My 11 picks for the AliExpress 11.11 Sale 2023 (8 Watches In-Hand)

The AliExpress 11.11 Sale 2023 is nearly here and its the best time of the year to grab some of your favourite AliExpress watches at the best prices possible.
Here I have listed 11 watches for you to consider...and I have 8 in hand to show you!
All AliExpress Affiliate links to the watches are below.
Please remember that all prices in the video do not include VAT or Import Duties / Local taxes as it would be impossible to calculate for all of my subscribers!
Here are the links: You will not pay any extra by clicking on these links but you will be helping to support the channel going forward.
Thank you all for your support :)
IXDAO BRONZE DIVER X02T
s.click.aliexp...
IXDAO ENGINEER
s.click.aliexp...
PROXIMA PX1703
s.click.aliexp...
SEESTERN S430 GMT
s.click.aliexp...
SAN MARTIN SN0122 GMT
s.click.aliexp...
SAN MARTIN BUDGET GMT SN0054-G-E1/E2
s.click.aliexp...
THORN 50 FATHOMS SHY033
s.click.aliexp...
STEELFLIER SF745 W10
s.click.aliexp...
STEELFLIER SF740 39MM
s.click.aliexp...
BERNY TITANIUM T2576MS SINN 556 HOMAGE
s.click.aliexp...
THORN SHY034 A11
s.click.aliexp...
Link to Proxima PZ1703 Review
• Zodiac Killer. The Pro...
Link to Seestern S436 GMT Review
• New for 2023. SEESTERN...

[@johnrb9397]

This is the vid I’ve been waiting for!

[@johnswatchjoint]

:)

[@adk7962]

Damn right it’s fun here! That IX&DAO is very high on my list, and I may have to get that Thorn despite the Mineral Crystal. Great list John!

[@johnswatchjoint]

Haha...cheers Albert!

[@leejenkinson5521]

That IX&DAO Lume looks stunning!

[@H0kram]

John, you're the man, you nailed it. I very much appreciate the hard work, with a nice addition at the end. What a pretty bubbly type A-11. And that bronze Ixdao, pure asmr, I definitely put that one on the wishlist! It's a nice touch to have an endlink, I've seen it only in a bronze Hruodland in which it can even be removed.

[@johnswatchjoint]

Wow, thanks...glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@dunderhay9169]

Great selection 👍 . I'm glad you got a better IxDao without too much hassle. Thanks for showing that Berny, I don't think I will be able to resist that one, I'll use your link 😉

[@johnswatchjoint]

Thank you. All your support really helps me get these pieces in. I couldn't do it otherwise : )

[@bensynewsshoedown4999]

​@@johnswatchjointexcellent point!

[@bensynewsshoedown4999]

Amazing video, John, with lots of thought and effort to choose a very diverse set of deals to suit so many different viewers. Chuffed you received another Ingenieur!

[@johnswatchjoint]

Hey Bensy. The return was straight forward and this one is a lot better. As you can see...it looks, feels and wears perfectly ;). More content to follow ....:)

[@bensynewsshoedown4999]

@@johnswatchjoint This Engineer seems to be the best of Ali in many ways and around $200 in the sale? As you may also be aware, the cheap Mysterious Code VH31 will be $78->$57 (less up to $20 via code and savings wizardry off a $60 cart).

[@rafaelribeiro404]

To me the thorn and berny are the most interesing. I'll probably go for the berny.

[@johnswatchjoint]

It's a wee cracker!

[@sivanstar]

To be honest, I've seen many videos of the upcoming sale. This is the best one, not only you handled these and reviewed them, correct me if im wrong, you kept these as well. Lots of reviewers uploading affiliate links on affiliate links which makes me feel like, they reviewed the watches but not kept them. Or alternately wearing pricier peices usually compared to us common folks. Maybe its just a feeling i have and maybe im totally wring.. 🤷‍♂️

[@johnswatchjoint]

Hi there. I started doing this as a hobby 14 months ago. For 8 months I bought every watch and sold it at a loss with no Google AdSense and almost no affiliate income. Now AdSense covers some of the loss a d I get issued some free watches which helps but in answer to your question, no I do not keep them all. That would be impossible. I am doing this for fun and it takes a lot of hard work and I am now seeing some reward. I keep some but move others out to keep funding the hobby. No-one could afford to.keep every watch reviewed. Both IXDAO watches and the Proxima are now in my collection. So three had to go to make way. Thanks for the question. :)

[@johnrb9397]

Ixdao seem to be on a roll.

