Are San Martin watches junk? An insider's review

[@sanmartinwatches]

Wow! I was very surprised to see this video! Thank you Mark for reviewing San Martin and providing suggestions! In the future, we will make more and better designs at San Martin. At the same time, I also hope that Long Island Watch will get better and better, and we will make progress together! Before this, we had warehouses in the United States and Europe to store some inventory. Later, due to some policy changes, we have not yet reactivated these warehouses. Maybe we will restart them in the future. And our logistics and transportation speed has also improved a lot. In the official store of the AliExpress platform, many countries support 7-15 days of fast delivery. We have also been doing more things to effectively improve the customer shopping experience. I hope we have the opportunity to do more exchanges! I wish you a long-lasting sales!

[@islandwatch]

Thank you!!!! I wish you much success!

[@1114gabby]

I've had good and bad experiences with Aliexpress. They can be very tough to communicate with when you have a problem. They need to work on that.

[@Dylboz]

Please bring the SM shark back!

[@planecrashcorner7283]

For the record, I like the sterile casebake

[@davidm5048]

Do you have to pay customs when buying them from Aliexpress and shipping to Europe?

[@Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooope]

Marc once again demonstrating that he’s the nicest guy in the industry. There’s a reason I go out of my way to buy from him.

[@ScoobieDoobie197474]

Nicer than Teddy? 😱

[@aronchas]

​@@ScoobieDoobie197474yep, teddy the bear dont accept homages by any means😂

[@vktravellog1242]

Same here

[@bigjoel360]

He isn’t nice! He is smart! You have to keep your enemies closer! lol 😂

[@vktravellog1242]

@@bigjoel360 rofl

[@guyberinger1544]

To review and honestly advertise a competitors watch is a credit to Mark. Hats off to you.

[@islandwatch]

Thanks much.

[@multipl3]

If he slagged off San Martin we would know he’s lying. So may as well say how good they are

[@Mr1MOA]

I've bought watches from Watchdives and from Marc's website, they both have something unique to offer. So I'm glad Marc did a critique on the San Martins, honestly I love my San Martin watch along with my other watches. Healthy competition is a good thing.

[@timinginstruments]

Directly offering valuable insight for a competitor. Mad respect for Mark.

[@islandwatch]

thanks!

[@danieldayton3064]

Marc, your unassailable integrity and commitment to the wristwatch community is exemplified by this remarkable video. It's among the primary reasons why I have become a devoted customer of your business. I am tempted to direct my MBA students to watch this video to see what genuine leadership and commitment to integrity, mission, and vision are. Thank you.! 👍

[@islandwatch]

thanks so much!

[@Dunkelheit_Schwarz]

And again Marc does something that no other watch brand owner and seller would do. Mad respect!

[@islandwatch]

thanks!

[@johnh9551]

You are a class act, Mark! I'm a retired business man, and appreciate the way you handle yourself. It is NEVER good strategy to go negative....never understood why that is so hard for so many people to understand. I will be a customer.

[@islandwatch]

Thanks much!

[@edteach3r]

Well said!

[@claycox5285]

Marc, i appreciate you reviewing this watch. You show that you are a true watch enthusiast and have earned my respect. Thank you.

[@amr843556]

I just bought a San Martin watch a few days ago but was very hesitant because it ships from overseas. Marc makes a great point that if they shipped from the USA, more people would probably buy them. Great review Marc!

[@Oak-n-Iron]

Nobody could ever say you’re not an honest, real ass, solid person. Just earned my subscription.

[@islandwatch]

thank you kindly.

[@phoenixiq4433]

Real ass?!

[@noelmurphy3450]

You are a star Marc, not many people would be brave enough to both buy and positively review a competitors product. Great work👏👏👏👏

[@Black_Cat_997]

Have never heard of a brand honestly discussing the competition. Good for you. San Martin does excellent work. Another one of these brands I really respect is "Baltany". They do tasteful homages of retro designs, and even let you customize the watch for a decent price.

[@gavanmitchell9095]

Love my Baltany!

[@aronchas]

+1 love mine😂

[@islandwatch]

thanks so much! Trying to be honest.

