I rank 15 "Dive" Watches from Worst to First and almost forgot to include the GOAT! Orient Mako 2 amzn.to/3zJXB76 (affiliate) Addiesdive Blue Sub Rip Off amzn.to/4dsipij (affiliate) The Big Invicta Pro Diver amzn.to/3Wss82a (affiliate) Check Out this Awesome 19 year old Invicta Pro Diver Vid th-cam.com/video/gE6Uzz_9hAU/w-d-xo.html
I bought that No1 Addiesdive watch for £20 UK in the recent Ali sale. It is an unbelievable bargain.....It was $40 in the US page.... not sure where the $125 came from??
That Orient is a looker. My vote for #1 is the Citizen. It’s the only certified Diver of the bunch and has real tool watch cred. Part of what I have to wear for work includes a VERY strong magnet. If I get most of my watches near it it plays havoc with them. Since my Citizens all have antimagnetic rating, they remain unaffected. On an interesting note, my bronze Glycine Combat Sub is also unaffected. This Boderry watches are on my radar.
Thanks for this - anti magnetism is something I now consider- apart from the Citizen ( also recommended a 'Ray Mears'). I've since got a Certina diver & a Hamilton jazzmaster ( #Swatchshares) - had to check Swatch will service these movements for 2 decades (?).Cheers.
Has to be the Citizen Promaster for me. Yes, I own one but get this. It loses only 4 seconds a week. That's Chronometre accurate. Plus its ISO certified and has great history with the Italian military. You cant beat that at this price point. Orient just don't do it for me. Their logo and watches look a bit garish but thats just my opinion.
Of the AddiesDive models, I would have featured their original 1000M hockey puck diver. I got it for under $70, what a value. From Pagani, I'd choose either their Seamaster 300M or Panerai Submersible divers. Awesome watches for the price. And very good specs and quality.
Acceleration of bronze patina is risky. Most methods can introduce chlorides, which is what causes bronze disease, which can eat right through the case. Be careful. I recommend letting the patina happen naturally, I've had excellent luck with the results. Just wear it a lot, especially on warm days.
I would rank the Frigid Willard higher, I paid 63 for mine on sale though. For that price It's awesome. I have an Orient Mako II Pepsi bezel, and a Citizen Eco Drive Promaster too. I dig them.
The Citizen NY0040 should be in the top 5 in my opinion. Original design, a true Diver's watch with military heritage (Marina Militare) and wears really well!
Agreed, plus the Orient is so good but I don't wear it anymore ( even after adding strapcode bracelet ...) as it seems 'large' for my 6.75 inch wrist ( shame) but my Citizen fits so well.
The only watch that I would buy from the collection would be the Citizen. SKX competitor, I also agree with the comments concerning the absence of the Duro, even with it terrible lume and plastic strap😊
Great channel recently discovered this channel after being a long time subscriber to The Cheap Audio Man. No list of cheap divers is complete without a Casio Duro. 😢
I thoroughly enjoyed this video, and it was quite timely for me, as I am shopping for a new dive watch. I purchased an Invicta Pro Diver, which I really liked, but I returned it. The much praised Seiko movement gained 33-45 seconds per day--16-20 minutes per month, and obviously not acceptable. I was thinking about going with a quartz movement, and noticed that all of the watches you reviewed were autos. What are your thoughts on autos vs. quartz. Thank you for the knowledgeable video.
Greetings ! Nice video! I have been researching watches 1 for me and one for my stepson that is going to become 18 soon. My research showed me that a decent watch has to have these few Things: 1. To be automatic and charge with the movement of your hand and have a decent Swiss or Japanese mechanism. 2. Water resistant at least 50 m or 5 ATM although preferable 100m and 200m. 3. Sapphire Cristal 4. Look cool and come from a well known brand. I like 3 of them (Orient, Seiko and Citizen) *I would prefere it to be black and also show day and date! These watches are around 300 . I found out that the minimum for an affordable working class forever watch (that with a bit of care it will outlast you and probably your kids) is 300 to 400. 1 question : is sapphire Cristal the best decent glass or hurdlex , mineral glass and others that I don't know are better quality then sapfeere crystal?
Watches after my own heart. Thank you for this comparison and ranking of these watches. A great yardstick of affordable dive watches. Enjoy your weekend, Sir. Take care.
