if the watch is anything like its 'water resistance'.. is it worthwhile?.. lol.. Try to "upgrade" it to a "high spec" lol.. turn the beast into a beauty!. it looked half decent tbh...just the water resistance kinda puts me off.....for some strange reason...lol.
I'm not surprised at the results, but I have to respectfully submit that you're testing routine is flawed. Standard procedure is to put the watch in the tester ABOVE the water, then pressurize the sealed container to the desired pressure. Wait ten minutes or so, then release the pressure from the vessel and immediately drop the watch into the water. Then any faults or flaws in the seals will be visible because the air you pressurized the watch with will escape and you'll see a trail of bubbles. That allows you to see where the flaw is, and you can pull the watch out of the water before any damage is done, because water can't enter the case until all of the air has escaped. But I don't think it would've mattered here. 😮
While the test you describe might be the standard testing procedure, the test that Gary is doing here is more representative of real use. You're going into the water and going deeper, so the water pressure is increasing on a watch submerged in the water. Sadly, more destructive when it fails, but I feel more confident in these results.
Did you see his review of the other Tandorio that Gary mentioned during this review? That watch passed the "dry" test that you describe in your comment only to fail when Gary performed a "wet" test (like the one in this video). That is why he went straight to the wet test for the watch in this video. Plus, it makes for more dramatic viewing.
@@LymanPhillips yup was gonna say this. When you go scuba diving in real life, your watch is at 1ATM of pressure, not highly pressurized. Gary’s test is more representative of a real life scenario.
As others have said, you pressurize the watch above the water and then submerge it looking for bubbles. A few is OK just air under the bezel gasket. A stream of bubbles and it's leaking air and is a fail but no water enters the watch case so it wouldn't hurt the watch like you are doing it. You can change gaskets, tighten up the crown and case back etc, and re-test. Worst case is change the crystal and Gasket on that case design.
The safe(ish) way to test the water resistance of the watch also reveals in bubbles exactly where the leak is situated. Does nobody read the user instructions any more?
@@juniorjohnson5961 Seiko divers are absolutely all tested to respect the claimed WR and even beyond. That’s part of the ISO certification process, every watch has to be thoroughly tested before it can leave the factory. Don’t think copy brands do it though because ISO certification does add up to the other costs
Cooling just the crystal may have damaged the seal. ... Different unexpected temperature difference will cause shrinkage that was not allowed for be the design.
Surprised/ not surprised? I am always careful with my watches around water and generally remove them before a shower (or a fish tank cleaning!) The only watch I absolutely trust is my Seiko Samurai and that's because I know they are ALL individually pressure tested to 300+ meters at the factory as part of the ISO quality control. I like the way you are willing to do a "destructive test" on these watches. What a watchmaker would do after replacing gaskets and seals would be to remove the movement and screw the case together and do the test on the empty case. This of course saves the potential destruction of the movement and still provides and accurate test.
Honestly. Most watch pressure tests (new watches) pass flying colors. Even most AliExpress watches ice seen tested. Tandorio is just pretending to seal properly.
I've taken my Tandorio Field into the ocean before and had precisely no issues with it. That said, one of the reasons that I was willing to take it into salt water was the fact that I didn't really care if it failed.
exactly. For me it's a cheap but nice looking beach watch. I'm not about to take my nice Seiko through sand and salt and If I ever was going to deep dive I'd get something more modern made to withstand depths far more than 200m.
Great video! I appreciate you doing this test. It's nice to see when these watches fail to meet their claimed resistance. I wouldn't mind seeing this as a regular feature with dive watches on your channel honestly.
Always properly observe the crystal evenness throughout because you will be surprised how improperly seated the crystals are on the case. Then to be on the safe side, flip the watch upside down to where the crystal is sitting on carpet, and very gently apply weight evenly throughout the caseback by wearing some sneakers, and stepping on top until you are happy that the crystal is properly set. Most of the time, there is nothing wrong with the caseback, but for preventive measures, always remove the caseback, inspect for seal damage, and most definitely apply a thick watch gasket grease around the gasket to help seal out moisture. Gasket grease is your friend
Wow I been pretty closed to buying a Tendorio. Thank you for the review of water pressure. I hope you can show more of this test on your upcoming videos, since these type of watches can write anything on the spec sheet.
I’ve dived with Steeldive SD1953 and 1970. Addiesdive MY-H3 & H6. Heimdallr SKX. Welly Merck Diver. Seestern S434. Tandorio SKX, Willard, and no date pt5000 homage, can’t remember the name of that one. None failed, all of them worked perfectly as they should. I dive regularly in the Gulf of Mexico. Everyone takes one video on TH-cam as gold, it’s hilarious. I also have dived with a ton of vostoks, they’ve never failed either
Last may i got my Tactical Frog H5 Captain Willard homage, it is declared 200m water resistance. I used it the whole summer as my daily beater, swam with it, fell into the water, worked in my garden nasty and sweatty. This autumn me and my wife went on on a cruise, word it every day. Still not a single drop of water in it.
