Proxima Reached New Heights With These Watches! PX1697 & PX1690

[@OmairArif]

Just ordered the first watch. The AliExpress store sent me pictures of my watch before shipping (which is a nice customer experience). They changed the crown in the latest batch, it isn't sterile anymore, it has some new double P logo with a swirl pattern. The picture is really blurry so I'll have to wait for the watch to make a final judgement, but at first glance not a fan.

[@bani_niba]

I love that AliExpress brands are pushing the industry forward with quick-release bracelets, female end-links and on-the-fly adjustment. Maybe this will force lazy Swiss brands to catch up.

[@rsinger2597]

It's a bit of a symbiotic relationship... They're usually luxury brand innovations, done on a few expensive watches, then smaller/more flexible companies like Christopher Ward make them common/cheaper (incl the adjustable clasp design San Martin now uses, and quick release bracelets) then Chinese brands make them standard, then the crusty behemoths slowly make them standard too. Tudor still has some garbage 3 hole adjustment clasps, and omega didn't color match seamaster dates or use adjustable clasps until like 5 years ago :(

[@CCPwillfall01]

at the cost of slave labor

[@Mister_Phafanapolis]

The Swiss watch mafia _hates_ the customer. Making and selling watches gets in the way of bloviating about how great they used to be before the _Quartz Revolution._

[@asiantimepieces]

I’ve got a Proxima and the quality is great for the price. The brown one looks interesting 👌🏼👌🏼

[@johnnydangerously7186]

Like Proxima finishing and quality but the PT5000 which makes them affordable, has let me down twice. Both times were broken winding stems! Now both watches are in a drawer!

[@jimron9008]

i have 3 and all 3 started having winding issues just 1 year later. i've stopped winding them and just shake the watch, set the time and screw the crown in. i dont think im going to buy a watch with this movement again.

[@res00xua]

My watchmaker friend serviced two PT 5000 movements and found both were inadequately lubricated. After service they had much improved performance in amplitude and time keeping. The hand winding of all ETA clones are not the best.

[@slateization]

Hmmm I think they’re due for a rebranding to Sand Martin

[@RenghisKhan]

Very nice camera work, Gary! I love those close ups. That first watch: 👍 The second watch: I think just about any other colour would have worked out fine. Red, orange, yellow, blue, black, green, everything but toilet stain brown...

[@brianmsahin]

Proxima do make great watches . Glad they got rid of the unicorn, at least on some of the models.

[@c.s2001]

Agree. You beat me to it.

[@chunkhenderson1878]

Very nice, love the bezel. Macros of the dial looked awesome.

[@victorutomo7244]

I have the 'doxa'/white-orange variant with this case. It exceeds my expectation. Proportion, size (under 12mm thick) and finishing ... All solid.

[@RicardoValdes-r6w]

Great reviews. Like Proxima watches however I wish they would do the watch case sides fully brushed..

[@rev.waynet.oleary7387]

I like the brown face, looks like wood. I own a number of swiss watches including Tudor. I am however finding some of these watches. As shown here, are actually very good value, and often have better lumen, and more imaginative. Great review, again! Thank you for bringing to our attention these watches. Great show...

[@rodiow369]

Hi Gary great review as always!, Got the Proxima PX1703 from the sale on route, will be my first Proxima....(that brown dialled one kept making me think of milk chocolate!) 😋

[@drebarthelotte5712]

I live in the eastcoast of Canada and our soil/clay is that colour of brown. No sand around these parts. We definitely have enough white half the year so yeah. I'd enjoy that brown on my wrist. Don't mind the hands colour. Dark enough but dosen't effect the lume performance. Too bad the unicorn 🦄 is dead eh? I'd take that more then a crown that will scratch more like a bear. Nh 35 I'd take it even no discount.

[@lefroy1]

I think the brown dial looks ace. Reckon a brushed bezel would suit it better tho.