Thanks for the great video, Cheap Watch Man! If I could only have one category of watches, it'd definitely be dive watches. And I lean towards affordable watches, so this video was a thrill for me. One watch I'd have liked to see on here would be the Casio MDV-106 'Duro', just to see how it fared. I own all six colorways, because at $50.00 a pop, I think they're just unbeatable. Despite the recommendations, I think the one that's calling to me next is #6 - the Addiesdive 'Frigid Willard'. I have very few white dial watches in my collection, and that one looks like a great place to start.
How is the Addiesdive Retro Mechanical AD2118 in white? I am planning to buy it as my first watch! Kindly share your opinion and/or make a review on it! Love from India!
:-) Awesome. Got to admit, I really like the Orient brand and the watches they produce (don't have one at this time - but I can see my self adding one to my collection). I feel it is in it's rightful place at number one. I've got to admit, I bought a pair of Addiesdives like your blue one, but in the more traditional black finish - had one sent to my father, and kept the other for myself. The finishing & the Addiesdive detailing I like (I know some aren't crazy about their goggles and pair of spearguns logo in the skull and cross bones style, but I think it's cool). But it was the alignment of everything and how smoothly everything operates kinda shocked me (also shocked him, and he's *VERY* picky about watches). Now I did dump the bracelet for a black NATO strap on mine with out before I even looked it over as I don't generally like wearing metal bracelets (I have never come across any bracelet that doesn't tug and pull the fine haired out of my heavily hairy arms). But the entire watch did delivered well above my expectations for the price paid. Is it absolutely perfect - heck no. I did look over the bracelet - it looks okay, and to me seems finished to a low cost price point... It didn't quite live up to the main case and how the actual watch is finished out. But has to be anally picky to really find faults, esp for its price.
I just got into watch collecting. I've loved watches since I was young but I never had anyone teach me or bring deeper into the world. MaMaCoo brought closer to a community and hobby I always wanted to get into more and that is incredibly meaningful to me !
Im glad you did this review after some mostly more expensive items. I do wish the budget was slightly higher just so I could see how the Vaer holds up.
I have enjoyed your videos thanks for the work you put in. I was wondering why you like to put a matte finish on Invicta and the likes. I went to the rolex page and it seems like their subs are shinny on the side like the cheaper homages. I have no issue with you doing what you like but you made it sound like you liked it because it made it look like the more expensive brands. Do you have rolex's that are a matte and that is why? Just curious is all. Anyway keep up the good work I love the cheap watch reviews. I tried some more expensive for me anyway, going up to $500 to 1K mark and did not really see enough difference in those compared to the under 200 group. I think you said you have a patreon I will try to find that. Again thanks for the work.
Citizen NY series divers may be the best value since they are ISO divers. I've got the blue dial NY0040 and the Coke NY0085. I also prefer aluminum bezel inserts and don't mind mineral crystal.
Your number 1 was interesting... looks like a less interesting version of my $80 Casio Casio Solar MTP-S110-2AVCF on a blue and yellow nato strap. Great beater and looks much better in real life than the photos.
Why don‘t you fix the bezel insert alignment of the Watchdives and the San Martin? It‘s really easy to do with isopropanol to remove the insert and hypo cement to glue it back in. By the way I share your experience that San Martin does not have adequate quality control.
Everyone be like "is my watch there?" Funnily enough the Addiesdive comes in second and my only diver is an Addiesdive. Great lume.and finishing but the (same) bracelet with the polished middle didn't suit the brushed case. The nh35 movement only has 12-14 hrs power reserve, too. Otherwise it's a good watch. Agreed on the Orient for the win.
I recently got a San Martin 62 mas chronograph for 200 which the owner didn't click with. I love it. The build is fantastic. The bezel works perfectly and it lines up. The hands are all capped. I just absolutely love it!
I finally gave in and bought a San Martin (SN0118) because I loved the color scheme of the "mint chocolate chip" model. I was skeptical of the hype, but this thing is absolutely gorgeous (even better than the photos) with immaculate finishing, no quality issues and it definitely punches above it's weight for the price. I wanted to use it for snorkeling on an upcoming vacation, but I don't think I have the heart to put it in the water. I think their newer original design watches are better than their boring homages. I'll probably be purchasing a SN0116 if I could just decide on whether I want the avocado green or the grape purple color. Maybe CWM just had some bad luck on his San Martin buys. But I've only bought one, so maybe I got lucky.
+1 for the citizen pepsi. it may not be the best in terms of design and blinkyness.. but a solid daily dive watch with a nice lume. my 1997 ny 0040 is still up an running. (one glass change)
I also have a 15+ year old invitation prodiver when I believe they were the first mass produced Rolex homage watches. First automatic mechanical watch I ever bought. I did buy the one with the gold ETA 2824-2 movement and sapphire crystal. I think I paid almost $300. Still have it and runs strong but haven’t worn it in a few years.
