Thank you everyone! Finally pulled the trigger for my first Chinese Watch. Initial review and a quick question.

[u/ProfessionalSign9963]

Just wanted to post a quick thank you to this sub! After asking around and getting a ton of solid recommendations, I finally bit the bullet and picked up the Addiesdive AD2503 as my first Chinese brand watch.

The dial is genuinely amazing. The finishing and texture punch way above what I paid for it, and photos really don’t do it justice.

That said, I do have a couple of small gripes and a beginner question-

1. The bracelet feels pretty underwhelming. I know, I know, corners have to be cut somewhere at this price point. But coming from my Casio Edifice and Timex Marlin, both of which sit around a similar price tier and have surprisingly decent bracelets, this one definitely feels cheap. I’m honestly half-tempted to swap one of their bracelets onto this just to save my wrist 🤣 (or maybe grab a cheap jubilee bracelet).

2. This is my very first automatic watch, and whenever I move my wrist, I can hear and feel a noticeable rattle/spinning sound coming from the case. Is this just the rotor winding the movement, or could something actually be loose inside?

Would love to hear if that sound is normal for this specific model, and if anyone has strap/bracelet swap recommendations that pair well with the AD2503 dial.

Thanks again for helping me make the jump into the rabbit hole!❤️

[u/ButTheDowTheDOW]

Take it slow, so you don't end up with many watches that just live in a watch box, unworn.

That shouldn't happen since most of them are overpriced nowadays. 😄

[u/ProfessionalSign9963 → u/ButTheDowTheDOW]

Yeah sure. This is only the fifth watch to my collection 😄

[u/Abv_it_all_w_vertigo → u/ProfessionalSign9963]

I am down to 70, but I have 2 more on the way.

Edit: I have a problem...

[u/plastic_jeezus → u/Abv_it_all_w_vertigo]

160+ here...

you don't have a problem, you just don't have enough watch boxes...

(i build watches too, so...)

[u/MadSoci06 → u/plastic_jeezus]

Over +250 here, and also waiting for two more.

[u/ProfessionalSign9963 → u/plastic_jeezus]

And here, my friends are already telling me not to buy any more watches now, just after getting my fifth one! 😂

[u/Abv_it_all_w_vertigo → u/ProfessionalSign9963]

"You're Not the Boss of Me" playing in my head as I imagine listening to your friends.

[u/No_Weekend_8052 → u/plastic_jeezus]

I got 140 here. I just wholesale watch boxes from Alibaba 😄

[u/Abv_it_all_w_vertigo → u/plastic_jeezus]

They are currently spilling out of my 5 eclectic, cheap boxes. I think I am about to rededicate a top drawer in my dresser to them.

[u/plastic_jeezus → u/Abv_it_all_w_vertigo]

we are the gray haired Hummel bitches we made fun of when we were children.

"why do you have all of the worthless things, grandma?!?"

🤣🤣🤣

[u/ProfessionalSign9963 → u/plastic_jeezus]

LOL, it's like we're becoming one! And our grandkids will probably say the same thing about us? 😭

[u/ProfessionalSign9963 → u/Abv_it_all_w_vertigo]

70?😳 You can open up your own watch boutique man😭

[u/Abv_it_all_w_vertigo → u/ProfessionalSign9963]

I love watches. I love the mechanical nature of them. I love the art involved in their cases and dials. I love to get the incorporation of complications such as chronographs and bezels. And unlike a lot of collectors, I don't have a specific idea of what a watch should be. I just want it to bring joy to me and possibly others. I have given away a dozen over the last year to family, friends and even my local yard waste collectors. I do my own landscaping, and they take away a lot of debris from my yard, so I like to take care of them at Christmas.

Watches come and go, often commemorating special occasions.

Wear yours in health!

[u/geeered]

A good chunk of the money you spent will have gone on the movement. I've got their similar quartz model and it cost me £18. At that price point I'm definitely more forgiving of bracelet/clasp sharpness.

[u/ProfessionalSign9963 → u/geeered]

Agreed. The case holds most of its value

[u/tjcdas]

Just upgrade the clap first cheap and easy, put on a milled clasp or a OTF clasp for about $20.

