It's straight forward: 1. Pay $299/m for a year to get 12 random watches that you may or may not like the look of, from brands you most likely have not heard of 2. Give yourself a $299 budget every month for a year to buy a new watch of your choosing Who would be the happier guy at the end of the year?
jk12324 payouts you can buy a zenith el primero for that price more or less. I’d much rather have that as my only watch rather than dozens of these. The movement on the el primero is one of the best I’d say.
jk12324, I definitely agree. Everyone should spend their money how they see fit. However, if anyone really wants one a higher end watch, I think they're better off saving their money and getting exactly what they want. I just think there are way too many quality options out there for me to blindly gamble $299 for that "steal". If anyone just takes time to research and shop around, they'd be surprised at the legit bargains they can find without blindly giving away their money. (Heck, I recently purchased a Hamilton automatic for $300. It's a great style that I enjoy, and look forward to wearing quite often.)
You're a great content creator and I respect your right to your opinion but I do have to disagree. I don't think it's worth the price of admission, even for a few months. I wasn't too familiar with WG but I was approached by them to promote their brand on my channel. After doing research and seeing the types of watches they send, I'm uninterested in the service as a consumer and as a content creator on TH-cam. The idea of getting a random watch does hold some appeal actually, it feeds right into the collector mentality that I've had all my life (baseball cards, comic books, magic the gathering). But, and there's a big but, in the dozens of watches I've seen people unbox I have yet to see a single watch I would have been happy to receive. I'd be happier getting a $20 Casio A168 than anything I've seen. I don't think it's worth subscribing, not even for a couple months. The odds seem overwhelming that you will end up with an undesirable watch month after month.
Hey mate! Thanks for the message. Perhaps it is the bargain hunter in me, but the idea of getting something worth more than I paid for it holds some appeal, even if that something is from the bargain bin. As you saw, I thought the Ruhla was one such bargain, the Gregor was a bit of a dog, and the Jorg Gray was almost a really nice watch, but didn't quite get there. Part of the fun seems to be in the surprise, and part in the thriving community around the service. I felt that after actually sampling the service, albeit briefly, I was in a position to make a more balanced assessment of the pros and cons, rather than just making a hatchet job vid. I still think the lower tiers could be fun, for a short time, so long as you don't think you are actually getting a €399 watch. Cheers, Jody.
Did the Watch Gang thing for about 5 or 6 months last year and loved it at first but decided that, in the end, I was not getting the most for my $$$. Most of the watches were not ones I would have picked for myself but it did allow me to open myself up to other styles and brands I wouldn't have considered. Despite that, I wouldn't go back as not one of the watches I received is still functional today. 1 or 2 have simple battery issues but the rest plain 'ole broke. Also, two of the 6 watches I got were dead on arrival. I will say their customer service was stellar and they replaced both the dead watches I received with new ones very quickly and let me keep the broken ones (whatever that's worth). Overall, none of the watches I received stayed running long enough to justify the expense. Disappointing when I've got some other watches that I bought years prior that are still serving me faithfully to this day. I just kept getting the feeling I was getting a bunch of watches no one else could sell, had been sitting on a shelf collecting dust or that weren't up to snuff in terms of quality control. Just my opinion, others may have had very different experiences.
Personally if I had the funds, I'd like to have a subscription in addition to hunting for things I know id like. I do enjoy miscellaneous and random pack type things, I could also give away the watches I personally dislike but I see as being of good quality and toss the watches I see as junk in my bin for modding and customizing
Part of the joy of being a watch enthusiast is the "hunt." Finding the right watch at the right price for you is what I mean by the hunt. A subscription service takes the joy of the hunt out of the equation. However, if you like a surprise, then maybe a watch subscription is just the thing. However, judging by this video, one hit, one miss, one maybe, I'm not ready to trust them with my money. That $299 watch is really off. Giving it a "maybe" is generous. That same $299 will get you a great Seiko, Citizen, Orient, etc., that is really on. I don't want a draw full of hits, misses, and maybes.
I tried watch gang for 4 months and found the watches to be poor quality and after doing some digging found most of the manufacturers to be directly linked to watch gang. Some watches were just rebuilds with a different name plastered on them "blackwell" and "Grayton" . I did the black and platinum tiers and cancelled. If you can afford to waste money just to see what you get every month then fair enough but for a working class Joe like me it's just not worth it.
Indeed. It appears many of these watch brands are Chinese and are set up in conjunction with Watch Gang specifically to dupe someone into believing their watches are worth waaaaaaay more than the subscription cost. While some of the watches are decent for sure, the vast majority are horrible and sell on eBay for far less than the subscription price. I just picked up a Duxot Consillio Chrono, a very nicely made watch, for under $100 brand new from some poor Watch Gang member who believed that Duxot made a $500 watch because their strangely sold out and shifty web page said they were worth that much. It’s dishonest at best.
So... I was about to sign up for Watch Gang. I've decided not to after this video. I'm new to watches... I like the thrill of looking something up and deciding if I want to buy it or not.. I already have a "goal" watch that I'm gonna save up for. This, is not the right move for someone in my position. Every watch for me right now has a personal attachment. And I'm super finicky. Thanks for the video 😎😎😎
Thank you for the information you have provided. I saw an advert on Facebook for Watch Gang and found your review through google. I still want to do a bit more research, but this is a good start!