Four i would add (some already mentioned): 1) Seestern either 300T or 600T 2) Casio Duro 3) Orient Kamasu 4) Vostok Amphibia (yeah i know why they aren't mentioned lately).
Citizen all the way. ISO certified, fantastic lum, screw down crown and tough as a two dollar steak. I own 12 of the Eco Drive divers BN---- model line.
Just a note to let you know how much I enjoy your content on both channels, watches and Hi-Fi . Very much agree and share your opinion on PG, well done and honest. In this video, you share what’s on your wrist, which is your #1 in this video, But I often wonder want’s on your wrist during other vids, including HI-FI vids. maybe an idea to consider would be a wrist watch check, just to let us know the “watch du jour”, that you’re enjoying on that day. Keep up the great work, Cheers!
I have a limited edition invicta pro diver (2864) and it’s my favorite watch. Has a miyota movement, sapphire crystal, beautifully decorated caseback. The indices are milky white and it’s got some of the best lume I’ve ever seen. They were made in 2005 and limited to 1500 pieces.
As others have pointed out, that Citizen Pro Diver should be top of the list and by some margin. It's the only genuine certified diver in the video with an original design by a respected original manufacturer that was used my the Marina Militare (Italian Navy). I say this as an owner of a Citizen NY0040 and a couple of Clomages (Steeldive 1979, Heimdallr Sharky). Great video 👍
So you don't like the green indices on the Invicta Pro Diver 40mm .... but then you miss the yellow flywheel at the back 😁 OK, its a question of taste. I personally like the yellow-green indices on the dial. I think the Invictas are the best bang for the buck. Very good quality, NH35 Seiko movement, stunning looks. I much prefer the 40mm size, I have a 7 inch wrist, fits me perfectly. Took it for a swim in the ocean (well Mediterranean sea) and it kept the water out. The bezel being tight when the watch is brand new is a plus in my books. It will become easier to turn after using it a bit. Mcuh better than being easy to turn from day one and then becoming too loose after a while. Thank you for the review.
I have two boderry watches not noticed anything bad yet maybe the time runs fast I think maybe thinking of other pieces I was wearing 🤔 mm?? But I have the admiral gmt and it's so comfy looks great fits well and for the price I paid it's a great deal. I also have the silver one you have with the hexagonal lume face. Tbh lume I feel is useless especially when you have gtls tubes. I've been wanting a san Martin lately but not too convinced yet. Maybe if I can pick one up I like at a great price. We'll see so I'm interested in your opinion 😊 I'm mostly into mb watches you get a lot for your cash if you choose wisely
1. Orient Kamasu 2. Citizen with hacking movement 3. Steeldive SD1970 if you don't care about brand. For the most part of you want a homage just get the parts and you can have a Seiko mod of anything for under 100 usd or so.
Hi Randy interesting video. No way the Addiesdive beats the citizens in my opinion. The Addiesdive is a nice watch but not as good as the Steeldive SD 1953 which was around $55-60 in a recent Aliexpress sale.
Still love the frigid Willard considering the price. If you throw that thing on a strap it’s killer. The intro music reminded me of the Cash for Gold South Park episode…nice.
Hello, I'm a big fan of the channel. Now on these watches: - I like the Citizen but the mineral chrystal is dissapointing. - cadisen are ok, I have two, none have the bezel as loose as yours, mine works fine - blue dial. - I have boderry voyager and like it, the divers don't look as good, but that's subjective. - Invicta - I have the same issue with the mineral chrystal. - San Martin - I'll never buy one, got second hand Seiko Land Turtle for 300 $, Hamilton Khaki Field for the same money, why would I go with San Martin? Rock on!
30:46 I agree with you about San Martin. They're snobs with their pricing compared to other AliExpress brands despite having alignment issues. And on top they don't have Date. On a second note, seems to me Steeldive and Addiesdive is the same factory, having similar cases and dimensions, and both have great lume
I fully agree about San Martin. Their watches are getting hyped due to their good level of finishing. I believe I have bought six San Martin watches and three of them turned up having alignment issues. Now this wouldn't be this much of an issue if they had a helpful customer service. But if you contact them they're not going to help you, they are rather going to accuse you of not knowing how to use a watch.
