Great comparison! I don't have a Cronos, but have the San Martin V3. The bracelet and specifically the end links on the SM are much, much better than any sub homage I've seen or owned. I've had my eye on the blue Cronos, but the longer end links are making me hesitate. With regards to the movements, I have no doubt the pt5000 is a better movement, but in the nh35's defense, it's a known quantity and fairly inexpensive to replace when the time comes. Awesome work!! Thanks.
Better is the subjective term here regarding movements, what makes the pt5000 better? Hi-beat? You will barely notice it. Since that review I know have a timegrapher so it would be worth matching the pt5000 against the nh. I agree with you, the nh is one of the best moments out there.
The difference in the PT5000 that is factory regulated correctly does stand out above and from the NH35 in my opinion. I love the PT5000 sweeping motion, it is beautiful to my eyes.
I have the cronos also and I can't agree with you more. I owned both watches. To me the cronos watch is just nicer to look at. I could not stand that hexagon logo. To me it looked stupid.
@@wed265 I like the applied text logo they use on the turtle homages and the cursive printed text on the vintage diver. I've been holding back on buying a San Martin sub for over a year because I'm not sure what I wanted to get printed on the dial but I think the text from the vintage diver on the two tone water ghost would look great. Rumour has it they are looking at using the PT5000 soon in the water ghost. God we are a fussy bunch 😂
Cronos for me. The softer sweep and the brand name just sounds better (to me). I think if either of these watches had display backs and a dressed up movement they could easily charge more. I couldn’t care less what back a Rolex has, it’s irrelevant here.
Bit late again, but I will say that the Cronos I bought last year (around April or May 2023 IIRC?) hasn't changed much superficially from the one shown here, but it does seem that they've improved some of the details and their finishing quite a lot. The end-links on mine for example fit near perfectly into the lugs. There's no movement or play and you have to look *real* hard to detect a super-tiny gap on one of them - practically invisible to the naked eye. The side profile of the case/lugs also seems to have changed - with my example having a lug profile much more similar to the San Martin's in this video (giving a slimmer and less chunky side profile overall). Other stuff they changed: The logo is just an applied "Cronos"-script now, though I'm not sure which version I'd prefer. Problem with the applied logo is that you'll only see it under certain lighting conditions. And I think I'd prefer a printed/raised script and logo on there - looks more "complete" somehow when there's both a logo and the name under the 12. The frame around the date-window has been deleted and the cyclops gives 2.5x magnification. Not sure what they used to have on there, but I can definitely say that it's much stronger than on my Steinhart O1 - which is a bit notorious for its weak-sauce cyclops. The lume ... is also better than on any of my Steinharts, but... it's not as strong as on the only San Martin that I own (SN 0109, BB GMT homage). It's still nice and bright, but the San Martin's lume is better still, IMO. Plus the daylight color of the lume on the indices doesn't *quite* match the one on the hands. It's a minute difference in "whiteness" and it's not a huge deal, but it is noticeable. The hands' white matches the stark white on the bezel while the white on the indices is ever so slightly off-white. Also: The lume on the hands doesn't last as long as than the one on the indices - should be the other way around. Plus-sides: Price... I think this is the most watch I ever got for my money - EUR 170 during a sale (all in, delivered to my door from China) for the date version with the PT5000 is amazing value for what you're getting. Comfort/feel: No thanks to Cronos of course, but it's quite amazing to me that this chunky looking thing with its equally chunky looking clasp sits so well on my puny 17cm wrist. I was worried that it might wear too large for me, but it does work on my wrist. The clasp works flawlessly and, among my watches, is only bested by the adjustable clasp on my Christopher Ward. Only *real* complaint I have is that the bezel action is a tad too light for my taste. Initially I would've added regulation/accuracy because the watch ran at +15s/day or so when I got it - which didn't change much even after my watch-maker adjusted it a bit. But now the movement seems to have settled in and in daily wear it runs between 0 and +2s/d. This might change again in a few months, but for the time being, I won't complain about this sort of accuracy.. :D
I got the SM Hulk as a gift it's a beautiful watch, I'm very pleased with it. I have several luxury watches and it looks as good as any of them. But I think I will buy the Cronos Pepsi GMT next for my collection, why not.
IMO, San Martin is still ahead in every way possible. It finally arrived and after having it for just over a weak I can say that this watch oozes quality. And oh boy, do the recessed endlinks come in clutch to people like me with below average wrists. I've only seen Rolex themselves and Ginault use this end-link design apart from them. And I really like the logo, it's something like a Tag Heuer but hexagonal lol. The accuracy is stellar at -3 to 5s/d and I noticed that one of the positions (dial down; haven't tested the rest yet) is making the watch gain time -> I can probably get it to run close to 0s/d. And the longer service interval for the NH35A and its lower price point (2-3 times cheaper) render the PT5000 useless to me. I think we can all agree that build quality + everything else > choice of an already solid movement. Oh, and the date frame on the Cronos is an instant turn off for me (I know that you can choose one without it but still). P.S. The thicker bracelet on the San Martin is a weird touch but a blessing in disguise - the added weight to the bottom of the watch (bracelet+clasp) perfectly balances the watch on your wrist; I couldn't praise it enough.