Yeah I would stay away from watch gang and just investigate what watches you like. Focus on buying only the things you want and save that monthly money instead for a higher-end piece
There's a number of Watches on Aliexpress that even you have reviewed yourself that offer Seiko or Miyota Automatic movements with Sapphire for under $100.
Thank you for an excellent review Jody. When I got back into watch collecting I was attracted to the idea of a watch club to build up my collection...but then I watched a few TH-camrs who suggested that my money was better spent finding the watch I want and then saving for that watch...12x$300 is a lot of money for a watch (or a number of watches). I enjoy the hunt and finding a deal so why would I deprive myself of that experience. Thank you for another great video :)
I didn't realize Ruhla still made watches! They used to be the world's largest watch producer under East German control. Also the first watches ever to be mass produced.
This is the polar opposite of what I do as a collector. I research, research, research because the learning process is part of the fun. The watch I finally choose has more meaning to me that way. However this isn't bad if you like random surprises.
I wish this was done for very cheap with just casios and timexs and other bargain good brands, and just getting cheap fun watches every month, idk i think that would be fun, but once a month might b too often
Great channel . The Obama Jorg Gray is the JG6500 model - not this model. It has a quartz movement ( which I had to replace ) Not a brilliant watch but I managed to change the movement ( still can’t get the small chrono hands back on though ) so it was educational for me! Since following you down the rabbit hole , my collection contains a SKX009 ,Vostok Amphibian, two Casios and a St Martin 62 Mas (Kagawa). A suggestion - what about a measurement of the Dial area( pie r2 ) I have some large watches with tiny dials Keep up the good work D
$300/mo for a year to get watches you’ve never heard of from micro brands or $300 / mo for a year and buy a Tudor 🧐 something you chose and want and love.
I chose the Black tier and limited my spending to the quarterly option. First 'mystery' watch I got was a big quartz-powered yawn with a flaw. I also learned the hard way not to put a (quartz) watch on the tier 1 wheel that you really don't want, because you'll win that one. I did get a very nice automatic Aquacy diver on my second (tier 2) wheel spin, which I really love. I probably could have gotten it for less, given that I now have 2 watches I don't really want as well as the Aquacy. Waiting now for my second mystery watch. If it's quartz powered it better be magnificent or I cancel. I've learned that the better wheel watches are in the second tier and above, but rarely do you get the best value vs. buying direct from the manufacturer or even Amazon. Aragon watches, for example, are very inexpensive on the Aragon website and featured in second or third tier wheel, which makes them potentially more expensive via Watch Gang than Aragon itself.
First one is the only decent looking thing here. Having said that, I would still save up some money and buy a watch on my own. I don't need a watch per month, I would rather have 3 to 4 that will last me a lifetime, or at very least a few years.
An even handed review. I think the appeal is the anticipation of opening the box and finding a gem, with the thought that next time might be even better if the experience turns out to be a disappointment. Not my cuppa, but fine for those who enjoy it. There are so many, many possibilities in the watch market that I've had to institute some specs standards in my own mind to consider parting with money for yet another watch. My Helm Khuraburi is arriving today! That is some anticipation worth waiting for.
After having looked at a ton of watches and web pages for the watches that Watch Gang sends out, I’m starting to think that some of the web pages are set up in conjunction with a company, typically Chinese, and then produced specifically for Watch Gang. Many of these web pages list what should be a $300 watch at an MSRP of over $1000. Insanity! It seems even some well know micro brands, like Melbourne, have been asked to produce a cheap Chinese watch and slap their name on it in conjunction with Watch Gang. I know for sure this is happening with the company that owns Spinnaker and Avi-8, also a Hong Kong company that goes out of their way to make it look like they are British. Many of the web pages don’t even sell their watches to the public and state that all their watches are sold out. Many of the web pages list specs like “Swiss Automatic Movement” and then don’t tell you any more. Something shifty is happening with Watch Gang for sure. Not that all of the watches are bad. Some of them are decent, for $200, not for $1250. I also love how many of the names feature some white guy’s name. Then when you dig into the company behind the extremely pompous name, it turns out that the company is from Hong Kong. Now I own plenty of micro brand watches made in China and they are amazing. For $200. Just some observations.
Getting the TUW RULA is an amazing deal at the 99 subscription price. However I can imagine you won't get too many of those. From what I have seen from the 299 price point, the Laco watches that are sent are the only decent watches.
It might be better to wait for deal day on Amazon. Put a watch on your watchlist and Amazon sends a message when there is a lightning deal on it. Around Christmas also lot of good buys are to be had imho.
I always say, a business needs to make money, and Watch Gang is no exception. They can claim you save money on watches and I guess in some cases you do, but much like a casino, if you track costs vs wins over an extended period, the house always wins and that's how they make money. That said, I can see Watch Gang being ok if someone wasn't picky at all, had money to burn, and no real opinion on the timepieces they wear. But otherwise you'd probably be way better putting that $99-299 into a bank account, and then using it to pick up the pieces you really want/know you will love over time. Plus no one really needs 12 new watches a year, so every month you don't buy yourself one continue to bank that extra money and then get yourself something extra special down the road.
One more time Jody you hit the nail in the head. Thank you for that awesome review. I have a co-worker that had gotten into the watch gang thing for a while but afterwards decided to quit it all together. I thought about it myself but decided that it was going to be money not well spent since I was going to end up receiving watches that more than likely I was not going to like. Thank God I desisted of the idea. Thank you once again Jody for the great advice.
