@@adamw7411 they'll step into a segment where they attempted to become their own brand and another will step right in for it's place, just don't become attached to a brand, majority of Rolex buyers have no business owning one, they wouldn't dare use a sub for what's it's good for, but they'll buy one anyway because they like the brand and what it does for them socially.
With the on-the-fly bracelet sometimes you can even wear it on your dominant wrist which is usually a little thicker than the other. Or do a Schwarzkopf wearing on both wrists.
Thanks for the review it made my purchase decision a complete no-brainer, and I will be the proud owner of this wonderful time piece ,all credit goes to you sir cheers!
Excellent content - review and commentary on this thing we call a hobby. Currently watching my pennies so have done things a little backwards - started looking at homages to satisfy my watch cravings and have to admit the likes of San Martin and Baltany have impressed me.
Just got one and I’m not disappointed, until I have the money to get a Tudor this is what I’ll rock. Keeps great time solid watch. Hopefully the main budget brand we understand that we want smaller divers.
I must admit I don't look forward to the days when the top end of my collection will need servicing. That's where san Martin make a lot of sense. Excellent Finnishing and build quality and in 10 years time I can just put a new nh35 in for little expense. I have 3 san Martin watches now and amazing -2 seconds a day accuracy on 2 of them.
I've come full circle on my opinion of homages. I have had a BB58 39mm but recently sold it. A decent quality homage provides a very similar look and feel on the wrist, and I don't feel inclined to contribute to a luxury brand's huge marketing budget or the AD's mark up. Great finishing exists at various price points. Great design tends to generate homages. Tudor themselves are a brand that have taken inspiration from other watches from the past (albeit that a lot of their inspiration had come from their sister brand).
Gem of a watch, I wore an earlier version for a few years and it was a favorite. Gave it to a friend after I picked up the BB54. One thing I wish SM would do is put a PT5000 in it and make it thinner. Like their vintage Explorer, which is excellent and a daily for me.
I agree it is more attractive than the BB54. As well as the bezel, the dial has a greyish tone to it. The only problem I noted was the ease with which the bezel is rotated.
San Martin is in the forefront of The Quartz Revolution 2.0, only this time it's about quality rather than the movement. The Swiss should be VERY worried.
This is a great review. I love how much value San Martin offers. I love the general look of this watch. What always stops me is their logo on the watch. The brand is fine but the logo always feels amateurish to me... The colorway on this watch is great inmho. I chuckled at 'San Martin is the Corgi of the Watch World'. Another great video!
I have the blue one and it is so nice. I am picky about blue watches but this has the perfect shade and a perfect match between bezel and dial. The matte blue bezel is just whewww...
Would *LOVE* to see this go head to head with the Thorn bb homage. At less than half the price it is a fantastic watch, not sure if the finishing compares but would love to see!
I picked up one of these. My particular one had a very loose crown…but it was SO very perfect that I nearly kept it, crown and all. I ended up sending it back…but I keep stalking it thinking about rebuying it.
Looks like an excellent watch and San Martin's finishing is really great on their latest models. I know this is a BB homage but I've never been a fan of snowflake hands - a minor nitpick of an otherwise almost perfect watch.
The color finishes are very nice. I'm personally not a fan of watches with shiny bezel inserts. I'm a fan of matte finishes, especially a matching matte bezel and bezel insert on a brushed steel case.
Honestly, thank you so much for this video. I've wanted the Tudor BB54 for months now but just couldn't justify the price tag. I literally just sold a watch on Chrono for the exact price as this homage and bam, pulled the trigger. I know homages are frowned upon but as a beater, I don't need a 4k watch.
Thanks for the comprehensive review. There is a new version with printed dial, silver numbers on bezel and blue lume. Any chance there will be review/ comparison soon?
Ordered on this June sales. I thought about the 58 homage but i like everything about this dial, mate bezel and the red detail. The color combo is spot on my taste. It will be my first San Martin. My concern is the movement but hey, for the price i paid i can't complain. Still waiting for arrival. Let's hope and see.
@@lancemitton9078 love everything about it, the dial, the size, the bracelet with quick adjustment, the brushing is very nice. Actually wearing it non-stop for the last few days. I was actually so impressed with it ( my 1st San Martin purchase) i've actually just ordered the blue variant yesterday. The 37 mm actually fits me nicely and the mate bezel is imo a nice addition.
I have outright fakes (Breitling) and feel pretty gross about them. Not to mention I’m stuck with them unless they get tossed in the bin but I’m a hoarder. I recently bought a Seestern 435 and I really enjoy it. I know it’s a fine line between a counterfeit and a homage but I’d never pay the 10ish g’s for a real SeaQ and it’s a less well known luxury watch so I can rationalize it that way. 39 by 12 with 20 lug width and on the fly bracelet adjustment for a couple hundred. I’ve also always wanted to build one of those Pontiac Fiero F355 BERLINETTA kits.
I bought their Blue version at 40mm, and the finishing is amazing. I wore it to have lunch with my brother who was wearing his Rolex Sub (he has numerous luxury watches), and I’m not saying it was as good as the Sub, but it wasn’t that far off either. Thanks for the great review!
@@panorama4526 I actually am. Can I ask on what basis you disagree? Do you own a Sub? Again, the Sub is clearly a superior watch, but my brother inspected both, and he was very surprised.
Yeah, I've had the good fortune to own far better finished watches than Rolex, and i agree with your brother: San Martin ain't far off the entry level luxury standard.
@@kennethg9277I got various watches from Rolex, Omega, Longines, Oris, Hamilton, Tissot etc. I agree San Martin is more or less Longines and Oris quality for fraction of the price. These Chinese makers are getting scary
Just purchasd the blue version and i cannot wait for it to arrivw. I know it'll live up to the hype. I mean, not even Seiko gives you sapphire unless youre spending $400+
It's a very nice watch. SM do make excellent quality watches. I'm not sure a 37mm diver would suit my 8.1" wrist but this will suit am awful lot of people. I'm not overly obsessed with a ghost position but why can't they use the NH38. The cost of both movements are about the same. Thanks Shane, excellent review.
