Do San Martin Watches Actually Suck?
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- Опубліковано 2 сер 2024
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Studor Pirate Bay amzn.to/3Mcuqxp
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aliexpress has never failed me and amazon charges more for the same product for someone else to deal with aliexpress and sure the san martin logo is not their strongpoint but I do find it refreshing for a host who doesnt disdain the date complication lol
Yea I don't mind the 15-20 day wait-- kinda part of the anticipation/excitement
Amazon is horrible never shop through them
Actuallynvm. The written out logo sucks
Ali express lost my watch and didnt refund after the deliveryman left my package outside of the door, accessible to pedestrian
I've had hundreds of excellent experiences with AliExpress for nearly 10 years. There have been a few refunds along the way; each time it was done efficiently.
I own a San Martin "retro diver" which is somewhat of a mix between a bond sub and a bb58. To be completely honest it's probably my favourite watch to wear, especially with the new glidelock clasp. Next sale I will pick up one of their original designs (the skindiveresque GMT).
why not buy the BB58? It's $3k USD
I actually like how the logo isn’t applied on my Studor. (😂) I think since there’s not much room on this dial, they had to put just those two lines of text below the pinion and not have heavy reflective logo on top is a good way to keep it balanced IMO. Plus, having only the time telling elements being reflective makes this a very legible dial in direct sunlight reflection.
Also my bezel is ever so slightly misaligned but not as noticeable as yours.
Great review! I'd be interested in the vintage diver if it has the bracelet with the screws that run up the entire bracelet the endlinks. I recently got a similar model but it came with bracelet and I was hoping for the more retro looking one.
As I sit here, I am wearing my San Martin new model bronze diver. A couple of days ago it got soaked in lemon juice and is just like new again. The rough leather band is thick, supple, and very comfortable to wear. The watch is beautiful, reasonably accurate at -3 a day, and has become my everyday watch.
I have 5 San Martins currently. I must have some pretty good luck with regards to fit, finish, and alignment. Frankly, Ive been pretty amazed at their quality. Ive got some Seikos on the otherhand that were double (or more) the cost, that do have bezel/chapter ring alignment issues. In fact, i wont even buy another Seiko unless its at a brick and morter store where I can examine it first. Dont get me wrong, there are some things i would like to see SM do different on some of their watches. For example, I have the "Joemega" and I agree with you that applied branding on the dial would be better than the script.
In any event, sorry to hear about your experience with SM. I do appreciate your honesty, perspective, and reviews. Looking forward to hearing more about that Bulova too!
I think the folex is really solid. the bezel action is better than a lot of more expensive watches I have. I think their bracelets are also excellent but the alignment issues really just irk me for some reason. I get that they are a great bang for the buck. I think they can make good watches and should really start to push out some more of their own designs. appreciate you watching!
@@cheapwatchman_official Ironically I think I remember Marc from LIW posting a video about how to re-align bezels. I think you steam heat the bezel and twist it or something like that. I've done watch modding in the past where you can apply bezels with the double sided tape and it's not the easiest to align - I tend to be a clutz and take a couple of goes. I'd realign any bezel on any misaligned watch that San Martin send me but obviously - we shouldn't have to do that.
Love the names you gave the watches. Thanks for this review.
I purchased the SN-19G “ghost” Submariner black dial with Cyclops date and Selita movement in fall 2021. It’s been spot on and I’ve had zero problems. The fit and finish are perfect, everything lines up. The only negative is , I seem to have the old clasp on scissor bracelet which is brushed stainless and has scratched over time . I purchased mine directly from San Martin. I think my next homage will be an Islander from Mark
I bought the San Martin Tudor Chrono version about two years ago, and the brushing was scuffed and uneven in places. I recently bought two more San Martins that were perfect - the Tudor Pepsi GMT and the Tudor Explorer white dial. Based on my own experience and other reviews, it seems their QC is getting better. It may just be that the less popular ones are older stock.
the irony is that I bought a "uncle seiko" bracelet for my seamaster and ended up just using the end links and putting the San Martin bracelet from the Pirate Bay on there. they're crazy good watches but with just weird QC issues on mine.
Totally agree. Their QC is getting better for sure. Better finishing too
I have the pirate bay with the butter bracelet and I love it, I get complements on it
Bought the Pagani Design Day Date (light blue) from Ali Express. It's gotten so many compliments and works fine. It's 750 times cheaper than the Rolex version that can cost around €75,000. I don't think a Rolex is 750 times better...
My alliexpress strategy is to only purchase the more expensive brands,(San Martin, Cronos, Sugess,) when I buying a staple watch. For instance, I have a black San Martin submariner. When I’m buying watches I’m just kind of interested in I go with Pagani, pernis, cadisan…etc. You make a good point about Islander.
Sugess just puts nice movements in crappy watches. My sugess chrono had a hand fall off _twice._
@@Jake-bt3fc No issues with my two Seestern's (which is part of Sugess). Both the S435 diver and the S446 GMT have been terrific in terms of quality, fit, finish.
