I’ve got the Hamilton Khaki, a G-Shock, the SNKL23, and a Bambino. I don’t particularly agree with your take on any of them, tbh, but that’s fine. It is a bit of a pity to read some of the comments here from what look to be prospective newer watch buyers who are saying - basically - thanks for helping them avoid these watches. That seems a shame for a new collector as there is a lot in this list to like. I kind of agree with you on the straight homage, though I have a Willard. Kind of meh about that whole space. And I think at least we can all agree on the MoonSwatch 😆
This was a great video! Just a point of clarification, you are right about the Powermatic 80 in the Tissot having a plastic escapement, but not all Powermatic 80’s are the same. It’s the .111 version you have to watch out for. There is a .611 version that fixes this problem. Just didn’t want people to think every Powermatic 80 watch was bad.
Hey! Thank you, glad you enjoyed it. I was aware that they all didn't share the same powermatic 80 but, thank you for the clarification with the reference numbers. I'll make a note of that now! Have a great day and thank for watching :)
The plastic escapement is not necessarily a bad thing. In that price point, some corners are gonna be cut. I'd rather have plastic escapement than not a sapphire glass. They actually dont service it directly, just swap it out for a serviced movement, and send your movement to be serviced and put in a another watch. It reduces time and labor cost and ensures more detailed service. The old omega moonwatch actually had plastic and non-plastic versions, and plastic showed itswlf to be a superior variant. It was just butt ugly so they've put a solid caseback on it as opposed to a see through caseback on the metal version. Powermatic 80 is still one of the best movements in a sub 1000 dollar automatic movement range and you get all that Tissot heritage with it. The movement is still quite young so there are not yet any long term faults known with the plastic escapement. I personally own prx pwrmatic 80 and i am really satisfied with the watch.
I own three of these: 1. Tissot PRX Powermatic 80: couldn't be happier. dial and bracelet incredible for the money, love the retro design. Keeps perfect time: longevity on movement remains to be seen but at this price point you really can't complain. 2. Orient Bambino: yes, it is a domed crystal; it is a dress watch, it is not for daily wear, it is not made for durability and at it's price point without top tier materials you obviously have to be careful with it. I'm not sure how you can complain about scratching a
For the Orient Bambino, I paid an extra $100 and got the crystal removed and replaced with a Sapphire crystal. Just ask your local watch store and they may be able to do it for you :).
Worst sin od the Bambino is the wonky, odd, lug width. Fuck you, Orient (and Rolex, LawnJeans, and anybody else with such widths.) Everybody else agreed to even widths and these assholes waltz in with a slightly different size that’ll render all your previous straps obsolete. F.O.A.D. Otherwise an appealing watch.
I have a Vostok Amphibia. I bought it in Berlin in the mid 90s before a night at Club Tresor. It became my clubbing watch, and gave service in the very filthiest of techno clubs across the UK and Europe. Eventually it ended up in a drawer, and then the loft... where it sat for 20 years until I rediscovered it last summer. It still works fine, still runs +/- 60 secs depending on its mood.
That's crazy! And what a great story. A watch with a story like that are just the best. And that's exactly what we're all chasing with these watches, great memories! Enjoy, I hope it works for you for years to come!
I have a Vostok and it runs 0 spd out of the box! Hard to believe and sheer fluke I'm sure, but it's the most accurate mechanical watch I ever bought! It still looks quite cheap, though, and I've never worn it since Putin invaded Ukraine, which is a bit irrational, but it's my choice and I'm not exactly struggling to find something else to wear.
As a Khaki Field Mechanical owner, I am surprised that you included this watch in the video, since it gains (maybe, around) 90-95% positive or good reviews 😂 I rarely seen complaints online (if it does, mostly they talk about the movement or the water resistant). But yes, I agree with you about this issue, and even one TH-camr talked about the 50m WR, which is a shameful reality to a watch designed to be an outdoor tool. Great video btw!
It’s a muh rugged tOoL wAtCh but can be done in by being caught in the rain or a dip in the pool. Hamilton nailed it with the proportions, finishes, color choices, detailing, all of it is amazing. But the features for the price is out of whack. (I own one.)
I've got the mechanical and the auto and it's weird that the automatic is more shiny and dressy but has 100m and the hand winder that is a pure field watch is 59m very strange to me.
I only came into watch collecting at the start of this year and currently have a collection of 4 watches, including an Orient bambino, a Seiko 5 and a suggess which houses a Seagull ST19 movement...better go by a moonswatch now 😉
@@TopTierTickerI’m getting me a cadisen in the mail tomorrow, funny thing is no one will actually ask about it. And if they do all you say is it’s a knockoff no way in h*** am I paying that much for a watch. Ez.
I may be wrong but I have a Vostok komandirskie and it does have a quick date function. If you do a wind till it changes date then take it back to 8 them forward to 12 again it will do a fairly time consuming quick change
I’m definitely glad I went with the Quartz PRX. The dial on the automatic is nice but I don’t think it’s worth the jump in price. I can also confirm the issue with the Bambino. My brother got into watches because of me and ended up with a Bambino V3 that very shortly had a scratch across it.
The vostok does have a "quicker" date set. Go to 2 o'clock after the date changes, then back to 8, then back to 2 and the date will change again. Repeat as many times necessary.
I never had regrets with any Seiko, Longines, Bulova, or Wittnauer watch. I can't say the same about Tag Heuer or Tissot. Just to repair a rotor on the Tissot movement was $400, and the watch I bought on sale was not much more than that. The Tag Heuer had a second hand get stuck on the minute hand. After three repair jobs I had enough with the brand.
At the risk of repeating another comment here, I've noticed multiple times that sometimes the 7s26 movement in Seiko 5's actually *does* have some sort of hacking function when the watch is below 23 hours of PR. The way it works is to wait until the second hand reaches the point you want to be at when you have set the time. Then press the stem up against it's seating and, simultaneously, gently almost turn the hands backwards (this stops the second hand until you release it). When the actual time reaches the second hand's position, push the stem all the way down and you're all set.
Excellent advise! I would insert two remedies for two on your list. IF, you like a particular Bambino, get a sapphire crystal installed. Yes, it's expensive, but you're now getting an in house movement and a design that you like. As far as the Tissot, get the models that are not equipped with the Power 80 movement. They offer some watches with an ETA movements.
I swim with my Seiko 5s. 30m WR. And I love the 7s26 movement! It’s insane durability is partly due to the lack of hacking or hand-winding... bet you didn’t know that, did you? 😉
My SNKL23 fogged up under the crystal once walking down the street at 6am on a winters morning. Can't say I've had the same experience, but it's good to know others have had better :) thanks for watching
Excellent, about time someone pointed out the pitfalls of watch ownership such as servicing costs, hidden build issues and poor performance for money. I have been super careful with my collection and continue to be so but this sort of video really helps 5 stars
Ive owned 5 of these and love them all. Biggest gripe on the list would be the Vostok date change (and their non clicking/bi direction bezels.) Non hacking isn't a deal-breaker, and my Panda ST19 has lasted 7yrs so far so good. *Edit. Agree with the Hamilton waterproofing. It's inexcusable & put me off them completely.
I am grateful that I watched this video. I was confused between Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 and Seiko Alpinist SPB122. Now I know which one to go for. Thanks.
Great job revealing a unique, serious flaw for each watch. Some of these were ones I considered buying but the flaw you showed means they are now off my list. Perhaps the homage watch does not belong on the list because I would think trying to look like a Rolex or whatever is a key reason why many buyers choose them. Not a flaw but a benefit for them.