I have had this for a few days and it is a great watch. The watch case is 37mm but rhe bezel is 38mm making it look a little larger. I really like that there is gold and red on the bezel like the BB58, looks better than the white of the OG. In some lights it looks a deep coffee brown which looks good. However I do have a couple of issues. I have already scratched the matt ceramic bezel so beware, it's not as tough as my other ceramics. Also the action of the bezel is a bit light. Would be ok but the coin edge is sharp so it can catch on clothing and has moved once. This won't be an issue for most but for my 6 inch wrist (why I need small watches) I have removed all available links and have it on shortest micro adjust setting and it's ok but it would be nice to have a half link.
Just received my first San Martin, the quality and finish is excellent, not taken my watch off since receiving it, get one you wiĺl not be disappointed!
@@ElJibaro718 I am not one of those who need an oversized watch to prove anything. There are some guys with big wrists but for what I see on social medias, most people wear oversized watches and it does not look good to me.
@@ElJibaro718 I am not one of those who need an oversized watch to prove anything. There are obviously some guys with big wrists but for what I see on social medias, most people wear oversized watches and it does not look good to me.
Would you consider comparing this to the Cronos BB54 with the PT5000? I picked that one up on sale for $165. Make sure it's the newer matt Bezel. I think it's the best BB54 homage on the market. Mine has the lumed bezel, black matt bezel, deep coffee brown sunburst dial, that looks black in certain lighting conditions. It's kicked everything else off my wrist.
I have a pretty busy schedule over the next few months but I'll see what I can do. Cronos watches are really good, and been a while since I looked at one.
Had one. For about an hour. Both the bezel-edge and bracelet finishing on my sample was rough and ready with very sharp edges, and the applied logo overpowered the snowflake for quick-glance time checking. Going for a homage? I'd give Cronos a try...
Getting the word out for the best ever BB54 homage- Watchdives!! Only 11mm thick thanks to the Seiko VH31 ticking quartz movement. Bulletproof little beauty just floats on the wrist! Found that you don’t need on the fly adjustment for this comfy gem - oh yeah, it costs only $100👌
It looks surprisingly good and I'll take your word for the execution. Matte bezel is a great move. So, for the price there is little to hold people back. My gripes would be that I don't like the idea of homages that get too close to copying rather than inspired by and that ultimately I am not that much into that Tudor look. The funny thing is that they just might have made a slight improvement on it. And, for what it's worth, it seems to fit you like a glove, so much so that it might be a 37mm that wears a bit too large, but that is just perfect for others, of course.
I got the watch. Not sure what is it about it but it fails to excite me. Dull is the only word I could find. The colours I suppose. The hands are spaced in a strange way too. Height is not bad but noticeable. Besides that it's pretty good. Very well executed. To me, it's still the best option out there, I am not disappointed, still it doesn't quite scratch my itch except for functionality that I need (size, screw down crown, rotating bezel, adjustable clasp).
Thanks for making this review and bringing this watch to my attention. It looks beautiful with the matte bezel. From your experience so far, is it prone to pick up smudges easily?
For a similar price the 39mm titanium Thorn SHY036 homage to the Pelagos with PT5000 movement and tool less links is very nice. Mine comes with. Blue bezel and dial unlike the Tudor only in black. Good review of this BB54 homage which also differs in color from the original.
When you mentioned the dial was black with a gray dial, I had to do a double take at the watch. I thought it had a very dark green dial with a light green bezel, which I though would’ve been a better option.
Homage is as good as what they are trying to copy and how well they do it without breaking laws. I have a couple of Steinharts that push the envelope but enjoy them daily. SM is getting better all the time. I don't own one...yet. Thx for the vid!
There’s something off about the bezel color compared to the dial color. I wonder if it would look better if the bezel was closer to black instead of gray?
Well, there is the slightly older SN008 at 40mm, but I don't think it has an adjustable clasp. s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Dnt25RT There is also the SN0111-G-B at 40 which does have the clasp, but the case is more like a modern sub with crown guards. s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DBxkf33
Great looking watch.. I don't have a problem with a homage at all, I have a couple but not a San Martin. I'm not sure why. I have had a few in my basket but never make the leap to pull the trigger. Do you think it's that much better than a cheaper homage brand as a comparison rather than its own merits? Great review though 👍
Not to mention the Tudor bezel is aluminum instead of the much nicer ceramic San Martin bezel. I do agree they should change the caseback. A see-through exhibition caseback would be really nice.
Hello and thanks for this video. San Martin is surrely one of the few really interesting new brands from China. They made some good watches before. Thus I do not understand why they are stepping back with that kind of homage one.
I avoid using the term "for the money" when it comes to San Martin, as the quality of their watches is just amazing. I own a couple of their non homage watches, and they are amazing. You may want to consider get holding of the SN0131-G. I would like to see them using some better movements though
@@lancemitton9078 awesome watch, the only thing I would fix on it is the sharp edges on the Bezel, it easily gets caught on to things and rotates. Wearing it right now.
@@itsmoey that’s good to know. Do you have any experience with the SN004 v2 limited edition? It’s almost identical to your watch and I’m trying to decide which one to go with
@@lancemitton9078 I think it's the bigger 40mm one? I have a smaller wrist so the smaller size works better for me and it has on the fly adjustment clasp which is great. I think the bigger one doesn't.
Great review, you made it look amazing! I like San Martin, but I'm not keen on homage divers, I bought their original design blue dial sn0116 last year and it is fantastic. Shame they didn't send an original design, I would have liked to hear your thoughts.