Maybe skip your 10 aliexpress copy watches and buy a BB58 Vintage Rolex Hommage
I had the San Martin Tudor-ish with an off white dial and black/red insert... pretty nice. The brushing wasn't 'perfect' perfect but it was very good and nothing was sharp at all. Bracelet was nearly perfect. Felt very quality. All alignment was perfect and I'm pretty sure the logo was applied. Ended up selling it to a coworker who was in love with it. Recently bought a used San Martin Explorer homage... SUPER nice. For the $175 shipped I paid, absolutely zero complaints. Obviously with strong homage watches, each person needs to decide if they'd rather have a loosely inspired watch or the really strong homage. I'm indifferent. An original Orient Ray is the dive watch I've worn the most and I think it's a fantastic value but that San Martin Explorer... might be nicer for the $$$. Supremely happy with it.
36mm?
@@garynico9872 39mm
San Martin are usually very good with no misalignment. You were very unlucky but i think the BB58 Studor is very good . I have had QC issues with Swiss Watches
Well if he's not buying them directly from San Martin, which you could ask them to check for alignment prior to shipping it out, it would make sense.
I bought a San Martin copy of BB (PT5000). It is beautiful. However, sometimes it suddenly stops. We can see the external quality is good. My concern is about the quality of the movements and to get help if any problems appear.
The PT5000 movement is fine, it's the QC that is problematic. Can be fixed by a watchmaker (that is willing to even touch a Chinese homage) but honestly I'd just return it because a new watch that randomly stops is not acceptable. San Martin, like any other Chinese brand, has garbage-tier customer support so they're not going to help.
When does it stop? If you notice that it tends to stop when two hands align, that's a sign that one of the hands is bent slightly and is grinding against another hand. Very easy to fix, and a very common problem with these brands (because as said, their QC is trash so you're practically rolling a dice).
I just bought a Glycine automatic for $350, I have a Cronos, 2 San Martin's, and several Pagani design watches, a Tissot Le loche automatic, a Cartier Ballon blue, And a 2016 Rolex sub..that I bought brand new from my RAD... yes, nobody ever calls them that.. from Clarkson Jewelers. I'm a waiter, yes a SERVER! At a restaurant. But I'm old, a have beat up my San Martin. After wearing my Rolex to work, most my fellow friends at work think I spent thousands on each of the watches I wear. But I'll beat up my San Martin, and save the Finer watches for no work duty..
Great video, thanks for making it. We need more critical Ali Express reviews. Grrreat Dad humour too!
I have 3 different san Martin models, all of mine have perfect functionality and alignment. I own several luxury pieces and in my opinion the build quality is extremely good on the latest san Martin watches.
I own a Rolex, Tudor, Ball, 4 Chris Ward watches and a Glycine watch. I also own many inexpensive Micro brands as well watches made by mushroom brands. I presently own two San Martin watches, and in my belief they are fantastically well spec'd and well made for the money. That said, I don't think they have got their branding right. A Seiko (for example) made to the same standard would cost four times as much, and let's not forget, Seiko homage watches as well. It's a shame that bezel doesn't line up, but I have owned several Swiss and Japanese watches with misaligned bezels. Have a look at the SM 38mm vintage diver, it really is excellent. Sorry, the Invicta is very inferior, A crap bracelet, clasp, mineral crystal, and poor lume etc
The San Martin vintage diver is the one he shows in this video, ironically named Pirate Bay. Have you even watched it?
Also Seiko should be more expensive considering the marketing budget, the manufacturing costs (especially for the models made in Japan) and the fact that most of their watches are not sold at RRP. In comparison how much is San Martin paying their workers? Try and compare that to what Seiko is paying a watchmaker in Japan. Not to mention the material costs.
@@KMV007 My SM vintage is quite different and does not have applied indices. I don't really care that Seikos are made in Japan (although many are actually made in China) and I don't care that their work force are paid more. Don't forget, Seiko also make many homages. It's different strokes I suppose, if you would rather pay for a watch with mineral crystal and a dreadful bracelet and clasp, that will cost you several times more than a watch with sapphire and a great bracelet, that's up to you. For me a watch is a sum of it's parts, and I have no interest in the companies history. I own a limited Alpinist, which I enjoy, but also know it is very overpriced for what it is
I think misaligned bezels are unacceptable at any price. it's a very weird quirk I have. I do think their bracelets are pretty spectacular though. I'm using one on my omega seamaster I bought on a rubber strap.
@@cheapwatchman_official Steeldive has no better QC than San Martin. Very concerning stuff came out with someone who got one with 'Rolex' written on the rehaut. Looks like their supply chain is the same as the reps.
I fully agree with your observations. Own many watches, from Swiss and German luxury (e.g. Rolex, Glashutte) to San Martin, Steeldive, Cronos, Seestern, Thorn, Addiesdive, Aragon/Android...to older microbrands with ETA/Valjoux movements (Invicta, Philip Watch, Lucien Picard, Chase-Durer...). I really like the Seestern's (S435, S446) and Cronos...but the branding/logos are not up to the level of the overall watch. The Chinese need to hire some marketing experts from outside of HK and China!