Is there any reason you didn't use the pressuriser correctly? As in pressurise the watch above the water, then dip it and then let the pressure off to see if any bubbles from the case rise?? - that way the watch is never destroyed. Just don't know why you did it the way you did
Well done for finding this, I'm not aware of other TH-camrs who regularly test WR. It is possible the components if assembled correctly would be OK to 200m, but the crystal gasket on yours is either damaged or missing!
If you use the other method of leaving the watch out of the water, pumping it up waiting 5 min till it pressurizes then dunking the watch and releasing the pressure. You will see the air bubbles escaping and can pinpoint the leak. Great video tho, I enjoy your content.
Wow! Somehow I’m not surprised. But to be good about the brand, I just got a Tandorio bronze pilot watch and it has only lost 2 seconds in 5 days! It has a NH35. I wore the watch for a week. They either regulate the movements or I am just lucky.
A lot of comments are bundling all AliExpress watches water rating claim as false. This is unfair. If one manufacturer is not doing the right thing, it doesn’t mean they all are. The only way to keep it real is all watches are put in Herman. Even the most expensive.
I've only seen cheaper watches tested. Are there any tests done for the AliExpress brands in the 150-300$ range. I'm thinking about a Seestern 62mas or San Martin. Have they been tested?
@@ilikewatches definitely a worthwhile series of videos. You could set the standard on Ali Express reviewers with such a thing....also it would be interesting what brands didn't want to provide a watch to undergo such tests.
I would be inclined to do the test again without the movement fitted, you should then be able to confirm where the water is getting in. I test all the Watches I repair that way, all the waterproof ones that is.
And this is how it ends! I assume the free watches from Tandorio may become scarce now. Are you willing to do the same test on the sacred San Martin collection? It's going to either be very interesting (along the lines of 'you get what you pay for', etc), or the end of ILW as we know and love it! Good luck Gary, looking forward to the rest of the series.
Thanks Gary, these tests are valuable. The two AE watches I have (not Tandorio) that I dive with are fine, but it's good to know that not all 200m Ali Express watches are the same. I'm not really surprised at this brand. Might be an idea to check some of the more expensive ones from San Martin for example. There's a big difference between this Tandorio and the famous Cronos that went to 3000m😁
I’ve dived with Steeldive SD1953 and 1970. Addiesdive MY-H3 & H6. Heimdallr SKX. Welly Merck Diver. Seestern S434. Tandorio SKX, Willard, and no date pt5000 homage, can’t remember the name of that one. None failed, all of them worked perfectly as they should. I dive regularly in the Gulf of Mexico. Everyone takes one video on TH-cam as gold, it’s hilarious. I also have dived with a ton of vostoks, they’ve never failed either.
@@kieranpyne3271 Steeldive and Heimdallr . Sorry Kieran, it's a year since your question. I still use both as dive computer backups and they are still watertight .
Full confirmation that Tandorio is completely sunk 😂 Thanks Gary Hermann does it again. Perhaps Seiko could teach them how to seal the crystal. Then again just buy the real deal.. Great review my friend, you're braver than most TH-camrs here. Respect.
Yeah too bad that you can't really if you want an SKX (and not one of the modernised versions Seiko sells), except if you pay absurd second-hand prices for a watch that might not be water resistant either because seals have degraded by now.
Very helpful review, I was just thinking of buying a Tandorio for swimming in the pool, so it is not good for this. Maybe one of my Pagani Designs will work, I have a christopher ward homage in mind, never tested it in water.
The less destructive method pressurising the watch with air first and only then submerging it will tell you which part of the watch failed. There are gaskets in the space between the watch and the watch as well and it's not properly seated by the looks of it.
How many people do you reckon actually use their divers for *diving* --or, rather, need any bit of water resistance? I have zero interest in this watch, but this review didn't sway me against tandorio in the future.
Interesting video. I understand why you pressurise in water rather than the recommended way of in the air space then slowly releasing as it's lowered into water. That's fine with cheaper watches but it could ruin a more expensive watch unnecessarily. It would be a shame to ruin a movement when a gasket just needs renewing. Having said that, as a commercial diver, I gave my Tandorio a 'straight to water test' in actual 'real world' conditions recently. My Tandorio, with NH36A movement was worn on a North Sea project, straight down to just over 80ft for the duration of a working dive and the watch was fine. No water ingress/leaks. I realise this depth doesn't match the static pressure in the testing device, but the movement as the work was carried out would have given a range of slightly varying pressures, throughout. This is just one watch, with NH36A movement, and I can not comment on other watches or models in the range. All I can say it that the one I have underwent a test on a commercial dive without any fault. (I have adjusted the watch and the beat error is 0.1 to 0.2 depending on the orientation, and I set the watch so it gains 2 to 3 seconds a day, on wrist, so its has become a great 'general use' watch). I make no recommendations, I'm just giving an overview of what I have found. Thanks again for the video.👍
I don't allow any of my Ali Express watches near water. The only time I have no fear is with my two Helms. My San Martins probably would be OK but I won't risk it. I think that if you buy Ali Express watches you understand that you should avoid water.
