especially in that blue colour varient.
But the last time I bought a Seestern (62MAS), the QC was dreadful.
The bezel was misaligned, and when unscrewing the crown, it would pop out in such a way that the date would change as you were unscrewing it 😅
When I left a poor review on their website, they just deleted my review.
I just bought one of these and it's remarkably good. Maybe time to give them another chance? I appreciate it's hard though
This is the far best of Ali watches in 2023! Best 200$ watch to get, it is literally destroys the Seiko and Citizen entry-mid range specs wise. I have S434 and S435 and strongly recommend S435.
I own it (S435) and would have to agree...except for a serious challenge to that crown by another Seestern, the S446 (GMT homage to Grand Seiko SBGM221). I have the full stainless steel blue dial/blue bezel variant of the S435 and the black dial variant of the S446. Between the two...it's a tough decision as to which is the better buy/better watch. Notably, the S435 has the SeaGull ST2130 while the S446 GMT has the S.I. NH34. I could not decide...so I bought both.
Nice find. Incredible value for price. That blue dial is gorgeous. I’ll take that logo on the clasp instead of the dial all day every day.
Glashütte are made about an hour up the road from where I live in Germany. Might as well be on mars though in terms of price.
Im a fan but this particular model wasnt really on my radar. Great looker though and an absolute corker of a GADA from Seestern 🔥🔥🔥
My first time in the town of Glashutte was unplanned. This was about 20 years ago, before Google maps and smartphones were a thing. I had been driving the autobahn long distance from CH and figured I could look for petrol when the tank was at 1/4 full. However, the autobahn in that area seemed to have no places to get off and get gas...so I got very nervous...as it was nearing 23h00 on a cold winter's night and the wife and kids were asleep in the car. I decided to exit on what appeared to be a truck departure point and HOPED to find a petrol station. I drove...and drove...and watched the fuel level drop to the last stop on the gage. At some point, I realized I was in the town of Glashutte. I began to visualize which front door I would approach to seek refuge if the car stopped running. It was then, like an oasis, that I stumbled upon a small mom & pop gas station on a side road just on the edge of that town. The lady was closing and I was her last customer of the day. She must've thought I was nuts...I nearly hugged her.
The Glashute SeaQ is my favorite and is better than a submariner imo
$15k for a watch? No thank you. I’ll stick with my sub $600 price point for all my watch purchases. Thanks, Jody and Happy New Year to you, Mrs. JOMW and your little precious boy. 🎉
Good idea (mine is sub $300 price point)
1. You don't buy a GO new from an AD (and if you do you get a significant discount). You buy GO grey, usually for 40-50% off.
2. The value in the GO is in the movement. GO make almost everything themselves - they train their own watchmakers and even make their own tools. It's a haute horology diver. Although one could argue it's frankly wasted on the SeaQ as it has a closed case back.
What Glashutte are you getting for 40-50% off? And where??
@@thefallenangel01 MSRP is $12.4K. Can find them for $7-8K pretty easily (maybe even less if you look really hard). Look at C24. GO for whatever reason doesn't hold retail value, but can be a steal on the secondary market.
tbh I'm completely jaded by all the "in-house" nature of watches. I understand that there is craftsmanship to be had here, but I'd rather see the quality I'm paying for on wrist than not seeing it. I'd be happy to pay for an El Primero, Perpetual Calendar movements, Spring drives, those are the type of movements I'm willing to pay for because I can actually see it on my wrist. Off the shelf 3rd party movements are already great enough to make your watches tick reliably for a long time, not to mention the non-hassle of having them serviced. I can just go to a local watchmaker maybe with a Miyota or a Sellita and they'd do as well of a job as sending it out to Europe, paying an exorbitant amount of money just to keep it ticking reliably. It's just non-sensical marketing for some watch brands sadly, and imo, people need to understand and need to learn that 3rd party movements are just as good, if not better in the long run.
@thefallenangel01 you won't find them. This is a common and typical exaggeration that never pans out in reality. Like 99% of luxury watches, a 25-30% depreciation on the secondary is the more realistic range.
@@ErikL727 Indeed, very common on youtube and we have yet to see a source. I will be gladly contradicted on this.
Unless you buy it stolen from a drug dealer, then you can have a Rolex for half the retail price, they sell those to each others like that because they want the bling, but it's not their source of income so they don't care so much about the price, and don't want the attention from a reported serial number. And I bet half of them are fake anyway.
