Rolex fanboy here. I agree. I personally own about 7 newer Rolex watches. My most recent purchase is a Pepsi GMT. The hour hand is misaligned. It’s about 6 minutes short the hour. For example, at 12:06 the hour hand sits aligned with the 12 o’clock marker. I have also noticed a rough edge on the inside of the hour hand stem where it has received loom. If you look for imperfections, you’ll find them for sure.
I own a San Martin GMT and a Submariner, the Rolex is in a different class. That said it’s not 40 times better but then part of that justification is that it will increase in value “if” you pick the right model.
Nice to see sword hands rather than the ubiquitous Mercedes ones on this new SM. I prefer it when homages are less of an exact facsimile of their original counterpart.
I held a San Martin sub in one hand and a gen rolex expII in the other a year or so ago, the similarity in quality was phenomenal. Rolex simps wouldn't have it though, and accused me of being dumb and not knowing what I was looking at, like telling the quality of a watch was a special secret gift. Videos like this justify my thoughts at the time, thanks Gary.
@@kabal911 I have no intention of storing my wealth in a watch, I just want to enjoy wearing it, and the way the market is you'd only break even, much the same as the San Martin
@@shanephillips8735 and that's your prerogative and is completely valid 👍 Calling people simps, and they calling you dumb is not constructive at all though 🤷♂️ I personal enjoy my explorer 2 16570 and my San Martins BB pro and BB 57
@@kabal911 absolutely, had I not been accused of being dumb I wouldn't be calling anybody anything, but those snobs do exist. There are plenty of people that enjoy Rolex without any of the other nonsense and that is perfectly fine :)
@@Android_MT1983The question is why would you want to shell out on a Rolex if it is objectively not as good as a watch at a tenth of the price. (Yes I accept that the mechanisms are different, but it would be a bold statement to assert that the Rolex one is ten times better than the Seiko one). And yes, I have a Rolex. And a San Martin. And a Seiko. 😂
@@Miclantechupi I don't buy a watch for the specs or quality-price ratio. I purchase a watch based on company history/what they're trying to do, if I like it, it's not a rebranded copy and if can comfortably afford it. I'm not a rolex fanboy but can't understand why people say they are not worth it and then buy a rebranded copy of a rolex. At the same time, I don't understand why people purchase a rolex just for the sake of having one to impress others. If you're not willing to spend that much on a watch (which is understandable), purchase something else with it's original-ish design .
Great video! The bottom line is, for us budget/affordable watch collectors, there has never been a better time to be in the hobby. If luxury watch collectors think we're stupid and delusional than so be it. I'm having a great time and I love my collection.
Absolutely. It’s also really fun to wear these amazing pieces (my San martins) and not care about stuff happening, getting robbed. And you look down and they are a sight to behold.
I could not agree more with you and the more we see this the more you will see people justify their 25,000 purchases. The watches we can buy today for $250 are phenomenal. I'm 65 years old right now and even 40 years ago I was not out to try to impress anyone. I'm not out to portray anyone on movies or television. And I am perfectly happy with myself and my own skin therefore I'm happy with a Saint Martin watch that looks better than any Rolex you can make. You can talk about history you can talk about horology you can talk about whatever you want but it's still a piece of metal on my wrist that's telling the time that's giving me the quality that I want.
@bigriceburner I'm 63 and you and I sound exactly alike. The first time I saw a Rolex Submariner was in 1984, I was 23 years old at the time. Was I aware of Rolex, yes but vaguely. I had never seen one, nobody I knew owned one but yes I was aware of the brand. But I absolutely fell in love with the look of the watch, it had nothing to do with the name on the dial. The Submariner was my favorite watch then and it is still my favorite watch today but again, it is because of the way the watch looks not the name on the dial. So all these years later when I discovered these Chinese homage watches and discovered how unbelievably well made they were, I started buying them. I absolutely love them and feel like a genius because of all the money I'm saving. 😃😃
@@sinjinadams2862 submariner is my favorite style watch as well. Have you checked out the WatchDives Wd5512? I was extremely impressed with the quality and finishing. It's my everyday watch and I love it.
@@sinjinadams2862 Submariner is my favorite style watch as well. Have you seen WatchDives wd5512 sub homage? I'm extremely impressed with the quality and finishing. It's my new favorite sub homage.
I love my Baltany. Unfortunately the rotor became detached about a month into owning it. I was able to fix that myself. I should say that it was the Seagull ST1701 movement that failed so this is not necessarily on Baltany. This of course is just one watch out of thousands.
I think at this point, it’s clear that the likes of SM and Cronos have watches that rival the finishing on Rolex. Now that doesn’t mean Rolex aren’t great watches, and that I wouldn’t get one if I had the money. But for me, it just means I get to wear a watch that has similar finishing to that of a luxury Swiss brand whereas even five years ago, it was Seiko or nothing. Thanks as always! Looking forward to the full comparisons!
Love these videos! Keep them coming!! Maybe one day you'll be able to use your macro lens to make an episode focused entirely on polishing by comparing San Martin, Grand Seiko, Rolex with a few high end independent brands if you can get your hands on them. I think brushing and borders have been figured out and a good portion of the industry will catch up to this level in 5 years or so. But polishing is the tricky bit, and there are certainly levels to that game. It would be so awesome to se the likes of Moritz Grossman, Lang & Heyne, Romain Gauthier , Laurent Ferrier of Greubel Forsey under your macro lens. Very interesting, thanks!
Recently more so, I am feeling so fortunate living in a era that I can afford to have many absolutely amazing quality watches without worrying about spending arms and legs, just for fun! Owning Rolex and Omega was okay I guess, maybe felt special because of their heritage and quality. But now I am finding similar quality and fun aspects in Chinese made watches, and they are incredibly affordable!!!. Just remarkable. Thanks for wonderful educational videos😊.
