Alba Panda Chronograph Review 🐼
So i've had this watch for some times now, and i would love to share my experience with this Alba, especially with @SamSam! Before it, a brief introduction about Alba.
Alba is Seiko's subsidiary brand famous mostly in Asia and Middle East. Their watches are mostly priced under US$100 and usually take some of Seiko's design cues in their watches.
With that said, let's get into the watch!
This Alba A4B009X1 is powered by Seiko's VK64 Meca-quartz movement. The diameter of the watch is 44mm with 50mm lug to lug, and 12mm thickness. A big watch indeed, even for a 7.5in wrist.
What i like about this watch:
The panda dial is striking! It doesn't really look like a $61 watch!
10 Bar water resistance. Even a lot of chrono watches priced above this watch, they couldn't even pass the 3 Bar water resistance.
The hands are very legible with the contrasting black hands and white lume.
The chrono pushers are very tactile and responsive, well i mean, mecaquartz am i right fellas?
All stainless steel case for under USD100 too!
But biggest thing i don't really love about this watch:
The dial-tachymetre bezel alignment is so bad, the right side got a wider gap from the tachymetre bezel than the left one!
The stock photo didn't have the faulty dial one, but when i saw the reviews:
All of them got the faulty dial too!
I don't get bothered too much by the dial, since the panda dial distracted me more with its beauty. But i know you guys with OCD will get bothered by it long term.
And the bracelet: rolled links, hollow end link, and pressed clasp, pulled some hairs a little bit. But hey, under USD100, i can live with that.
Lume is sufficient, but not the best.
Also if you have less than 7.5in wrist, i don't thing you can pull this one off too. So this watch is for you big wristed guys out there.
Overall, i like the design of this watch, and really a good watch in my opinion to commemorate my first paycheck too! But if you have OCD and you got that faulty dial, i dont think you will love it when you notice it 😅
Ok this is all for my first review, thankyou for reading till here, have a great day Crunchers!
Alba Panda Chronograph Review 🐼
Yes
No
- Panda Dial
- 10 Bar WR
- Legible hands for panda dial
- Mecaquartz
- All Stainless Steel Case under USD100
- Unaligned Dial
- Bracelet sucks
- Not for the slender-wristed guys
Budget watch enjoyer.
Thank you for the tag 🏷️ @SamuelTan ! I've read your review thoroughly and it's quite informative I could say.
In short, I can conclude that this piece here is actually worth it for the price as it is reigned directly below Seiko as their sub. Especially given that you understand what you'll get from this price range.
I got a chance to encounter Alba previously when I was looking for a watch to be gifted to a friend. It would sort of be his first 'proper traditional' watch as he previously is using a smartband/smartwatch. With that said, he doesn't really know what to expect. He doesn't even know about the world of watches so to say.
This eventually led us to buying an Addiesdive from the great AliE for him instead. The watch is similarly priced from the one we're looking at from Alba. The only problem with Addiesdive is that they're mostly homage/superclone (in a good way). Some might have problem with that. But we never heard any complaints from him till now 😂.
Thank you for the tag 🏷️ @SamuelTan ! I've read your review thoroughly and it's quite informative I could say.
In short, I can conclude that this piece here is actually worth it for the price as it is reigned directly below Seiko as their sub. Especially given that you understand what you'll get from this price range.
I got a chance to encounter Alba previously when I was looking for a watch to be gifted to a friend. It would sort of be his first 'proper traditional' watch as he previously is using a smartband/smartwatch. With that said, he doesn't really know what to expect. He doesn't even know about the world of watches so to say.
This eventually led us to buying an Addiesdive from the great AliE for him instead. The watch is similarly priced from the one we're looking at from Alba. The only problem with Addiesdive is that they're mostly homage/superclone (in a good way). Some might have problem with that. But we never heard any complaints from him till now 😂.
True! I mean for the price, you can't go wrong. For a first watch, Alba is the safest and cheapest brand to have tho. It is punching above its price tag sometimes.
But if you compare it against addiesdive or pagani design, i believe those two brands will give you more with the money you have. But it is not a safe brand for beginners.
But i hope your friend will love the watch until many years to come 😁