One of the ones I asked about was the year of the dragon SN0116, but that's limited and almost sold out. So they figured it wasn't worth sending. Don't blame them for that though, makes sense.
@@RelativeTime I did wonder if that might have appealed to you, it is an amazing looking watch I would have been very tempted if I didn't have one already even though the bezel would be useless to me 😁
I wish they did the snowflake second hand like on the BB58. I never liked the change on the BB54 ditching the snowflake second hand. I think the changes they made to the BB54 design look great. I never liked the silver bezel markings with the guild markers and hands. Always looked strange to me. San Martin needs to go to a regular caseback. Great review as always.
Having said that i do have a couple of homages, nowadays I tend to prefer a 200 euro citizen promaster over a 200 euro “homage/copy” even though is superior in quality
Is the studio light deceptive when it makes the bezel look greyish? The outsite footage looks great but inside (the shot next to the Citizen) the bezel looks grey and doesn‘t seem to match the dial at all.
The bezel is more greyish and doesn't match the dial. I'll have to relook at the outside footage, but most of the time that's what it looks like. Although like a lot of things, different lights can change how things look a little.
I think it’s so cool they made a 37mm diver but I think the blue one is the one to get. They made the insert too yellow. I don’t know what it is but I just don’t like the shade of yellow they used.
Ghost movement isn’t a huge deal but San Martin have a lot of watches with this feature. Must be hard for them to source NH38 movements. P.S. The missus reckons your voice is soothing.
looks nice but don't you think the "SAN MARTIN 38MM New Upgraded 6200" has basically same compact measurements but the dial design has more personality?
I just quickly looked at it. Between the two.. I think I like this one better. Personally, I don't like the pencil-thin hands, and I think the bezel looks to thin. More over I like the applied indices on this one over just the painted dots. But as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder... and one of the tricks with buying an Aliexpress brand is that they come out with new models and updated models so fast. That it's hard to keep track, and sometimes it is better if you wait.
Hi! After watching your videos, i bought my first automatic watch, a Seiko SRPE 57 with the 4r36 movement. Just wanted to know if its normal for the rotor tu make a subtle sound when it spins
@@RelativeTime I can only hear it in a silent room, like very fast clicks. Not like if It was scratching something, more like a bearing sound (kinda). Is not the seconds marker
@@RelativeTime yeah! I can only describe it as a small zipper sound. I just went to a Seiko dealer and checked that all watches with the 4r36 makes similar noise, so I think is normal
@@Mat-sz9hs It probably is. When you're new to watches they make all sorts of new noises. After a while you get used to them and don't even notice them anymore.
The only thing I hate and why I would buy any San Martin watch is the attachment of the N-link on the watch/lugs. In my opinion the N-link should be a little lowered so the is a difference between the case and the bracelet. Like any other watch brand does;)
I consider it to be one, but I get your point. Many don't. Some of it is Rolex owns Tudor, so "they can't steal from themselves". Or that Tudor made their own cheaper versions way back when, so there is history to it.
@@RelativeTime apparently Rolex introduced Tudor to broaden their market with a more affordable watch without diluting the prestige of the Rolex brand name so therefore it could be argued that a Tudor is in fact a Rolex homage!
9:10 Cronos have their own BB54 homage which even comes with 4Hz movements (PT5000 or SW200) and can go well below 200 bucks during sales. Based on pics of it, I'm not sure about its overall look and proportions though - would be nice to see a comparison-video of the SM and that Cronos. One thing the Cronos seems to do better is the bezel insert which they changed to matte ceramic after customers complained about the glossy ceramic one it had initially. It's probably just me having seen (and owned) too many fauxtina watches, but I'm getting kinda tired of that look. When I see their blue version of this model (which doesn't have fauxtina), I can't help but think that I'd much prefer the black colorway if it also had a "factory fresh" look. I generally prefer black as a base color for divers, so the blue variant isn't really what I'm looking for. Yes: It's staying faithful to the watch it's homage-ing, but I don't see why homages shouldn't be allowed to deviate from the original at least a bit. I also think they should've put an aluminium bezel insert on this one. If you're going to go old school, you might as well go all the way. All that said: I only own one San Martin and, based on that very limited sample size, I totally agree when it comes to build quality and finish. It's a BB GMT (Pepsi) homage and cost me less than half of what I paid for the Steinhart Pussy Galore homage I used to own. But, unlike the Steinhart, it comes with a "period correct" aluminium insert (whose colors/look were the main reason I bought the watch) and a GMT-appropriate, 24-click, bidirectional rotating bezel. It also has much stronger lume than the Swiss watch. Plus it's very close to or in some areas perhaps even superior to the Steinhart when it comes to execution and finish. Some of the edges of both the case and the bracelet were a bit sharp when the watch was brand new, but that was only really noticeable when you compared the SM directly to much more expensive Swiss watches. The only thing I miss on that Swiss watch is its SW330 movement which was much better regulated out of the box and so much nicer to interact with than the NH34 in the San Martin. It also seems that with the NH34, you can't get the GMT-hand to consistently line up correctly (at least according to my watch-maker whom I went to see about the slightly misaligned hand on my example). But I'd be hard pressed to defend the Steinhart's ~ €700 price-tag against the sub €300 one of the SM.
Do you mean the GMT doesn't always line up when you're setting it? Like the min hand is at the 12, but the gmt is slightly off? I've noticed that on a few GMTS, I think there is some wiggle room in the mechanism. Because if I go forward and then go back some time it will line up.