Jody, again a valuable vid and I admire your diplomatic approach to this subject. The fundamental question for me is what are we trying to achieve. For me the answer is learning what we need to know in order to find just those watches that will really please us in ownership. Subscription services are a trawling approach that does not necessarily lead to any real wisdom and does so at great cost. And if you only like one in three watches that are sent to you, you're in effect paying over the odds for the ones you like? So the VFM argument is invalid. All things considered what you and others including your colleague in Perth are doing is helping us all develop the knowledge and wisdom to choose well for ourselves. You are helping us develop discernment at little personal cost to us and in so doing are the perfect antidote to the temptation to trawl for watches. Well done and thank you.
I don't really get it, I mean there's nothing wrong with walking around wearing a Seiko 5 or similar.. or even some of the nicer Chinese offerings, but who wants a drawer full of badly made tat?
Great review! The possibility of getting a dud is what kept me from subscribing to anything higher than the original tier. My first watch was a James McCabe Heritage 42. For $35 USD with shipping, it was a pretty good deal.
I've just started the Black Tier subscription and really hope it's worth it. Something about not knowing what I'd get excited me. After I subscribed, I did decide to try a wheel spin for the hell of it, and managed to get a Jules Breting Discovery One. (Retail $799) - Turned a nice profit for the amount of points I purchased. Really enjoy your honest reviews!
I think the second watch looked ok, theres a lot of watches that I think look pretty plain but other people for some reason love them like those Fliegers... I don't get the appeal at all, or for a lot of those dress watch types that just have pretty much bare watch faces
"We partner with multiple watch brands every month to ensure you always get a new and interesting timepiece." There is the high end brands we've all heard of, then there are the high end brands only Del Boy Trotter deals with, which are job lot brands nobody has ever heard of.
The ward grey is going for $280 or best offer on eBay. Brand New with tags and the sellers obviously making a profit at that as well as paying postage. They've nicknamed it "the president's watch", though probably more appropriate would be the "Chairman Xi watch".
I haven't even started watching the video (but I will, and I'll edit my comment if needed afterwards), but in my eyes, it's better to not subscribe to these types of things, and save the money you would be putting into these subscriptions every month, into a watch fund to eventually get your grail. Sure, you'll only have one watch instead of 20, but you'll have the watch you always dreamt about, and you'll feel quite accomplished. EDIT: Okay, you actually touched on my exact point, so now I feel a little silly. I really like that you looked at both sides of subscribing to this type of thing. Unbiased and from both perspectives. Very good video! (I will say though, that I don't particularly like any of those 3 watches. I'd rather buy a Seiko 5 or two with the money that went into these subscriptions).
I don't like any of those watches, sounds like they pump out the rejects and the non sellers. Also sound like a very consumer way of collecting watches
I really like the Platinum level watch you received. I'm really considering this service, but for 4 months of service , I can get myself something I love. Let's say a Sinn, for example. I'm worried of getting hipster watch traps that I can only give away as gifts to people I don't care for. Thanks for the informative video, you make great content. Cheers from Savannah, Georgia.
Even if you get a watch that you think it's worth the monthly price, you have to factor in the money you're going to pay for watches you don't like. If you only like every other watch (a generous assumption, judging by the three watches you've reviewed), you effectively pay twice the monthly price for the "keeper" watches.
I subscribe to a couple of channels where Watch Gang features heavily.... Watchin and Mywatchaddiction. Both of these guys subscribe to Black and Platinum (and Andrew even does the Centum tier). One of the thing that you can see is that these guys get a lot of enjoyment from the suprise element of the subscription service. They trade in and out regularly on the exchange if they don't like something. For me it would not suit, I have the same opinion as you do Jody, but it suits them and I like following both of them. For them I really think the 'Christmas present' suprise is the main plus.
Patek of the month club. High end watch club for Oligarchs and Hedgefund managers or anyone else with too much cash and not enough cachet. It could work.
Serious question to any WatchGang (especially Platinum members) member. I’ve seen a few unboxing, but has anyone received a watch from a brand they’ve actually ever even heard of BEFORE the unboxing? Every unboxing video I’ve seen is of a brand I’ve never heard of and the person unboxing it has never heard of the brand either. I don’t know, if I’m wearing a supposed $1,000+ watch, I prefer it to be a reputable brand. That I (and other people) have actually heard of before.
Hi Jody, would have a lot to say about the WG-thing but shall make it short!...-I LOVE the surprise effect!-What I received (4 watches) is globally fair for the money, imho, no catch!-Among the 4 foresaid pieces, guess how many I'd buy intentionally on the web for 99 usd...?Answer: 0.I still love the TUW-Ruhla, by the way (January tier), which I picked up by myself on the Bay in Feb for approx. 150... ;-)I still enjoy your vids a lot, take care! :-)
It's a riff on the old record and book clubs . . . from which you got an occasional good one once a year, and the rest of the time it was, at best, total mediocrity. The flaws in the $300 piece are completely unacceptable. I'd have been sending that one back for replacement. If Seiko, Citizen and Casio do much better than that for $150, they can too.