[@danbrown7857]

Nice review, Marc! Good on you to review a SM. What’s that old saying? “Lighting someone else’s candle won’t make yours any less bright.” Something like that. Nice to see you do this. Love LIW!!!😊👏🏼👍🏼

[@barrettwbenton]

Great review, and a sage business-take regarding the brand. It's useful to remember that San Martin only recently moved beyond the shadow of AliExpress (and whatever baggage came with that association), so I have to imagine that at least one or two people there are thinking about how to move the brand further in terms of stature, and I'd like to believe you'll have their ear in terms of general advice, given *your* current stature in the biz. Their watches, compared to their former AliExpress stablemates, have been consistently good, and stylistically getting better. Another great behind-the-curtain video, Marc!

[@Jetta4TDIR]

Being from Europe Marc, i would offer you the same advice to set up a 3PL here in EU, i would love to support your business but taxes make that difficult. I remain hopeful and appreciate everything you do.

[@cougarbatterie]

I would do the same because I'm already working here in France with a well known 3PL, but I don't think his watches would fly off the shelves even though they're great looking watches, great quality, great pricing. When a brand is not known, it is an uphill battle. The watch industry is brutal with thousands of micro brands out there to choose from, he probably has to pour millions in marketing to get brand recognition.

[@Jetta4TDIR]

@@cougarbatterie what do you sell?

[@islandwatch]

Keep in mind, the USA is my biggest market. . . EU wouldn't come anywhere near it. EU wouldn't be worth it.

[@georgetorres1739]

As a US consumer I can agree with the apprehension there comes from buying a foreign watch. SanMartin delivers a great watch with great value. Sapphire crystals, known movements, accurate within parameters, and great bracelets. They are also coming in below US watch brands, independent, and known price wise, and they will continue to grow.

[@asburycollins9182]

I just made a similar comment! I completely agree with you on every point.

[@Hipnosis65]

I own 2 Islanders. It's because the guy on the screen has integrity. All the best Marc. Nice watch.

[@islandwatch]

well, thanks so much.

[@santiagoloajr]

I appreciate the completely honest review. So much so, that I went an ordered one just now. Thanks Marc. Also, I can’t wait for the next Islander release.

[@MrZenhookah]

Marc is hands down the realest horology KZbinr. I love your videos man

[@MarkM58]

I have a pretty extensive collection of 107 watches. I have a few St. Martin watches and I think they are an amazing value for the money. The fit and finish is up there with the big boys, and better than most.

[@MrMqwe1]

I smell a San Martin/ Islander limited edition coming.

[@islandwatch]

OMG, could you imagine!!!!????

[@danspanos]

@@islandwatch I could!

[@MarkM58]

@@danspanos I'd buy!

[@GoWatchRob]

I would buy that edition for sure!

[@taidouhuang7692]

@@islandwatch I would buy !!!!!

[@ShinyThings]

Great to see Mark reviewing SM 😊👍

[@stevev7402]

Great to see you look at a San Martin. I have this watch with the blue dial and love it. I probably have as many San Martins as I have Islanders and have always had great luck with their watches and happy with them.

[@jodysilvia2]

Marc, that video was truly remarkable. Your readiness to extend assistance to the community serves as a testament to your commendable values and principles.

[@DFlemming]

A true gentleman. One of few normal not snobby guys in the business, and definitely the most nicest. A true professional.

[@ianmorrison9480]

Top notch person, giving a top notch honest review, about a very nice product, I’ve got one, and am amazed by it.

[@greggusan]

Great review, and a very nice looking watch. I've been very impressed with San Martin. And like others have mentioned here, also very classy giving props to a brand that's in the same space as yours. It's obvious you really love watches, not just profits, and want to see people who deserve it do well. Cheers.

[@turk914]

I have this watch in the "mint chocolate chip" colorway. Fantastic quality and value for the money. The only thing I would warn about, is that the rubber strap is a bit short. I have a 7.5" wrist and that's probably as large as you want to go, as the tail of the strap barely makes it through the two hoops.

[@d1noooooo]

Bought from Marc before. Have great respect to review things with a fair viewpoint. Marc is pure class!