@@RelativeTime It's .... weird. It's always misaligned but the misalignment isn't "consistent". From 12 to 6 oc it'll be a bit more pronounced while from 6 to 12 it'll be much closer to the mark. Doesn't matter if I let the watch run, adjust the time or adjust the GMT-hand independently ...there's always a bit of misalignment. According to SM, that's unavoidable due to the NH34's properties ... which is also what my watch-maker thought after he had handled the watch and fiddled around with it. "I could take off and re-apply the hands all day long, but I think I still wouldn't be able to get the GMT-hand to line up properly all the time" were his words. Seems to make sense because if it was just a mis-mounted GMT-hand by the factory, it should always deviate by the same amount, no matter what time it is on the dial. My *guess* is that this is probably down to tolerances on these Seikos not being tight enough and/or some plastic parts used in the date/day complication. Which (I *think*) is what is driving the GMT-hand on the NH34 (modified day-complication that drives a 24h hand instead of a day-of-the-week-wheel). It's not a deal-breaker, mind you... still an awesome watch for the price. I mean... I still own it but I've long since sold that Steinhart... :D
Err, actually THIS might be my next purchase! You've earned a sub because I think you like the same watches I do. Curious about your carry too - you keep hinting at it in your sequences. ;)
Yeah. I'm always paranoid to show too much. You never know when TH-cam is going to change their policy on something. So leave a little hints for those that know. But generally it's a hellcat or a g43. Both in a black Arch IWB.
The bezel looks grey against a black dial. I have the blue SN004 V2 and the matte bezel again doesn’t match the dial. San Martin, please match your bezels and dials better, or give us a black dial red bezel version so it doesn’t have to match at all!
Aesthetically I think it’s better than the Tudor: it has a brushed case, matte ceramic bezel, no useless fake rivets, just like a tool watch should be. It this was made by a Swiss micro brand with a standard off the shelf Sellita movement, it would be 4 times the price.
When I asked about this from san Martin This is what they said I'm very sorry, it was our description that was wrong. Is this what happened when the watch was first received? Usually our watches are issued after strict quality inspection. Does the bezel scratch elsewhere?
Interesting the description says ceramic, but this wouldn't be the first time one of those was wrong. or the first time they ran out of a part and used another. Other that was more in the past... Like when AliExpress watches were really first getting going. I thought they'd outgrown that. Let me know if they follow up with anything.
I am very sorry for the inconvenience, we will provide you with the corresponding solution after understanding the situation. Does the bezel scratch sharp objects? Was the bezel like this when it was first received? It's not about how it received If it was ceramic this does not happen They are misleading the customers for their benifits This watch is more expensive than the bb58 model also
I like the sterile case back. Makes it easy for me to gift the watch with the person's name on the back. The same reason why Rolex is sterile. Personalization.
This is the ONE channel that makes me want to broaden my horizons with other brands other than Seiko, and Casio. 👍🏼🙏
There is a lot out there. German, Swiss, English, US, Singapore, etc...
Wow, thanks!
Spot on review.
San Martin, that color/matte ring color combo may be your most handsome yet, please put it on one of your larger divers.
San Martin is getting scary good. Too good, almost.
Chinese micro watch brands in general. Insane good value for affordable price. I wonder how long it will stay that way
@@adamw7411 they'll step into a segment where they attempted to become their own brand and another will step right in for it's place, just don't become attached to a brand, majority of Rolex buyers have no business owning one, they wouldn't dare use a sub for what's it's good for, but they'll buy one anyway because they like the brand and what it does for them socially.
On-the-fly bracelet adjustment is very useful not only on warm days, the watch can also be worn on the sleeve when necessary
This is true. Once you get a good one, it really is a game changer. I just tried adding one to my Seiko MMR, but not sure I like the new clasp.
I didn’t even know they had that. (Adjustable clasp) that sounds AMAZING!
With the on-the-fly bracelet sometimes you can even wear it on your dominant wrist which is usually a little thicker than the other. Or do a Schwarzkopf wearing on both wrists.
I have smaller wrists but even my 38mm seem little to me. Nice looking watch, great price. I'm glad there's a watch out there for everyone.
Thanks for the review it made my purchase decision a complete no-brainer, and I will be the proud owner of this wonderful time piece ,all credit goes to you sir cheers!
Glad I could help! 😃
Just ordered the blue one for my wife. She has been wanting a blue diver for her collection. Thanks for the great review!
Excellent content - review and commentary on this thing we call a hobby. Currently watching my pennies so have done things a little backwards - started looking at homages to satisfy my watch cravings and have to admit the likes of San Martin and Baltany have impressed me.
SM always does a great job
Just got one and I’m not disappointed, until I have the money to get a Tudor this is what I’ll rock. Keeps great time solid watch. Hopefully the main budget brand we understand that we want smaller divers.
I really like the 54. Looks so complete.
I must admit I don't look forward to the days when the top end of my collection will need servicing. That's where san Martin make a lot of sense. Excellent Finnishing and build quality and in 10 years time I can just put a new nh35 in for little expense. I have 3 san Martin watches now and amazing -2 seconds a day accuracy on 2 of them.
Did you have to regulate them to get them to be so accurate?
@@Vance-m9l
No, I'm not sure if I just got lucky or if they are regulating at san Martin.
Wow that's amazing to get that kind of accuracy out of the box
Many people will never be able to afford a Tudor, so these are as good as most people can get.
I've come full circle on my opinion of homages. I have had a BB58 39mm but recently sold it. A decent quality homage provides a very similar look and feel on the wrist, and I don't feel inclined to contribute to a luxury brand's huge marketing budget or the AD's mark up. Great finishing exists at various price points. Great design tends to generate homages. Tudor themselves are a brand that have taken inspiration from other watches from the past (albeit that a lot of their inspiration had come from their sister brand).
Gem of a watch, I wore an earlier version for a few years and it was a favorite. Gave it to a friend after I picked up the BB54. One thing I wish SM would do is put a PT5000 in it and make it thinner. Like their vintage Explorer, which is excellent and a daily for me.