[@danielsavadel2151]

PROXIMA is the best watch company I've ever done business with.

[@goo4tube]

Hi Gary thanks for reviewing this model, I ordered the Sand Dune color and I just live it! Looks so much better in person❤ more power to you and your channel for being a fair watch reviewer and NOT a watch snob ❤

[@kevinreilly7924]

What’s the difference between pt5000 and sw200? I recently looked on aliexpress and those are the two options

[@ilikewatches]

PT5000 is Chinese SW200 is Swiss

[@dubcheck2943]

The brown dial would work better with a colour matched date window IMO. Do have my first Proxima on its way to me.

[@nightmonkey07]

Love the sand dial! Ordered and got a cracking deal from the sale. I'm gonna nickname this sand java.

[@laserwave6012]

Nice, but something about the geometry of the dial layout doesn't quite make it for me.

[@carlogalopo2605]

Proxima should have a seiko movement option, pt5000 is keeping me from buying this

[@Rikki-Tikki-Tavi]

Same here.

[@WaterJake]

​The Seiko movements are too thick. They'd need to put them in a different case. That's why it's almost always PT5000 or SW200 for a model and NH## in different models. They aren't compatible.

[@Mister_Phafanapolis]

@@WaterJake Can they get stock of Miyota 9015 movements? Can they clone that movement? Seems like Citizen built a better, cheaper, mechanical movement than Swatch Group.

[@WaterJake]

@@Mister_Phafanapolis no idea, but it seems like getting Miyota movements is tougher. I suspect there's a much lower production limit than for the NH movements. I read that Citizen basically took applications for the Miyota 9075 and was not selling them to just anyone, which is why none of the AliExpress brands have access to them yet.

[@TCL_Dasler]

They HAVE to do something about the crappy font/sizing/typeface. It looks really substandard. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one if they sorted it out

[@waffle911]

That first case looks like it just melts onto the wrist it's so slim, is that sub-10mm thick without the double-dome crystal? Second one is a bit of a miss, the circular top brush of the case clashes too much with the straight-brush end links.

[@nedflanders3769]

It’s a Proximatic !

[@younusimam-thesalamproject6340]

I just wish they had displaybacks. I am really enjoying my one with enamel white dial. Gorgeous!

[@wastedaga1n]

I've got this watch in matte black. Surprisingly well fitting. It's a good Ali watch.

[@zillsburyy1]

yes they get better and better

[@nicocalimero]

I love the coment of people who buy the narrative of Swiss Brand. The Swiss and other luxury brands do not invest in R&D or design they use mainly there old design. The innovation is nearly inexistant for the ETA Valjoux mouvement. A lot of parts are made in China, with a small completion and assembly in Switherland. They spend the money in marketing, and adds with celebrity to sell high margin product. And of course the villainess are the Chinese Brand. The bad thing about Chinese Brand is not the homage, that will permit to normal working people to have the design that they love without selling kidney. The bad side is the social dumping, the online saler ( Chinese look alike amazon platform) that put pressure on the Chinese Brands to lower they margin. On one they are side Swiss Brand which binge on money, and other side Chinese Brand who offer good value product ( Seagull, Sugess, San Martin and so on) but I which price for the worker. Stop the useless snob dicussion about homage are bad for Swiss or big brand, it is completely fake. And personnally I prefer my homage to your over priced "luxury" watch with exorbitant service cost.

[@Mister_Phafanapolis]

Swiss luxury watches are “better” and “nicer” but they are absolutely not 20x, 50x, 100x, 1,000x _more_ than a San Martin, etc. If this was a sWiSs mAdE wAtCh then it would cost $5,000, lol. Same watch, same movement (PT5000, SW200, ERA2824) but a massively higher price tag. IDGAF about resale pricing and appreciation. That’s fake and a lie, too.

[@robh.2400]

I have a very similar black dial Proxima, and I really dislike the strong blue AR coating it has. It's very nice otherwise.