Hi Gary, good review, many manufacturers Ali Express or otherwise slap 200m WR on their dials without a nod to establishing that is so, as others have pointed out unless it has been subject to a recognised test it's just ink. I do hope you have tried drying it all out, there is a fresh NH35 there, perhaps a mid project for the channel, put it back together and see if it could see off Herman.
what a shame. why do they sell such poor water resistance for a 200 m. 60m and full of water? tandorio is just rubbish, i will never buy this brand!!! 😎😎😎 you should test more often the water resistance of divers watches, we would probably have good and Bad surprises, even on expensive famous brands. thanks Gary for that very interesting revue!!! 😎😎😎
I am not sure how others would feel about this, but, giving they are a mass produced watch I would remove the caseback, silicone treat the gasket and threads along with treating the threads on the screw down crown first. I know they are supposed to be treated at that factory but hey, again, they are mass produced watches. As far as leaking water past the crystal, that would be highly unlikely, not impossible, but unlikely. I have removed some of the Tandorio crystals and the ones I did were legit tight. The gaskets were dry on some and the caseback needed a 1/4 turn to tighten them securely. However, if one takes the time to do those things I am sure it will do some swimming and snorkeling. I would probably not trust it for a full dive watch. Nevertheless, to take a 50 to 60 dollar watch and drop it in the water and think that it will test as well as a 200 to 300 dollar watch is a little absurd. Again, after greasing the gasket and threads I have had a good overall experience with these watches.
Shocked/Not shocked - When buying anything on AE with a 200 meter (or more) rating be very careful. They are usually just marketing pieces printed on the dials to sell more watches. That aside, I would like see what actually went wrong. I suspect they either never put the gasket in with the crystal or didn't seat it correctly, but either way I am sure this is not a one off. I had the stem fall completely out of a factory fresh Omega Aqua Terra , things happen. Be Careful.
What was more worrying is it stopped almost immediately you started pumping up the pressure. I doubt your were no where near 60 bar when it failed. As you say, buyer beware. Excellent vid Gaz.
Wow that one filled up in a hurry! Nice video it just shows the varying quality of these aliexpress watches. I have plenty and don't trust them for water intrusion at all.
Have you done the test for Steeldive and Addiesdive Gary? I don't trust Tandorio cause they're parts bin watch manufacturer at best but have high hopes for dive duo.
U should also take the back off and make sure the gasket greased and the crown as well and make sure the back is tight b4 douing the test And ur supposed to let the watch hang in the air in the chamber, then pressurize the chamber then submerge the watch
This Seiko SKX 007 lookalike has the same problem as all ultra cheap Chinese clones. It's all down to QC. Problems. It looks OK and could function OK, but someone screwed up in assembly.
Wr in watches could be clearer. As i understand it, when a watch is labled for 200m/20 bar on the watch - that’s not equally to actually 200 m down under water. It is more like maximum of 20 meters under water which is suitable for scuba diving. If you whant to go deeper you should have a 300/30 bar watch. So if herman simulates real pressure you should not push it beyond 20 m, although if it is a good watch it would probably be able to go deeper. Plz test the steeldive ”willard” homage so we can se if that one is as good still as we hope it is 🙂
Gotta say I expected - from the speed of the leak - that there was no gasket. I had that with a Pagani watch. Washed my hands with the watch on and it got water in. A supposed 200m water resist watch...but no case gasket.
The only watches I’d take into the ocean are my Citizen Promaster BN0150-28E (ISO certified) or one of my G-Shock B5600 series, or one of the trio of Casio Duro in blue, black or Gold accent. That said, I don’t SCUBA dive, merely snorkel/ free dive. However I’m pretty confident in their water resistance.
The end result kinda negates this question but l will ask it anyway: given a generic standard 40mm size case with say an nh34 movement is the case back thread the same across most Ali Express watches, allowing an exhibition case back to be swopped for a solid one and vice versa ? Figured you have the answer to this one ! Cheers, Ben
Gary, would it be safe to say that if you freeze the crystal prior to dunking it into Herman, that you give it another five or ten minutes to stabilise the temperature before starting the test. As you know, freezing causes shrinkage, although how much of an effect that would have on the actual crystal, I have no idea. It would have also been interesting to see you remove the movement and push out the crystal to see if the crystal is actually seated within a gasket. Nice looking watches, but never could get past the dumb Curry sounding brand name. Looking forward to more tests.
To be honest i don't believe the manufacturers water resistant in general. I have citizen and seiko divers and those are totaly different, as you know the way these manufactured and inspected.. Thanks for the video its quite disturbing seeing this but very educational..
I’d like to see what the crystal gasket and tube gasket look like. Probably they’re not missing but poor tolerances. Makes you think twice about the low end homage water resistance. Not a surprising result all in all.
I don't think that's how you're supposed to use those low pressure testers. It pulls a vacuum - you keep the watch outside while you lower the pressure, lower the watch into the water, then let the pressure out with the knob at the top. As the pressure normalizes, if the watch is waterproof nothing will happen. If not, there will be bubbles coming out. However if you use the tester correctly it should not damage the watch.
It filled up so quickly that it is either the crystal not being fitted correctly or the crown not having a gasket installed correctly. Out of all the Chinese watches I see most won't have a crown gasket installed into the crown and all have never had the crystal fitted with water protection in mind. That said I don't even take my fresh out of the AD 500m watches near water ha.