Not sure Im convinced your Rolex is genuine... Joking!! Haha Thanks for this video. Very interesting and appreciate the work gone into it! The unfortunate thing is, people will always go straight to brand names and wont even care about the quality and wont even believe us if we told them. Sad world we live in... so snobby and pretentious! All good though, Ill enjoy my more affordable high quality nice watches! =)
If you buy for you the opinions of others rarely carry any weight. Not sure why dislike turns into hate, I don’t dislike any watch they are all of equal value to me it’s just some cost more. Only you can decide if something is worth your money
"Hand made"? Rolex is about as far from hand made as can be, on its "strong horology" class. A giant robot factory churns out 5000 pc/ hour, if annual >1 mil pc production is divided to Swiss working days. 🤔😉
Keep these videos coming 👏. Nothing better than seeing Rolex get exposed and brought back down to reality after the way they acted the past 4 years. No other content creators touch this topic. It’s nonstop praise and fanboying over the brand.
Lovely Rolex . But look how many of the cheaper watches on here now for the Rolex price you can buy , thats why i would never buy a Rolex (sorry). But if i could afford it , maybe an Omega , or Tudor . But i have several of these cheaper watches , and believe me they are cracking watches at a great price . Phoibos also worth a look .By the way i could afford a Rolex , but cant justify the price , id be scared someone would tear it off my wrist . 40+ watches in my collection , used to be more . Most expensive is my Hamilton Khaki .
I am not a Rolex fan. I do own a SM SN0121G (Pelagos) and will say for $$ it is a good value but overall 6/10 in quality and wearability. For sure not outstanding as all the paid for videos make them out to be. Tons of sharp edges that I filed down to make it wearable as well as an average movement. It did scratch the itch though.
I think this further proves that Rolex sees their primary customer, not as a watch enthusiast, but as a lot that values societal status. Every watch lover knows that Rolex comes with issues. I had the original 50th Anniversary sub and the chapter ring was no where close to being aligned. Those small details mean nothing to non watch people...they simply care that it says Rolex. The further I dive into this money pit of a hobby, the more brands I find that make better pieces than the big R.
Cronos is the sleeper here, I have a few, they are excellent! And can be found much cheaper than SM. SM are the chinese benchmark though, I have their microbrand Jianghun War Drum which is of excellent quality in finish, just next level really - the design is not for everyone though.
To think Rolex is anywhere on par with San Martin or Baltany when it comes to finishing is just being delusional. SM and Baltany are just in a different league of their own 🙌
@@jimmyhuang8730 hand finished? Which Rolex? Not a chance.under micro Rolex finishing is not good. They are brilliant at marketing brilliant, but the actual finishing is pretty normal.also zero finishing on the movement, that's why they have closed casebacks
Rolex is a terrible name, the rehaute is obnoxious, the Mercedes hand star points the wrong way, finishing is no better than a mid-grade Chinese brand, they cost about 10x their worth and you can't buy one. For what is basically a tarted up tool watch. No thanks. But thanks for another interesting video. Cheers!
And glidelock and “easy link” are getting left behind by on the fly spring-ratchet systems. The submariner glidelock (tilt ratchet) is a flawed solution at best.
Who says you can't buy them? What kind of nonsense is that? I literally don't know anyone who wanted one say they gave up because they "couldn't" buy it. At worst you'll have to wait until you save up. Did you try to buy one? No you didn't because you're not in the market for a Rolex. But you're taking the time to shit on them just for the sake of shitting on them.
@@kresimirpleic Wow! Your little butt is hurt because I expressed my opinion. That's just too bad. You've now expressed your opinion. Yay, you! I don't find anything about Rolex that makes me want one let alone buy a bunch of lesser watches just so I'll have the opportunity to be put on a years-long waiting list. There are better watches, better watch companies and better groups of watch owners than Rolex. If I save up it will be for Moser, not some mass produced shiny object. Have a nice day!
@@thegorn Looked at objectively everything Rolex is 'left behind'. That's the conservatism of the timid, imo. They use Tudor to test things but nothing shall jar the staid tradition of the Coronet printing money doing the same same every year.
I also got a cronos datejust homage and was able to try on a real datejust. I used to think cronos bezel was superb, but Rolex was on another level. However to me, Rolex only looks good far away or when other people look at it. Getting up close and wearing one feels so meh... that's why I ended up not buying it and I've been a Rolex fanboy for a good decade.
No one with their eyes open is shocked China can turn out Rolex quality for a few hundred £/$/€. Those buying top end (so called superclone) replica's have known this for years. You show me someone repping AP or Patek movement finishing, or Omega movement quality, or Grand Seiko dial quality then I'll be impressed. In fact Rolex movements are finished pretty impeccably too. But their watches to look at? They're nothing outrageous.
Rolexs are hand assembled the same as the other 3 watches here. At 1M+ watches a year, all components are machined by CNC. Think about it, that's 3000 Rolex per day! The San Martin is exceptional, but I'm guessing the Rolex movement is superior. But give San Martin another 5-10 years, and they'll be ahead.
San martin is a better value. But wearing a homage is dangerous.people can kill you for an homage. That why i don t take it. I wear an hamilton and that it.because it cost 500 $. It s enough for a watch. That my opinion. Thanks. Take care.sorry fot my english. I m french. See you😊
Are Rolex watches actually hand made or is it that majority of the watch is hand assembled? I know it is a little pedantic but I recall reading somewhere that a lot of the parts are mass produced on a production line which is why they are not compared with the more high end horological timepieces.