The problem I see with this is that you don't get to pick what you get. Suppose you don't want a Bauhaus watch, and you get the Rhule. Well, there is $100 wasted, unless you can flip it. It looks like companies use these subscription services to offload slow-movers (hey, Richemont missed their chance on this, didn't they?). Better to scour Gearbest, DHGate, Amazon (especially sales!), etc if you want a new watch every month or so, or get an account to set money aside to get nicer pieces. But, to each their own, and there does seem to be some gold amongst the dross.
I do like the last one. But the first one is a winner for me. Though being a Scot like yourself I would still wear the 2nd piece as it would choke me to have paid for it and not wear it lol.
My take on a watch subscription service. You pay a high monthly subscription to receive a watch that wouldn't look out of place behind a display cabinet in your local arcade. You'll proberbly get most of those watches for a lot less then the subscription if you can Wack A Mole fast enough. Or better still, one falls off in a coin pusher. The other problem is flipping. Would you be able to flip these watches in the real world and break even? You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you snog one that turns into a Princess.
The sloppiness of the $299 dial triggers my OCD. I couldn't wear it for that reason. The German watch looks A-OK. I'd consider buying one directly from their distributor.
It’s like buying something you don’t really need or want but buy anyway because it’s such a good deal. My wife does that with clothes. Oh, this shirt was only $19.99! Two years later the shirt has never been worn and goes to the Salvation Army. Save up, buy what you want, not get something they need to dump. This scheme has ‘chump’ written all over it. So far I’ve only seen ‘no name’ brand watches pass by. Go buy a nice Seiko or Citizen, research, barter for a good discount and you’ll have a nice story to tell about your acquisitions.
oh Bill Gregor ... he sat next to my cubical too 😂 by the way can’t understand why some would opt to “buy” a watch not picked by themselves?! so what is the joy then?
i think it's fine if you're willing to put in the effort to try to flip some of the watches for cash or trade watches with others in the online community
Thanks for the insight. Do you have personal experience their watches and customer service? If so, perhaps you can let me know. They have a nice range of watches, but I'm unknown to the brand. Thanks!
I've been looking into the Seiko SND367PC, but the mechaquartz movements in others such as the one you mentioned are catching my eye too. It may be hard to believe, but I don't have a Seiko in my collection yet.
While it's fun for me to see what people get in these subscription services, it's definitely not for me. To me, it's like sitting down in a restaurant you've never been to and don't really know anything about and just handing them money and saying "bring me food". Maybe you get Beef Wellington. Maybe you get 3-day old Swiss steak. Perhaps if you're into flipping watches or trading with others who subscribe, but that's way too much work for me. Thanks for the look and review, as always.
It's straight forward:
1. Pay $299/m for a year to get 12 random watches that you may or may not like the look of, from brands you most likely have not heard of
2. Give yourself a $299 budget every month for a year to buy a new watch of your choosing
Who would be the happier guy at the end of the year?
jk12324 payouts you can buy a zenith el primero for that price more or less. I’d much rather have that as my only watch rather than dozens of these. The movement on the el primero is one of the best I’d say.
I signed up for my first month of the basic tier.. I think the surprise will be worth 30 dollars to me. 299? I dunno.. Im poor lol.
jk12324 or you could get one 3000+ watch after a year
jk12324, I definitely agree. Everyone should spend their money how they see fit. However, if anyone really wants one a higher end watch, I think they're better off saving their money and getting exactly what they want. I just think there are way too many quality options out there for me to blindly gamble $299 for that "steal". If anyone just takes time to research and shop around, they'd be surprised at the legit bargains they can find without blindly giving away their money. (Heck, I recently purchased a Hamilton automatic for $300. It's a great style that I enjoy, and look forward to wearing quite often.)
Save the money and buy an Omega after a couple of years
$299 is $300....not $200...get off that 60's psychology train.
Something tells me the watches a popular TH-cam watch reviewer finds in his mailbox might not be as “random” as the ones I’d receive.
Well, if they were hand-picking what they sent me, they could have done a better job of it, couldn't they?! Cheers!
Just One More Watch haha good point! Love the channel-keep up the great work!
Just One More Watch Maybe that *was* the "better job".
@@JustOneMoreWatch Excellent Reply!!!
You're a great content creator and I respect your right to your opinion but I do have to disagree. I don't think it's worth the price of admission, even for a few months. I wasn't too familiar with WG but I was approached by them to promote their brand on my channel. After doing research and seeing the types of watches they send, I'm uninterested in the service as a consumer and as a content creator on TH-cam. The idea of getting a random watch does hold some appeal actually, it feeds right into the collector mentality that I've had all my life (baseball cards, comic books, magic the gathering). But, and there's a big but, in the dozens of watches I've seen people unbox I have yet to see a single watch I would have been happy to receive. I'd be happier getting a $20 Casio A168 than anything I've seen. I don't think it's worth subscribing, not even for a couple months. The odds seem overwhelming that you will end up with an undesirable watch month after month.
Hey mate! Thanks for the message. Perhaps it is the bargain hunter in me, but the idea of getting something worth more than I paid for it holds some appeal, even if that something is from the bargain bin. As you saw, I thought the Ruhla was one such bargain, the Gregor was a bit of a dog, and the Jorg Gray was almost a really nice watch, but didn't quite get there. Part of the fun seems to be in the surprise, and part in the thriving community around the service. I felt that after actually sampling the service, albeit briefly, I was in a position to make a more balanced assessment of the pros and cons, rather than just making a hatchet job vid. I still think the lower tiers could be fun, for a short time, so long as you don't think you are actually getting a €399 watch. Cheers, Jody.
