Is that $10 – $15, or even that $40 – $70 watch actually water PROOF? It says that it is, so it must be right? Listings for cheap Chinese watches get pretty loosey goosey with their claims sometimes …
The example above is a pretty sweet timepiece (the “S-Shock” is a little further down the alphabet from Casio’s more expensive, “G-Shock” I guess), and WOW! It’s waterproof!! Or so it says. Take the time to look past the titles, which appear to be nothing more than keywords spammed into the title to get into your search results. The specifications for this particular watch however, reveal it to be rated at only 3Bar … that’s mild water resistance at best! This means you can wash your hands and not worry about a little overspray and it will make the run from the car to the front door under a rain cloud, but water PROOF. Don’t bet on it.
So, what do you need to look for in order to get a watch that will withstand the tidal forces you intend on subjecting it to? Casio provides a chart on their site which I have dutiful replicated here below.
METERS (M)
BAR (ATM)
100M
200M
30
3
50
5
100
10
200
20
Diver’s
Watch 200M
30M Water Resistance: Wearable while water is being splashed but not under any pressure. 50M Water Resistance: Wearable around sinks, during swimming, athletic sports, in shallow waters, but not while snorkeling or scuba diving. 200M Water Resistance: Wearable around sinks, during swimming, poolside diving, snorkeling, jet skiing, but not while scuba diving. DIVER’S WATCH 200M: Wearable while scuba diving at depths not requiring helium gas.
ATM=Atmosphere Only watches marked with the words “DIVER‘S WATCH 200M” can be worn while scuba diving (with air tanks). Even if a watch is water-resistant, do not operate its buttons or crown while it is submersed in water or wet. However, “DIVER’S WATCH 200M” casing models permit underwater button operation. After submersion in seawater, use plain water to rinse all salt and dirt from the watch. Even if a watch is water-resistant, avoid wearing it in the bath or in area where detergents (soap, shampoo, etc.) are being used. Such conditions can reduce water resistance.
So I guess my adventure-filled “S-Shock” digital chronograph may only be good for washing hands, but for $12 how much adventure are you expecting?!
The watch “crystal” is the hard, transparent material covering and protecting the watch dial and inner workings from the elements and a variety of life’s encounters. And to answer the question … NO … they are not made from crystal.
I have learned that there are actually a variety of materials watch crystals made out of. Each has it’s strengths and weaknesses.
Crystal Materials
Plastic/Acrylic
Acrylic watch crystals were popular in the mid 1900’s and became an important component in most watches of the day. It was sent to the moon on the Omega Speedmaster since it could not shatter and and posed no risk of glass shards floating around the spacecraft with the astronauts(bt).
Replacement crystals can be custom cut and shaped(es).
Scratches can be buffed out.
Cons
Not scratch resistant.
Can become brittle over time.
Higher level of maintenance.
In order to maintain water rating needed to be routinely replaced.
Mineral Glass/Hardened Glass
Mineral glass is a term that confused me as it suggested something in particular; a specific formulation of glass and some other material but this is not the case. It is simply a term that is applied across the spectrum of standard glass used in watch crystals. In the mid-1900’s, when plastic was a popular material for watch crystals, the acrylic crystals became referred to as “watch glass”. The term “mineral glass” likely emerged out of a need to differentiate actual glass crystals from the synthetic plastic crystals.
It is possible for glass to to be chemically treated and be further”hardened” using proprietary processes. Despite the different techniques for hardening glass, the results are categorically the same. More durable, scratch resistant crystals.
AKA – Wittnauer’s Mineron™, Seiko’s Hardlex™(zl)
Pros
Scratch resistant. Hardened/Mineral glass ranks around 5 on the Mohs Scale; the same as tooth enamel!
Cons
Although it’s tougher to break, when it does, it’s more prone to shatter into splinters. Glass splinters floating within an automatic mechanism could cause more extensive and costly damage.
Synthetic Sapphire
As far as I have been able to uncover, Synthetic Sapphire is widely and often deceptively used term.
On the one hand … I have heard it used to legitimately describe Seiko and Invicta’s technology of ‘fusing’ sapphire with hardened mineral glass, creating a material more durable than simple glass but less so than true sapphire.