[@johnswatchjoint]

That Engineer is worth 4 times the price...honestly.

[@952651869]

Fantastic Content John! Best wishes from Edinburgh this week love your channel and all your hard work!

[@johnswatchjoint]

Thanks buddy...I really appreciate that 🙏

[@thewatchfemme4051]

You are quickly becoming my favorite watch reviewer, our interests and taste seem to be closely aligned. Thanks for the list!

[@johnswatchjoint]

No... thank YOU for watching 😊

[@johnrb9397]

San Martin are missing a bit of a trick not sending you more watches.

[@johnswatchjoint]

San Martin have never reached out to me. I asked them once and got a very small discount but I have never heard from them since :/

[@JonTheComputerDoctor]

Some fantastic suggestions well done John.

[@johnswatchjoint]

Thanks Jon. Two full ten hour days to put that together :/

[@MrDwaynelockett]

Wow, the bronze w green dial will be on my wishlist. I spent my watch limit on the Spinnaker sale.

[@johnswatchjoint]

Nice 👍

[@rayintheforest]

The IX&DAO bronze is incredible... In the video, the watch has these bronze end links between its lugs for the leather strap which I think looks really nice and also rare. The pictures on the site don't show these. Did they come with the watch?

[@johnswatchjoint]

Yes. Supplied as standard :)

[@thehumblehorologist6091]

Great video!

[@johnswatchjoint]

Thanks!

[@WATCHingJames]

Great choices

[@johnswatchjoint]

Cheers James 🐱

[@andrewlevett4274]

Best Ali sale video of the year.

[@johnswatchjoint]

Thanks Andrew. Glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@motischenker8409]

Very nice choice of watches! I've already subscribed and with this video showed once more why people should subscribe to your channel.

[@johnswatchjoint]

Thanks for that. Good to know I am appreciated ☺️

[@richardpool9970]

Think you've been looking in my cart John 😉However, missed the Bronze IX&DAO as I had the Bronze Hruodland in my basket mainly for the dark blue bezel but now I'm torn between the two. Only gonna pick up 2-3 watches up this sale but it's really hard to choose as I'm also tempted by the San Martin GMT GS inspired homages. Excellent video as always.

[@johnswatchjoint]

You sound sensible..just go with your first instinct...it's usually the best way :)

[@WristWatching]

Fantastic selection, John! Just added the Engineer to my cart. 🔥

[@johnswatchjoint]

Hi Harvind. It's a stunning watch. I can't believe it's from AliExpress!

[@WristWatching]

@@johnswatchjoint I just saw they now have MOP dial options too. My wallet is weeping.

[@johnswatchjoint]

I'm officially on the streets!

[@WristWatching]

@@johnswatchjoint 🤣🤣🤣

[@olegsolomonik6594]

Thanks for the great video. But instead of Thorn's Fifty Fanthoms I would recommend Steeldive SD1975 instead

[@johnswatchjoint]

Noted!

[@markmahood3093]

Oh yes! Been waiting for this! Cheers John. San Martin Vs Proxima.. Which one would you go for in terms of quality / finishing?

[@johnswatchjoint]

They are difficult to separate but Proxima certainly don't have the current QC issues... SM are bad for misaligned bezels just now. Customer Service wise, Proxima cannot be beaten. I kinda think I've answered that question by reasoning it out haha 😆

[@markmahood3093]

@@johnswatchjoint thanks John. I've about 15 watches in my basket and need to get it down to 2! Lol. I still love the CW style Proxima.