I agree with JustBluefish!
JustBlueFish Watch Reviews I agree!
I agree.
Yeah my friend just signed up for the premium and he's got a garbage that's not even swiss or German made
Did the Watch Gang thing for about 5 or 6 months last year and loved it at first but decided that, in the end, I was not getting the most for my $$$. Most of the watches were not ones I would have picked for myself but it did allow me to open myself up to other styles and brands I wouldn't have considered. Despite that, I wouldn't go back as not one of the watches I received is still functional today. 1 or 2 have simple battery issues but the rest plain 'ole broke. Also, two of the 6 watches I got were dead on arrival. I will say their customer service was stellar and they replaced both the dead watches I received with new ones very quickly and let me keep the broken ones (whatever that's worth). Overall, none of the watches I received stayed running long enough to justify the expense. Disappointing when I've got some other watches that I bought years prior that are still serving me faithfully to this day. I just kept getting the feeling I was getting a bunch of watches no one else could sell, had been sitting on a shelf collecting dust or that weren't up to snuff in terms of quality control. Just my opinion, others may have had very different experiences.
This takes all the fun out of building a collection.
couldnt agree more! Its all about the hunt
Yes, precisely. It's completely backwards.
Most WG members build their collections the normal way but just enjoy getting a mystery watch every month or 3 months
Personally if I had the funds, I'd like to have a subscription in addition to hunting for things I know id like. I do enjoy miscellaneous and random pack type things, I could also give away the watches I personally dislike but I see as being of good quality and toss the watches I see as junk in my bin for modding and customizing
Part of the joy of being a watch enthusiast is the "hunt." Finding the right watch at the right price for you is what I mean by the hunt. A subscription service takes the joy of the hunt out of the equation. However, if you like a surprise, then maybe a watch subscription is just the thing. However, judging by this video, one hit, one miss, one maybe, I'm not ready to trust them with my money. That $299 watch is really off. Giving it a "maybe" is generous. That same $299 will get you a great Seiko, Citizen, Orient, etc., that is really on. I don't want a draw full of hits, misses, and maybes.
I tried watch gang for 4 months and found the watches to be poor quality and after doing some digging found most of the manufacturers to be directly linked to watch gang. Some watches were just rebuilds with a different name plastered on them "blackwell" and "Grayton" .
I did the black and platinum tiers and cancelled. If you can afford to waste money just to see what you get every month then fair enough but for a working class Joe like me it's just not worth it.
Indeed. It appears many of these watch brands are Chinese and are set up in conjunction with Watch Gang specifically to dupe someone into believing their watches are worth waaaaaaay more than the subscription cost. While some of the watches are decent for sure, the vast majority are horrible and sell on eBay for far less than the subscription price. I just picked up a Duxot Consillio Chrono, a very nicely made watch, for under $100 brand new from some poor Watch Gang member who believed that Duxot made a $500 watch because their strangely sold out and shifty web page said they were worth that much. It’s dishonest at best.
I have to admit that the Cadisen and Guanquin you reviewed are much better watches than the William Gregor... And their price is a fair one at least!
All of those watches are junk yet $500 was spent!. Save your money, do your research and buy what you want. You will be much happier!
So... I was about to sign up for Watch Gang. I've decided not to after this video. I'm new to watches... I like the thrill of looking something up and deciding if I want to buy it or not.. I already have a "goal" watch that I'm gonna save up for. This, is not the right move for someone in my position.
Every watch for me right now has a personal attachment. And I'm super finicky.
Thanks for the video 😎😎😎
Thank you for the information you have provided. I saw an advert on Facebook for Watch Gang and found your review through google. I still want to do a bit more research, but this is a good start!
Yeah I would stay away from watch gang and just investigate what watches you like. Focus on buying only the things you want and save that monthly money instead for a higher-end piece
There's a number of Watches on Aliexpress that even you have reviewed yourself that offer Seiko or Miyota Automatic movements with Sapphire for under $100.
I love your review, but none of these watches look good to me....all pure garbage!
Thank you for an excellent review Jody. When I got back into watch collecting I was attracted to the idea of a watch club to build up my collection...but then I watched a few TH-camrs who suggested that my money was better spent finding the watch I want and then saving for that watch...12x$300 is a lot of money for a watch (or a number of watches). I enjoy the hunt and finding a deal so why would I deprive myself of that experience. Thank you for another great video :)
I didn't realize Ruhla still made watches! They used to be the world's largest watch producer under East German control. Also the first watches ever to be mass produced.
This is the polar opposite of what I do as a collector. I research, research, research because the learning process is part of the fun. The watch I finally choose has more meaning to me that way. However this isn't bad if you like random surprises.
I wish this was done for very cheap with just casios and timexs and other bargain good brands, and just getting cheap fun watches every month, idk i think that would be fun, but once a month might b too often
I was thinking the same.
What’s most impressive to me is how they can find all these random brands
I would say 3 misses as I would not have purchased any of them. Subscription service for watches is a dumb move.
Great channel . The Obama Jorg Gray is the JG6500 model - not this model. It has a quartz movement ( which I had to replace ) Not a brilliant watch but I managed to change the movement ( still can’t get the small chrono hands back on though ) so it was educational for me!
Since following you down the rabbit hole , my collection contains a SKX009 ,Vostok Amphibian, two Casios and a St Martin 62 Mas (Kagawa).
