# Why The Watch Community Hates Chinese Watches



## Mrs Wiggles (Nov 7, 2018)

Now, I'm talking about the plastic £5 stuff with the cheap quartz movements, nor am I talking the more expensive watches either, I refer to the middle of the range stuff costing between £75 and £150. In this price range you can buy a watch with a reliable and proven Japanese movement, a sapphire crystal, a good quality strap/bracelet with solid end links and a decent clasp. They are indefinitely made of 316L stainless steel, and in some cases have good bezels with ceramic inserts. A Swiss or Japanese watch with the same spec can easily cost ten times as much. Some watch enthusiasts will just say they are crap, but given the specification I just did, how can they be? I quite often get told on watch forums I can buy a Seiko or Casio for the same price, but when I look at the spec of these watches they just can't keep up. I recently wrote a comparison review comparing a Seiko SKX and a Sharkey Turtle. Frankly the Sharkey was a better all round watch, and what's more it costs half as much. You see, Chinese business practices are quite different to ours. Most of the brands are not available in shops, which cuts out at least one middle man, quite often more. Their wage costs are considerably less, and China is fortunate enough to have an abundance of the worlds precious metals etc. China can make us we want. If you want a well made product, a cheap product, or a mid range product, China can do it, it's just they can do it cheaper. Let's not forget, some of the worlds best electric consumables are produced in China, including Apple.

So, without me putting words into anybody's mouth, why do so many watch enthusiasts hate Chinese watches ?


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## Graham60 (Nov 2, 2018)

Mrs Wiggles said:


> So, without me putting words into anybody's mouth, why do so many watch enthusiasts hate Chinese watches ?


 That's a question you could ask about a lot of watches, not just Chinese. We all have our likes and dislikes across many things in society, and the watch community just mirrors that. I think some Chinese watches command a lot of like and respect from watch enthusiasts, quite a few here have Chinese watches and we have a sub forum for them.

From my own personal observations of forums etc, I get the feeling the main gripes against Chinese watches seem to be, too many homages rather than originality (although you could say that about a lot of watches), China does seem to be the home of fakes watches, poor quality control from some of the factories, and of course watch snobbery (but that is not limited to only Chinese watches, even a lot of the affordable brands suffer from this). As far as i can see, all of these things seem to undermine the Chinese watch industry in the watch enthusiast's eyes.

Although I'm fine with Chinese watches or some of the brands that have their watches made in China, there is one thing I don't like and this is really more to do with watch brands and retailers over here rather than Chinese watches as such, but it's the way brands (mainly microbrands, fashion brands or re-invented brands) get cheaper made watches from China and then sell them over here at ridiculous prices, claiming Superior quality, false heritage etc.


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## al_kaholik (May 22, 2018)

You'll find quite a bit of love for Starking, granted they may not last as well as a Swiss, but seemingly if they are stripped, cleaned and reassembled they work well.

Maybe QC is the issue.

Its perhaps like 'made in Taiwan' used to be for VW parts 'Taiwan Sh*t just don't fit' was the saying. Times change and now some fantastic parts are coming from there which are far superior to some of the Western/USA made parts.


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## it'salivejim (Jan 19, 2013)

I've never even heard of a hatred of Chinese watches until your post? I wonder where you're reading this stuff?

I suppose it depends if you think a lookey-likey of someone else's original design is a good thing or not? Frankly, all those Chinese 'homages' leave me cold. If they can make such good watches why not make their own good watches?

I've got nothing against Chinese manufacturing, parts or build. Look at the Seagull range, especially the 1963 with the ST19 chrono.










Lovely! But a Seiko SKX or Tuna knock off? Not so lovely

Just my opinion.


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Graham60 said:


> it's the way brands (mainly microbrands, fashion brands or re-invented brands) get cheaper made watches from China and then sell them over here at ridiculous prices, claiming Superior quality, false heritage etc.


 This.

I have several vintage Seagull, Shanghai and ZhuFeng watches, as well as modern Shanghai, and they've all been OK. Timex parts are also sourced in China. I don't mind a cheap disposable watch.


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## Graham60 (Nov 2, 2018)

WRENCH said:


> This.
> 
> I have several vintage Seagull, Shanghai and ZhuFeng watches, as well as modern Shanghai, and they've all been OK. Timex parts are also sourced in China. I don't mind a cheap disposable watch.


 Don't have any vintage, but I haven't had any problems with any of the more modern ones i've bought, couple of Seagull, Starking, Cadisen and Parnis, all working away fine.

This is one I would like to add at some point.

https://watchunique.com/product/dongfeng/?v=79cba1185463


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Graham60 said:


> This is one I would like to add at some point.


 I've looked at them as well. There's still a few decent vintage Dong Feng watches on ebay. Need to factor in the cost of a service.




























Seagull ST5 movement which is reliable.


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## Graham60 (Nov 2, 2018)

WRENCH said:


> I've looked at them as well. There's still a few decent vintage Dong Feng watches on ebay. Need to factor in the cost of a service.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I like them, if I had to pick one, would probably be the middle one. Although I like the one on watchunique as well, they'll have to wait, just bought (just waiting for them to be delivered, hopefully next few days) a

2801 Poljot Chronograph Journey (Poljot Caliber 31681) and a Junghans Meister Telemeter (cal: J880.3) which is actually (ETA 2892 w/ Dubois Depraz 2030), so have to watch my pennies till I see how these purchases effect the bank balance. :laughing2dw:


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## it'salivejim (Jan 19, 2013)

Graham60 said:


> … and a Junghans Meister Telemeter (cal: J880.3) which is actually (ETA 2892 w/ Dubois Depraz 2030)


 Excellent choice :thumbsup:


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## Graham60 (Nov 2, 2018)

it'salivejim said:


> Excellent choice :thumbsup:


 Yeah, very happy with my choice, although it's the white dial with black leather strap I've gone for.


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## Druid (Jul 1, 2019)

I have two Chinese automatic watches and both are superb, one cost me £13 the other £16 and looks almost the same as a Breitling, the first is a quite pleasant subbie but on a very thick leather bund and olive bezel insert with a black dial.

Another of my Chinese collections is a very striking quartz day date with a coffee dial, 12 point faceted glass and in a rose gold stainless steel case and bracelet, it is just so much bling for the few pounds it cost and tells very good time.

The £16 one has functioning 3 sub dials, OK unlike the Breitling's super chrono its just day, date and 24h but for the money and a display back was astonishing.


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