The baltany lugs brushing is quite bad looks like someone did it themselves. Its good to see someone actually compare under macro and be honest about rolex quality. Btw rolex only hand assemble the watch which is the same as most other brands including the ones in this video
I love these comparison videos you do showing the differences (or lack thereof) in the finishing. My conclusion is that after you pay up to $300, you don't get much better finishing for your extra money!
Interesting and entertaining video. Thank you. All those watches look nice. Side-by-side, at any price point, I would pick that San Martin over the Rolex simply because I like the look better. I like like that blue dial. I've never been a big fan of the "Mercedes" hands. I like those sword hands better. And I hate the "cyclops" magnifier. I usually prefer a no-date dial, more like the MilSub. But, I'll take the plane San Martin over the cyclops Rolex. So, if you covered up the brand names and the price tags, I'd take that San Martin over your Rolex Sub. Just my preference.
I'd still get a Rolex if I had the disposable income ... That said i'd get it for the name not the value for money or it being 'better' than other watches. Heck in my opinion even Rolex's sister brand Tudor offers Rolex quality at less cost.
Rolexes are hand-made??? 🤔 The only way that’s possible is if the machines used to stamp out the parts that go into the 1.2 million produced each year are Hansmädchen machines 😆😂🤣
That SM is amazing. I love their finishing in genersl, but this looks next level. I was admirinf the brushinh kn the SM I'm wearing today. I love how the brushing on the endlinks matches the brushing on the lugs. Its their milsub homage eith the sword hands. Vrest bang for buck.
I could not agree more there is no excuse however there is this. Think of the feeling that the owner will get when they own something so exclusive like a Rolex. That Will trump all the imperfections in the peace because they will think of Steve McQueen and all of these famous people that they want to emulate. Quality goes out the window at some point.
I am sure rolex is not better than anyother brand with polishing and finition,but i rhink in acuracy and mouvment its realy different,but of course 10000€ for 2ceconde less per day versus 300$ for 20 secondes per day make around 9700$ for 18 secondes,a lot of money for better acuracy..
Funny thing is I got a seagull a while back which runs 1,2 second a day and have a regulator for easy tweaking if you want better… doubt it will be that got in the long run but something tell me that in a few years we are going to see Chinese movements that is truly good solid movements seeing the pace they move at with these watches.. I just hope for some more good original design as well and they will be real players in the watch world.
@@vir042 sure,and i hope will pass soon,because i am tired of luxury brand who are so expensive,i buy some swiss watches at 1600€ who lost 20 seconds per day,its insoportable,seiko lost 30seconds per dayy,so if i find a chiness brand at 2seconds like rolex it will be super cool,give the name of the brand and model...help
Your views on "value for money" please: for example, comparative prices/length of warranty/high or low grade materials. After all, I ASSUME the Rolex is many times more expensive than the Baltany...but why ?
Rolex are hand made? 1 million per year? That's a lot of very busy watchmakers, I guess it shows why there are faults! I own 2 Rolex watches and none of the other brands.
How does San Martin do it so flawlessly? I really don't understand. I'd love to see a video on what they're doing differently in their factory or with their tech that make them almost completely perfect.
"that Rolex is fake" 😅. Sorry mate, I had to parody that guy, because I've heard the same thing so many times when I compared my GMT Master 2 and Sub to Ali Express watches! Great comparison video as usual 👍
@@ilikewatches people are just really anal when faced with the truth. The funny thing it's that most of the time these comments come from people who don't own or haven't checked up a Rolex from up close
If you take into consideration what you said about the QC of the Rolex, and I didn't know anything about watches, I don't think I would choose the Rolex as the best of the four choices. Given the choice, I would choose the Cronos out of the four as it just looks incredible........
Wearing a San Martin SN0107-G1 2023 V2 Ranger, very nice watch, only bad..., the bracelet was way too short and it is very very difficult to order extra links. In the end an other owner with thin wrists gave me his extra link.. I have an average Dutch 9 inch wrist. I'm not a Hobbit San Martin..
Has Rolex never made any modernisation of their manufacturing process? That triangle indice, round edged, clumpy lum applied to it. It looks imprecise, as in made to the best possible, but at an older time.
I've mentioned it before, but San Martin has one final step to master in their finishing. As you pointed out the actual finishing is really excellent, but they still have a physical sharpness to them on the edges. The edges of the case and especially many of the bracelet links feel quite sharp against the skin. That's sometimes true on the clasps, etc., as well. If they can find a way to soften those edges while maintaining their overall finishing, they'd be completely top notch.
But people don’t want a San Martin, Baltany or chronos watch. They want a Rolex. They don’t put it under a microscope either. They just like having achieved a personal milestone by getting a Rolex.
Rolex could also make a crown in precious metal, perhaps in platinum, to put on the dial.. instead of the usual cheap print.. it costs more than 10,000 euros..
I'm convinced that I should have a San Martin, when I find one that's not copy of something else (or completely hideous like the last in house design I saw) and it'll be worth opting for the best movement. One thing thats not mentioned in these videos is that the cosmetic finish is a small part of the story. The Rolex movement is superior in every respect mine is the only one I have experience of but the performance is amazing. There is almost no hysteresis in the system, I take it off and after a few days it stops. It doesn't matter how long its off the wrist when I pick it up it's going again, just correct the time and of you go, never needs a wind. Last time I tested it it was +1second after a week.
When you look closely you’ll realise that, unlike Pagani Designs, quite a lot of San Martins are true homages rather than “clomages”. The inspiration is obvious, but they change enough (improve enough) to allow it to stand alone as its own thing.
There is absolutely no denying that the movement in a Rolex watch is better than anything in your typical Chinese watch. The question is, do you really do anything in your average life that requires anything that accurate? Are you a Navy Seal, a British Secret Agent, a World famous explorer. If not and you're just sitting on your butt all day, do you really need it. A lot of these higher end watches offer Swiss made Sellita SW200 movements. Does a Rolex movement justify spending $10,000 more than a San Martin with a Sellta movement?!