A suggestion - what about a measurement of the Dial area( pie r2 ) I have some large watches with tiny dials
Keep up the good work
D
$300/mo for a year to get watches you’ve never heard of from micro brands or $300 / mo for a year and buy a Tudor 🧐 something you chose and want and love.
I chose the Black tier and limited my spending to the quarterly option. First 'mystery' watch I got was a big quartz-powered yawn with a flaw. I also learned the hard way not to put a (quartz) watch on the tier 1 wheel that you really don't want, because you'll win that one. I did get a very nice automatic Aquacy diver on my second (tier 2) wheel spin, which I really love. I probably could have gotten it for less, given that I now have 2 watches I don't really want as well as the Aquacy. Waiting now for my second mystery watch. If it's quartz powered it better be magnificent or I cancel. I've learned that the better wheel watches are in the second tier and above, but rarely do you get the best value vs. buying direct from the manufacturer or even Amazon. Aragon watches, for example, are very inexpensive on the Aragon website and featured in second or third tier wheel, which makes them potentially more expensive via Watch Gang than Aragon itself.
Thanks for informative video, as a complete novice in this watch world I found this very helpful. Once bitten twice shy cheers.
Love, Love, Love this channel. Thank you so much for all the awesome assistance with this marvelous hobby!
First one is the only decent looking thing here. Having said that, I would still save up some money and buy a watch on my own. I don't need a watch per month, I would rather have 3 to 4 that will last me a lifetime, or at very least a few years.
An even handed review. I think the appeal is the anticipation of opening the box and finding a gem, with the thought that next time might be even better if the experience turns out to be a disappointment. Not my cuppa, but fine for those who enjoy it. There are so many, many possibilities in the watch market that I've had to institute some specs standards in my own mind to consider parting with money for yet another watch. My Helm Khuraburi is arriving today! That is some anticipation worth waiting for.
Get 10% less scammed . nice
The quality control problems on the 300 dollar watch is unacceptable. I wonder if it was a QC reject that Watch Gang took off their hands?
Got nostalgic for some classic JOMA, think it's about time Jody brought back the goatee
After having looked at a ton of watches and web pages for the watches that Watch Gang sends out, I’m starting to think that some of the web pages are set up in conjunction with a company, typically Chinese, and then produced specifically for Watch Gang. Many of these web pages list what should be a $300 watch at an MSRP of over $1000. Insanity! It seems even some well know micro brands, like Melbourne, have been asked to produce a cheap Chinese watch and slap their name on it in conjunction with Watch Gang. I know for sure this is happening with the company that owns Spinnaker and Avi-8, also a Hong Kong company that goes out of their way to make it look like they are British. Many of the web pages don’t even sell their watches to the public and state that all their watches are sold out. Many of the web pages list specs like “Swiss Automatic Movement” and then don’t tell you any more. Something shifty is happening with Watch Gang for sure. Not that all of the watches are bad. Some of them are decent, for $200, not for $1250. I also love how many of the names feature some white guy’s name. Then when you dig into the company behind the extremely pompous name, it turns out that the company is from Hong Kong. Now I own plenty of micro brand watches made in China and they are amazing. For $200. Just some observations.
"...a bit of a dog's breakfast". LMAO!!
Getting the TUW RULA is an amazing deal at the 99 subscription price. However I can imagine you won't get too many of those. From what I have seen from the 299 price point, the Laco watches that are sent are the only decent watches.
It might be better to wait for deal day on Amazon. Put a watch on your watchlist and Amazon sends a message when there is a lightning deal on it.
Around Christmas also lot of good buys are to be had imho.
I always say, a business needs to make money, and Watch Gang is no exception. They can claim you save money on watches and I guess in some cases you do, but much like a casino, if you track costs vs wins over an extended period, the house always wins and that's how they make money.
That said, I can see Watch Gang being ok if someone wasn't picky at all, had money to burn, and no real opinion on the timepieces they wear. But otherwise you'd probably be way better putting that $99-299 into a bank account, and then using it to pick up the pieces you really want/know you will love over time. Plus no one really needs 12 new watches a year, so every month you don't buy yourself one continue to bank that extra money and then get yourself something extra special down the road.
One more time Jody you hit the nail in the head. Thank you for that awesome review. I have a co-worker that had gotten into the watch gang thing for a while but afterwards decided to quit it all together. I thought about it myself but decided that it was going to be money not well spent since I was going to end up receiving watches that more than likely I was not going to like. Thank God I desisted of the idea. Thank you once again Jody for the great advice.
Jody, again a valuable vid and I admire your diplomatic approach to this subject. The fundamental question for me is what are we trying to achieve. For me the answer is learning what we need to know in order to find just those watches that will really please us in ownership. Subscription services are a trawling approach that does not necessarily lead to any real wisdom and does so at great cost. And if you only like one in three watches that are sent to you, you're in effect paying over the odds for the ones you like? So the VFM argument is invalid. All things considered what you and others including your colleague in Perth are doing is helping us all develop the knowledge and wisdom to choose well for ourselves. You are helping us develop discernment at little personal cost to us and in so doing are the perfect antidote to the temptation to trawl for watches. Well done and thank you.
I don't really get it, I mean there's nothing wrong with walking around wearing a Seiko 5 or similar.. or even some of the nicer Chinese offerings, but who wants a drawer full of badly made tat?
