Name a watch you own that you'd tell someone else NOT to buy?

I was thinking today that there are watches I love in my collection, but I wouldn't recommend them to someone else to pick up. Let's limit responses to things you currently still own. Tell us what and why.

What: Only one that comes to mind for me is my Invicta Pro Diver Swiss (ref# 9937). 
Why: Nearly identical to the regular 40mm Pro diver but 4x the price. It does have a Swiss mvmt, sapphire glass, and a milled clasp. 

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Bought in 2006 a Zenith El-Primero chronometer T Moon Phase. I love the watches they put out. But because their service in the US sucks I do not recommend buying this brand in the US. 

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G Shock GA110-1B. I like the model but hate the negative digital display.  And I didn't realize how the black colorway doesn't work well. Don't get me wrong I love G Shocks I'd find a better model, colorway and display. 

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I always say everyone is free to get the watches that appeal to them, and I don't like to disparage the choices of others, but I have had horrible luck with Invicta and cannot recommend the brand to anyone. Early in my collecting, I purchased six Invicta watches, and within a few months four of them had broken. Only one was actually covered by warranty, and they replaced it with a quartz version. When I received a quartz replacement for an automatic watch, that was it for me. As much as I like the look of the 1953, I remain unwilling to purchase another Invicta. I won't go so far as to tell someone not to buy Invicta, but I will relate my own experiences with the brand.

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jcwatch

G Shock GA110-1B. I like the model but hate the negative digital display.  And I didn't realize how the black colorway doesn't work well. Don't get me wrong I love G Shocks I'd find a better model, colorway and display. 

Yeah, I have a negative display G, and done love that about it. It looks cool, but it’s just more difficult to see in more situations than I like. 

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jcwatch

G Shock GA110-1B. I like the model but hate the negative digital display.  And I didn't realize how the black colorway doesn't work well. Don't get me wrong I love G Shocks I'd find a better model, colorway and display. 

Similarly, my Casio 2100s. Cool watches, near impossible to read.

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Mine is the invicta pro diver, I had one and hated it but it did get me into watch modding so there's that.   I generally don't say anything as it's almost universally loved in the budget watch groups I belong to. 

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AllTheWatches

Similarly, my Casio 2100s. Cool watches, near impossible to read.

Yeah you think they would back light the display.

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jcwatch

Yeah you think they would back light the display.

It has a backlight for the digi display, but even that can be hard to read given it's size. 

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AllTheWatches

It has a backlight for the digi display, but even that can be hard to read given it's size. 

Mine lights from lower right, but not behind the display. It lights just enough to see the hands. I have others that do back light.

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I've not really had a bad experience with any of the watches in my hoard at the moment. 

I've heard a comment today that possibly sums up why, "There are rarely bad products, just bad prices."

I've paid what I feel is fair price for the watches I've purchased. 

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My Invicta Russian Diver. Extremely large and heavy. Might be more comfortable with a leather strap. 

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Mushy, fiddly chrono pushers. 

The product page showed vintage yellowish markers... as you can see, the real thing is a far cry.

60-min totalizer is mecha-quartz. But 0.2s chrono counter is quartz. What kind of half-a** movement is this? Either do a full-quartz or full-mecha quartz.

No 0.2s markers despite having a 0.2s chrono counter... My fault for not spotting this. I guess other chronos also have this problem.

Currently least favourite pick in the collection.

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I own at least 3 watches I keep because I like them but would not recommend someone to buy.

The Casio G-Shock GM-S5600. on paper it should be perfect: a metal clad square G-Shock that is small and classy enough to be worn anywhere, anytime. Except that it's not that. The negative display is a crime against humanity and turned the diminutive square into an unreadable scratch magnet.

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The CIGA Design Z. It's a fine watch as long as you don't mind that it's as flat as a floor tile and that it's basically useless for reading the time. Nice conversation piece thought.

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Seiko SPB147. It absolutely isn't worth it's official price tag. I keep it because I like it as a dressy desk diver, but seriously, Seiko could and should have done a better job.

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Hublot Classic Fusion :) 

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Catskinner

I own at least 3 watches I keep because I like them but would not recommend someone to buy.

The Casio G-Shock GM-S5600. on paper it should be perfect: a metal clad square G-Shock that is small and classy enough to be worn anywhere, anytime. Except that it's not that. The negative display is a crime against humanity and turned the diminutive square into an unreadable scratch magnet.

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The CIGA Design Z. It's a fine watch as long as you don't mind that it's as flat as a floor tile and that it's basically useless for reading the time. Nice conversation piece thought.

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Seiko SPB147. It absolutely isn't worth it's official price tag. I keep it because I like it as a dressy desk diver, but seriously, Seiko could and should have done a better job.

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Better job how so? I've had my eye on this piece for a while and I'm curious. What strap is that by the way?