@@TheWatcherReviews Thanks dude! This was actually just a casual overview from the top of my head, considering how hyped I was in the process of waiting for the watch.. I reckon it would have been enough for a 10min+ video hahah. Loved the video, keep the great content coming, buddy! 💪
The Cronos is more aesthetically pleasing and more similar to the submariner.. The bigger metal ring and gap between the bezel and the actual dial of the San Martín makes it look off and cheap.. There was always something about the San Martín that was off to me, never felt like it captured the submariner look well enough and some people pointed that out in other videos and then I realised it was that..
I forgot to tell you that when I received my cronos watch a week ago it came without the framed date window which I was so happy about. I think that would have bothered me also just like San Martin's hexagon logo. LOL
Kind of a tough one...but I’d probably still stick with steeldive. Only reason being that I’d gut them anyway and hack off the cyclops. If I were gonna get one to just leave a sub homage, I’d probably go with the San Martin. I think the SM logo is slightly more appealing....buuut I really wanna give the PT5000 a go. Once the cyclops is removed I think they’d both be just fine.
I have the San Martin smurf. It’s absolutely beautiful and a huge step up from the Pagani Design. I don’t have the Cronos. I can confirm that the San Martin bracelet and clasp are superb on my 71/4 inch wrist . The only aspect of the watch I’m not super keen on is the hexagonal logo. It’s a beautiful watch and I’m addicted. I’m not terribly keen on the Cronos type clasp because I find them impossible to make fine adjustments.
Iv just purchased the San Martin V3 Water Ghost NH35a movement with black dial and the built quality is amazing it's looks runs and wears like a watch you would expect to pay a hell of a lot more for and on the plus side in today violent world run by criminals if I get mugged I've not lost a load of money during these hard times for the working class...✌️🧐🇬🇧🇺🇦
great comparison. I was watching this with my V1 san martin on wrist...I got out my calipers and started measuring. now we all know San martin and crono come out of the lugyu factory....I am tempted to say the Cronos is using San martin V1 cases. same protruding crystal and same thickness. my calipers measured the midcase the same as the cronos measured. V1 san martin also has a "flat spot" on the top of the midcase...I mean it's all dead nuts on the measurements. 2.3mm on the bracelet as well. both use a "softer" scalloping on the bezel with a polished top edge. I wouldnt' be surprised if they used the V1 case and bracelet (though my endlinks seem better than the ones shown on the Cronos) and just swapped dial, movement, bezel insert, and clasp.
Yeah thats a great observation! I like it and you may be onto something here. What I don't get is why not just use v3 case? I think they've tried to trump the case by using the PT5000 movement
@@TheWatcherReviews definitely a different look and feel to the cases. The V3 being more "tooly" with less bling on the bezel and a more ratchet like bezel action. Cronos with a more dressy case. But who knows.🤷♂️
@@EscapeWheel ultimate its suttle nuisances that divide them, nothing major, for me the branding is a bigger issue. All SM need to do is release the SM with a pt5000
There seems to be quite a big gap between the lugs and end links on the cronos. I wonder if the San Martin bracelet would fit the cronos? I really like how the protruding end links on the San Martin taper to meet the wrists at a steeper angle, looks cleaner and like it would wear nicer specially on a smaller wrist like mine. Great video sir, love your work
@@guillermodorantesbalanzar1359 Just looking at the lug shape difference I'd say no. It may fit but will not match the case curvature at all and look like crap...
Fantastic review, thank you so much because I had been wondering myself between these two watches. IMO both are excellent and really will be determined by personal preference. I am a bit torn..I like the PT5000 movement and branding of the Cronos better, but do prefer the San Martin's bracelet & clasp better, and crystal setting. I hate the hexagonal logo on the San Martin.... Thus for me, I would skip these and would rather purchase the San Martin V2. Thank you again for an awesome comparison and excellent videos. All the best!
Great Review! I value the Movement, Bezel action, Full Lume and smooth finish. Cronos all the way! I just bought the Black Cronos PT FL, no date window off of AliExpress.
Blue dial on the Cronos seems to be more of a lacquer finish. The blue dial of the San Martin is sunburst. I like the sunburst effect for this style of watch as a base for a modification to a Yacht Master homage. Any comments?? I subscribed. Keep up the good work!