I bought my current favorite watch off ebay brand new. Came in box that says Tandoiro. Does not say the brand name anywhere on it. I really like that. I love the dial and hands and strap and the case other than it could be thinner. It's in the style of a pilot watch. It's supposed to have a Seiko 35 movement. I haven't opened it up to check. Keeps pretty good time. For $68 It really opened my eye's to affordable mechanical watchs that you can love just as much as a rolex or omega.
I recently bought the Citizen Eco-Drive Diver. It seems to be a good warch for the money. The stock strap went straight to the trash though. Put a NATO strap on and it looks even better now. My current 'smart' watch is my last and Im going back to real watches. I'd like my next watch to be a mechanical.
I would put the Citizen at the top of this list. It’s a Diver’s 200m and not a rip off of another brand. No argument though with the Orient at number one either. Clomages are the empty calories of watch collecting.
I absolutely love watches, the high end watch brands are out of my budget but the amzwatch has literally an almost duplicate of every single watch on the market . Always a great but no matter your budget.
Too bad you've had bad luck with San Martin. I believe I have 8 at the moment, and no build quality issues with any of them. The worst thing is several arrived running on the slow side. But I can pretty easily regulate them if needed.
I've recently began my obsession as a watch collector. And i must say- out of all the luxury brands I've been researching, for me the amzwatch's watches are the most intriguing.
the first ever watch i bought was Invicta the sub 5 years ago. it is still better than any chines watch. like it better than San martin. i don't own San martin don't like them.
17:01 Chilly Willy 24:39 I like that Citizen, but the 12 index looks like tighty whities 😂 Have you attempted to fix the bezels alignments yourself? Mark from Islander has a video showing how to remove the bezel with adhesive remover, or if you have an exacto blade you can pry them off usually. They are only held on with double sided tape.
The bezel ring on the Cadisen is a ripoff of the Breitling Chronomat B01 42. Is that a higher strive than a Tag? I don’t know. Which is more expensive or respected, I don’t know. Personally I respect Breitling more than Tag.
I rank 15 "Dive" Watches from Worst to First and almost forgot to include the GOAT!
Orient Mako 2 amzn.to/3zJXB76 (affiliate)
Addiesdive Blue Sub Rip Off amzn.to/4dsipij (affiliate)
The Big Invicta Pro Diver amzn.to/3Wss82a (affiliate)
Check Out this Awesome 19 year old Invicta Pro Diver Vid th-cam.com/video/gE6Uzz_9hAU/w-d-xo.html
I bought that No1 Addiesdive watch for £20 UK in the recent Ali sale. It is an unbelievable bargain.....It was $40 in the US page.... not sure where the $125 came from??
That was fun, but I'm surprised you didn't have anything from Vostok in there.
Great video. Casio Duro is sobbing. Cheapwatchman is Back!
Forgetting the Duro is a cheap watch sin.
That Orient is a looker. My vote for #1 is the Citizen. It’s the only certified Diver of the bunch and has real tool watch cred. Part of what I have to wear for work includes a VERY strong magnet. If I get most of my watches near it it plays havoc with them. Since my Citizens all have antimagnetic rating, they remain unaffected. On an interesting note, my bronze Glycine Combat Sub is also unaffected.
This Boderry watches are on my radar.
Thanks for this - anti magnetism is something I now consider- apart from the Citizen ( also recommended a 'Ray Mears').
I've since got a Certina diver & a Hamilton jazzmaster ( #Swatchshares) - had to check Swatch will service these movements for 2 decades (?).Cheers.
That's interesting. Antic Magnetism...would that be a feature of the movement or the watch itself?
@@orangeyellow-me1pzit can be both. Mainsprings with specific antimagnetic properties as well as casings.
@@orangeyellow-me1pzI believe it’s a requirement to be certified as a true dive watch, as opposed to a dive style watch.
I have the orient and if you can get it for 200ish its amazing value imo. Bracelet is not the best tho.
The Orient Kamasu is a good alternative to the Mako at a similar price, and has sapphire.
Love the channel. Your style, panache, candid opinions are spot on. I'm thoroughly enjoying your content. Please don't change for fickle subscribers.
...exactly.. great comment.
So cool to see you’re doing watches now! I love it cause I’m a watch freak - almost as much as I am a stereo freak!!
Has to be the Citizen Promaster for me. Yes, I own one but get this. It loses only 4 seconds a week. That's Chronometre accurate. Plus its ISO certified and has great history with the Italian military. You cant beat that at this price point. Orient just don't do it for me. Their logo and watches look a bit garish but thats just my opinion.