You can buy cheap and so long as they have their gaskets installed correctly you'll be fine for 10ATM. I wouldn't trust a cheap watch to go any further but as I said I don't even trust expensive watches to go further. @@JonnieSlade-fh2cg
The guy who spends over 4K on a Cartier Ronde (3ATM) also has to be careful around water. The essential point of a homage is to enjoy wearing a watch that LOOKS like the watch you can't afford to buy. It's not very realistic to expect it to ACT like the more expensive watch as well. Tandorio gets the most credit for making the aesthetic details of its watch resemble the Seiko SKX more then the Steeldive, Heimdallr, Cronodiver, or Long Island Watch. Anyone wanting inexpensive serious water resistance can always use a $40 Casio Duro or DW-9052. Otherwise, enjoy the Tandorio everytime you look at your wrist, and just be careful with it around water.
It should also be noted that Space Shuttle Challenger disaster was caused by low temperatures on the morning of the launch which stiffened the rubber O-rings, reducing their ability to seal the joints, thus leading to disaster. The moral of the story is: don't expose rubber seals/gaskets to extreme cold (i.e. ice) and expect them to perform as intended.
I've often heard that oil filling a watch increases it's water resistance. It makes sense on one front, but on another, it doesn't. Water doesn't compress, I get that. However, it can be pressurized. Would the pressure cause the movement to stop working? Possibly even sooner than a case that isn't oil filled? Have you tested anything like that?
The oil causes drag on the second hand which wears the battery out prematurely if it is not designed with a high torque movement. Temperature will have a greater effect than pressure on viscosity, specific low viscosity oils are used.
Hydro Mod! Wait, if you don't know what watch this is a homage of... why are you watching this channel! Also Gary, you came to my attention because of your excellent work with the Subby group test, perhaps pressure testing could be a recurring theme?
I have the identical watch it's fine owners have been more than happy an sales doubled in a year...it's just a fluke ..never seen a negative review about them till you
They shouldn't claim 200m if it can't even pass less in this controlled environment. I was interested in this brand, but now will never ever buy this brand. Can you test some San Martin's?
Watch this video to see if the watch can be saved! th-cam.com/video/4uPc86AS-LM/w-d-xo.html
if the watch is anything like its 'water resistance'.. is it worthwhile?.. lol.. Try to "upgrade" it to a "high spec" lol.. turn the beast into a beauty!.
it looked half decent tbh...just the water resistance kinda puts me off.....for some strange reason...lol.
I'm still gonna go watch if it can be saved tho... don't want one... kinda hate them now....but..still....lol.
Is the video still available? It’s showing as private when I click the link.
I'm not surprised at the results, but I have to respectfully submit that you're testing routine is flawed. Standard procedure is to put the watch in the tester ABOVE the water, then pressurize the sealed container to the desired pressure. Wait ten minutes or so, then release the pressure from the vessel and immediately drop the watch into the water. Then any faults or flaws in the seals will be visible because the air you pressurized the watch with will escape and you'll see a trail of bubbles. That allows you to see where the flaw is, and you can pull the watch out of the water before any damage is done, because water can't enter the case until all of the air has escaped. But I don't think it would've mattered here. 😮
While the test you describe might be the standard testing procedure, the test that Gary is doing here is more representative of real use. You're going into the water and going deeper, so the water pressure is increasing on a watch submerged in the water.
Sadly, more destructive when it fails, but I feel more confident in these results.
Did you see his review of the other Tandorio that Gary mentioned during this review? That watch passed the "dry" test that you describe in your comment only to fail when Gary performed a "wet" test (like the one in this video). That is why he went straight to the wet test for the watch in this video. Plus, it makes for more dramatic viewing.
@@LymanPhillips yup was gonna say this. When you go scuba diving in real life, your watch is at 1ATM of pressure, not highly pressurized. Gary’s test is more representative of a real life scenario.
You're almost right, the pressure is supposed to be released slowly after the watch is in the water.
@@Happyfacehotwheels and you test an empty newly resealed case.
As others have said, you pressurize the watch above the water and then submerge it looking for bubbles. A few is OK just air under the bezel gasket. A stream of bubbles and it's leaking air and is a fail but no water enters the watch case so it wouldn't hurt the watch like you are doing it. You can change gaskets, tighten up the crown and case back etc, and re-test. Worst case is change the crystal and Gasket on that case design.
The safe(ish) way to test the water resistance of the watch also reveals in bubbles exactly where the leak is situated.
Does nobody read the user instructions any more?
Can you test Steeldive, Addiesdive, seestern? They claim water resistance more proactively
I have a few addiesdive watches and can confirm they are truly waterproof
@@tandenpoetser3124 Berny too! The V3-AM339MS
I firmly believe most ultra affordable aliexpress brands are full of shit when it comes to WR. It would be nice to test more of them
Yeah I have a few and enjoy them but frankly I'm not taking them diving so anything with 100m wr is fine for the pool or beach.
They wouldn't be ultra affordable if they invest in properly testing them and rejecting the ones that fail.