Remember fellas branding or the logo is everything. that's what people first see. You can always get a different clasp if you don't like the one Chrono has. I guess like everyone says it's a matter of preference. But I hated that hexagon with a passion. I already got a compliment on my Chronos. No matter which one you get you're at least saving yourself 10 to $12,000 from not buying a Rolex which I think is crazy. Lol
Now that the Cronos added a glide lock clasp, removed the date frame, and added a nice applied logo (without hourglass) on the dial, do you think it edges the San Martin? It seems like they fixed its weaknesses
Yes. Now if they'd offer a 41 mm like San Martin AND Rolex the Cronos choice would be easy. Who would buy a San Martin with that god-awful acorn on the dial?
Great camera shots. I knew there were a lot of differences, and all I can say is: I like both. After watching this, I could not choose the better one. Perhaps the PT5000 beats the NH35. Perhaps not. Think 8 or 10 years down the road with maintenance time. The NH35 maintenance is a cheaper "swap out" than the PT5000. All in all, a tough decision. I do prefer the San Martin logo to be spelt out and not that hexagonal design...Both watches are a win!
Mr watcher. Which would you buy the new cronos with the glidelock new hands black dial green bezel fully lume bezel for 270.00 or the new san martin sn019 black dial green bezel for 320.00. Also does one black and green look better than the other some greens are off a little bit and don't look good. Thank you for your opinion. Ray and austin
Mr. Watcher I have a question for you. Any AliExpress sale coming up in two days I can get the cronos Submariner Kermit for 183.00. Or the San Martin for 275.00 Kermit. There is almost $100 difference I was going to go for the Kronos but I wanted to get your great watch opinion. Also by the way is one green bezel a nicer color than the other or are they both nice ?? Ray Austin usa
For me it all comes down to fit. The Cronos wears too big on most wrists that I've seen. The SM has the shorter L2L, which means it'll fit my 7inch wrist better
Great review as always. I bought the San Martin and sold it because I could not get over that Hexagon logo it just looks stupid to me. I just purchased the Cronos Submariner. I think in my opinion it is a much nicer watch because the logo is much more normal then that hexagon dot. I would have liked the watch if it just said San Martin. The bezel on the Chronos is phenomenal Like you said. Plus I love that it ticks 8 times a second just like the hemorrhage Rolex. It Sweeps nicer just like the Rolex does. They are both beautiful watches for the money, I just couldn't get over that hexagon logo. This Kronos is going to be my work watch and I was thinking about getting the Hein dolar monster orange as my weekend watch. What do you think ? Keep up the great reviews. I always look forward to them " welcome to the channel" . 😆
Yeh i think its 50/50 when it comes to both the logos, i like the off white indidices against the black dial on cronos and that bezel motion. Yes, it really is as simple as printing a logo nicely or applying it in polished or brushed. I would say definitely go for the heimdallr orange monster
I think the difference in movement is worth the price. I have not had good luck lately. My Cronus is minus 1.2 seconds a day very consistently. My last three seiko movements have been garbage. Minus 32 seconds a day. Minus 22 seconds a day. Plus 28 seconds a day. Very very disappointing to be honest for you. Especially when I have a SanMartin and I pay over $250 for it it’s a beautiful watch and the accuracy of the movement ruins it
I was thinking between Cronos and new San Martin sn019 but decided to go with Cronos and sw200 cause with San Martin those 41 mm was a deal breaker for me...and yeah I have ordered sw 200 cause there is shitload of parts for that movement here in Europe so I dont have to bother with service. That would be my 3rd sub homage... I already have Pagani 1694 and Steinhart ocean one 39
Zeb Sir firstly another cracking Comparison Review and as for the Choosing between one or the other then as you said it’s personal choice.Personally I prefer the Cronos as the sweep movement (although not too noticeable) is still smoother. The Thicker Bracelet on the San Martin with Bigger Clasp would suit my 9” Gorilla Wrists better👍yet the Cronos Bezel action is far superior. So there’s pluses and minuses for both Models. Hard one to choose a winner between but you’ve yet again knocked it out of the park with your Review.👏👏👏👍⌚️ Final thought:-To the leaver of the One Thumbs Down If you think you can do better then let’s see your Offerings for us all to review!!!🤔
Yeh i think you make good points Neil and at the end it boils down to the smaller details and i agree with better bezel on cronos. Thank you as always for your comprehensive comments!
Is the magnifire cyclops on Chronos bigger than San Martin? The only complaint I have about San Martin is the size of the cyclops... a bit too small for my liking. Not the magnifiying capability as it works just fine, its the physical size that's been bugging me. After wearing it for close to 2 months I love everything about it bar the cyclops. I specifically choose to go with San Martin because of the Seiko NH35 since its going to be easier to service down the road. Cheers.
On the Video it looks like the San Martin's Magnifier is more powerful than the Cronos. It looks to me (subjective) that the San Martins magnifies as 2.5 and the Cronos is 2.0
@@stevenhershman2660 yes i do think the magnifiying ability of San Martin is stronger.. I'm talking about the physical size of the cyclops... for example compared with the Rolex's cyclops, the San Martin one is truly petite...