I concur sir! I dig the eco promaster also
Of the AddiesDive models, I would have featured their original 1000M hockey puck diver. I got it for under $70, what a value. From Pagani, I'd choose either their Seamaster 300M or Panerai Submersible divers. Awesome watches for the price. And very good specs and quality.
Yes, but no Duro?
Exactly what I was thinking.
No - because it is under $50 😉
Acceleration of bronze patina is risky. Most methods can introduce chlorides, which is what causes bronze disease, which can eat right through the case. Be careful. I recommend letting the patina happen naturally, I've had excellent luck with the results. Just wear it a lot, especially on warm days.
I would rank the Frigid Willard higher, I paid 63 for mine on sale though. For that price It's awesome. I have an Orient Mako II Pepsi bezel, and a Citizen Eco Drive Promaster too. I dig them.
The Citizen NY0040 should be in the top 5 in my opinion. Original design, a true Diver's watch with military heritage (Marina Militare) and wears really well!
Agreed, plus the Orient is so good but I don't wear it anymore ( even after adding strapcode bracelet ...) as it seems 'large' for my 6.75 inch wrist ( shame) but my Citizen fits so well.
Not having the NY (the only true driver's watch on the list btw) in 1st, in this group, is absolutely diabolical.
Love San Martin. Only bought their net models and had 0 issues
The only watch that I would buy from the collection would be the Citizen. SKX competitor, I also agree with the comments concerning the absence of the Duro, even with it terrible lume and plastic strap😊
Great channel recently discovered this channel after being a long time subscriber to The Cheap Audio Man. No list of cheap divers is complete without a Casio Duro. 😢
Damn! You have a watch Channel? Amazing, I follow you from the audio Channel and finding this one too, just made my day
I thoroughly enjoyed this video, and it was quite timely for me, as I am shopping for a new dive watch. I purchased an Invicta Pro Diver, which I really liked, but I returned it. The much praised Seiko movement gained 33-45 seconds per day--16-20 minutes per month, and obviously not acceptable. I was thinking about going with a quartz movement, and noticed that all of the watches you reviewed were autos. What are your thoughts on autos vs. quartz. Thank you for the knowledgeable video.
I know you hate them, but I absolutely love my San Martin Pepsi gmt with the opaline dial. It’s fantastic. Keep up the good work. Take care 😊
where does steel dive (sd1953) ranks at?
Greetings ! Nice video! I have been researching watches 1 for me and one for my stepson that is going to become 18 soon. My research showed me that a decent watch has to have these few Things: 1. To be automatic and charge with the movement of your hand and have a decent Swiss or Japanese mechanism. 2. Water resistant at least 50 m or 5 ATM although preferable 100m and 200m.
3. Sapphire Cristal
4. Look cool and come from a well known brand. I like 3 of them (Orient, Seiko and Citizen)
*I would prefere it to be black and also show day and date!
These watches are around 300 . I found out that the minimum for an affordable working class forever watch (that with a bit of care it will outlast you and probably your kids) is 300 to 400.
1 question : is sapphire Cristal the best decent glass or hurdlex , mineral glass and others that I don't know are better quality then sapfeere crystal?
Watches after my own heart. Thank you for this comparison and ranking of these watches. A great yardstick of affordable dive watches. Enjoy your weekend, Sir. Take care.
thanks, brother!
Randy Man, been a sub since about 6 months after you began maybe longer... keep up the great work.
I appreciate that!
Where was your Steeldive SD1953? Nice video by the way! 👍
Awesome video I appreciate the info.. I agree, orient can really build a dive watch
I have 2, the ray , and the mako chrono, I really like them
Thanks for the great video, Cheap Watch Man!
If I could only have one category of watches, it'd definitely be dive watches.
And I lean towards affordable watches, so this video was a thrill for me.
One watch I'd have liked to see on here would be the Casio MDV-106 'Duro', just to see how it fared.
I own all six colorways, because at $50.00 a pop, I think they're just unbeatable.
Despite the recommendations, I think the one that's calling to me next is #6 - the Addiesdive 'Frigid Willard'.
I have very few white dial watches in my collection, and that one looks like a great place to start.
Great! Now I have several more watches in my amazon list!
This was a great comparison. I would liked to have seen the lume compared as well though.
How is the Addiesdive Retro Mechanical AD2118 in white? I am planning to buy it as my first watch! Kindly share your opinion and/or make a review on it! Love from India!
First time seeing your channel…. Your into has got me hooked, sub!
"obnoxious grotesquery" - best phrase of the year! :)
:-) Awesome. Got to admit, I really like the Orient brand and the watches they produce (don't have one at this time - but I can see my self adding one to my collection). I feel it is in it's rightful place at number one.
