Great review! I can see your clasp is not central on your wrist. One thing I would recommend is to keep the same number of links but move one (or maybe even 2) from the 6 o'clock side to the 12 o'clock side. The clasp will sit flatter on the wrist and you may even be able to remove a link and expand the micro-adjust. In the past I've always made both sides the same but found recently that always making the 6 o'clock side shorter increases comfort and stops the watch head sliding around the wrist so readily.
This guy gets it! I've seen/heard many people saying to have the same number of links on each side - but I could never do that. I've got a couple of bracelets with 2 more on one side than the other to get the clasp sitting nicer. But I guess it maybe depends on the shape of your arm and mine's a bit weird...
I have a similar "issue" with my SM on a similarly sized wrist (17cm/~6.7 in). It's not as pronounced because I only have their current double-pusher clasp which is shorter than the on-the-fly adjustable one. I think the problem is that they don't include half-links with their bracelets - at least my SM didn't come with any. All the other oyster-style bracelets I own do have half-links and I've had no problem finding a more centered position for the clasp on those. With the SM, I tried playing around with the links but when I adjust the bracelet to shift the clasp's position, it'll just end up sitting too far off-center to the other side. I even went and measured the position and it's pretty much exactly half a link off a "perfectly" centered position on the wrist. It's not a huge deal with this clasp - based on this video, I'd say it's more noticeable with the longer on-the-fly clasp.
You're absolutely correct about SM's propensity to manufacture watches with sharp edges on the bottom of the case. I bought this watch in stainless steel at the same time I bought the 'Pelagos' homage from Octopus (which I absolutely love, BTW). The Octo-10 has beveled edges on the bottom... simply brilliant, and guess who does the same thing? Yep, Tudor on the Pelagos. Between this and the light-weight of the titanium, the Octo virtually disappears on my wrist. I would hope San Martin takes my hint, because I really love their watches (I own 5 of them). Keep up the good work!
Thank you! I just saved $230 bucks! I had your video on the background while putting things away but as the review went to talk about cons, I listened closer and closer, no wonder you're the realest! Great job man, I appreciate it.
I hear you on the sharpness at the inset of the bracelet. If it’s a beater watch like this; you take a Dremel w/ a buffing wheel of medium density & run it along both sides of the inner links to the bracelet … absolutely works w/ zero marring of the finish.
Very detailed review about what appears to be a perfect design for me. I really like the Octopus Kraken 39 titanium Pelagos homage and that one is the one to go for if you want a close copy, but the date and the matte dial really appeals to me. So keen on getting one of these. The only thing I'd miss is perhaps the PT5000 movement.
Great video! I bought the Seestern version of this watch because it came out first but I think I like this watch better. It definitely has a better clasp. I did buy the San Martin SN0111T in grade 5 Titanium. Amazing color to that Titanium. It looks like Stainless Steel. I do agree with you on the sharp case edges on San Martin's. They really do need to fix that.
Re "gritty" crowns. In my experience this is a commonly stated complaint against many mechanical watches but what most have not figured out is this: The watch is winding when you screw it in!
Very detailed look at the pro's and cons of the watch. I have the SS model in Black bought it within days of its release I was so excited to have a Pelagos homage this good. I prefer the blue but wanted it as a pure tool watch and have several blue dial watches. Great shade of blue its better IMHO than Tudors. The black execution is superb - the dial color and matt bezel match perfectly. I find the bracelet better than past SM watches with less sharpness and polished sides but its not the same as a other mid priced watches. Also as you point out I get wear marks between the end link and bracelet and near adjustable clasp - both of which shouldn't happen given its on half of their watches now. SM should really invest a bit more time and effort and get this oyster style nailed given its on 3/4 of their divers. I will order the fitted rubber strap for the watch and likely rock that most of the time.
I’m tempted to get the black one, maybe in SS. It’s such a well proportioned watch. When the original Tudor Pelagos was released, I could never imagine a homage this good with a smaller case size would be available in Titanium and Steel! You are bang on about the San Martin oyster bracelets. They are lacking some minor details that could refine their brand. I would say sharpness, half links and improve the clasp and it’s a winner. Even their jubilee is more comfortable and fits this case.
You’re bezel doesn’t look that smooth. mine did varie when it arrived some times it was good and then occasionally it got sticky then was ok again. I spun mine around a bit and that did improve it a little but I resorted to wearing it in the shower and span it while it was being soaked and now it’s pretty good. My crown is really gritty but it’s getting better. The bracelet is very wobbly but was very easy to change links. My on the fly adjustment works fine, it’s the only part that I interact with that hasn’t got issues. It is sharp but I don’t consider that an issue. Basically it feels like they don’t do any qc but it’s very well made for the money. I bought it because I’ve wanted a smaller pelogos but I really don’t like tudors baby pelogos.