Did Cronos send you a new watch or did you fix the 12 o’clock alignment issue? The one I received was terribly misaligned, but they did give a full refund after I returned it and acknowledged the issue and said they be fixing it.
Rolex once again embarrassing itself. But then again, you don't buy a Rolex because you love watches, you buy it because you got love others seeing you have money. Having people tell you this must be a fake pretty much tells you all you need to know.
People is so upset when I said those chinese watches are really close to the Rolex finishing 🤷♂... Like it's my fault lol, I believe just like Seiko did the quartz revolution to me is like the chinese watches are now doing this quality for price revolution, it is what it is! 🤷♂
it just goes to show in this video that unless you're a label-oriented shallow type there is no reason to spend all that money to have a nice watch! Unfortunately, I've been there and then I matured and had some nice holidays instead. Still wearing a nice watch that tells the time even when swimming.
If i ever came across a rolex, for free. Well, id sell it an go purchase 2 orient star watches that i really want an pocket the rest of the cash. Make that 3 orient star watches.
I really do struggle with the value for money with luxury watches. Hand made is all well and good but is it the most efficient way of producing a product 🤔
Rolex watches are mass produced in a factory. The company won't reveal exactly how they do it, other than stating that humans operate the machines and do the final assembly, in the same way luxury cars and motorcycles like MG or a Norton are made. You can bet that Rolex produce their watches in the most cost-effective way possible and that if they could get away with having robots assemble them, without shattering the illusion that they maintain the horological traditions of the past, then they would.
do please tell san martin to cover up their rehaut with some good chapter ring if they can’t reduce that wide ass rehaut, or engrave it like rolex’s. the wide rehaut makes it looks cheap no matter how good the other part’s finishes. i know Nh series got tall handstacks but its a matter of a goodcover ups ( seiko skx007 did it right with their nice chapter ring )
I think that a watch that is made of stainless steel is not a luxury watch. I think that this submariner is a watch that is made by a company that makes luxury watches. I also think that the price is set by the demand and is not a representation of its value. I'm therefore not surprised at all by these results. Love these videos, appreciate the effort u put into producing content!
Couldn't see the 904L steel being brighter or shinier than 316L. Maybe it's another example of marketing hype? By the way: Rolex ADs are supposed to take the plastic of the watches themselves rather than to hand over watches still protected by plastic.
Rolex fanboy here. I agree. I personally own about 7 newer Rolex watches. My most recent purchase is a Pepsi GMT. The hour hand is misaligned. It’s about 6 minutes short the hour. For example, at 12:06 the hour hand sits aligned with the 12 o’clock marker. I have also noticed a rough edge on the inside of the hour hand stem where it has received loom.
If you look for imperfections, you’ll find them for sure.
Great feedback. When they churn out well over a million a year, that’s understandable.
@@thegorn I was going to throw that into my comment my friend but to be honest I couldn't be arsed to type anymore.
Nothing is perfect even on a $5-15K swiss watch, because it's made by humans after all.
@@jimmyhuang8730is this the excuse people give for paying 5 digits on a steel watch with misaligned hands these days? Lol
Yes but if you are gonna expect a premium for you’re quality then you better put out a quality product
That San Martin is quite frankly exceptional…
I own a San Martin GMT and a Submariner, the Rolex is in a different class. That said it’s not 40 times better but then part of that justification is that it will increase in value “if” you pick the right model.
@@Theflyguy522 except for that ugly block of logo on their dials.
Nice to see sword hands rather than the ubiquitous Mercedes ones on this new SM. I prefer it when homages are less of an exact facsimile of their original counterpart.
Even better when they upgrade the original design, example SM BB Homage with waffle dial..
Except that it IS an exact copy. Not of the traditional submariner, but of the Milsub reference 5517
Agreed. I think sword hands are sexy.
I held a San Martin sub in one hand and a gen rolex expII in the other a year or so ago, the similarity in quality was phenomenal. Rolex simps wouldn't have it though, and accused me of being dumb and not knowing what I was looking at, like telling the quality of a watch was a special secret gift. Videos like this justify my thoughts at the time, thanks Gary.
It depends on what “better” means. There are things other than “build quality”
A Rolex is a MUCH better store of value
@@kabal911 I have no intention of storing my wealth in a watch, I just want to enjoy wearing it, and the way the market is you'd only break even, much the same as the San Martin
@@shanephillips8735 and that's your prerogative and is completely valid 👍
Calling people simps, and they calling you dumb is not constructive at all though 🤷♂️
I personal enjoy my explorer 2 16570 and my San Martins BB pro and BB 57
@@kabal911 absolutely, had I not been accused of being dumb I wouldn't be calling anybody anything, but those snobs do exist. There are plenty of people that enjoy Rolex without any of the other nonsense and that is perfectly fine :)
San Martin don't produce every single material and component in house
My favourite type of video. Collecting the tears of the Rolex Fanboys
And you..feeling good with yourself that you’re not losing anything even though you can’t afford a rolex 😂😂
i am just here to see non stop bickering of Rolex fanboys and haters @@Android_MT1983
Fangirls too like that annoying watch youtuber Britt Pearce
@@Android_MT1983The question is why would you want to shell out on a Rolex if it is objectively not as good as a watch at a tenth of the price. (Yes I accept that the mechanisms are different, but it would be a bold statement to assert that the Rolex one is ten times better than the Seiko one).
