San Martin SN0129 12 Days On

I've been eyeing San Martin for some time now, reading reviews and trying to decide, "Could I be happy with one of their watches?" About a month ago, I decided to buy their Sub homage but with the bronze case and green dial, a very handsome piece which doesn't resemble any Sub every made with the darker green dial and bronze case. I knew no one would ever ask me, "Is that a Rolex?" Alas and alack, my timing, as usual, was off. When I went into AliX to place the order, it was gone. Not gone at a particular site, gone from them all virtually simultaneously and universally. I hunted for quite a while, and finally found one for ~$450, an outrageous price. They had been $270 a week earlier, a definite bargain at that price, but way overpriced at the current price. Not gonna happen.

About that time, I ran across a review of the SN0129 and it caught my eye. I definitely liked the look. Later I'd learn it was an homage to a GS, but I'm not a fan of GS. I find them lacking in any individuality with the standard, cookie-cutter dagger hands and their design generally bland, other than some of the upmarket ones with, at least, interesting dials. I'm big on beveled lugs and case edges, and this watch has more bevels than edges! Bevels in all the usual spots, but also on the inside of the lugs and the bottom edge of the case. All very nicely done.

I debated between the two dials, the gray, vertically brushed and the Desert White wavy style, which is far more popular. I decided on the waves because they would stand out a little more amongst my current collection and are important criteria in my selection process.

I deviated from my usual practice of putting it on my long wish list and letting it languish there for at least a few months and bought it, part on impulse, part on my desire to give SM a try. How bad can it be? For $260, what can you lose? Ok, about $260. No big deal. I bought it through WatchDives (what, DiveWatches was taken?) and they were very helpful, packed it very well, and I had the watch within a week. I highly recommend them.

The unboxing was, thankfully, nothing, just an inexpensive plastic box which I might well use for some other watch-related purpose. No money is wasted on the box, which is better spent on the watch.

This San Martin did not disappoint. As has been repeatedly reported here and in numerous other forums and reviews, the overall quality is amazing at this price. I examined it carefully before removing the film, looking for any flaw that would justify returning it, but there were none. Nada! I put it on my timegrapher to check on the NH34 movement's accuracy and, again, was pleasantly surprised. Across four positions, -3 sec/d. Much better than I'd hoped for this movement, spec'd at -20 to +40! Plenty good enough to remove the plastic, give it a more detailed look and size the bracelet which was as easy as it gets due to the screwed links. All it took was a few minutes with a jeweler's screwdriver and a small pin tool, both of which I had at hand. After removing the customary three links for my 17 cm. wrist, it fits nicely. I did have some difficulty getting the "on the fly" adjustment to work; it's tricky for my aging, arthritic hands. It probably isn't a problem for younger-fingered (which is practically everybody) folk. Once adjusted though, it's fine.

Specifications

40mm dia.

20mm lug width

Span 45mm

13 mm thick

NH34 GMT movement

It's a very handsome watch. The first thing most will notice is the "Desert Sands" dial (I prefer snowdrift as I've never seen sand this white.) It's very nice looking and probably the main reason it's considered an homage to a popular GS. However, I've compared the two onscreen, and if the SM is intended to be an homage, it's not very good. There are more differences than similarities, such that one could be mistaken for the other only at a casual glance.

Next to the striking dial, the most interesting feature is the extreme beveling on the case and lugs, I can't remember a watch with the insides of the lugs beveled and the bottom edge of the case as well. I'm a sucker for beveled edges, I think they add class and character. It's something I look for in everyday watches and this one has them everywhere. I'm also a fan of the applied markers as they have a similar effect to the beveled lugs. All in all, this is a great-looking piece, especially considering the budget price.

The bracelet maintains the same level of value as the watch. The links fold effortlessly and smoothly, belying the price and with the added value of on-the-fly three position adjustments. I compared it to the bracelet on my Oris, the best bracelet I own, for which the price is more than the SM itself. While the SM’s bracelet is certainly nice, it doesn’t have the fluid feeling of the more expensive one. But then, the Oris’ bracelet doesn’t have on-the-fly adjustments. The clasp is milled and brushed with an applied SM logo.

The differences between the San Martin’s finish and my more expensive pieces become noticeable under a ten-power loupe (though this is getting picky, I think), particularly the finishing of the letters in the logos, which are a bit rough. I made a more meaningful comparison by putting the SN0129 next to my Hamilton PRX P80, the only other watch I have with applied markers. Here, the contrast is obvious, the finishing on the Hammy being obviously much nicer. The Tissot plays with the light in a way the other can’t. I should say that this is an unfair comparison as the PRX’s retail price is about 2.5 times the SM’s, and many reviewers, myself included, believe the PRX could easily sell for double its retail price, making any comparison unreasonable. I mention it to point out that while the SN0129 is excellent for its price, it’s not on par with brands such as Hamilton and Tissot.

The lume is what I’d expect, not exciting but I could care less about lume anyway.

The signed crown and the protectors, and the vertically polished bezel, are nicely done. Some may be concerned with the blank caseback, but to me, like the box, I’d rather they spend the money on the front than the back.

The framed date window at three o'clock is just the right size; no cyclops needed and is easily discerned even by my aging eyes. The date is nicely centered.

Other nice details are the red text on the GMT lettering at the bottom of the dial and the red-tipped second hand. These kinds of details are yet additional pleasant surprises for this price.

Conclusion

Pros

"Snowdrift" dial

Nicely done polishing and beveling

Applied markers and logos

Excellent bracelet and on-the-fly adjustable clasp with screwed links

Overall quality for this price!

Cons

NH34 movement

Blank caseback

The first three watches I bought when I started collecting were Chinese also, but not remotely of this quality. Chinese manufacturers have come a long way, and, from what I read, San Martin leads the pack. The SN0129 lives up to this much-deserved respect for the brand.

In spite of all this goodness, I find myself struggling to bond with this piece. Primarily, it’s the fact that I didn’t take the usual precautions before making this purchase. I did have the good feeling when I first saw it, but I didn’t wait at least a few months before buying as I’ve done with purchases in the last couple of years. I suppose I jumped at the purchase because I’d decided to buy the bronze Sub homage and then couldn’t, and I had my hopes up for an addition to the collection. So, I broke my own rules and bought it.

All is not lost. I surprised myself when it came time to rotate to another; I didn’t want to make the switch just yet. I switched but missed it for a couple of days after. I do like it and, at least at present, I see no reason to sell it. I’ve had pieces that I’d had doubts about after purchase and grew to like better with time. Maybe this will be one of those? Time will tell. Regardless of my ultimate choice, it’s a really nice watch for the money.