MONDAINE vs. BERNY Homage - Is It Even Close?!

One might automatically dismiss Berny when comparing it to the Mondaine. However, I was a bit surprised when making this video and you may too. The results are very interesting to say the least.
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Avg. Joe Watch Reviews channel was established in May 2018 in the outskirts of Philadelphia and filmed at Avg. Joe Studios (aka the back bedroom office). I’m just an Avg. Joe with a continuously growing humble collection of timepieces. My passion is displayed as I talk about my collection and other pieces I’m interested in.
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[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

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[@violinmke]

I consider the full lume Berny to be one of the best value watches on Ali Express.

[@patricklgreen]

I am not one of those watch snobs who says homages are "wrong". But in this case, the Berny crosses the line. It is more than heritage. The design is not just well known, it is licensed. Hilfiker's design has been honored by both the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the London Design Museum and when Apple recently put the face as an option on their smart watch, it cost Apple more than 20 million francs. This one literally crosses the line away from homage and into copyright violation.

[@serenityinside1]

Agreed. It’s as you say officially recognised as a classic design Ala the red 🇬🇧 phone box etc etc . Blatant copy - so why aren’t mondaine taking them to court ? 🤔

[@ftlbaby]

For those that don't like the Berny name, they also sell this watch without the logo ( or a custom logo) for extra $. Model AM138MSZ.

[@thomassweet3132]

I own the Berny. Very good watch for the price.

[@user-tq6gg7ln4g]

Well, there is Cadisen's homage to Mondaine on AE already. It's got NH35 inside and polished case. And Cadisen's homage is cheaper than Berny's one)

[@serenityinside1]

The main point is , that people aren’t focusing on , that Cadisen has the seiko movement which is definitely the better option . No brainier - otherwise they look virtually identical!

[@jarowinti9274]

I bought the Berny and the real deal was that they put my name on the dial and on the screw case back and movement. And the lume is just insane. Even in the morning you can still read the time!! Great show, Joe!!

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

Pretty awesome! Thanks bro!

[@user-zc7bf7rn7v]

How much did it cost in addition to the cost of the watch?

[@jarowinti9274]

@@user-zc7bf7rn7v $20-30 if I remember well. But they did a great job.

[@somewhereintimewatchreviews]

Good comparison. Ignoring the obvious "homage" thing for a moment. The Berny doesn't seem like a bad watch overall, seconds hand could have done with being a bit longer. I have always felt that Modaine generally are overpriced, so I can absolutely see the appeal of the Berny.

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

I couldn’t agree more. With Mondaine you’re paying for the whole Swiss Railway concept and history. With that aside, the Berny doesn’t look too bad next the Mondaine.

[@antoniotula262]

This Berny might be better for me. I have pretty big wrists and with most 20mm straps, I'm at the second to last hole. The Berny comes with a 22mm strap, a Miyota automatic and sapphire. No, it's not a heirloom piece, but a stylish office or casual watch depending on strap. Not bad at all!

[@stizanley3987]

"Very similar design cues." LOL

[@Chrisb8s]

I bought the Cadisen version with the seiko movement. It's pretty nice. I feel that the Mondaine is really an homage also

[@serenityinside1]

A blatant copy - let’s be right !

[@serenityinside1]

Good move ..better movement by far Ps … I did too 😊

[@rrich52806]

No brainer my Berny was $69. The original does NOT do the 2 second click at 12 as on the Swill clocks in the train stations.

[@7Sheepinwolvesclothing7]

Great vid!! I just bought a Berny half way through. The lume shot got me bud! Now I’ll hunt the other watch. Forgot the name lol.

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

Thanks! Wow… cannot believe I sold you half way through. 😂 👍

[@DadgeCity]

My Mondaine isn't working, so I'm considering getting the Berny - the luminous dial is an incentive.

[@defer-rare-rah]

Cool video! I see a green tinge and not yellow in the Berny dial. Maybe get around that, psychologically, and it won’t bother as much. The Mondaine case presents as cheap, and the finish won’t hold up to a rigorous lifestyle. The Berny case is pretty common but I do like it better. Anyone not familiar with Mondaine’s “stop2go” should definitely check it out. It emulates the 58-second sweep and two-second pause at noon like the actual train station clocks do. I believe it has two movements..one for just the second hand. None the less..I would take a weekend with Berny in this head2head battle. Cheers!