I would like to see how Seiko hold up or any of the watches they are homaging
@@juniorjohnson5961 Seiko divers are absolutely all tested to respect the claimed WR and even beyond. That’s part of the ISO certification process, every watch has to be thoroughly tested before it can leave the factory. Don’t think copy brands do it though because ISO certification does add up to the other costs
@@R023N Casio Duro has entered the chat
Cooling just the crystal may have damaged the seal. ... Different unexpected temperature difference will cause shrinkage that was not allowed for be the design.
Surprised/ not surprised? I am always careful with my watches around water and generally remove them before a shower (or a fish tank cleaning!) The only watch I absolutely trust is my Seiko Samurai and that's because I know they are ALL individually pressure tested to 300+ meters at the factory as part of the ISO quality control.
I like the way you are willing to do a "destructive test" on these watches. What a watchmaker would do after replacing gaskets and seals would be to remove the movement and screw the case together and do the test on the empty case. This of course saves the potential destruction of the movement and still provides and accurate test.
Honestly. Most watch pressure tests (new watches) pass flying colors. Even most AliExpress watches ice seen tested. Tandorio is just pretending to seal properly.
I've taken my Tandorio Field into the ocean before and had precisely no issues with it. That said, one of the reasons that I was willing to take it into salt water was the fact that I didn't really care if it failed.
exactly. For me it's a cheap but nice looking beach watch. I'm not about to take my nice Seiko through sand and salt and If I ever was going to deep dive I'd get something more modern made to withstand depths far more than 200m.
this is actually a relief. i was going to buy tandorio, until i saw this video.
WATER PRESSURE TESTING SHOULD BE PART OF ALL WATCH REVIEWS !
Great video! I appreciate you doing this test. It's nice to see when these watches fail to meet their claimed resistance. I wouldn't mind seeing this as a regular feature with dive watches on your channel honestly.
Not a great video, did the test wrong!
I was looking to buy one of those, you spared me to do it! Thank you Gary!
Always properly observe the crystal evenness throughout because you will be surprised how improperly seated the crystals are on the case. Then to be on the safe side, flip the watch upside down to where the crystal is sitting on carpet, and very gently apply weight evenly throughout the caseback by wearing some sneakers, and stepping on top until you are happy that the crystal is properly set. Most of the time, there is nothing wrong with the caseback, but for preventive measures, always remove the caseback, inspect for seal damage, and most definitely apply a thick watch gasket grease around the gasket to help seal out moisture. Gasket grease is your friend
Wow I been pretty closed to buying a Tendorio. Thank you for the review of water pressure. I hope you can show more of this test on your upcoming videos, since these type of watches can write anything on the spec sheet.
I’ve dived with Steeldive SD1953 and 1970. Addiesdive MY-H3 & H6. Heimdallr SKX. Welly Merck Diver. Seestern S434. Tandorio SKX, Willard, and no date pt5000 homage, can’t remember the name of that one. None failed, all of them worked perfectly as they should. I dive regularly in the Gulf of Mexico. Everyone takes one video on TH-cam as gold, it’s hilarious. I also have dived with a ton of vostoks, they’ve never failed either
Oh balls!!! I just bought one. Thanks for the warning. Desk diver for sure. Cheers.
I think you're onto something with wr testing. It would be great if you could do the popular Ali brands. Thanks!
Why not also do the really expensive ones too - I mean there can't be any risk - you get what you pay for - right?
Last may i got my Tactical Frog H5 Captain Willard homage, it is declared 200m water resistance. I used it the whole summer as my daily beater, swam with it, fell into the water, worked in my garden nasty and sweatty. This autumn me and my wife went on on a cruise, word it every day. Still not a single drop of water in it.
Chinese QC is like british cuisine. Best in the world.
Is there any reason you didn't use the pressuriser correctly? As in pressurise the watch above the water, then dip it and then let the pressure off to see if any bubbles from the case rise?? - that way the watch is never destroyed. Just don't know why you did it the way you did
It really doesn't bother me, as long as it's rainproof that's good enough for me, If I was to ever go diving I'd wear something more expensive/better
A purpose built dive computer is the answer. I agree as long as I can wash my hands, dishes, rain and an occasional swim.
More pressure tests of Aliexpress watches please
Well done for finding this, I'm not aware of other TH-camrs who regularly test WR. It is possible the components if assembled correctly would be OK to 200m, but the crystal gasket on yours is either damaged or missing!
If you use the other method of leaving the watch out of the water, pumping it up waiting 5 min till it pressurizes then dunking the watch and releasing the pressure. You will see the air bubbles escaping and can pinpoint the leak. Great video tho, I enjoy your content.
I agree with everyone else but I did like the "and Herman is ready" quote, as if the little one armed guy had a choice 😄
Wow! Somehow I’m not surprised. But to be good about the brand, I just got a Tandorio bronze pilot watch and it has only lost 2 seconds in 5 days! It has a NH35. I wore the watch for a week. They either regulate the movements or I am just lucky.
My Tandorio SKX is spot on as well, depending on how it is worn/stored.
A lot of comments are bundling all AliExpress watches water rating claim as false. This is unfair.
