I bought 4 dirt cheap watches. WHY?!

SKMEI and SMAEL multi-buy. BUT WHY?!
Come and see me unpackage 4 cheap watches and see what my first impressions are. Can they be any good for so little money? I will also discuss my plans I have for them all so you know what’s the point of buying them all!
Below are links to these watches. They are affiliate, so if you buy the watch iy costs you no more and I get a small commission. Thanks!
SMAEL affiliate link:
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_9fWJZq
SKMEI 1:
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_ALgRXa
SKMEI 2:
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_AAO66y
My channel is dedicated to varied watch content. I generally focus on affordable watches but enjoy sharing my watch modding hobby too, by guiding you through how to do it yourself. If you enjoy watches like I do, come and check out my other content which I hope you enjoy. Thanks for checking this video out. If you are already a subscriber, you are helping make the dream happen.
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Extra info: I always disclose how I obtain my watches, be it with my own money (mostly) or occasionally borrowed or donated. All watches are genuine items and never presented in any way other than what they are. Integrity and honesty are what laid the foundations to this channel.

[@handsomewong2469]

Skmei is improving and they are getting better and better! Definitely worth buying on this price!👍

[@hcwm2]

These Skmei watches have no business being as good as they are for the price, especially the luminessence. Casio needs to watch its back.

[@tonylopez2044]

Yeah brother Casio times running out

[@CaieJay]

yeah but why would i ever pay for that skmei when the casios are just as cheap

[@guitarrerist698]

@@CaieJay they have an affordable entry-level line but still not cheap

[@eclectic_gamer]

no it needs to back it's watch

[@firstaddz8100]

I have been saying for years that one day the game is going to be up for Casio, particularly G-Shock, which are massively over-engineered and massively overpriced. Both are very strong brands but younger folk are turning away and if they do buy a watch then something very affordable like a Skmei is going to suffice.

[@brianmsahin]

The skmei could well be made in the same factory as Casio. Almost all the watches in China are made under contract by independent manufacturing companies. Particularly watches like Casio where the technology is very old and no longer under patent protection. Very entertaining review as always.

[@edu_947]

Casio assembled in Thailand is way better than Casio assembled in China, it is printed at the back cover, i jave both, Casio assembled in China is not accuarate, in just a month the time is faster for like 3 to 4minutes, while the assembled in Thailand Casio is very Accurate, almost 7years and the time is still accurate

[@muhyusuf1263]

Casio digital 10 years baterei but skmei 2 years baterei

[@brasherish]

Couple of weeks bought a SKMAEI 1335. Digital watch. I have had in bath water, used it at sea and on the beach. Perfectly fine and still going strong. The only criticism i have if you can call it a criticism. The band is quite light weight. But that's about it. Really pleased with the purchase. Good price and highly recommend

[@JamesG800]

I wouldn't be surprised if these skmei Casio homages are made in the exact same factories as Casio watches. I own a few Casio homages made by skmei and I find them to be impressive. I think these skmei watches are going to become more and more popular as the word gets out that they're actually good little digital watches.

[@ET42Driver]

As a Casio fan I was extremely skeptical about the Skmei, then I bought the Skmei DW-5600 homage... I am VERY positively surprised. Got all the DW-5600 functions, looks good, decent enough quality and it's lighter. Also, I like the strap being more flexible and soft. You literally don't feel it on your hand. And also, I preffer to bang up a cheap skmei rather than any of my legit Casios. OG F-91W actually should be what a skmei F-91W homage is. Not to mention the price.

[@96kyh]

I really appreciate that you're buying and testing these ultra cheap watches & sharing with us the results - especially if we're thinking of getting one. Bearing in mind that we shouldn't expect it to perform exactly like the Casio G-shock. I will be happy if it's half as good as the original, and a bonus if it performs beyond expectations. The SKMEI lighting is already surprisingly good!