Watches like these provide for “proof of concept” meaning you buy these and make a determination whether you want to spend for the real thing.
Sometimes, when you own the "real" thing, a very nice homage watch can be a perfect substitute for times where the expensive watch is better left in a secure place. I do not take my Rolex 16613 on business travel and I typically avoid wearing it around town. I value my arm more than any watch.
Frankly, one can own a small collection of really nice watches (4~5) from San Martin, Cronos, Thorn, Steeldive...for the price of 1 Rolex maintenance bill.
Well, Glashütte is far better watch than Sub. Also I have already mentioned it but once again: this design was pretty standard for dive watches in the 60' so it's not a copy of Glashütte. For sub 200 USD watch with NH35, this has no competition.
Got the black NH version. Absolutely love it. Great quality and runs within 5s/day.
I bought that SeaQ for $7000 US last year. A lot more than $300 but….
I live near Düsseldorf, Germany, where there are two Glashütte Original ADs within 200 yards of each other. I compared my black Seestern S435 with the GOs on display in the shop windows and it's scary how close the Seestern comes to the GO. The GO's bezel is shiny as well BTW, and it's only the crown and the datewheel that are visibly different, but you'd really have to look very closely to spot that.
Agreed. I own the blue dial S.S. version of the S435 and can attest to the accuracy of this homage. However, I would argue as to the origin of the design, as it seems to closely follow classic divers from the 1960's, like the "Le Forban Securite Mer". It seems that G.O.'s East German predecessor, GUB, came out with a similar design to the French diver...and the G.O.Sea Q follows the tradition of the GUB diver. Therefore, the SeaQ is also a homage, IMHO.
I am very impressed with the fit/finish/quality of this S435. It's exceptional and a steal at the $200 price point.
The ST2130 is, of course, an inferior movement to the SeaQ's world class/in-house movement. However, unlike the G.O. Senator that I've owned since 2008, the SeaQ does not have an exhibition caseback...so the beauty of that decorated movement cannot be fully appreciated.
However, when it comes to maintenance costs...here, the ST2130 wins, hands down. Frankly, I hold the reliability of the SeaGull ST2130 right up there with the SW200 and ETA 2824-2. It's a good high beat rate movement.
@@jb678901Wow that Le Forban Securite Mer is a great discovery, thank you!
On how close the Seestern and the original GO are... on the looks yea, but in what we "can't" see on the surface the GO is above and beyond by light years of the Seestern... Teddy Baldasarre was in the factory (very cool video) and the amount of work, hand-made work that goes into this pieces is truly insane. Not just talking about decorations, these guys even make their own tools for their own screws, absolutely everything and I mean everything is made in-house with epic quality control. Not saying the SeeStern is a bad watch, not at all, I probably will get it, but facts are facts.
The beat rate of my right wrist is immeasurable.
Alright, you talked me into it. My wife's going to be thrilled to hear how much I saved today! I only saved $14,970 though, as I went for the S435 version with the high beat movement.
I'm not in the market and just about zero chance I'll buy one but I've got to say, that's a darn good-looking watch! A bit more 'fieldy' vs a pure dive watch look which suites me just fine. Great size. I would prefer a bit more of a satin/matte look overall but yeah... not bad.
Some may claim this S435 is a homage of the Glashutte Sea Q. Not quite.
The Glashutte Original SeaQ is arguably a homage of the "Le Forban Securite Mer" that had been originally introduced in 1966 for the French Navy, a few years prior to the vintage East German (GDR) produced Glashutte (GUB) diver from that era. Clearly, the SeaQ takes its CUE from the GUB diver...which was a "commie copy" at the time.
Therefore, the SeaQ is also, technically, a homage...and the Seestern S434/435 is either a homage or a homage of a homage.
This leaves us all with a choice, picking the exclusive and expensive homage with a world-class in-house movement (hidden by a diver's caseback), with future maintenance by G.O. that will run ~$1500...OR...
a high quality homage at a very low price, with a cloned but highly reliable high beat movement that can be cost effectively replaced for well under $80, rather than maintained.
Choices.
I got this S435 and it runs great and look great, so feel like I made the right choice, would be ages untill I'd be comfortable to spend that kind of money for the Glashutte, and if I did, I probably wouldn't want to wear it as much anyways.