[@johnswatchjoint]

Be sensible and have fun shopping 🛍️

[@YouTube_is_full_of_trolls]

I'm like a kid on Christmas again. I'm just trying not to go so crazy, just in case I'm disappointed or get a lemon. Right now, I have the sm 53 homage and the sm 62mas homage in the cart. I can probably only choose 1, and I'm extremely torn on what to do. Or I might get 1 of those and then a Pagani... idk, argg... exciting though 😅

[@johnswatchjoint]

It's all about having fun but do not stretch yourself. My advice? Don't spoil the party with a Pagani...you open yourself up to getting a lemon. They are so inconsistent and I am done with them for now after having so many bad ones :(

[@YouTube_is_full_of_trolls]

@johnswatchjoint John, that's good advice that I'll heed. I don't want to be disappointed, and I'm truly saving for my personal grail (longines or seiko alpinist gmt), which I'm looking to get for my birthday next year. Do you have any suggestions between the 53 homage or the 62mas homage? I love applied indices, but I really am unsure about the male endlinks (plus no on the fly adjustment on the 62mas worries me)

[@johnswatchjoint]

The new 62 mas homage looks interesting I must say. If you want the very best 62mas homage and still pretty much my favourite watch as it opened my eyes to the quality available on AliExpress, I would suggest the Seestern 62mas. It is truly brilliant. At 37mm it's true to size and I would even suggest you buy it only on the fkm rubber strap. It's a brilliant combo and is so comfortable. Be prepared for people asking you about that watch...I get it all the time ;)

[@gorillasinthewrist]

Great selection, I have the white dialled SM GMT on its way for £137, plus an overflowing cart…

[@johnswatchjoint]

Aah...the sacrifices we have to make...net the wife doesn't know haha 😂

[@gorillasinthewrist]

@@johnswatchjoint I’m just about in credit with the missus, bought her a Vario Versa for Christmas… she had a pink Squale last year…

[@johnswatchjoint]

Aah...the emotional blackmail angle...I like it ;)

[@leejenkinson5521]

That titanium BERNY IS LOVELY, nearly as beautiful as their FIREFIGHTER edition.

[@jboomhauer]

That bullet on the back of the Thorn case absolutely ruins it 😩

[@johnswatchjoint]

...that's a shame given the significance of it. Many men took those so we can have the life we have today :(

[@RandallSlick]

Top Aliad ;-) They all look very good and the Steelflight's news to me so definitely one to watch. Top tip. That second Ixdao though is a bit of a stunner. Don't like bronze, don't like subs, don't like snowflakes but I love this one. Funny old world.

[@johnswatchjoint]

It's a real dark horse. I opened the box and my jaw dropped. It's gorgeous...and the Lume...wow!

[@AlexanderB.]

The Proxima is the most beautiful watch in this video. The minute hand could be a tad longer. The Zodiac has the same flaw. Why don't they even try to fix the weak points of a certain watch when homaging it?

[@johnswatchjoint]

The Proxima is lovely and is in my collection..as will both IXDAO watches. They are stunning.

[@jonathangoodman2636]

Have you any opinion on the San Martin 020 limited in sky blue? No one seems to be putting that into 11/11 lists.

[@johnswatchjoint]

Hi there. I am sorry, it's not a watch I have handled. Not many have sold and that's probably why reviewers are not keen to get one in. Being SM it should be decent quality so if it's a real bargain and you want it...now is the time :)

[@raphaelcavina6138]

Are you talking about the sn020 in Tiffany / turquoise with explorer style dial?

[@jonathangoodman2636]

@@raphaelcavina6138 Yes.

[@Man_Ray78]

One thing that get's on my nerve is how many of those Store's I've been following and doing business with, do sneaky moves when the sale is coming like raising the price up to 35-50%, the week of the sale, just so they can give us a discount or coupons when the sale comes that equals to like you're getting a 20% discount of the original price, when you cut through the bs. communication

[@johnswatchjoint]

It's unfortunate but all businesses the world over do the same. Currys do it DFS do it so it has to be expected which is crappy!

[@HughR3GO]

John, can you double the lug width for the Bronze Ixdao. Listing site says it's 21mm, I'm hoping they're mistaken (as some Ali sellers can be) with their measurement and it's really 20mm. 21mm lug width would be so disappointing.

[@johnswatchjoint]

Hi john. Good call out. Yes the Lug width is 21mm but it is simply not an issue. My mistake for missing it but it does sometimes happen. 19mm and 21mm straps are widely available now from most watch strap sellers. Where it might have been an issue a few years back, it really is not now. I always shop for my straps at WatchGecko during sales and they have some cracking deals usually but on a daily basis you can pick up direct equivalents to this strap from Barton Straps, Sectime etc. It is something I have to address in the community. So many people get triggered ( I am not including you here, it's valid point ) by lug width and non-sapphire crystals! I treat my watches ( the ones I own that is ) as tools. My trusty old Pulsar Kinetic is over 15 years old with mineral crystal and a cyclops. It has taken everything I have thrown at it and still looks great! My ethos... trust what you see in real life, not what others tell you what to see!

