Merkur Skin Diver - Full Review -

[@WATCHingJames]

I’ve really enjoyed this one

[@GalorOffroad]

Hey 👋 I have this watch since last year and I really like it 👌 I’ve put it on a Maikes black leather strap, with beige stitching. The french is because the dial is inspired by the Jaz AC-310 watch (FE 3611 caliber), from 1969 to 1974. Jaz was a french brand created immediately after the 1st World War in the district of La Défense, Puteaux in 1919. Merkur collaborated with Jaz in 2022, there was a kickstarter project. The movement is not a Seagull, it is a Tongji. This movement is inspired by the Swiss Enicar 1010 movement and Japanese Seikosha Seiko 850 (76xx), also known as the Chinese standard movement. It is a hand-wound watch movement which has been manufactured in various forms in numerous factories since 1972.

[@WATCHingJames]

That’s fantastic to learn. Thank you. I really do appreciate it.

[@bronco1199]

Appreciate the CAD reference. This is a nice little watch. I am definitely picking one up. I can't justify paying 3x the price for similar Seikos and Citizens. I still love both companies, but I'm a little gun shy these days.

[@WATCHingJames]

It is great to find affordable watches that also grab your attention. Thanks for WATCHing

[@johanvandersandt8904]

I think you summarized it brilliantly. Looks good but not without issues. Have a great weekend James!

[@WATCHingJames]

Thanks for WATCHing

[@garycollard1981]

I like the look of that very much. For some reason i really like 12 & 6 dials and the handset i like too. The placement of the bezel crown appeals to me aswell as it is a bit different rather than having both on the same side. I just have 1 handwind only watch but when i wear it i never remember to keep it wound and it stops before i stop wearing it. For that reason this is probably not me.

[@WATCHingJames]

Thanks for WATCHing

[@lodkathree]

Quite a nice watch. James, just some feedback if i may. Personally, I would recommend referring to the thickness of a watch in millimeters rather than 'width'. It's up to you, of course. I really like your channel. Cheers

[@WATCHingJames]

Thank you. I have actually started to change this now for new videos. Referring to it as height. But I still have a few, like this one, that had already been recorded. There will probably be a few more before the new videos filter through.

[@lodkathree]

@WATCHingJames All good, Mate.

[@douglasboswell5737]

I agree. Width is different to thickness

[@a0r0a7]

A watch on the wrist that looks so good. Vintage vibe is lovely. Quality looks really nice for the price.

[@WATCHingJames]

Thanks for WATCHing

[@andrea.rellini]

Thanks James. I already bought it since your "first impressions review". Now that I own it I can say that's really a lovely watch, original and well made. Sometimes I wonder how it would be with applied indexes instead of these printed ones...

[@WATCHingJames]

It’s great to hear you are enjoying it too.

[@Stricko72]

Nice vintagey quirky watch, thanks for your reveiw James

[@WATCHingJames]

Thanks for WATCHing

[@Horizontalvertigo]

The problem with timegraphing unknown movements is that you don't know the lift angle, so your results can end up skewed quite severely. Without that info the timegrapher results are basically useless

[@WATCHingJames]

Very true. Thanks for WATCHing

[@MirrlyonTime]

Getting one of these in for review, well a MERKUR red star with salmon dial. Definitely look like they make pretty great affordable pieces. I rather like the big top hat mineral crystal on these. Def would rather have a rotating bezel by hand rather than crown, and not sure how practical it is under water to adjust the bezel with the crown?

[@WATCHingJames]

I would not be moving it underwater. I can only imagine the issues it might cause.

[@MirrlyonTime]

@@WATCHingJames yeah which makes it really only useful as a bezel timer and not for diving so that kinda stinks

[@NischalSheodayal]

love it... great looking styled

[@WATCHingJames]

Thanks for WATCHing

[@cowinwatts9025]

Thank you for sharing these great educational videos .