You make some good points. Re: the 7S26 not having hacking. Given that it's not the most accurate movement in the world there's no real point to setting it exactly. I always set mine slightly ahead because I know it loses a significant amount of time over a couple of days. That's what we used to do back in the 60s and 70s when most people had relatively inaccurate mechanical watches that didn't hack. When you got up in the morning you would check the time on your watch against the time signal on the radio and likely reset it. A couple of the other things you mention were commonplace back then. As late as the 80s scratchable plastic crystals were found even on quality Swiss watches. I think quick set dates became a thing in the mid 1960s. Do you know the quick way to adjust the date on a watch with no quick set? You move the hands past midnight then move them back to 9 or 8.30 before going forward again.
i have been watch ethusiasts for about 2 decades. what u say about hamilton khaki field is definitely true. i sincerely do not understand why some online u tubers hype so much about this model! no screw down crown , 50M WR only and still quite expensive relatively comparison with other microbrand or seiko. many other watch brands have much much better field mechanical watches with screw down crown or even if no screw down crown will also have better WR level
A real field watch as actually used by the military doesn't need more than 50m (which is perfectly fine for swimming) and it has been this way for decades. The British military G10 has no screw down crown, no screw down case back, a battery hatch and 50m water resistance and was used for decades in all conditions worldwide for decades without issues.
And yet over decades it has been proven 50m water resistance is enough for milspec field watches. The WW1 weren't water resistant and the British Milspec/Defstan was from the late 70s/early 80s when 200 and 300m water resistance was already common as it was for the military dive watch specs at that time. The dive watch brother of the issue G10 that replaced Rolex and Omega around 1981/1982 was a 300m WR watch.
Great video! I can add two bonus points: Hamilton khaki field- Overly long lug to lug length for the size of the watch, and the lug holes are too far from the case for an aftermarket bracelet to look right. Tissot PRX auto- Despite angled hinged lugs, unless you have a rectangular wrist the gapping from lug to wrist on each side is pretty noticeable.
@@jpdemer5 Agreed. Hamilton do however sell the watch with a bracelet (which does look odd in my opinion), but a good brushed bracelet could look ok if the option was there to fit regular bracelets without a case gap.
@@dwgreen108 it's the same bracelet. I've tried the 35mm on and the issue is no longer a problem, it's just a very small watch. I'd say if your wrist is over 7 inches the 40mm would be OK (6.75 inch wrist here for reference)
@@carlvoxvires Oh my wrist is 6.5 inches, so you recommend I go with the 35mm I reckon... But wouldn't the 35mm kinda be a little too small?... I mean, I wouldn't want it to look like a girls watch you know And do you have a specific color you recommend? I'm kinda thinking of the light blue or white...
Highly informative and entertaining! Also, an award coming your way for best metaphore ever: «sipping orange juice after brushing your teeth». That’s sheer bloody poetry, man!
9:44 you actually can set it to perfect time, as the crown is pulled out and in the mode to move the minute hand turn it to the counter-clockwise by just a tad as the ticker hits 12, youll manipulate the movement causing it to get stuck only then you can set your time going counter-clockwise
You can pick up Amphibias and Komandirskies with the 2415 no date movement. I have three Vostoks with date windows and they are certainly a pain to set!
Very insightful. I’m new to watch collecting and this video is now making me rethink some of the watches I have on my list to buy. The Hamilton is one of them. There are plenty of other options, but, I was sold on the history. Now I may have to rethink about it. All the best. Jim from Georgia
The powermatic 80 has a Free spung balance, heaps of higher end movements do too. So it's a bit strange that Tissot went with this one, I personally think it's pretty good
The 7S26C is THE work horse , my first proper watch has it ( seiko 5 sport ofc) it was on my wrist for 10 years straight ( i do not take my watch off while sleeping/showering/swimming/working/playing sports ) and atm it is running a bit off ( still less than 30 sec a day ) and has yet to be serviced !
to add to your point about the Hamilton Khaki, the automatic version is also flawed although it addresses the water resistance. The handwinding feature of that movement could set the rotor spinning like a fan which is very annoying. It makes the military watch seem fragile.
When I was little, my late father owned a Casio Alarm Cronagrape. I very recently found one in a junk shop for about £5 I bought it. The only two relatively little things about it are I have very small wrists so it moves about a lot. And as you say the very handsome looking bracelet pulls my hairs out.
I think the hamilton khaki field is more of a tribute piece than an actual field watch. I reckon a lot of marketing with its history has it to be believe as one. In saying that, I'd say the specs are 10x better than the original khaki fields and the WR is under estimated. Just to compare, my Casio F91 (WR 30m) has been submersed in the shower/swimming and its still working. Also my seiko snk381(Also WR 30m) has been subject to the same environment and its still working fine.
That's a very interesting take! I suppose it is somewhat of a tribute piece rather than an out and out tool! Good food for thought. Thanks for watching!
If only it had a screw down crown. Honestly the best "tool" or "field" watches are dive watches in my opinion. My U1 serves all situations I'd need a field watch to do. It is a brick of a watch in terms of weight, but I'm used to it at this point so it doesn't bother me
Most people are always looking at their cell screens than any watch. I love wearing my collections though and I do appreciate your advise and enjoy your program.
Most modern Vostoks have a "quick" date set feature. You progress the hour hand past midnight, then move it back to 8 pm and then past midnight again. The date will jump forward each and every time you do this. It's still kind of annoying and inferior to other watches, but it's definitely quicker than having to manually go 24 hours for every date jump.
NOTE: My Brother-I-L was a bit of a STM (shade tree mechanic). I loved cars - especially antique sports cars - and eventually purchased a Jaguar 'E' Type for only $2800.00 (in 1972). As an STM, he did very well working on the car and keeping it tuned and running. Then, the water pump went out and it cost about half the price of the entire care (what HE paid) to get a replacement. As the cost of servicing the car increased he eventually could no longer afford it. He eventually sold it. The ST1901 movement is similar. The chronograph is a beautiful workhorse. I asked my watch repairman what he thought of the watch and he said, "Oh, it's absolutely beautiful - a lovely work of art!" When I asked him if he would ever work on it he simply looked at me with disgust and said, "Look, I charge about $800 just to open a watch and service it. For what it is worth financially, you could just order another movement and drop it into this watch yourself - it's not that hard and it is what I would do." So, is it worth it to purchase one and enjoy it? NOT from an investment perspective... BUT from a perspective of APPRECIATION??? Oh, ABSOLUTELY!!!
The Hamilton Khaki mechanical has a second Achilles' heel: there is no clutch, and the slightest hint of over-winding fatally breaks the watch. (I've had two, and now know better than to own a third.)
Scratch happened on my vintage seamaster. I paid 1500 for it just fell in love with the watch now I can’t look at it. I have to find a dealer to see if I can get a sapphire crystal for it .
I can add a comment on #10 and #9 as I never owned one of the other models. The Seagull 1963 chronograph is amazing for the money, but you just need to know in advance that the fun is over once there is something to repair. The question whether to spend 300 euros (for a 42 mm version with Saphire glass) for a new watch or way over 300 euro for a repair should be a no-brainer though. The two Boctok Amphibias I own don't have a date function, but the similar Kommandirskije has. And there the date can be quick-set by moving the hour hand back and forth over the 12 o'clock position. No big deal for me as even way pricier models such as my Nomos Tangente can only be set this way. For some people this is really a big issue, for others rather not so much. Great video by the way, because I considered buying a few watches on this list but refrained from doing so.
I believe those Vostok movements are desingned so that you can move the hands backwards to adjust the date quicker. And with Seiko 5s, you can do the back hacking trick to hold the second hand.
Sad to know that it broke your date wheel. Well, even though it is designed to do that it kind of feels wrong to do it, still inconvenient anyway. At least Vostoks have that instant change of the date, looks nice. The problem with back hacking is that the watch must be almost fully unwound, maybe that's why it didn't worked on some of yours. But I guess it isn't a good idea to do that as well. 🤷 Btw, thanks for answering, love your videos.
This is a description of my collection. I own a seiko SNK375K1 and the hacking was very annoying at first but then i found out if you pull the crown to the second position and rotate the hands counter clockwise, the seconds hand will stop running until you push the crown clockwise, so in a way the watch does hack.
