As a western consumer, I’m used to common perception of sites like AliExpress (Alibaba, Temu, etc.) existing for the sole purpose of selling you junk that arrives broken. Whether that is true or not, the lack of trust in the site is definitely common. Its watch market, however, has many of us altering our opinions on the matter.
Photo Courtesy of TeddyBaldassarre.com
Will I Get Scammed?
Now, AliExpress works sort of like a farmer’s market: if you have a product, or access to someone else's products, you can create a storefront, and sell it at whatever price you want. Of course, being a relatively unregulated environment, there are an unfathomable amount of stores and products. This includes relisted and dropshipped versions of other products, misleading store names, (for example: The brand Seagull and Sea-Gull aren’t technically the same brand, but they sell identical watches.) etc. Aliexpress gets a bad reputation because of the shady sellers, but there are countless reputable sellers as well.
It's relatively easy to make sure you don't buy from a shady seller. Find a brand you like, and go to the storefront named “BRANDNAME Official Store.” Most brands follow this naming convention for their official storefront. It really is that easy. If you can't find it, just look for positively rated stores with a lot of units sold, or look for links provided by reviewers. That’s really it, being a tiny bit careful is all you need to not get scammed.
Screenshot of the San Martin Official Store’s link.
The name and reviews of this storefront indicate that this is a legitimate seller.
As for the safety of the site: there is a huge amount of purchasing traffic, and it is a safe place to spend money. There is a PayPal option as well, which is arguably the safest form of transaction online, so there is nothing to worry about there.
Speaking of buying watches, don't pay too much attention to the “original” price on watches, a lot of brands use the old jacked up MSRP trick so that it looks like things are always discounted. Another pro-tip: always wait for a sale. There 4+ big events each year (11/11 being the biggest), in which basically everything gets discounted below it's usual price.
The last note is that the customer service is a weak point. Any customer service conversations will likely lose a little in translation, and there will be an extreme time difference, location depending. If you stick to the larger brands, it tends to be fine, but any smaller storefront are very unlikely to help you much. Luckily, the Aliexpress platform has a section for disputing transactions and filing complaints, so it really is not as bad as you'd think- there are many instructions online on what to do to ensure a refund if needed.
Where Should I Start?
Because of the earlier-mentioned plethora of good and bad storefronts, you may wonder where to start. The truth is, there are loads of revered brands, and you just have to browse (and read the spec sheet)! The main appeal of AliExpress Watches is that, because it is oftentimes straight from the factory, the value proposition is second-to-none. Sapphire crystal, automatic movements, and well-made bracelets are all commonplace, often for under $100. Taking a step back, it is truly remarkable to get the value presented here. Many watches on the site are up to par with certain Swiss brands, and cost a small fraction of the price, and it sometimes feels unfair to compare.
Now, I should also take a step back and clarify the term “brand.” Every watch brand sits on a spectrum between dropshipped products and fully in-house products. The brands found on Aliexpress are just the same. There are some brands, like Sea-Gull that do everything in-house, and even provide their movements for other brands. There are brands like San Martin that are in the middle of the spectrum with their use of third part movements. And, there are a fair number of brands just dropshipping other designs. Terms like “microbrand” or “luxury brand” are sometimes subjective and hard to define, so we'll refer to them all as just “brands” for now.
Which Brands Should I Start With?
Here are some of the well-established brands on the Platform:
San Martin
Perhaps the highest quality watches on AliExpress, but also one of the more expensive. Most models sit between $200-350. Known for their diver homages, but currently making a successful effort on original designs.
Photo Courtesy of San Martin Watches
Sea-Gull Watches
The brand that arguably started the Chinese mechanical watch movement, Sea-Gull is also a large-scale movement manufacturer. Selling the most iconic Chinese watch ever made, the 1963, they have many classy everyday models, mostly above $200. Note that there are manufacturers that use the same cases and movements and assemble them in a different factory for less money, like Seagull.
Photo Courtesy of TeddyBaldassarre.com
Addiesdive
This brand, obviously focused on dive watches, is targeted at the lower end of the market. They have some homages to famous models, but tend to put a spin on it with an interesting new dial or color way. Often sub $100, and often praised for build quality.
Photo Courtesy of Addiesdive Watches
Seestern and Sugess
These two brands are a favorite of many, including myself! These sister brands are actually interested in not only homaging your classic models, but also rare and lesser known models, which is where they shine. Generally, the models sit sub $200, and have exceptional styling and specs.
Merkur
Merkur is one of the less popular brands, but they make excellent watches. It is actually just a conglomerate of a couple brands like Pierre Paulin, Fod, and Seizenn. They are known for original, 70’s inspired designs that are quite the fun vibe.
Photo Courtesy of Merkur Watch Group
Lobinni
Lobinni is known or its extensive use of Sea-Gull micro rotor movements, which are exceedingly rare at this price point. Dress watches with classic design and beautiful movements.
Photo Courtesy of Lobinni
Steeldive
Steeldive is known mostly for its homages of Japanese dive watches, done at very low prices. There are loads of color options and case materials, and it is a trusted brand. Despite sharing a very similar name, logo, and catalogue, it doesn’t appear that the brand is connected to Addiesdive.
Pagani Design
Perhaps the most polarizing brand on Aliexpress, Pagani Design is laser focused on faithful homages at the lowest cost possible. While many claim the QC is an issue, or that they aren’t worth the purchase, there is no doubt that for $50+, they are very had to compete with. If you want to look like you’re wearing a Rolex, but only have a couple bucks to your name, it’s hard to beat their spec sheets.
Photo Courtesy of Ben’s Watch Club
And Much, Much More
Obviously, I can't write up every brand. Just because I didn't include a paragraph about any brand, doesn't reflect any sort of opinion on them- there just isn't enough space. Consider checking out reviews on various Chinese brands on this site for more details!
Conclusion
A common word in this article is “homage.” Brands like the very popular San Martin are fully open about their heavy homaging of other designs. They have actually said themselves that, since the best selling watches are consistently the homages, they don't plan on stopping their production. And you cannot fault them for it, especially because they also have original designs that are well built and stylish- see the above photos. At the end of the day, if you don’t like the idea of homage watches, just don’t buy one. There are plenty of original designs from these brands to choose from.
AliExpress is a site that offers incredible value, if you know where to look. The brands that inhabit it are slowly becoming a force to be reckoned with. No doubt, there is a lack of heritage, but the watches are extremely well made for their prices. If you are considering a purchase, then pull the trigger!
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