# Marina Militare Gmt Short Review



## Vincero (Jul 8, 2008)

So today I got a knock on the door, and in the postman's hands was a jiffy bag marked "Hong Kong." I knew what it was, but I was surprised that it arrived so soon. When I closed the door, I slowly opened up the bag, and inside was a well wrapped watch. Good start. The watch looks really impressive up front, the shape of the case is fantastic, good quality stainless steel. The crown guard is of a satisfactory quality, it locks down well but isn't hard to open. Some people would probably say it was too easy to open... I highly doubt it offers any water resistance, but since I'm not diving with this watch it doesn't really matter. the dial has been well printed, but poorly lumed, though this was to be expected. It's funny really, the hands light up pretty darn well in the dark, but the numerals barely light up at all. The glass is apparently made out of "hardened mineral crystal" and it seems to be of a pretty high quality, I'll soon know - when this beast gets bashed about by daily wear. The magnifying bubble works well, and so far it's a feature I quite like. The only thing that lets the asthetics of this watch down is the terrible strap it comes on... Plastic croco is a no go for me, makes the watch look a little cheap... Ok it was cheap, but it deserves better. The buckle the watch comes on is of a good quality too... Let me say right now; no pick - pocketer in the world will be able to pull this watch off of your wrist, infact I have trouble putting the watch on with such a thick strap, and such a thick buckle... I took a screw driver to the holes in the strap, to try and loosen them up a little. You can decide for yourselves if this is a good point or a bad one. I'd like this watch to sit tight on my wrist, it's too heavy to be knocking about else where, thus I didn't mind making my own ajustments.

So, the important bit - does this watch function properly? the answer to this question is yes and no. It appears to keep fantastic time... Well except for that damn GMT hand. I'm disappointed to tell you that the GMT function on my Marina Militare barely works... The GMT hand can be set indipendantly, and when you maualy set the local time with the normal hour hand, the GMT hand will gladly follow the main hour hand (quite) well. Yet when the watch is left of its own accord, 9/10 times the GMT hand will just sit there motionless!!! and if it does move along, it does not record accurate time, which is a shame - because that is after all what I wanted this watch for... Then again at Â£60 I can't say I've been "robbed" per se. The movment appears to be of quite a high quality, for one thing this is an automatic watch, and the 2 different crown positions can be found with ease, quite contary to popular belief. The date function works well, and can be set easily, as can the GMT hand - it's just a shame it doesn't bloody work. I have a suspicion that China has tried their hand at fancy complications and lost this time round. It's a shame a better movement hasn't been used,because it would be 110% worth the extra cost of the watch. Just looking at the face now, that GMT hand appears to have shifted about one milimetre from the 4 o'clock marker in the space of 30 minutes local time...

I was thinking of getting a Toshi strap to put on this watch, but instead I think I'm going to save my pennies, get a custom Marina Militare made and then hopefully I'll have a watch more worthy of Rich's work. I just hope he doesn't mind shipping to New Zealand... I have no idea if I can have a custom GMT

Marina Militare made, even if it's just one tied to the hour hand. I'll see what my options are I suppose.

And the bit you've all been waiting for......




























Thanks for reading, please do comment!

Vincero


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

Thats been my experience with a couple of very cheap GMT watches....one GMT hand used to loose about an hour every day :blink: the other watch just didn't seem to work very well....hard to quantify the problem, just not reliable!

Have you been in touch with the supplier in HK...because I have found them usually very good if you have a genuine problem, usually they have that gloriously asian trait of actually wanting to give good service  Just like Roy of course :lol:


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

Vincero said:


> Some people would probably say it was too easy to open... I highly doubt it offers any water resistance, . the dial has been well printed, but poorly lumed. The magnifying bubble works well, and so far it's a feature I quite like. The only thing that lets the asthetics of this watch down is the terrible strap it comes on... Plastic croco is a no go for me, makes the watch look a little cheap... I have trouble putting the watch on with such a thick strap, and such a thick buckle... I'd like this watch to sit tight on my wrist, it's too heavy to be knocking about else where, thus I didn't mind making my own ajustments.
> 
> So, the important bit - does this watch function properly? the answer to this question is yes and no. It appears to keep fantastic time... Well except for that damn GMT hand. I'm disappointed to tell you that the GMT function on my Marina Militare barely works...
> 
> ...


i wish i had your optimism :huh:


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## Vincero (Jul 8, 2008)

Well, Desmondus I figured if I cried about the GMT hand not working I'd get told: "what the hell did you expect for Â£60???" Yeah I wish I didn't blow the money, maybe i can get a refund who knows.


