The Difference in Quality is SHOCKING! Steeldive V Heimdallr V San Martin V Cronos V Tisell
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- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2024
- Comparing these dive watches, Steeldive v Heimdllr v San Martin v Cronos v Tisell Rolex Submariner Homages, which has the best bezel!
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San Martin
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_ArqRjN
Cronos
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_A5Thqj
Steeldive
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_9AOe8j
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Dear RUclips and Viewers,
The watches in this video are originals or homages. These are not fakes or counterfeit, they are perfectly legal and anyone who reports this channel to RUclips for the promotion or selling of fake or counterfeit products is doing so knowing that this channel is not breaking any of the terms and conditions stipulated by RUclips.
Any music used in this video is owned by RUclips and I am also legally entitled to use it. The pictures are my own or obtained legally with permission for commercial use.
I have been careful with my use of any trade marked terms in this video relating to any other watches. None of the watches have other brands trademarked terms displayed on them.
Homage watches are legal as long as they do not carry the name or trademarked terms or names of the original maker which no watches in this video do.
Thank you for your support!
Gary
I Like Watches
I have had my Steeldive 1953 for a little while now, and I have to completely disagree with your assessment. Mine has easily the best bezel action and fitment of any dive watch in my collection, more in line with your assessment of the San Martin. There must be a QC issue with your specific watch.
Perhaps that Steeldive was faulty but I have had my Steeldive 1953 for a year and a half and it is rock solid all around, I was and still am blown away by the quality and finish of it.Has been through some tough terrain with me and it still looks brand new =O
True that. I have the Steeldive "no date" Sub and it's outstanding value. Better lume than both of my San Martins that were about twice as expensive. Even Addiesdive has better lume than San Martin.
And I have the Heimdallr "NTTD" which is absolutely fantastic.
Not sure how much San Martin pays for advertising on RUclips but it's obviously a lot.
I have the Steeldive in both date and no date versions - no issues at all with the bezels on either - no backplay, no rocking, nice movement and clicks.
Yep I agree I've had my steeldive hulk for three years and it's solid and I've never had a problem with any steeldive watches I've got the " Willard and tuna " from them ,but Ive had problems with san martins bezel twice now the third time they sent me an ok one but all that trouble and waiting for a watch that cost me exactly double the price of the trouble free steeldive!?
AGREE! I own the SD1953 "Cermit", SD1964 "Big Hulk", SD 1975XP, and SD1970. Have plenty of other watches, from Deep Blue (Master 2000) to Rolex Submariner (16613 Sultan).
Frankly, as an every day tool watch, the SteelDives are really hard to beat on quality/price. I have never had a bad bezel on any of the SD's, to include the 4 SD1953's that I've gifted to family members. This video was strange in emphasizing an obvious quality defect...that watch should've been returned. One may even question if it had already been disassembled by a hack, just in time for the video.
I think the only area where the SD's may fall short is on the bracelet...which has a stamped clasp. I simply upgraded to an after-market unbranded Oyster with machined clasp ($20) or... in the case of the SD1970...a MAIKES after-market full leather strap with deployment clasp ($25).
I have to chime in here I have the Starbucks and just got it recently about a month ago. Honestly it's perfect in every way I mean I don't have a microscope but I do have a loupe that I can look closely with. I bought mine on the cheap for $44 with a rubber strap. I knew I was going to upgrade to a 904ss bracelet and it worked out great. On the fly adjustment, the feel of the 904. I'm there already.
THE BEZEL ON MY STEELDIVE IS SOLID NO PLAY
I own several $500-$1500 watches (Mido, Tissot, etc), and recently bought a SteelDive...I can just say I am very impressed by the quality/cost of the watch. I found few things to complain about such as the bracelet no being great but still, it is a $100 watch compared to a $1000 one. great watch overall.
After looking at your macro shots, it's obvious that the San Martin has the best fit and finish of all of them. All of the brushing, notches, etc... are finished flawlessly.
The best one is Steeldive because mine is rock solid bezel. It seems you got a defective one. Nothing can come close to Steeldive’s lume.
You can see on the macro shots that the finish is nowhere near the quality of San Martin.
