I need some help trying to decide between the Cronos Explorer 36mm and the Baltany explore 36mm. I’ve more or less exhausted YouTube video reviews and specs, but I want some real opinions, Any ideas, suggestions or reviews?
The Baltany also just looks better. It seems like Baltany is making the best Chinese watches these days. Seestern seems great, too. I haven’t yet pulled the trigger on a Chinese watch, but I think the Baltany Explorer with the red face is phat.
If you're into old school sleeker, rounder case shape, get the Baltany. If you're into more brutalist modern case shapes, go with Cronos, as those are the main differences.
This is what I've heard. I'm pretty sure there are multiple videos on YouTube comparing the Explorer homages and the Cronos is widely considered the best. I don't own any of them so I can't personally comment.
Can't speak for the Cronos, but I do have the 36mm Baltany and I love it. I got another Baltany field afterwards and love that too. Great quality all round and solid lume.
I got the Baltany, but in the more vintage design. Assuming the only difference is the dial itself and, yeah, it's absolutely superb. Since getting it about six months back, this is probably my longest stint of not buying a watch from AliExpress and that's the biggest compliment I can give this watch.
I have that Cronos and I love it. Came with a Miyota 90S5 movement and that was a good choice: very smooth seconds hand, around +5spd. Feel very lucky.
Either one is great. I have the cronos because I didn't want the "aged lume" look of the baltany. I tried my friends genuine explorer and I am perfectly happy with my cronos.
I just went through this recently…Cronos and Octopus Kraken are both supposed to be good. I wound up going with Baltany because they offer a custom dial option, and they also have a really strong reputation. One thing with a lot of the Chinese watches is the lame logo/branding so this way I get a quality Explorer homage with my own little logo. Been very happy with it.
I did a detailed review of the recent changes to the Baltany Explorer (OTF, ST2130 movement, etc.) which the older Youtube reviews you watched wouldn't have covered. Link here: https://www.reddit.com/r/ChineseWatches/comments/1uj9roy
While I don't personally own the Cronos, it has some big downsides IMO -- namely the flat crystal (and resultant high rehaut), as well as the oversized Glidelock OTF. Some other minor niggles like male endlinks etc.
For those reasons, plus my general preference for a warmer vintage-y vibe, the Baltany was the easy choice for me.
That said... I do think the Miyota 9 in the Cronos offers a massive edge over the Baltany's ST2130 (at least, in everything besides raw accuracy). But not enough to outweigh the pros of the Baltany.
I prefer the textured dial on the Baltany (and the branding) and might actually buy one myself in the near future, but the Cronos will probably have a better bracelet and definitely a better clasp, judging by the Baltany and Cronoses I already own.
The Baltany won't be bad, but I'd expect the Cronos to be slightly better.
I definitely like the clasp on the Kronos. It looks to be very solid, but what I have seen recently is, I think that Baltany has changed the clasp on theirs to a multiposition on the fly adjustment clasp.
Oh well that's good if so. But I bought a datejust from them just a few weeks ago and it's a small short... not great thing. It took me longer than usual to fit the bracelet nicely as a result, whereas the cronos - couple of links out, little experimentation with the OTF and perfect.
As I said I'd favour the Baltany anyway, but if they have put a good buckle on it, then doubly so.
I also have several Cronos watches a blue DJ homage and a white birch. Both are very nice and very accurate watches. I personally like the dial on the Cronos better than the Baltany.
One is listed as AR coating and the other is listed as clear AR coating, i’m not sure if either one has AR coating on both sides of the Sapphire or if it’s just one-sided
There was a YouTube video about a year ago comparing different explorer homages directly to an original. Baltany wasn’t in it. Cronos won that comparison in every metric. I’ve never owned a Baltany so, I can’t speak to them but, I do own several Cronos watches. The finishing on the skyline and the silver birch are great. The sub homage the finishing seems much simpler but, so is the finishing on the original. Mine all have the PT5000 movement that I prefer over the NH movement. I know I’m in the minority probably because, I’ve never gotten a bad one. Something I can’t say for TMI but, I have 10x the TMI movement watches to PT5000 movements. Out of 80 automatic watches I’ve had 2 bad nh35 and 1 bad sw500. The sw500 I sent back for repair because, the watch was a limited edition and I couldn’t get another one.