[@edu_947]

the question is, can it outlast the casio? China made products rarely made it to 5years

[@stevenwilliams4916]

I own a SKMEI..... Paid $10 for it and wear it while working in agriculture..... Still going strong despite being bashed about a lot. Great little watch

[@chris101gray3]

Jackie Chan wears a Smael SL1545 Black Mudmaster in the 2023 film Hidden Strike. They are famous and also a very popular watch in Asia. Smael do many of their own designs also limited edition colorways and themed pieces for collectors. They are actually quite highly regarded for what they are...a cheap functional good looking accessible watch.

[@HonestWatchReviewsHWR]

Nice video mate. I look forward to seeing the torture testing follow up. I actually have a Skmei myself, the 1123. I wasn't sure about at first, but it's grown on me since doing my review.

[@jackjetjoe9445]

I bought digital watch skmei, its already almost 8 years, still normal function and havent change battery, but not enough power to turn on the light.

[@AliasEveWatches]

I had this Skmei 1412 and I really liked it. It was so cheap and the backlight was a big step up from the F91W. I also had the 1123 which was massive. I gave that one away to a person with big wrists. Then now I see the Smael is even bigger!

[@Sedge63]

I've had Skmei and Sanda digital watches. For the low cost they are a great beater. You can get glass protectors for the ones with acrylic lens.

[@lassemanbikes2385]

Great video, can't wait to next video. Bought the SMAEL from a previous video. Tempted to buy the SKMEI...

[@joeloxig6872]

Just ordered a green skmei 1628 based off this review, for the price you cant beat it

[@3rdpig]

I've got a couple of Skmei watches and like them. A 1456 which is like an all metal square Gshock and the 1358 which is like a round Gshock with triple sensors. Both of them have been "work watches" for me and both seem to be very durable.

[@neilwhite8131]

That baby G SKMEI is great, they do it in a greyscale camo.....Knives are not dangerous, watching your vids is dangerous for my wallet.....Another good review , thanks Dan.

[@franksantilli6364]

My skmeis are all good and I enjoy them, I can live with the 70% viewing angle on the digital ones.

[@alexharris8500]

Very interesting. Thanks for that. Got me thinking.

[@andrebarthelotte2194]

Thank you. I admit I have a few those brands of watches and I really like them. I put my frog master on and people do look at it and ask about it. I waste more money on stuff but I consider that they are great value. And the are pretty tough (I think). I can't wait to see how they do.

[@3rdstone1]

I love content like this. I have a Casio G-Shock square, and shook my head when noticing the prices of the metal G-Shocks starting to come out. When My Affordable Watch Collection made a review of a couple of cheap homages to those, I couldn't help myself and got a Sanda in black metal case and bracelet for like $14 or so just for fun. Like one of yours there, the negative display is hard to read and back light button have to be used often (to be fair my stealthy Casio isn't perfect in that matter either). The bracelet of course feels cheap, and I got a new buckle from AE to replace the inferior one. But it's still fun to wear casually, as my original G-Shock wears at work for it's trusty ruggedness and gets some beating.

[@karatefrank12]

I have the metal gshock skemi I have worn it in the sea I have worn it when I do anything where I could break a watch and it survives for a tenner great value.

[@tee_m]

The SKMEI watches I have are generally good. Casio Ae1200 'homage' is good in particular. It's amazing they can even send an empty envelope for the price they are charging. Got a couple of these F91w copies for testing LCD reversal (neg display) before ruining any Casios. The EL backlights are great and Casio should copy it back! The all-pot-metal G-Shock ripoffs are fairly nice too.

[@marktibbetts3799]

I have a couple dozen watches. From $150 down. I have TWO Skmei watches and they are BOTH great watches. I wear them when I am doing work outside where a leather band or nicer watch will get messed up. They are a bargain. And the lights are OUTSTANDING

[@watchmewithwatches]

I agree! It's great for outdoors work, or playing sports etc. That light too is very good!

[@handsomewong2469]

Because they Good and affordable!

[@chilliconn071]

I literally find your video on the day my Skmei arrives from China, the 1628 Black with the clear display. And bought for less than the price of a Casio F-91w from Argos. The 'G-Shock wannabe' as I call it is great value for money, already owning the Casio Royale clone that they do as well. All the features of the F-91w but also featuring dual time, 50 meters of water resistance compared to the F-91w's 30 meters and a countdown timer AND an led backlight that illuminates both sides of the display. My only qualm is that the seller sent me instructions for the Skmei 1583 and not my watch. But it's an easy enough watch to figure out what buttons do what function. A great entertaining and informative video. Thanks.