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

Thank you. I’ve seen the Stop2Go. It is pretty neat and unique. Thanks for sharing bud. That shiny shiny does present as cheap. I agree.

[@brianmsahin]

It's pretty ok for the money if you like the look but don't have the cash for the Mondaine. The name could do without the Y at the end! Excellent comparison!

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

Take off the “Y” and you have the capital of Switzerland! Believe it or not?!

[@objective7042]

​@@AvgJoeWatchReviews What's funny, Berny's about page mentioned their name came from the name Bern

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

@@objective7042 let’s be honest… they took the name that was available off the list of names that were still available to own.

[@SidBonkers51]

Its all done to VFM for me so I guess the Berny is the winner but the Mondaine is not badly priced considering its heritage at least in the UK as they sell here for around £270 in the mesh bracelet and less on leather.

[@simply_psi]

I have just ordered the Berny, it looks good and does offer a different perspective to the Mondaine watches, I have the StoptoGo Mondaine and do love it and what some might think is a gimik, but I never tire of it's little 'dance' every minute. I'm hoping that I will be getting the best of both worlds having the Berny Automatic and the Mondaine with the party trick, at the momet they are no longer making the StoptoGo, something to do with a fire at either the warehouse ot factory, I understand Modaine are plannjng to make it again in the future, but until then anyone wanting one will need to look at the 2nd hand market (a certain irony there lol)

[@joeciganik498]

Great review as expected.

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

Thanks buddy.

[@bowmarsh]

I have a quartz powered Mondaine Big Date which unfortunately fell and stopped working, I took it to my excellent watch maker who said it needed a new Ronda 519 movement. I checked on eBay and saw that the average price for this movement is about $12-15. What I don’t understand is how Mondaine get away with charging hundreds of dollars for this watch.

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

You’re paying for the iconic layout of the dial as it looks exactly like the clocks at the Switzerland train stations. They’re iconic.

[@antoniotula262]

​@AvgJoeWatchReviews I thought about this & it's true, you pay for the name and the quality it implies. The problem with many products that have this heritage and iconic name brand recognition, is that they are no longer loyal to building the quality product that made them famous and that their customers expect. Mondaine, for example, could easily give the customer a Ronda 700 or better series quartz movement and sapphire precisely because it IS a Mondaine. Where's the pride in their own brand? If Mondaine put the same features as this automatic Berny in a better quartz movement watch for around $200 it would still make money for them, be an entry level "affordable " Mondaine, while backing up the brand with actual quality. What are your thoughts on this?

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

@@antoniotula262 here are my thoughts. This simply my opinion based on multiple products and not aimed specially at Mondaine. Companies have a tendency to underestimate the customer base and in fact, to put bluntly, insult our intelligence by taking shortcuts to save money for higher GP (gross profits). Sure they may save penny’s per product which add up when multiplied by bulk over time. However, when the customer catches on and goes elsewhere (Berny for example) you lose that repeat customer and your best marketing tool… word of mouth which outshines the savings they had by putting a mineral crystal instead of sapphire for instance.

[@antoniotula262]

@AvgJoeWatchReviews Thank you for your response. I agree, and I would thank you even if we did not agree. Consumers have much more info at their fingertips and as you said, "catch on" eventually. I don't mind paying more for quality, but I won't pay a premium for what I know to be below average just because a known brand name is on a product. I went to Berny site & will order one sterile face or maybe just the shield. I definitely want the luminous dial though!

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

@@antoniotula262 I enjoyed chatting. Hope to see you again in more comments. You asked a thought provoking question and I enjoyed your insight as well.

[@1gman858]

I believe the Mondaine watches are made by different manufacturers over the years. Feels like the specs and licensing is what travels with the manufacture. I have been inside a Big Date EVO and an auto with the SW200-1. Although the hour markers look applied, you can see on back of the brass dial that the hour markers are embossed.