And yes, I have a Rolex. And a San Martin. And a Seiko. 😂
@@Miclantechupi I don't buy a watch for the specs or quality-price ratio. I purchase a watch based on company history/what they're trying to do, if I like it, it's not a rebranded copy and if can comfortably afford it. I'm not a rolex fanboy but can't understand why people say they are not worth it and then buy a rebranded copy of a rolex. At the same time, I don't understand why people purchase a rolex just for the sake of having one to impress others. If you're not willing to spend that much on a watch (which is understandable), purchase something else with it's original-ish design
.
Great video! The bottom line is, for us budget/affordable watch collectors, there has never been a better time to be in the hobby. If luxury watch collectors think we're stupid and delusional than so be it. I'm having a great time and I love my collection.
Absolutely. It’s also really fun to wear these amazing pieces (my San martins) and not care about stuff happening, getting robbed. And you look down and they are a sight to behold.
I could not agree more with you and the more we see this the more you will see people justify their 25,000 purchases. The watches we can buy today for $250 are phenomenal. I'm 65 years old right now and even 40 years ago I was not out to try to impress anyone. I'm not out to portray anyone on movies or television. And I am perfectly happy with myself and my own skin therefore I'm happy with a Saint Martin watch that looks better than any Rolex you can make. You can talk about history you can talk about horology you can talk about whatever you want but it's still a piece of metal on my wrist that's telling the time that's giving me the quality that I want.
@bigriceburner I'm 63 and you and I sound exactly alike. The first time I saw a Rolex Submariner was in 1984, I was 23 years old at the time. Was I aware of Rolex, yes but vaguely. I had never seen one, nobody I knew owned one but yes I was aware of the brand. But I absolutely fell in love with the look of the watch, it had nothing to do with the name on the dial. The Submariner was my favorite watch then and it is still my favorite watch today but again, it is because of the way the watch looks not the name on the dial. So all these years later when I discovered these Chinese homage watches and discovered how unbelievably well made they were, I started buying them. I absolutely love them and feel like a genius because of all the money I'm saving. 😃😃
@@sinjinadams2862 submariner is my favorite style watch as well. Have you checked out the WatchDives Wd5512? I was extremely impressed with the quality and finishing. It's my everyday watch and I love it.
@@sinjinadams2862 Submariner is my favorite style watch as well. Have you seen WatchDives wd5512 sub homage? I'm extremely impressed with the quality and finishing. It's my new favorite sub homage.
There is no doubt, having owned a baltany, that it is best value for money any day...
I love my Baltany. Unfortunately the rotor became detached about a month into owning it. I was able to fix that myself. I should say that it was the Seagull ST1701 movement that failed so this is not necessarily on Baltany. This of course is just one watch out of thousands.
Great watches , and good quality .
That San Martin is absolutely gorgeous. I need to get myself one pronto. I have a sea dweller but I find myself wearing my Zelos Aurora more.
Best in depth comparison of fit and finish I've ever seen. Bravo! You don't always get what you pay for. You can get much more for remarkably less!
San Martin really showing it’s value.
I think at this point, it’s clear that the likes of SM and Cronos have watches that rival the finishing on Rolex. Now that doesn’t mean Rolex aren’t great watches, and that I wouldn’t get one if I had the money. But for me, it just means I get to wear a watch that has similar finishing to that of a luxury Swiss brand whereas even five years ago, it was Seiko or nothing. Thanks as always! Looking forward to the full comparisons!
Love these videos! Keep them coming!! Maybe one day you'll be able to use your macro lens to make an episode focused entirely on polishing by comparing San Martin, Grand Seiko, Rolex with a few high end independent brands if you can get your hands on them. I think brushing and borders have been figured out and a good portion of the industry will catch up to this level in 5 years or so. But polishing is the tricky bit, and there are certainly levels to that game. It would be so awesome to se the likes of Moritz Grossman, Lang & Heyne, Romain Gauthier , Laurent Ferrier of Greubel Forsey under your macro lens. Very interesting, thanks!
The San Martin is objectively finished nicer than the Rolex... Crazy... Great vid, thanks!
I found that very interesting. The comparability across wide ranging price points.
Thanks.
Great video again. Love these macro comparisons 👌👌
Recently more so, I am feeling so fortunate living in a era that I can afford to have many absolutely amazing quality watches without worrying about spending arms and legs, just for fun!
Owning Rolex and Omega was okay I guess, maybe felt special because of their heritage and quality. But now I am finding similar quality and fun aspects in Chinese made watches, and they are incredibly affordable!!!. Just remarkable.
Thanks for wonderful educational videos😊.
Not sure Im convinced your Rolex is genuine... Joking!! Haha Thanks for this video. Very interesting and appreciate the work gone into it! The unfortunate thing is, people will always go straight to brand names and wont even care about the quality and wont even believe us if we told them. Sad world we live in... so snobby and pretentious! All good though, Ill enjoy my more affordable high quality nice watches! =)
When are you comparing the San Martin sub (their new low price one) to the Submariner? Thx again and keep up the good work
Thanks so much, Gary! this is DELICIUOS stuff!
If you buy for you the opinions of others rarely carry any weight. Not sure why dislike turns into hate, I don’t dislike any watch they are all of equal value to me it’s just some cost more. Only you can decide if something is worth your money
"Hand made"? Rolex is about as far from hand made as can be, on its "strong horology" class. A giant robot factory churns out 5000 pc/ hour, if annual >1 mil pc production is divided to Swiss working days. 🤔😉
love these comparison videos
Keep these videos coming 👏. Nothing better than seeing Rolex get exposed and brought back down to reality after the way they acted the past 4 years. No other content creators touch this topic. It’s nonstop praise and fanboying over the brand.
Lovely Rolex .
But look how many of the cheaper watches on here now for the Rolex price you can buy , thats why i would never buy a Rolex (sorry).