[@ernestbeckley]

I've had exactly one (1) Skmei watch arrive working properly. I'm sticking with Casio. Even Timex would be an improvement.

[@stevepritchard5999]

As a fifty something I remember having the original lcd then led watches. Think these watches look like good value... Almost tempted to get one!

[@tee_m]

Go for it! Buckets of them on AliExpress but also check eBay. I got my last SKMEI from eBay for slightly less than they were on Ali. Loads of options but ones I would recommend are the SKMEI 1335 or 1299 (ae1200 ripoffs) and their all crap-metal G-Shock copy the 1456. They do a metal-ish 1123 - homage to F91w which I don't have but assume is good too. Never had any SMAELs.

[@stevepritchard5999]

@@tee_m thanks very much Tom. Loads of info! If only I could find a red led watch from my youth (the invisible man series lol). I seem to be addicted to AliExpress.

[@JasonTheWatchGuy]

Never got on with the Skmei's I've had for some reason...Looking forward to the plans!

[@twitchyjambo]

Great video,I totally agree 😃👍

[@scra2et6]

great name for the channel. i`ll never forget it.

[@hereticyes1380]

I have that skmeishock but in blue-pink metalic gradient with a standard display. I really dig it.

[@tarekalsharif4014]

looking forward for the testing result.. thanks

[@watchmewithwatches]

Tomorrow......

[@neilpiper9889]

I have just bought a 1371 Skmei square black watch for £11. I love it. Good light. Much better than the 91w

[@watchmewithwatches]

Cracking watch for the money!

[@scottwaldie4979]

Thank you. Great choice and review. Must get straight onto AliExpress for a look.

[@chrisdaws5382]

I bought a SKMEI "copy" of a Casio Royale with a camo case and strap and implanted the Casio module and face. Bingo a custom Casio.

[@watchmewithwatches]

Such a cool mod! Nice work

[@superdan3188]

Just ordered the green one with your link.

[@SideWalkAstronomyNetherlands]

Got me a €5,- SKMEI, (Shir Kuh Mei - Beautiful Moment in Time). Bought a black 29 cm NATO to go with it, these asian watch bands do not fit on 9 inch wrists, I think I got the Skmei 1123 digital retro, yeah the dark one, took some Polywatch, and polished the clock face, that will take the ugly red text away, and you end up with only silver and gold, it looks great without the red text, the blue back light is great, way better than the Casio's.

[@AlexanderB.]

The upgrade of the luminescence of the Skmei compared to the Casio F91W was the biggest surprise for me in this video.

[@karlsenula9495]

I bought an Ochstin chronograph as one of my first Aliexpress watches ... really cheap and ironically it still gets wrist time - bracelet is surprisingly comfortable fits my wrist well and doesn't rattle at all. Another cheapie I bought was a Lige with a red dial rose gold case and hands and black coated milanese bracelet .. like I said really cheap but because it is seldom worn still looks good ... and they both work three years since I bought them and going. Both quartz of course.

[@Nigel-nar53]

After watching your SMAEL vid I bought the Mud Master & I love it. It's just fun. 👍

[@jfilm7466]

I bought a Metal SKMEI-Shock to test out and it's not bad. I bought a real G-Shock Square and the display has better contrast and legibility. But for £15 including delivery, what can you expect apart from fun.

[@Dave062YT]

Ive got a £16 Skmei "s shock "and its lighter thinner and positive lcd easier to read than my G shocks .A bit of fun and a talking point as so cheap and very cheerful.

[@v.t.3194]

Knives and wrist watches seem to be natural companions. I collect both knives and watches and many others seem too.

