8 Insane-Value AliExpress Watch Brands Worth Buying

So I get asked all the time from friends and viewers alike what AliExpress brands are actually worth buying. Because you and me, well obviously we don't want to be spending our hard-earned money on garbage. And for that reason today I will be showing you eight AliExpress brands that I personally think are great value and absolutely worth buying. Now before we get into it I should explain how this video is going to work. So for each brand I will give you a price range, what they're lower and higher watches are priced at. Then after that I'm going to say what I think the quality of the brand is and what I think the value of the brand is relating to the quality and the price range put together. After that I will go into why I picked the brand in particular and then go over two main picks that I think show them off best and then three or four others I'd recommend personally. Also yes these are all affiliate linked down below so if you're going to get any please do use those links as it really helps me out quite a lot. On top of that I will mention that I am currently doing a giveaway for an AliExpress watch. There's about 10 you can choose from and to enter all you need to do is like, subscribe and comment the hidden message in the video. It takes you two seconds, it costs you nothing and it helps me out greatly. With all that aside let's start with San Martin. Now San Martin's price range is about two to five hundred dollars although the vast majority of them sit at around two hundred to three hundred. In terms of quality I would give them quite literally a nine. Just absolutely insane in terms of finishing and build quality. Specifications are amazing as well and in value I would also say about a nine out of ten. They might not be the most affordable watches in the world, I understand that, but what you're getting for the money is absolutely impeccable. So why did I pick this brand as my first? Well I think they have the most well-rounded watches, they have insane finishing and specs, better QC than most other brands and the original designs that they do are great. However they are more expensive than other brands that is good to keep in mind when it comes to AliExpress as most people want super duper cheap and these are sort of in that middle of still being very affordable but definitely not being cheap. Another reason I picked them is that they're probably the most reliable brand to go to because not one watch they make is bad value and I'd also say that they're probably the most respected AliExpress brand. I mean even my friends who are watchmakers with a sort of qualification which if you don't know is Rolex watchmaker qualifications respect the brand San Martin. The two main picks that I have here are the SNO148 and the SNO144. Both of these have absolutely insane finishing and build quality and such as said before but they also both have the two best bracelets that they do, great enamel dials and I mean a Miyota 9000 series in this price range is incredible because for anyone who doesn't know a 9000 series movement is pretty much the best movement you can get in around that $500 to $700 $800 range and they're in like $200 $300 watches here. Just value wise absolutely amazing. The other watch I have picked are the SNO129 which also has a GMT variation, the SNO116, the SNO144 but with the Chinese special dial as I think it's quite nice to have a Chinese character on a Chinese watch it just adds a bit more soul and originality to the brand there. And then the last pick is another SNO144 however this is their most expensive watch their power reserve one which I think looks gorgeous but is definitely on the more expensive side. The second brand that I have here is Addi's style. Now they're typically more affordable in the price range of about $100 to about $200 most of them in that $150 to $200 range and in terms of their actual quality I'd give them maybe a 7 out of 10 but in terms of their value I would give them easily a 9 out of 10 maybe even a 9.5 because what you're getting for the money similar to San Martin but on a smaller scale is just impeccable. Why did I pick them in particular though? Well I think they're the best and most reliable middle ground to go to because they're not super cheap but they're also not super expensive they always have very good specs, the build quality is always good, the finishing is always good and as well as that they not only have a wide variety of designs but a constantly growing one as they just always seem to be making more and more. The choices between dailies is also nice and if you just want a reliable daily beta watch to go around not worry about smacking it about they will withstand everything, they will look good doing it and they will be cheap. The picks that I have here are the AD2059 and the AD2527. One has an NH35 the other a Miyota 8000 series both of which are similar levels although I'd probably give the edge to the NH35 but the overall dials, the cases, the bracelets, everything on these