Is it safe or should I save a little more
Hello fellow watch weevils, I’ve been watching a few YouTube videos on watches and have seen what looks like a very cheap yet rather attractive chronograph watch, the Seagull 1963. Some videos are positive but some are negative, which is understandable I suppose, some people love it while others hate it. My questions are:
1, is the Seagull 1963 a watch worth having or should I just save a little extra and get a more mainstream brand?
2, if it is okay to buy, I’d rather avoid Aliexpress. Is www.seagull1963.com a safe retailer to buy from?
I am also very tempted by the SWC Chronograph or the Tisso PR516, both mechanical watches but three or four times the cost of the Seagull 1963. I know you get what you pay for but the Seagull does look very good and I do like the idea of owning something with a link to China’s communist past.
Retired university lecturer now living by the ocean, enjoying the joy of nice watches and fountain pens.
If you're getting a SeaGull 1963 get it from the Sea-Gull Official Store on AliExpress.These cost a bit more then the others but they are legit Sea-Gull watches in the official packaging built in the Tianjin factory. The movements are marked by Sea-Gull and the watches are built to a higher standard and are also handled more carefully. Like i said before they cost more but they are legit. The rest are fake knockoffs.
https://m.aliexpress.com/store/1101342402
That's the link. You will see other offerings as well. Ignore all of the people on here who try and discourage you from AliExpress. Enjoy your new watch.
Genuine seagulls are a lot, as in a lot more expensive than a Sugess seagull. The same movement is used. The genuine one has a bit more text on the dial.
You pay your money and make the choice.
I've bought quite a few watches off Aliexpress, various other items. Only had a few hiccups, which were sorted out in my favour.
I've got the cheaper one, ( at the time I was unaware of genuine and fake) had it about a year, on my timegrapher, it runs about 5 seconds a day error. Doesn't get a lot of use, as I have quite a few(too many) other watches. Watch the video.
I have one of the cheaper ones - still an automatic though - and am very happy with it. Beautiful watch.
About 6 years ago I bought on there for the first time. My CC was hacked in a day. Have things improved?
I hear it’s a good watch, but the rub comes when it’s time to service it. My understanding is that it’s very difficult to get serviced because of the movement type and origin. So if you can find someone to do it, it will cost well over the purchase price of the watch. Making it kind of a disposable item more or less, not unlike many cheaper mechanical watches. I don’t own one, just what I’ve heard about it.
I hear it’s a good watch, but the rub comes when it’s time to service it. My understanding is that it’s very difficult to get serviced because of the movement type and origin. So if you can find someone to do it, it will cost well over the purchase price of the watch. Making it kind of a disposable item more or less, not unlike many cheaper mechanical watches. I don’t own one, just what I’ve heard about it.
I hear that but keep in mind you can get a new one for cheaper then any service bill will cost aside from a battery change. Also if you have the $150 version you can replace the movement at home for less then $75 because those movements aren't branded by SeaGull like the official watches feature.
I hear that but keep in mind you can get a new one for cheaper then any service bill will cost aside from a battery change. Also if you have the $150 version you can replace the movement at home for less then $75 because those movements aren't branded by SeaGull like the official watches feature.
Exactly my point. Get a new one and dispose of the old because that would cost less. That’s the case with many inexpensive watches due to service costs. Makes them kind of disposable. But I’ve heard great things about the watch nonetheless 👍