[@jean-francoisbareau]

a collaboration between San Martin and Islander would be a great idea

[@patricj951]

Hi Marc! I like your honest and neutral attitude. I showed a San Martin Explorer homage to a watchmaker. He shook his head and said it was rubbish. My personal opinion is that he was emotionally affected by disliking replicas and/or Chinese watches. Because if San Martin is rubbish, so are Citizen, Seiko and Certina in the same price range. Which he does not consider. But I have several Islanders and will certainly order another model soon.

[@ZWolfgang]

Marc... you are such a gem in this industry. I respect you greatly. I have two Islanders and just ordered a third! And, I agree on San Martin - I have three of them, as well. Excellent quality from them AND from you!

[@brianmurphy8154]

I love San Martin watches and their quality for price. Marc doing this makes me love Islander and their brand. Absolute professional and class.

[@infinitekronos]

Thank you so much for you honest review. It's very refreshing to hear your take on not just watches, but on the business side as well. Your honest, friendly approach is well received. Nicest guy in the watch industry and I dare say overall! Thanks again!

[@mattys1467]

There is no-one in the watch business that works like Mark. Top man with a heart of gold

[@LalodelCampo]

I applaud your honesty and professionalism. You are truly someone trustworthy in the business. Eduardo

[@turradi1126]

Owning 17 of San Martin watches, most of them with custom dial, I can definitely say that they are solid and excellent for the asking prices.

[@Matt-mh5us]

17! Why not have one awesome watch rather than China crap? Sure the specs are solid and they’re made ok but there is no customer support, you’ve effectively spend $2000 and won’t even recover even half of that. For the reason no one wants these after you buy them, they sit on the secondary sales market forever. But hey if you like them cool, seems like a gigantic waste of money to me.

[@SeanRoxas08]

@@Matt-mh5usA lot of blab for what seems like an unsolicited advice lol. Got Tags, Oris, Seikos, Citizens, Longines and a whole lot of San Martins and it can really hang around the lower tier “luxury” watches. 17 San Martins should tell you he’s not probably after the secondary market value.

[@davidsherrick824]

I have 5. Love every one of them. And yes, I have 5 Swiss automatic watches. Entry level, Tissot, Glycine, Edox, Cartier, and Gevril. And 2 Aliexpress watches with SW200, an Aragon with the Swiss movement, and even though the San Martin uses the NH35.. it is SIMPLE and RELIABLE. Yes no date please use the NH38! But the quality is on par with much more expensive brands. Great video!

[@turradi1126]

@@Matt-mh5us As I mentioned: custom dial. They all celebrate important events in my family life and there is nothing cooler than having a great looking watch (thank you Seiko) with a great movement (again, thank you Seiko) that has my family name on its dial. No other name is more meaningful to me and my loved ones than our family name.

[@turradi1126]

@@SeanRoxas08 Thank you. You are correct, sir. These watches are here to stay.

[@MichaelG1986]

Great comments at the end. I always wondered why they don't have a US-based warehouse. Their shipping times have improved. Initially, the waits were quite long - maybe over three to four weeks.

[@islandwatch]

Indeed, thank you. There was an expedited option, I didn't take it.

[@JHualas]

This is exactly why I am a customer of LIW; honest reviews, educational videos and integrity from Marc, plus great Customer Service from LIW. Congrats!!

[@ilikewatches]

Hi Marc, I think it’s highly unlikely they’ll take your advice regarding distribution. Firstly, their target markets are U.K., Europe and the US so to set up these distribution facilities in all their target markets would be costly raising the prices of the watches. Also, they would have to pay import tax and add that to the cost of the watches. Why do that when most of their watches get delivered individually without import tax being added. AliExpress is also gaining more traction, they were a major sponsor of the Euros this year and more and more people globally are shopping there now…They are also selling thousands of watches each year, probably surpassing their expectations and they are also probably at full capacity given this isn’t a huge international watch brand. Their popularity and standing in the industry is on the rise and I think making the changes you’ve suggested would raise prices fairly significantly meaning they would lose the competitive edge they have over brands like yours. Their value is literally unbeatable and I suspect they will continue to grow because of the way they currently do it and the value this allows them to offer.