[@katerhofmann]

the skmei shocks come in large and small variants. i have the 1628 in that green too, but with a normal display. readability at various angles is good. love its size. got it for wearing it on sweaty bike rides, before i was using a skx 013 on nato strap for that task. I also own other skmeis, the display contrast is a bit less compared to Casio, but pressing the light button on a skmei is a source of joy. my bet is all of them skmei and smael will survive the torture tests and you have to really overdo it to a crazy lvl to bring them to a halt and destroy them. btw. there is that small rectangular kind of shape blinking and sitting over the seconds on the display of the 1628. i was puzzled about what it does, so i asked Skmei. it does nothing, except being fancy and blinking. maybe its some artefact from the planning stage, but later the dropped the line of code in the module software to give it a function. i have the skmei 1338 in gold and silver, both set to different time zones, sitting on my desk. and the gold one i might be wearing on a couple of days during summer, when i feel fancy. these watches have definitely a place if you are into affordable watches, even if your focus is more on mechanical watches.

[@electron7659]

I have that large smael watch you showed near the end of the video. Except I got the all blacked out version. Great watch. Still working. No issues. Cost me $8.99 at alies express. Only thing is that it took about a month and a half for delivery.

[@jamesblonde2271]

"Your mum wears a big Schmie" sounds like a football chant, directed at one of the shed dwellers up north perhaps?

[@watchpod7113]

Skmei watches available in my shop on ebay very soon.

[@onetwoxplore]

The light on the Casio drives me nuts. Remarkably better in the less expensive version.

[@darioswatchclub8]

I will review Shortly the Skmei 1628! Thank you for Inspiring to get one....well, 3 of 4!

[@erwinsteneker4078]

Your little spiel on the model number made me laugh out loud! 😄

[@antoniotula262]

I bought an Army green SKMEI but with regular Digital face & wore it on vacation. It survived numerous swims in the sea.

[@watchmewithwatches]

Im not surprised! They are great

[@markw.4679]

Thanks. These are fun. I enjoy all watches!! 🖖🇺🇦🙏

[@djm5k]

I think that Skmei, Smael and Sanda watches are all made by the same company in China. They all have identical sized tags attached to watch straps, and the instruction sheets they come with look like they are the same format. I like the Skmei and Sanda watches best, and am very impressed with the quality. If over time they do not prove to hold up well, it’s no big deal because they are extremely cheap in cost. I would think all of these off brand watches will last a good long time as long as you take care of them. After buying a couple negative display watches, they seem to be hard to read in some lighting conditions, so I have shied away from negative display and just go with positive display watches.

[@neilwhite8131]

Why when I see these watch names do I expect it to be a word I would hear on Red Dwarf? either as an insult or when Kryton is having a meltdown?

[@sjl5118]

Skmeeeeei Heeeeeei

[@3rdpig]

When I heard Skmei the first thought was Kryton "Sir, you're a real skmeeeee head". The Chinese should make a Smeg brand for us Red Dwarf fans.

[@neilwhite8131]

@@3rdpig I know.... this time next year, guess what watch brand we shall be buying!.

[@jfilm7466]

I bought a SMEG fridge and SMEG kettle just for the name.

[@Jaysonbc1234]

Haha I had a purple Boglin 😊 Skmei are very comfortable to wear and I love my Skmei gshock

[@That80snerd.]

Boglins were class 😅

[@Shri_V]

Are you able to put the module from the Skmei F91 into the Casio case? The illumination is so much better on the Skmei and if everything else is the same then you'd get an upgraded F91W.

[@tee_m]

Doesn't quite fit unfortunately. You could probably shave off a bit of plastic and make it fit but the buttons are ever so slightly longer on the SKMEI which means they are hard/impossible to press. You can do it the other way around, Casio mech in SKMEI case and it's fine but the buttons are a little looser but still work. The piezoelectric buzzer contact is also in a different place on the modules but the matching case back with the other case and it'll be fine.

[@erwinsteneker4078]

I think it’s great that you mix up the watches.

[@indiananupam5715]

Great video bro. I own a Casio F91W & trust me it's fucking awesome ❤

[@vintagebikes4215]

I have a Skmei basic digital watch...less than half proce of Casio. Has a metal body vs Casio's cheaper scratch prone plastic. Skmei has superior night lighting...numbers light up, not backlight of Casio. I'm a Casio fan bit now also an equal Skmei fan.

