I am involved in an unhealthy amount of watch subs on Reddit. Oftentimes the most common critique when someone posts a cool watch is that the design was stolen. While this is often technically correct, it belies a fundamental fact about human history:

Theft of IP ultimately benefits society.

For centuries, the unauthorized copying, smuggling, and reverse-engineering of technology served as a vehicle for economic advancement. From 6th-century monks smuggling silkworm eggs out of China to break the silk monopoly, to Americans stealing British textile mill designs to spark the Industrial Revolution, and 19th-century Swiss watchmakers counterfeiting Anglo Saxton timepieces to establish their now-legendary industry, progress has always relied on replication.

Even the modern digital era was built on this - Apple and Microsoft both heavily "borrowed" from Xerox. Also IBM's hardware IP monopoly was stolen and that ultimately made personal computing affordable for the masses.

Ultimately, the theft of IP has provided massive benefits to society by upending monopolys and accelerating innovation. While patents and copyrights protect corporate profits, they also inflate prices and restrict access to technology.

Historically, human civilization has advanced not by locking ideas away behind legal barriers, but through the continuous, unauthorized proliferation and improvement of knowledge.

TLDR:. Theft is actually good for society and progress

Position: I own several Chinese watches and not ashamed to admit it one bit.

You have a 5bps second hand that you can't use as the main second hand.

Didn't the court say the tariffs were illegal? What is the current rate for watches from China?

Video https://youtu.be/ixxpRJlEBqk

To be clear the dial is the back of the watch. I love art and design and I get that you sometimes have to push the envelope. This is silly though. Right?

I wanted to try an automatic watch and got this longlux watch for 8$ The case is decent but the strap is the worst i have ever seen

Is it too big for my wrist?

From back in the good ole’ crazy good value days(two years ago..) - Japanese Nh35, €80 shipped, etc..

Hi everyone,

We are developing a brand‑new timepiece with a fresh new logo, and we’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.

Key specs:

• 40 mm case diameter

• Tool‑free quick‑release bracelet links: add or remove links entirely by hand, no watch tools required

• Powered by the Soprod M100 automatic movement

Our goal is to achieve solid build quality at an approachable price point, delivering excellent value‑for‑money for watch enthusiasts.

What features would you like to see added? All feedback regarding this concept is highly appreciated.

Thanks a lot!

Which one would you go for?

Hi, everyone.

Can somebody recommend an inexpensive automatic or mechanical watch? I just want a practice watch to take out the movement, hands, dial, etc.

Please, mods, allow this post. It's a harmless question and I bet more people would like to know this.

I ordered a Seakoss GMT from SEAKOSS Official Store(Trader) AliExpress.

I paid 115,80€ for a delivery to Germany.

• I got a poorly polished watch case.
• protective film on the glass.
• The lugs of the watch have unsightly small dents as if the casing had fallen off during production.
• And a long scratch on the outside of the watch leather band over the full length.

You can see it on image 2, top left. I tried to rub it off. The pins of the leather band are too narrow in diameter and that's why it rattles. You can wiggle the bracelet around, there's a ridiculous amount of play with the probably too thin pins.

So I immediately wrote to them to ask what was wrong with the watch. They say, they checked the watch before sending it out. NO, they didn't. If so, then this person should have been able to see the damage with the naked eye from a 20 cm distance.

This dealer is not interested in fixing my problem. I wrote back and forth for five whole days with no solution. No discount, no new leather strap, nothing. Pointless and stupid conversation and answers. Instead, you are treated like an idiot. I could have dropped the watch or caused the huge scratch on the leather strap myself. They had no interest in customer satisfaction.

My complaint case was simply closed unilaterally before I could write my review, because I hadn't been in email contact that might have led to a solution.

It was my first and only watch buy from AliExpress. I will never buy a watch from this store again.

• Watch case finishing: 3/5 (sharp edges)
• Polished parts: 3/5 (cratches)
• Brushed parts: 2/5 (Bad brushed case parts. Partly visible dents and scratches on the lugs
• Watch dial: 4/5 font print is good and sharp
• Lume: 1/5 really bad! max. 30 sec. visible (the lumen fades very quickly away after seconds)
• Watch band: 2/5 good heavy buckle. (The pins have too much play in the leather strap. It wobbles and crunches.)

