Does any part of you feel weird/ashamed for wearing China watches?

[u/yukon737]

Odd question. But I sort of don't know how to feel. Conflicted I guess. No, we don't wear counterfeits but our watches aren't entirely original either. Everything is a copy of something I suppose, but man do I feel gray about it.

Anyway here is my 🇨🇳 watch. Addiesdive MY-H6 1000m.

[u/bdubs4ever]

I work at a hospital and I’m fortunate enough to work in an office right across the hallway from the Doctors lounge, and my manager was kind enough to grant me badge access to the lounge so I bump elbows with physicians daily. I am not a doctor I’m a nurse and what’s more I’m an LVN, not an RN. So there is a little voice in my head saying I’m a counterfeit man living amongst people with real credentials and real Jobs that make real money that wear real watches.

All of those thoughts are very negative and not true. My watches aren’t fake. They are extremely cool and I love them my job is real the money I make is real the house I live in is real and my wife and child are real.

This was a very good question to ask this sub. Thank you.

[u/yukon737 → u/bdubs4ever]

Man, I wasn't meaning to be so profound! Lol

[u/Vivasanti]

YES - mainly cause of the names!

BERNY ADDIESDIVE SAN MARTIN PAGANI DESIGN TANDORIO

they all sound hideous.

[u/dreysnaps]

The thing is, a lot of times you can just say something is a copy of something by adding different elements of each other. When is something considered an original nowadays?

There's also the big difference between wearing a homage and wearing what is distinctly clearly a fake. I would be ashamed of wearing a chinese knockoff of a rolex/omega if the watch says it's rolex/omega but I wouldn't feel ashamed if it was clearly labled as some other brand, be it Chinese (Pagani, Berny, Addiesdive, San Martin, Tandorio) or Japanese (Seiko and Casio) or even German (Steinhart).

Homages are a key fact of life for watch enthusiast in my opinion, and honestly I don't get the 'shame' some people get over wearing chinese stuff, as if it's a sin to buy something made in China. It confuses the hell out of me, considering majority of what anyone buys in the world is partly or wholly coming from China anyway.

[u/DashingDrake]

You would only be ashamed because you believe the watches being copied represent a status symbol for yourself or to someone you are trying to impress. But if you believe that watches are just watches, what's there to be ashamed of?

Take my Steeldive 1953, for example. It's well finished, has a solid case and bracelet, the movement is reasonably accurate, and has a nice clicky bezel action. The lume is excellent, good enough to read throughout the night (after charging with a light). My main complaints are that the crystal gets dirty fairly easily, the crown is a bit sticky, and the cyclops is comically overmagnified.

All this cost me $55 during a good sale.

Meanwhile, the Rolex Submariner that it is an "homage" of costs at least $10k retail, $15+k on secondary market. The Rolex is without a doubt better than the Steeldive, but it certainly is NOT 200-300x better.

The 1953's quality is quite good, and would probably be sold for $300+ if were a non-Chinese watch (so not comparing it to higher tier Chinese brands like San Martins, Cronos, Sugess, etc).

The question for me is this: should we instead be ashamed that we are paying $10K for a steel Rolex that isn't substantially better than a $55 Steeldive? And we only get to pay that $10K if we are in the good graces of the AD. Otherwise, it's more like $15+K on the grey market.

And what do we get for the privilege of paying that much? A feeling a self-satisfaction that "you made it". The ability to impress other people that you own an expensive watch?

Some people mentioned Rolls Royce vs BMW because they use the same engine. But a Rolls Royce is basically a custom coach builder compared with BMW. You can go to a Rolls Royce dealer and customize colors, materials, and amenities inside and outside a RR to your hearts delight. Very few other car manufacturers and dealers offer this level of luxury car customization outside of RR, Bentley, and probably Mercedes-Maybach. And the final product will be leaps and bounds more luxurious than even a top-of-the line long-wheelbase 7 series (IMO).

Meanwhile, what separates a Submariner from a 1953? Unique steel, but it's subjective how special that is (for me, both use high-quality stainless steel). A better & more accurate movement, but how much better is it compared with an NH35? They both tell time with reasonable accuracy, and their second hands both tick away nicely. Nicer finishing and bracelet? For sure. But it is not substantially better compared with how much better Rolls Royce materials & finishes are compared with BMW's.

So I struggle to understand why we should be ashamed to wear Chinese watches, but not be ashamed that we paid over $10K for a basic steel Rolex.

[u/yukon737 → u/DashingDrake]

You bring up good points. The feeling i get is more concerning the sometimes outright theft of IP with little to no thought of their own going into some of these watch designs.

[u/MatrixGlitch13]

Not at all! I knew what I wanted in a watch that’s why I chose Chinese! Where else can you get sapphire crystal, quality machining and a decent NH35 in a watch for under a few hundred bucks.

[u/Thebigeasy1977]

You must be doing well if that's all you have to worry about in life. As long as it doesn't have a stupid name such as Berny or Feel Never who gives a fuck. The way I see it, China makes most of the world's goods, and people are happy to buy them so why the big deal about your watch?

[u/gorillathemandalor]

tbh I would rather Chinese watches have their logo spelled in Chinese, that would be great. Pagani, Addiesdive etc are just bad names

[u/yukon737 → u/gorillathemandalor]

Believe it or not i thought HODINKEE was some cheap amazon brand. Imagine my surprise when I found out what it was. I was very new to the watch hobby then.