Addiesdive has a great bezel. No back play or looseness. I am in love with my $39 quartz. They also make an automatic with a Seiko NH35A movement for about $120.
Doesn't matter no more. I have departed from the Watch scene a long time ago. Watches don't interest me anymore. Have fun folks.
Yes, Addiesdive trumps SteelDive in all aspects except coolness of name. Substance trumps name.
Thanks for the awesome video! I really appreciate these super in depth comparisons. I’ve been on the fence about some of these for a while, and your videos really help
Loving these deep dive comparisons into various aspects of the watches. Really telling for either you get what you pay for OR know your brand and not necessarily go by price... keep them coming!! 👍
San Martin all the way I'd say. I'm loving the hair brush in the background - I'm sure, like me, you use one every day.
for my beard :)
This comparative series is taking the head-to-head to new heights! Really well done Gary
Really? All I've seen is a bezel comparo, not much else. The sound of a bezel might be a thing, but not very relevant to the quality of a watch.
I do like these in depth vlogs - they really help me make my mind up and pull the trigger with confidence. 👍
For me it would be the San Martin. I’ve seen a lot of reviews and the San Martin always fair very well. I’ve been thinking of purchasing one for myself. Great review as always Gary!!!
Hi Gary, great video. Love the macro footage. Incredible to see the huge differences in quality. Great work.
glad you rolled out that Birocratic track again Gary. That piece in the Exciton preview was seriously inspired production, and pulled me on board with that project.
I really do like these in-depth reviews/comparisons - Thank you Gary 😊👍
I really like this series. Great camera work. Thanks for all your hard work.
Love these Gary! My SM V3 bezel action is great UNTIL I get the pip to in between the date and the index for 2. Then it becomes very stiff between there and returning to the arrow at 12. Any tips for resolving or am I just stuck with it?
grab some dental floss and see if you can work that under the bezel, that is a common fix?
these detailed comparison videos are great, i am sure they will help a lot of people
Loving the level of detail in your comparisons. Quite remarkable
Good Take on using 2 thumbs to show bezel movement. Never seen anyone use this method.
Great series, I like the format, you must have had a bit of bad luck with the San Martin, on my black v3 that I'm wearing today, I've just checked and there is no side-to-side movement on the bezel at all or lift or bounce. I got mine in the last 11/11 sale, so perhaps it's been improved, but I don't use the bezel very often so perhaps it moves more as it wears in.
I wonder if you received the ver 1 steel dive? Mine is solid, does not roc or have any back play. Hmmm.
I love a bit of bezel action on a Friday morning.And thanks for bringing back the click audiograms.
My Tisell is just fine, very min back play but the clicks sound just fine, also the white paint in the ceramic insert is perfect, I bought it used (under 200) and the movement is within seconds a day. No complaints here. But I must say I really like the Cronos,
If I compare your SD1953 vs. my SD1970 difference in bezel action and QC is lightyears... Strange
Yup appearance and QC on the Steeldive depends on the model .. but it also goes to consistancy and QC of the brand.
Love my Steeldive Captn. Willard have absolutely no regrets about it.
San Martin seems to consistently offer the best QC but you definitely pay more for it - to me that is where the extra money from San Martin and Cronos really goes. The question is how detailed and picky are you and can you live with the issues for the price or are you willing to pay extra.
Tissel seems to be the biggest huge disappointment in this series ... other than that I figured Cronos and San Martin (I figured San Martin would be top based on watching multiple other videos) would be in the same ball park followed by Heimdallr vs. Steeldive because of the price.
Yeah I'd agree with everyone here. I have a couple of steeldives and they have rock solid bezel and nice brushing. Also I have an Addiesdive Quartz and it's awesome ( $50 AU) great bezel, nice watch.
Hello im very indecisive between those 2 Addiesdive my-h3 (quartz/sub)-37€ and steeldive automatic 1953-wich is 97€, would you recomend going for the cheapest since you have both to compare or steeldive is a lot better??
Need your advice please 😂
It depends on weather you want the accuracy of a quartz or the sweep of a mechanical. Personally, if it's an everyday wear I'd go for the Addiesdive for conveiniance. Having said that, with the Steeldive you get a sapphire crystal and an NH35 automatic.