I've got to admit, I bought a pair of Addiesdives like your blue one, but in the more traditional black finish - had one sent to my father, and kept the other for myself. The finishing & the Addiesdive detailing I like (I know some aren't crazy about their goggles and pair of spearguns logo in the skull and cross bones style, but I think it's cool). But it was the alignment of everything and how smoothly everything operates kinda shocked me (also shocked him, and he's *VERY* picky about watches). Now I did dump the bracelet for a black NATO strap on mine with out before I even looked it over as I don't generally like wearing metal bracelets (I have never come across any bracelet that doesn't tug and pull the fine haired out of my heavily hairy arms). But the entire watch did delivered well above my expectations for the price paid. Is it absolutely perfect - heck no. I did look over the bracelet - it looks okay, and to me seems finished to a low cost price point... It didn't quite live up to the main case and how the actual watch is finished out. But has to be anally picky to really find faults, esp for its price.
Woah, quite the selection! Great video!
Did the blue addisdive is same to Steeldive 1953?
Can you check out a Baltany explorer clone. They have an awesome brown sunburst with vintage colouring on the indices.
I just got into watch collecting. I've loved watches since I was young but I never had anyone teach me or bring deeper into the world. MaMaCoo brought closer to a community and hobby I always wanted to get into more and that is incredibly meaningful to me !
Im glad you did this review after some mostly more expensive items. I do wish the budget was slightly higher just so I could see how the Vaer holds up.
I have enjoyed your videos thanks for the work you put in. I was wondering why you like to put a matte finish on Invicta and the likes. I went to the rolex page and it seems like their subs are shinny on the side like the cheaper homages. I have no issue with you doing what you like but you made it sound like you liked it because it made it look like the more expensive brands. Do you have rolex's that are a matte and that is why? Just curious is all. Anyway keep up the good work I love the cheap watch reviews. I tried some more expensive for me anyway, going up to $500 to 1K mark and did not really see enough difference in those compared to the under 200 group. I think you said you have a patreon I will try to find that. Again thanks for the work.
Citizen NY series divers may be the best value since they are ISO divers. I've got the blue dial NY0040 and the Coke NY0085. I also prefer aluminum bezel inserts and don't mind mineral crystal.
Thanks for the review. I do love the Orient!
Your number 1 was interesting... looks like a less interesting version of my $80 Casio Casio Solar MTP-S110-2AVCF on a blue and yellow nato strap. Great beater and looks much better in real life than the photos.
Why don‘t you fix the bezel insert alignment of the Watchdives and the San Martin? It‘s really easy to do with isopropanol to remove the insert and hypo cement to glue it back in. By the way I share your experience that San Martin does not have adequate quality control.
that was incredible. what a beautiful watch and what great work you did on it!amzwatch
Everyone be like "is my watch there?"
Funnily enough the Addiesdive comes in second and my only diver is an Addiesdive. Great lume.and finishing but the (same) bracelet with the polished middle didn't suit the brushed case. The nh35 movement only has 12-14 hrs power reserve, too. Otherwise it's a good watch.
Agreed on the Orient for the win.
I recently got a San Martin 62 mas chronograph for 200 which the owner didn't click with. I love it. The build is fantastic. The bezel works perfectly and it lines up. The hands are all capped. I just absolutely love it!
I finally gave in and bought a San Martin (SN0118) because I loved the color scheme of the "mint chocolate chip" model. I was skeptical of the hype, but this thing is absolutely gorgeous (even better than the photos) with immaculate finishing, no quality issues and it definitely punches above it's weight for the price. I wanted to use it for snorkeling on an upcoming vacation, but I don't think I have the heart to put it in the water. I think their newer original design watches are better than their boring homages. I'll probably be purchasing a SN0116 if I could just decide on whether I want the avocado green or the grape purple color. Maybe CWM just had some bad luck on his San Martin buys. But I've only bought one, so maybe I got lucky.
I heard that SM divers are better quality than Rolex from 50s.
Branded copies 🤷♂️
same, I love all my san martin and just bought another
Which strap you use on mako2?
Cardsen? It's Cadisen. There are better choices for under $200. ie. Seestern
Yes, time for new reading glasses perhaps.
If I may add one to the list. It’s made by Casio and it’s a 200m watch and it’s under 100.
Less than $50.. Probably a million sold.. Worn by a tech Mughal (and me 😉) and so on..
+1 for the citizen pepsi.
it may not be the best in terms of design and blinkyness..
but a solid daily dive watch with a nice lume.
my 1997 ny 0040 is still up an running.