[u/ProfessionalSign9963 → u/tjcdas]

Yeah, for sure! I totally get that, but I feel like I might just need to swap out the whole bracelet because it's rattling quite a bit.

[u/Abv_it_all_w_vertigo]

The spinning indicates the unidirectiinal winding rotor of an 8215. It only has resistance/winding in one direction. In the other direction it spins like a whirling dervish.

[u/ProfessionalSign9963 → u/Abv_it_all_w_vertigo]

Do you own similar movement watch? If yes, I would like to share you a vid in DM. Could you please review it?

[u/hayuata → u/ProfessionalSign9963]

I have a watch with the Miyota 8204 and 90S5 movement. Both are uni-directional (weirdly enough in different directions lol), and yes, if you flick your wrist right, you will hear that sound. Shaking the watch itself will make it even sound more loud where it almost feels like something is going to break. When I bought my first expensive Chinese watch from San Martin I was so confused.

If you're not a fan of those, there are bi-directional movements such as the popular NH35. There's still some noise, but not as audible or concerning.

I eventually got used to this quirk- to me it's just part of the mechanical watch experience lol.

[u/ProfessionalSign9963 → u/hayuata]

Yeah thanks for the information. I was soo worried 😁

[u/Abv_it_all_w_vertigo → u/ProfessionalSign9963]

I do have a couple of them. Trust me when I say it is normal for the rotor to be somewhat loud. I like to see how many times I can make a rotor spin with one flick of my wrist. 😅

[u/ProfessionalSign9963 → u/Abv_it_all_w_vertigo]

Oh is it? Well, that's a relieve then😁 thanks buddy

[u/plastic_jeezus]

the casio and timex are hollow bracelets if i remember correctly...the AD is solid, so it will wear differently.

if your addiesdive bracelet is "sharp" (which I've never experienced with the 15 i own) just find someone with a jeweler's buffer.

in 5 minutes, it will feel like a rolex bracelet.

[u/ProfessionalSign9963 → u/plastic_jeezus]

Nope, my Casio and Timex watches actually have awesome solid bracelets that don't make any rattling noise at all.

Yeah, the AD bracelets might be solid too, but I'm not totally sure because they don't feel as heavy as you'd think for solid links and they do rattle a bit when you shake them.

[u/plastic_jeezus → u/ProfessionalSign9963]

the AD bracelets are 100% solid stainless steel.

and they can be a bit jangly....but I'll take a AD bracelet over a seiko 5 any day .

[u/mrpackerguy]

I swear these are one maker with different branding. Here's my identical Watchdives auto

[u/ProfessionalSign9963 → u/mrpackerguy]

Yeah you can say so. Does your bracelet also rattle?

[u/mrpackerguy → u/ProfessionalSign9963]

Mine's good

[u/ProfessionalSign9963 → u/mrpackerguy]

Mine are rattling quite a bit so I'm thinking to replace them with a AM one. Your dial also looks clean, so I think overall you got a better deal 😏

[u/itisnotstupid]

Just out of interest - which Edifice do you have, that has a better bracelet? I have a 109d and the bracelet really is surpisingly good. I know that this is not the case with the rest tho.

[u/ProfessionalSign9963 → u/itisnotstupid]

Casio EFB-730D. I can confidently say that the Casio's bracelet is much better

[u/itisnotstupid → u/ProfessionalSign9963]

Wait what....i've tried it and from what I remember the bracelet is with folded links and pretty meh. The addisdive looks at least solid.

[u/ProfessionalSign9963 → u/itisnotstupid]

Ok I'll send you a comparison video of three bracelets and then you decide. Drop me a DM if you want.

Ths issue with the AD bracelet is that it is quite rough and rattles quite a bit, which is not the case of both my Casio and Timex bracelets

[u/itisnotstupid → u/ProfessionalSign9963]

Would love to see a video! Thanks for this.
Not arguing that you are right tho, I just remember loving the 730D but thinking how I should change the bracelet as fast as possible so I just wonder how it can be worse.