If one manufacturer is not doing the right thing, it doesn’t mean they all are. The only way to keep it real is all watches are put in Herman. Even the most expensive.
I've only seen cheaper watches tested. Are there any tests done for the AliExpress brands in the 150-300$ range. I'm thinking about a Seestern 62mas or San Martin. Have they been tested?
it would be nice if you could test other brands as well, just so we know which brand is good and which one isnt
I will for sure!
@@ilikewatches awesomeee!!
Brilliant suggestion. Not dunk on Aliexpress brands. But it would be good to include in some reviews.
@@ilikewatches definitely a worthwhile series of videos. You could set the standard on Ali Express reviewers with such a thing....also it would be interesting what brands didn't want to provide a watch to undergo such tests.
I would be inclined to do the test again without the movement fitted, you should then be able to confirm where the water is getting in.
I test all the Watches I repair that way, all the waterproof ones that is.
And this is how it ends! I assume the free watches from Tandorio may become scarce now. Are you willing to do the same test on the sacred San Martin collection? It's going to either be very interesting (along the lines of 'you get what you pay for', etc), or the end of ILW as we know and love it! Good luck Gary, looking forward to the rest of the series.
Thanks Gary, these tests are valuable. The two AE watches I have (not Tandorio) that I dive with are fine, but it's good to know that not all 200m Ali Express watches are the same. I'm not really surprised at this brand. Might be an idea to check some of the more expensive ones from San Martin for example. There's a big difference between this Tandorio and the famous Cronos that went to 3000m😁
Which brand are the watches you dive with?
I would love to know the two brands you are referring to as well thanks?
I’ve dived with Steeldive SD1953 and 1970. Addiesdive MY-H3 & H6. Heimdallr SKX. Welly Merck Diver. Seestern S434. Tandorio SKX, Willard, and no date pt5000 homage, can’t remember the name of that one. None failed, all of them worked perfectly as they should. I dive regularly in the Gulf of Mexico. Everyone takes one video on TH-cam as gold, it’s hilarious. I also have dived with a ton of vostoks, they’ve never failed either.
@@stefpix Steeldive and Heimdallr !
@@kieranpyne3271 Steeldive and Heimdallr . Sorry Kieran, it's a year since your question. I still use both as dive computer backups and they are still watertight .
Could you even wear this watch when making a cup of tea? I'm sure Tandorio love your videos. Doesn't matter, the rest of your viewers love them. 👍
Guess what I won't be buying this year 🤣 great content as always 👍
I'm wearing a Tandorio whilst watching this - but don't tell anybody.
I'd like to see more watches tested for water resistance. Especially chinese made watches. Thanks for your work.
What they had meant to say was 200mm diver. Just a minor typo on the dial.
Great video Gary, I love the pressure tests! Keep destroying those ridiculous depth rating claims 😂
Full confirmation that Tandorio is completely sunk 😂 Thanks Gary Hermann does it again. Perhaps Seiko could teach them how to seal the crystal. Then again just buy the real deal.. Great review my friend, you're braver than most TH-camrs here. Respect.
Yeah too bad that you can't really if you want an SKX (and not one of the modernised versions Seiko sells), except if you pay absurd second-hand prices for a watch that might not be water resistant either because seals have degraded by now.
Very helpful review, I was just thinking of buying a Tandorio for swimming in the pool, so it is not good for this. Maybe one of my Pagani Designs will work, I have a christopher ward homage in mind, never tested it in water.
The less destructive method pressurising the watch with air first and only then submerging it will tell you which part of the watch failed. There are gaskets in the space between the watch and the watch as well and it's not properly seated by the looks of it.
Great test. Would love to see more watches tested like this including reputable micro brands. 👍
How many people do you reckon actually use their divers for *diving* --or, rather, need any bit of water resistance? I have zero interest in this watch, but this review didn't sway me against tandorio in the future.
Yeah two Herman videos in a week. Sorry bout the watch, but thank you for the brilliant video
Interesting video. I understand why you pressurise in water rather than the recommended way of in the air space then slowly releasing as it's lowered into water. That's fine with cheaper watches but it could ruin a more expensive watch unnecessarily. It would be a shame to ruin a movement when a gasket just needs renewing.
Having said that, as a commercial diver, I gave my Tandorio a 'straight to water test' in actual 'real world' conditions recently. My Tandorio, with NH36A movement was worn on a North Sea project, straight down to just over 80ft for the duration of a working dive and the watch was fine. No water ingress/leaks. I realise this depth doesn't match the static pressure in the testing device, but the movement as the work was carried out would have given a range of slightly varying pressures, throughout.
This is just one watch, with NH36A movement, and I can not comment on other watches or models in the range. All I can say it that the one I have underwent a test on a commercial dive without any fault.
(I have adjusted the watch and the beat error is 0.1 to 0.2 depending on the orientation, and I set the watch so it gains 2 to 3 seconds a day, on wrist, so its has become a great 'general use' watch). I make no recommendations, I'm just giving an overview of what I have found. Thanks again for the video.👍
Sounds like a great test. If a watch attached to my wrist is ever at 80 feet of water, I’ve drowned and a leaking watch is no longer my concern. 😂
Another great video!! This was also funny to be honest😂
Oddly entertaining - thanks. Makes you wonder how many others would fail doesnt it?