Congrats, great vid. However: - regarding the 1963. Servicing the watch is not too expensive. It's expensive only relative to the cheap price of the watch. - regarding the PRX: zero micro adjusts. The watch will never fit, not for the duration of the whole day anyway. - Hamilton: 50m wr would allow it so survive a shower, either natural or artificial. But you're right, it's a bit low.
I stopped watching after the Seagull service comment. For crying out loud watch people are always banging on about how over priced watches are, so we get a mechanical chronograph sub £200 and we're STILL moaning because it'll cost more to service than it's worth. OK fine, spend six grand on a Speedmaster, then spend the equivalent of six Seagulls having it serviced. There. HAPPY NOW
Not something that particularly bothers me, it's just something that new enthusiasts should be aware of. Although, private watchmakers would charge a similar price to service both the movements that you mentioned. You don't pay for the brand, you pay for the time
@@TopTierTicker Yes I'm aware of that but there but it's amazing to me that a watch brand will give us an amazing watch at a ridiculously low price and we STILL find something whine about. Most of my watches fall into the affordable category and without exception they would all cost at least three times their worth to get professionally serviced. It's not even worth bringing up in a review. We already knew 😔
Hey! Thank you. It's great to have you on the channel. I mean, that's a great compliment, but Andrew is a genuine writer so I think he'd take offence to that one 😆 but I appreciate the kind words and I'll see you on a future video!
I have the Vostok Commander and it has the same date issue/"feature", but instead of winding the minute hand all the way around you can go back to the 8 on the dial and the reset kicks in, so you only have to go back and forth on one third of the dial instead of wheeling it around.
Interesting video and very informative. Thank you. Two things: I'd go for a Tsuyosa by Citizen instead of the PRX. Especially the turquoise fade. I own a Day Date Field Khaki Black. The 50m water resistance for almost 1000 EUR is honestly ridiculous as well as the very bad strap that quit its service after two years.
Post scriptum: Homage watchest are actually way awesome. When I pull out my Pagani Speedmaster I get all kinds of compliments and I look even smarter when I tell them... "It's 1/50th the price of the real one but since it's sapphire it's actually better than the "real" one. " --- besides I'd never mow my lawn with any of my Omega timepieces. You know what I mean.. it's not 1/50 the watch. Just 1/50th of the price.
I have the 1969 that I bought for less than $150. I love it. I'm fact, I put it on the timegrapher this morning and the average was 1.2 seconds a day average in 6 positions. I also bought it knowing full well there's no way I'd pay to get it serviced. I figure if it lasts for a few years, it's totally worth it. Actually I bought it with the intention of trying out the hobby of servicing it myself. Then i realized a chronograph probably isn't the best place to start😂 Either way, highly recommend. I've had nights out for dinner and drinks that cost more.
Hey i have a lot of Vostok models and setting the date is easy. You just wind until it changes to the next day then wind back to like 8 and you hear a small click, wind forward again to 12 date changes again. Just repeat that until the date is correct. Is not as big of a deal once you get used to it.
You probably already know this, but just in case you didn't: there is a trick for setting the date on a Vostok. Forward the hands until 3 hours past midnight, then go back until 9 o' clock, then forward until 3, rinse and repeat. This is by no means as fast as a genuine quickset, but it's a lot faster than having to go around the entire dial twice to advance just one single date- and it may keep the time needed within acceptable limits.
I do know this, however doing this actually broke the date wheel on my Amphibia. It's now just stuck on the same date no matter what. That's why I didn't mention it. I heard it does work for other people though, I just don't recommend it.
I have a few complaints about my PRX, such as, it sits funny on my wrist. Buying a half link from Tissot was like pulling teeth, because the stock bracelet was a hair snug, the dial looks too small in that case, and the waffle dial kills the sunburst and makes the green look dull. The fact that it has a few plastic parts in the movement are the least of my concern, if it needs a new movement in 8 to 10 years, instead of a service so be it.
I do agree with your Bambino thoughts. I love my two, but I would never wear them when I'm at work. The domed mineral crystals are a real weak point. As a company Orient use sapphire at around the £240 price mark, yet it is the £600 price mark for Seiko, and this is a real consideration for me.
Great video. This may ruffle a few feathers but I would add some Seikos to this as well. I've purchased a sharp edge and an Alpinist model and the 6r35 movement is totally erratic. It's put me off ever buying a Seiko with the same movement again and unfortunately nearly all the models I want have the same one :(
Seiko 5 model looks fantastic but cheap sometimes don't come with cheerful ,people brought them like playing Lottery 😂 with luck.... some with the problems of QC, some with the terrible inaccurate movement, and the let down of that easy to get cranky "Hardlex' crystal.😅
Mineral crystals can be polished and restored. I think you should consider also the benefits of it such as the actual viewing angles, ability to have such beautiful doming effects for low cost, and the actual ability to polish. Most of my vintage watches have non-sapphire crystal, and look better than many watches with sapphire crystal.
I learned this the hard way on my Steinhart Ocean one. I probably didn't screw down the crown tightly enough and I took lots of swims in the sea. The water got in, and after a while, the crown broke off. I still haven't gone to repair, I'm scared of the bill for parts, cleaning, and replacement. Yeah, mechanical watches sound great, but in the long run, they can be more expensive than you initially think.
Homage watches are the perfect way to wear and experience an expensive watch without breaking the bank to know if you really like the real thing before you spend thousands of dollars. It happen to me with a Rolex; I bought an homage and for the first months I was thrilled, then I realized that spending that much money on the real thing wouldn't be worth it, so I ended buying an Omega instead, and I couldn't be more happy with my decision.
Biggest complaint about the PRX, it's prone to scratching, like really prone. A lot of small knicks are normal for a watch actually worn and are only apparent to the one wearing it but the nature of the sharp corners and brushed steel finish is prone to scratching that will easily stand out if it goes against the grain. With the integrated design also the strap blends into the watch case so a scratch on wrong part of the strap from maybe setting your hand on a steel counter could be very regrettable. This is true for all watches but coming from daily wearing a watch with PVD I noticed it could handle a lot of direct contact without really scratching but I didn't realize the brushed steel is like way more damage-able than any sort of shiny-polished steel object I have. The grain is just really sensitive compared to IDK steel knives and tools that you don't just look at.
I'm still waiting for pickup on the watch from your thumbnail, the ice blue PRX. I'm aware a Swatch group watch service on that price range is just a new movement swap and a polish. Nevertheless a very nice watch.
I have to say that the Casio is not made for a 9 inch wrist. I can speak from experience with having an 8.5 in wrist. I have never been able to wear a G-Shock or 99 percent of any Casio product due to this curse. The problem lies in the size of the band/strap for me, even of I can find an appropriate sized watch head. So, please do not cry about Casio sizing you out for having a ladies sized wrist! 😂 And now the trend in all watch brands is a smaller case. Oh what we all go through for the sake of nerding out over timepieces. I did enjoy your perspective in this video, please keep them coming!
Who ever said you should service a Seagull 1963? When mine dies, I'll just replace it. Same thing with the PRX. The PRX is laser adjusted in house, so it should be regulated within spec when you get it. Tissot's servicing price of $195 for complete service isn't terrible for another 5 to 7 years of operability. When you start collecting "affordable" watches, you don't expect them to be heirloom pieces.
@@TopTierTicker I don't expect any of my watches to last a "lifetime". Especially mass produced ones that have built in obsolescence. I certainly don't expect a chinese chrono to last a lifetime. I'm happy it works at all, if I'm honest. And as far as the PRX goes, as long as Tissot can service them for about a couple of hundred bucks every seven years. I'm good with that.