watches is incredible. It really does hold up to about the $300, $400 Seiko and Hamilton and Tissot sort of range. The other picks I have here are the AD2095, the AD2030, the AD2099 and weirdly one that's named differently which is the MYH3-2. The next brand here is actually going to be Merkur. Now Merkur have a bit of a weird price range because most of them are about that $150 to $200 range but quite a lot of them also go in that $300 to low $500 range. In terms of quality I would say they're maybe about a seven again and in terms of value I'd put them at about maybe a 7.5. But why did I choose the brand if I think that their value isn't as good as the previous two? Well it's because they just have cool watches right, they have complications and retro designs but also lots of Chinese designs. I personally think the brand is nicer and has more character and soul and originality because a lot of their designs are either reissues of Chinese watches or just Chinese watches they've designed themselves. It just makes them more of a proper brand than a lot of the more homage ones. My top picks for this brand are the and the Merkur Alarm. One is a jump hour movement and one is an alarm movement both of which are fully mechanical and are just insane for what you're paying. I mean getting these complications in the price ranges they are is extremely, extremely impressive. And also yes I will quickly mention Pierre Paulin and a few other little names are sort of a subsidiary of Merkur, they're all part of one brand which is why they're all mentioned together. The other watches I would say here are the and the Pierre Paulin Retro Chronograph. Next is Proxima which is again in that more affordable but also going to higher end price range of about $200 to $400. In terms of pure quality they are absolutely amazing, I mean I would give them an 8.5, maybe an 8 but around an 8, 8.5 out of 10 and their value is easily a good 8 out of 10. Why have I picked them in particular? Well they have lots of cool enamel dials and they also do something other brands should which is giving the option of Swiss or Japanese or Chinese movements depending on the price range you want to pay. They have great finishing and around good specs and everything but most importantly they have that very higher end sort of tool watch feel where they're not trying to go full specifications and they're not trying to go just for design, they're in a nice even middle ground kind of like the Rolex of the AliExpress market. My first pick here is the PX1715 which is just a gorgeous vintage chronograph design and then the PX1724 which is just a really cool normal chronograph design that's a bit more modern and a bit more funky. The other watches I have picked are the PX1738, the PX1719 and the PX1721. Next on this list is Ixtal. Now Ixtal is priced very well in that sort of 280 to 340 range, they're in that very tight bracket where most of their watches are priced about the same and in terms of quality they're up there with San Martin, I'd say a good 9, 9.5 out of 10 and in terms of value I'd give them an easy 8.5, 9. Just amazing stuff that you're seeing here and why did I pick them? Well they have a really cool use of materials like bronze watches or titanium watches, they also have probably the most high-end looking designs and general catalog like they have an homage of the GMT-Master II, of the Patek Philippe Calatrava, of the IWC Ingenieur and all of these they look really high-end, they're really going for that up market look and I think there's not a single watch in their catalog that looks bad. I mean even their turtle style piece still looks and feels high-end while having debatably the best finishing and build quality on the entire of AliExpress. My picks for this are that aforementioned Turtle watch and the 6542, both of which are incredible in terms of finishing and build quality, have just lovely designs. I know they're both homages but at the end of the day most watches on AliExpress are and I just think that specifically that Turtle, I mean where else are you getting that man? It is just impeccable. The other watches I have picked are the JD-X02T, the Ixtal 01 and the JD-X06S. The next brand on this list is Boltony. Now Boltony is in that more affordable range sitting in about that 100 to 300 range. In terms of their pure quality there may be a 7 and in terms of value there may be an 8. Why have I picked them though? Well I have picked them because they generally do the best vintage inspired super affordable stuff. So they have lots of great vintage designs for that like 1 to 200 range. So if you like the look of a vintage watch but not only is it more expensive but it's a bit more risky to buy and it's a bit more to take care of you want something that can withstand stuff a bit better, I'd say it's your brand to go to. I also really like how their catalogue has a lot of just out there vintage designs you wouldn't expect to be there. It's not just all trendy ones. My two picks are the S3075 and the S4090. As my two favourite, I