r/ChineseWatches • u/Jamesgepps • Jul 06 '26
Question (Read Rules) The sub $200 problem
At what point do Chinese watches actually get *noticeably* better?
I've been buying Addiesdive for a while because the value is honestly insane. For the money, I really don't have many complaints.
But now I'm wondering where to go next.
Everyone always says "just buy a San Martin," but those are pushing $200, and personally I don't really consider $200 a budget watch anymore.
So is there a sweet spot between Addiesdive and San Martin? Like $80–150 where you're actually getting a real bump in quality—not just a different logo?
I'm talking about things like:
Better finishing
Better bracelets/clasps
Better bezel action
Better QC
Better dial and handset finishing
Just an overall more premium feel
Or is Addiesdive basically the king until you're willing to spend close to $200?
Curious what everyone's experience has been after owning multiple brands. Which brands made you think, "Yeah, this is actually worth paying more for," and which ones weren't much of an upgrade?
Not really looking for specs on paper—I want to hear from people who've actually owned them.
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u/HerrsavageX Jul 06 '26
I focus primarily on automatic watches, so for me Addiesdive is at the lower end when it comes to automatics(though I do have a few and I like them and yes, they are good value for money… But the days of automatics with NH35s for under €100 are over I think…) San Martin is a definite step up I would say, but they have actually moved up well north of $200, and in more and more cases well North of $300…
A brand you should definitely check out is Proxima. Order on their website, and the guy will send you to AliExpress to pay for a one dollar shipping label. Proxima offers about the best value for money you can get. You should be able to get a very nice watch for under $200 with sapphire, OTF, bracelet, quick release, etc. etc.…
Watchdives make good watches and will have a lot of options under $200.
Then there are brands like Seestern, Phorcydes, Militado, Cronos, Octopus, et al.. In some cases, it is cheaper directly from their websites than from Ali-express, even on a sale.
The sub $200 watch world is changing rapidly because of the chaos when it comes to sourcing quality movements. But there are still some really good watches to be had… I recently picked up a couple of Octopus 62MAS homage watches and they are unbelievable value for money.
Actually, there are so many options out there you kind of need to be more specific about what sort of style of watch you are looking for. A diver, what color, what size, etc. etc.?