The joe mega with the miss alignment. I think you should try to reach out to where you purchased it stating you want to like the watch but these imperfections make it hard to wear and be a repeat customer. Ask for an exchange, it can't hurt to try then you'll know. Cheers . 😊
Valid criticisms. I have two San Martins. One is the Tudor Ranger homage (SN0107) which doesn't have a bezel (so no alignment issues) and it's absolutely gorgeous. Dark blue enamel dial with flawless execution. No applied logo, but I think for this style, the printed logo is definitely better for this watch. It has a ghost date but TBH it doesn't bother me but I agree that a NH38 for no ghost position would be better. I put it on their aftermarket on-the-fly adjustable clasp. Really nice setup. One of my favorite watches for sure (have Rolex, Tudor, Omega, Breitling, TAG and some others).
The other San Martin I own is the Tudor Black Bay GMT "Pepsi" homage (SN109). It's incredible. Bezel is so crisp and aligns perfectly. It's date+GMT so no ghost position to worry about. I have it on their aftermarket jubilee which matches perfectly to that case and also has their on-the-fly adjustment clasp. Another one of my favorite watches. If you want a good Sub homage get a Ginault. I just buy San Martin for Tudor homages.
I get your point about the Islanders, I just wish they'd make a damn watch that I liked the look of. I just can't stand any of their designs so far
I have a yellow dive watch coming in that I think looks really cool. I like more symmetry in the dial with the logos and text. I think if they filled up the dial a little more it would be more appealing to me. every time they come out with a new line it gets more appealing to me. I think that a year or two from now they're going to have some really really cool pieces
I'm waiting for Marc to reduce his Sarbesque down to 36 ( with matching decrease in height) but without a miyota movement ( ugh, the noise!). Infact, just homage the C.W. 36 even with an SW200 but at a lower price ( I wish..).
Islander design is trash
To each their own, I think they have watches with good designs too (like their cloud dials, which look pretty impressive in person). I definitely prefer them to homages that copy 1:1 in details (to the point they're more of clones with a different logo slapped on than homages).
I think San Martin makes extremely well built watches, I've got a nice Tudor GMT pro homage and I love it! Keep on trucking dude!
I've bought 3 san Martins from Ali. On their sale days you get them for a steal. Never pay import taxes because of their dodgy customs forms and delivery has always been within a couple of weeks. I've also never had any QC issues but the models I've bought have been mid to higher end priced (for SM)
I have purchased a good number of these San Martin watches and recently I ordered one the 62 MAS watch but I did not received the watch although they said that it was delivered however when I notified the San Martin official store which is who I bought from they tell me by email that I must do much more to try to see how the watch may have been removed from my residence and to ask my neighbors and although I have done that the San Martin official store customer service team do not indicate in an honest or forth coming way to refund me or replace the missing or stolen watch. Be advice that if you order from said official store and if you don’t physically receive what you order and you don’t receive it this official store of San Martin indeed may give you the do not care to refund you or replace the item..
Love your videos man, I am starting out a new channel to review watches and will also be interviewing watch enthusiats about their top watches in their collection. I am really excited about that. Would love to collaborate in future if you are up for it.
I'd like to see (or maybe I missed it if you already did) a closer look at Proxima. I'm interested in their Marine Master 300 homage, but not gonna pull the trigger on it just yet.
Hey are you still trying to sell the Joes Mega?
It's so refreshing to see an actual thoughtful critique on San Martin rather than the myriad of gushing UA-cam reviews that always seem more like adverts than reviews. Thanks for taking the time to assess three different pieces sourced like any buyer. Great to see you back.
There's a lot of personal-preference criticism here which is fine but it is, well, personal preference! The biggest gripe is with the bezel which I agree is poor but then Seiko is renowned for mis-aligned bezels, and they often cost double what you pay for a San Martin. I recently bought their Pelagos homage and it is stunning value with the best bracelet I’ve come across. The bezel is perfectly aligned and there are no sharp edges. San Martin has upped its game in recent years and from the look of the watches you are handling in the review, they look, with respect, like they’ve been worn for a few years in an industrial environment! Try reviewing a recent 2024 release like the SN0119G and compare that with these older models. That would interest me.
I have never had a problem with aliexpress. I payed £145 to my house. And I have bought many watches ,tools, bezel inserts, basically everything you need to mod a watch. They have never let me down.
Why dont you warm your bezel up and push it backwards. Gotta say san martin are raising their prices too much. I bought mine a while back so it was a bargain.
The cheap audio man checks out watches too
I dont know to much about still dive or saint martin 11 years i purchase 2 swiss legends trimix after all this time they work perfectly the isa movement they got is superb i think they could last 50 years easy zero scratches i only have to buy another isa and installed myself i spend a lot of time studing eta and isa movements.
I prefer a ghost date to a date window. Did you know, every time a watch is made with a date window, somewhere a sailor drowns? Yeah, there you have it 😜
I didn't know that... I may reconsider my position.