I don't allow any of my Ali Express watches near water. The only time I have no fear is with my two Helms. My San Martins probably would be OK but I won't risk it. I think that if you buy Ali Express watches you understand that you should avoid water.
Hi Gary, good review, many manufacturers Ali Express or otherwise slap 200m WR on their dials without a nod to establishing that is so, as others have pointed out unless it has been subject to a recognised test it's just ink. I do hope you have tried drying it all out, there is a fresh NH35 there, perhaps a mid project for the channel, put it back together and see if it could see off Herman.
This watch has everything ...except a life jacket! Great video btw 😜👍🇬🇧
what a shame. why do they sell such poor water resistance for a 200 m. 60m and full of water? tandorio is just rubbish, i will never buy this brand!!! 😎😎😎 you should test more often the water resistance of divers watches, we would probably have good and Bad surprises, even on expensive famous brands. thanks Gary for that very interesting revue!!! 😎😎😎
I am not sure how others would feel about this, but, giving they are a mass produced watch I would remove the caseback, silicone treat the gasket and threads along with treating the threads on the screw down crown first. I know they are supposed to be treated at that factory but hey, again, they are mass produced watches. As far as leaking water past the crystal, that would be highly unlikely, not impossible, but unlikely. I have removed some of the Tandorio crystals and the ones I did were legit tight. The gaskets were dry on some and the caseback needed a 1/4 turn to tighten them securely. However, if one takes the time to do those things I am sure it will do some swimming and snorkeling. I would probably not trust it for a full dive watch. Nevertheless, to take a 50 to 60 dollar watch and drop it in the water and think that it will test as well as a 200 to 300 dollar watch is a little absurd. Again, after greasing the gasket and threads I have had a good overall experience with these watches.
has quite the astonishing amount of similarities with my Seiko SRPD55K1 Seiko 5
You did mention the caseback was easy to open. Was it not screwed down as tight as possible?
Send it my way! Happy to pay for shipping and what not. And I’ll mod it and replace the movement and see what it can become:)
… And now Herman for the Exciton II … 😉 G
Shocked/Not shocked - When buying anything on AE with a 200 meter (or more) rating be very careful. They are usually just marketing pieces printed on the dials to sell more watches. That aside, I would like see what actually went wrong. I suspect they either never put the gasket in with the crystal or didn't seat it correctly, but either way I am sure this is not a one off. I had the stem fall completely out of a factory fresh Omega Aqua Terra , things happen. Be Careful.
What was more worrying is it stopped almost immediately you started pumping up the pressure. I doubt your were no where near 60 bar when it failed. As you say, buyer beware. Excellent vid Gaz.
60 bar would equal 600m 🙄
WHAT A GREAT VIDEO !!! THANKS
Did you pop the bezel and Crystal to see what's going on?
Wow that one filled up in a hurry! Nice video it just shows the varying quality of these aliexpress watches. I have plenty and don't trust them for water intrusion at all.
Have you done the test for Steeldive and Addiesdive Gary? I don't trust Tandorio cause they're parts bin watch manufacturer at best but have high hopes for dive duo.
You could make more tests with other Aliexpress clocks. Thanks from a Brazilian subscriber!
U should also take the back off and make sure the gasket greased and the crown as well and make sure the back is tight b4 douing the test
And ur supposed to let the watch hang in the air in the chamber, then pressurize the chamber then submerge the watch
This Seiko SKX 007 lookalike has the same problem as all ultra cheap Chinese clones. It's all down to QC. Problems. It looks OK and could function OK, but someone screwed up in assembly.
Wr in watches could be clearer. As i understand it, when a watch is labled for 200m/20 bar on the watch - that’s not equally to actually 200 m down under water. It is more like maximum of 20 meters under water which is suitable for scuba diving. If you whant to go deeper you should have a 300/30 bar watch. So if herman simulates real pressure you should not push it beyond 20 m, although if it is a good watch it would probably be able to go deeper. Plz test the steeldive ”willard” homage so we can se if that one is as good still as we hope it is 🙂
Just saved my buddy buying one of these from this video, thanks!
Pls do test on Addiesdive. They also claim 200m water resistance.
I have recently..
That’s a novel spirit level Gary!🤪😂🤣
Gotta say I expected - from the speed of the leak - that there was no gasket. I had that with a Pagani watch. Washed my hands with the watch on and it got water in. A supposed 200m water resist watch...but no case gasket.
Have you tried this test with a Seiko I'd be interested in finding out how they do ?
Just for fun, and to potentially see the failure point, pressurize the watch out of the water, then drop it in and release the pressure.
I'm glad my Orient Mako 1st gen. did better when snorkeling in the Red Sea
The only watches I’d take into the ocean are my Citizen Promaster BN0150-28E (ISO certified) or one of my G-Shock B5600 series, or one of the trio of Casio Duro in blue, black or Gold accent. That said, I don’t SCUBA dive, merely snorkel/ free dive. However I’m pretty confident in their water resistance.