[@dimasakbar7668]

For branding, agree with clasp and crown but I like the Unicorn logo. Generally prefer logo over typeface. The second one more like soil after rain than sand dune😂

[@richardshaw1968]

Nice looking thing but the clasp needs shrinking by about 30% to balance against the case.

[@bernardcarthy2365]

I've got the San Martin explorer/ranger homage which is similar to the second watch. Not sure I'd trade it for this, but that's just my personal preference

[@ginom407]

That's one handsome watch!!! Love the contrast with the ceramic bezel. Thank you for sharing. 👍👍👍

[@K_j_M]

The contrast in those 2 dials is something to behold 😂

[@davidmcspadyen7810]

I actually really like the brown dial 😂 That would be my choice🔥

[@johndesmond1987]

I have the black dial version, and I prefer it to this one: best looking diver ever. I do have the San Martin GMT with the sand dune dial and love it, but I still think black is best for a diver. I wish it had the on the fly adjustment though. Maybe Proxima will sell it separately?

[@johndesmond1987]

Proxima DOES sell the new clasp separately! It costs $CDN46, which is much less than the same part from San Martin.

[@planecrashcorner7283]

I think this is the one watch with fauxtina that actually hits the mark. It works well with the dial color

[@Cur8or88]

I saw the first one in the sale and couldn't think of an excuse not to get it. Can't wait...

[@deedee8568]

Love the size. Not quite my bag but alotta quality fir the price.

[@WMIYC]

@4m25s That one looks like faux wooden paneling.

[@watchalot919]

Other than the colour the brown one is really nice

[@ollyw2897]

Build quality looks amazing. But I wish the Chinese brands would sort the branding out. Fonts always look a bit naff.

[@charleshermetix3886]

I do wish someone went this route of original design white dial but also included the black indices like the Explorer 2,i just adore that black/white contrast.. but yeah loving Proxima. I doooo also wish they put out a black dial version of their gigantic lume marker BBay/explorer. I fkin love them huge markers🙃

[@anthonydevono8833]

Nice job that proxima did with the white dial its better than my addiesdive white Willard I like the dimensions as well

[@jaer.6540]

Feel like the links are a tad too thick compared to the flow of the case/lugs...too bad its a nice watch otherwise

[@julianb1474]

Nice looker (the white one), but IMO the inclusion of a PT5000 is not a benefit to the buyer, just allows the seller to jack up the price which is too high for me.

[@Chopperdriver]

Can’t like the sewage brown one, but huge bang for the buck!

[@SingleTrackMined]

That brown one is less sand dune and more mud slide. LOL If I were being kind I would call it chocolate mousse. Love the diver, the mud slide - nah.

[@mattd-p9720]

Thanks Ash. Great video and advice. It's important to speak positively within yourself also. Your own self narrative is a powerful thing. Enjoy Masstrict sir.

[@stevecoleman3308]

The blue ar coating on the white dial is too much! I don't know why manufacturers don't use clear ar coating. Is it more expensive? It does put me off some watches.

[@fossilimprint2954]

Good to hear about this. I remember when Japanese cars were laughed at, now look.

[@jaybrockmeyer9218]

They got the applied indices and the dial right. But not the ubiquitous: date, closed case back, and the bracelet, uninteresting hands > a very sheeple design.

[@alanwright3172]

Nice Glacier watch but that clasp is HUGE compared to the head of the watches.😱

[@oliviersebastian1516]

Love the sand color❤

[@robertmckinlay7242]

I like the chocolate mousse dial.

[@jaesounglee7396]

That buckle of Proxima is too long to have nothing on it.

[@Nite-owl]

Looks like a flat crystal on the second one, rather than raised 🤔Not bad lookers to be fair, for the price.

[@teddyhenriquez5192]

Lovely watch specially the brown one but the lack of signed crown is a deal breaker for me!!!