On the other, less reputable dealers have been reported as associating the term with hardened or regular mineral glass.
AKA – Seiko’s Sapphlex™(zl), Invicta’s Fire Fusion™
Pros
Most resistant to scratching
Clear for easy readability
Requires little maintenance.
Cons
Expensive
Shatters when broken
Sapphire
Sapphire is the hardest and most scratch resistant of the crystal materials and the most expensive. Sapphire’s used in watch crystals are typically man-made
Scratch resistant. With diamonds ranking 10 on the Mohs scale, sapphires weigh as very hard; registering 9 on Mohs Scale (zl). In fact this material is so durable it’s also often used as “jewels” in the watch movement.
If the crystal shatters
If the crystal should shatter then it’s important that you pull out the crown(bt) and stop the mechanism ASAP to prevent further, more expensive damage. Contact local watchmaker and have the crystal professionally removed and replaced.
If it’s a cheap Chinese watch like the pieces we review here, and the crystal shatters then you just throw it away. For the cost of replacing the crystal on a quartz watch, you could purchase probably 5 or 6 new watches. If you’re replacing the crystal on a mechanical watch where the watch would need to be cleared of any potential splinters and fragments the repair cost would probably be enough to purchase many, manymore cheap Chinese watches. Rolex charges about $800 just for the service – then about another $150 for the [Sapphire] replacement(ws). So … that’s a lotof cheap Chinese watches …
Crystal Shapes
I originally thought that watch crystals were all intended to be domed, but have learned that that is not the case. GS Supplies, a popular manufacturer of watch crystals manufactures a variety of different shapes. I’ve listed a few of them below(gs) …
Flat top
Slight dome
Low dome
High dome.
Extra high
Identify Your Crystal
Particularly in the cheap Chinese watch industry there isn’t a lot of discussion about the material of the watch crystal. Or perhaps you’ve received a watch as a gift or second hand and the type of crystal was not revealed. How do you find out what the crystal material is?
I have found limited information on this topic but will share what I have found. There are a few tests that can be applied to assist in determining what your watch’s crystal is made of.
Water Test
The water test distinguishes glass from crystal by observing the way a drop of water stands on the crystal.
Sapphire – The water will “bead” up on the surface. The sides of the “bead” will actually expand out over the foot print of the droplet. Literally the way a bead would look.
Glass – The water drop will “puddle”. This is where the footprint of the water droplet will be the widest part of the droplet, spreading out wider that a bead would.
Sound Test
Each material makes a decidedly different tone when tapped gently with an item such as a fingernail or so.
Sapphire – Makes a lower, duller sound when tapped with a fingernail.
Glass – Makes a higher pitched, “clinky” sound when tapped with a fingernail.
While these tests are a good way to eliminate the presence of sapphire , I am not sure how or whether these tests can distinguish …
Mineral/Hardened glass from regular glass
Synthetic Sapphire from solid Sapphire
Acrylic/plastic.
I’ll continue to look for more tests.
Video Links
These videos are not embedded and will open in a new tab/window.
This SOKI Field Watch is styled after military field watches. Originally required to synchronize ballistics with infantry movements, field watches provided minimal, easy-to-read dials; with emphasis on no-frills, sans-serif fonts and few if any additional complications were employed to emphasize readability. SOKI’s version of the field watch is an adequate representation of such a watch … not great buy not horrible either.
Lacking any definitive model number or name (as far as I can tell) I will simply refer to this as the SOKI Field Watch. You can find it online by searching on “SOKI Military Watch”. I prefer “Field” over “Military” as it’s more specific to the style. Anyway … I digress …
Conclusion & Rating
Cons
It’s hard to say that you don’t get your money’s worth when purchasing a watch for $5 and the SOKI Field Watch is no different. It didn’t knock me over with it’s style or durable construction but it is a nice watch for the money. It’s not that there is anything particularly wrongwith this watch as much as there isn’t anything particularly spectacular with it either. In general, I really like the utilitarian look of field watches. I think, however that these SOKI Field Watches photographed more convincingly than they delivered in person. But this really is a personal preference. If you can’t stop looking at them then you will probably like these more than me.
