Low Cost Watches Chronograph Edition
Another bit of fun
Watches are fun and if you are reading this then you likely feel the same. I have my share of quality watches and I take my collection seriously, but I also enjoy dabbling in low-cost watches.
Watches comprised of quality components cost $$$ and like most people I do not have the budget to splurge on a high-cost watch every month (maybe a couple a year). The feels experienced when making a purchase, receiving the shipment, opening the box, and strapping up a new watch are invigorating.
People who read and watch my content know I sometimes grab Amazon Deals because the watches are either visually appealing or useful for parts/tinkering (sometimes both). Not necessarily for quality, but sometimes they can surprise you (like the Songdu in the first video).
My Low Cost Watches series has proven quite popular, so I thought why not a chronograph edition. This post presents four low cost chronographs in the $20-$50 price range.
The review video: [https://youtu.be/TclhBdaawiQ]
Details, Details, Details, Details
Note: This page contains Amazon affiliate (commission) links.
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*The cases are advertised as stainless steel. The casebacks and bracelets are a very low-grade steel, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the actual cases are plated brass. The Nibosi and LIGE looked closer to being low-grade steel cases, while the Curren visually screamed bad plating.
Timex Expedition – TW4B10200 (Amazon)
Pros: Dimensions are ideal, quality for the price, comfy wear on canvas, good design elements, solid pushers
Cons: Strap quite stiff at first, buckle is sub-par quality, dial is a little busy (could have done without two layers of second markers)
Everyone should have a Timex in their collection. Bang for the buck is on full display with the Expedition series, which has a TON of variants. The TW4B10200 is replacing my Weekender TWC063500. I thought I might like it better, and I do. Not much else needs said.
Curren – 8292 (Amazon)
Pros: Colorway (sold out), strap fairly comfy and a good look
Cons: Case size, quality (cheap as opposed to low cost), flimsy hand setting and pushers, plastic rings, false lume
I really wanted to like this watch as the design is sharp and stands out, especially with the strap. The design is ripped from Citizen (above), which is why it had a chance. However, 47mm is just too big, hand setting is flimsy, the plastic rings under the bezel and on the crown are a cheap touch and won’t handle time or temps well. The blue bezel is a nice color, but the plating won’t last long. Also, the fact that the hour markers sort of look lumed but are not pushed a button.
Nibosi – NI2309 (Amazon)
Pros: Dimensions are nice, particularly the height. All info in the Amazon spec was accurate. Clasp is ok with smooth operation. Lowest cost along with the simplest and most legible design of the bunch.
Cons: Bracelet quality, arrived with the minute hand not secured and thus unusable, the hand setting was flimsy anyway.
Another instance where I wanted to like it, but the quality issues got in the way. The design is interesting enough, though I was hoping to be more satisfied with the chronograph seconds decoration at 6 and the polished/brushed combo on the bracelet. The bracelet machining is rough, resulting in sharp edges around the lugs and between links that make for uncomfortable wearing. Most detrimental was the fact it arrived non-working due to the minute hand not being properly pressed on the movement, so it was going back anyway, no matter how much I liked the simple blue and silver design.
LIGE – 6181WM1 (Amazon)
Pros: Dial depth, colors, fully brushed bracelet, chrono seconds wheel, more lume, better hands and time setting feel, solid pushers and guard
Cons: Bracelet and clasp quality, a little too large, had more lume but still fairly weak, cheap plated bezel, mixed info in the Amazon spec, false screw-on caseback
I really like the depth to the dial, along with the colors. A fully brushed bracelet is more appropriate for watches in this price range. The chronograph seconds having a wheel instead of a hand is a great detail. This watch has lumed hour markers, which gives it a nice advantage over the Nibosi and Curren. I really like the hand design on the LIGE and will likely re-lume them and use in a different watch.
The bracelet suffers from the same symptoms as the Nibosi. Although a fully brushed look is better for a watch in this price range, the machining is very rough and very uncomfortable. The clasp is downright terrible. I plan to keep the watch and scrap the bracelet. The design aspect I least like is the bezel as it looks cheap and the plating won’t last long. The caseback is a snap-on like all of the watches in this review, but the LIGE was made to look like a screw-on akin to a dive watch, which did rub me the wrong way for some reason.
In the review video I mention that the hour markers from 5 to 10 are the only ones lumed, but after looking again I noticed the screw slots from 12 to 3 are also lumed, it is just really weak.
Final Thought
In terms of a ranking…#1 is the Timex Expedition, #2 is the LIGE 6181WM1, #3 is the Curren 8292, and #4 is the Nibosi NI2309.
The Expedition will stay, replacing my Weekender. The Curren and Nibosi were returned. The LIGE will be tinkered with and harvested for parts, imparting its Immortality to other watches.