But if i could afford it , maybe an Omega , or Tudor .
But i have several of these cheaper watches , and believe me they are cracking watches at a great price .
Phoibos also worth a look .By the way i could afford a Rolex , but cant justify the price , id be scared someone would tear it off my wrist .
40+ watches in my collection , used to be more . Most expensive is my Hamilton Khaki .
I really love my WatchDives wd5512 and I just ordered the wd16760 Gmt
@@pauliewalnuts5241 Nice watches .
I am not a Rolex fan. I do own a SM SN0121G (Pelagos) and will say for $$ it is a good value but overall 6/10 in quality and wearability. For sure not outstanding as all the paid for videos make them out to be. Tons of sharp edges that I filed down to make it wearable as well as an average movement. It did scratch the itch though.
I think this further proves that Rolex sees their primary customer, not as a watch enthusiast, but as a lot that values societal status. Every watch lover knows that Rolex comes with issues. I had the original 50th Anniversary sub and the chapter ring was no where close to being aligned. Those small details mean nothing to non watch people...they simply care that it says Rolex. The further I dive into this money pit of a hobby, the more brands I find that make better pieces than the big R.
After your previous comments that sn0111 does look tempting! Go for the standard black or this version..👌
I love all my 5 San Martin's. My one lonely Cronos, is great too.
Cronos is the sleeper here, I have a few, they are excellent! And can be found much cheaper than SM. SM are the chinese benchmark though, I have their microbrand Jianghun War Drum which is of excellent quality in finish, just next level really - the design is not for everyone though.
I’m very impressed with the Sam Martin!
To think Rolex is anywhere on par with San Martin or Baltany when it comes to finishing is just being delusional. SM and Baltany are just in a different league of their own 🙌
Huh
True,they are all machine made, just that San Martin and cronos try harder and Rolex falls back on branding
@@Andrew-yy2yehand finished.
@@jimmyhuang8730 hand finished? Which Rolex? Not a chance.under micro Rolex finishing is not good.
They are brilliant at marketing brilliant, but the actual finishing is pretty normal.also zero finishing on the movement, that's why they have closed casebacks
Their movements are finished, haven't you seen any restoration videos?
my favorites are SAN MARTIN and WATCHDIVES
Yes! I love my WD5512 sub homage from WatchDives
Great video…as always. Still can’t get over the quality of the San Martin! I have owned several and am impressed each time.
Rolex is a terrible name, the rehaute is obnoxious, the Mercedes hand star points the wrong way, finishing is no better than a mid-grade Chinese brand, they cost about 10x their worth and you can't buy one. For what is basically a tarted up tool watch. No thanks. But thanks for another interesting video. Cheers!
And glidelock and “easy link” are getting left behind by on the fly spring-ratchet systems. The submariner glidelock (tilt ratchet) is a flawed solution at best.
Who says you can't buy them? What kind of nonsense is that? I literally don't know anyone who wanted one say they gave up because they "couldn't" buy it. At worst you'll have to wait until you save up. Did you try to buy one? No you didn't because you're not in the market for a Rolex. But you're taking the time to shit on them just for the sake of shitting on them.
@@kresimirpleic Wow! Your little butt is hurt because I expressed my opinion. That's just too bad. You've now expressed your opinion. Yay, you! I don't find anything about Rolex that makes me want one let alone buy a bunch of lesser watches just so I'll have the opportunity to be put on a years-long waiting list. There are better watches, better watch companies and better groups of watch owners than Rolex. If I save up it will be for Moser, not some mass produced shiny object. Have a nice day!
@@thegorn Looked at objectively everything Rolex is 'left behind'. That's the conservatism of the timid, imo. They use Tudor to test things but nothing shall jar the staid tradition of the Coronet printing money doing the same same every year.
@@SingleTrackMined You're the one who's acting all butt hurt... Terrible name? Obnoxious rehaute? Star pointing the wrong way? Get a grip.
I got a cronos date just homage. It is amazing and flawless. I would love to see a side by side video with a Rolex datejust
I also got a cronos datejust homage and was able to try on a real datejust. I used to think cronos bezel was superb, but Rolex was on another level. However to me, Rolex only looks good far away or when other people look at it. Getting up close and wearing one feels so meh... that's why I ended up not buying it and I've been a Rolex fanboy for a good decade.
No one with their eyes open is shocked China can turn out Rolex quality for a few hundred £/$/€.
Those buying top end (so called superclone) replica's have known this for years.
You show me someone repping AP or Patek movement finishing, or Omega movement quality, or Grand Seiko dial quality then I'll be impressed.
In fact Rolex movements are finished pretty impeccably too.
But their watches to look at? They're nothing outrageous.
Rolexs are hand assembled the same as the other 3 watches here. At 1M+ watches a year, all components are machined by CNC. Think about it, that's 3000 Rolex per day! The San Martin is exceptional, but I'm guessing the Rolex movement is superior. But give San Martin another 5-10 years, and they'll be ahead.
San martin is a better value. But wearing a homage is dangerous.people can kill you for an homage. That why i don t take it. I wear an hamilton and that it.because it cost 500 $. It s enough for a watch. That my opinion. Thanks. Take care.sorry fot my english. I m french. See you😊
Cool video! Great to see them side by side. My top two favorite watch finishes in my collection are San Martin, and my Citizen promaster
I like this kind of videos you make, you are very objective in judging.. whatever brand..👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Are Rolex watches actually hand made or is it that majority of the watch is hand assembled? I know it is a little pedantic but I recall reading somewhere that a lot of the parts are mass produced on a production line which is why they are not compared with the more high end horological timepieces.
They make a million watches a year. Nothing handmade. All sizzle no substance.
