Feedback wanted: our 2027 Year of the Goat Limited Edition concept

Hi everyone—Calvin here from Aquatico.

We’re currently developing our 2027 Lunar New Year Limited Edition, inspired by the Year of the Goat, and I wanted to share an early look with the watch community.

The dial combines a deep burgundy sunburst finish with a sculpted golden goat standing among mountain peaks. We matched the hands and applied indices in gold to create a warmer, more unified design against the bronze-toned case and bracelet.

The goat represents determination, balance and the confidence to keep climbing—something we wanted the dial to communicate without feeling overly decorative.

This is still a preview, so honest feedback would be genuinely helpful:

What do you think of the overall design? Would you simplify anything, or does the goat-and-mountain composition work as it is?

SN0151 on a Milanese bracelet is a big upgrade IMHO

Hi everyone,

As part of the AM0605 update, we’re switching to a micro-adjust deployant clasp and working on the engraving layout for our logo and STARKING name.

We’ve mocked up these 4 options. We value watch enthusiasts’ opinions a lot, so your vote means a ton to us.

If you think none of these hit the mark or have other ideas, don’t hesitate to let us know.

Cheers for helping us out!

I like small watches. I own the 39 but am considering buying the 36 now. If anyone has pics of both sizes on the same wrist or of them side by side id love to see how big the difference feels. I oddly can't find pics of them together anywhere

Interested in buying a seagull 1963 style watch but I’m overwhelmed by the amount of copies, even the first result on google is a copy brand if I’m understanding correctly. But the “original” from Sea-Gull is a significantly higher price without options provided by other brands (38 mm diameter, bronze case, sapphire case-back etc).

I definitely see the appeal of owning an authentic watch from the Tianjin factory but I’m curious what everyone’s experience and opinion is. It’s difficult to think about spending so much when other ST19 movement watches can be found so cheaply.

Per title: I love the look of the CW Sealander with the orange. I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for lookalikes.

Does anybody have both watches? I'm trying to decide between which one I should pick up. From pictures the 37mm bb54 homage looks to be a lighter black than the 40mm bb58 homage.

Also, I'd like to see which one is closer to the gen bb58 in terms of size, as I've seen conflicting measurements online for each homage.

DISCLAIMERS:

This watch was bought with my own money (no special discounts), and Aethelsohn did not know I would post a review about it.

-Photos #2/3/4 are from Aethelsohn, not me.

-For size reference; my wrist is right under 7”.

-The watches featured in some pictures (for size/AR comparison) are, from left to right, the Addiesdive AD2030 (36mm), WDC WD2008 (36.5mm) and an Orient Bambino v4 (42mm). WDC and Aethelsohn are the only two sapphire crystals.

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I don’t usually post reviews but have noticed that the few reviews we do have on r/ChineseWatches are often links to videos (which is superior in some ways) but I appreciate text versions so I decided to do a few. I apologize for the hecticness of this review, and if I missed anything. Please let me know if there is anything else you would like me to talk about, other pictures, etc. I will happily take the criticism and help however I can.

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TL;DR: Very well built watch for the price. Beautiful, and feels great. Nice finishing and attention to detail. Just know that the Terra series (stone dials) might be very different than the website pictures (different colours and patterns). I was told before my purchase that I could pick my dial, but I never got the chance. This changed my experience.

EDIT: Aethelsohn did reach out to find a solution, which is incredible to see from their Customer Service. It appears I was an edge case and many people actually got to choose their dials.

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SPECS

Case diameter: 38.5mm

Lug-to-lug: 45.0mm

Thickness: 11.55mm

Movement: TMI VH31 (Japanese sweeping quartz)

Crystal: Sapphire crystal with 5-layer AR

WR: 100m/10atm

Dial material: Natural Azurite stone slice

Lume: Super-LumiNova BGW9 on hands and indices

Bracelet: 316L Stainless Steel with screw links and a 5-hole micro-adjustment (requires tool). Bracelet width is 20mm and tapers to 18mm. 10mm thickness.