Nevermind... Gary from ILW just posted the vid comparing the crystals... I gotta say San Martin has the smallest but they did the job well... so there's that.
@@TheWatcherReviews think i'll pick it up in blue. The SM blue is sunburst and looks purple in some lights. I dont like it as much as matt, the Cronos matt blue looks like the real rolex smurf
From every review that ive watched on both watches i think San Martin is the better watch, i dont want chinese movement in my watch, and i do like a lot NH35 for smooth hand winding and bi directional rotor and magic lever if we compare it with selita/eta/pt5000/miyota9015. Sw200 on my Steinhart for example have very hard winding it feels like something will happen to the movement if i wind it more than 10 times. Also miyota 9015 crazy wobble uni directional movement which makes vibration when that rotor starts to spin its crazy why people overhype it that much only cuz its high beat and affordable.. my only concern is if i like new logo on san martin or if i buy to choose V2 version...
So basically, I'm looking at both now. San Martin Now have a high beat movement as well. Cronos has removed the framed date window. San Martin is now £50 more. What do i get. Cronos at £150 or San Martin for £200? Is San MArtin worth the £50 extra?
I have a San Martin Rolex Submariner Homage and a Cronos Rolex Submariner Homage No date. My comparison ,my Pros for San Martin the case is nicer as case tapers ,the black on the San Martin dial is better. The Cronos no date bracelet is smoother no sharp edges ,Bezel feels nicer,but does have a bit of side play. If San Martin done a Rolex Submariner Homage no date apart from the sharp edges on the bracelet, it would be a better choice than the Cronos. I wanted a date Submariner Homage and a no date. I am still happy with both.
San Martin fanboys, this is not for the watcher, you can praise as long as you will, the bracelet is too heavy, the clasp is way too big, AND your NH35 cant compete with a PT5000. Thats the same sayin this Seiko movement is better than ETA 2824.Pls just leavs this BS out. Cronos is the best Sub Homage for the money. period.
@@arcaine101 How very dare you. I have two, and they are both outstanding. My only minor complaint is the clasps are a bit ordinary. Excepted, they are more expensive, but your getting a Sellita/ETA elabore movement, and they are Swiss (well, mainly Swiss)
3 years later, thanks for this.
Killing it with comparison vids lately man. Keep it up!
Tactile feel not tactical ...lol
Absolutely excellent comparison once again! Love these vids, do keep doing them.
Nice one Alix as always 🤜🏽💯
You are doing a great job with these reviews and comparisons!
Great comparison! I don't have a Cronos, but have the San Martin V3. The bracelet and specifically the end links on the SM are much, much better than any sub homage I've seen or owned. I've had my eye on the blue Cronos, but the longer end links are making me hesitate. With regards to the movements, I have no doubt the pt5000 is a better movement, but in the nh35's defense, it's a known quantity and fairly inexpensive to replace when the time comes. Awesome work!! Thanks.
Better is the subjective term here regarding movements, what makes the pt5000 better? Hi-beat? You will barely notice it. Since that review I know have a timegrapher so it would be worth matching the pt5000 against the nh. I agree with you, the nh is one of the best moments out there.
I think its more on the Seiko NH35 fatigue rather than "better".
The difference in the PT5000 that is factory regulated correctly does stand out above and from the NH35 in my opinion. I love the PT5000 sweeping motion, it is beautiful to my eyes.
I have the cronos also and I can't agree with you more. I owned both watches. To me the cronos watch is just nicer to look at. I could not stand that hexagon logo. To me it looked stupid.
@@wed265 yes! I feel exactly the same way, the hex logo looks a bit strange like a teenager designed it and doesn't fill enough of the dial.
@@Owen-np3wf exactly if they just left the wording San Martin there it would have been perfect
@@wed265 I like the applied text logo they use on the turtle homages and the cursive printed text on the vintage diver. I've been holding back on buying a San Martin sub for over a year because I'm not sure what I wanted to get printed on the dial but I think the text from the vintage diver on the two tone water ghost would look great. Rumour has it they are looking at using the PT5000 soon in the water ghost. God we are a fussy bunch 😂
@@Owen-np3wf I agree 100%
That green bezel on the cronos is such a nice colour, pls match the dial colour. 😁 Thx for the Very nice comparison vid
Cronos for me. The softer sweep and the brand name just sounds better (to me).
I think if either of these watches had display backs and a dressed up movement they could easily charge more. I couldn’t care less what back a Rolex has, it’s irrelevant here.
King of comparison vid’s. Excellent!
🤜🏽👌🏽
Bit late again, but I will say that the Cronos I bought last year (around April or May 2023 IIRC?) hasn't changed much superficially from the one shown here, but it does seem that they've improved some of the details and their finishing quite a lot. The end-links on mine for example fit near perfectly into the lugs. There's no movement or play and you have to look *real* hard to detect a super-tiny gap on one of them - practically invisible to the naked eye. The side profile of the case/lugs also seems to have changed - with my example having a lug profile much more similar to the San Martin's in this video (giving a slimmer and less chunky side profile overall).