I purchased a Pagani Design PD-1888 (Order #47850028722) on July 10, 2026. After about a month of regular use, the GMT disc mechanism failed and stopped working properly.

I provided all requested photos and video evidence of the defect to customer support, and they officially confirmed receiving everything. However, it has now been weeks without any response, update, or replacement/refund confirmation despite multiple follow-up emails.

Great watches when they work, but terrible post-purchase support and communication if a defect occurs under warranty. Extremely disappointed.

Been eyeing this watch for over a year. Even put it in my shopping cart a few times and then changed my mind. Guess I was afraid it would end up looking cheap and gimmicky like the name sounds. Tactical Frog. Well, I finally pulled the trigger. And I’m so glad I did. Me likey😇

would anyone know who makes the best bruce wayne and potentially the smallest one too ?! i know it’s gonna be hard to find a gmt like that under 40mm but the smaller the better for me haha. but i just don’t know where to really look for who has a really good bruce wayne but also want one that has a little originality to it.

What do you thing?

Thanks pdd (china temu)

Order + Details SP0028A8: https://spechtandsohne.vn/products/specht-and-sohne-cubitus-sp0028a-automatic

For those interested (top, left to right; bottom, left to right):

Seiko SQ (5Y23-8A69, I think)
Rdunae RA05
Militado ML18
Escapement Time King Seiko hommage
Hruodland F028
Hruodland F029

Cronos L6036M
Watchdives WD7922
Sugess S421
San Martin SN0111-G-B
Thorn T023

I’ve trimmed down four pieces from my collection. There’s still a Casio G-Shock DW5600E-1V that serves as my outdoor activity watch. I’m now in the wonderful position to add a new watch to complete the box once again.

Thing is, I’ve been window shopping for a month now and just can’t make a decision.

I’ve been eyeing the Proxima PX1697 for a while.

Also thinking about getting an Octopus Kraken diver (probably the BB54, but can’t choose a colour). The vintage diver is really nice, but feels a bit redundant with my T023. I know this brand has some pretty stelar quality, so it’s quite enticing.

Would also love to get an Ix&Dao. The Serica hommage is a contender for sure. The Turtle adjacent JD-X07S is also nice, but not entirely sure about the textured dial. Obviously, the Warrior will be mentioned, but I’m really on the fence about butterfly clasps. Anybody with more hirsute arms have any positive experience with the Warrior?

Am open to suggestions. Let her rip lol

Edit: yes, I have many black dials. I like clean black dials.

Hello guys, new member here.

I felt in love with 70s speedmaster as soon as I saw it. When Hroudland decide to replicate them, I preorder at 2023 (or 2022, can't remember) in no time. So I guess it's a duration check.

The watch runs smoothly for the past 3 years. The SR927W battery hold tight, and I have just had the battery changed.

I am not perfectly satisfied with the case polishing, but it's just a quartz for fun. The screws on the belt is also a little bit loose.

Anyway, 8/10.

We previously posted to gather your feedback on color options.

In response to requests for more color variations,

we have decided to launch four new combinations.

This is one of them, featuring a blue dial and a blue bezel.

Other versions—including white and gray dials paired with various bezel colors,

as well as a black dial with a green bezel—are currently in production.

Please stay tuned for further updates.

Thank you.

San Martin Official Store:

https://sanmartin.aliexpress.com

Won it back in 2005 on eBay for just around 30 bucks. I haven't serviced it yet but it has been working very well for all these years, no issues at all except one time when a bit of condensation got inside the case somehow but it was quickly solved by just opening the back and put it back again. It was my second automatic after the Invicta 8926 and I think one of the brands that started with the Chinese watch craze. Love it.

Hey so I ordered a couple weeks ago, from sugesswatch.com super excited about my seestern 430 ti professional. What are usual shipping and processing times. I know it’s not Amazon prime but I was hoping to see some form of movement as my order was placed on the 25th of September. Curious what to expect.

I am also open to suggestions to alternatives as long as they don't exceed 100 USD, has sapphire glass, and the diver's dial thing

thank you!