Not only is the Seestern a stellar value, the exact design was used by numerous brands (Helbros, Herma, Andre Bouchard, Arnex, amongst others) in the 60’s and 70’s. Thanks as always Sir!
Wolbrook also make a watch that looks exactly like this in their current catalog that is a copy of one of their old models from the 1960s.
Islander features a similar dial on their Roslyn
@@brianmccord7387 Yup and they had an insane sale of them over the holidays. I had already bought my quota of watches for the year.
Le Forban is another brand with this kind of layout
Seestern is in general better than SM, but they fail here at something they've been failing lately, which is the clasp. Using the same generic off the shelf clasp as SM and others, instead of sticking to what they did best, great bracelets. That gap between the clasp and the bracelet doesn't exist in Glashutte.
Is that worth paying $10,000 more for? 😅
2:00
1. Rolex should not be your price benchmark (10k for a 3-hand-diver? C'mon^^)
2. If you ever should be able to hold/try on/examine a Glashütte Original a bit further, i. e. in persona, you will be able to understand :) But be sure to look at one with an open case back. The fronts are already nice, but the back of the watch is where the party is starting. The normal SeaQ does not have an open case back, but the PanoDate version has one, for example. Or rather take a Panomatic Lunar to look at. (and from there, at the latest, you will never Rolex as benchmark for anything again, trust me)
P.S.: I know that we are talkin about 15k for a threehander here as well, BUT this one does play leagues above Rolex in every respect. These are the "grail watch" kind.
It doesn’t help that the real deal is drastically overpriced (even for luxury). No way it should be more than a Sub. Should be between a Seamaster and a Sub imo
The original SeaQ is overpriced but also better than anything Rolex has to offer.
Can't understand why more companies don't use the ST2130 over the NH35 I'd take a high beat decorated movement any day
It also outpreformes my Tissot powermatic 80s, seiko 4r, 7s and miyotas. Its a good movement. The NH35 is dirt cheap, so probably why its more used.
I cannot imagine what is worth $15k on a Glasschutte. No cache. Stainless steel. Mechanical movement. But this Seastern is definitely worth $300.
And Jody, at least Patrick is on the buckle, not the watch face.
I’m with you and will go further and say the entire GER watch industry (except Junghans - they have reasonably priced watches). Love the Sinn U50 - but it’s about 25% too high. Nomos - even more. In house movements only go so far.
10:11 jesus, how can you review watches for this long and not know the spring on dive watch crowns is in the crown and not in the movement? Sigh. Noobs everywhere.
I also got a NH compatible rose gold rotor from Ali and replaced original bland one. Its a 10 min job, start to finish.
I wish they would be more consistent with their branding and put a starfish on the crown rather than that ugly S
Now I want one but one a beads of rice bracelet to max out the bling factor
i fear another purchase! my berny titanium, bell & ross (square red dial), megir drum barrel are on the way! really like my timex vintage seamaster and timex limited edition Q (blue dial manual wind) from worn add wound. also just got a D1 MILANO quartz command (force) in gun metal
I absolutely love mine. I have the blue and gilt dial. I took it off the bracelet and put it on blue FKM rubber. But I've always been a fan of the SeaQ over the Rolex or Omega.
Hi how's it going? May I ask does it have half links please? Thank you
@@anthonyonline4740 No half links. All the links are about the same size, but the buckle provides enough adjustability to not need half links.
Much like fliegers, no one really owns this design so it doesn't come off as a rip off of a brand-name design.
That crown makes me nervous, it looks like you could break it off the first time you fiddled with it....
Just incredible value for money! It’s got it all…nearly. What would have made it perfect for me, is if it had incorporated a metal frame around that date window. But that’s it, very nice indeed 👍
I find the white date wheel to make a better symmetrical experience than the original with the color match. Also I do like the star on the clasp
Nice review. No half links though. So you're gonna need that on-the-fly to get a good fit. And then there is a good chance youre gonna be at one of outer edges with a good fit. Then on a cold or hot day you won't have any room to move. San Martin have this issue too.
Large links, no half links and small range for adjust isn't really that useful after all. Need a half link to make it so much better.
I would say this is the best fitting AliExpress bracelet I've experienced. Fits me perfectly with two links out.