I’m a Watchmaker and have worked on a lot of those Tissot powermatic 80 movements, and to be honest , they are horrible movements , it does have a plastic escapement , makes it very unstable. Also just to clarify The screws on the balance wheel does allow for timing adjustments, it doesn’t have a stud , but the screws are in place of the stud. The Hamilton also has its own movement issues with sub standard screws that constantly break and need to be sent in to a service center great video 👌🏽
Talking about Vostok date setting: It has kind of quick date setting when you move hour hand from 8 to 12 pm. It written in guide book, but unfoutanetly in russian only...
About the Casio sizing, there are definitely smaller gshock out there, they made smaller versions of the casioaks which can be worn by a 6.2in wrist like mine and it isn’t uncomfortable in the slightest, felt like you didn’t explore enough options in the gshock line up.
Can’t hate on any of these takes. So many “over rated” pieces in both the luxury & value brand lines. Great video! My take away from watch keeping over the last decade? Nothing it perfect & eventually every piece will have something that drives one crazy. Lol! New subscription from me 👍
I briefly owned a 38 mm Bambino but ended up selling it for the same reason. It's an absolutely stunning watch but i just knew that i was going to scratch the crystal eventually. If Orient ever makes a Bambino in that size with sapphire I'll probably go back. Even if they charge more.
@@FoAmY99For acrylic yes. While Polywatch does apparently make a polish for mineral glass, from what I 've heard it's a royal pain and hours of work to get any real results.
Fun video. Enjoyed it. Thanks. Still going to pull the trigger on the Vostok and Seagull for my beater collection. Don't own them but couldn't agree more on the MoonSwatch and homage watches. I think co-branding really brought Omega perception down. Didn't help that one of my colleagues called it his 'first Speedmaster'.
It's feels like you are cherry picking to make this list. Hell, even when you mentioned seiko I expected you would say the brand's ever diminishing quality control but you just complained about an old movement not having a hacking funtion, have you ever heard of miyota's 8000 series?
I agree w/ a lot of his rants but the complaint vs the Casio world timer and gshock bulkiness is a bit off. They're "extreme" tool watches w/ excellent shock absorbing qualities (thus the bulkiness) and we're never really designed to be worn under the cuff. As for the Seiko 5, well he's not wrong but if 1 is going for accuracy, the 7s26 is not the cheap movement for you. Re the Vostok amfibia line, they do have a quick set date option, although the method is far from being quick. Granted, it’ll take a minute or 2 - but definitely not 5 mins.
Re: Hamilton Khaki Field. The watch I used during my time in the Armed Forces was a 50m Water resistant Accurist Chronograph, and although now that I know a bit more about watches, there isn't ANY chance that I would have put it through some of the situations that I did put it through, somehow it DID survive and is still working now, 31yrs later! Nowadays, I'd expect a 'combat watch' to be at least 100m waterproof. It surprises me that the British Armed Forces CWC watches are also only 50m water resistant!
The thing about most mechanical watches is their ability to quick change the date. Turn your hands until the date changes, then go to 2 am, then backwards until you see the date twitch, usually back to 10 pm. Then go forward again and the date will change to the next day. You just have to keep going back and forth until you get the desired day. I hope this makes sense.
Orient Bambino: Mineral crystal has not been a problem for me. But if I ever scratched mine, I would gladly buy a new one, as they are so affordable. Casio size: Agreed, but I love them still. Hamilton Khaki: I have a Khaki King. Great watch, but I wouldn’t get it anywhere near water. Seiko 7S26: +/-30 sec per day? That’s if you’re lucky. Mine is unusable as a timepiece. Vostok Amphibia: Date setting is a pain, but that Scuba Dude sure looks cool!
The powermatic 80 is indeed a crap piece of movement, but the lack of the fine tunning lever on the balance is not such a big deal, its called free sprung balance, its measured with a laser in factory and as long as the watch is lubricated is should work just fine. The actual adjustment is made by tightening the balance to the movement itself
In my experience, the Orient Bambino's glass is not as sensitive as the mechanism. My first one lasted just a week before it required a trip to the warranty office.
seagull 1963 on only service it if its broken. if not you can go as long as you want without any problem, you dont need to send it every watch to service every 5 years, our gran dads they only sended their watches when they stop working, or got realy unprecise, you wont destroy the watch. specialy the anything from seiko , or miyota, for the the cheaps movements some times is cheaper to remplace it than service it
If you enjoyed this one you should definitely check out my video on 10 watches that you should avoid ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
th-cam.com/video/mXmb0yxAIv8/w-d-xo.html
I think you just described my whole watch collection! 😭
Well I've pretty much owned / still own every watch in this video 🤣
For real, I have the Seagull, the Vostok (the same Zissou model even), the Hamilton khaki, a San Martin homage, and the Casios.
I came to comment exactly that !!!!
I’ve got the Hamilton Khaki, a G-Shock, the SNKL23, and a Bambino. I don’t particularly agree with your take on any of them, tbh, but that’s fine. It is a bit of a pity to read some of the comments here from what look to be prospective newer watch buyers who are saying - basically - thanks for helping them avoid these watches. That seems a shame for a new collector as there is a lot in this list to like.
I kind of agree with you on the straight homage, though I have a Willard. Kind of meh about that whole space. And I think at least we can all agree on the MoonSwatch 😆
😂😂😂
7:01 "forget the watch slipping under a cuff; it wouldn't allow you to reach into the fridge" hahaha. Well played sir
This was a great video! Just a point of clarification, you are right about the Powermatic 80 in the Tissot having a plastic escapement, but not all Powermatic 80’s are the same. It’s the .111 version you have to watch out for. There is a .611 version that fixes this problem. Just didn’t want people to think every Powermatic 80 watch was bad.
Hey! Thank you, glad you enjoyed it.
I was aware that they all didn't share the same powermatic 80 but, thank you for the clarification with the reference numbers. I'll make a note of that now! Have a great day and thank for watching :)
How can I check that?
@@kevinbusch1730 tissot website most of the time or the calibre websites
The plastic escapement is not necessarily a bad thing. In that price point, some corners are gonna be cut. I'd rather have plastic escapement than not a sapphire glass. They actually dont service it directly, just swap it out for a serviced movement, and send your movement to be serviced and put in a another watch. It reduces time and labor cost and ensures more detailed service.
The old omega moonwatch actually had plastic and non-plastic versions, and plastic showed itswlf to be a superior variant. It was just butt ugly so they've put a solid caseback on it as opposed to a see through caseback on the metal version.
Powermatic 80 is still one of the best movements in a sub 1000 dollar automatic movement range and you get all that Tissot heritage with it.
The movement is still quite young so there are not yet any long term faults known with the plastic escapement.
I personally own prx pwrmatic 80 and i am really satisfied with the watch.
But all the prx have the same movement, right?
I own three of these:
1. Tissot PRX Powermatic 80: couldn't be happier. dial and bracelet incredible for the money, love the retro design. Keeps perfect time: longevity on movement remains to be seen but at this price point you really can't complain.
2. Orient Bambino: yes, it is a domed crystal; it is a dress watch, it is not for daily wear, it is not made for durability and at it's price point without top tier materials you obviously have to be careful with it. I'm not sure how you can complain about scratching a
For the Orient Bambino, I paid an extra $100 and got the crystal removed and replaced with a Sapphire crystal. Just ask your local watch store and they may be able to do it for you :).
Worst sin od the Bambino is the wonky, odd, lug width. Fuck you, Orient (and Rolex, LawnJeans, and anybody else with such widths.) Everybody else agreed to even widths and these assholes waltz in with a slightly different size that’ll render all your previous straps obsolete. F.O.A.D.
Otherwise an appealing watch.
It's seems he wants luxury standars in afordable watches. The critic to the homage watches even make him sound like a snob.