[@sharpe8888]

I'm sure Seiko and Citizen lacked international distribution in the early years! Like Xiaomi and Huawei, Chinese brands are ambitious and there's a good chance they'll want a presence overseas sooner or later

[@rodrigovonkruger9338]

Spot on the review that Mark made was nice and to be honest, there was nothing he could falta the San Martin watches. But I personally felt his advice was somehow patronising suggesting that the US is the sole target market of this Chinese brand.

[@mtbbiker6401]

Many San Martin watches are available and shipped by Amazon in the USA. With Prime, I could have one delivered in 1-2 days. I purchased a Seiko SBSA009 JDM watch from Amazon Japan. It was delivered to USA from Japan by FedEx in 2-3 days. Free international shipping. I purchased my San Martin SN0121 from watchdives and had it delivered in 2-3 days also. I would much rather buy from Amazon if possible. Having $200 watches shipped internationally is not ideal given the possibility of getting lost or stolen while in transit. I trust Amazon delivery.

[@deanspeer1]

Very cool to see you honestly review a competitor's watch and give a good review. I like San Martin watches too but I know another plus to buying Islander is the customer service and warranty reliability Mark is famous for.

[@elmoelms2743]

Excellent review Marc, I own a couple of San martins. Very good value and well made

[@Kiddomike]

A true entrepreneur - giving gold advice that could help another in the industry. Awesome Marc!

[@MisterHughes]

I've only bought one San Martin so far. The machining tolerances on the lugs are astonishing, and the lume is stunning, too. My only issue is mine had snowflake hands and in low light the applied logo and the diamond shape on the hour hand can be hard to distinguish.

[@steven3379]

Yep, that's a good looking watch.. I'd buy one but I'm not in the market currently, my last new watch was actually one of yours, I forget the model number but it was one of your first "subscriber designed" pieces, it's a beauty and a standout in my small collection, I was one of the lucky winners. Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work, take care!

[@MisterTurtleTime]

Great review Marc! It's fascinating to see what they're able to offer at such a low price.

[@steindesanstosses4529]

A fantastic video that shows how sensational not only this channel is, but also the operator. I only visit here very rarely, but I can emphasize that every visit is more than worthwhile. A big compliment and I can write from my own experience (I'm German) that a location in a country with a high turnover is very worthwhile for almost every manufacturer (in Germany, SanMartin has both a location and a good, German-language homepage ;-)). Simply a great video that made me very happy. Speaking of which: what about a location in Germany for “IslandWatch”? Iceland is not that far away? In German, both are spelled the same. ;-)

[@billwhite5266]

I've never heard of Islander watches, but I love that sea foam green one shown at the beginning.

[@Crackers2549]

Marc, excellent video as usual… That watch is gorgeous and a great summer watch like my Squale 1521…. I actually bought one of the San Martin watches and ended up buying 2 more because I was so impressed with the quality for the money….💯👍GG

[@PPSGLEK]

Marc has always been an honest source of watch information and education. Kudos for the review, I have both San Martin and Islander pieces and enjoy them both. I will say the islander watches seem a bit more solid in the hand.

[@subeijekalo5884]

Marc always a gentleman, I respect that a lot. I just wish you bought a watch with a metal bracelet, I really like to hear what do you think about their bracelets and clasps.

[@IVAtheLT]

Man, Marc is as nice in these videos as he was in person. Admittedly hadn't heard of his brand but saw his booth and chatted with him at the Wind Up Watch Fair in SF. And I know why that model is a best seller: I almost impulse bought it myself! If I didn't have so many watches already, it wouldn't have been an "almost".

[@kenga6deuce]

So good when he starts directing his advice to sm management. Who should probably really take it to heart.

[@YouTube_is_full_of_trolls]

Thank you, Marc. It's rare to be part of a brand from early in their history, and it's wonderful to watch them get more respect.

[@LauDynasty69]

Pure class from Marc, as usual!