@@marksaxby607 thanks for the comment. It does not address my specific issue, and how the functionality can be increased so much by including a half link, but anyway.
I'm pleased that it works for you. AliX is great
I had my heart set on the green one until I learnt about the misaligned 10 and 12 hour numerals. The one in the video appears to have the exact issue.
Oh it's German! So not "seesturn", but "zehshtern"!
I have had the blue version with gold details for six months. On the NH35 mechanism, at the time there was no alternative, more expensive version. One of the nicest watches from China that I have. It cost me just over $190 with taxes, in November the price was even lower. Recommended.
Just watched Teddy's recent video on the Glashutte. The design doesn't appeal to me at all. The movement however is a bit special but not sure if it's £12k special.🤔
Good looking homage but I’d go with the NH35. No one knows what movement it’s running & as it’s a Chinese homage, the NH35 is more than adequate & a known workhorse. Each to their own but I’d save the extra bucks. Still the specs on these are really good!👍🏼
Wasn't that keen til the wrist shot... Then it was clear it's got a great wrist-presence without being flashy. Like a classic seamster I guess
I got the Version 1 of this watch. My only complaint is that the crown is a touch too small. I got the blue & gilt colorway which is stellar.
I just picked up this watch and can confirm, tis a banger 👌
I have this Seestern watch for some time. But if that is a german name the pronunciation should be see-sh-tern ? The sea star is such a great name for a watch. Chinese people are fond of the word star. If you will make diver watches the Sea Star brand is a perfect pick.
I have the black version with the NH movement. Great size, very comfortable to wear. The bezel action is great. I think the bezel action is bit underrated here. It feels fine, but the back play is surprisingly satisfying. I wouldn't say it's a back play, but more of a spring action, which puts it back into perfect alignment. At least with my watch. For the price, it's a great beater.
Nice and cute small watch. Seestern did a fantastic job here. Thank you for the review.
The Seagull movement I got in this watch is a lot more accurate and better decorated than my automatic Tissot, Seiko and Miyota movements, so I am definetly NOT complaining.
For the money (especially on sale), i think this is a great left fielder indeed! I do enjoy my blue dial divers!
Just got mine today! It's gorgeous and I noticed that it has a much nicer quick adjust mechanism on it than the old one they were using which appears in the video. What a deal for $200!
Well done Glashütte original, that's a good looking watch. The Seestern is also, and affordable with the Seagull inside it will be a good watch. I could live with the starfish where it is, it's the dial side of a watch that's seen most.
I'm on team Seamaster as well, but between the Glashütte Original SeaQ and a Rolex Submariner, the SeaQ has the far superior movement.
Its always interesting when people bring movement into the equation for a simple 3 hander with date. Have not figured out why anyone cares.
Annual / perpetual calendar with an open case back - yeah love to see the superior movement. A diver with less accuracy than a Casio - I'll focus on the actual finishing and looks.
Thanks, Jodie. This looks like an excellent value for money watch. The dial is really nice, a lovely colour, although I wish manufacturers would stop including the depth rating text. Worth a look though :). Cheers!
Love the shirt! I also like the GO SeaQ, but I am with you that it’s tough to see the value proposition in a watch like that. Maybe we’re ignoramuses together, who knows. For a couple of hundred bucks, Seestern did a nice job with this homage, it looks really sharp. But yeah, the starfish logo. Yep.
Seestern means starfish in German... maybe is this the reason why ?!.
I say get the real deal but
Not new, get it used!
This t-shirt is awesome.
I call the one I picked up my "NearQ"! I love it, great value!
I like the Starfish, although its posture suggests that it's going "Ta-dahhhh!"
The starfish, for some reason, reminds me of Starro from the DC universe.
Snagged the NH35 version for $90 from a private seller. I’m constantly amazed by the quality!
Great price. Any more available
I love the look of this Seastern, Ali Express just keep putting out great value watches. Got myself a Baltany recently, haven't looked back, might have to get myself an New Year's present.
The Glashute is way better than an Omega. They handmake them in Germany, make most of their parts as well. No comparison. Unlike Omega and Rolex, that is worth the money. However, this is more accessible. And looks good. I am bored of Rolex "homaages". Nice to see variety.
Ordered mine yesterday, was a 20 usd discount coupon for it.
First chinese watch I've pulled the trigger on, unless counting seikos. First chinese microbrand at least.