[@WATCHingJames]

Thanks for WATCHing

[@zillsburyy1]

my merkur top hill series salmon dial is a manual wind

[@WATCHingJames]

Thanks for WATCHing

[@Miclantechupi]

Thanks for another great review. Its a nice watch. However I do feel that at the $200 AUD price point we should be looking at an NH35, saphire and AR for a watch with these features. I appreciate that the San Martin SN0066-G is twice the price, (and I would like one of those), but the SD1949S is only $30 more and it is bronze. However the Rdunae R3 is $177 at the moment and it offers way more, I would have said. In fact having just seen it at that price in my watch list, I might even buy it now. 😆

[@WATCHingJames]

Hahahahaha. I know. Thanks for WATCHing

[@Subcomandante73]

Now that is a really good looking watch.

[@WATCHingJames]

I really like it. It is definitely one of my favourites that I’ve come across in this price range

[@vatazhka]

Is it a Sea-gull movement or rather the ultra cheap Tongji which Merkur uses in their other watches?

[@WATCHingJames]

I’ve found out later that it is the Tongji movement. One of the comments on this video added some fantastic information about the watch that I did not know.

[@brianmsahin]

Nice looking watch James.

[@WATCHingJames]

Thank you

[@nspr9721]

Great informative and entertaining review, totally agree with you on the classic looks and wearability. Just a quick question - although it's clearly not made out to be built like a tank, how robust is it? Any good as an outdoor or water ports watch? Do let us know!!!!

[@WATCHingJames]

It has been a great watch. In would not take it diving. But it has been performing well.

[@zillsburyy1]

almost got this watch. my BRAUN AW 10 EVO arrived today

[@WATCHingJames]

Thanks for WATCHing

[@paulelliott5600]

Of course I like this one. I have been waring it most days since Christmas and love it 😍 where's Naomi?

[@WATCHingJames]

I’m glad you are enjoying it.

[@tachyonic]

Nice review. The watch is quite beautiful, but it would be perfect if the inner bezel crown was in the opposite direction, at 2 or 4 o'clock. It's so useless in its current state.

[@WATCHingJames]

It does make it hard to actually use. But I still like how it looks.

[@adk7962]

I swear. If Merkur Group offered sapphire and a better movement, I probably would own half a dozen of them. They are great looking watches though. Thanks for the great review as always.

[@WATCHingJames]

I think I would too. Thanks for WATCHing

[@dunderhay9169]

Great review 👍 . I am really torn over Merkur, I like the designs and their cases are well made. However, I have heard bad things about customer service and they use cheap unreliable movements. I scratched an hour hand like that when learning how to set hands, it is a beginners mistake and is annoying, I see it every time I lookeat one of my Vostoks 🙄.

[@WATCHingJames]

Thanks for WATCHing

[@watchsixto]

Not a shabby looking watch from merkur

[@WATCHingJames]

Thanks mate. I agree

[@topperharley6670]

nice review and maybe i will pick it up. btw the logo on the crown is the seagull logo:)

[@WATCHingJames]

Thank you. Good to know

[@scatterbrain9490]

👍

[@WATCHingJames]

👍

[@rawdah786]

I’ve never heard of the Merkur brand, thank you for bringing that to my attention James 👍🏼

[@WATCHingJames]

They have some great affordable options. Especially their military inspired watches.

[@rawdah786]

Many thanks James 👍🏼🇬🇧

[@ulig12]

This one has too many flaws and low specs for my liking. So it‘s mainly about the looks, but I don’t like it enough to see me buying it.

[@WATCHingJames]

Thanks for WATCHing

[@anthonydevono8833]

Same as lot of watch brands Qc is non existent shame as watch looks ok

[@WATCHingJames]

The macro lenses definitely shows things that can’t be seen normally. But it is still a little bit disappointing

[@sinjinadams2862]

HaHa! It's running sort of okay?!

[@WATCHingJames]

Hahahaha yes. Well sort of 😁

[@jontpt]

Good review, but how is this in any sense the best value watch on AliExpress?? Crappy movement, no sapphire crystal, high price tag... I don't get it.

[@WATCHingJames]

Because I really really like it 😁😁

[@jontpt]

@@WATCHingJames Haha, fair enough!

[@jonasnaeyaert3738]

Apart from the semi-shady movements; Merkur needs to ditch the mineral. It’s a real let down, especially considering how cheap sapphire has become for producers in recent years.

[@WATCHingJames]

It would definitely elevate them if they did.

[@naomiredpath4351]

👍

[@WATCHingJames]

👍