[@timetowatch_francois]

Thanks Marc! “San Martin”, to me equaled cheap … in the sense not good with very low grade components. But I hadn’t done my due diligence yet (my bad). Thanks for setting me straight with this one and indeed “confirme good things”. You’re a class act and I hope they see the last portion of this video to help them have a better presence in NA. Thanks for sharing your insights 😊👍🏼

[@jlore6344]

Thanks for doing this, I have always wondered about these and wanted to hear from someone that is not a San Martin collector/fan already. This watch looks and sounds awesome. I would like to get one of these. I like the color that you chose actually too.

[@vincentferreira1135]

I have one of their Fliegers. The Type A dial version. I believe it’s called the SN0117, idk. However, despite the fact that Fliegers are a much of a muchness and they all basically look the same, I can tell that SM does it a little different. There are zero sharp edges, the bronze looks great and the dial and hands are perfect.

[@crespohuerta]

Such a gentleman and a nice guy, Marc praising probably on of his top competitors.

[@JohnMcKelvie]

Hi from New Zealand. My impression of Asian brands like San Martin and Wise in Thailand is that they actually regulate their watches, whether it's a Japanese NH movement, or a Miyota 9 series, or a PT5000 etc. I've a few of them and they've been all pretty accurate, within a few secs a day. Whereas European microbrands using Sellita movements etc. don't seem to regulate. I just bought a relative expensive European microbrand watch (~USD800) and it's running 25 secs fast a day on arrival. I'll demagnetise it and then probably have to regulate it myself. This has just reinforced my experience over a number of watch purchases. I bought a Sinn 856 last year that had to go for a four month warranty repair in Australia as it was shockingly bad at keeping time (from memory it was diagnosed as something called 'end wobble'). This is most probably a labour cost issue at this market level, because I've a number of watches and this isn't just bad luck.

[@JianghunWatch]

This error is usually not caused by magnetism. The movement has a 'regulator index' and a 'balance spring stud,' which can effectively control the daily rate and beat error of the watch.

[@Theoutdooranalyst]

I have had a few San Martins and a few issues. The biggest issue was zero customer service. That experience was one of the major reasons my last two budget watches have been islanders. QC of Islander has been much better in my opinion. Good review. Just wanted to add my 2 cents of experience.

[@islandwatch]

I get it. I didn't need to use CS, so I cannot speak to that.

[@thisispw]

Great work Marc, wise words and advice. People would do well to take this on board. Definitely the I in Islander stands for Integrity. My go to company.

[@kylebarns]

Thank you Marc, have always been curious about them. You are a super cool business man. Supporting another company. Can I sense a collaboration…

[@PJAndrews19]

Thanks, as always Marc, for your work. I love San Martin Watches. I don’t know how it happened but I have 4 of them and have not been disappointed yet but am usually just really satisfied with great watch at a great price. Their collaboration with Watchdives also generate great results too (for example, their Aqua Terra homage is really fantastic.)

[@rickhammel9541]

the finishing on their cases and bracelets is amazing

[@Texmotodad]

Gotta say - it's a very handsome watch. Fully agree with your business suggestions for SM. Nice video sir!

[@Hemebean]

Great vibes in this video :) Just for that, my next watch will be an Islander ! Also, I propose you open an Islander warehouse here in the EU !

[@igorerovenko]

In my experience, San Martin shipping is flawless. They ship their watches free via an expedited service. I got mine in 4 days shipped from China.

[@aronchas]

Got both of mine 7 days to México city. That is super fast considering aliexpress delivery times 4 years ago

[@islandwatch]

took about 1.5 to 2 weeks for me

[@JianghunWatch]

@@islandwatch Thank you for your comments and suggestions. Many logistics companies have "overseas warehouse" businesses that can be cooperated. If a single watch model has a stable sales trend, this is certainly not difficult, but frankly speaking, we are not suitable for doing so at present. In fact, DHL and DHL-(e-commerce exclusive) are different. According to our statistics, customers who use DHL to send to the United States usually receive delivery within 4-7 days and rarely encounter customs problems.

[@ReekIan]

Love an hinest review and coming from Marc makes it even more reliable to me.

[@markfelbinger7807]

Great review and very kind to offer advice. Would be interesting to see you be the exclusive US distributor of San Martin. Seems like it could be a win win

[@cosmodoc]

Marc, you’re great! Didn’t expect that review!