Check out the Cronos BB54 then. It has all of that
thanks for the tip! Looks awesome! Still over 13mm even PT5000. 🤷🏻♂️
I agree it is more attractive than the BB54. As well as the bezel, the dial has a greyish tone to it. The only problem I noted was the ease with which the bezel is rotated.
San Martin are killing it
San Martin is in the forefront of The Quartz Revolution 2.0, only this time it's about quality rather than the movement. The Swiss should be VERY worried.
This is a great review. I love how much value San Martin offers. I love the general look of this watch. What always stops me is their logo on the watch. The brand is fine but the logo always feels amateurish to me... The colorway on this watch is great inmho. I chuckled at 'San Martin is the Corgi of the Watch World'. Another great video!
Handsome watch! I’m looking at AE now 🎉
I have the blue one and it is so nice. I am picky about blue watches but this has the perfect shade and a perfect match between bezel and dial. The matte blue bezel is just whewww...
Would *LOVE* to see this go head to head with the Thorn bb homage. At less than half the price it is a fantastic watch, not sure if the finishing compares but would love to see!
I picked up one of these. My particular one had a very loose crown…but it was SO very perfect that I nearly kept it, crown and all. I ended up sending it back…but I keep stalking it thinking about rebuying it.
Looks like an excellent watch and San Martin's finishing is really great on their latest models. I know this is a BB homage but I've never been a fan of snowflake hands - a minor nitpick of an otherwise almost perfect watch.
Good opportunity for modding!
Just ordered this, very excited! Thanks for the review.
Hope you enjoy it!
The color finishes are very nice. I'm personally not a fan of watches with shiny bezel inserts. I'm a fan of matte finishes, especially a matching matte bezel and bezel insert on a brushed steel case.
Honestly, thank you so much for this video. I've wanted the Tudor BB54 for months now but just couldn't justify the price tag. I literally just sold a watch on Chrono for the exact price as this homage and bam, pulled the trigger. I know homages are frowned upon but as a beater, I don't need a 4k watch.
Hoamges can also be a good way to tell if you if it's a watch you would really want before dropping 4k.
Thanks for the comprehensive review. There is a new version with printed dial, silver numbers on bezel and blue lume. Any chance there will be review/ comparison soon?
Ordered on this June sales. I thought about the 58 homage but i like everything about this dial, mate bezel and the red detail. The color combo is spot on my taste.
It will be my first San Martin. My concern is the movement but hey, for the price i paid i can't complain.
Still waiting for arrival. Let's hope and see.
How are you liking it so far?
@@lancemitton9078 love everything about it, the dial, the size, the bracelet with quick adjustment, the brushing is very nice.
Actually wearing it non-stop for the last few days.
I was actually so impressed with it ( my 1st San Martin purchase) i've actually just ordered the blue variant yesterday. The 37 mm actually fits me nicely and the mate bezel is imo a nice addition.
I have outright fakes (Breitling) and feel pretty gross about them. Not to mention I’m stuck with them unless they get tossed in the bin but I’m a hoarder. I recently bought a Seestern 435 and I really enjoy it. I know it’s a fine line between a counterfeit and a homage but I’d never pay the 10ish g’s for a real SeaQ and it’s a less well known luxury watch so I can rationalize it that way. 39 by 12 with 20 lug width and on the fly bracelet adjustment for a couple hundred. I’ve also always wanted to build one of those Pontiac Fiero F355 BERLINETTA kits.
I bought their Blue version at 40mm, and the finishing is amazing. I wore it to have lunch with my brother who was wearing his Rolex Sub (he has numerous luxury watches), and I’m not saying it was as good as the Sub, but it wasn’t that far off either. Thanks for the great review!
You cannot be serious…
@@panorama4526 I actually am. Can I ask on what basis you disagree? Do you own a Sub? Again, the Sub is clearly a superior watch, but my brother inspected both, and he was very surprised.
Yeah, I've had the good fortune to own far better finished watches than Rolex, and i agree with your brother: San Martin ain't far off the entry level luxury standard.
@@kennethg9277I got various watches from Rolex, Omega, Longines, Oris, Hamilton, Tissot etc.
I agree San Martin is more or less Longines and Oris quality for fraction of the price. These Chinese makers are getting scary
Just purchasd the blue version and i cannot wait for it to arrivw. I know it'll live up to the hype. I mean, not even Seiko gives you sapphire unless youre spending $400+
I got the black variant, and I love it. I’m also thinking about getting the blue one as well, this might be my favorite model from SM
Great review. Super detailed. 👍
Thanks, glad you liked it!
It's a very nice watch. SM do make excellent quality watches. I'm not sure a 37mm diver would suit my 8.1" wrist but this will suit am awful lot of people. I'm not overly obsessed with a ghost position but why can't they use the NH38. The cost of both movements are about the same. Thanks Shane, excellent review.
I have had this for a few days and it is a great watch. The watch case is 37mm but rhe bezel is 38mm making it look a little larger. I really like that there is gold and red on the bezel like the BB58, looks better than the white of the OG. In some lights it looks a deep coffee brown which looks good. However I do have a couple of issues.
I have already scratched the matt ceramic bezel so beware, it's not as tough as my other ceramics. Also the action of the bezel is a bit light. Would be ok but the coin edge is sharp so it can catch on clothing and has moved once.
This won't be an issue for most but for my 6 inch wrist (why I need small watches) I have removed all available links and have it on shortest micro adjust setting and it's ok but it would be nice to have a half link.
They really need to add a half link or change the design of the new clasp...I now have also a San Martin where I´m not able to get the right fit 😖
Just received my first San Martin, the quality and finish is excellent, not taken my watch off since receiving it, get one you wiĺl not be disappointed!
This watch is perfect to me 😍 The size is exactly what I would like it to be 👌 And the finishing looks amazing ! Thanks for the review 👋
It's ok if you have dainty wrists I suppose...