The end result kinda negates this question but l will ask it anyway: given a generic standard 40mm size case with say an nh34 movement is the case back thread the same across most Ali Express watches, allowing an exhibition case back to be swopped for a solid one and vice versa ? Figured you have the answer to this one ! Cheers, Ben
Any chance they meant 200mm?
🤣🤣👍👍
I love these type of tests and have seen some very inexpensive watches withstand far more pressure on other youtube videos. This is a real shame.
Gary, would it be safe to say that if you freeze the crystal prior to dunking it into Herman, that you give it another five or ten minutes to stabilise the temperature before starting the test. As you know, freezing causes shrinkage, although how much of an effect that would have on the actual crystal, I have no idea. It would have also been interesting to see you remove the movement and push out the crystal to see if the crystal is actually seated within a gasket. Nice looking watches, but never could get past the dumb Curry sounding brand name. Looking forward to more tests.
Can we get a Addiesdive Quartz, and Steeldive 1953 WR test?
To be honest i don't believe the manufacturers water resistant in general. I have citizen and seiko divers and those are totaly different, as you know the way these manufactured and inspected..
Thanks for the video its quite disturbing seeing this but very educational..
I’d like to see what the crystal gasket and tube gasket look like. Probably they’re not missing but poor tolerances. Makes you think twice about the low end homage water resistance. Not a surprising result all in all.
I was planning on using one of these cases to do a SKX homage build- I guess I’m sticking to one of the bigger brands, heh.
Hahaha!!! The best dive watch... Scammers. Congratulations for your video bro👍
I buyed a Berny V3-AM339MS Black, and im very happy with it. It works well, the Lume is extreme
It does bear a resemblance to my 1976 Seiko 6105 Willard.
I can almost see any Tandorio watch trembling at the sight of Herman.
Super disappointing. Goes to show TANSTAAFL is always true. There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.
I don't think that's how you're supposed to use those low pressure testers. It pulls a vacuum - you keep the watch outside while you lower the pressure, lower the watch into the water, then let the pressure out with the knob at the top. As the pressure normalizes, if the watch is waterproof nothing will happen. If not, there will be bubbles coming out. However if you use the tester correctly it should not damage the watch.
It filled up so quickly that it is either the crystal not being fitted correctly or the crown not having a gasket installed correctly. Out of all the Chinese watches I see most won't have a crown gasket installed into the crown and all have never had the crystal fitted with water protection in mind. That said I don't even take my fresh out of the AD 500m watches near water ha.
That's what you get for buying the cheapest
You can buy cheap and so long as they have their gaskets installed correctly you'll be fine for 10ATM. I wouldn't trust a cheap watch to go any further but as I said I don't even trust expensive watches to go further.
@@JonnieSlade-fh2cg
So Tandorio is it really any better than a Pagani? Same poor lum, similar specs, Pagani at least has milled clasps and doesn't claim 200m WR.
How about Heimdallr and Seestern ? These will pass the test I guess.
The guy who spends over 4K on a Cartier Ronde (3ATM) also has to be careful around water. The essential point of a homage is to enjoy wearing a watch that LOOKS like the watch you can't afford to buy. It's not very realistic to expect it to ACT like the more expensive watch as well. Tandorio gets the most credit for making the aesthetic details of its watch resemble the Seiko SKX more then the Steeldive, Heimdallr, Cronodiver, or Long Island Watch. Anyone wanting inexpensive serious water resistance can always use a $40 Casio Duro or DW-9052. Otherwise, enjoy the Tandorio everytime you look at your wrist, and just be careful with it around water.
It should also be noted that Space Shuttle Challenger disaster was caused by low temperatures on the morning of the launch which stiffened the rubber O-rings, reducing their ability to seal the joints, thus leading to disaster. The moral of the story is: don't expose rubber seals/gaskets to extreme cold (i.e. ice) and expect them to perform as intended.
I've often heard that oil filling a watch increases it's water resistance. It makes sense on one front, but on another, it doesn't. Water doesn't compress, I get that. However, it can be pressurized. Would the pressure cause the movement to stop working? Possibly even sooner than a case that isn't oil filled? Have you tested anything like that?
The oil causes drag on the second hand which wears the battery out prematurely if it is not designed with a high torque movement. Temperature will have a greater effect than pressure on viscosity, specific low viscosity oils are used.
Hydro Mod! Wait, if you don't know what watch this is a homage of... why are you watching this channel! Also Gary, you came to my attention because of your excellent work with the Subby group test, perhaps pressure testing could be a recurring theme?
The tandorio is best suited on dry land behind closed doors
Absolut waterproof
We're can I bye one of those jingle jangly jubilee bracelets
Has anyone got any ideas what size case back gasket Tandorio uses in these 'Rolex' style cases? I'm want to try improving the water resistance myself.
I have the identical watch it's fine owners have been more than happy an sales doubled in a year...it's just a fluke ..never seen a negative review about them till you
That was one seriously thirsty watch, Gary😂
They shouldn't claim 200m if it can't even pass less in this controlled environment. I was interested in this brand, but now will never ever buy this brand.
Can you test some San Martin's?