But you really can't go wrong with either.@@gandhabba69
This is the first time I've seen a thorough examination of watch bezels. Great job. Thank you. 👍
I have the 1954 steeldive and the bezel is fantastic, strange how the QC can vary so much.
QC does not vary ,
Quality does .
Because there is no QC "Quality Control" .
Great video Gary. I bought 2 of those steel dives for gifts and neither had the rocking / loose bezel issue. Maybe was specific to that particular example you got?
Maybe but I have bought 4 Steeldive watches so far and the quality of this one is comparable to the other three so I suspect this is a fairly common example sadly. Great that there are good examples out there though....that's is what we would all prefer.
@@ilikewatches Yes, perhaps may be poor QC between different batches.
Great and interesting video. Hopefully this will end the homage hater's argument that "they're all made in the same factory" for good. Interesting point that Tisell sounds remarkably similar to my Seiko SNE 497 Tuna-Lite which is incredibly sloppy and indistinct. I'm not really much of a bezel fiddler often trying them once or twice when they're new with the exception of my fancy Heimdallr 6105 8110 with the ETA 2824, that feels so good even I can't resist a twiddle!
Hello Gary,
Amazing analysis, particularly like the macro shots and graphical representation of the "clicks"... you have done an outstanding job sir.
That said, and I own 3 of the 5 watches (Steeldive, San Martin and Heimdallr) I agree with your findings and conclusions.
Thank you again Gary, your material just keeps getting better and better.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Cheers
lol, I thought you were going to say i had got it completely wrong! Nice that you agree......thank you for your kind words!
Just received delivery of the steel dive. Looks like there has been an upgrade on the bezel very positive, tight and absolutely no back play on it. Not as good as my Black Bay 58, impressive nonetheless!! Great comparisons incidentally, keep up the good work
This videos you made about the differences were super helpful!
More then all the other channels I watched before.
Thanks for making them.
Subscribed with bell on!
Awesome thank you
I bought the San Martin some weeks ago. It looks very nice but I could not wear it. All edges were very sharp (bracelet, case, clasp, crown). For me awful to wear. So I sold it after some days.
I am having best experience with SteelDive 1953, really rock solid and just +5 Seconds error thats all... Finsishing like super expensive watch and bezel also very rigid and solid, no any fizzi movement. Super happy with the purchase.
Thanx. I didn't know that the San Martin watches were so good. I appreciate that. Do the other San Martin models have the same good quality?
Surprised by the Tissel. These guys have been doing homages for ages and thought they would have been much better than this.
Last few days I've been toying with the history proven tisell and it's famed following or the new kid on the block the San Martin. You've been a great help in helping me decide.thankas
Weird, my Steeldive Kermit/Starbucks bezel is absolutely perfect with no backplay at all
I have the same, after gifting my SD1953 Hulk to my dad, who was really impressed with that watch. I did invest in an unbranded Oyster-style bracelet with fully brushed links and a micro-adjustable/machined clasp (+$15). Bought the Cermit for about $88 on sale...so an all-in price of $103 for this quality/spec seems unbeatable. Absolutely no issues with the bezel...honestly...I do not know where that sample came from for this review. Maybe it was sent by a competitor?
Really great comparison of bezels, I am picky when a bezel doesn't line up as it should, or back play. I find when the watches just have a name on them it does look cheap especially long names, T least put some type of logo, like Cronos or San Martin does, I find my eye catches that long drawn out name rightaway, but on the other hand I don't mind many lines of text on the dial, and even a splash on color in 1 or 2 words for that little pop.
That is an interesting test, well done. Bezels should not wobble. I tried this on all my dive watches from the Rolex sub to my citizen and Seiko divers. Even the Invicta bezel does not wobble. My advice is to forget these watches and buy the Seagull dive watch 6057 with PVD coating. No bezel wobble at all, st2130 movement and the most legible dive watch for the money.
Hi Gary,yet again another honest review,and yet again the SAN Matin pips the rest to the post.
All their range of watches seems to be good watches just question the price of some of them.
The Pagani are also a decent watch choice.
I'm a new subscriber. I really like your content and your way of reviewing the watches.
I've noticed a couple of knives on the shelf behind you. Are you into knives also?