The baltany lugs brushing is quite bad looks like someone did it themselves. Its good to see someone actually compare under macro and be honest about rolex quality. Btw rolex only hand assemble the watch which is the same as most other brands including the ones in this video
Great video 👍. I would be happy to own any of those watches.
I love these comparison videos you do showing the differences (or lack thereof) in the finishing. My conclusion is that after you pay up to $300, you don't get much better finishing for your extra money!
Interesting and entertaining video. Thank you.
All those watches look nice. Side-by-side, at any price point, I would pick that San Martin over the Rolex simply because I like the look better. I like like that blue dial. I've never been a big fan of the "Mercedes" hands. I like those sword hands better. And I hate the "cyclops" magnifier. I usually prefer a no-date dial, more like the MilSub. But, I'll take the plane San Martin over the cyclops Rolex. So, if you covered up the brand names and the price tags, I'd take that San Martin over your Rolex Sub. Just my preference.
You should have a look at the tissot seastar 2000 big watch but personally one of my favorites for sheer beauty the dial is something special
rolex owes everyone a refund!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'd still get a Rolex if I had the disposable income ... That said i'd get it for the name not the value for money or it being 'better' than other watches. Heck in my opinion even Rolex's sister brand Tudor offers Rolex quality at less cost.
Here we go. Gary is about to be torn to shreds by the vegan flat white brigade....
But but but__ heritage! 😂
Rolexes are hand-made??? 🤔 The only way that’s possible is if the machines used to stamp out the parts that go into the 1.2 million produced each year are Hansmädchen machines 😆😂🤣
That SM is amazing. I love their finishing in genersl, but this looks next level. I was admirinf the brushinh kn the SM I'm wearing today. I love how the brushing on the endlinks matches the brushing on the lugs. Its their milsub homage eith the sword hands. Vrest bang for buck.
This is fun. Really glad you included the Rolex for comparison. Thank you and Cheers!
Great vid Gary. I think the Rolex polishing is the shocker for me. Those ripples in the polishing. For that sort of money there’s no excuse.
I could not agree more there is no excuse however there is this. Think of the feeling that the owner will get when they own something so exclusive like a Rolex. That Will trump all the imperfections in the peace because they will think of Steve McQueen and all of these famous people that they want to emulate. Quality goes out the window at some point.
I am sure rolex is not better than anyother brand with polishing and finition,but i rhink in acuracy and mouvment its realy different,but of course 10000€ for 2ceconde less per day versus 300$ for 20 secondes per day make around 9700$ for 18 secondes,a lot of money for better acuracy..
Funny thing is I got a seagull a while back which runs 1,2 second a day and have a regulator for easy tweaking if you want better… doubt it will be that got in the long run but something tell me that in a few years we are going to see Chinese movements that is truly good solid movements seeing the pace they move at with these watches.. I just hope for some more good original design as well and they will be real players in the watch world.
@@vir042 sure,and i hope will pass soon,because i am tired of luxury brand who are so expensive,i buy some swiss watches at 1600€ who lost 20 seconds per day,its insoportable,seiko lost 30seconds per dayy,so if i find a chiness brand at 2seconds like rolex it will be super cool,give the name of the brand and model...help
@@micaljimenez7381 watchdives have some great watches
The Roll x is Iconic, however The quality and the price of others are just superb. Era of attack of the clone begin :)
Your views on "value for money" please: for example, comparative prices/length of warranty/high or low grade materials. After all, I ASSUME the Rolex is many times more expensive than the Baltany...but why ?
those shots are impressive
Love the in sync second hands
Cronos all day , That baltany looked weak
What's the model.of this san martin? Great review!
SN0111
I feel like San Martin is actually just a subsidiary of CLEAN or BP factory that puts out reps too
Rolex are hand made? 1 million per year? That's a lot of very busy watchmakers, I guess it shows why there are faults!
I own 2 Rolex watches and none of the other brands.
How does San Martin do it so flawlessly? I really don't understand. I'd love to see a video on what they're doing differently in their factory or with their tech that make them almost completely perfect.
Pride? Better business model? Honest pricing?
This San Martin says 41.8mm bezel size. Is that bigger than Submariner?
Rolex makes great watches, though the amount of automation involved in their production process puts to rest their mythos. Hand crafted my ass,
7:18 Did you just say Rolex are "hand-made watches"...??🤷♂🤷♂
"that Rolex is fake" 😅. Sorry mate, I had to parody that guy, because I've heard the same thing so many times when I compared my GMT Master 2 and Sub to Ali Express watches!
Great comparison video as usual 👍
lol…happens all too often
@@ilikewatches people are just really anal when faced with the truth. The funny thing it's that most of the time these comments come from people who don't own or haven't checked up a Rolex from up close
If you take into consideration what you said about the QC of the Rolex, and I didn't know anything about watches, I don't think I would choose the Rolex as the best of the four choices. Given the choice, I would choose the Cronos out of the four as it just looks incredible........
I like all of them watches, can't wait to get hold of more watches to review on my channel.
Thanks, really beautiful footage - a lot of work went into that. How long does it take to film the macro?
Cheers
When I review a watch I spend about 3 hours taking the pictures of that one watch…
Wearing a San Martin SN0107-G1 2023 V2 Ranger, very nice watch, only bad..., the bracelet was way too short and it is very very difficult to order extra links. In the end an other owner with thin wrists gave me his extra link.. I have an average Dutch 9 inch wrist. I'm not a Hobbit San Martin..
Has Rolex never made any modernisation of their manufacturing process?
That triangle indice, round edged, clumpy lum applied to it. It looks imprecise, as in made to the best possible, but at an older time.