[@manybuddies]

for someone who knows a little chinese, my understanding of 'skmei' is 'S' (initial for '时'), 'K' (initial for '刻'), 'Mei' (romanization for 美). 时刻美 means 'beautiful moment'

[@Happy357mag]

I would be interested to see if the modules are the same in the Casio and the Skmei.

[@tee_m]

They aren't. The SKMEI movement is slightly bigger. Same with the ae1200 copy. You can fit them the other way - Casio internals in SKMEI case, which is handy if you've damaged your crystal beyond repair and want to replace it on an extreme budget. I put an ae1300 in an SKMEI case with a black metal bracelet - an option that Casio never did. Colour filter on the crystal and it's totally unique! Great modding watches.

[@muhammedduhoki7057]

I have one I love it🎉

[@markgiacoletto5952]

Just bought a g-shock, but for the price going to have to pick up the Skmei

[@watchmewithwatches]

They are good for a bit of fun!

[@darioscomicschool1111]

Brother, I have seen that plastic makes Men infertile. Lately I am not sure about Rubber watch straps. The Casio ones are a bit Harder, and these Skmei Shock I am wearing is cool... But very rubbery. Do you have any thoughts on that?

[@watchmewithwatches]

Lol, never done me any harm!

[@darioscomicschool1111]

@@watchmewithwatches Thanks!

[@KirstenleeCinquetti]

I have the F91W and The Skmei clone in metal/IP blue and that has mineral glass and better water resistance and cost 12 quid highly recommend for the sheer fun, plus did an oil mod on it

[@1988banker]

That oil mod sounds cool! I've been interested in trying that someday. How does it affect battery changes?

[@cartoonpete407]

The SKMEI's got better water resistance than the F-91W :)

[@Happy357mag]

How many Schmeckles was the SMAEL?

[@twitchyjambo]

😂

[@ramspencer5492]

Their metal watches in particular are an interesting proposition...

[@masonsnakes4721]

I had a "boglin" (born in the 80s), if memory serves the front of the box looked like bars it was breaking through. V specific memory, that is!

[@JR-gp2zk]

They are remaking Boglins, just seen them for sale while picking up something in Walmart. I was a little older then you guys, I bought a Boglin in late 1980s as a teenager and had it on the dashboard of my first car.

[@piquetuk]

I've got the full metal Skmei, $10 for a truly great beater.

[@kobe5rings]

Skmei are bangers. Cheap and good. Only probably is the angle

[@Robosan4000]

I just got the Skmei G-Shock clone. What's the blinking icon just above the seconds? I can't figure out what it means. It seems to blink randomly.

[@watchmewithwatches]

Its just a random thing to "add interest". No real purpose!

[@Robosan4000]

@@watchmewithwatches Thanks. Setting the day of the week is bizarre as well. Pick between 00-49 for day of the week. So odd.

[@yambo59]

Again the regular LCD displays on digitals are much more readable than what I consider the gimmicky reverse display, I tried a couple and when I hold them side by side with regular displays the normal display is always far more readable and attractive, JMO.

[@petergiourelas3753]

Have 1335 been great so far, getting 1392 next, casio look out, the game may be up.

[@MoneGetsIt]

I believe the softer band is silicone. You need to add the Amazon brand watch to the line up. That's right, Amazon has it's own signed and branded watches.

[@oldfashionedsportsmanchave4590]

Where do you find an Amazon watch? I didn’t see any.

[@TurfSurf]

Who came up with these names must be a comedian! Every time you say Schmale and Skime, I 😂😂😂😂😂

[@watchmewithwatches]

Its a random made up word!

[@chrisr7463]

Thanks for the review - I like these watches but the low water resistance makes me avoid them. A shame they don’t have 200M WR - then they would be real winners!

[@adrianmark613]

Ha ha ha ha....if they have 200m wr, then you would complain the price, and will say 'better buy Casio".