You're right about the sharpness, if I take it off and put on a decent quality watch, it's like taking off hob nail boots and putting on trainers. I have this watch in SS, that's sharp too. Why not put the price up £20/£30 and sort the rough finish out. Overall, for the money, San Martin produce OK watches. They could be so much better though with a little attention to detail. Good review, thanks.
I don’t understand how they continue to overlook the sharpness problem. Their case finishing is top notch. Punching well above their price point. But the bracelet sharpness is something they should have resolved by now.
I have a Rolex Seadweller (bought new from an AD) that is sharp on the 9'o'clock under edge of the case and the ends of the lugs. It's just how they finish their cases.
I have both, and actually the Tudor is sharper. The 12 o'clock side of the clasp can be used as a weapon/knife/cutter. This San Martin for external execution is comparable to the Tudor, of course the movement is another planet. Oh, the hands lume is better in the San Martin.
So many people think that titanium is some sort of "metal of the gods" when really it is fairly humble as an element and not precious. Though being stronger than steel but much lighter, very corrosion resistant and hypoallergenic is pretty special.
The shade of the blue and matt treatment is top notch! Matches so well with titanium metal. I don't mind the crispness (sharpness) of the bracelets. Toughen up princess :P
The models with GA at the end have the Tudor Pelagos 42 style of notched chapter ring. GB has the simple, Tudor Pelagos 39 style chapter ring. The models with T are Titanium material.
You don’t push the pusher to close up the bracelet adjustment. I call it operator error on you operating the clasp. Just hold between your finger and thumb and push the “press” and bracelet out at the same time with your thumb. 👍
For closing the adjustment, your right about pushing the bracelet back into the clasp without pressing the button. But for extending the bracelet, it is difficult to press the button as it does not depress much and it feels gritty as the links move out of the clasp. Thanks for the comment!
I love everything about this watch, except the clasp is way too big. Only thing stopping me from getting it. If it was just a little bit too big it would be okay. But it's about double the size it should be, being titanium makes it basically impossible to get an alternative clasp.
Yes, it does feel a bit sharp around the edges. It can get uncomfortable over the course of the day. It’s not as bad as their Stainless steel bracelets. However, my main concern is that I’m unable to get a good fit using the adjustable clasp. It’s either too loose or too tight. It needs a half link to provide better adjustment range.
I don’t have a Tudor to compare. However, I have seen some very scratched up Tudors on the forums. I don’t have any reason to believe this SM will not scratch up like other Titanium watches. The only Ti watch that has really impressed me in terms of scratch resistance has been the new Citizen Challenge Diver. I have been wearing it daily for several months and it’s barely showing any scratches.
The San Martin Ti "Pelagos" watches are grade 2 Ti alloy, the same as Tudor, which surprised me as grade 5 is considered the best. The Tudor version by all accounts scratches fairly easily too.
i think the Heimdallr is grade 5 Ti. i am CONVINCED that all the chinese watches claiming to vbe made from grade 2 like my Thorn or this SM, are, in reality aluminium with a Ti oxide PVD finish. Ti is really really really difficult to polish. the SM and my thorn are polished which aluminium with a PVD IS easy to polish. YMMV.
Yes, you can perform a specific gravity test but there is no point really, it's not exactly a precious metal. Here's how it's done, this is for silver but the test is the same for all metals. You will need also to find a chart of the SG for metals incl Ti: th-cam.com/video/TeXl5Qurqik/w-d-xo.html
Just got mine, and boy does it ever have sharp edges, even on the coinage, it's ridiculous! But then I have yet to receive an Aliexpress watch (10 and counting) without sharp edges that needed filing or sanding down to make them bearable to wear. My copy also has double male links that fit loose on their pins; plus, one of the end links is a tad too long, binding against the next link. Its bezel action is very loose, with lots of play and tinny-sounding clicks, my $60 cheaper Cronos sub homage is way better in this regard. Brushing and polishing are top-notch though, and the bezel insert and dial are perfectly centered. This is going to replace my Cronos as my daily grind watch because I prefer the lightness of titanium watches, but my Cronos is a better-made watch and a better value, even when compared against the SS version of this San Martin.
No it isn't. I have a number of them and they are excellent VFM. The only issue is that there are some slight variations in the NH35 movement but 9 times out of 10 they can be regulated to within COSC parameters.