I've mentioned it before, but San Martin has one final step to master in their finishing. As you pointed out the actual finishing is really excellent, but they still have a physical sharpness to them on the edges. The edges of the case and especially many of the bracelet links feel quite sharp against the skin. That's sometimes true on the clasps, etc., as well. If they can find a way to soften those edges while maintaining their overall finishing, they'd be completely top notch.
Very interesting and good to know however, the Rolex does take the lead, by some margin, on movements. Good review.
But people don’t want a San Martin, Baltany or chronos watch. They want a Rolex.
They don’t put it under a microscope either. They just like having achieved a personal milestone by getting a Rolex.
Thanks for making this video. More weapons for my arsenal.
Rolex could also make a crown in precious metal, perhaps in platinum, to put on the dial.. instead of the usual cheap print.. it costs more than 10,000 euros..
I'm convinced that I should have a San Martin, when I find one that's not copy of something else (or completely hideous like the last in house design I saw) and it'll be worth opting for the best movement. One thing thats not mentioned in these videos is that the cosmetic finish is a small part of the story. The Rolex movement is superior in every respect mine is the only one I have experience of but the performance is amazing. There is almost no hysteresis in the system, I take it off and after a few days it stops. It doesn't matter how long its off the wrist when I pick it up it's going again, just correct the time and of you go, never needs a wind. Last time I tested it it was +1second after a week.
they have made several original design GMT and 3 hander
When you look closely you’ll realise that, unlike Pagani Designs, quite a lot of San Martins are true homages rather than “clomages”. The inspiration is obvious, but they change enough (improve enough) to allow it to stand alone as its own thing.
There is absolutely no denying that the movement in a Rolex watch is better than anything in your typical Chinese watch. The question is, do you really do anything in your average life that requires anything that accurate? Are you a Navy Seal, a British Secret Agent, a World famous explorer. If not and you're just sitting on your butt all day, do you really need it. A lot of these higher end watches offer Swiss made Sellita SW200 movements. Does a Rolex movement justify spending $10,000 more than a San Martin with a Sellta movement?!
Worth $14.8K more? Probably not for most people even watch enthusiasts.
@@sinjinadams2862 for accuracy just use your phone or buy a Quartz or Casio Bluetooth or Mband6. Why spend $15K on a watch for accuracy? Lmao..
Did Cronos send you a new watch or did you fix the 12 o’clock alignment issue? The one I received was terribly misaligned, but they did give a full refund after I returned it and acknowledged the issue and said they be fixing it.
Rolex once again embarrassing itself.
But then again, you don't buy a Rolex because you love watches, you buy it because you got love others seeing you have money. Having people tell you this must be a fake pretty much tells you all you need to know.
People is so upset when I said those chinese watches are really close to the Rolex finishing 🤷♂... Like it's my fault lol, I believe just like Seiko did the quartz revolution to me is like the chinese watches are now doing this quality for price revolution, it is what it is! 🤷♂
I agree
If I were a snob that spent double digits thousands on a watch, after watching this video ld feel dumb. Money down the drain spent on that Rolex
How on earth do rolex get away with such poor printing ? Even in the 70s it was poor compared with the run-of-the-mill competition.
How to make friends and enemies in just one short video? way to go
it just goes to show in this video that unless you're a label-oriented shallow type there is no reason to spend all that money to have a nice watch! Unfortunately, I've been there and then I matured and had some nice holidays instead. Still wearing a nice watch that tells the time even when swimming.
I love this style of video.
I was jplted out of my moribund state at 3 mintues when you somewhat ironically said "Lets get on with it"
Superb video!!!!! Gonna get that San Martin.
San Martin fan here….ive got 3….maybe 4 after this
Watchdives have some great watches too
White gold is much softer material vs stainless steel. So definitely is easier for mistake. However value is much higher. :)
It’s hard to compare.
If i ever came across a rolex, for free. Well, id sell it an go purchase 2 orient star watches that i really want an pocket the rest of the cash. Make that 3 orient star watches.
I really do struggle with the value for money with luxury watches. Hand made is all well and good but is it the most efficient way of producing a product 🤔
Rolex watches are mass produced in a factory. The company won't reveal exactly how they do it, other than stating that humans operate the machines and do the final assembly, in the same way luxury cars and motorcycles like MG or a Norton are made. You can bet that Rolex produce their watches in the most cost-effective way possible and that if they could get away with having robots assemble them, without shattering the illusion that they maintain the horological traditions of the past, then they would.
do please tell san martin to cover up their rehaut with some good chapter ring if they can’t reduce that wide ass rehaut, or engrave it like rolex’s.
the wide rehaut makes it looks cheap no matter how good the other part’s finishes.
i know Nh series got tall handstacks but its a matter of a goodcover ups ( seiko skx007 did it right with their nice chapter ring )
I think that a watch that is made of stainless steel is not a luxury watch. I think that this submariner is a watch that is made by a company that makes luxury watches. I also think that the price is set by the demand and is not a representation of its value. I'm therefore not surprised at all by these results. Love these videos, appreciate the effort u put into producing content!
I just got my first Baltany,and it won't be my last 👍🏻
SAN MARTIN the ceramic bezel comes apart "glued" after a while.....
Couldn't see the 904L steel being brighter or shinier than 316L. Maybe it's another example of marketing hype?
By the way: Rolex ADs are supposed to take the plastic of the watches themselves rather than to hand over watches still protected by plastic.
There were small pieces on there still…probably couldn’t be bothered to do all the tiny bits
In person, you actually can see that 904l steel is shinier. I kinda wished homage brands used them.
@@MarkDanger777Wise from Thailand make nice and affordable watches out of 904L steel.
That's a great report and comparison. Keep them coming!
These videos are getting just so boring mean while he is cashing up to get a new sub 😮
Can you do a grand seiko macro comparison?
Rolex got the best finish on the bezel edge, not sharp.