I agree that the Cronos is really good. I own one and I really like the bezel action. I had a San Martin, but had to return it because the crown was defective and too difficult to screw back into the case. I found the San Martin a little "too sharp" to handle all around. The bezel action was nice, but the edges of the bezel were sharp feeling. Same for the crown and the links on the bracelet. The edges are fairly sharp feeling. I guess it depends on what you're looking for. The San Martin was definitely quality, but I didn't enjoy the overall experience. I prefer the Cronos.
Very well made comparison 🙏🙏🙏
you have heimdallr listed twice where Tissel should be @8:47
Also to address the video I thought the Cronos actually had the nicest finishing. Edges were well defined but nice and rounded at a macro level. San Martin everything was very sharp and cold. Seems to be a commonality with San Martin, those Sharp edges.
Great review "mini series" 😂got my eye on the San Martin..... And talking about the San Martin..... The bezel action spring loading if u call it that is rare but not unique....... My casio Duro has the same action built in to the bezel..... Not as good as the San Martin for quality I'm sure.
Can you please make a video on feice royal pat skeleton? I find it really attractive, and am considering getting one but I need to hear your pov
Amazing and rational comparison work, well done Gary. By far the best Aliexpress watch channel. I find it quite sad that Jody didn't adverdise your channel after you got banned, as he probably is one of your subscribers. You truly deserve far more than 4k subs.
Thanks, very kind words! I’m not surprised Jody didn’t. I won’t say any more than that!
Great review Gary Thanks for this. Just one thing thou, i think you missed labeled the Tisell as a Heimdallr, 8:43. That Tisell really looks bad up close.
Yes, sorry, too late to change it now but I think people should get it....if they notice it.
I stand corrected mine is the Capt. Willard homage.
Good video, thanks Gary
I have a Tissel and no complaints, bezel action is good with just a hint of back play.
I also have a Cronos which is also good and again just a hint of back play.
nice review. I just wonder how PD1661 would compare
Love the new little intros, keep it up!
I have the Steeldive Sd 1953 for me the Better of all these you mentioned. The bezel has no defects, the luminescence higher than many high-ranking brands ... it will be yours 😉
Great comparison with spectacular pics!
Thank you!
Hello, I got the Steel Dive, £49, arrived from China to the UK in 7 days. Excellent quality. I wear it when I don’t want my Rolex 16610 to get damaged. Things must have improved. Ged
i cant find the clasp video. can you give a link?
😂
Great video, can you make a test of the Sugess Submariner watch ?The quality looks amazing for the the price (~160 usd).
San Martin all day! They just make a quality watch! Fantastic in depth look into these watches great stuff!!👍🏻
Fun comparison video. Cronos wins for me because : sound of bezel is best, the numerals looks the smartest and most elegant imo. Somehow the SM numerals looks cheaper under macro even though they are very precise. Only you can make a judgment on how all the bezel actions feel! I’ll take your word that the SM is the nicest.
I do agree with you in some respect, I would have the Cronos watch over the SM because of the crispness of those clicks but I try not to weight my opinions too much.
@@ilikewatches Actually, you’ve turned me into a Cronos fan-boy since your association with the company! 🤩Recently bought a Cronos type B Flieger with the PT5000 and love it. Also I get a little fed up with all the praise being heaped on SM in the community and Cronos not getting much so I think I’m a little biased!
Croons are getting there...just think where they were 6 months ago, selling single digit numbers and no one was reviewing their watches...in another year they’ll be one of the best sellers on AliExpress...SM are great but they are making some mistakes, like making larger than average watches and pushing their prices up too much. This should leave space for Cronos to steal market share as long as they listen to the feedback!
@@ilikewatches Yes, good point. I forget they have only been going a short while. I’m looking forward to seeing what new models they will be bringing out this year.
I have the steel dive watch and has no play, perfectly alignment and sounds like the San Martin !!!
Just goes to show you pays your money and take pot luck but at £65 pounds the steel dive is a no brainier especially with the same seiko movement
NB the loom is as good as my omega
Okay I know for sure that steeldive upgraded their bezel actions on their sub homages. Before the rolex type caseback versions of steeldive had bad bezel actions evidenced by the first youtube reviews of those watches, but they changed and also changed the caseback to a screwdown caseback with lazer engraving at the back. So look for that when you're shopping
@@waris3732 That's very helpful - many thanks.