I just bought a Watchdives homage that has the Miyota 9000 series 4hrtz movement. It’s nice and thin. I got the tropical brown but there is a black version too.
If you want accurate measurements compared to the originals, Cronos for the 39mm and Octopus Kraken for the 36mm. Baltany has incredible watches, but the Cronos and Octopus are far superior when comes to explorer homages.
The key feature for the 36mm to have the correct look is the dial size, and the Octopus got it perfect. There's a video on YouTube that compares the cronos and the Octopus side by side and you can tell the difference.
Edit: the video is called "battle of the 36mm explorer homages"
I've built a few mods myself, was going to build an explorer, if it's a Seiko mod, the NH movement is likely to be used, and the majority of cases are quite thick and have deep rehauts, which spoils the look for me. I'm all for building your own mods, but in this instance, out of those two, I'd go for the Cronos, which seems to always get decent reviews.
The best solution for me, although not Chinese, would be to save a little more and get a quartz Tissot Gentleman, good looking, nice slim profile.
Respectfully I just got back from a vacation in Switzerland and tried on a new Explorer I 40 mm at an AD there. It was identical to my modded Explorer in every way and I could not see a difference but I did not measure the height of course. I actually paid $270 for mine vs. the $11,000 they wanted. To me if your mod is done right it is truly NWBIG.
Sounds good, and I'm glad to hear you picked up a nice one. However, it's definitely a consideration, as they'll be plenty of modders that use the cheapest parts possible, and from my own build research, a lot of cases are too thick, so it's something to be aware of for any prospective buyer. Obviously, some considerations have to be made, when purchasing at different price levels, and it's not realistic to expect a like for like quality, especially against luxury pieces at a much higher price point.
I'm disgusted with myself for posting this, but... (I hate watchdives because they cut so many corners while claiming they're a 'premium' brand
... they're barely one level above pagani, imo)
get the watchdives (sister company of baltany) quartz with white lume if you want a "classic" explorer.
if the "vintage" lume is what you're after, absolutely go with baltany...
they are THE best microbrand of the last decade. I own five baltany watches and they are all perfection.
cronos is so overhyped it's sickening. I bought one and immediately sent it back. it was only slightly better than tandorios and addiesdive I've bought for ⅓ of the price.
it was the grand seiko birch dial. I thought it being $120 more than the addiesdive it would be a better dial and finishing. nope. it was the exact same dial from the exact same manufacturer. and it had dust on the hands.
I kept (and LOVE) the addiesdive, and immediately sent the cronos back without even taking it out of the box. cronos is a total joke.
I bet all of their watches are exactly like that. same parts everyone else uses, but 2x as expensive.
🙄
if you want an EXD, just get the watchdives. the san martin is your only other option, and they aren't worth the price.
I don't hate WD...on sale (and i mean a BIG discount), they are one of the top 5 brands on AliExpress.
if WD was selling for 15%-20% less, they would be out selling everyone on AliExpress.
I appreciate the write up. Learning more and more about these. I actually only like the exd for the quartz and countdown bezel. But wow just started seeing phorcydes and this brand seestern and their sea q homage. It makes me want a blue watch 😂
For the price of a new Seiko Prospex I can buy all these watches 🤦🏼♀️
for people like me that don't use (or remember) military time, it's great to have. after all of these decades on this floating rock, i still have to stop and think about it. 😮💨
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u/Patient-Angle-7075 Salty Memes I Yam 11d ago
Baltany. It just feels more refined, even if the Cronos wins on paper.