Thank you for the video. If you’re willing to accept some feedback about your video, presentations, speaking, etc. I’ll offer it. Go back and listen to your inflection of many sentences. Particularly at the end of each sentence. A high percentage of your statements sound like questions. This isn’t a big deal, but something that when translating to presentations and job interviews may be frowned upon.
Great review! I can see your clasp is not central on your wrist. One thing I would recommend is to keep the same number of links but move one (or maybe even 2) from the 6 o'clock side to the 12 o'clock side. The clasp will sit flatter on the wrist and you may even be able to remove a link and expand the micro-adjust. In the past I've always made both sides the same but found recently that always making the 6 o'clock side shorter increases comfort and stops the watch head sliding around the wrist so readily.
This guy gets it! I've seen/heard many people saying to have the same number of links on each side - but I could never do that. I've got a couple of bracelets with 2 more on one side than the other to get the clasp sitting nicer. But I guess it maybe depends on the shape of your arm and mine's a bit weird...
I agree, shorter on the 6 o’clock has always been my go to for comfort
I have a similar "issue" with my SM on a similarly sized wrist (17cm/~6.7 in). It's not as pronounced because I only have their current double-pusher clasp which is shorter than the on-the-fly adjustable one. I think the problem is that they don't include half-links with their bracelets - at least my SM didn't come with any. All the other oyster-style bracelets I own do have half-links and I've had no problem finding a more centered position for the clasp on those. With the SM, I tried playing around with the links but when I adjust the bracelet to shift the clasp's position, it'll just end up sitting too far off-center to the other side. I even went and measured the position and it's pretty much exactly half a link off a "perfectly" centered position on the wrist. It's not a huge deal with this clasp - based on this video, I'd say it's more noticeable with the longer on-the-fly clasp.
You're absolutely correct about SM's propensity to manufacture watches with sharp edges on the bottom of the case. I bought this watch in stainless steel at the same time I bought the 'Pelagos' homage from Octopus (which I absolutely love, BTW). The Octo-10 has beveled edges on the bottom... simply brilliant, and guess who does the same thing? Yep, Tudor on the Pelagos. Between this and the light-weight of the titanium, the Octo virtually disappears on my wrist. I would hope San Martin takes my hint, because I really love their watches (I own 5 of them). Keep up the good work!
Thank you! I just saved $230 bucks!
I had your video on the background while putting things away but as the review went to talk about cons, I listened closer and closer, no wonder you're the realest! Great job man, I appreciate it.
Glad I could help! Although, it is a very impressive homage. A few tweaks and it would be even better.
I hear you on the sharpness at the inset of the bracelet. If it’s a beater watch like this; you take a Dremel w/ a buffing wheel of medium density & run it along both sides of the inner links to the bracelet … absolutely works w/ zero marring of the finish.
Very detailed review about what appears to be a perfect design for me. I really like the Octopus Kraken 39 titanium Pelagos homage and that one is the one to go for if you want a close copy, but the date and the matte dial really appeals to me. So keen on getting one of these. The only thing I'd miss is perhaps the PT5000 movement.
Fair enough. I haven’t tried the Octopus, but I imagine it’s a thinner case with the PT5000.
I went with the OK and very happy with the decision. The thickness makes a big difference.
Great video! I bought the Seestern version of this watch because it came out first but I think I like this watch better. It definitely has a better clasp. I did buy the San Martin SN0111T in grade 5 Titanium. Amazing color to that Titanium. It looks like Stainless Steel. I do agree with you on the sharp case edges on San Martin's. They really do need to fix that.
I wish they made a Grade 2 cheaper version. There’s room in the market for a solid 40mm Titanium sub homage.
SM is incredible quality
Yup. Especially for the money, I love them.
Re "gritty" crowns.
In my experience this is a commonly stated complaint against many mechanical watches but what most have not figured out is this:
The watch is winding when you screw it in!
Very detailed look at the pro's and cons of the watch. I have the SS model in Black bought it within days of its release I was so excited to have a Pelagos homage this good. I prefer the blue but wanted it as a pure tool watch and have several blue dial watches. Great shade of blue its better IMHO than Tudors. The black execution is superb - the dial color and matt bezel match perfectly.
I find the bracelet better than past SM watches with less sharpness and polished sides but its not the same as a other mid priced watches. Also as you point out I get wear marks between the end link and bracelet and near adjustable clasp - both of which shouldn't happen given its on half of their watches now. SM should really invest a bit more time and effort and get this oyster style nailed given its on 3/4 of their divers.
I will order the fitted rubber strap for the watch and likely rock that most of the time.
