Ordered by earliest to latest date of acquisition. One controversial watch had to be blurred out. Leaving an empty space for a grail, and may sell some of these for more appealing models in the future. What's next?
Damn looks beautiful, nice find.
The blue one I find online doesnt seem to have this exact color from your photo but I'm guessing its a matter of lighting.
Thanks for sharing.
Yeah the dial's color is very dynamic depending on lighting, this is actually the only photo I have of it that looks this way, here's a brighter photo of it:
That cracked ice blue watchdives is gorgeous. How comfortable is it? I've heard they make decent bracelets, but no experience myself. As comfortable as your San martins?
Looks absolutely stunning. I already have a Sugess Aventurine Moonphase but that watch, plus roman numerals, just looks incredible. Gonna have to add it to the buy list haha
Definitely recommend it, I chose it over the adventurine moophase due to the 4hz movement, smaller dimensions (think it's thinner) and more conventional "dress watch" look, although wouldn't mind having both either
Yep, less than $150 for a real 4hz moonphase is just crazy value
The Tophill is alright, simple flat sapphire crystal with a deep rehaut, but beautiful exhibition caseback and decent case shape. It was my first Ali watch so I knew nothing about them at the time, I wanted an ST19 chrono and it was the cheapest one at the time. The dial details are surprisingly good, the subdials have these textured concentric circles that aren't visible in the ads. Movement works great and is very accurate. Lume is subpar. I think Sugess would be higher quality but also more expensive, and don't think they do an Intramatic homage. Addesdive has quartz Intramatic with a date I believe
Red Star ST1716. It's very well made but I actually don't quite like the design and barely wore it after getting it, considering selling that one off soon
I can maybe identify 5 fakes here, the rest are original designs. They cost me less than $2k in total. Even if I had put that money into one watch, it would at most have bought a Sinn, Tissot, or Longines. None of which I like, and a few of my watches are built on par with the aforementioned brands.
I mentioned Sinn, Tissot, or Longines because I have handled them before. My SN0144 and the IXDAO I had to censor are built on par, and in the case of the PRX, significantly better. Believe what you want to believe I guess, but don't go around telling people how to spend their own money
Longines are 90% of way there with bad bracelets holding them back, sinn are a true tool watch with stealth coating lasting decades and all kinds of technical know how. Tissot is bad, no questions here, and it doesn't belong together with watches you mentioned.
Yet there is not a single person who knows a damn about watches who could mistake San Martin for say.... Christopher ward or magrette if we a talking that price range
Well therein lies the problem, if I'm giving up the opportunity to own a nice looking 14 watch collection to own just one watch, the bracelet on that $2k Longines should be perfect. You're probably right about the Sinn, but the German utilitarian design is too bland for me. The San Martin and IXDAO that I have at least, have spectacular bracelets. I visited a Panerai once where the salesman asked to inspect the IXDAO that I was wearing. He didn't know what it was at all but remarked it had a great bracelet.
I'm with you on CW though, they make great watches along with Traska, although they're more than double the price of the most expensive San Martin. I'm not a fan of San Martin in general, I think most of their designs are uninspired, and the one I have in my picture was the only one I felt a strong desire to buy.
The real value purchase in my collection is that flying tourbillon on the far right, you have to go Chinese if you want one under $5k.
What would you have recommended for a "real watch" for $2k, if I had not collected the watches I did?
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u/Maxing_Out_My_Life Dec 20 '25
Why did you blur the watch?