[@serenityinside1]

Brass dial … exactly - for how much ? 🙄

[@1gman858]

@@serenityinside1 Most Watch Dial "blanks" are a softer metal with the "feet" soldered-on, then coated, treated, over lay-ed with what you see from the front of the dial. In my case of the EVO Big Date (Quartz) I grabbed mine from an etsy user for about $90 needed a new movement Ronda 519 $30 and I replaced the crystal (Chinese Aliexpress single dome Sapphire $12)

[@RenoLaringo]

No mention of the tappered hands on the Mondaine? To me that's what makes this watch really stand out against the Berny.

[@jameseisen9371]

I own a quartz Mondaine...... Bought it in 2001..... Still going strong.....

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

That’s good to know. Thanks for sharing.

[@GuySasha2022]

😯

[@droobie827]

If Mondaine doesnt make a lumed dial they should now, steal Berny's design

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

😂 good point

[@MirrlyonTime]

Great comparison. My own observations. Mondaine def nicer dial the white is super crisp and while the berny has a fully line dial I don’t like the resultant yellow tinge to the dial. The seconds hand is also off putting to me on the berny. It looks short and stubby, likely because of the circle at the pinion on it instead of the straight line of the Mondaine. Berny would have been smarter to use bgw9 so the dial would remain a whiter colour, that yellow tinge just looks gross to me, I have a watch from a Canadian micro that did the same thing, great lume but the yellow tinge, ick….not interested in Berny, the name alone on the dial is a turn off for me. That Mondaine is so crisp clean and yes classic, while it doesn’t speak to me it looks awesome, nice one!

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

Good thoughts on the BGW9. I didn’t think of that. Would totally work giving it a stealthy lumed dial. Thanks for watching mate.

[@MirrlyonTime]

@@AvgJoeWatchReviews not an original thought friend but something I learned from someone else :)

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

@@MirrlyonTime regardless, thanks for sharing. 👍

[@antoniotula262]

Berny does make a regular white dial that's not luminous & it's slightly less. Also black dial available.

[@serenityinside1]

Second hand is MEANT to be short - that’s the design … look at the mondaine! 🙄 Jeez

[@jameseisen9371]

...... Although seconds hand never hit markers..... The timekeeping is good tho

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

Tine keeping on the Berny is actually better. I was shocked at that.

[@evgen5647]

I'm not happy with Berny finishing quality. Maybe it's only my piece, but its sides has negative curvature instead of being just flat. They are sort of concave very very slightly, which is noticalbe on sunlight only.

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

Thanks for sharing.

[@johndesmond1987]

The timegrapher test was really in favour of the Mondaine. It had bettwe motion and less beat error. The sec/day measure is no big deal- it's trivial to adjust.

[@gregalonzo747]

I don't get the Berny. It has a totally lumed dial and a different case. Why not just make their own design? Does the Mondaine have the Stop2Go feature?

[@Bob_Smith19]

You’re funny. Chinese brands don’t make their own designs. They rip off everyone else. When they do have an original design, which is rare, they are usually horrible in many ways.

[@gregalonzo747]

@@Bob_Smith19, yeah I guess you are right. Funny thing is, I speak Mandarin fluently, yet I doubt that I would buy anything Chinese))) 😉

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

Thanks for watching!!

[@palemale2501]

The finer Berny bracelet is called a milanese bracelet (named after the Italian city Milan)

[@darrenfry4695]

Mondaine watches are cheap enough to buy so a homage isnt needed one bit LoL but i like bernys other field watches . ( On amazon mondaine watches are as low as 90 GBP)

[@doobeedoo2]

Should we pay for design?

[@serenityinside1]

Yes - designers don’t come cheap !

[@markchamberlain8468]

Milanese......

[@AguilaEmplumada]

damn i wish the hands were a little longer on the berny --mine is on it's way.

[@serenityinside1]

They aren’t meant to be - that’s the design they are copying!!

[@JohnSmith-oc9iw]

Sorry Mondaine looks much better

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

I love my Mondaine. I like it more personally.

[@jeremybenson286]

I honestly don’t mind a homage but just can’t get past this unfortunate name of berny.🤮

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

You’re not alone. The capital of Switzerland is Bern! Drop the “Y”… that’s all you had to do. 😂

[@violinmke]

You get used to it. I own it and I have.

[@MirrlyonTime]

First too ha!

[@AvgJoeWatchReviews]

😉👍