If I have any specific complaints about the construction, it would be that the watch bands are a little chintzy in the leather department and there is something about the edge of the case, where it meets the crystal that makes it resemble a powder coated, yet durable mint tin.
Pros
Oddly enough however, while the band material is a bit of a downer, the design of the band, and in particular the buckle, are some of my favorite features of this watch. I love the double-pin buckle, and while the metal that the buckle is made of is what I have come to expect from cheap Chinese watches, the double-pin makes it more sturdy feeling when buckling it. I also love the look of the double row of rectangular holes down the length of the band.
I’m not a particular guy and subtle details can get lost on me. I only need a watch to do two things, however, and I judge it primarily on those things …
Keep accurate time.I have not had to , after a month’s time reset the time on the SOKI Field Watch. Being a quartz movement I expect to not have to reset the time very often, and so far the SOKI Field Watch has delivered without fail.
Look and feel great. Although the SOKI Field Watch fulfills the promise that it looks like a field watch, I was kind of expecting and hoping for more. More rugged, more … in the trenches.
Recommendation
Would I recommend this to a friend? I think if you were really taken with the design then this would be an OK purchase. The case actually feels well made and the dial is easy to read. If you were “so-so” on the design then I would recommend that you keep looking. There are several nice, cheap Chinese field watches available. The SOKI W035 is an under $5 watch that looks like it might have more promise. I will have to try this one sometime soon!
SOKI W035
Interested in further “deets”? Feel free to continue reading to get additional thoughts and feedback of my experience with the SOKI Field Watch.
The Valia 8272-2 was among the first shipment of cheap Chinese watches I received. It has since become something of my “go-to” watch as it goes with more of my wardrobe that any of my other watches. I am a hoodie, cargo shorts and Sketchers kind of guy and this wristwatch is the perfect level of casual for me.
Conclusion & Rating
Cons
The biggest beef I have with this watch is the dial design. While it definitely has the “cool” factor, the problem is that I can sometimes lose the second, minute and hour hands in the cross-over detail. Perhaps it’s just me but the crossing pattern is so pronounced it diverts a bit from the readability. It’s not like you can’t find the hands though. I just need to re-adjust my eyes and there they are.
Another issue I have is that it’s billed as a leather and canvas strap. I don’t know whether the leather is genuine or not but the canvas does not appear to be actual canvas as much as a sort of batting or a thin, almost Styrofoam-like material veneered with a canvas texture. Not a huge issue but noticeable in my mind.
Pros
As I mentioned before, this watch, in the colors I have chosen has become my daily go-to as it goes with almost everything I own. I wouldn’t wear it to a funeral or a wedding or anything but it seems to be the universal “casual watch”.
I love the case on this watch as well; perhaps my favorite thing in fact. I love that it’s not a plated, shiny chrome case. It has a more metallic, flat finish to it which I really like.
I’m not a particular guy and the subtle details can get lost on me. I only need a watch to do two things, however, and I judge it primarily on those things …
Keep accurate time. I have not had to, after two month’s time reset the time on the Valia 8272-2. That, for me qualifies as accurate time.
Look and feel great. The Valia 8272-2 pulls through. It’s comfortable and casual and goes with everything in my closet.
Recommendation
Would I recommend this to a friend? Definitely. It’s cool looking, durable (so far) and at $4.87USD is a great value for the money.
Interested in further “deets”? Feel free to continue reading to get additional thoughts and feedback of my experience with the Valia 8272-2.
I packed up my teenage daughters today and we went on a short road trip to visit my sister who lives near the beach here … here, where I live.
I was rocking flea market fashion wearing gray camouflage cargo shorts, a black/grey sweatshirt, plain black baseball cap and of course my dollar store sunglasses. Wrapping up the ensemble was a black banded Geneve W5583 quartz “fauxnograph“. This wristwatch was a bit of a surprise for me. It initially struck me as a near duplicate of the Yazole 271 and while it’s arguably very similar looking, I was surprised at how much different it “wore” on my wrist. Partly due to the watch but I was particularly surprised at how comfortable the strap was.