Just do it. Don’t be afraid
I’d be very hesitant to take your Hamilton around water. My khaki field had condensation in the crystal after a trip to the beach
I have a Vostok Amphibia. I bought it in Berlin in the mid 90s before a night at Club Tresor. It became my clubbing watch, and gave service in the very filthiest of techno clubs across the UK and Europe. Eventually it ended up in a drawer, and then the loft... where it sat for 20 years until I rediscovered it last summer. It still works fine, still runs +/- 60 secs depending on its mood.
@@IDKline Berlin is the heart of filth, not only filthy techno.
That's crazy! And what a great story. A watch with a story like that are just the best. And that's exactly what we're all chasing with these watches, great memories! Enjoy, I hope it works for you for years to come!
I have a Vostok and it runs 0 spd out of the box! Hard to believe and sheer fluke I'm sure, but it's the most accurate mechanical watch I ever bought! It still looks quite cheap, though, and I've never worn it since Putin invaded Ukraine, which is a bit irrational, but it's my choice and I'm not exactly struggling to find something else to wear.
6:59 ”It wouldn’t allow you to reach into the fridge ” 😂 Awesome video 👌 Keep’em coming.
I like anti-hype watch videos, it's just what the community needs to have a realistic and objective expection
As a Khaki Field Mechanical owner, I am surprised that you included this watch in the video, since it gains (maybe, around) 90-95% positive or good reviews 😂 I rarely seen complaints online (if it does, mostly they talk about the movement or the water resistant). But yes, I agree with you about this issue, and even one TH-camr talked about the 50m WR, which is a shameful reality to a watch designed to be an outdoor tool. Great video btw!
It’s a muh rugged tOoL wAtCh but can be done in by being caught in the rain or a dip in the pool.
Hamilton nailed it with the proportions, finishes, color choices, detailing, all of it is amazing. But the features for the price is out of whack. (I own one.)
My khaki field is my daily watch and Ive never had any issues lol
I've got the mechanical and the auto and it's weird that the automatic is more shiny and dressy but has 100m and the hand winder that is a pure field watch is 59m very strange to me.
It’s a hamilton, of course it gets bad reviews.
I only came into watch collecting at the start of this year and currently have a collection of 4 watches, including an Orient bambino, a Seiko 5 and a suggess which houses a Seagull ST19 movement...better go by a moonswatch now 😉
All still amazing watches, don't let me put you off. Just points to consider with long term ownership! :) thanks for watching
@@TopTierTickerI’m getting me a cadisen in the mail tomorrow, funny thing is no one will actually ask about it. And if they do all you say is it’s a knockoff no way in h*** am I paying that much for a watch. Ez.
Great video. I wish we knew more of these gotchas especially as someone who is new to all of this and hearing about all these hyped watches.
I may be wrong but I have a Vostok komandirskie and it does have a quick date function. If you do a wind till it changes date then take it back to 8 them forward to 12 again it will do a fairly time consuming quick change
I’m definitely glad I went with the Quartz PRX. The dial on the automatic is nice but I don’t think it’s worth the jump in price. I can also confirm the issue with the Bambino. My brother got into watches because of me and ended up with a Bambino V3 that very shortly had a scratch across it.
Hi. How have you found the PRX? I'm thinking of getting one so would appreciate an honest, owner's option. Thanks
The vostok does have a "quicker" date set. Go to 2 o'clock after the date changes, then back to 8, then back to 2 and the date will change again. Repeat as many times necessary.
I never had regrets with any Seiko, Longines, Bulova, or Wittnauer watch. I can't say the same about Tag Heuer or Tissot. Just to repair a rotor on the Tissot movement was $400, and the watch I bought on sale was not much more than that. The Tag Heuer had a second hand get stuck on the minute hand. After three repair jobs I had enough with the brand.
You’d think a whoreological god like the Swiss would be able to get the hand stack right. SMH.
But seiko dilay second was too much
At the risk of repeating another comment here, I've noticed multiple times that sometimes the 7s26 movement in Seiko 5's actually *does* have some sort of hacking function when the watch is below 23 hours of PR.
The way it works is to wait until the second hand reaches the point you want to be at when you have set the time. Then press the stem up against it's seating and, simultaneously, gently almost turn the hands backwards (this stops the second hand until you release it). When the actual time reaches the second hand's position, push the stem all the way down and you're all set.
As a newbie to buying watches, this information was priceless and much appreciated.
Excellent advise! I would insert two remedies for two on your list. IF, you like a particular Bambino, get a sapphire crystal installed. Yes, it's expensive, but you're now getting an in house movement and a design that you like. As far as the Tissot, get the models that are not equipped with the Power 80 movement. They offer some watches with an ETA movements.
I swim with my Seiko 5s. 30m WR. And I love the 7s26 movement! It’s insane durability is partly due to the lack of hacking or hand-winding... bet you didn’t know that, did you? 😉
My SNKL23 fogged up under the crystal once walking down the street at 6am on a winters morning. Can't say I've had the same experience, but it's good to know others have had better :) thanks for watching
Same here bro , been swimming with my SNK809 for years now with no issues
Excellent, about time someone pointed out the pitfalls of watch ownership such as servicing costs, hidden build issues and poor performance for money. I have been super careful with my collection and continue to be so but this sort of video really helps 5 stars
He‘s full of shit tho. Both of the flaws he counted about the prx are not true.
Ive owned 5 of these and love them all. Biggest gripe on the list would be the Vostok date change (and their non clicking/bi direction bezels.) Non hacking isn't a deal-breaker, and my Panda ST19 has lasted 7yrs so far so good.
*Edit. Agree with the Hamilton waterproofing. It's inexcusable & put me off them completely.
Vostoks i own, have the 9 to 12 o’clock date “quick change” feature. 🧐
Yep, better than nothing, but it's still a real pain. I keep mind spinning in the watch winder 24/7 (which I know it good for it lol)
As a PRX owner the lack of microadjustments on the bracelet is also a flaw for sure still love the watch but worth mentioning
but that was ment to be wasnt it?
All my 3 watches where just in the first 5 seconds of the video 😅
I am grateful that I watched this video. I was confused between Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 and Seiko Alpinist SPB122. Now I know which one to go for. Thanks.
Great job revealing a unique, serious flaw for each watch. Some of these were ones I considered buying but the flaw you showed means they are now off my list. Perhaps the homage watch does not belong on the list because I would think trying to look like a Rolex or whatever is a key reason why many buyers choose them. Not a flaw but a benefit for them.
You make some good points. Re: the 7S26 not having hacking. Given that it's not the most accurate movement in the world there's no real point to setting it exactly. I always set mine slightly ahead because I know it loses a significant amount of time over a couple of days. That's what we used to do back in the 60s and 70s when most people had relatively inaccurate mechanical watches that didn't hack. When you got up in the morning you would check the time on your watch against the time signal on the radio and likely reset it. A couple of the other things you mention were commonplace back then. As late as the 80s scratchable plastic crystals were found even on quality Swiss watches. I think quick set dates became a thing in the mid 1960s. Do you know the quick way to adjust the date on a watch with no quick set? You move the hands past midnight then move them back to 9 or 8.30 before going forward again.
i have been watch ethusiasts for about 2 decades. what u say about hamilton khaki field is definitely true. i sincerely do not understand why some online u tubers hype so much about this model! no screw down crown , 50M WR only and still quite expensive relatively comparison with other microbrand or seiko. many other watch brands have much much better field mechanical watches with screw down crown or even if no screw down crown will also have better WR level
A real field watch as actually used by the military doesn't need more than 50m (which is perfectly fine for swimming) and it has been this way for decades. The British military G10 has no screw down crown, no screw down case back, a battery hatch and 50m water resistance and was used for decades in all conditions worldwide for decades without issues.
Wayne Holmes, they still maintaining WW1 standards and WR requirements i reckon
And yet over decades it has been proven 50m water resistance is enough for milspec field watches. The WW1 weren't water resistant and the British Milspec/Defstan was from the late 70s/early 80s when 200 and 300m water resistance was already common as it was for the military dive watch specs at that time. The dive watch brother of the issue G10 that replaced Rolex and Omega around 1981/1982 was a 300m WR watch.