[@HughR3GO]

@@johnswatchjoint Thanks for checking. I'm still buy 19 and 21 lug width watches, you're right they're a lot easier to buy straps for than 5 or 6 years ago. For me, I've built up a large strap collection over the years, something along the order of 80 straps in 20mm and 22mm widths. It would be nice to just use what I've got. Great video and channel, keep up the great content!

[@stevenmccarthy112]

I love that bronze IXDAO diver. I think I'm going for the brown dial beastie John.

[@johnswatchjoint]

Hey Steven. It is a stunning watch. This list has 3 of the best watches you can buy on Ali Just now... Of course that is just my opinion :)

[@user-ec5pd4cd7p]

Did you do a review for that xi&dau ?

[@johnswatchjoint]

If you look back 5 months I did a "Focus on IXDAO" video where both the bronze diver and the Engineer were looked at 🤗

[@JeffryBelen]

Is the IXDAO ENGINEER suitable for small wrist? This a concern for me because my wrist size.

[@johnswatchjoint]

It will fit comfortably on a 6.5 inch wrist. Mine is 6.75 inches.

[@magicofeverything1985]

Can you review boderry Voyager bronze ?

[@johnswatchjoint]

Sorry. I just reviewed the Boderry Titanium last week 😕

[@unwokeneuropean3590]

Prices for my country do include VAT.

[@johnswatchjoint]

As I showed everyone at the start of the video AND in the video description below !?!?!???? :/

[@Nite-owl]

I quite like the Bronze diver, but when I get to the link it states on the price box "This product can't be shipped to your address. Select another product or address." I'm in the UK, does anyone else see this?

[@johnswatchjoint]

Sorry...but I double and triple check all my links prior to uploading. Just put one in my basket no problem....and it's the store I bought from. Check you are not running a VPN or that you have selected the right shipping country and currency from the site drop down menu at the top of the page :)

[@Nite-owl]

@@johnswatchjoint I was logged in, so it should know from my account details really. I might try adding it to the basket and checking out though 🙂EDIT: Won't allow me to add any of them to my basket now. Keeps saying that they have either sold out, or have been discontinued. I don't use a VPN either so it can't be that. Oh well. Saved myself £200.

[@johnswatchjoint]

Bummer 😕 remember not to check out until the sale starts!

[@ramspencer5492]

Thank you. I'd your OXDAO engineer the black dial is the charcoal grey dial? There's a light gray and a dark gray dial, isn't that right? Mmm. a different video had a link that had five color ways with a light green a dark gray... That link only has four. And have you seen any of the other colors in person?

[@johnswatchjoint]

I can only tell you about the colours I have seen. This one and the white one I originally bought. I sent out this link for the best deals :). To confirm, the watch on the video is black .

[@ramspencer5492]

@@johnswatchjoint just noticed in their store that they have a new release of this watch, with like colored mother of pearl. It looks pretty snazzy

[@johnswatchjoint]

Yes...not for everyone though :)

[@ramspencer5492]

@@johnswatchjoint true. I have had too many black watches though... I like that teal mother of pearl one the most I think... And the silvery white MOP one is cool. The The red one isn't quite for me I don't think... Though the right red dial on a watch can be cool. I'm not sure about that on red... Especially combined with mother of pearl and the white date window. I think the texture dial verson probably looks coolest and black. A little dull in there white and and grey dual and I'm quite not sold on the textured teal.

[@ramspencer5492]

@@johnswatchjoint yeah I think that teal MOP dial might be something I seriously consider

[@franciscos.3671]

Talk about Rdunae

[@johnswatchjoint]

Used to love their Willard Homages and did some reviews. They haven't done much else until a recent cheap release unfortunately :)

[@garethbain7477]

Butterfly clasp....FFS. Why oh why oh why???????

[@johnswatchjoint]

It is very comfortable with very articulate short links. This watch is excellent 👌