[@davidmarsden305]

👍 up Marc, fully expected you to thrash the brand. Bought my 1st SM this year and can honestly say the value for money is outstanding. Perhaps they could combine with islander for the us market 🤷 not sure how that would work. Good vid

[@holgermuller3597]

Honest review, thanks for that, Marc. Do you know, that San Martin produce Jody´s watches? 😎

[@AdamGarrett72]

Marc says here that he thinks the target market for San Martin is the US. I thought their target market was Jody!

[@karinlayton4199]

Excellent review, and very sound advice for San Martin.

[@benjaminvis]

Fun to wat h your perspective on effectively a rival company. This is pne of the better looking San Martin designs that I know of, so it's nice you have some good things to say about this. Also, your advice to San Martin at the end: I really wish that more US, Swiss, and Asian watch companies would do exactly this in Europe. I'm pretty sure that the costs of individually importing watches is worse than bulk landing batches to resell there, with hapoier customers paying likely slightly better prices, too, so adding to the value proposition and confidence in the brands.

[@asianhobbitshaving3050]

Mark, great video! I believe that this watch may be yet another homage; I believe that it is an homage of the Omega Admiralty.

[@emptyMan0]

I definitely agree, not having to worry about import fees and processes is a huge deal, at least for me in the EU.

[@DaveSchultzXXL]

I bought a San Martin Black Bay 39 homage about a year ago. I thought the quality was great and the sapphire crystal and ceramic bezel were gorgeous. About a week ago the works broke and hands wont move. I will either try to fix it or replace the NH 35 movement. I still love the way it looks and feels with a NATO strap.

[@JohanDee]

I bought recently a San Martin, their own design with dual crowns. Very well executed and it even has a Orient movement. It really looks and feels very rich! P.S. I live in Europe and they send it already taken the shipping an VAT in account, which make it faster and quite a lot cheaper than shipping from the USA.

[@BAF605]

San Martin and all the other good ALi Express brands have a strong following in UK, Europe, Australia, and other countries too. I think your advice is good, but Ali Express's distribution system is top class world wide, often delivering within 5 days. US consumers form a large part of buyers of all watches from affordable to very expensive Swiss watches, but if other consumers were not worth bothering with, they wouldn't bother with us. You are a top class guy to compete with others only on the fairest terms.

[@AndrewPullens]

I'm a big fan of San Martin. I think their watches really are excellent value. I am really enjoying their original design pieces. SM already has an EU website and warehouse. If they don't have a US website and warehouse, it would make sense do set one up.

[@dank5015]

San Martin and Cronos are really nice watches. They've been snatching up all of the money I would normally be sending to Seiko. You should get into the glide lock clasp with Long Island and ride that wave.

[@islandwatch]

Thanks!

[@watchchimp3102]

I got the turquoise dial version, and I have to say it's pretty good. As you said, surprisingly thin! 🤯 And yes, the bezel action was REALLY good! Some of the best I've experienced, in fact. What could have been better? The date window was almost completely unusable, just go no date. And the bezel should have been fully lumed. Other reviewers raved about the bracelet, but I swapped mine to a strap almost immediately and wish I would have just gotten it on a strap. Cheers!

[@michaelk7007]

Can confirm. Really do dislike purchasing anything from AliExpress. Been burned on two watch orders out of three and just won't risk it again.

[@paulvon2378]

Nice to see that Long Island Watch is now carrying some of the San Marin watches. The only criticism I see is the price is higher than Ali Express. Would like to see Mark take a look at Steinhart and sell their watches in USD.

[@pczTV]

Ok, ok…. With such a good and unbiased review I went ahead and bought one. Waiting for its arrival

[@stevenmccarthy112]

better late than never.....They have been great for years.

[@jeanlefranc3817]

Marc, very fair of you to review a model directly competing with your own brand. Apart from Jody from JOMW, never seen anyone doing this. Props to you.

[@23727bgk]

Your review and comments are honest and insightful. I've bought watches and other items made overseas (usually from China). Usually I buy through Amazon simply because the products are shipped from US inventory. San Martin should definitely be doing this and use proper American website people.