Steeldive is great for the price, mine has great bezel action and i have heimdallr and san martin to compare. Steeldive has great lume in the bezel too.
@@DM-rc4yu yes that's true! I think San Martin is good value on a sale. Both San Martin watches I've had have had really sharp edges on every possible edge of the case and bracelet so I've had to spend hours filing them down. Not had problems with the bezel action though
Great Ian😉💪🏻
The San Martin has a interesting Sumo homage hopefully you'll get someday it in your hands.
Bezel play and tension can be adjusted to a certain level. If the factory shift had a rough weekend and the tolerance is to high, than... hey you are not a wizard.
Luv my bronze Cronos! Best Lume; last all night!!!
Every company has different quality in their lineup of models. For example the Steeldive SD1978 is a superb high quality watch that knocks the socks off the top of range in the other brands, and easily a match for Seiko. Regarding straps, I rarely use the straps that come with watches, and prefer to buy a separate high quality shark-skin steel strap and heavy duty pins.
I’m really looking forward to receiving my brand new Steeldive SB1953 I’ve bought on eBay for just under £90, thanks to all of the recommendations in the comments and recommendations on other channels. The bezel will be purely decorative for me and I won’t be wobbling it from side to side, so anticipate a really positive experience 😅
How’s pagani design compared with these guys?
The look of the bezel and the endlinks that extend way too far on the Cronos still convince me the San Martin is best of them all. I wouldn't trade it for the Cronos.
Will you kindly do a review on the Steeldive tuna homage (sd1975)? Very few reviews out there yet it's such an interesting watch. You could go a step further and compare all the homages from the same companies as this video.
I have all of these watches, without the Tisell. Was thinking of getting it, though not anymore after seeing your comparisons :D
If I may suggest, I would draw your attention to the newly released Phylida sub homage. It has lost the cyclops, but now includes the NH35 and BGW-9 lume. So spec wise it is at least the same level with SteelDive, and since Phylida's bracelet is much better than SteelDive's, it would be an interesting contender.
Yes, I am in the process of getting one, thank you
Great video. I have only a Steeldive from among those tested so that is the only one I can comment on. Mine is the 1954 Steeldive and it has with out a doubt the best bezel action of all my watches. Back play is almost non existent and the action is very crisp. Very impressed with the quality. Hope to purchase another Steeldive soon.
Also whenever I watch one of these the urge to swap whatever I’m wearing for my “Hulk” Water Ghost is so strong...
Great comparison, Gary, there is no doubt that the San Martin pips the rest but is it worth twice as much as the Pagani PD1661 Explorer. My opinion for what it is worth is yes but only if it had a glide-lock stile bracelet.
Again, I have the PD-1661 and you can buy the glide-lock clasps on AliExpress for around £10 (US$14) that fit on the PD-1661 bracelet.
@@benjamr68 Thanks for that Richard but can you get one for the San Martin
@@andrewmain8022 Not sure. I guess it would be a case of taking very careful measurements and then checking the dimensions in the specifications on AliExpress.
My steeldive tuna that Ive owned for 2-3 years is accurate, has solid bezel action is all round well made however the crown thread slowly started getting worn out and eventually didn't screw in anymore. It was easy to get parts and I replaced it myself (I'm not a watch mechanic)
Great review as always. I bought the San Martin and resold it because I could not stand the new hexagon logo. Since then I purchased the cronos about 2 weeks ago. Now I wish I would have waited to get the one with the no line around the date. Please tell me your opinion about the cronos vs San Martin and the line around date. Thank you for your time. Ray USA
I prefer it even with the frame, the San Martin is incredible but it’s big and chunky, the Cronos is more delicate and refined....
Your videos are getting better and better.
If you want a watch with perfect bezel movement and alignment, buy a Seiko 😂
Cool comparison Gary. Just on a side note. Is there already any news on the new J&G watch ? (i want to order one 😁 ) 😉
Not yet other than James is still working on the bracelet! It's is a huge challenge, 5 links with taper so he is needing to spend longer than we thought getting it sorted.