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## Barryboy (Mar 21, 2006)

I have the same problem with the Alpha Explorer GMT. In all other respects it is an excellent watch and is amazingly accurate for a Â£20 automatic watch so I'm not going to grumble about the GMT hand inaccuracy.

Rob


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## adrian (May 23, 2004)

I'm sorry to hear this. IMO as long as you pay for something, no matter how much, it should work as advertised.


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## Stanford (Feb 10, 2007)

Nice write up Vincero :thumbsup:

It's a shame about the GMT hand and I agree with Adrian - you have handed over good money so you are entitled to expect it to function properly.

While Â£60 may not be a huge amount for a watch, it is still Â£60.

I think a lot of us would sooner write off amounts like this than have the hassle involved in sorting out the problem - the sellers often rely on us doing so don't let them get away with it - get onto them and get a refund or a replacement :wink2:


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## Vincero (Jul 8, 2008)

Stanford said:


> Nice write up Vincero :thumbsup:
> 
> It's a shame about the GMT hand and I agree with Adrian - you have handed over good money so you are entitled to expect it to function properly.
> 
> ...


Thanks Stanford! yeah don't worry, I plan on taking it up with the seller


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## michaelh (Oct 1, 2007)

Agreet with everythink you said. Good quality watch but the lume is dull on the face but pretty good on the hands. **** strap if i am honest. Go on stick a Toshi on it, i have one on mine and it makes the watch looks 10x better. Shame about the GMT hand though. I only have the standerd 44mm with the second hand and have had no problems. Hope you sort this with the seller.


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## Toshi (Aug 31, 2007)

Thanks for the review Vincero, but sorry to hear about the issue with the GMT hand.

I suppose it's a sad state of affairs that we might think "what do you expect from a Â£60 watch". I agree that if the watch is being advertised as having a working GMT hand that it should work, and you should get back to the seller and complain.


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## PhilM (Nov 5, 2004)

Definitely worth getting in contact with the seller, I know others have already said yes it's only Â£60 but if the watch is advertised as having a GMT function then it should work IMO.


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## Jocke (Jul 5, 2008)

PhilM said:


> Definitely worth getting in contact with the seller, I know others have already said yes it's only Â£60 but if the watch is advertised as having a GMT function then it should work IMO.


Agree! My Alpha GMT accutally works pretty well, but I never use it anyway but still it cost me less then 40 pound.


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

What you should do, if you can, is get a refund and go down town and buy a Casio of maybe a Seiko which will work and last you a reasonable length of time. As it stands at the moment all you have done is pay 60 quid for a 5 or 10 quid watch and left a wee china man laughing all the way to the Bank of Hong Kong.

In these couple of streets and it is only some of dozens I have passed by on my travels there was nothing over a tenner, shoes, watches, handbags whatever you want


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## PhilM (Nov 5, 2004)

So what was the $25 body massage like :tongue2:


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

PhilM said:


> So what was the $25 body massage like :tongue2:


The GMT hand went slow? :rofl:

Bit disappointing review really, I was vaguley thinking about one of these, but maybe not now I've read all this. Like the look of the "Ross" gold one though as a dressi-ish watch. :yes:


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

PhilM said:


> So what was the $25 body massage like :tongue2:


I'm saying nothing


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

Vincero said:


> Well, Desmondus I figured if I cried about the GMT hand not working I'd get told: "what the hell did you expect for Â£60???" Yeah I wish I didn't blow the money, maybe i can get a refund who knows.


other issues aside the only reason i think you got a bad buy is the fact that it doesn't work as it should.

the other issues are really just value issues. only you know if you feel that you got value for your money.

as you can see from my little list of beaters i don't exactly prop up the high end of the market.

i own watches that many folks wouldn't touch with a barge pole and i can certainly find faults with some them.

but on the whole am happy that they are good value given what i paid for them.

other than the gmt hand if you are happy with it then you are happy with it.

you still have the asthetics and a timekeeper - so you havn't really blown your money.

if you are not so pleased then i hope you get some joy from the seller.

des


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