IBSO Tank Review
On AliExpress I was looking for tank homages that were not carbon copies of the Cartier. One watch I stumbled across was this quartz by the brand IBSO - a brand I had not encountered before; to give it its full name: IBSO Boerni Aibisino. I doubt the seeming abbreviation IBSO stands for anything, and I am similarly skeptical that Boerni Aibisino has a meaning in a language known to mankind.
That aside, let us have a look at the watch.
Regarding originality, it actually does have a cloned design, as it is based on Seiko's solar tank. That is a discontinued model, and not that easy to get hold of - not listed on Jomashop or Chrono24 at the moment. I saw on ebay a listing for more than twice its original list price (original price about $125). Unlike the Seiko the IBSO is not solar, but it is quartz, costs about $25 on Ali, and it is actually available.
The dial size is specced at 32x37mm, which my caliper confirms. Because of its rectangular shape this wears larger than a 37mm watch, more like a 39mm one. Lug-to-lug is not specced, I measured it at 44mm. It is quite thin at 7.4mm. The lugwidth is a massive 26mm, but you would not want replacement straps anyway, as I will explain later.
Like all tanks, this is a dress watch, and it has the looks to be a proper member of the dress watch union. If anything, it looks better in the metal than in the rendered images on AliExpress. The one thing that was messed up in the design though are the hands: they are simply too short. The minute hand is roughly the length the hour hand should have been. This shortage impairs readability a little bit, but: it's a tank, not a flieger.
Water resistance is 30m. The crystal is mineral, the case alloy with a stainless steel backplate resting on your skin. I had no allergic reactions to the metal, and I am rather sensitive. The quartz movement is supposed to be Japanese (and maybe even from Seiko).
What really impressed me was the strap, quite possibly the best strap I had yet from Ali. It is quite thin to match the thinness of the watch, but with a very solid feel. The underside of the band is smooth, the overside has a texture that looks nicer than your typical glossy dresswatchbands, and which is also nice to the touch. The signed buckle is substantial and not one of those run-of-the-mill buckles normally put on cheap watches. If you own a dress watch in need of a new 26mm band you may want to consider getting yourself one of these and raid it just for the band.
IBSO Tank Review
Yes
No
- beautiful watch
- watchband excellent
- very thin
- hands too short
- design not original
UK-based German expat. Likes cheap watches. Not bothered about brands.
Looks absolutely cracking on that blue strap, and I really like the stepped-down sort of inner portion of the dial.
Looks absolutely cracking on that blue strap, and I really like the stepped-down sort of inner portion of the dial.
The strap is actually black, just the sunlight in that photo combined with the texture on the strap gives it that slightly blueish appearance. But, yes, it is a beautiful watch.
The inner portion of the dial is a design element they nicked from the Seiko, see the picture. The Seiko has smaller dimensions (only 38mm lug-to-lug, etc). The hands on the Seiko have a more appropriate length, and - unlike Seiko - IBSO also failed to pimp up the crown in a Cartierish manner.
I'd say, I prefer the rose-gold colour of the case, dimensions and the strap of the IBSO, the movement and hands of the Seiko.