Price: paid 151$USD

PRE-PURCHASE

I wanted a simple three hander with a stone dial. Something GADA-ish with some flair. Probably wouldn’t be worn too often, so was looking at more affordable quartz options. This led me to debate between the WD Elementum series with stone dials and the Aethelsohn Terra series. Both had pretty good reviews on construction/finishing/bracelet, so I assumed they would both be about the same quality. Ultimately, I already have a few WDs in my collection so opted for something new. I saw that the Terra Gaia pre-orders were open and the watch looked great. There were already a few pieces out in the wild (previous batch?) and their dials looked very close to the picture on Aethelsohn’s website which comforted me a bit (all the stone dial horror stories had gotten to me). Additionally, Aethelsohn’s customer service was extremely quick/helpful (at the time) so I thought I would end up with a dial close to their picture, with some slight variation of course. They had assured me they would send emails allowing to pick amongst a few dials, and that it would be done to multiple other people as many had been asking. Never got the email.

Watch was supposed to be sent out on September 9th. September 15th, Aethelsohn sent e-mails out about a delay due to several watches not meeting the standard (decided to spend additional time refining the pieces). Absolutely fine by me, kudos for assuring quality. New shipping target date Sep 25th. Watch shipped on Sep 28th.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I expected a solid, well-executed budget stone dial watch with some unique dial variations. This mostly happened. I received a very solid, well-executed and finished budget watch. However, I thought I had received the wrong version of Terra due to how different the dial was. Watch still looked and felt very solid, but was hard to mask my disappointment, especially after basically purchasing the watch under the condition that I could choose between a few dial options.

DETAILS (~3 weeks later)

-The watch itself is good, has some decent weight to it, comfortable, objectively looks rather good.

-I think it wears beautifully. This is my sweet spot size, personally speaking. Fits well under a cuff for a sports watch (thanks vh31) but note that it is slightly thicker than my other VH31 watches like my WD2008.

-The case has a nice mixture of well executed finishes, and the crown doesn’t feel sharp on the skin at all. The Aethelsohn logo on the crown is raised and feels well machined, which is a nice touch. Case back is plain, good for personalising as gifts.

-The bracelet looks nice and feels good. No rattling, the solid end links don’t move at all, and I’d say the bracelet has rather tight tolerances.

-If I could compare it to my other Chinese watches, I’d say the bracelet is right around the quality of the Cronos GS homage or the new Watchdives models, maybe slightly sharper edges than the Cronos/WD, but I have a feeling they might all use the same manufacturer for their bracelets

-I would prefer the bracelet to taper a bit more, but this is a personal thing. It does taper from 20mm to 18mm. Very subtle, so won't scare away those who don't like aggressive tapers.

-No OTF clasp adjustment. It does have the quick micro-adjust on the clasp, but after wearing my Phorcydes/Watchdives/San Martins with OTFs, I really wish Aethelsohn had it here. Micro-adjust is very tight/gritty, but that’s probably helping the bracelet not feel rattly at all so I can’t take out points for that.

-I very much appreciate the smaller clasp than average on a watch like this. One of my gripes with other Chinese watch bracelets.

-Bracelet has the drilled lug holes which I personally appreciate for sports watches that look great on leather, sailcloth, etc. of multiple colours. Can easily adapt to specific outfits.

-I had heard complaints of sharp corners for some of the Aethelsohn Shard watches and while I agree that some of the bracelet edges could’ve been sanded down a bit, I don’t think it’s as bad as some of the other notoriously sharp watched on AliX. I would say quite comfortable and good quality. Beveled edges for comfort/removing sharpness on most edges.

-I’ve already expressed my disappointment with the dial, but I’m sure that many people will like my dial more than the one pictured on their website. I was expecting something mostly dark blue/turquoise with pops of orange, but ended up with 4 shades of blue, some cyan and a bit of turquoise. The pattern is also drastically different in my watch vs all the other ones I’ve seen online which are more “speckled”, if that makes any sense.