Other stuff they changed: The logo is just an applied "Cronos"-script now, though I'm not sure which version I'd prefer. Problem with the applied logo is that you'll only see it under certain lighting conditions. And I think I'd prefer a printed/raised script and logo on there - looks more "complete" somehow when there's both a logo and the name under the 12. The frame around the date-window has been deleted and the cyclops gives 2.5x magnification. Not sure what they used to have on there, but I can definitely say that it's much stronger than on my Steinhart O1 - which is a bit notorious for its weak-sauce cyclops.
The lume ... is also better than on any of my Steinharts, but... it's not as strong as on the only San Martin that I own (SN 0109, BB GMT homage). It's still nice and bright, but the San Martin's lume is better still, IMO. Plus the daylight color of the lume on the indices doesn't *quite* match the one on the hands. It's a minute difference in "whiteness" and it's not a huge deal, but it is noticeable. The hands' white matches the stark white on the bezel while the white on the indices is ever so slightly off-white. Also: The lume on the hands doesn't last as long as than the one on the indices - should be the other way around.
Plus-sides: Price... I think this is the most watch I ever got for my money - EUR 170 during a sale (all in, delivered to my door from China) for the date version with the PT5000 is amazing value for what you're getting.
Comfort/feel: No thanks to Cronos of course, but it's quite amazing to me that this chunky looking thing with its equally chunky looking clasp sits so well on my puny 17cm wrist. I was worried that it might wear too large for me, but it does work on my wrist. The clasp works flawlessly and, among my watches, is only bested by the adjustable clasp on my Christopher Ward.
Only *real* complaint I have is that the bezel action is a tad too light for my taste. Initially I would've added regulation/accuracy because the watch ran at +15s/day or so when I got it - which didn't change much even after my watch-maker adjusted it a bit. But now the movement seems to have settled in and in daily wear it runs between 0 and +2s/d. This might change again in a few months, but for the time being, I won't complain about this sort of accuracy.. :D
Thanks for the videos... I prefer the croros
I agree. I had both watches. Cronos much better
Great review, once again! Really interesting to red comparison between the big guys of Aliexpress!!! 👍👍👍
Very good comparison. Most detailed comparison I’ve seen.
i own the cronos kermit and i absolutely love it . fantastic watch for the money
Thank you for the comparison, very well done.
I got the SM Hulk as a gift it's a beautiful watch, I'm very pleased with it. I have several luxury watches and it looks as good as any of them. But I think I will buy the Cronos Pepsi GMT next for my collection, why not.
IMO, San Martin is still ahead in every way possible. It finally arrived and after having it for just over a weak I can say that this watch oozes quality. And oh boy, do the recessed endlinks come in clutch to people like me with below average wrists. I've only seen Rolex themselves and Ginault use this end-link design apart from them. And I really like the logo, it's something like a Tag Heuer but hexagonal lol.
The accuracy is stellar at -3 to 5s/d and I noticed that one of the positions (dial down; haven't tested the rest yet) is making the watch gain time -> I can probably get it to run close to 0s/d.
And the longer service interval for the NH35A and its lower price point (2-3 times cheaper) render the PT5000 useless to me. I think we can all agree that build quality + everything else > choice of an already solid movement.
Oh, and the date frame on the Cronos is an instant turn off for me (I know that you can choose one without it but still).
P.S. The thicker bracelet on the San Martin is a weird touch but a blessing in disguise - the added weight to the bottom of the watch (bracelet+clasp) perfectly balances the watch on your wrist; I couldn't praise it enough.
Great analysis 👍 👏
@@TheWatcherReviews Thanks dude! This was actually just a casual overview from the top of my head, considering how hyped I was in the process of waiting for the watch.. I reckon it would have been enough for a 10min+ video hahah. Loved the video, keep the great content coming, buddy! 💪
Haha, if you're ever feeling it, send me a review in and il upload it!
@@TheWatcherReviews Haha, cheers mate but I'm a bit on the shy side :D ;')
The Cronos is more aesthetically pleasing and more similar to the submariner.. The bigger metal ring and gap between the bezel and the actual dial of the San Martín makes it look off and cheap.. There was always something about the San Martín that was off to me, never felt like it captured the submariner look well enough and some people pointed that out in other videos and then I realised it was that..
I forgot to tell you that when I received my cronos watch a week ago it came without the framed date window which I was so happy about. I think that would have bothered me also just like San Martin's hexagon logo. LOL
Kind of a tough one...but I’d probably still stick with steeldive. Only reason being that I’d gut them anyway and hack off the cyclops. If I were gonna get one to just leave a sub homage, I’d probably go with the San Martin. I think the SM logo is slightly more appealing....buuut I really wanna give the PT5000 a go. Once the cyclops is removed I think they’d both be just fine.
Fantastic review.