I like the golex and that black bay is pretty but the blue looks amazing too...and their explorer and gmt look crazy
I got a baltany small second military watch from Ali Express... I was happy for a few hours then it stopped... then it worked... then it stopped... I thought it may be related to gravity or moon distance or the clouds or my car... trying to be as logical as possible... then I gave up and moved on to my other watches 🤨
I'm debating getting a San Martin... they seem to be better and I like a lot of their designs... great vid btw!
Thanks for the vid. Let me know what you’d let the SM omega go for?
shoot me an email at cheapwatchman@gmail.com
Thanks for giving us your honest opinion on these watches. I've bought stuff on Ali Express, which lately has been better than Amazon. The last two things I've ordered through Amazon said they shipped but never arrived, and Amazon had to credit my account after they never showed up. The only thing I can say against Ali Express is that returns are a US thing only unless it's broken.
We shouldn't forget that both Amazon and Aliexpress are just selling formats, and they aren't responsible for the products they sell.
@WATCH ALOT very true but I was just noting both have good and bad sellers.
If you purchase anything from another country it is the risk you take. I once bought a Cronos watch with a fault, and the customer service was dreadful. I had the option to send it back using budget mail, but knew it would almost certainly get lost. On the other hand, I recently bought a Seestern Vintage GMT and it arrived in 5 days to the UK. It is a really nice watch, perhaps you should watch my review on it
I have gotten into more trouble on amazon then ever on Aliexpress. Got my San Martin 38mm Retro Diver for 150 dollars one year ago. Sometimes i have to pay 24% tariffs if i reach some price from amazon,,never above 20 dollars for shipping and taxes when i order from Ali. I am in Iceland so not that close to China but between Europe and the US. That is a lot weird! That China has the same deal as ''third world'' countries and therefor can give free shipping and not to crazy taxes.
I have two San Martin watches and they are great. I'm excited about their new 'Pegalos" model. 😀
I really enjoyed your sense of humor and your thorough look at the watches, without all the fanciness. I spent most of last night watching the videos on your channel and I look forward to more content. Call me a fan!
thanks! there's a lot more idiocy on my other channel if you like hifi or home theater "Cheap Audio Man"
Thanks for your review! I have been drooling over pictures of a SanMartin Soobmareener with a gorgeous mother of pearl blue-fading-to-black dial.
I’ve read that SanMartin are the best of the Chinese manufacturers. I got a Pagoni that looks fine but lacks that sumpin’-sumpin’ of a lux watch. Any Citizen over $200 looks way better.
Joe’s smegma did not fair well. The bezel misalignment is an homage to Schmeiko.
Love my Helm. Islander will be my next purchase.
wow you do audio and this . Whats next ?
The Cheap hamburger man?
I’ve had a few SM watches, great quality but you gamble with the colours. They really struggle with blue and the colour never matches the website images.
They are a nightmare to return to, they request you post it tracked/recorded but then refuse to refund you the postage costs. Poor customer service. Be careful with your colours!
Most of these companies have one or two great homages but it's definitely not where I'm going to spend my money after a few good models
Fine review. I do not agree with everything you said….eg. Seiko with a “24 hour” dial…DEAL BREAER. I won’t bore enthusiasts with some long comment. If you are serious….you already know. Totally agree with you about alignment issues ANYWHERE on the watch. Fine review & Thanks!
The bulova is awesome……until the minute subdial needs to be zeroed and you realize there is no way to reset it.
I definitely agree about the date being added.
What I like about my Steinhart/Gnomon 39 is the red date so the any bozo doesn't want me to relinquish it , thinking it's a T?dor.
BTW , only got he 62 ma's from S.M. years ago. Their contact with me was good - the bracelet wasn't up to suff before it shipped, which they admitted ( sent photos) & refunded me.I've come close to getting another but ...apart from the Steiney I now got a Certina DS38 instead .TL - sorry.
First review of San Martin I've seen that hasn't been glowing. Was half considering taking a shot on one, may reconsider now!
on paper they're great. but the bezels not lining up really turned me off. then the same bracelets on different watches being wildly different in their finishing isn't inspiring either
I have sn004g. I love it for over a year now.
I bought the BB58 gmt homage from San Martin. It was actually excellent quality and I was surprised by that. I ended up selling it just because I realized I didn’t like the whole homage thing
Same same
I currently have 5 SM watches - 4/5 of them are perfect and offer great value for money. I love the BB58 homages and have both the black and blue version. Crown action is stiff on the blue one, but that's the only fault. No alignment issues whatsoever. Logos are a personal thing - I like the new Hex logo - and prefer the printed to the applied version. I've never seen an Islander that I liked the look of enough to consider buying. I'll take SM over Islander any day. I own a Milgauss and it's a great watch, but I baby it and it gets no wrist time, so much so, I'm considering selling it - my SMs are in constant rotation - they look good and feel good.
I love my Orient watches but the fit and finish on my San Martins are better. Haven't had any issue with sharp edges. Can't say anything about Islander watches (don't own any) apart from the fact that they're still made in China, just like the San Martin's, and I doubt their resale value is any better. I'm also not sure how happy Mark would be about doing a replacement for an Islander where the only issue is a tiny bezel misalignment.