You're golden. Thanks for mating such a good content mate
Great video! I can add two bonus points:
Hamilton khaki field- Overly long lug to lug length for the size of the watch, and the lug holes are too far from the case for an aftermarket bracelet to look right.
Tissot PRX auto- Despite angled hinged lugs, unless you have a rectangular wrist the gapping from lug to wrist on each side is pretty noticeable.
The Khaki Field is really designed for a fairly thick canvas or leather (or Nato) strap ... anything else - especially a bracelet - will look odd.
@@jpdemer5 Agreed. Hamilton do however sell the watch with a bracelet (which does look odd in my opinion), but a good brushed bracelet could look ok if the option was there to fit regular bracelets without a case gap.
Hmm I wonder if your problem with the PRX auto exists also for the PRX Quartz...
@@dwgreen108 it's the same bracelet. I've tried the 35mm on and the issue is no longer a problem, it's just a very small watch. I'd say if your wrist is over 7 inches the 40mm would be OK (6.75 inch wrist here for reference)
@@carlvoxvires Oh my wrist is 6.5 inches, so you recommend I go with the 35mm I reckon...
But wouldn't the 35mm kinda be a little too small?... I mean, I wouldn't want it to look like a girls watch you know
And do you have a specific color you recommend? I'm kinda thinking of the light blue or white...
Very interesting point of view rarely touched in other channels, subscribed 👍.
Highly informative and entertaining! Also, an award coming your way for best metaphore ever: «sipping orange juice after brushing your teeth». That’s sheer bloody poetry, man!
9:44 you actually can set it to perfect time, as the crown is pulled out and in the mode to move the minute hand turn it to the counter-clockwise by just a tad as the ticker hits 12, youll manipulate the movement causing it to get stuck only then you can set your time going counter-clockwise
You can pick up Amphibias and Komandirskies with the 2415 no date movement. I have three Vostoks with date windows and they are certainly a pain to set!
@@gtracer6629 True!
The time it takes is miniscule compared to having a fantastic watch
There is a quick set date feature on the vostok amphibia. Not as quick as a normal quick set, but much quicker than spinning the hands 24times.
@@mactepbolsak161 Yes, you can move the hands backwards and forwards - it isn't really a quick date change, more like "quicker"!
Very insightful. I’m new to watch collecting and this video is now making me rethink some of the watches I have on my list to buy. The Hamilton is one of them. There are plenty of other options, but, I was sold on the history. Now I may have to rethink about it. All the best. Jim from Georgia
These are all still fantastic watches by the way! It's just worth noting that even the most hyped affordable watches have there drawbacks
The powermatic 80 has a Free spung balance, heaps of higher end movements do too. So it's a bit strange that Tissot went with this one, I personally think it's pretty good
The 7S26C is THE work horse , my first proper watch has it ( seiko 5 sport ofc) it was on my wrist for 10 years straight ( i do not take my watch off while sleeping/showering/swimming/working/playing sports ) and atm it is running a bit off ( still less than 30 sec a day ) and has yet to be serviced !
to add to your point about the Hamilton Khaki, the automatic version is also flawed although it addresses the water resistance. The handwinding feature of that movement could set the rotor spinning like a fan which is very annoying. It makes the military watch seem fragile.
Got the prx automatic white to start my collection, i realized its perfect for me and dont want any other watch
this is how any normal person would feel after they get a nice watch, instead of constantly craving more watches
When I was little, my late father owned a Casio Alarm Cronagrape. I very recently found one in a junk shop for about £5 I bought it. The only two relatively little things about it are I have very small wrists so it moves about a lot. And as you say the very handsome looking bracelet pulls my hairs out.
The only one I don’t agree with is the Tissot, I own a PRX and COSC Gentleman and both have been very durable.
I think the hamilton khaki field is more of a tribute piece than an actual field watch. I reckon a lot of marketing with its history has it to be believe as one. In saying that, I'd say the specs are 10x better than the original khaki fields and the WR is under estimated. Just to compare, my Casio F91 (WR 30m) has been submersed in the shower/swimming and its still working. Also my seiko snk381(Also WR 30m) has been subject to the same environment and its still working fine.
That's a very interesting take! I suppose it is somewhat of a tribute piece rather than an out and out tool! Good food for thought.
Thanks for watching!
If only it had a screw down crown. Honestly the best "tool" or "field" watches are dive watches in my opinion. My U1 serves all situations I'd need a field watch to do. It is a brick of a watch in terms of weight, but I'm used to it at this point so it doesn't bother me
Khaki field automatic has 100M rating unlike 50M on the mechanic one btw
Most people are always looking at their cell screens than any watch. I love wearing my collections though and I do appreciate your advise and enjoy your program.
Most modern Vostoks have a "quick" date set feature. You progress the hour hand past midnight, then move it back to 8 pm and then past midnight again. The date will jump forward each and every time you do this.
It's still kind of annoying and inferior to other watches, but it's definitely quicker than having to manually go 24 hours for every date jump.
NOTE:
My Brother-I-L was a bit of a STM (shade tree mechanic). I loved cars - especially antique sports cars - and eventually purchased a Jaguar 'E' Type for only $2800.00 (in 1972). As an STM, he did very well working on the car and keeping it tuned and running. Then, the water pump went out and it cost about half the price of the entire care (what HE paid) to get a replacement. As the cost of servicing the car increased he eventually could no longer afford it. He eventually sold it.
The ST1901 movement is similar. The chronograph is a beautiful workhorse. I asked my watch repairman what he thought of the watch and he said, "Oh, it's absolutely beautiful - a lovely work of art!" When I asked him if he would ever work on it he simply looked at me with disgust and said, "Look, I charge about $800 just to open a watch and service it. For what it is worth financially, you could just order another movement and drop it into this watch yourself - it's not that hard and it is what I would do."
So, is it worth it to purchase one and enjoy it? NOT from an investment perspective... BUT from a perspective of APPRECIATION???
Oh, ABSOLUTELY!!!
The Hamilton Khaki mechanical has a second Achilles' heel: there is no clutch, and the slightest hint of over-winding fatally breaks the watch. (I've had two, and now know better than to own a third.)
Scratch happened on my vintage seamaster. I paid 1500 for it just fell in love with the watch now I can’t look at it. I have to find a dealer to see if I can get a sapphire crystal for it .
I can add a comment on #10 and #9 as I never owned one of the other models. The Seagull 1963 chronograph is amazing for the money, but you just need to know in advance that the fun is over once there is something to repair. The question whether to spend 300 euros (for a 42 mm version with Saphire glass) for a new watch or way over 300 euro for a repair should be a no-brainer though.
The two Boctok Amphibias I own don't have a date function, but the similar Kommandirskije has. And there the date can be quick-set by moving the hour hand back and forth over the 12 o'clock position. No big deal for me as even way pricier models such as my Nomos Tangente can only be set this way. For some people this is really a big issue, for others rather not so much.
Great video by the way, because I considered buying a few watches on this list but refrained from doing so.
You are hilarious!! Very natural delivery. You do not climb analogy/metaphor mountain. You glide naturally on a witty wave!!
I believe those Vostok movements are desingned so that you can move the hands backwards to adjust the date quicker. And with Seiko 5s, you can do the back hacking trick to hold the second hand.
That is a feature of Vostok movements, but it broke my date wheel so I don't recommend it.
The back hacking does work on some but not all.
Sad to know that it broke your date wheel. Well, even though it is designed to do that it kind of feels wrong to do it, still inconvenient anyway. At least Vostoks have that instant change of the date, looks nice.
The problem with back hacking is that the watch must be almost fully unwound, maybe that's why it didn't worked on some of yours. But I guess it isn't a good idea to do that as well. 🤷
Btw, thanks for answering, love your videos.
This is a description of my collection.