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My brother was given a Timex Expedition Chronograph that he wears since it was a gift from his family, but the legibility is so bad, he usually pulls his phone out to see what time it is... and he wouldn't recommend this watch to anyone based on how hard it is to see the time.

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Fake and Fashion watches! 🤫

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LumegaudAnar

I always say everyone is free to get the watches that appeal to them, and I don't like to disparage the choices of others, but I have had horrible luck with Invicta and cannot recommend the brand to anyone. Early in my collecting, I purchased six Invicta watches, and within a few months four of them had broken. Only one was actually covered by warranty, and they replaced it with a quartz version. When I received a quartz replacement for an automatic watch, that was it for me. As much as I like the look of the 1953, I remain unwilling to purchase another Invicta. I won't go so far as to tell someone not to buy Invicta, but I will relate my own experiences with the brand.

Ive heard similar storie, and i had issues with modding my pro diver, issues with the bezel construction, ultimately leaving me to purchase a replacement case off of ebay for $50, which wasn’t terrible, that case  is where the nh35 movement sits today with a better case, bezel, insert, and sapphire crystal 

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JBird7986

Tandorio PT5000 Field

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Was it cheap?  Yes.  Would I get it again?  No.  It's not all that well finished, and its time keeping is poor.

I bought a couple of Tandorio watches but got the NH35 or NH36 movement instead of the PT5000. I have heard it can be a dodgy movement so I shied away from it and went with the known Seiko movement. Finishing isn't great, but it is good, and they run well.

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moemoe
Review of the Fossil Philippe Starck Collection ...

Any unibody silcone watch.  These were designed by Philipe Stark by fossil.  After 15 years or so they started to tear.  Very sad end to watches I really liked.  They weren't that much, but still frustating not being able to repair something.

I had a several Philipe Stark fossils as well back in the days.

One of the watch teared apart. Another one was white in colour but turned into yellow after years of ownership. And the last one I owned the clasp worn out and couldn't lock in place, my attempt to fix the metal tab broke it.

Still amazing watches and love the design until this day!

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LumegaudAnar

I bought a couple of Tandorio watches but got the NH35 or NH36 movement instead of the PT5000. I have heard it can be a dodgy movement so I shied away from it and went with the known Seiko movement. Finishing isn't great, but it is good, and they run well.

I went with the PT5000 because I have one in my Cronos IWC homage and it's a champ.

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Do you remember the hi beat movement Starking was using in some of their watches a few years ago? 28,800 bph movement in a dress watch for around $50-$70? It was a big deal on the YouTube channels for a couple of months. Then it came out that the movement had a stutter far worse than any Miyota 8215 ever had, and it had some serious amplitude and frequency issues in some of the movements. QC was a big problem with them and it was a crap shoot whether you got a good movement or a lemon. I bought two Starking watches with the hi beat movement and the second one was a lemon. Makes me hesitant about the PT5000 and much more comfortable with an NH or even Miyota movement.

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LumegaudAnar

Do you remember the hi beat movement Starking was using in some of their watches a few years ago? 28,800 bph movement in a dress watch for around $50-$70? It was a big deal on the YouTube channels for a couple of months. Then it came out that the movement had a stutter far worse than any Miyota 8215 ever had, and it had some serious amplitude and frequency issues in some of the movements. QC was a big problem with them and it was a crap shoot whether you got a good movement or a lemon. I bought two Starking watches with the hi beat movement and the second one was a lemon. Makes me hesitant about the PT5000 and much more comfortable with an NH or even Miyota movement.

Was it a PT5000 mvmt inside? 

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jonathanRstafford

Was it a PT5000 mvmt inside? 

I don't think so. I think it was a different movement.

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I got this before I knew how to buy watches. A G-Shock wannabe, who I thought could handle just as much.

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I learned to research and what not to buy in a watch. I learned I had different tastes as well.

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watchdawg

Bought in 2006 a Zenith El-Primero chronometer T Moon Phase. I love the watches they put out. But because their service in the US sucks I do not recommend buying this brand in the US. 

That’s a shame I like them and I’m in the US, how long ago was the bad experience?

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mattyb

That’s a shame I like them and I’m in the US, how long ago was the bad experience?

2022

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Ecozilla

unless you actually dive, or have wrists like the Hulk…… it’s tooooooo big for mere mortals 

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I use mine as a pocket watch with no strap on

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I have a Mercedes Benz Motorsport digital piece. It's very comfortable with a large square case and leather 24 mm strap with a good taper on it. However it's almost impossible to see and read unless your absolutely Infront of the display and close. It's basically rubbish but as it was a gift it's still with my collection.

Do not! I repeat Absolutely Do Not  buy one.

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I love every single watch I have. That's why I bought em' I have a few Invicta's and I have no reason to tell someone not to buy one. In fact, I can only think of reason's why you would buy one.

I used to have a fake Rolex about 20 years ago. it broke quickly and I threw it away. back then I didn't know any better. But If I could recommend Not buying a watch, It would be.

Don't buy any Fake watch