Pagani Design Review and Reality Check
Pagani Design watches are a hot topic in watch groups and on some review channels as of 2020. Homage watches are nothing new, but like many Chinese watch manufactures, Pagani copies established brand designs and offers them at a much lower cost. I kept seeing pictures, posts, and reviews touting how good they were for the money and decided to take a look for myself as part of my low-cost series and give potential buyers a reality check.
Let me be clear, I am not particularly into “heavy” homage watches, though some might say everything is an homage of something else. Also, a fine line exists between homage and copy, which might come down to the logo being the only difference in the overall look. So no, I am not a fan of Steinhart, Davosa, Invicta, and the like. But I am sure some people reading this are fans of such brands, no worries, it’s watches, and to each their own.
https://youtu.be/Nz_-KGunt64
Or maybe you just want a beater version of a nice watch. I plan to replace the “Yachty” seconds hand with a blue version to better match the Yacht-Master design, remove the cyclops, and re-align the bezel. I wore the PD-1651 for over a week straight before doing this write-up, including significant time in the lake, and didn’t worry about it once.
*RANT* I do not like a cyclops lens. Though useful at some point in watch history, a monocle on a watch looks ridiculous and only amplifies an already abused complication when it comes to dial symmetry and modern necessity. Why 3 became the dominant position instead of 6 or 12 is beyond me. If you need to see the date better, perhaps consider glasses or update your prescription. I wear glasses and can see a regular date just fine at arm’s length. A cyclops is more inconvenient than convenient. *END RANT*
I have also considered buying a Tag Heuer Autavia, which retails at $3,350 (can be had for about $1k less aftermarket). At least they got the date implementation right: at 6 and and without a cyclops. But again, why not test out the look first with the similar PD-1649? Are the specs exactly the same? No. Will it give you a low-cost method to figure out if you are feeling a design? Yes. Certainly, I would like the look and feel of the Tag a lot more, particularly the bracelet. The Tag has a 42mm diameter and the Pagani 44mm, but visually is it something I will stick with as I consider the money? A test run can help.
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Pros:
- Cost is hard to beat: Under $100 for steel, sapphire, 100m, bracelet, Seiko NH35A. Can’t really complain.
- Good first impression.
- Dials are spot on and look great: the sunburst on the PD-1651 and the sand-like texture and ombré on the PD-1649.
- Screw-down crowns and casebacks.
- Screwed links, plus extension links with micro-adjust.
- A reasonable movement that is common, serviceable, and can be easily regulated if desired.
- I like the printing of “JAPAN MOVT” at 6, and in general the printing is really good and sharp given the price point.
Truth be told, it seems a quality chain exists exists within Pagani Design itself, and other brand names used by the manufacturer (e.g., Pagrne). From model to model, expect differences in quality. The PD-1651 that I’ve dubbed “Yachty,” is $20 more expensive than the PD-1649 (Autavia), but it is a world of difference on the wrist. The bracelet and clasp on the PD-1651 is extremely comfortable, while the PD-1649 bracelet feels rough and bulky. I solved this by putting the PD-1649 on leather, but the 44mm diameter with over 50mm lug-to-lug is still on the edge of my comfort zone.
Also, with the $20 difference comes a better crystal, sapphire on the PD-1651 as opposed to mineral on the PD-1649. I tested the crystal just to make sure and indeed it is a low-grade sapphire, but it is still better than mineral. Make sure you read carefully and know what you are getting on any model you choose.
Cons:
- For me, the shipping time was two months.
- PD-1651: Had a mangled and thus problematic bracelet pin.
- PD-1651: Misaligned and roughed-up bezel.
- PD-1649: Slightly misaligned chapter ring.
- PD-1649: Debris under crystal and on hands.
- PD-1649: Very bulky bracelet.
- PD-1649: Rougher machining around the lugs, metal shards.
- PD-1649: Wish the date was at 6 for better balance, like on the Tag Autavia.
- Poor lume all around!
Packaging
The packaging is simple and sufficient: foam pads, protective plastic front and back, and bracelets wrapped up nicely.
Issues
Noticing the issues did not take long. The bracelet on the PD-1651 Yacht-Master copy, which Pagani ironically calls Explorer, needed to be resized. The screwed links are nice, but one of them was mangled and the fragment in the link hole, making it quite hard to remove. Here I show what a good link looks like and what the problematic one looks like.
PD-1651: The Rolex Yacht-Master Copy
PD-1649: The Tag Heuer Autavia Copy
Bracelet Details
On Wrist
Final Thought
A Pagani Design watch may be a good route for enthusiasts testing a look or wanting a low-cost daily wear. Do they get the job done for under $100, yes. Are they exceptional quality, no. The PD-1651 is particularly to my liking, has some pros, and is certainly a deal. But don’t expect consistency or perfection. You will see my Yachty again in some how-to vids, but it will have a blue second hand 🙂
Hi, great review! Do you know if the bezel is ceramic made also on this silver bezel model? (talking about the PD 1651)
Not for this specific model, I don’t believe. They have some other Rolex-like models that may have ceramic bezels though.