I own a seiko SNK375K1 and the hacking was very annoying at first but then i found out if you pull the crown to the second position and rotate the hands counter clockwise, the seconds hand will stop running until you push the crown clockwise, so in a way the watch does hack.
Congrats, great vid. However:
- regarding the 1963. Servicing the watch is not too expensive. It's expensive only relative to the cheap price of the watch.
- regarding the PRX: zero micro adjusts. The watch will never fit, not for the duration of the whole day anyway.
- Hamilton: 50m wr would allow it so survive a shower, either natural or artificial. But you're right, it's a bit low.
I stopped watching after the Seagull service comment. For crying out loud watch people are always banging on about how over priced watches are, so we get a mechanical chronograph sub £200 and we're STILL moaning because it'll cost more to service than it's worth. OK fine, spend six grand on a Speedmaster, then spend the equivalent of six Seagulls having it serviced. There. HAPPY NOW
Not something that particularly bothers me, it's just something that new enthusiasts should be aware of.
Although, private watchmakers would charge a similar price to service both the movements that you mentioned. You don't pay for the brand, you pay for the time
@@TopTierTicker
Yes I'm aware of that but there but it's amazing to me that a watch brand will give us an amazing watch at a ridiculously low price and we STILL find something whine about. Most of my watches fall into the affordable category and without exception they would all cost at least three times their worth to get professionally serviced. It's not even worth bringing up in a review. We already knew 😔
Suscription earned! You and Andrew Morngan speak fabulously. Thank you.
Hey! Thank you. It's great to have you on the channel.
I mean, that's a great compliment, but Andrew is a genuine writer so I think he'd take offence to that one 😆 but I appreciate the kind words and I'll see you on a future video!
I have the Vostok Commander and it has the same date issue/"feature", but instead of winding the minute hand all the way around you can go back to the 8 on the dial and the reset kicks in, so you only have to go back and forth on one third of the dial instead of wheeling it around.
Interesting video and very informative. Thank you. Two things:
I'd go for a Tsuyosa by Citizen instead of the PRX. Especially the turquoise fade.
I own a Day Date Field Khaki Black. The 50m water resistance for almost 1000 EUR is honestly ridiculous as well as the very bad strap that quit its service after two years.
Post scriptum: Homage watchest are actually way awesome. When I pull out my Pagani Speedmaster I get all kinds of compliments and I look even smarter when I tell them... "It's 1/50th the price of the real one but since it's sapphire it's actually better than the "real" one. " --- besides I'd never mow my lawn with any of my Omega timepieces. You know what I mean.. it's not 1/50 the watch. Just 1/50th of the price.
Hey bud! I hope you get the fullest amount of enjoyment from your homage. I see the value in them completely, it's just not for me.
I have the 1969 that I bought for less than $150. I love it. I'm fact, I put it on the timegrapher this morning and the average was 1.2 seconds a day average in 6 positions. I also bought it knowing full well there's no way I'd pay to get it serviced. I figure if it lasts for a few years, it's totally worth it.
Actually I bought it with the intention of trying out the hobby of servicing it myself. Then i realized a chronograph probably isn't the best place to start😂
Either way, highly recommend. I've had nights out for dinner and drinks that cost more.
Hey i have a lot of Vostok models and setting the date is easy. You just wind until it changes to the next day then wind back to like 8 and you hear a small click, wind forward again to 12 date changes again. Just repeat that until the date is correct. Is not as big of a deal once you get used to it.
Be careful, doing that broke my date wheel. It's permanently stuck.
You probably already know this, but just in case you didn't: there is a trick for setting the date on a Vostok. Forward the hands until 3 hours past midnight, then go back until 9 o' clock, then forward until 3, rinse and repeat. This is by no means as fast as a genuine quickset, but it's a lot faster than having to go around the entire dial twice to advance just one single date- and it may keep the time needed within acceptable limits.
I do know this, however doing this actually broke the date wheel on my Amphibia. It's now just stuck on the same date no matter what. That's why I didn't mention it. I heard it does work for other people though, I just don't recommend it.
@@TopTierTicker I'll give you £1 for the Amphibia, at least it'll tell the right date once a month!! 👍
@@TopTierTicker ouch, I hadn't heard of that method being harmful yet... Good to know, I'll keep it in mind
I have a few complaints about my PRX, such as, it sits funny on my wrist. Buying a half link from Tissot was like pulling teeth, because the stock bracelet was a hair snug, the dial looks too small in that case, and the waffle dial kills the sunburst and makes the green look dull. The fact that it has a few plastic parts in the movement are the least of my concern, if it needs a new movement in 8 to 10 years, instead of a service so be it.
I do agree with your Bambino thoughts. I love my two, but I would never wear them when I'm at work. The domed mineral crystals are a real weak point. As a company Orient use sapphire at around the £240 price mark, yet it is the £600 price mark for Seiko, and this is a real consideration for me.
Great video. This may ruffle a few feathers but I would add some Seikos to this as well. I've purchased a sharp edge and an Alpinist model and the 6r35 movement is totally erratic. It's put me off ever buying a Seiko with the same movement again and unfortunately nearly all the models I want have the same one :(
Seiko 5 model looks fantastic but cheap sometimes don't come with cheerful ,people brought them like playing Lottery 😂 with luck.... some with the problems of QC, some with the terrible inaccurate movement, and the let down of that easy to get cranky "Hardlex' crystal.😅
I have been collection watches for many decades. I never have any of my 50 ever watches serviced. Just keep on buying new ones
Mineral crystals can be polished and restored. I think you should consider also the benefits of it such as the actual viewing angles, ability to have such beautiful doming effects for low cost, and the actual ability to polish. Most of my vintage watches have non-sapphire crystal, and look better than many watches with sapphire crystal.
Also watchmakers CAN switch crystals, I've had mineral crystals on my vintage watches switched to sapphire
I like the grab and go of the quartz watches I have a PCAT quartz, it is nice to know the time and date are always spot on.
If you wanna buy a Tissot PRX, definitely you should go with the quartz version. Much cheaper and much more accurate (even for a quartz watch)
I think the Quartz version is the one to buy. Half the cost and you have the choice between 40mm and 35mm.
Quartz watches are always more accurate over mechanical but I prefer the mechanical version
@@nikkimiddlekillsday5161 yes but this one is even more accurate than most quartz watches. Mine is like +- 0.5 sec/month.
But it does not hit the second marks accurately.
@@perpetualtimepiece857 True
When I had to service my st1901 chronograph watch, I bought a new movement from seagull and installed it myself. Much cheaper than a service.
I learned this the hard way on my Steinhart Ocean one. I probably didn't screw down the crown tightly enough and I took lots of swims in the sea. The water got in, and after a while, the crown broke off. I still haven't gone to repair, I'm scared of the bill for parts, cleaning, and replacement. Yeah, mechanical watches sound great, but in the long run, they can be more expensive than you initially think.
Absolutely top video mate👍
Love my prx80. Great watch for years.
how long have you had it? is it as big of a concern as people say?
I got it when it was reissued in 2021 and I’ve never had an issue with it.
Homage watches are the perfect way to wear and experience an expensive watch without breaking the bank to know if you really like the real thing before you spend thousands of dollars.
It happen to me with a Rolex; I bought an homage and for the first months I was thrilled, then I realized that spending that much money on the real thing wouldn't be worth it, so I ended buying an Omega instead, and I couldn't be more happy with my decision.
Biggest complaint about the PRX, it's prone to scratching, like really prone. A lot of small knicks are normal for a watch actually worn and are only apparent to the one wearing it but the nature of the sharp corners and brushed steel finish is prone to scratching that will easily stand out if it goes against the grain. With the integrated design also the strap blends into the watch case so a scratch on wrong part of the strap from maybe setting your hand on a steel counter could be very regrettable. This is true for all watches but coming from daily wearing a watch with PVD I noticed it could handle a lot of direct contact without really scratching but I didn't realize the brushed steel is like way more damage-able than any sort of shiny-polished steel object I have. The grain is just really sensitive compared to IDK steel knives and tools that you don't just look at.