I really like both watches.
I prefer the San Martin Branding.
When you see the dials and indices under micro is where you can really see the difference.
Great review!!!
I have the San Martin smurf. It’s absolutely beautiful and a huge step up from the Pagani Design. I don’t have the Cronos. I can confirm that the San Martin bracelet and clasp are superb on my 71/4 inch wrist . The only aspect of the watch I’m not super keen on is the hexagonal logo. It’s a beautiful watch and I’m addicted.
I’m not terribly keen on the Cronos type clasp because I find them impossible to make fine adjustments.
Cronos has a glide lock clasp in current models…..fine adjustments can’t be easier.
Iv just purchased the San Martin V3 Water Ghost NH35a movement with black dial and the built quality is amazing it's looks runs and wears like a watch you would expect to pay a hell of a lot more for and on the plus side in today violent world run by criminals if I get mugged I've not lost a load of money during these hard times for the working class...✌️🧐🇬🇧🇺🇦
great comparison. I was watching this with my V1 san martin on wrist...I got out my calipers and started measuring.
now we all know San martin and crono come out of the lugyu factory....I am tempted to say the Cronos is using San martin V1 cases.
same protruding crystal and same thickness. my calipers measured the midcase the same as the cronos measured. V1 san martin also has a "flat spot" on the top of the midcase...I mean it's all dead nuts on the measurements. 2.3mm on the bracelet as well.
both use a "softer" scalloping on the bezel with a polished top edge.
I wouldnt' be surprised if they used the V1 case and bracelet (though my endlinks seem better than the ones shown on the Cronos) and just swapped dial, movement, bezel insert, and clasp.
Yeah thats a great observation! I like it and you may be onto something here. What I don't get is why not just use v3 case? I think they've tried to trump the case by using the PT5000 movement
@@TheWatcherReviews definitely a different look and feel to the cases. The V3 being more "tooly" with less bling on the bezel and a more ratchet like bezel action. Cronos with a more dressy case. But who knows.🤷♂️
@@EscapeWheel ultimate its suttle nuisances that divide them, nothing major, for me the branding is a bigger issue. All SM need to do is release the SM with a pt5000
@@TheWatcherReviews and a glide lock clasp. That would make it perfect IMO.
There seems to be quite a big gap between the lugs and end links on the cronos. I wonder if the San Martin bracelet would fit the cronos? I really like how the protruding end links on the San Martin taper to meet the wrists at a steeper angle, looks cleaner and like it would wear nicer specially on a smaller wrist like mine. Great video sir, love your work
Thank you Owen
@@TheWatcherReviews Do you know if it is possible to put the SM bracelet on the Cronos case?
@@guillermodorantesbalanzar1359 Just looking at the lug shape difference I'd say no. It may fit but will not match the case curvature at all and look like crap...
Fantastic review, thank you so much because I had been wondering myself between these two watches.
IMO both are excellent and really will be determined by personal preference.
I am a bit torn..I like the PT5000 movement and branding of the Cronos better, but do prefer the San Martin's bracelet & clasp better, and crystal setting. I hate the hexagonal logo on the San Martin.... Thus for me, I would skip these and would rather purchase the San Martin V2.
Thank you again for an awesome comparison and excellent videos.
All the best!
Thank you Felo for the great comment. The v2 is in the description if you wanted to consider it 👍🏼
Great Review! I value the Movement, Bezel action, Full Lume and smooth finish. Cronos all the way! I just bought the Black Cronos PT FL, no date window off of AliExpress.
You are a wise man :)
Blue dial on the Cronos seems to be more of a lacquer finish. The blue dial of the San Martin is sunburst. I like the sunburst effect for this style of watch as a base for a modification to a Yacht Master homage. Any comments??
I subscribed. Keep up the good work!
I know San Martin gets a lot of praise but I think the Cronos looks a bit better
I couldn't agree more with you
And now SM goes over the top with it latest 41mm with increased quality and the glidelock clasp
Remember fellas branding or the logo is everything. that's what people first see. You can always get a different clasp if you don't like the one Chrono has. I guess like everyone says it's a matter of preference. But I hated that hexagon with a passion. I already got a compliment on my Chronos. No matter which one you get you're at least saving yourself 10 to $12,000 from not buying a Rolex which I think is crazy. Lol
Great comparison. Thanks for the review.
Thanks for the video
Now that the Cronos added a glide lock clasp, removed the date frame, and added a nice applied logo (without hourglass) on the dial, do you think it edges the San Martin? It seems like they fixed its weaknesses
Yes. Now if they'd offer a 41 mm like San Martin AND Rolex the Cronos choice would be easy. Who would buy a San Martin with that god-awful acorn on the dial?
@@johnsweeney5946 I don’t care about 1mm extra 😂 why do you?