@@ElJibaro718 I am not one of those who need an oversized watch to prove anything. There are some guys with big wrists but for what I see on social medias, most people wear oversized watches and it does not look good to me.
@@ElJibaro718 I am not one of those who need an oversized watch to prove anything. There are obviously some guys with big wrists but for what I see on social medias, most people wear oversized watches and it does not look good to me.
Would you consider comparing this to the Cronos BB54 with the PT5000?
I picked that one up on sale for $165. Make sure it's the newer matt Bezel.
I think it's the best BB54 homage on the market. Mine has the lumed bezel, black matt bezel, deep coffee brown sunburst dial, that looks black in certain lighting conditions.
It's kicked everything else off my wrist.
I have a pretty busy schedule over the next few months but I'll see what I can do. Cronos watches are really good, and been a while since I looked at one.
Had one.
For about an hour.
Both the bezel-edge and bracelet finishing on my sample was rough and ready with very sharp edges, and the applied logo overpowered the snowflake for quick-glance time checking.
Going for a homage? I'd give Cronos a try...
Getting the word out for the best ever BB54 homage-
Watchdives!!
Only 11mm thick thanks to the Seiko VH31 ticking quartz movement.
Bulletproof little beauty just floats on the wrist!
Found that you don’t need on the fly adjustment for this comfy gem - oh yeah, it costs only $100👌
I like chalkboard appearance but I also like deep enamel black like looking into the abyss
Excellent review.
Thank you. Glad you liked it.
It looks surprisingly good and I'll take your word for the execution. Matte bezel is a great move. So, for the price there is little to hold people back. My gripes would be that I don't like the idea of homages that get too close to copying rather than inspired by and that ultimately I am not that much into that Tudor look. The funny thing is that they just might have made a slight improvement on it. And, for what it's worth, it seems to fit you like a glove, so much so that it might be a 37mm that wears a bit too large, but that is just perfect for others, of course.
The San Martin Corgi, that should be a thing lol!
I got the watch. Not sure what is it about it but it fails to excite me. Dull is the only word I could find. The colours I suppose. The hands are spaced in a strange way too. Height is not bad but noticeable. Besides that it's pretty good. Very well executed. To me, it's still the best option out there, I am not disappointed, still it doesn't quite scratch my itch except for functionality that I need (size, screw down crown, rotating bezel, adjustable clasp).
Thanks for making this review and bringing this watch to my attention. It looks beautiful with the matte bezel. From your experience so far, is it prone to pick up smudges easily?
It's better than others, It's not as reflective so you don't notice as much.
Great looking watch! How many links can be removed? I have a small wrist😅
For a similar price the 39mm titanium Thorn SHY036 homage to the Pelagos with PT5000 movement and tool less links is very nice. Mine comes with. Blue bezel and dial unlike the Tudor only in black. Good review of this BB54 homage which also differs in color from the original.
I'll have to check that one out. Never heard of it before. Thron another Ali brand?
When you mentioned the dial was black with a gray dial, I had to do a double take at the watch. I thought it had a very dark green dial with a light green bezel, which I though would’ve been a better option.
Same for me, I wonder if it's the camera, the lighting or the gilt than makes it look greenish in this video.
The dial and bevel are gray. I have one so I speak of what I see.
Homage is as good as what they are trying to copy and how well they do it without breaking laws. I have a couple of Steinharts that push the envelope but enjoy them daily. SM is getting better all the time. I don't own one...yet. Thx for the vid!
There’s something off about the bezel color compared to the dial color. I wonder if it would look better if the bezel was closer to black instead of gray?
The dial is gray not black, so it matches perfectly.
Looks amazing …another home run from the Patek of Ali express ✌️….i have the thorn bb58
Never a fan of snowflake but this one is perfect ❤
What is the larger version model number, 37 is just too small.
Well, there is the slightly older SN008 at 40mm, but I don't think it has an adjustable clasp.
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Dnt25RT
There is also the SN0111-G-B at 40 which does have the clasp, but the case is more like a modern sub with crown guards.
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DBxkf33
@@RelativeTime thanks Shane, the clasp really is a game changer, too bad it isn’t high beat and at least 40mm
There are 3 different sizes of this watch. 37, 38 and 40mm. I own SN004 BB58 limited v2.
Great looking watch.. I don't have a problem with a homage at all, I have a couple but not a San Martin. I'm not sure why. I have had a few in my basket but never make the leap to pull the trigger.
Do you think it's that much better than a cheaper homage brand as a comparison rather than its own merits? Great review though 👍
It looks great but 38mm is the absolute smallest I can realistically pull off, preferably 38.5mm
It ain't about the size in mm, it's about the watch itself, and its individual look and feel
Not to mention the Tudor bezel is aluminum instead of the much nicer ceramic San Martin bezel. I do agree they should change the caseback. A see-through exhibition caseback would be really nice.
Smaller watches, the best ones.
Add more color options, 1 or 2mm thinner, painted logo, add half link = perfect small diver 😎
:) just got one with a coupon on Ali for 145 shipped! I’m so freakin excited
Hello and thanks for this video. San Martin is surrely one of the few really interesting new brands from China. They made some good watches before. Thus I do not understand why they are stepping back with that kind of homage one.
I avoid using the term "for the money" when it comes to San Martin, as the quality of their watches is just amazing. I own a couple of their non homage watches, and they are amazing. You may want to consider get holding of the SN0131-G. I would like to see them using some better movements though
I ordered mine and waiting!
Hopefully you will love it.
How is it?
@@lancemitton9078 awesome watch, the only thing I would fix on it is the sharp edges on the Bezel, it easily gets caught on to things and rotates. Wearing it right now.