I only have a sample size of one, so my experience with SM isn't relevant WRT general level of QC. Suffice it to say that my 0109 has excellent finish and pretty good QC, but it's not completely without fault. No real biggie at the price, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me at all. But it's not a deal-breaker for me, either.
I do agree that these homage-brands (even SM) still need to learn a thing or two about design and branding. It took SM years to unify their branding mess to just that hex-logo (they used to have two? three? four? different logos on a single watch in the past) - and now they seem to be already thinking about going with yet another new logo that looks nothing like the current one.
Plus, and this might even be more important, their inability to get things right in the dial-design-department. There's a reason why lots of Sub homages stick to the general dial-layout as established by the originals. Meaning: In the case of the Sub, a logo and the brand-name at the 12 and three or four lines of text (all done in the right font, etc) will go a long way in making your homage feel a lot more like the real thing. Worst example for this are the sterile dials that some of these brands offer - which all look pretty horrible and fake as shit to me. The devil is, literally, in the details here. Just imagine taking away some of the iconic design details from, say, a Levi's 501. No rivets, no fifth pocket, no Levi's red tab or decorative stitching on the rear pockets ... that thing would probably look just as awful as a Sub-homage with no text on the dial.
great points
When you say Steel Dive store. Do you mean Watch Dives store?
The printed logo comes from the Watch Dives store specials.
The SanMartin official store watches are slightly different.
yeah. I meant watch dives. good catch
Very well done. The Invicta automatic is using the same movement and is half the price; the quartz version is even cheaper and keeps better time. And then if you want you could dress up a Duro. And the manner in which many of the Chinese watches other than Ciba and Sea-Gull are being marketed is just odd. Has anyone done a deep dive into it? Certainly with "Pagani" there are a lot of Mom & Pops buying the components, putting them together, slapping the Pagani logo name on them and putting them on AliExpress. Many of the other so-called "brands" do not have return addresses. Berny does. What is Watchdives? Is it a wholly owned sub of San Martin or is it a US retailer? Is it a way to get money out of China? Do these guys show up at any trade shows? Too much of this is vague. What's the deal with even the best of these brands not showing a return address or even a distrib facility? I get that they are likely subcontracting everything--fine, who isn't? I see that many people are happy with their watches. Still would prefer transparency.
Living in Switzerland and having supplied tech to the industry, I can honestly say that the quality of these CN brands is at or becoming exceptional with more than a handful of brands. To be clear, the homage business is, to my knowledge, not violating IP. If it were, it would be confiscated by Swiss customs on import...and I can tell you definitively that this is not the case. In fact, if CH customs inspects, then it may (and not always apply) an import duty (~about 30%, to my recollection). To be clear, counterfeit watches that usurp any CH company IP will be confiscated at the boarder...with penalty to the buyer, as well.
In many cases, CN is also becoming a demand center for certain Swiss movement manufacturers. Since ETA stopped supplying to parties outside of the Swatch Group/CH over a decade ago, companies like Sellita(CH) have built up a strong supply security for these brands (i.e., microbrands across EU and the US) as well as for the CN entrants.
There are brands which currently stand out, in my opinion, as very consistent in quality (fit, finish, materials) and performance: SM, SD, Seestern, Cronos, Thorn. For sure, bezel alignment issues can be a problem on certain watches (just like Seiko, for that matter)...and branding design is not always optimal in my opinion. However, as daily wear watches at extremely attractive pricing, they are significantly eating into the business of CH & JP watches that occupy the sub-$2000 price category.
I own more than a few Swiss, German and Japanese luxury watches. However, for daily wear and for travel to certain places in the world, I much prefer to wear a CN watch from manufacturers like Cronos, Seestern, Thorn, SteelDive. Else, certain microbrands like Aragon (formerly Android), based in FL, USA.
As for Seiko...I tend to prefer wearing vintage Seiko (1970's~1980's) or Grand Seiko. Run of the mill modern Seiko automatics are excellent watches too...but cannot compete on price with the likes of these CN brands, IMO. In terms of quality, I don't think they justify the premium. Often, they don't offer sapphire crystals or ceramic bezels, which makes the decision to go CN homage that much easier.
i like SM watches. not as a main watch, but for daily beaters i like them, and wont be so sad if i lose/brake them.
Yes i know there are a lot of watch snobs that hate hommage watches, but not everyone lives in USA and counties with high income, and havespending money to buy >1k watches, and if they do it puts target on their back.
For fraction of price you can see it more expensive watch is for you
QC is fine/decent, and even better than seikos that go for over 1k (looking at you 82MAS)
some have QC issues like sharp edges, but for that price you cant expect perfect products
i just wish they made better looking logo/name, like steinhart with name and logo
Are you sponsored of Islander by any chance or it’s just local patriotism? Never heard of them over here in Europe. I only wear swiss watches but I’d like to try one of those budget friendly options.
The Tudor symbol on the GMT Pro is also printed on the display of the watch, this on a 4100 euro watch and I have never seen anyone complain about it. The Islander GMT with NH34 costs 650 dollars and arrives in the EU for 800 euros , a SanMartin "Tudor GMT Pro" arrives for 250 euros with a similar quality and 2 year warranty. Honestly, you can't compare.