(one glass change)
I also have a 15+ year old invitation prodiver when I believe they were the first mass produced Rolex homage watches. First automatic mechanical watch I ever bought. I did buy the one with the gold ETA 2824-2 movement and sapphire crystal. I think I paid almost $300. Still have it and runs strong but haven’t worn it in a few years.
This man earned a sub during the intro lol
Hey Randy, howzit going? I've got my eye on Orient as well but looking at the Kamasu, whats your thoughts on that?
Four i would add (some already mentioned):
1) Seestern either 300T or 600T
2) Casio Duro
3) Orient Kamasu
4) Vostok Amphibia (yeah i know why they aren't mentioned lately).
Citizen all the way. ISO certified, fantastic lum, screw down crown and tough as a two dollar steak. I own 12 of the Eco Drive divers BN---- model line.
Just a note to let you know how much I enjoy your content on both channels, watches and Hi-Fi . Very much agree and share your opinion on PG, well done and honest.
In this video, you share what’s on your wrist, which is your #1 in this video, But I often wonder want’s on your wrist during other vids, including HI-FI vids. maybe an idea to consider would be a wrist watch check, just to let us know the “watch du jour”, that you’re enjoying on that day.
Keep up the great work, Cheers!
I have a limited edition invicta pro diver (2864) and it’s my favorite watch. Has a miyota movement, sapphire crystal, beautifully decorated caseback. The indices are milky white and it’s got some of the best lume I’ve ever seen. They were made in 2005 and limited to 1500 pieces.
Is that the "Cheap Audio Man" Islander collab you were wearing?
Last year I picked up Kamasu ver1 teal for $200 from Jomashop.. unbeatable value, best sub 200 diver
Great video as always! You are the man 👍🏻
Thoughts on the casio edifaces?
The Citizen is #1 all day every day.
Hahaha “ you can also unsubscribe later” you got a fun vibe.
As others have pointed out, that Citizen Pro Diver should be top of the list and by some margin.
It's the only genuine certified diver in the video with an original design by a respected original manufacturer that was used my the Marina Militare (Italian Navy). I say this as an owner of a Citizen NY0040 and a couple of Clomages (Steeldive 1979, Heimdallr Sharky).
Great video 👍
No Duro? I recently picked up a Heimdallr MM300 homage for just a little over €100, and would love to hear what you have to say about that one.
So you don't like the green indices on the Invicta Pro Diver 40mm .... but then you miss the yellow flywheel at the back 😁 OK, its a question of taste. I personally like the yellow-green indices on the dial. I think the Invictas are the best bang for the buck. Very good quality, NH35 Seiko movement, stunning looks. I much prefer the 40mm size, I have a 7 inch wrist, fits me perfectly. Took it for a swim in the ocean (well Mediterranean sea) and it kept the water out. The bezel being tight when the watch is brand new is a plus in my books. It will become easier to turn after using it a bit. Mcuh better than being easy to turn from day one and then becoming too loose after a while. Thank you for the review.
I have two boderry watches not noticed anything bad yet maybe the time runs fast I think maybe thinking of other pieces I was wearing 🤔 mm?? But I have the admiral gmt and it's so comfy looks great fits well and for the price I paid it's a great deal. I also have the silver one you have with the hexagonal lume face. Tbh lume I feel is useless especially when you have gtls tubes. I've been wanting a san Martin lately but not too convinced yet. Maybe if I can pick one up I like at a great price. We'll see so I'm interested in your opinion 😊 I'm mostly into mb watches you get a lot for your cash if you choose wisely
Thank you for making high quality videos!Love MaMaCoo ’s watches
1. Orient Kamasu
2. Citizen with hacking movement
3. Steeldive SD1970 if you don't care about brand.
For the most part of you want a homage just get the parts and you can have a Seiko mod of anything for under 100 usd or so.
Hi Randy interesting video. No way the Addiesdive beats the citizens in my opinion. The Addiesdive is a nice watch but not as good as the Steeldive SD 1953 which was around $55-60 in a recent Aliexpress sale.
Still love the frigid Willard considering the price. If you throw that thing on a strap it’s killer. The intro music reminded me of the Cash for Gold South Park episode…nice.
I was wondering if you are going to review your collab with Mark at Long Island Watch and Thanks for sharing as always my friend Be well 👍
Hello, I'm a big fan of the channel.
Now on these watches:
- I like the Citizen but the mineral chrystal is dissapointing.