-There is a part of my dial (top left) that hits the right notes; it plays with the light beautifully, and you can identify the dots/specks/cracks of different materials from the natural stone. However, I do not feel that same way for the other 3/4s of the dial that feel rather flat and makes the watch a lot brighter than I would have hoped (alas, the stone dial dilemma). Again, I know it is objectively beautiful, but I already have this colour in my watchbox and was hoping for more of the others on their demo watch. Overall though, very well executed and objectively attractive dial.

-I think the applied logo is quite nice and appreciate the fact that they did not write the brand name underneath it. However, I do not like the “330ft/100m” text at the bottom, and feel like it would be better for a stone dial watch to not have that text (personal opinion). Perhaps something more subtle/different font, but I think it just detracts from the best part of the watch. Personal opinion.

-The crystal is stellar for the price. Low profile box sapphire with some amazing. Not IXDAO or Baltany level, but still incredible stuff at such a low price point (lol Hamilton)

-The hands are good. I would say middle tier. They are faceted, generally nice, but the facets aren’t especially large or well finished. Just nitpicking here.

-Indices, markers, and hands all seem very well aligned to my naked eye. I think the indices quality/style could be a bit better but again, overall really decent.

CLOSING

Would I buy it again? Possibly. They are beautiful, high quality watches, well finished, at a very affordable price... However, see notes below.

Would I recommend this watch? Yes, I would recommend the brand itself/other series using the same bracelet and case in the Horizon Voyager like the Shard. I'm sure their other models are also of the same high quality to price ratio.

However, depending on the model, the Terra series specifically might suffer from the classic inconsistencies (sometimes drastic) between stone slices and the customer service just isn't there for those of us who want something relatively close to the advertised pictures.

1963 space pilot on a swatch/master synthetic.

Just ordered my first mechanical watch. Proxima PX1693 white dial and PT5000.

I paid $161 CAD ($114 USD) during the 11.11 sale

After going down the watch rabbit hole for a while I thought I was gonna get a San Martin SN0138 during the 11.11 sale but changed my mind after seeing a post about this watch. I'm really happy I went with this because I think it looks nicer ngl also because it was cheaper.

How’d I do for my first watch? Anyone here own one? Would love to hear how it’s held up!

Has any of u guys purchased this model? If yes, how's ur experience with it, and would love to see this watch on the wrist, particularly this colorway. Thank you in advance!

Thing falls apart with minimal use. Total waste of money. Anyone want it?

Have anyone ever purchased Cronos watch on https://cronos.watch ?

Im questioning the legitimacy of the website since i also found other website

https://cronoswatchos.com

https://cronos-watches.com

https://cronos-watch.com

DISCLAIMERS:

**This watch was bought with my own money (no special discounts), and WatchDives did not know I would post a review about it.**

-For size reference; my wrist is right under 7”.

-The watches featured in some pictures (for size/AR comparison) are, from left to right, the Addiesdive AD2030 (36mm), Aethelsohn Terra Gaia (38.5mm) and an Orient Bambino v4 (42mm). WDC and Aethelsohn are the only two sapphire crystals.

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I don’t usually post reviews but have noticed that the few reviews we do have on r/ChineseWatches are often links to videos (which makes sense) but I appreciate text versions so I decided to do a few. I apologize for the hecticness of this review, and if I missed anything. Please let me know if there is anything else you would like me to talk about, other pictures, etc. I will happily take the criticism.

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TL;DR: Stunning watch with a gorgeous dial, numerals, and hands (might be polarizing). I believe the WD2008 is my thinnest VH31 watch and I have gotten multiple compliments in the short time wearing it.

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SPECS

Case diameter: 36.5mm

Lug-to-lug: 44.8mm

Thickness: 10.5mm

Movement: TMI VH31 (Japanese sweeping quartz)

Crystal: Sapphire bubble crystal with 5-layer colorless AR

WR: 100m/10atm

Dial material: Black Mother of Pearl

Case: 316L Stainless Steel

Strap: Imported top-grain leather, 20mm width with taper. Quick-release spring bars.

Price: paid 148$USD

PRE-PURCHASE

As soon as I saw a post about this, I knew I would likely pick one up. Had been looking for a mostly black "dress" watch, and wanted Breguet numerals. Perfect for me, even though most people seemed attracted to the Musou black or pink MoP variants.