I've got a Tudor with a printed logo on it and honestly, I did compare it to the San Martin and I'm complaining about the San Martin logo being absolutely terrible. I think a lot of people getting sucked into comparing specs when they should be comparing how a watch connects with someone emotionally. it's like art on the wrist. San Martin is like AI art. May look similar but it's not the same and never will be
@@cheapwatchman_official I didn't compare the SanMartim with the Tudor, because comparing a 250 Euro watch with a 4100 Euro watch doesn't make much sense. I also have the GMT Tudor and I do not think it is anything special, no "state of the art", the dial is painted in a very dull shade of black, the indexes are also applied (as in the San Martim), the Tudor is extremely high, the Tudor symbol is painted and has excessive information (3 lines to inform that it is a Tudor). I don't think it should be worth what is charged for it. If you think the San Martim is an "art of artificial intelligence", I believe they both are. The difference is that the San Martim was designed/made on a more limited AI with fewer resources, but has an infinitely superior cost/benefit.
@@cheapwatchman_official Ultimately, if you're not comfortable buying on Aliexpress, then you're probably not going to like a Chinese homage brand. I own Orients etc, and I prefer San Martin. I think you have to really own it. Sea-gull is a watch brand from China, but San Martin is a CHINESE watch brand, if you get what I mean. There's no hiding with a San Martin, while with an Invicta you can say 'its an American brand which used to be Swiss and has heritage'. The vibe I'm getting from your video and comments is you'd be embarrassed to tell people its a San Martin from China if they ask if it's a Rolex/Omega.
@@cheapwatchman_official San Martin are nowhere near as good as Seiko let alone Tudor. It amazes me how much people kid themselves about these junk microbrands on the cheaper end. Comparing specs like clueless nerds while forgetting about other things that matter, such as design, aesthetics etc.
@@lamentate07 Do you have Tudor ? I have. And can compare.
Nice to see you back, Randy. Thanks for the reviews.
you bet
I just canceled an order for a watch because of your video. Love the content and I’m a fan.
Although- I bought a SteelDive Rolex homage…color me disappointed. The bezel was complete shite and flexed up and down. I am pretty sure I got a stinker, because everyone swears by that watch. But that wobbly bezel was a real dealbreaker for me.
Please keep in mind that St. Martin is copying those watches, and if you’re buying that, you want them to be as close as possible to the real thing, so if the Omega has a sandwich dial, so does the original. If the Tudor has a printed logo, so does the original. As far as the movements go, try to get the PT5000 or the SW200 versions; much better than the NH35s. I have the Rolex GMT II Batman and the two-tone blue Submariner, their edges are sharp!
I own watches having the SI movements (NH34/35/36/38) and HK PT5000...as well as other microbrands with Swiss ETA/Valjoux movements. For sure, the PT5000 is a dependable movement with a higher 4Hz beat rate; at 28.8bph. Basically, a legitimate clone of the ETA 2824-2; just like the Swiss Sellita SW200 and Chinese Seagull ST2130. The Swiss movements have better internal finishing...but it doesn't seem to really impact overall performance for the non-chronometers. However, I also find the SI movements very dependable, astonishingly accurate, notwithstanding their lower 3Hz beat rate, and are most cost effective. My watches with SI's are usually well within 7 sec per day.
I have other luxury watches with Rolex and Glashutte in-house movements...to get a service is in the range of $1000. Therefore, when in comes to daily wear tool watches...the SI movements are a terrific option. To replace an SI movement for about $50 instead of service an SI for over $150 seems the better option.
I have 6 SM's and all all spot on perfect.
In a world where theft has become socially acceptable. I live in the Southwest Cacti are now commonly stolen, a local community had hundreds of them taken in one weekend. Back to watches, some of these can get you killed, it is now recommended not to wear shiny watches since most thieves dont know the difference, they look for the shine. Recently a young man in London was stabbed to death over his watch, later found out it was a fake.
By the way London it the world's capital of watch thefts. Just in case anyone is planning a trip. Take a cheap Casio, you may live to return home.
Thank goodness they outlaws guns in the UK...so one can get stabbed to death for a friggin watch.
@@jb678901 Some 7 years ago I was robbed at knife point at a mall parking lot. I can tell you what goes thru your mind. I thought "this is how my life ends" believe it or not I had zero fear a great sense of calmness came over me.
It was a fellow of Asian heritage (people's first choice is always black) I was lucky he wasn't a killer, I was 63 at the time, still walk with a cane. I own a couple of revolvers for home defense, although I live in an open carry state I choose not to carry. I don't want the weapon to be taken from me, and other folk to get hurt. I am not the man I once was, I did my military service in the U.S Coast Guard, if you have the time Google U.S Coast Guard Blackthorn, I was there that night.
I dig the looks of the bulova, but it didn’t feel particularly high quality in hand. The bracelet didn’t feel that refined. Personal taste.
The San Martin hexagonal applied logo looks to me like it was designed in the 90s by a 16 year old skateboard teenager, I just don't like it, sorry !!! To each their own !!! Great video !!!