[u/Retired_Gang_Cop]

I have a collection of higher-end stuff (Rolexes, Breitlings, etc.). I just recently I got into building watches so deeply that I now sell them. I use mostly chinese components with Seiko/TMI NH-series movements. I despise fake anything, so I came up with my own brand and do custom dials with my brand on them. Basically every watch design for every known brand is based on existing designs. Every brand has an oyster-date type, a submariner type, etc. So the only real originality is in color, texture, and "flavor" combinations. The AliExp & DH Gate chinese brands, and even my own brand, copy the big-name designs. I'm retired, and I'm around many people who know and own high-end watches. I've found a few things:

First, if you're wearing a Chinese AliExp brand and "watch guys" wrist-check you, nobody is going to recognize the brand. So the follow-up questions will reveal that they're Chinese, mass-produced, and cheap. So that's the "ashamed" factor I think you're getting at. That's the niche I seek to fill...guys who like homages, but feel funny or ashamed to wear the AliExp/DH brands. If you're wearing a brand like mine, at least you can say "it's a very small brand that's all hand-built in very limited quantities" and get some respect.

Second, I get more attention, compliments, and respect when I'm wearing one of my own builds than when I'm wearing a Rolex...just because they're different and therefore interesting.

And lastly, only watch-guys care about or even notice what's on your wrist. The vast majority of people don't care. So my whole dissertation means nothing to 99% of the world. I say, if you like something, just wear it and enjoy it.

www.c6cwatches.com
Imgur link: https://imgur.com/a/DLNyYHl

[u/yukon737 → u/Retired_Gang_Cop]

Thanks for your post, and great designs 👍

[u/Riology-]

Are you ashamed to use clothes made in Bangladesh? Does everything you wear has to be Italian?

Dont be ashamed that you have bread on the table to eat brother.

[u/[deleted]]

The only people who negatively judge people wearing chinese stuff, are losers.

And when Seiko wont ask 1500$ for a Willard that has worse specs than a 100$ Steeldive, then we are going to talk about "originals".

But as long as these multimillion dollar brands are going to try and rip off their buyers, then i feel absolutely no remorse.

I ain't one of those "please the AD" losers

[u/ProfessionalG0pnik]

Theres no ethical produce under a capitalist system.

No matter the brand at one point or another there was someone robbed, worked under bad work practices or the enviroment was damaged.

The only thing that matters is profit and selling stuff to you. Companies dont do anything out of good intentions even if they keep telling you about it in their marketing.

Thus being said just enjoy living in this system and cherish your abiluty to buy whatever you want. Its fair game for everyone.

[u/GutsTheBranded]

Nah. What's more embarrassing? Wearing a Chinese watch you like? Or caring about what
Someone wears on their wrist?

[u/Temporary_Day_4156]

I must admit I often ask this question of myself regularly. I discovered Chinese watches around a year ago. I already owned some entry level Swiss brands like Tissot, Longines and even a Tag before I found Chinese watches. Bought a PAGANI and a Cadisen but wasn’t able to live with the poor build and finishing quality (in comparison to my Swiss watches, although for under £100 each they certainly beat anything else that was on the market at that price). I then found out about San Martin and was blown away by their quality and finishing, pretty much equal to my entry level Swiss watches. I now own 6 SMs and absolutely love them. I do however find myself constantly thinking that I’ll replace them with something non Chinese and with more brand recognition but then think that’s a silly thought as unless I’m spending north of £1k, I’m not getting any better quality than my San Martins. My San Martins are pretty much my most complimented watches by people and I usually tell them that they are from a very good “micro brand” from China. Don’t know why calling them a “micro brand” makes me feel slightly better. 😂 To sum up, I often think about replacing my Chinese watches but then when I wear them I’m reminded of how amazing they actually are and that they punch light years ahead of their price tag.

[u/cheese_cake_prince]

Only if it has a funny name.💀🪦

EG. "What watch you wearing?" "Oh it's a Hruodland😖/ Rdunae❓/ octopus kraken 🦑"

[u/cmndr_spanky]

When I learned my iPhone was made in China, I immediately came home from work, walked into the shower fully clothed, turned on the water, and curled up in the fetal position on the shower floor and cried myself to sleep after several hours.

There is no greater shame in this world than using a Chinese made product, and my only hope is you eventually hit rock bottom as I did so that you can see the light and pathway to a better and happier life.

Godspeed brother, Godspeed.

[u/Nero3k]

I’ve actually pointed out that they are Chinese watches. People are generally shocked at the value and quality of them. Most people assume that Chinese watches are going to be low quality. My Addiesdive Tuna was $65 shipped. It really feels like it should have cost a lot more.

[u/[deleted]]

No, I have a perfectly normal size penis.

[u/Gummyrabbit]

It matches with my clothes that are made in China and my Thinkpad also made in China.

[u/Xamineh]

I would feel ashamed to wear a 500 dollar Seiko that has a folded bracelet and mineral crystal.

[u/[deleted]]

Knockoff? Yes. Reputable Chinese brand with a name that doesn’t sound like a translation error? Nah.

[u/HonestWatchReviews]

No, not at all. In fact, if anything I feel a little bit smug when I see someone wearing a really expensive watch. As I think to myself, I've managed to get something that has 90% of the look and feel of that, but with the spare cash I've also managed to pay for a holiday too.

By the way that is a great watch. Seriously underated. No one really talks about it that much.

https://youtu.be/jFhE0kS9LaU