For some of us Brietling, Omega, Tag Heuer, etc. are simply not an option for me because of cost. I could save up for one but I can’t (won’t) justify spending such a sum on a luxury item. I have quite a collection of Vostoks and some Citizen and Bulova watches and recently purchased my first Tissot. Rolex never appealed to me. Perhaps your experience explains the need for the cyclops. You may not have noticed some of the problems if you were wearing your old glasses…or have my 58 year old eyes. I was intrigued by the reviews I was seeing of the Pagani Design and Invicta products so I took a chance and bought a couple of each. They all arrived in beautiful condition as far as the appearance is concerned (with my glasses on) but they all had mechanical problems and are going back. I guess you do get what you pay for. My Vostoks all arrived from Russia in fine condition but then again there is nothing fancy about these watches to break. Function over form in true Russian tradition. I will give them another try because they’re sending me replacements but if these aren’t perfect I won’t be returning to these brands. Thanks for yoyr thorough review.
Yeah, which is why I mention these are a good way to test out a style or maybe just have it with no goal of eventually getting the original. The cyclops thoughts are just my own opinion, of course. Glad you enjoyed the review.
I just got a PD-1662 (GMT, Submariner knockoff) and am VERY impressed.
Materials, surfaces, weight, accuracy (-6sec/day, no need to adjust the movement myself), all is more than just ok. Great lume on all four hands, precise cyclops position, 120click bezel for the 24hr time zones, all is there.
The sapphire front is real (tested), the backside window shows a neatly decorated rotor, running quietly and smoothly. For the price paid it CANNOT be a real NH34A though.
Screwed strap with highly flexible multi-line elements, hidden holes in the double clasp, it goes on like that. Case and strap are a tiny bit sharp-edged for my taste, about the only gripe I can come up with.
Shipped from China to Germany for a total of $40, from AliX during a sale weekend!! This is insane, how can they make profit this way?
I would not know any other automatic watch that costs this little and offers that much.
Tempted to buy another Pagani for my small watch collection.
Several things contribute…mass production lowers manufacturing costs, pay low to nill wages, subsidize costs across ranges of products and “companies” beyond watches where more profit may be made. Good watch for the price though, no arguing that reality.
Totally agree about the cyclops lens. Like the actual date display they also vary in size.
It’s true that older folks have trouble with the smaller displays even when a cyclops is fitted.
Long ago I gave up bothering about the date, who wants to change 30/31/28 every 2 months or so?
The proliferation of mobile phones, laptops & PCs provides a ready alternative without you having to think “what is the actual date”?
So IMHO: get rid of the cyclops AND the date display .
I also prefer no-date watches. I like the simplicity and better dial balance. If there is a date, I prefer it at 12 or 6.
How do you make the micro-adjustment on the clasp? There are no side holes and there isn’t enough room to release the pin from inside the clasp. Thank you for the help.
You can’t really see it, as it’s hidden. You have to pull up on one side of the bracelet (inside the clasp) and then you can move it back and forth and then snap the micro adjust link back into place when it’s where you want it.
Thanks for the deep-dive. Does acetone pose any risk to the crystal gasket or water resistance? I’m worried about soaking the bezel if they’ve glued the crystal.
Glad you enjoyed the content. The crystal is not glued on this model, it has a gasket that is quite wide and tall (not a thin black gasket like what gets used on case backs). With only resting in the acetone for about an hour, I’d say it’s a non-issue for this particular model. It wasn’t deep enough for the acetone to “get to” much of the gasket anyway.
Thanks again for the reply. To be safe, I used Dynacraft golf grip solvent (suggested by Marc at LIW) with your method. Worked perfectly and avoids acetone, though the chemistry is beyond me.
No prob! And yeah, golf grip solvent is another good way to go. Can take longer, but generally works the same.