They both look real nice and pretty I wish I could save up and get one of each👍
I’m glad they’ve made a no date version. I’m about to order it 👍
Great camera shots. I knew there were a lot of differences, and all I can say is: I like both. After watching this, I could not choose the better one. Perhaps the PT5000 beats the NH35. Perhaps not. Think 8 or 10 years down the road with maintenance time. The NH35 maintenance is a cheaper "swap out" than the PT5000. All in all, a tough decision. I do prefer the San Martin logo to be spelt out and not that hexagonal design...Both watches are a win!
I think you'll find out sooner with regards to the PT5000, there are already enough people complaining about it
@@TheWatcherReviews the NH35 is cheap. Easy to get. Easy to swap out. But mainly, it's cheap to buy.
@@TheWatcherReviews What are the complaints regarding the PT5000 movement? I was thinking about the Cronos, but perhaps not?
@@ryokan9120 the rotor weight gets stuck due to improper oiling and the winding can be stiff.
@@TheWatcherReviews Thanks for the info. I think I'll stick with the San Martin with the proven NH35 movement.
Quality vid as usual!
Mr watcher. Which would you buy the new cronos with the glidelock new hands black dial green bezel fully lume bezel for 270.00 or the new san martin sn019 black dial green bezel for 320.00. Also does one black and green look better than the other some greens are off a little bit and don't look good. Thank you for your opinion. Ray and austin
Ermm not sure, i think the cronos is better value but the new review for the steestern sub will be out so check that out before you make a decision
Mr. Watcher I have a question for you. Any AliExpress sale coming up in two days I can get the cronos Submariner Kermit for 183.00. Or the San Martin for 275.00 Kermit. There is almost $100 difference I was going to go for the Kronos but I wanted to get your great watch opinion. Also by the way is one green bezel a nicer color than the other or are they both nice ?? Ray Austin usa
For me it all comes down to fit. The Cronos wears too big on most wrists that I've seen. The SM has the shorter L2L, which means it'll fit my 7inch wrist better
Great video, brother! Much appreciated.
Great review as always. I bought the San Martin and sold it because I could not get over that Hexagon logo it just looks stupid to me. I just purchased the Cronos Submariner. I think in my opinion it is a much nicer watch because the logo is much more normal then that hexagon dot. I would have liked the watch if it just said San Martin. The bezel on the Chronos is phenomenal Like you said. Plus I love that it ticks 8 times a second just like the hemorrhage Rolex. It Sweeps nicer just like the Rolex does. They are both beautiful watches for the money, I just couldn't get over that hexagon logo. This Kronos is going to be my work watch and I was thinking about getting the Hein dolar monster orange as my weekend watch. What do you think ? Keep up the great reviews. I always look forward to them " welcome to the channel" . 😆
Yeh i think its 50/50 when it comes to both the logos, i like the off white indidices against the black dial on cronos and that bezel motion. Yes, it really is as simple as printing a logo nicely or applying it in polished or brushed. I would say definitely go for the heimdallr orange monster
Another great video! Curiously why are San Martin so much more expensive than Steel Dive?
Quality and finishing as well as adding a small premium for brand recognition noe
I think the difference in movement is worth the price. I have not had good luck lately. My Cronus is minus 1.2 seconds a day very consistently. My last three seiko movements have been garbage. Minus 32 seconds a day. Minus 22 seconds a day. Plus 28 seconds a day. Very very disappointing to be honest for you. Especially when I have a SanMartin and I pay over $250 for it it’s a beautiful watch and the accuracy of the movement ruins it
Please tell me witch is the better?
Tks for the video
I was thinking between Cronos and new San Martin sn019 but decided to go with Cronos and sw200 cause with San Martin those 41 mm was a deal breaker for me...and yeah I have ordered sw 200 cause there is shitload of parts for that movement here in Europe so I dont have to bother with service. That would be my 3rd sub homage... I already have Pagani 1694 and Steinhart ocean one 39
🏆🏅 #1 Cronos
🥈 #2 San Martin
Zeb Sir firstly another cracking Comparison Review and as for the Choosing between one or the other then as you said it’s personal choice.Personally I prefer the Cronos as the sweep movement (although not too noticeable) is still smoother.
The Thicker Bracelet on the San Martin with Bigger Clasp would suit my 9” Gorilla Wrists better👍yet the Cronos Bezel action is far superior.
So there’s pluses and minuses for both Models.
Hard one to choose a winner between but you’ve yet again knocked it out of the park with your Review.👏👏👏👍⌚️
Final thought:-To the leaver of the One Thumbs Down If you think you can do better then let’s see your Offerings for us all to review!!!🤔
Yeh i think you make good points Neil and at the end it boils down to the smaller details and i agree with better bezel on cronos. Thank you as always for your comprehensive comments!
I can't believe you didn't get the Kronos Hulk. In my opinion I think the green on green looks so awesome what do you think
Also, cronos offers the sub in no date option vs SM.