mean I could wear these any day of the week. I think they look absolutely gorgeous especially for that price. With the other picks being the S2019, the S4036 and the S6074. The next brand on this list is one you know it is Suges. Now these are a weird brand in terms of their actual pricing because most of them are 100 to 200 but they also have some like thousand dollar watches. It just depends what you're looking at but in terms of quality I wouldn't say they're stand out like some brands maybe like a six and a half seven but their value is really good. I would say easily a good seven and a half eight out of ten. Why did I pick them? Well they have just very good designs. They have lots of chronographs and dress watches and they have some high-end complications like tourbillons for example. They aren't the most reliable movements in the world. I know that. That having high-end complications for a small and affordable price like 400, 500 dollars for a tourbillon. I mean just not seen anywhere else outside of AliExpress or the Chinese watch market and I think Suges probably do it best. I will say that compared to some of these other brands in the same price range like Ixtal and San Martin, their actual full-on build quality and finishing isn't quite up to snuff with those other ones but it's still very good nonetheless. The main thing you're paying for here is the complications and the designs. The picks I've gone for are the S401B version 3 and the Tachymeter chronograph. Two absolutely just gorgeous looking watches with some mind-blowing movements. I mean you're just not getting this anywhere else in the price range. Personally if you want something that stands out more I think they're probably the best brand for you. The other watches I've picked are the S437, the S442, the S411-2 and the S457. I just couldn't pick between any others so I included an extra one. And last but not least the last brand we are saying today is one you know definitely it is Pagani Design. Now these are the being literally anywhere from like 30 to 130 dollars. In terms of quality I'd say they're definitely the worst here maybe a 5 out of 10 but in terms of value they're a 10 out of 10. Yes compared to a San Martin they're nowhere near the same level but their price is also like 10 times less so where are you going to argue there? Now why did I pick them? Well I picked them because even though it is the worst of today's watches in terms of the pure quality it's just by far the cheapest. Value wise if you want something if you've never had a watch before you want to try something on you want to try design anything like that they're the go-to for the extremely affordable range because it's literally the cost of a couple sandwiches to get a watch which is decently well built. It might not be up to par with any other brands on this list but it's definitely on par with any hundreds or 150 dollar watch from any mainstream brand out there for 30 dollars so you can't really complain and my two biggest picks here are the PD 1662 and the PD 1667. I mean you can just see from the pictures they do look gorgeous but in hands they're just not quite up to snuff with the other brands. Still incredible value and very well made watches for the prices they are but if you want something that you can wear for a good amount of years and keep on your I'd personally at least say Adizdive is where you want to go. The other watches here I would recommend are the PD 2270, the PD 1784 and the PD 1639. Look if you want just incredible quality you want the best of the best on AliExpress. Ixdao, San Martin and Proxima are the three brands on this list to go for. If you want the cheapest watches with the best value Adizdive and Pagani Design are the two best on this list as well with Pagani being if you want to go really affordable and of course Adizdive being a bit higher but still easily affordable to anyone in the western world. And then if you want something different maybe with a bit more character a bit more flair I definitely say that Boltony, Merkur and Suges are the brands for you. Now again all of these are linked in the description. I will say all of these brands all of the watches they offer that are within the last three years or so are very very good watches. So if you press on one of the links and you see something else you like go for it nothing wrong with that they are generally really really good. The only one I'd be maybe a little bit wary of is Pagani Design because they do have some real crappers out there but the rest of the brands you don't need to worry about that. Overall these are just some incredible quality and value pieces for what they are. I know people go Chinese watches and they stick their nose up but so what to snobs a good watch it doesn't matter where it comes from it can still be great quality either way. And if you found the hidden message in the video comment it below for your chance to win that free watch I even pay for shipping. And with that never forget time keeps ticking so use the time you have wisely.