[@thomasflynn5366]

There is a watch kiosk in my local mall that has Skmeis. I keep thinking someone is going to pay $30 for one of them LOL.

[@valley_robot]

just bought 2 , i have nice casio watches , but im not paying the prices of g shocks , for the 10th of a price of a g shock , i got 2 watches and a metal strap

[@ericm7335]

I would enjoy a video where you open the backs up and compare internals to a true Casio. Would they actually hold up to g shock standards?

[@watchmewithwatches]

Hi Eric. Tomorrow's video is approx 4 mins of my son and I 'testing" these for durability! Then I will do a full detailed comparison between the casio f91w, a fake one and the skmei 1123!

[@tee_m]

They are similar but not the same. Dispels 'made in the same factory' stuff. Hopefully tomorrow's video should explain a bit better.

[@ericm7335]

@@watchmewithwatches I enjoyed it! Your son certainly had fun. :)

[@Loneace85]

Casios lights suck as far as the cheap watches go, doesn’t make sense when skmei can make it better for cheaper

[@SAXDAVEBOY]

You can't go wrong with the price. Yes throw away watches. Beater piece

[@saintdave1877]

The last smael looks like. GTA vice city edition 🤣 I got the skmei metal G-Shock alike for £10 from eBay , really decent watch for the money , used as a daily work watch. The guy from the Madrock channel absolutely put his through the ringer and it almost beat him.

[@watchmewithwatches]

Thats a fantastic point! My dad loved it, he's got that now for work. Let's just say I know they can take the abuse.....

[@thomasflynn5366]

You really have to try the phone holders. What if they are a life changing device and you just tossed them off hand?

[@jamesblonde2271]

I have been known to toss the occasional life changing divice myself mate, 🤣

[@chrisr8112]

I must confess that I don’t get why you would homage the F91 given how cheap it is, however I have had many other skmei that I have enjoyed, the full metal one is fantastic for £12 and I picked up one of their textured dial three handers for about £7 which I stuck on a spare NATO and it’s a perfectly decent watch.

[@watchmewithwatches]

I agree, its weird to homage a dort cheap watch, but it makes up for it by having a better back light!

[@deepakdo3765]

U n ur video awesome

[@manybuddies]

rubber will harden after a while

[@alexanderevanska4274]

Checkout the Skmei 2049. Only six £.

[@MyAlan999]

For the price , i don't think there bad at all I like the green '5600'

[@Melbournelost66]

Seriously i have one of each of those brands...and a couple of years laterstill going strong and accurate etc

[@alexissa6281]

I was laughing at the watch brands like that thinking I could afford a casio not the regular casios, a solar one on Amazon. I added the casio ws210h to the cart (cheapest one). Shipping fees, import fees and estimated tax laughed back I then realized I was one of those ppl. like the Indonesian and Sri Lanka (to which I have no relation) I ordered the skmei solar 1585 blue camo. The major things was the stainless steel buckle, g-shock like backlight, auto calendar which casio charges a premium on the Ae178 (gold ae168) and of course half the price half the import fees. I am happy with it.

[@manybuddies]

casio is a japanese brand (factories probably in china); skmei a chinese brand

[@Thecatrizzard]

skmeis are good too good

[@firstaddz8100]

I didn't realise Tommy Robinson did watch reviews! No offence, Mate, just kidding😝 Great vid 👍

[@watchmewithwatches]

Lol!

[@firstaddz8100]

@@watchmewithwatches by the way, you are better looking by far😎

[@adrianmark613]

This plastic skmei is the true beater watch.... If I don't have my Casio w200h, I would buy this skmei Casio homage

[@papawoody9597]

Skmei and Smael? They sound like Gollum's next door neighbors in Gladden Fields. "You seen Smeagol?" Oh yeah, he went down to the Misty Mountains with Skmei and Smael.

[@edlee8949]

All the SKMEI designers and engineers came from Casio, Isn't it?

[@davemck1887]

My mate says she's got something made from the same type of rubber but she won't tell me what it is! 🤔

[@John-P]

It's probably just a new inner tube for her bike

[@davemck1887]

@@John-P ahhh ! She has got a bike 😁