Peter Shallis Seiko isn’t Chinese backing
Some of the nicer chinese offerings. Seiko are made in Malaysia or Japan :)
I mean. I'm having incredible trouble finding the watches I like already. The odds that it's gonna be delivered via this service is ridiculous.
In the top tier none of the 3 watches shown impressed me.
Of course the Watch Gang Ad popped up right before this video ... LOL.
Great review! The possibility of getting a dud is what kept me from subscribing to anything higher than the original tier. My first watch was a James McCabe Heritage 42. For $35 USD with shipping, it was a pretty good deal.
One nice surprise is that you don't have to subscribe monthly. Quarterly is an option as well (in Canada at least).
At the end of the year you could have saved up for a Tudor, Speedy, or even a vintage Rolex Datejust or 36mm Explorer I.
I've just started the Black Tier subscription and really hope it's worth it. Something about not knowing what I'd get excited me. After I subscribed, I did decide to try a wheel spin for the hell of it, and managed to get a Jules Breting Discovery One. (Retail $799) - Turned a nice profit for the amount of points I purchased. Really enjoy your honest reviews!
I think the second watch looked ok, theres a lot of watches that I think look pretty plain but other people for some reason love them like those Fliegers... I don't get the appeal at all, or for a lot of those dress watch types that just have pretty much bare watch faces
I'm suspicious of watch subscription services but people are free to spend their money. Good video.
"We partner with multiple watch brands every month to ensure you always get a new and interesting timepiece."
There is the high end brands we've all heard of, then there are the high end brands only Del Boy Trotter deals with, which are job lot brands nobody has ever heard of.
The ward grey is going for $280 or best offer on eBay. Brand New with tags and the sellers obviously making a profit at that as well as paying postage. They've nicknamed it "the president's watch", though probably more appropriate would be the "Chairman Xi watch".
The calendar wheel on that JG is also woefully misaligned. Thanks for the review, though!
I haven't even started watching the video (but I will, and I'll edit my comment if needed afterwards), but in my eyes, it's better to not subscribe to these types of things, and save the money you would be putting into these subscriptions every month, into a watch fund to eventually get your grail. Sure, you'll only have one watch instead of 20, but you'll have the watch you always dreamt about, and you'll feel quite accomplished.
EDIT: Okay, you actually touched on my exact point, so now I feel a little silly. I really like that you looked at both sides of subscribing to this type of thing. Unbiased and from both perspectives. Very good video!
(I will say though, that I don't particularly like any of those 3 watches. I'd rather buy a Seiko 5 or two with the money that went into these subscriptions).
Watch Gang treats their subscribers like crap, they send cheap watches
I don't like any of those watches, sounds like they pump out the rejects and the non sellers.
Also sound like a very consumer way of collecting watches
A very consumer way? That doesn't make sense.
O G I think he meant the consumer mentality of just buying crap just to buy it. I may be wrong
I really like the Platinum level watch you received. I'm really considering this service, but for 4 months of service , I can get myself something I love. Let's say a Sinn, for example. I'm worried of getting hipster watch traps that I can only give away as gifts to people I don't care for.
Thanks for the informative video, you make great content.
Cheers from Savannah, Georgia.
Thanks for your kind words! Cheers.
I appreciate this review. I'm not in the Watch Gang market, but it was good to see some objective thoughts on the topic.
Even if you get a watch that you think it's worth the monthly price, you have to factor in the money you're going to pay for watches you don't like. If you only like every other watch (a generous assumption, judging by the three watches you've reviewed), you effectively pay twice the monthly price for the "keeper" watches.
William Gregar was my guidance councillor, he told me the Army was the place for me!!!
I subscribe to a couple of channels where Watch Gang features heavily.... Watchin and Mywatchaddiction. Both of these guys subscribe to Black and Platinum (and Andrew even does the Centum tier). One of the thing that you can see is that these guys get a lot of enjoyment from the suprise element of the subscription service. They trade in and out regularly on the exchange if they don't like something.
For me it would not suit, I have the same opinion as you do Jody, but it suits them and I like following both of them. For them I really think the 'Christmas present' suprise is the main plus.
Patek of the month club. High end watch club for Oligarchs and Hedgefund managers or anyone else with too much cash and not enough cachet. It could work.
Wow that's an expensive club! LOL
Thank you for your unbiased opinions. Loving these videos, keep up the good work.
You would think that a bunch of $100,000/year SS agents could do a little better when buying a watch for the chief.
Thank you. This video prevented me a lot of grieve.
Serious question to any WatchGang (especially Platinum members) member. I’ve seen a few unboxing, but has anyone received a watch from a brand they’ve actually ever even heard of BEFORE the unboxing?
Every unboxing video I’ve seen is of a brand I’ve never heard of and the person unboxing it has never heard of the brand either. I don’t know, if I’m wearing a supposed $1,000+ watch, I prefer it to be a reputable brand. That I (and other people) have actually heard of before.
Hi Jody, would have a lot to say about the WG-thing but shall make it short!...-I LOVE the surprise effect!-What I received (4 watches) is globally fair for the money, imho, no catch!-Among the 4 foresaid pieces, guess how many I'd buy intentionally on the web for 99 usd...?Answer: 0.I still love the TUW-Ruhla, by the way (January tier), which I picked up by myself on the Bay in Feb for approx. 150... ;-)I still enjoy your vids a lot, take care! :-)
Never, no way, no how would I spend my money to have some company pick a watch for me! But if others enjoy more power to them!