Thank you for not calling the brand Saamartow, like some of those sophisticated reviewers. One was Scottish so not a pronunciation thing.
Definitely would purchase that watch if you haven’t yet lol
thumbs up and notifications on for the future Bulova review...
I Will buy your San Martin for fifty Dollars tax and shipping included since you offered!Please post your answer!
When someone tells me buy invicta over San Martin, my reaction 🤣🤣🤣
The san martin is approaching or exceeding the cost of a glycine combat sub with a swiss movement
I own several Rolexes and Omegas, but for daily wear I love my two San Martins. For only 250 bucks they have much better QC than my Seikos which have misaligned markers and lume pips, cheap rattling bracelets.
Not in my San Martins. Their bracelets rival Rolex and Omega bracelets. Even the case finishing Is perfect
I think san martin is going to expensive,in fact citizen with tsuyosa give you a very good and original product..yes they are very ice and look great but sincerly i think its too expensive for an homage
I really enjoy your videos, keep up the great work man 👍🏼
Absolutely agree, if I wanted a homage I’d probably go buy a pagani you’re going to scratch the itch for not much money, no doubt a SM will be better in quality than a pagani but enough to justify the extra price? Nope just stick your name down for a helm and be patient.
I might be willing to take that fomega off your hands. Actually have one and desperately need one more bracelet link for my 8inch wrist and it would suffice as a yard watch. Let me know! Great video
Might be kinda fun to slap a nato strap on it and see how much abuse in can take in my shop while working on cars.
shoot me an email cheapwatchman@gmail.com and we can talk
Email sent
Got the Fomega kitted out with a NATO and wearing it everyday doing yard work, wrenching on cars, etc. and so far it’s holding up like a champ. My other finally fits with the extra link and I’m thrilled! Thanks again!
Bro i love my Tissot Seastar. Bezel has always been loosey goosey. It has its flaws, and cost me 750€ in its day. San Martin seem to be excellent value.
I agree on paper but I've had 3 and they're all a bit wonky in one way or the other. I don't think a bezel being off center is acceptable
AliEx is ok i have purchased a few watches from different companies and had zero issues. As for SM, i have the 6200 model (golex subby) with pencil hands which i spec'd, and it is really good, very comfortable to wear, i dont care about the lack of a date, in fact i prefer it without the date, runs great, looks nice.(just a note here,if you want good quality for less money, Cadisen makes excellent quality watches)
I have the SN004, too. The Cadisen equivalent was on sale for $60 before taxes recently, if I hadn't bought the SM a month beforehand, that would have been a great buy. Really happy with the SN004 though, still worth its money.
@@samteks125 i have a Cadisen Seaquest homage. paid a little over $100 and for the money it is a great buy.
I own a Nolex
I have a Seiko SRP143 with the same problem as "JOE", but it cost me $1,200. Besides this problem the hour hand is misaligned and the watch is 15 seconds slower every day. It has already been 3 times to Seiko's technical assistance under warranty and came back the same or worse. I have 2 SanMartin and their finish is infinitely superior to any Orient of the same price without saying that it has equivalent or better finish to Seikos 5x higher value. I'm not speaking from "opinion", I speak from experience of someone who has owned more than 50 Seikos/Orients. Nowadays Seikos don't deliver what they cost.
the sub clone is actually really good with the exception of some of the sharp edges. my point was that I've had 3 of them and only 1 is what I would consider perfect. and I don't think customers should put up with bezel alignment issues at any price. my invicta and mako 2 line up perfectly.
@@cheapwatchman_official The experience I had with Invictas was terrible, inferior quality, non-existent quality control. In relation to Orients are good in relation to mechanisms, but the quality of finish is inferior to SanMartin. Bent steel bracelets with terrible adjustments while the SanMartin has bracelets where the links are adjusted by screw, something that we can't find even in much more expensive Seiko/Orient watches.
As I said my opinion is based on facts, someone who has had over 50 Orients/Seiko and very few with the finishing quality of the 3 SanMartin I have. The only Seiko I have that have equivalent quality, although the bracelets are worse, are the SRP143 (with a better mechanism and worse precision than the NH35/NH34 of the SanMartin) and the SPB185. But in my opinion, comparing watches that cost about 1400 euros (SEIKOS) with watches that cost 250 euros (SANMARTIN) is not a very correct comparison, and despite that, the SEIKOS that cost 5x more lose in the comparison.
The problem is that if you are going to sell SEIKO you can't recover even 1/5 of the value. Many will say that the same happens with the San Martim, it may even be. But it is very different to buy a 1400 euro watch, and because it does not have the quality that it costs, sell it for 300 euros and lose 1100 euros in the negotiation; and buy a San Martin for 250 euros, sell it for 50, losing 200 euros in the negotiation.
@@JoseLuis-ir2xl Laughable post. That Seiko murders all SM watches. lol. The design language alone and dial textures. SM looks cheap as fuck.
Seiko watches also do well on the secondary market. Nobody wants SM there.