I’m tempted to get the black one, maybe in SS. It’s such a well proportioned watch. When the original Tudor Pelagos was released, I could never imagine a homage this good with a smaller case size would be available in Titanium and Steel! You are bang on about the San Martin oyster bracelets. They are lacking some minor details that could refine their brand. I would say sharpness, half links and improve the clasp and it’s a winner. Even their jubilee is more comfortable and fits this case.
You’re bezel doesn’t look that smooth. mine did varie when it arrived some times it was good and then occasionally it got sticky then was ok again. I spun mine around a bit and that did improve it a little but I resorted to wearing it in the shower and span it while it was being soaked and now it’s pretty good.
My crown is really gritty but it’s getting better.
The bracelet is very wobbly but was very easy to change links.
My on the fly adjustment works fine, it’s the only part that I interact with that hasn’t got issues.
It is sharp but I don’t consider that an issue.
Basically it feels like they don’t do any qc but it’s very well made for the money. I bought it because I’ve wanted a smaller pelogos but I really don’t like tudors baby pelogos.
Hey bud fellow Canadian here .How much was this watch. Never herd u mention it or I missed it.
Bought from Watch dives for $258USD with $20 coupon. Link is in the description.
@@realestwatchreviews k thanks buds.
You're right about the sharpness, if I take it off and put on a decent quality watch, it's like taking off hob nail boots and putting on trainers. I have this watch in SS, that's sharp too. Why not put the price up £20/£30 and sort the rough finish out. Overall, for the money, San Martin produce OK watches. They could be so much better though with a little attention to detail. Good review, thanks.
I don’t understand how they continue to overlook the sharpness problem. Their case finishing is top notch. Punching well above their price point. But the bracelet sharpness is something they should have resolved by now.
I love the sharpness. It makes me feel alive!
I have a Rolex Seadweller (bought new from an AD) that is sharp on the 9'o'clock under edge of the case and the ends of the lugs. It's just how they finish their cases.
Even the p39's case and bracelet is sharp
I have both, and actually the Tudor is sharper. The 12 o'clock side of the clasp can be used as a weapon/knife/cutter.
This San Martin for external execution is comparable to the Tudor, of course the movement is another planet.
Oh, the hands lume is better in the San Martin.
So many people think that titanium is some sort of "metal of the gods" when really it is fairly humble as an element and not precious.
Though being stronger than steel but much lighter, very corrosion resistant and hypoallergenic is pretty special.
Well done. Very straight forward ;)
I have this watch and love it. I like it so much that if the Tudor a Pelagos LHD had these dimensions I would buy it in a second.
The shade of the blue and matt treatment is top notch! Matches so well with titanium metal. I don't mind the crispness (sharpness) of the bracelets. Toughen up princess :P
Lol this one is not nearly as bad as the Stainless bracelets. The weight is probably a big factor.
whats the difference between the model
SN0121T-GA and SN0121GA and SN0121T-GB
The models with GA at the end have the Tudor Pelagos 42 style of notched chapter ring. GB has the simple, Tudor Pelagos 39 style chapter ring. The models with T are Titanium material.
You don’t push the pusher to close up the bracelet adjustment.
I call it operator error on you operating the clasp.
Just hold between your finger and thumb and push the “press” and bracelet out at the same time with your thumb. 👍
For closing the adjustment, your right about pushing the bracelet back into the clasp without pressing the button. But for extending the bracelet, it is difficult to press the button as it does not depress much and it feels gritty as the links move out of the clasp. Thanks for the comment!
Use silicone spray fixes most stiffness issues
How would this compare to a Gevril Yorkville?
The Gevril can be bought for a similar price if in the right "sale"
So when is the full review coming ?
Working on it! It’s been pushed back due to all the new releases I’ve had coming in. Sneak peak: I have no intention of selling this one!
Too late, already ordered one 🙂
@@zoltans72 Hope you enjoy it 😉
@@realestwatchreviewswe will see, I am yet to receive it
@@realestwatchreviews and update, I received it and I love it so far !
This is a great review! Thank you
My pleasure!
I have the same
Issue with the bracelet fit
I’ve read a few comments about this issue. Hopefully SM updates the clasp or adds a half link on the next version.
I love everything about this watch, except the clasp is way too big. Only thing stopping me from getting it. If it was just a little bit too big it would be okay. But it's about double the size it should be, being titanium makes it basically impossible to get an alternative clasp.
How much was the duties into Canada?
The real original one is also sharp on the clasp. I've cut myself numerous occasions showing with it on.
How does the bracelet feel? Is it still sharp around the edges?