Thanks Gary, I will wait in anticipation 👍😉
I would like to see how Parnis would do
Awesome, thanks 😊
If I was nitpicky I'd point out the one one of the macro shots comparison pictures (at 8:43) Heimdallr appeared twice and Tisell was missing. But thank god I am not nitpicky! 😂 All the macro shots of the San Martin are a feast for the eyes. Great comparison series, cheers Gary!
Yeah, I just forgot to rename the last one, it is the Tisell.
Good job Sir
San martin and the updated pagani Comparison please
what's the music at 8:30? great video!
All music in my videos is from the RUclips library
I dunno if Cronos have a trademark on their brand, but they picked the coolest name and they have the coolest logo. Whether printed or applied, they did really well with their branding.
Thank you…..viewers of my channel selected the name and with the help of a viewer he and I designed the logo so I appreciate the feedback 😬
@@ilikewatches I actually literally just came across a review of yours where you mentioned this haha. Timing is crazy.
San Martin vs cronos, where would you spend your money and why?
I think I like the Chronos best
Rating watches mostly based on bezel action and feel seems a little silly since most people only use the bezel for looks.
It’s helps to build up a picture of the overall quality of a watch.
Thank you Gary - you are like an investigative David Attenborough for the watch community! atb snack.
San Martin is the one, quality and price is spot on. NH35 is boring but Swiss brands also bore me with SW200. I regret to have missed the opportunity to buy the Seiko Marine Master SBDX001, with the 8L35 movement. That is to me "the watch"
Gary I think that steeldive have a kind of version 2 on their sub homage. The one with a lazer engraved logo on the caseback I've been told has a better bezel action
Also Gary I have the V3 san martin and there is NO back play. Bought it on 11.11 so I think that bezel is faulty by their standards
That spring loaded element on the SM exists on all my recent san martin watches, it feels intentional so i'm not sure i'd call it back play, it's more spring loaded
Amazing video again. I love this series to death. Shocking about the Tisell. I'm thinking they're getting long in the tooth and not updating their quality and instead resting on their laurels from past success.
Exactly well put. They savour on the past success of decent reviews on RUclips and the microfollowers . But as he said they gave no follow up for customer care and explicitly state that you can not return them due to QC issues . Wow
I can’t help but wonder, in terms of a water mark for comparison sake, what would a Rolex or Tudor bezel action feel like? If they are “grail” watches how do our value for money favorites compare?
I went into a shop and turned one......I handed it back and said, I think there's a problem with this bezel........:)
@@ilikewatches well that’s encouraging news for our value watches. When I used to work as a diver, I was picky about the bezel action because when you’re in the water and your fingers are cold and wet, it’s really hard to turn the bezel. And with cold water gloves on you might was well forget it. So it is an important feature in my opinion, at least for watches that are actually used for diving.
I can imagine simple tasks become a whole different level when you’re cold and at deep depths.
@@ilikewatches you can just get your hand wet with cold water from the faucet, and get the watch wet as well. Then try to turn the bezel. For me it was almost impossible with the Orient Mako, a lot easier with the Seiko Monster kind of bezel. It is a simple test no one does on RUclips when they talk about dive watches. The bezel should extend a little over the case.
In this year (2024) I bought same style addiesdive, quartz, for 35$. Rock solid bezel, no noticeable play. Bracelet is not very pleasing though.
I find Cronos to be the best considering I own San Martin,Cronos and steeldive and I can compare between them .
Like the way you did the video 💯👍
Great vid! Feeling good this morning, eh? (Gonna start a dance channel, too?!)
oh yes! ZUMBA!
Bezel insert in my San Martín is not a good as my Heimdallr, for sure.
Id love to see some pics to get an idea of how them compare because I know that there are good and bad examples of all these watches out there so i would love to see some pictures of how you see them oldmantimegary@gmail.com
Love the content! So what is the best value for money San Martin? If you could only have one.
I would have the Cronos because as good as the San Martin is, its chunky and I refer the more delicate Cronos
@@ilikewatches does this apply to all models? What about the turtle?
8:42 the tisell is labelled heimdallr
Good spot!......too late to change it sadly but hopefully people will get the right watch
what is your favourite bezel action of all time?
Phoibos PY007C! Incredible