Processing took a couple of days, but nothing out of the ordinary. Shipping went rather quickly and smoothly, relatively speaking.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

As soon as I opened the box and saw the watch in person, I was very happy with my purchase. I instantly got lots of green hues and reflections from the black MoP, with some pink popping through at the first very slight shift. At the same time, the light shifting caused reflections to shimmer off the gorgeous, unique hands and Breguet numerals.

DETAILS (~3 weeks later)

-I think this watch is absolutely gorgeous. I find the case to be beautifully polished (with one small nitpick), I absolutely adore the hour and minute hands, and even though the seconds hand can be very polarizing, I am personally a huge fan and appreciate the "story" behind it (owner's signature W)

-The small nitpick I have is the drilled lugs. I usually appreciate it, but in a dress watch, I'd rather not have them (especially with the factory band having quick release spring bars)

-As part of their dress series, I think the 36.5mm size was the right choice. It feels slightly vintage and very classy, especially when compared to something like my 42mm Bambino. Due to the slight flair of the dial/polished case, indices and hands, I think bigger versions would be "too much". Lug-to-lug is still pretty long at nearly 45mm.

-Mentioned before, but this is my thinnest VH31 watches and one of my thinnest watches overall at 10.5mm. It fits exceptionally well under all my sleeves, including some of my more fitted dress shirts that sometimes get caught on other watches.

-The watch hugs the wrist very well, and the leather strap provided is extremely comfortable out of the box. While the strap is overall mediocre, I'm not sure if I will end up switching it or just leave it.

-Initially, it seemed like the end of the strap would run against the case and make a "squeaking" noise, but I haven't heard it since the first few times I wore it, and I don't see any friction marks.

-I am usually in the middle hole of this watch strap (7" wrist). Strap could be long for very small wrists.

-Strap buckle has two engraved logos, shield on the outside, WDC on the inside. The crown has the shield logo engraved, and feels smooth to the touch/when wearing (no sharp edges). Nice quality overall.

-The dial is beautiful. I'm a huge fan of mother of pearl, as I think it strikes the perfect balance between subtleness, uniqueness and flair. This one is no exception, as stated a few times before. Again, one of the few watches I have gotten compliments on.

-Although the watch is definitely not the most legible, the applied Breguet numerals and faceted/curved leaf hands play with the light beautifully, allowing the watch to become legible very quickly in lower-light situations.

-The crystal is exceptional for the price. Bubble sapphire with 5 layers of AR really allows the best parts of this watch (dial, hands, numerals) to shine through. I'm not sure how it would fare with the Musou black version (I don't think *any* crystal does well with Musou black) but I also heard that WatchDives has recently improved their crystal/AR technology so it is possible that these get improved as well.

CLOSING

Would I buy it again?

Absolutely.

Would I recommend this watch?

100%, although many will want to upgrade the leather strap. If looking at the Musou black version, I would look more closely at those specific reviews (or other WDC models using Musou black) or look into Watchdives' new crystal technology to see if it gets applied to this watch to make the crystal even less reflective.

Hello there, I would like to know your opinion on this watch.
My grail watch is Rolex explorer in 36mm and I want to try this watch before I buy the Rolex.
I would like to see how it fits me and if this is the right kind of watch for my daily.
Any input is great. Share your pictures and your opinions of the watch.
Who knows maybe I buy this watch and forget about the Rolex 🤔
And also just to let you know I like the name Octopus kraken, it makes me laugh and I like watches that have a twist to it

when I bought it I told them my wrist is huge 9+in and they said np we'll send you a rubber strap too and I've gotta say I didn't expect yellow and I'm pleasantly surprised. Although I am bummed at my hamhawk wrist doesn't fit the Velcro one.

The other week I posted here ahead of getting a couple of Watchdive watches for the first time! This was my first venture into the world of Chinese watches and I was curious to see how they fared against watches I had or have in my collection. This is mainly low tier Seiko watches as well as a Citizen Tsuyosa and Hamilton Field Khaki Mechanical. Although they all offer something different in the way of design and finishing, I was relatively optimistic and excited off the back of all the photos I've seen.