@@itsmoey that’s good to know. Do you have any experience with the SN004 v2 limited edition? It’s almost identical to your watch and I’m trying to decide which one to go with
@@lancemitton9078 I think it's the bigger 40mm one? I have a smaller wrist so the smaller size works better for me and it has on the fly adjustment clasp which is great. I think the bigger one doesn't.
Wish it was a little thinner as the Tudor it's homaging is.
That would be cool, but with the Seiko movement, hard to do. Maybe they should do one with a 9015
Interesting and informative review.
Thank you kindly!
Great review, you made it look amazing! I like San Martin, but I'm not keen on homage divers, I bought their original design blue dial sn0116 last year and it is fantastic. Shame they didn't send an original design, I would have liked to hear your thoughts.
One of the ones I asked about was the year of the dragon SN0116, but that's limited and almost sold out. So they figured it wasn't worth sending. Don't blame them for that though, makes sense.
@@RelativeTime I did wonder if that might have appealed to you, it is an amazing looking watch I would have been very tempted if I didn't have one already even though the bezel would be useless to me 😁
I wish they did the snowflake second hand like on the BB58. I never liked the change on the BB54 ditching the snowflake second hand. I think the changes they made to the BB54 design look great. I never liked the silver bezel markings with the guild markers and hands. Always looked strange to me. San Martin needs to go to a regular caseback. Great review as always.
Thanks!
The tool to remove the caseback costs around ten bucks and is readily available..
Having said that i do have a couple of homages, nowadays I tend to prefer a 200 euro citizen promaster over a 200 euro “homage/copy” even though is superior in quality
Is the studio light deceptive when it makes the bezel look greyish? The outsite footage looks great but inside (the shot next to the Citizen) the bezel looks grey and doesn‘t seem to match the dial at all.
The bezel is more greyish and doesn't match the dial. I'll have to relook at the outside footage, but most of the time that's what it looks like.
Although like a lot of things, different lights can change how things look a little.
The bezel is also matte
Strange, in some of the shots the bezel and the dial are actually looking olive green.
I was thinking that, and also thinking that it's another reason to get it
I noticed that... odd reflection of the light. It's more of a grey.
Watches seem to pendulum in tastes, much like many other things in life. I, for one, applaud the move to more reasonable 36-40mm watches vs 43+.
I think it’s so cool they made a 37mm diver but I think the blue one is the one to get. They made the insert too yellow. I don’t know what it is but I just don’t like the shade of yellow they used.
Ghost movement isn’t a huge deal but San Martin have a lot of watches with this feature. Must be hard for them to source NH38 movements.
P.S. The missus reckons your voice is soothing.
looks nice but don't you think the "SAN MARTIN 38MM New Upgraded 6200" has basically same compact measurements but the dial design has more personality?
I just quickly looked at it. Between the two.. I think I like this one better. Personally, I don't like the pencil-thin hands, and I think the bezel looks to thin. More over I like the applied indices on this one over just the painted dots.
But as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder... and one of the tricks with buying an Aliexpress brand is that they come out with new models and updated models so fast. That it's hard to keep track, and sometimes it is better if you wait.
Maybe it's just me but does the watch look more dark green than just gray? Is it because of the gilt?
I have one and I can say it has nothing to do with green.
Shane have you seen the new waffle dial variations of this watch?! Looks amazing and OG
I saw a shot on instagram, but wasn't sure if it was for this or the larger BB58. Looks great whatever it's for.
Wish they had used the original BB54 bezel without the red lume pip at 12 😭
the minute hand is shorter than the BB54
Would you consider this to be a GADA watch?
Hi! After watching your videos, i bought my first automatic watch, a Seiko SRPE 57 with the 4r36 movement. Just wanted to know if its normal for the rotor tu make a subtle sound when it spins
Hi. Yes it's normal to hear the rotor spinning. Some movements are louder than others, but the 4r36 shouldn't be too loud.
@@RelativeTime I can only hear it in a silent room, like very fast clicks. Not like if It was scratching something, more like a bearing sound (kinda). Is not the seconds marker
@@Mat-sz9hslike there is the rotor spin and a faint click? I think that's normal with Seikos.
@@RelativeTime yeah! I can only describe it as a small zipper sound. I just went to a Seiko dealer and checked that all watches with the 4r36 makes similar noise, so I think is normal
@@Mat-sz9hs It probably is. When you're new to watches they make all sorts of new noises. After a while you get used to them and don't even notice them anymore.
Nice Tudor.
I'm surprised an Ali brands hasn't pooped up calling themselves Tutor.
@@RelativeTime don't give them ideas 😂
Is this better then san martin sn0107?
Their new BB58 is even better. Better proportions and a bolder dial. Same smaller bezel.
Do any of the 40mm versions come with matte bezels?
Not that I know of, but they are making new versions all the time.
The only thing I hate and why I would buy any San Martin watch is the attachment of the N-link on the watch/lugs.
In my opinion the N-link should be a little lowered so the is a difference between the case and the bracelet. Like any other watch brand does;)
That bezel color shows a green tint, or is that just the lighting?
Green? It's more a Grey.
I actually see a little green also.
I have a small wrist, I wonder how it would look on my wrist, 13mm might be too thick.
Probably fine. Hard to find a diver any smaller.
Good job
Thanks
I've measured it multiple times at 38 mm in diameter.
Bezel or case? I think the bezel is 38.
@@RelativeTime Yeah, I measured at the bezel.
Why are Tudor BB's not considered a homage to the Rolex Submariner?
Just ordered the SN0138-G 👌🏻
I consider it to be one, but I get your point. Many don't. Some of it is Rolex owns Tudor, so "they can't steal from themselves". Or that Tudor made their own cheaper versions way back when, so there is history to it.
@@RelativeTime apparently Rolex introduced Tudor to broaden their market with a more affordable watch without diluting the prestige of the Rolex brand name so therefore it could be argued that a Tudor is in fact a Rolex homage!
@@mattinmalaga as a whole yeah.