It's a riff on the old record and book clubs . . . from which you got an occasional good one once a year, and the rest of the time it was, at best, total mediocrity. The flaws in the $300 piece are completely unacceptable. I'd have been sending that one back for replacement. If Seiko, Citizen and Casio do much better than that for $150, they can too.
Thanks for the reviews. I don’t understand the point of the watch gang thing.
Please do a review on the Loreo rolex homage. If you think that is worth your time. Thanks!
My wrist is about 15,5cm, what size do you recomend me? I am quite a big man but my arms and wrists are very thin
Do I own the watch or do I return it after the month is over?
Is this the same as Hidden Hills?
Hard to believe but some ppl like a surprise every month. Book clubs and xmas clubs do it all the time. I hate surprises, especially in my industry
I had the Jorg Gray "Obama" watch. Wasn't a bad watch for about $400, but I got rid of it. Better to be had at the price point.
The problem I see with this is that you don't get to pick what you get. Suppose you don't want a Bauhaus watch, and you get the Rhule. Well, there is $100 wasted, unless you can flip it. It looks like companies use these subscription services to offload slow-movers (hey, Richemont missed their chance on this, didn't they?).
Better to scour Gearbest, DHGate, Amazon (especially sales!), etc if you want a new watch every month or so, or get an account to set money aside to get nicer pieces. But, to each their own, and there does seem to be some gold amongst the dross.
I do like the last one. But the first one is a winner for me. Though being a Scot like yourself I would still wear the 2nd piece as it would choke me to have paid for it and not wear it lol.
What's the brand is that watch winder? Looks awesome.
My take on a watch subscription service. You pay a high monthly subscription to receive a watch that wouldn't look out of place behind a display cabinet in your local arcade. You'll proberbly get most of those watches for a lot less then the subscription if you can Wack A Mole fast enough. Or better still, one falls off in a coin pusher.
The other problem is flipping. Would you be able to flip these watches in the real world and break even? You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you snog one that turns into a Princess.
Well balanced review and great points.
Buy better vintage watch instead adds a bit of class and much cheaper than this.
Jorg grey up is a fashion brand, similar to brands like Swiss legend and tw steel.
What did he say?
I just got completely distracted from what you’re saying when I saw your t-shirt...I NEED THAT SHIRT IN MY LIFE
The sloppiness of the $299 dial triggers my OCD. I couldn't wear it for that reason. The German watch looks A-OK. I'd consider buying one directly from their distributor.
It’s like buying something you don’t really need or want but buy anyway because it’s such a good deal. My wife does that with clothes. Oh, this shirt was only $19.99! Two years later the shirt has never been worn and goes to the Salvation Army. Save up, buy what you want, not get something they need to dump. This scheme has ‘chump’ written all over it. So far I’ve only seen ‘no name’ brand watches pass by. Go buy a nice Seiko or Citizen, research, barter for a good discount and you’ll have a nice story to tell about your acquisitions.
Who is Barrick Ohbama?
Thank you, I’ve received several beautiful watches from watch gang. I can’t complain. You can’t get something for nothing
oh Bill Gregor ... he sat next to my cubical too 😂
by the way can’t understand why some would opt to “buy” a watch not picked by themselves?! so what is the joy then?
Great T-shirt.... The original Mad Max Interceptor 👍
Where did you get your rather lovely looking watch winders from?
Mate, they are Boxy Fancy Bricks, I reviewed them a while ago if you want more info. Cheers!
Jody should do a Video now in 2021 Using this Back Drop. And see if anyone Notices. I miss the old days.
i think it's fine if you're willing to put in the effort to try to flip some of the watches for cash or trade watches with others in the online community
That last one is definitely a miss due to the misalignment! I'll stay away from Watch Gang!
Any suggestions for budget chronos? Meaning sub $200... quartz or auto. Thank you. Love your vids!
Alpha does daytona homages with Seagull movement (manual winding).
Seiko SSB series mechaquartz. Nicely done, solid movement, and sub-$200.
Timex Expedition scout, i think the name is of an Awesome timex chrono i got on amazon for 30 bucks
Thanks for the insight. Do you have personal experience their watches and customer service? If so, perhaps you can let me know. They have a nice range of watches, but I'm unknown to the brand. Thanks!
I've been looking into the Seiko SND367PC, but the mechaquartz movements in others such as the one you mentioned are catching my eye too. It may be hard to believe, but I don't have a Seiko in my collection yet.
"Out of a dog's breakfast" lol
I had a Jörg Gray. In a years time seven of the indices fell off.
Thats what a young watch Micro Brand needs to do. Give watches to the secret service and Talk one of them into Giving one to the Pres
We've been here before, who wants that many distinctly average to poor watches?
I like your viewpoint on the subject.
While it's fun for me to see what people get in these subscription services, it's definitely not for me. To me, it's like sitting down in a restaurant you've never been to and don't really know anything about and just handing them money and saying "bring me food". Maybe you get Beef Wellington. Maybe you get 3-day old Swiss steak. Perhaps if you're into flipping watches or trading with others who subscribe, but that's way too much work for me. Thanks for the look and review, as always.
An interesting and appropriate analogy from a chef! Cheers mate.
Or they buy discounted price watches that have been assembled shotily.
4:32 : it's what? :)