@@lamentate07 Can you read and understand what you read? Apparently not. In my text I say that I have expensive Seikos and that their quality does not match what is being charged for them as well as the poor technical assistance. I compare the watches I have and yes, the quality of the San Martim I have is equivalent to the Seikos for 1/5 the price. As for resale, I don't buy watches to resell. Anyone who does this with entry-level watches only loses money, regardless of the brand.
Considering not everyone can afford watches that costs as much as a used car, it’s still better deal.
Nothing wrong with an homage watch. What about jeans ? No homage jeans here yet many companies make jeans..
I've considered this brand but never pulled the trigger. They are pretty much what I expected based on your review. I have heard the bracelets are great, which Orient should take note of because theirs are horrible. Fortunately, their watches are top-notch, and I own a few of them. That's primarily why I haven't purchased a San Martin, simply because there are better watches for that money out there. Thanks for the review, and have a great weekend.
-David
I recently purchased a San Martin and was highly impressed by its quality. San Martin makes beautiful watches.
Well, from what I hear, the SM watches are much better than Orient ones.
Their QC has improved significantly.
Their downside is the warranty. And these are mainly hommages (but they want to do more and more original designs).
San Martin has never really caught my attention. I've viewed plenty of vidoes on them but I've never seen one that wooed me. Thank you for the great review Randy!!! 👍👍👍
I'll sell you one for next to nothing, G
@@cheapwatchman_official I'm good for now, Thank you!
@@cheapwatchman_official how much
Don't waste your money on these watches but a used tissot seastar 2000 if you can't but tudor/omega or rolex
The Seastar 2000 is just a disproportionate junk diver with no understanding of proper size diameter. Unless your wrist is like Stallone or Dwayne Johnson that thing is not gonna wear properly.
Also the Powermatic 80 movement is mediocre for the asking price.
Just save up and buy a Spirit 37 Longines if Tudor is too much to handle.
uh ..... why'd you buy em if you don't like them? San Martin always gets back to me when I contact them. In fact they are the only large manufacturers that participate and respond on forums. Sorry for your loss.
I am glad to hear I am not the only one bothered by the ghost date on watches with a hidden date wheel. Perhaps it's easier to just use standard movements across all the watches like NH35 rather than having to use NH38 that don't have a date wheel but otherwise identical. However, as a buyer the fact that there are two positions on the crown and one isn't functional that bothers me somehow. This is why up to now I refuse to buy any watch that has the ghost date in the movement. Maybe it's OCD but I can vote with my money.
I just found couple companies (Phylida and Seestern) use NH38A in some of their no date watches. Guess what my next watches are going to be from these makers that take the effort to change out the movement.
The SN008 fixes all your issues with the SN004 Studor
Sn008 ❤ San Martin is the best brand. I have 5 SM watches. They are better than my Seiko alpinist watch that costs 5 times as much. I got sn008, and sn121t arriving in the mail soon.
Video is completely wrong. I own two San Martin and the fit and finish is amazing, rivals some Tudors and Omega I have. Works perfect and keeps great time
All the San martins I got in have had major QC problems. I’m not wrong. I’m just not willing to worship at the feet of San Martin like most people do. I’m glad you got good ones. I didn’t. Why don’t you get out of my comments and start making your own videos then?
I own two they work perfectly stop spreading misinformation.@@cheapwatchman_official
Hi, I am looking for your first steeldive video. Have you deleted it? In this video you are telling that steeldive ruined your opinion about more expensive watches.
I didn't delete it, no. ua-cam.com/video/XMeNv5-6SmU/v-deo.html
Cmon man, Invicta? really?
Applied things. I take it you’re not a Speedy fan.
Good reviews, nice work. Finally someone willing to be critical of the new budget-watch darling, San Martin.
Wow, that bezel on the JoeMega is awful. Impossible to get all four points to line up. I actually prefer the San Martin script over the hexagon logo; that thing just rubs me the wrong way. Same with the Invicta wings, and I actually like (some) Invictas.
Thanks for watching! Yeah. People don’t like when I say there are quality issues with San Martin
I’ll buy it…..
None of the Chinese watch brands on Aliexpress spend any money on branding, it’s just a guy sitting in a corner coming up with a random name and logo.
San Martin - about 4 different logos and made up name, hideous font.
Heimdalalalalalr - name says it all, can’t even pronounce it, than along write it.
Steeldive - wow, how original (they named their pilot watch Steelflier - hahaha).
Pagani Design - rip off of the Italian car manufacturer.
Could go on forever.
Get a steinhart top quality at a fair price
I had one too. sold it to a dear friend of mine
You have bad luck. Usually SanMartin is much better
OMG Invivta vs San Martin. Don't be ridiculous :D
Bulova is too big, no variants for small wrist. Where is 38-39 mm dive models?
Islander design is not attractive
San Martin is much better then Islander
San Martin is getting quite pricy for a no name Chinese brand direct from the factory. At that price one can actually get a Citizen, Casio, Orient or even a Seiko, as well an many many microbrands which actually understand the concept of Quality Control. At these prices San Martin seems to be pushing out these hit or miss pieces.
and you love invictas lol