Geneve W5583
It was bit of a dismal day, a cold drizzle pretty much all afternoon. As such it didn’t endure crazy summer heat nor sweaty wrists or anything. And although we walked along the beach and it’s possible that a random rain drop or two may have found its way onto the crystal, nothing happened that would have tested its “water resistance”. All in all however I was quite pleased and look forward to another day with my Geneve W5583.
Jewels in a watch certainly sound exotic and prestigious. I mean .. diamonds, rubies and sapphires. It makes your watch sound like a pirate’s treasure chest! The more jewels the better!! Right?
If you’re expecting this …
Don’t … Jewels found in watch movements are used as bearings to prevent certain contact points within the mechanism from wearing down during the course of operation. Hard jewels (diamond, ruby and sapphires) are commonly used because they are the hardest material available. Primarily these days, on quality movements you will see synthetic, man-made rubies used; diamonds are too expensive and sapphires are presumably not as hard. Although through casual internet surfing I am seeing quite a bit of sapphire out there as well.
The jewels we are actually talking about are so small, and the fact that they are man-made would suggest that the rubies used in watch movements are to naturally occurring rubies what cubic zirconia is to a diamond.
Ruby Jewel Bearing
Ruby and Sapphire Jewel Bearings
But they do seem to pack a lot of influence … Watch manufacturers seem to boast about the number of jewels they possess … Presumably 10 jewels is better than 7 and 17 is better than 10 and 27 is better than 17 … etc etc… also not true.
According to this much more literately written article on A Blog To Watch, in the days before automation, setting these tiny little jewels was so complicated that you only used as many as you needed. Therefore the number of jewels present in a movement was an indicator of the complication of the movement itself (more moving parts) and amount of effort and attention and thus the quality of the movement itself. These days, however, with the advent of synthetic rubies, tools and automation, setting jewels is not as difficult or as expensive as it used to be. Manufacturers may sometimes pack more jewels into their watches than is necessary in an effort to project a higher level of quality than is really present.
So the number of jewels required really depends on the requirements of the movement. The more complications and moving parts, presumably the move jewels are necessary. So if you find a watch that does no more than tell the time yet boasts “27 jewels” … it probably represents more marketing than functionality.
This had me confused for a long time because ETA sounds like an acronym for something, so I assumed it must refer to some sort of certification or certification body or something. It’s actually a little less complicated then that and yet so much more.
For those with a short attention span (my hand is raised) the oversimplified explanation is that ETA is a manufacturer of movements, but not just A manufacturer of movements; it’s the largest, most powerful and influential manufacturer and supplier of Swiss movements in the industry. According to Wikipedia, ETA maintains a virtual monopoly over the Swiss movement and as such is heavily regulated by the Swiss government.
ETA Mechanical Movement
ETA Quartz Movement
A Blog To Watch has detailed a 3 page history on how ETA came to be. It was a long but not uninteresting journey. If you’re one for details I highly recommend the read. If not, then at least hit up page 3 and check out “ETA Today”. It’s good information to know if you’re going to be interested in watches.
Livin’ Large bee-atches!! Your know you’re a real baller when you are wearing a watch that’s bigger than your wrist!! The V6 Super Speed V0270 measures in at my wrist’s maximum capacity of 49mm (I know … I have little girl wrists).
If my day is as large as my watch it should be a good one.
After nearly a week of waiting to see any movement in the package tracking all of a sudden it appears that it’s in town waiting to be delivered! I am expecting to receive these today!!
Update 06/07/2016
Less than 24 hours later my watches have shipped!! Gearbest even included a photo of the package to the tracking information! The package is unimpressive but it’s nice to know that something is coming. Hope it gets here in one piece! Well … two … I ordered two watches so I am hoping for two pieces …
Initial Post 06/06/2016
I was never a big fan of the Panerai “cushion” styled timepieces until I began to read up on the Parnis for a small paragraph I wrote on homage watches, and they started to grow on me. After only a couple of days of looking at them I just had to have one!!