- cadisen are ok, I have two, none have the bezel as loose as yours, mine works fine - blue dial.
- I have boderry voyager and like it, the divers don't look as good, but that's subjective.
- Invicta - I have the same issue with the mineral chrystal.
- San Martin - I'll never buy one, got second hand Seiko Land Turtle for 300 $, Hamilton Khaki Field for the same money, why would I go with San Martin?
Rock on!
30:46 I agree with you about San Martin. They're snobs with their pricing compared to other AliExpress brands despite having alignment issues. And on top they don't have Date. On a second note, seems to me Steeldive and Addiesdive is the same factory, having similar cases and dimensions, and both have great lume
I fully agree about San Martin. Their watches are getting hyped due to their good level of finishing. I believe I have bought six San Martin watches and three of them turned up having alignment issues. Now this wouldn't be this much of an issue if they had a helpful customer service. But if you contact them they're not going to help you, they are rather going to accuse you of not knowing how to use a watch.
In the photos for the Boderry, they show the hex pattern on the dial with lume. But it doesn’t have that lume on the actual watch.
Mine does, but my face is silver???
Hard to find a new Orient diver under $200. But they are always worth considering.
You can get the Ray II under $160 all day
It a bit over 200 but the Orient - RA-AC0K02E. With a yellow or blue strap.
I bought my current favorite watch off ebay brand new. Came in box that says Tandoiro. Does not say the brand name anywhere on it. I really like that. I love the dial and hands and strap and the case other than it could be thinner. It's in the style of a pilot watch. It's supposed to have a Seiko 35 movement. I haven't opened it up to check. Keeps pretty good time. For $68 It really opened my eye's to affordable mechanical watchs that you can love just as much as a rolex or omega.
Hows the lume?
@ghostdog2898 Very easy to read, but it does not last long.
I recently bought the Citizen Eco-Drive Diver. It seems to be a good warch for the money. The stock strap went straight to the trash though. Put a NATO strap on and it looks even better now. My current 'smart' watch is my last and Im going back to real watches. I'd like my next watch to be a mechanical.
I would put the Citizen at the top of this list. It’s a Diver’s 200m and not a rip off of another brand. No argument though with the Orient at number one either. Clomages are the empty calories of watch collecting.
Boooooo! Everybody makes a watch just like somebody else.
Cannot say I share your experience of San Martin, I have 5 and they are all excellent.
I absolutely love watches, the high end watch brands are out of my budget but the amzwatch has literally an almost duplicate of every single watch on the market . Always a great but no matter your budget.
Nice vid. But the Burai is rather a Hydroconquest knockoff than anything else.
No Steeldive? The SD1953 should be #1.
Too bad you've had bad luck with San Martin. I believe I have 8 at the moment, and no build quality issues with any of them. The worst thing is several arrived running on the slow side. But I can pretty easily regulate them if needed.
Please 🙏……can you have a look at MWC ( military watch company) I have two of them 300 sub & 500m tritium, absolutely punching way above its weight ❗️
Ive always had good luck with Addies Dive and the lume on all of them was good
I've recently began my obsession as a watch collector. And i must say- out of all the luxury brands I've been researching, for me the amzwatch's watches are the most intriguing.
ONE "dive" watch (the Citizen) and fourteen dive-style watches.
the first ever watch i bought was Invicta the sub 5 years ago. it is still better than any chines watch. like it better than San martin. i don't own San martin don't like them.
Thanks for the ride.
Loreo with the Seagull ST16 movement
Great channel, glad I found you!... Thumbs up and subscribed :)
no Deep Blue??
Mark at LI Watch makes bracelets for the Mako 2
17:01 Chilly Willy
24:39 I like that Citizen, but the 12 index looks like tighty whities 😂
Have you attempted to fix the bezels alignments yourself? Mark from Islander has a video showing how to remove the bezel with adhesive remover, or if you have an exacto blade you can pry them off usually. They are only held on with double sided tape.
Now I can’t unsee the tighty whities…….lol.
I would really want a sand blasted titanium strap and case I think it would look super cool 😎
Like the Islander LP watch.
Fun video. Enjoyed it.
The bezel ring on the Cadisen is a ripoff of the
Breitling Chronomat B01 42. Is that a higher strive than a Tag? I don’t know. Which is more expensive or respected, I don’t know. Personally I respect Breitling more than Tag.
Please test Invicta 0420 titanium to ~ 150 $ and some of their swiss models when you also think some invictas are very good for the price !!!
I have a 25 year old invicta pro diver mother of pearl is my best cheap watch.