Also looks like the Wolbrook Skindiver.
I had the black dial with gold accents & loved it. Incredibly well made, with a gorgeous applied numeral dial that has such a thick 3 dimensional appearance. I ended up gifting it to my brother because it wears small on my 7-1/2" wrist. I still consider it my best value for money Ali Express purchase ($160 on sale with NH 35 mvmnt). Definitely recommend!
I just can't get into the Ali Express knock offs.
Casio 85% of their watches are homages so ..... Not to mention how many established brands copy other brands Soo ....
@@casteltheghettomonk4392 if you're happy buying knockoff, chinese junk, go for it
Do you also check the alignment of the hour/minute hands, at 3/6/9 o' clock, and when exactly does the date change over, e.g. how close to midnight? Would be interesting to know if certain brands are better or worse than others.
It's nice. Seems very good value. I'd have to change that crown to something without the flare though
I save so much money watching this channel that I can't afford to stop watching! 😅💰💸
Looks like your first comment is from Northern Norway. It me. 🇳🇴
The extra springy crown may have been an answer to the problem that isn't mentioned much. On some otherwise excellent homages the spring in the crown/stem assembly doesn't have enough strength to fully reset the mechanism that allows you to change the date and time. You may have seen the hands moving as you tighten the crown or even the date wheel clicking around on faulty examples. Sometimes the stem is not the correct length, but stronger springs are the way to go.
Beautiful copy I have to admit, really like the Glashutte Original original
These Chinese microbrands are quickly becoming really impressive, whether original or homage. $200 for this?? It makes me want to start a UA-cam channel just to justify buying them all, because how do you choose anymore??
Again nice T Shirt 😂
So where does the extra money go? Hand assembly ?movement? case finish?The price gulf is enormous…..
Wanted to ask the guru for any tips on my new channel...???
Publish. And then publish again. And again. Good luck!
@@JustOneMoreWatch thanks for the most appreciated feedback!
Other than a Daytona, I'd rather own just about any Glashutte instead of a Rolex. Their catalog is gorgeous and their movements are stunning. Rolex hides a good deal of their movements.
I just wish Seestern would do something about the font or the branding, it just looks off, I don't know, makes it look generic, I know it's an 'homage' but regardless.
I have one of these in blue with the NH35. It's been a great little watch and I enjoy it very much.
I have this in the blue with gold accents version. My favourite AliExpress watch in my collection, absolutely beautiful!
I REALLY like this watch, shame it is a 39 and not a 40/41 otherwise I would be getting one asap
The Glasshute is gorgeous in the AD. The feel, proportions and weight are perfect. Yeah but the price is off putting
The Seestern S434 is the one you are looking for (just compare the crown to the GO)
Non può esserci nessuno svantaggio quando ci sono 15500 $ di differenza.
Francamente è così discreto che sia bello di suo e neanche mi fa pensare all' originale.
Ho iniziato ad indossare i 39mm ma, resto dell' avviso che gli orologi con ghiera debbano essere 41 mm di diametro.
You should put more watches on the timegrapher and compare to Rolex.
If they made a no date..I'd be in
It really looks smart in that dark blue - a better choice than some of the other colours shown in my opinion
I wonder how it compares to a Wolbrook Skindiver
Arrow hands are hideous. Makes a nice watch look cheap.
How clever are the folk behind Seestern?!
Glashittes are super nice but I don’t see the value
You need to the Baltany 1921 to this series
Lack of any real interest? Come on Jody! Glashütte is the german Mekka of watchmaking and they're all there: A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte Original, Nomos, Nautische Instrumente Glashütte. The place was run down during the era of the German Democratic Republik but today they're making fantastic watches. By the time Ali has the next sale going on, that Seestern will hopefully have the right crown...
Bought mine out of the sale and it was a few quid cheaper than during the sale a week later 😆
Seestern needs a better logo. Instant deal breaker
Seestern (pronounciation: see-shtern) is a german name that literally means Sea Star. It's the only logical logo.
Is it true that sharks are attracted to shiny watches? 🦈😳
I don't see the point in spending more than US$100 for a watch. There is not much that a cheap watch can't do just as well as a more expensive one. In fact, my awesome 3-watch collection cost less than US$100 in total.
In fact, who would pay more than US$100 for a Seagull movement?! Are you insane?!