9:10 Cronos have their own BB54 homage which even comes with 4Hz movements (PT5000 or SW200) and can go well below 200 bucks during sales. Based on pics of it, I'm not sure about its overall look and proportions though - would be nice to see a comparison-video of the SM and that Cronos. One thing the Cronos seems to do better is the bezel insert which they changed to matte ceramic after customers complained about the glossy ceramic one it had initially.
It's probably just me having seen (and owned) too many fauxtina watches, but I'm getting kinda tired of that look. When I see their blue version of this model (which doesn't have fauxtina), I can't help but think that I'd much prefer the black colorway if it also had a "factory fresh" look. I generally prefer black as a base color for divers, so the blue variant isn't really what I'm looking for. Yes: It's staying faithful to the watch it's homage-ing, but I don't see why homages shouldn't be allowed to deviate from the original at least a bit.
I also think they should've put an aluminium bezel insert on this one. If you're going to go old school, you might as well go all the way.
All that said: I only own one San Martin and, based on that very limited sample size, I totally agree when it comes to build quality and finish. It's a BB GMT (Pepsi) homage and cost me less than half of what I paid for the Steinhart Pussy Galore homage I used to own. But, unlike the Steinhart, it comes with a "period correct" aluminium insert (whose colors/look were the main reason I bought the watch) and a GMT-appropriate, 24-click, bidirectional rotating bezel. It also has much stronger lume than the Swiss watch. Plus it's very close to or in some areas perhaps even superior to the Steinhart when it comes to execution and finish. Some of the edges of both the case and the bracelet were a bit sharp when the watch was brand new, but that was only really noticeable when you compared the SM directly to much more expensive Swiss watches.
The only thing I miss on that Swiss watch is its SW330 movement which was much better regulated out of the box and so much nicer to interact with than the NH34 in the San Martin. It also seems that with the NH34, you can't get the GMT-hand to consistently line up correctly (at least according to my watch-maker whom I went to see about the slightly misaligned hand on my example). But I'd be hard pressed to defend the Steinhart's ~ €700 price-tag against the sub €300 one of the SM.
Do you mean the GMT doesn't always line up when you're setting it? Like the min hand is at the 12, but the gmt is slightly off?
I've noticed that on a few GMTS, I think there is some wiggle room in the mechanism. Because if I go forward and then go back some time it will line up.
@@RelativeTime It's .... weird. It's always misaligned but the misalignment isn't "consistent". From 12 to 6 oc it'll be a bit more pronounced while from 6 to 12 it'll be much closer to the mark. Doesn't matter if I let the watch run, adjust the time or adjust the GMT-hand independently ...there's always a bit of misalignment. According to SM, that's unavoidable due to the NH34's properties ... which is also what my watch-maker thought after he had handled the watch and fiddled around with it. "I could take off and re-apply the hands all day long, but I think I still wouldn't be able to get the GMT-hand to line up properly all the time" were his words. Seems to make sense because if it was just a mis-mounted GMT-hand by the factory, it should always deviate by the same amount, no matter what time it is on the dial.
My *guess* is that this is probably down to tolerances on these Seikos not being tight enough and/or some plastic parts used in the date/day complication. Which (I *think*) is what is driving the GMT-hand on the NH34 (modified day-complication that drives a 24h hand instead of a day-of-the-week-wheel).
It's not a deal-breaker, mind you... still an awesome watch for the price. I mean... I still own it but I've long since sold that Steinhart... :D
Err, actually THIS might be my next purchase! You've earned a sub because I think you like the same watches I do. Curious about your carry too - you keep hinting at it in your sequences. ;)
Yeah. I'm always paranoid to show too much. You never know when TH-cam is going to change their policy on something.
So leave a little hints for those that know. But generally it's a hellcat or a g43. Both in a black Arch IWB.
@@RelativeTime Nice! Being in the UK I'll just have to settle for the watch. Hopefully I won't get robbed for it. ;) ;)
Beautiful watch, but I just cannot get past that hexagon. For me, it intrudes on a beautiful design.
If we can get the standard bracelet to be ceramic balls with springs in the clasp we would have it all ….. how spoiled have we become…
San martin could think stopping copying watches e make more 37mm divers more like Seiko SNE569 / 573 a little thinner like 12mm.
I don't like SM's octa logo. Even Whatchdive's shield is much much better.. the rest is very good.
The bezel looks grey against a black dial. I have the blue SN004 V2 and the matte bezel again doesn’t match the dial. San Martin, please match your bezels and dials better, or give us a black dial red bezel version so it doesn’t have to match at all!
Aesthetically I think it’s better than the Tudor: it has a brushed case, matte ceramic bezel, no useless fake rivets, just like a tool watch should be.
It this was made by a Swiss micro brand with a standard off the shelf Sellita movement, it would be 4 times the price.
I think it's not a ceramic bezel
I already had few scratches and it shows the metal inside
I think it's a coating
Correct me if I'm wrong
When I asked about this from san Martin
This is what they said
I'm very sorry, it was our description that was wrong.
Is this what happened when the watch was first received? Usually our watches are issued after strict quality inspection.
Does the bezel scratch elsewhere?
Interesting the description says ceramic, but this wouldn't be the first time one of those was wrong. or the first time they ran out of a part and used another.
Other that was more in the past... Like when AliExpress watches were really first getting going. I thought they'd outgrown that.
Let me know if they follow up with anything.
I am very sorry for the inconvenience, we will provide you with the corresponding solution after understanding the situation.
Does the bezel scratch sharp objects? Was the bezel like this when it was first received?
It's not about how it received
If it was ceramic this does not happen
They are misleading the customers for their benifits
This watch is more expensive than the bb58 model also
I like the sterile case back. Makes it easy for me to gift the watch with the person's name on the back. The same reason why Rolex is sterile. Personalization.