Yes, it does feel a bit sharp around the edges. It can get uncomfortable over the course of the day. It’s not as bad as their Stainless steel bracelets. However, my main concern is that I’m unable to get a good fit using the adjustable clasp. It’s either too loose or too tight. It needs a half link to provide better adjustment range.
You can open it in mm inside of the Clasp, i dont like it to near on my arm, its perfekt about 6 mm more or les...
For one second I thought it’s a Tudor .
It does have a slight resemblance ;)
@@realestwatchreviewsslight 😆, you mean copy and paste
@HackZiLLaQ8 absolutely nothing wrong with that
@@everythingautomotiveeta5839I beg to differ
@@HackZiLLaQ8 copy, resize, paste. It's the bigger Tudor dial design scaled down to 39mm, so offering something Tudor doesn't.
I've heard that aliexpress titanium watches scratch much more easily than the actual Pelagos - is there any information you can share?
I don’t have a Tudor to compare. However, I have seen some very scratched up Tudors on the forums. I don’t have any reason to believe this SM will not scratch up like other Titanium watches. The only Ti watch that has really impressed me in terms of scratch resistance has been the new Citizen Challenge Diver. I have been wearing it daily for several months and it’s barely showing any scratches.
Silicone spray will fix these binding and clasp issues
The San Martin Ti "Pelagos" watches are grade 2 Ti alloy, the same as Tudor, which surprised me as grade 5 is considered the best.
The Tudor version by all accounts scratches fairly easily too.
Is a full review coming?
Yes, coming soon. I’ve been wearing this daily and loving it so far!
i think the Heimdallr is grade 5 Ti. i am CONVINCED that all the chinese watches claiming to vbe made from grade 2 like my Thorn or this SM, are, in reality aluminium with a Ti oxide PVD finish. Ti is really really really difficult to polish. the SM and my thorn are polished which aluminium with a PVD IS easy to polish. YMMV.
Any idea if there will be a gmt version?
There is a stainless steel GMT version with different Color combination. Reference number SN0121B.
Is the logo painted or applied?
Logo is printed not applied.
@@realestwatchreviews many thanks, this could be my next watch :)
@@legendsend3520 I highly recommend it. It’s been getting a lot of my wrist time on rubber straps and the San Martin jubilee (which fits perfectly)
I previously purchased the sn008 and have loved it. San Martin are a grade above.
@@legendsend3520 That’s one of their most refined BB homages. This one will compliment it nicely ;)
Thanks for a honest review. 😊 nice watch for 300 usd price point. 😊
It’s a good value at that price point. Also not many titanium options in this size and price range to compete against!
Great looking watch. The non engraved bezel is an absolute deal breaker though. Too bad. Nice review.
Thanks, but what do you mean by non engraved bezel?
@@realestwatchreviews The numbers and indices are printed on the bezel instead of engraved like the SN004.
It is beacuse they are lumed
is there a way to test if its real titanium ?
Yes, you can perform a specific gravity test but there is no point really, it's not exactly a precious metal.
Here's how it's done, this is for silver but the test is the same for all metals.
You will need also to find a chart of the SG for metals incl Ti:
th-cam.com/video/TeXl5Qurqik/w-d-xo.html
Just got mine, and boy does it ever have sharp edges, even on the coinage, it's ridiculous! But then I have yet to receive an Aliexpress watch (10 and counting) without sharp edges that needed filing or sanding down to make them bearable to wear. My copy also has double male links that fit loose on their pins; plus, one of the end links is a tad too long, binding against the next link. Its bezel action is very loose, with lots of play and tinny-sounding clicks, my $60 cheaper Cronos sub homage is way better in this regard. Brushing and polishing are top-notch though, and the bezel insert and dial are perfectly centered. This is going to replace my Cronos as my daily grind watch because I prefer the lightness of titanium watches, but my Cronos is a better-made watch and a better value, even when compared against the SS version of this San Martin.
Nonsense. I have three of these. Two titanium and one SS and all are extremely good quality for less than 300 bucks.
The QC on all these chinese homage watches is terrible
No it isn't. I have a number of them and they are excellent VFM.
The only issue is that there are some slight variations in the NH35 movement but 9 times out of 10 they can be regulated to within COSC parameters.
Thank you for the video.
If you’re willing to accept some feedback about your video, presentations, speaking, etc. I’ll offer it.
Go back and listen to your inflection of many sentences. Particularly at the end of each sentence. A high percentage of your statements sound like questions. This isn’t a big deal, but something that when translating to presentations and job interviews may be frowned upon.
Thank you for the feedback.
I noticed that? A lot of people talk like that these days? Especially Australians?
Rather have a tudor supe clone
Then you'd be in the dark about movement/waterproofness.