[@AlexanderB.]

I'd call this colour terracotta and you're right, not the best colour for a watch dial.

[@moneymikz]

I got an email today from Boderry, inviting me to pre-order their new 200m titanium GMT in Coke bezel, only $125 with discount. Can’t wait to get it on wrist.

[@Mister_Phafanapolis]

A crazy good deal! I don’t love the coke or America colorways but that looks like a fantastic watch.

[@moneymikz]

@@Mister_Phafanapolis it is a very good watch looks great light as a feather, but feel solid. Highly recommended.

[@artvaldoz8676]

Looks like a Spinnaker Cahill

[@nickt6689]

Dial texture looks like salt flats to me. Bonneville....?

[@gefthetalkingmongoose]

Snow drift dial

[@sinjinadams2862]

It's about time they removed that horrible unicorn from the dial. I refused to buy their watches because of it. Maybe I'll give them another look now. This appears to be a very nice watch.

[@oliviersebastian1516]

My gash love it❤

[@scottlewis2372]

I wish the second dial was more orange than baby poo.

[@Zotrax1946]

The first one- nice!! The second one- no. Just no.

[@kobusvanrensburg4092]

Sand dials I can live with....rather than integrated bracelet Gerald Genta inspired (blah blah horse💩) or aventurine.

[@nikc1313]

The christopher ward, especially during clearance sales, isnt too much of a stretch in price away from this. Would rather have the original which has the better movement, finishing, brand recognition and the warranty.

[@rbagas5141]

CW way more expensive

[@nikc1313]

@@rbagas5141 I wouldn't describe it as "way" more expensive. It's double or treble the price depending on whether you go eBay or CW black friday clearance. Affordability is all relevant to your circumstances I guess but in my opinion I'd rather have the original instead of an inferior Ali homage unless the savings were much more significant. Just my opinion.

[@HitarouYotukai-ir6gr]

CW during sale is minimum £650 for having bracelet on it. That's 4x more than this Proxima.

[@slateization]

Whoa when does CW go on sale? Any chance of snagging a 20% off Bel Canto?

[@nikc1313]

@@slateization ha, i wouldn't think so. They do clearance sales every so often with a bigger one around black Friday though.

[@danielsavadel2151]

purchased a Proxima - NEVER GOT THE WATCH - money gone

[@ilikewatches]

Did you raise a dispute with AliExpress

[@danielsavadel2151]

@@ilikewatches Yes - the shipping company agreed the watch was never delivered (UniUni) they said they would send me $100. Don't have it yet but I paid $245 with taxes

[@danielsavadel2151]

@@ilikewatches Something you should know - the delivery company informed AliExpress the watch was never delivered. And they denied the refund.

[@danielsavadel2151]

@@ilikewatches Update : Proxima stepped up and paid to solve this issue. It was not their mistake but they took care of it anyway. Proxima is the best watch company I have ever done business with.

[@danielsavadel2151]

@@ilikewatches Yes - and they told me to F off. But PROXIMA STEPPED UP - GREAT company

[@LymanPhillips]

This is weird... this is the first time I've not liked the sand dials. There's something with the graininess that looks fake in this iteration. Other than that, the case and bracelet and the applied indices are exemplary. That unsigned clasp? Just get it engraved with your wife's name and you won't even have to hide the purchase from her - LOL.

[@karlsenula9495]

The design of the waves (and colors) look off to me? not particularly sand duney and subtle ... More of a softy ice cream texture? That said other than the dial look the specs and build quality look amazing.

[@baandoptager]

Nope!

[@mikep5478]

Regardless of price, a CHINESE clone spending no money on R&D is unimpressive on these products using off the shelf catalogue parts. They are what they are and have a niche for the intended audience.

[@zitengwang136]

R&D. 90 percent of swiss watch brand spend 0 on R&D.

[@HORIZONTIMEPASSIONEOROLOGI]

😀👍