Great post. I have the “explorer” yacht master copy. Took it to the beach in the water for a few hours, no issues. The bezel is sloppy hope I can find a fix but it’s ok for the price. Now I got the seamaster copy with white face, blue rubber nylon strap, I have a real omega seamaster as well…the PG is very hard to discount. I really like it. I may get it with the orange bezel just to have. I like cheap watches. I have 3 expensive ones and when I was doing good in real estate before the crash nobody questioned what I had on cause I was perceived to be that guy who could afford them. Fast forward to now being simi-retired working part time I get questioned about my collection, but if I put on a “sharky” clone of a Seiko or a “steeldiver” captain willard or a PD the question is hey what is that? Instead of the questionable look. Funny thing is my ex business partner ( he has a wiki Tobie McKenzie cleveland TN) had a gold presidential Rolex he never took care of and his 3rd wife who was just after the money found out her “Rolex” was a very nice Swiss clone and wasn’t real after the bankruptcy but I knew long before because in Tobie’s wisdom “If you got just a little bit of money look the part, they’ll never question it, if you don’t have a reputation just play average til you do, then fake it, they’ll never know and you’ll get the last laugh” and he did. But thanks for your blog and video, great work.
hey there. thanks for the thoughts and perspective. glad you’re enjoying the content 🙂
Great article – just bought my first Pagani and it looks like I got a decent one (so far…)
My issue is this – I can’t fathom appropriating $11,000 to wear on my arm! Even if I had that kind of money, I’d slap on my Citizen’s Promaster Diver and rent a beach house on the Cayman Islands. I have a number of homages (yeah, I can wear a Batman, Pepsi, Yacht Boy & Explorer II all in one week!), and there’s that ISO-6425 rated Citizen Eco-Drive Diver I bought for $200 for serious water activities. As long as I keep it near light, I’ll never have to do anything but swim with it. My limited horology desires are satisfied!
Yeah I totally understand what you mean about what we wear on a wrist. And I know it’s apples to oranges a little, but consider a vehicle, a moderate one in the 10-20k range. It has form and function, we ride around in it, requires a lot more maintenance cost and will typically only last 5-10 years. Whereas a watch in that price range can be with you every day and last for generations. Can that itch be satisfied in other ways, sure. But sometimes the long-term approach is warranted. 🙂 Thanks for the comments!
Very nice review on the PD 1651 that I am interested in. I don’t own a Pagani but I think I will try the 1651. Is there a a solution to the bezel being mis aligned? Can we just removed the insert and re align it or it is just a bad bezel.
I show exactly how I re-aligned the bezel in another video: https://watchcomplications.com/2020/09/02/realign-bezel-and-remove-cyclops-lens/
Hey Mario,
you can’t go wrong with a PD. These watches are worth 4 times there price. And I’ve never have had a single issues with any of my PD’s homages. PD hit it on the head in 2020 when they started coming out with really, really good watches. Good luck, you won’t regret it! 👍🏻
what about pd 1644 or 1664 is bracelet a probkem and what is the difference between those 2 models
I haven’t tried the bracelet on the new 2023 model (1644), so I couldn’t tell you if it’s changed much, my guess would be they are about the same as ever. From what I can tell, the difference between the 1644 and the 1664 is that the first is on bracelet and the second is on rubber.
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Thanks for checking out the site.
Thank you for the comprehensive review. I hope one day I’ll be able to afford the real deal, but for now, I just ordered the 2023 PD-1661 “Hulk”, with the NH35A Seiko movement. I hope it won’t have issues, but at that price (59.28$), there’s not much of a damage to my pocket even if it’s not a Rolex (which I wasn’t expecting it to be anyway).
I’ll let you know what my experience was once I get it.
Again, thank you!
The only real complaints I have about the watches is that the bracelets can be rough and the lume is usually poor. But can’t really beat the price for what you get.
I discovered the PAGANI brand today when I was looking for a low-price but reliable and good-looking watch. I must congratulate you on your extensive and excellent analysis of the watch and I have bookmarked your webpage. Just one question: What is your opinion of the model “Explorer PD-1639”? That is the one I like most and the one I am considering buying. Have a nice day.
Regards
Claudio
Thanks for checking out the page. I also have videos about Pagani on my youtube channel. I haven’t handled that exact model you discussed, but if you like it the look, I expect the quality to be about the same across the models. A decent watch for less than $100, though it is a design copy of Rolex.
I am sorry, I forgot to post the link. What a numbskull! (LOL)
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832796816829.html
Not as expensive as I assumed.
They are quite affordable, one might say.
haha, yeah, that’s the base fact at the end of the day
Hello,
I bought the Pagani Omega moon watch clone, had it for a year now, it’s quartz, but the finish is good, keeps great time, love every thing about it, I have many watches and this was my first from them, have a Invicta Sub clone, the very limited edition with the mechanicals from the Swiss, the clear back shows a beautiful mechanical drive, gold in colour, with a lot of intricate machining, the accuracy I’d within 2 seconds a day, 200 metres water resistant, bracelet better than Rolex by a country mile, my wife got it for me 14 years ago, sensational, never minded it was not a Rolex as a friend of mine has one and his drive in it looks like a $10 Chinese crap compared to mine, also mine is more accurate, maybe I was lucky.
it can be hit or miss with Pagani, or similar brands, but regardless it’s all temporary so I’ve learned to just enjoy the time 🙂