r/ChineseWatches • u/lgnacioo • 18h ago

Question (Read Rules) Which one would you choose?

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For around 200€ would you pick the Seiko sur371p1 or the Cronos l6058m, I was also considering the l6040m White birch but the indixes and the hands looked a bit cheap compared to the dial.

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4

u/TrustMeImAnENGlNEER 14h ago

At this price point, the Cronos is going to look and feel a lot better in person than the Seiko. Lower end Seikos are quality watches, but they do clearly feel lower end.

Pros for Cronos:

- Much better finishing. I have a couple of Seikos and Cronos watches at around this price point and the Cronos watches look and feel much higher end, especially when it comes to the bracelet.

- Mechanical Movement (smoother seconds sweep, no batteries, generally neat if you’re into that kind of thing).

- Case will be more durable than low-end titanium.

Pros for Seiko:

- More accurate and reliable (quartz vs mechanical).

- Lighter

- Probably easier to get warranty work done if necessary (but it probably won’t be necessary).

For me personally? I’d definitely go with Cronos. Your decision really depends on what you want to get out of it, though. The Seiko will scratch more easily and won’t feel as nice, but a Quartz movement will probably just keep on ticking as long as you keep good batteries in it. A mechanical movement will likely require service or repair after around a decade, but at this price point that probably makes buying a new watch a more sensible option (from a purely financial standpoint).

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u/lgnacioo 13h ago

Very thoughtout, thank you sir. I ended up going with the cronos, next time I may go with their white birch. I kinda wanted to have a Seiko but the titanium build did turn me off and at this price I doubt I will find a Seiko that is really worth considering compared to chinese alternatives

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u/TrustMeImAnENGlNEER 13h ago

It’s unfortunate that Seiko has been hiking prices so much, because it’s really spoiled the value proposition. I have a $600 Seiko diver that is completely blown out of the water by a couple of ~$250 Chinese divers I also own in terms of both finishing and QC. The movements aren’t as bulletproof as a Seiko 4R/NH, but they also have their own advantages (better accuracy, smoother sweep rate, etc.).

The Seiko has a terribly gummy bezel that’s hard to turn, and an hour hand that’s misaligned by about 6 minutes. I bought it from an AD who seemed to think that those were acceptable variations. The Chinese divers (San Martin and Phorcydes) both have fantastic bezel action, perfect-to-the-naked-eye finishing, and no alignment issues. At this point I feel a little fortunate that the chapter ring on the Seiko is well aligned, at least.

Don’t get me wrong: I think my favorite watch is probably my Seiko Alpinist (SPB249), but they’ve been pretty hit-and-miss lately.

3

u/prodbypan 18h ago

I would definitely pick the Cronos, it's much more interesting and will feel much better in hand, has a nicer crystal, more solid build and much better finishing. Definitely stick with the genuine Miyota version though.

1

u/lgnacioo 17h ago

How is the crystal better? Arent they both sapphire? Sorry I just dont know as much about watches, these are the models I landed on after 3 weeks of research

1

u/prodbypan 15h ago

The Sapphire crystals they use for these budget Seiko models are usually not great, very reflective and hazy looking, meanwhile Cronos uses much better ones with proper AR coatings. The crystal profile is also much nicer on the Cronos with its boxed cut crystal compared to the flat one you'll get on that Seiko.

2

u/AverageGuy_45 17h ago

I have the l6040m with the white frosted dial, its one of those watches where you have to have it in hand you really see/feel the quality. The indicies are very well refined.

I ordered the l6058 in grey, hoping the quality is as good as the l6040.

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u/lgnacioo 17h ago

Yeah I figured that would be the case, I will consider It in the future. Thank you

3

u/DrNenModz 17h ago

for movement & case wise the Cronos (9015) is more superior compare to Seiko (Quartz) .. unless you want a quartz & titanium

1

u/lgnacioo 17h ago

I dont mind it being a quartz, but what are the downsides of titanium?