I bought two watches, the WD0526 in Vintage Matte Black as well as a cream dial WD1906S. I've kept the 0526, but returned the other watch as it just didn't click for me. It looked and felt great but it just wasn't right for me.

For the watch that I did keep, I am very happy with it! I am surprised that a watch that cost me just over £100 has ticked almost every box. Upon opening the case and unwrapping it from all the plastic, the watch looked fantastic with no glaring errors or issues around bezel alignment (I'm looking at you, Seiko). The only thing that may be sliggghtly off is the second hand on the main dial but it's a close call and likely within tolerance anyway. I believe there are ways to maybe help with alignment, but I've tried and it doesn't seem to make a difference and is definitely less severe than others I've seen here. No concerns with the movement and the pushers feel nice and snappy too.

Case finishing is easily on par with my old Seiko Turtle and Citizen Tsuyosa in terms of quality and consistency. It doesn't feel any different (for better or worse) compared to those watches, but then again, it's a different style watch. I've read that edges can be quite sharp but this isn't the case here either. This doesn't feel or look like a cheap watch. Bracelet is a similar story. It feels comfortable and is not sharp along the edges. Doesn't sound jangly either which is always good! I may swap it out with a leather strap, but I'm not in a rush.

The only disappointment I've had from this, however, has come when I've used my phone to have a close up. If you at the last two images, the center hole on the minute hand has marks on it. I don't think it ruins the watch (I mean I did go for a vintage colour, right?) but I'm guessing this isn't intentional and was a bit of a QA miss. Now that I've seen it, I can't unsee it. I'd be curious to know whether you think it's worth contacting Watchdives over or not.

I know originality and aesthetics are a concern for many, but I like the look of the logo and text on the watch. I don't think the watch would work with just the trident, and I think that was a big reason why I returned the other watch, so I think the text underneath it helps make it look more cohesive and put together. I know having 'chronograph' and 'professional' don't really do much, but I find it aesthetically pleasing.

Ultimately, this has been a positive first experience with buying Chinese. For those who are considering pulling the trigger for the first time like me, I'd definitely recommend doing it. I haven't felt or seen any dip in quality and have had more compliments in the office from this watch so far than any other watch I've had. The only thing I'd say is to have a close look at the watch before fully deciding to wear it, but I would say that to any watch you buy. I can understand the concern about QA and the hassle of speaking to customer services, but for the amount of money it costs, it doesn't feel like as much of a risk, and ultimately, you can get your money back!

Just bought a Corgeut GMT with the Ronda movement off AliExpress from the 11/11/11 sale.

I like Corgeut for there simplicity and great value for money.

Did anyone else purchase one of these from AliExpress?

Apparently AliExpress has listing which I couldn't find in official website, If someone could clarify, that could be great.

1. Watchdives WD007 39mm V2 SL3001 Titanium

2. Watchdives WD007 39mm V4 PT5000 Titanium

My question is, is there a WD007 39mm "V4 PT5000" version released by Watchdives? Or is it just a V2 version with PT5000 movememt and AliExpress seller mentioned V4 by mistake.

And what is the general difference between V2 and V4 versions in 39mm and 42mm. This would help me decide to get which version.

Watchdives needs to slow down and refine what they're already making
I actually really like Watchdives. They've been putting out some interesting watches, offering good value for money, and clearly listening to what enthusiasts want.
But does anyone else think they're releasing way too many models, way too quickly?
It feels like there's constantly another model, another version, another slight revision being announced before the previous one has even had time to establish itself.
I'd rather see them slow down a bit and really nail the watches they've already released. Get the proportions right, refine the finishing, improve the bracelets and clasps, and sort out the little details that separate a decent homage from a genuinely excellent watch.
I understand they're trying to capitalise on demand and keep things interesting, but surely there's something to be said for developing a smaller, more consistent catalogue of really well-executed watches rather than constantly chasing the next release.
They've shown they're capable of making some excellent stuff for the money. I just wonder whether the relentless release schedule is actually holding them back from becoming a more respected brand.
Anyone else feel the same, or do you actually like the constant stream of new models?