I'm still waiting for pickup on the watch from your thumbnail, the ice blue PRX.
I'm aware a Swatch group watch service on that price range is just a new movement swap and a polish. Nevertheless a very nice watch.
Awesome review . thank you so much !
My pleasure!
I have to say that the Casio is not made for a 9 inch wrist. I can speak from experience with having an 8.5 in wrist. I have never been able to wear a G-Shock or 99 percent of any Casio product due to this curse. The problem lies in the size of the band/strap for me, even of I can find an appropriate sized watch head. So, please do not cry about Casio sizing you out for having a ladies sized wrist! 😂 And now the trend in all watch brands is a smaller case. Oh what we all go through for the sake of nerding out over timepieces. I did enjoy your perspective in this video, please keep them coming!
Who ever said you should service a Seagull 1963? When mine dies, I'll just replace it. Same thing with the PRX.
The PRX is laser adjusted in house, so it should be regulated within spec when you get it.
Tissot's servicing price of $195 for complete service isn't terrible for another 5 to 7 years of operability.
When you start collecting "affordable" watches, you don't expect them to be heirloom pieces.
Well that's the whole idea with being a watch enthusiast. We take care of these things to hopefully last us a lifetime.
@@TopTierTicker I don't expect any of my watches to last a "lifetime". Especially mass produced ones that have built in obsolescence.
I certainly don't expect a chinese chrono to last a lifetime. I'm happy it works at all, if I'm honest. And as far as the PRX goes, as long as Tissot can service them for about a couple of hundred bucks every seven years. I'm good with that.
The Vostok does in fact have a quickset while not a proper one it still does not take that long to cycle through
I’m a Watchmaker and have worked on a lot of those Tissot powermatic 80 movements, and to be honest , they are horrible movements , it does have a plastic escapement , makes it very unstable. Also just to clarify The screws on the balance wheel does allow for timing adjustments, it doesn’t have a stud , but the screws are in place of the stud.
The Hamilton also has its own movement issues with sub standard screws that constantly break and need to be sent in to a service center
great video 👌🏽
Thanks for the insight Tevin 👌 good to have a professional opinion on the matter. Thanks for watching
Great video. This hunk knows his stuff!!
Subbed!
Awesome, thank you! Good to have you on the channel!
@@TopTierTicker Keep up the good work bro!
Talking about Vostok date setting: It has kind of quick date setting when you move hour hand from 8 to 12 pm. It written in guide book, but unfoutanetly in russian only...
About the Casio sizing, there are definitely smaller gshock out there, they made smaller versions of the casioaks which can be worn by a 6.2in wrist like mine and it isn’t uncomfortable in the slightest, felt like you didn’t explore enough options in the gshock line up.
Can’t hate on any of these takes. So many “over rated” pieces in both the luxury & value brand lines.
Great video!
My take away from watch keeping over the last decade? Nothing it perfect & eventually every piece will have something that drives one crazy. Lol!
New subscription from me 👍
I totally agree, also Junghans, it is a real nightmare trying to sell them unless is for half of his price.
I briefly owned a 38 mm Bambino but ended up selling it for the same reason. It's an absolutely stunning watch but i just knew that i was going to scratch the crystal eventually. If Orient ever makes a Bambino in that size with sapphire I'll probably go back. Even if they charge more.
Poliwatch is your friend
@@FoAmY99For acrylic yes. While Polywatch does apparently make a polish for mineral glass, from what I 've heard it's a royal pain and hours of work to get any real results.
I have a screen protector on my Bambino
Fun video. Enjoyed it. Thanks. Still going to pull the trigger on the Vostok and Seagull for my beater collection. Don't own them but couldn't agree more on the MoonSwatch and homage watches. I think co-branding really brought Omega perception down. Didn't help that one of my colleagues called it his 'first Speedmaster'.
The Amphibia and 1963 are still staples in the affordable watch world. Fantastic watches that I thoroughly enjoy!
You can change the Vostok date by moving back and forth between 9 and 12, so it's not that bad.
You can, but I don't recommend it. It broke the date on my Amphibia.
Close, it is 8 and 12.
It's feels like you are cherry picking to make this list. Hell, even when you mentioned seiko I expected you would say the brand's ever diminishing quality control but you just complained about an old movement not having a hacking funtion, have you ever heard of miyota's 8000 series?
3 I have _not_ been disappointed with were the Seiko Manhattan and two Bulova precisionists, the Jet Star and Super Seville.
I agree w/ a lot of his rants but the complaint vs the Casio world timer and gshock bulkiness is a bit off. They're "extreme" tool watches w/ excellent shock absorbing qualities (thus the bulkiness) and we're never really designed to be worn under the cuff. As for the Seiko 5, well he's not wrong but if 1 is going for accuracy, the 7s26 is not the cheap movement for you.
Re the Vostok amfibia line, they do have a quick set date option, although the method is far from being quick. Granted, it’ll take a minute or 2 - but definitely not 5 mins.
The very best video about wrist watches on youtube!
Well, that solves my dilemma of choosing between the quartz or auto PRX. Thanks for saving me money.
Quartz all day for me. Check out my Tsuyosa vs PRX video too. That might sway you towards the Tsuyosa auto.
Re: Hamilton Khaki Field. The watch I used during my time in the Armed Forces was a 50m Water resistant Accurist Chronograph, and although now that I know a bit more about watches, there isn't ANY chance that I would have put it through some of the situations that I did put it through, somehow it DID survive and is still working now, 31yrs later! Nowadays, I'd expect a 'combat watch' to be at least 100m waterproof. It surprises me that the British Armed Forces CWC watches are also only 50m water resistant!
The thing about most mechanical watches is their ability to quick change the date. Turn your hands until the date changes, then go to 2 am, then backwards until you see the date twitch, usually back to 10 pm. Then go forward again and the date will change to the next day. You just have to keep going back and forth until you get the desired day. I hope this makes sense.
It does, but it is dangerous for the movement.
Worst thing to do
@@crysishell9226 it’s never damaged any of my movements and I’ve been doing this for years.
It broke my Vostok Amphibia date wheel after only 6 months of ownership, so the possibility is there.
Orient Bambino: Mineral crystal has not been a problem for me. But if I ever scratched mine, I would gladly buy a new one, as they are so affordable.
Casio size: Agreed, but I love them still.
Hamilton Khaki: I have a Khaki King. Great watch, but I wouldn’t get it anywhere near water.
Seiko 7S26: +/-30 sec per day? That’s if you’re lucky. Mine is unusable as a timepiece.
Vostok Amphibia: Date setting is a pain, but that Scuba Dude sure looks cool!
Mineral crystals can be polished, or just ask your watchmaker to switch the crystal to sapphire
a lot of these reasons are why the watches are affordable. u can make a "sucks" video about every watch in this category
Great video mate. Enjoyed it immensely.
Thank you! I'm very glad you enjoyed it! Good having you on the channel 😁
The powermatic 80 is indeed a crap piece of movement, but the lack of the fine tunning lever on the balance is not such a big deal, its called free sprung balance, its measured with a laser in factory and as long as the watch is lubricated is should work just fine. The actual adjustment is made by tightening the balance to the movement itself
There is the trick to change the date quickly on amphibia, great watch btw.
In my experience, the Orient Bambino's glass is not as sensitive as the mechanism. My first one lasted just a week before it required a trip to the warranty office.
seagull 1963 on only service it if its broken. if not you can go as long as you want without any problem, you dont need to send it every watch to service every 5 years, our gran dads they only sended their watches when they stop working, or got realy unprecise, you wont destroy the watch. specialy the anything from seiko , or miyota, for the the cheaps movements some times is cheaper to remplace it than service it