$135 Parnis Luminous Marina Homage
$7000 Panerai Luminor Marina
Of course, I can’t afford a $150 Parnis anymore than I can afford an authentic $7000 Panerai but I found a pair of Megir watches on Gearbest.com that shared very similar design queues. I don’t think they were attempting to hide the similarities, on the contrary I think it’s exactly what they were shooting for. Regardless, lucky me, they also came in under my $25 “really cheap watch” price guideline … win/win … so I bought the pair! The Megir 3009 on the left (below) and the Megir 3778 on the right (below). I think that they look fantastic. I have concerns over the quality of the straps as I have been disappointed by several straps so far but if the mechanism is well built and worth it I may drop another $15-$20 and get some nicer straps.
Megir 3009
Megir 3778
I placed the order on June 7th and they shipped the next day!!! Now I am sit here refreshing the shipping tracking information as if expecting an Indiana Jones travel sequence to appear on the screen so that I can follow the ever progressing movement of my pair of Megir watches …
I will post photos and first impressions when they arrive! Holy crap … I can’t wait!!
Introducing what is probably my favorite watch in my collection to date; the BeiNuo 6470G. Sharing the top spot with my Movado Elrio the BeiNuo 6470G has as much class and style … in my opinion … as any higher priced watch. Sure it lacks pedigree, quality materials, or even working sub-dials … but it’s a gorgeous timepiece. It also comes in a variety of colors and straps …
BeiNuo 6470G – White/Brown
BeiNuo 6470G – White/Black
BeiNuo 6470G – Black/Black
Conclusion & Rating
Cons
The one and perhaps only thing that I found disappointing about the BeiNuo 6470G is the same thing I said about the Valia 8601-1 in my review of it. In fact … it’s so the same I’m going to cut and paste it …
“… its lack of density; to the case in particular. These are made inexpensively and that’s evident when you compare them to more established and expensive brands. And you don’t have to go to the hundred dollar watches to notice this either. A $40 Timex Expedition at your local WalMart or Target is enough to see for yourself what I am talking about. The BeiNuo 6407G case metal feels thin and the entire body is light in my hand. With such a beautiful watch the concern is how long will it last. I take extra special care though, hoping to keep it alive for as long as possible“.
I believe also that in addition to the case material being somewhat thin, that the case is plated as well, except for the back. It remains to be seen how long the plating will hold up for me. I hope a long time though … this is a gorgeous watch.
Pros
I could probably quote a good deal of the Valia 8601-1 review as these watches are nearly neck and neck in comparison. This watch, without the “diamond cut” bezel, however has a smoother, slightly more formal look which it carries throughout the design. But perhaps more interesting to me are the details of the sub-dials. While the Yazoli 271 looked decidedly pasted on, the sub-dials of the Valia 8601-1, with their silver faces, stood out beautifully against the white dial. The sub dials of the BeiNuo 6470G have an almost architectural feel against a shimmery satin white watch dial. The hands of the dials are all positioned in the same upright position, which I mentioned in the Yazole 271 review betrays its faux nature. Somehow, however the BeiNuo 6470G carries this off better than the Yazole 271.
I’m not a particular guy and the subtle details can get lost on me. I only need a watch to do two things, however, and I judge it primarily on those things …
Keep accurate time.I have not had to , after a month’s time reset the time on the BeiNuo 6470G. Being a quartz movement I expect to not have to reset the time very often, and so far the BeiNuo 6470G has delivered admirably.
Look and feel great. The BeiNuo 6470G delivers in spades. The shiny satin finish to the dial face provides a level of bling without being ostentatious or arrogant. The finish even lends a little more of a “techno” feel to it. This is a stunning and comfortable watch.
Recommendation
Would I recommend this to a friend? Without question. This is a good watch, a GREAT watch, in fact for under $10. I would argue that this watch could fetch near the $15 – $20 mark. I would never pay that much because I know that I don’t have to, but if I had seen it in a store front and didn’t know I could get it for $5 I would not hesitate to drop the $20 on it. If you like the style, which is personal and I can offer no guidance on, but if you like the look and the styling and are willing to care for it, I do not think you would regret the purchase.
Interested in further “deets”? Feel free to continue reading to get additional thoughts and feedback of my experience with the BeiNuo 6470G.
![$_35[1]](https://bourghettogentry.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/351.jpg)
Bourghetto Gentry 