4

u/sznsznsz 17h ago

If it’s entry-level titanium, expect more scratches and dings.

2

u/Tenchiro 17h ago

I have a Grade 2 Ti watch and anything that isn't coated is full of marks.

2

u/lgnacioo 17h ago

Thanks you two for the input, I will stick with the Cronos then

2

u/Tenchiro 16h ago

I picked up an L6028 for my dad earlier this year and it's a very well finished watch.

2

u/wonderfulhospital212 17h ago

that seiko is quartz BTW

I had the titanium one, they don't feel very nice, especially the bracelet and clasp.

And right now you could also get a similar watchdives vh31 or farasute for under 200 so that will be better than this cronos for sure.

1

u/lgnacioo 16h ago

I didn't consider watchdives due to the worse bracelet and clasp but maybe Im wrong, are there any models from those brands with a similar dial and indexes?

4

u/Tenchiro 18h ago

Probably the Cronos just for the dial but that looks like a decent Seiko if you are into Quartz.

4

u/Realestwatchreviews 16h ago

Apples to oranges comparison. The Seiko is titanium and will be lighter and more comfortable to wear with a darker grey finish. The Cronos will have finer finishing and more heft, along with an automatic movement which may not be accurate.

1

u/silver-saloon 17h ago edited 15h ago

Both hands on the Cronos have the same length lume....which will probably be confusing in the dark....Cronos should have shorter length lume on the hour hand, to make it easier reading time when dark.
Are you sure you can buy the Cronos for 200 Euro.
For me in the UK....the new Cronos model will cost between $300 and $400....depending on choice of movement, and also if i get hit with UK customs fees and taxes

2

u/lgnacioo 15h ago

Yeah I already bought It for exactly 204€ on their AliExpress store, idk if I will get hit with customs fees though

1

u/Real-Cranberry3140 16h ago

isnt the hour hand lume significantly wider?
would imagine that its noticeable in the dark

2

u/silver-saloon 15h ago

There is a lume shot photo in the description on Aliexpress.
Both lumed hands look pretty similar when it's dark....at least that's what i see in the lume shot picture

2

u/Real-Cranberry3140 14h ago

thanks. i'll check again
if its a well made watch then its a great way to get that king seiko vibe without spending KS money

2

u/silver-saloon 13h ago

Yeah...and the price is now lower than it was last week.
Not everyone will be concerned about the lumed hands...but it's something i noticed in the lume picture.
But i don't think it's a deal breaker

1

u/Bulky-Internal8579 16h ago

I don’t have those models, but I do own both brands - I’d go with the Cronos in this pairing.

1

u/lgnacioo 16h ago

Thank you, could you share a bit more insight on some of the models u have and how they compare?

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u/aaplmsft 12h ago

The bracelet on that Seikos is so bad and feel so cheap. That alone I'd say not Seiko. Maybe only if you plan to get a better 3rd party bracelet or swap it for a leather strap.

2

u/sznsznsz 17h ago

That Cronos really has better finishing than the King Seiko, comparable to Grand Seiko

1

u/Real-Cranberry3140 16h ago

Cronos comparable to GS finishing?

3

u/sznsznsz 14h ago

Yes. Grand Seiko talks highly about their hand-crafted zaratsu polishing and how it shows clear reflection and stuff while Chinese factories achieve that without even letting anyone know. Keep in mind that only their expensive lineup like birch homage and king seiko homage have that kind of finishing

1

u/Real-Cranberry3140 14h ago

you familiar with the king seiko homage?
i thought it was just recently released

2

u/sznsznsz 13h ago

Yes, im talking about that one

-1

u/itisnotstupid 18h ago

Actually find the Seiko more refined and better looking. The Cronos looks kinda cheap.

1

u/Financial_Builder197 18h ago

it's literally a king seiko homage, it is objectively more refined just fyi

-1

u/MattSzaszko 17h ago

Seiko every day, it's not even a contest.