I would like to see them both against the real thing side by side
The San Martin has better finishing with is pretty important to me
Make the intro bit longer beat is butter 🧈
😂 Dre will be after me mate
Is the magnifire cyclops on Chronos bigger than San Martin? The only complaint I have about San Martin is the size of the cyclops... a bit too small for my liking. Not the magnifiying capability as it works just fine, its the physical size that's been bugging me. After wearing it for close to 2 months I love everything about it bar the cyclops. I specifically choose to go with San Martin because of the Seiko NH35 since its going to be easier to service down the road. Cheers.
On the Video it looks like the San Martin's Magnifier is more powerful than the Cronos. It looks to me (subjective) that the San Martins magnifies as 2.5 and the Cronos is 2.0
@@stevenhershman2660 yes i do think the magnifiying ability of San Martin is stronger.. I'm talking about the physical size of the cyclops... for example compared with the Rolex's cyclops, the San Martin one is truly petite...
Nevermind... Gary from ILW just posted the vid comparing the crystals... I gotta say San Martin has the smallest but they did the job well... so there's that.
@@jigunawa good call on the cyclops size. I also think the white around the date window gave the illusion of a smaller date.
They need to make that dial look at a little bit more like the Rolex submariner
Does the cronos feel more top heavy?
Not at all
@@TheWatcherReviews think i'll pick it up in blue. The SM blue is sunburst and looks purple in some lights. I dont like it as much as matt, the Cronos matt blue looks like the real rolex smurf
I own the San Martin and the Screws in the Links are more finished than the Cronos.
From every review that ive watched on both watches i think San Martin is the better watch, i dont want chinese movement in my watch, and i do like a lot NH35 for smooth hand winding and bi directional rotor and magic lever if we compare it with selita/eta/pt5000/miyota9015. Sw200 on my Steinhart for example have very hard winding it feels like something will happen to the movement if i wind it more than 10 times. Also miyota 9015 crazy wobble uni directional movement which makes vibration when that rotor starts to spin its crazy why people overhype it that much only cuz its high beat and affordable.. my only concern is if i like new logo on san martin or if i buy to choose V2 version...
What are the differences between the San Martin V2 and V3 ?
I have a video on this...scroll through and you'll find it 👍🏼
Which is smaller lug to lug please? For a smaller wrist.
Thanks
San Martin
San Martin all day!
So basically, I'm looking at both now. San Martin Now have a high beat movement as well. Cronos has removed the framed date window. San Martin is now £50 more. What do i get. Cronos at £150 or San Martin for £200? Is San MArtin worth the £50 extra?
No it isnt in short. Go cronos
Do you think it’s possible to fit a pt5000 in the San Martin?
I would say its possible but you will need a movement holder
Which of the lug width comes closest to the rolex?
The San Martin. Which means a lot to me
@@tirrelldaveport3671 tnx
Is Cronos going to offer a 41mm like San Martin ? And like Rolex.
The San Martin has the PT5000 movement too.
I have a San Martin Rolex Submariner Homage and a Cronos Rolex Submariner Homage No date.
My comparison ,my Pros for San Martin the case is nicer as case tapers ,the black on the San Martin dial is better.
The Cronos no date bracelet is smoother no sharp edges ,Bezel feels nicer,but does have a bit of side play.
If San Martin done a Rolex Submariner Homage no date apart from the sharp edges on the bracelet, it would be a better choice than the Cronos. I wanted a date Submariner Homage and a no date.
I am still happy with both.
Cronos takes the cake here
Don’t forget The cronos Has the Hidden micro adjustments
I would get the pagani design for half the money 90% the quality
PT5000 is a lot better than NH35
San Martin fanboys, this is not for the watcher, you can praise as long as you will, the bracelet is too heavy, the clasp is way too big, AND your NH35 cant compete with a PT5000. Thats the same sayin this Seiko movement is better than ETA 2824.Pls just leavs this BS out. Cronos is the best Sub Homage for the money. period.
True. Simple as that.
Totally disagree. On the basis of the movement alone, the Cronis is a better option.
I'd save up the extra and buy a Steinhart. Out of the two reviewed, there are so many pros and cons, I would struggle to decide
Except the Steinhart has its own issues. Not to mention more expensive.
@@arcaine101 How very dare you. I have two, and they are both outstanding. My only minor complaint is the clasps are a bit ordinary. Excepted, they are more expensive, but your getting a Sellita/ETA elabore movement, and they are Swiss (well, mainly Swiss)
@@watchalot919 And a horrible flat case
@@MultiPcExpertGhost my wrist is just under 7" and both my 42mm Steinharts fit well on my wrist. I suppose it may be different for some other people.
Correct. I have had to rescrew the rotor assembly back onto my SW200 elabore on my steinhart hulk, so it’s not without issues. Love it tho
I couldn't live with the Sam Martin Logo.........its too dominant and crude..... Cronos logo is minimal and classy and typeface is fine
Both got ugly logo, esp the SanMartin.