[@islandwatch]

Thank you kindly.

[@camillesapad629]

Thanks for the worthy report about this super looking watch. If they add text to its back, perhaps include “sapphire crystal“. That’s often not obvious.

[@Jared-91]

Your review made me seriously consider them. I went online, and wow they have some beautiful designs.

[@Charlie_alpha_romeo]

I bought my San marten watch through Amazon and I absolutely love it and it’s been hard to keep it off the wrist. That being said if I had the ease of access on Amazon or another American retailer I’d buy more. Some models on their site aren’t on Amazon and I hate dealing with long shipping waits and also the worry of it getting lost in the mail

[@adamlang7361]

If San Martin are thinking about new designs, I would love to see more quartz options from San Martin. e.g. with a sweeping second hand like the VH31, a good quartz GMT (ideally a travellers GMT), and a dual sub-dial chrono with a proper hour counter (not the silly am/pm indicator on the VK64), maybe a high accuracy quartz. They really want to be advance a solar or kinetic. You don't see that much with micro-brand or Chinese watches I guess it's hard to achieve.

[@maxrequenes8560]

Great advice, Marc. Completely agree. I’d add: redesigning the logo. It’s kind of late 60’s cartoonish in not a good way. And/or change the name, so it doesn’t sound fake-European. For example: S Martin or Martin or something more honestly Asian

[@DavidDatura]

That’s a really nice looking watch! Kudos to San Martin. Always producing high quality timepieces for the price. Even in the homage only days. I think my favorite current Chinese watch brand. Oh and the first time I’ve seen an orange color matched date wheel 👍

[@MidEnginedFan]

I didn't know they had "originals". Good looking watch with good attention to details.

[@taidouhuang7692]

a collab between you guys will be killer

[@adonisDNA2000]

Marc I thought you were already cool but you just hit super sayan levels of coolness. The watermelon variant of that San Martin is 🔥!

[@MichaelFischetti]

Hi Mark! Love the color scheme of the San Martin you bought but am not a fan of either mesh or rubber straps. Personally, I think the Islander Greenport ( I own the sunburst Blue model ) would look fantastic in a similar color scheme and it comes with the H-link bracelet which I love. Just an idea for a new color going forward.

[@w3therby]

I bought one of their Pelagos/Submariner mashup homages a few weeks ago off of Ali Express and it’s been my most worn watch since then, by far. The level of finishing and quality of the bracelet for just under $200 is simply amazing. Is it original? Not at all, but I doubt I’ll ever have a spare $6k to drop on a piece of wrist jewelry so it works for me. The only thing to be aware of is that China is a long way away if you ever have to send it in for service.

[@islandwatch]

Amazing, thank you.

[@nikkoutsoukos1866]

OK, here goes. I read many of the comments. Many people comment on how nice Marc is for doing this review, his high integrity, and how wonderful he is for trying to help San Martin. I have no reason to think that Marc is NOT a nice man. However, Marc is, first and foremost, a business owner who cares a lot about his business's success. I very much doubt that Marc woke one morning and thought, "hey, those guys at San Martin seem nice; why don't I just record a PUBLIC video and post it on KZbin just so that the San Martin folks can hear my advice and make the changes so that they can compete with me much more effectively in the US market". The bottom line is that I think Marc did this video because he's a brilliant businessman. The watch community knows that the finishing and quality of the San Martin watches are exceptional for the price, and these watches compete with Islanders big time and take market share away from Island Watch (I have both islander and San Martin watches). I applaud Marc for making an intelligent video quietly highlighting the weakness of his competitor and setting up the scene to create a level playing field with San Marting. Think about the overhead for San Martin if they have to have a distribution supply chain for the US and all that jazz….or maybe, Island Watch can end up partnering with SM and and...

[@watchalot919]

I have been an enthusiast for years, and owned hundreds of watches. I own two watches are original designs and they are ridiculously good

[@AbnormalAspirations]

2 things I noted. 1. San Martin are well regarded for their bracelets. Reviewing a watch with a rubber strap seems an odd decision. 2. This is a bit of an obscure model, why not choose one that is more popular and well known?