What's Your Experience with SOKI Mechanicals?

[slowcoach]

I have bought 2 Soki Subs, Black Dial, red/black bezel which cost 8.99 GBP each, inc. shipping.
Both watches arrived in good condition and look really nice. They keep excellent time for the price, the only thing is they need a bit of manual winding each day otherwise they run out of steam, even if on my workshop winder they will still run out of energy.
One of the Soki's was bought on behalf of a friend and he loves it and wears it every day since it arrived, the screw down Crowns on both watches screw down easily so having to give it a little help with a manual wind each day is no issue for him.

I have bought 4 Bagelsport Explo ll watches, 3 arrived in good order 1 arrived DOA (unable to wind), still awaiting the replacement to arrive but the good ones keep almost perfect time, auto wind perfectly and have a S/Steel case. 2 of the watches were bought on behalf of friends and they both love them.

I have had 7 K+S watches delivered, mostly models from the top end of the range, 1 arrived with the seconds hand adrift and was quickly replaced from the UK store. Apart from the problem with that one watch all the others have been perfect. They keep excellent time and auto wind great, in addition the range is quite diverse with plenty of different complications so there is plenty of choice. All the range cost <30 GBP and have cases up to 5cm wide, without crown.

Bracelets tend to be the Achilles heel on all the above marques.

Last week I ordered a Russian Vostok Ministry Diver which cost me around 58 GBP inc. shipping, I am looking forward to comparing it to the lower cost Chinese watches.

[Les Wright]

I have ordered several pieces over the past couple of weeks and a new one finally arrived--a lovely KS skeleton that showed up in glorious condition. I was thrilled. So out of four watches so far delivered that gives me one dud and three really satisfactory ones for 70 bucks total. I like that average! I am expecting a couple of Soki-subs and a Bagelsub, as well as some others. I have seen the mixed reviews about the Soki-subs, and it seems the Bagel may be challenged in some cases--especially in a small-wristed fellow like me who will need to remove links. I was figuring I would put the Sokis on NATO bands, but I was really hoping that the Bagel band would be of better quality. That seems odd to me about bands--in some cases the more robust NATOs seem to cost about as much as the cheaper watches, when one includes shipping.

But so far I can't praise the KS more. It is a lovely watch, certainly the best of the three working ones I so far have. I am waiting on dressier one, and I hope that that one is mechanically and aesthetically as satisfactory as the skeleton. Really high VFM in these KS pieces.

I will keep the thread posted as the mail trickles in...

[Les Wright]

Another Soki, this one skeleton date with wine-coloured leather band, S41, just turned up. It was ticking away merrily in its box after the two-week journey, which bodes well for the auto-winder. I don't like it as much as the similar KS skeleton I just got, but for a working watch for $13 I can't complain. That makes my Soki experiment 3 for 4, and 4 for 5 overall so far into this Chinese watch experiment. Liking the odds and the watches. I am sort of babying them, though, and it will be interesting to see if with TLC they have longevity too. But so far I have four attractive working mechanicals for $84 (that includes the cost of the fifth one that was DOA). Not bad!

A couple more Sokis (plus some Bagels and another KS) expected in the days to come. Will keep y'all posted of my prelim impressions.

[jbbutts]

Hello friend....

Have you thought about slowing down on buying the ultra-cheap mechanicals and saving for a little bit nicer one? A Seiko 5 will set you back about $50 and the difference between a Seiko and a Soki is vast!

Also, try Shanghai. You can get a vintage Shanghai mechanical for around $25 bucks...and they are a reputable Chinese company...not just a "mushroom" brand.

These are just suggestions...as I don't want you to fill up your watch box too fast with a bunch of cheap watches and them end up wishing you had bought something different.

Just my 0.02.

[Les Wright]

JB, I don't mind at all splurging on a collection of VFM cheapies, and if they give me pleasure, even if not for a lifetime, I am happy. I don't fritter away my disposable income on much else, and this is a modest addiction compared to some other crazy things men get drawn too.

Lots of lovely Seiko 5's out there, new and used, in a slightly higher price range, and I will keep that in mind for the next level. Right now, variety is the spice of life!

[jbbutts]

JB, I don't mind at all splurging on a collection of VFM cheapies, and if they give me pleasure, even if not for a lifetime, I am happy. I don't fritter away my disposable income on much else, and this is a modest addiction compared to some other crazy things men get drawn too.

Lots of lovely Seiko 5's out there, new and used, in a slightly higher price range, and I will keep that in mind for the next level. Right now, variety is the spice of life!

I hear ya! When I first started off on this journey of watch collecting, I felt the exact same way. Matter of fact, for a while, I refused to ever spend more than $50 on a watch! My disposable income that my wife and I share for our hobbies, on my end, was dominated by cheapie watches.

Eventually, as I started to acquire a pile of different styles, I discovered what styles I really liked. And I discovered I was spending a lot of my "disposable" income on "disposable" watches! I liked the variety, but the quality was lacking. Unfortunately, the resale value on those watches wasn't very high either, so I couldn't make back any of my money.

Anyway...I just wanted to share my experiences and caution you about buying up too many watches all at once. You might regret it. Or you might not! I like what one of the mods around here says..."Buy what you like. Wear what you buy."

[Les Wright]

JB, I was inspired and decided to round out this splurging with a very nice Seiko 5, as you suggested. I opted for a new one with a military style and NATO-like band. Next is a nice simple Shanghai in time--I have seen many out there--and then I can put the breaks on the splurging. So far I am having okay luck with the mushroom cheapies, but that may not last. Will keep you posted.

[jbbutts]

Awesome! Would love to see what style of Seiko you chose! As for the Shanghai...I'm sure it's a beauty...I've never seen one I didn't like!

Keep us posted...and, as always, share some pictures!!

[Defiant4Ever]

Next is a nice simple Shanghai in time--I have seen many out there--and then I can put the breaks on the splurging.

I'm just in the process of buying a bunch of Shanghais to add to the the three I have. I would caution buyers to check the height - some of the more expensive, for example, ÕýÆ· ÊÖ±í ÉϺ£ÅÆÊÖ±íÈ«×Ô¶¯»úе±íÔ.×° ÉϺ£ÊÖ±íÄÐÊ¿»úе±í-ÌÔ±¦Íø, have a height of 13mm. I bought this ÉϺ£ÅÆÈ«×Ô¶¯»úе±í¶°Ú·ÉÂÖ¿îʽ ÕýÆ·Ô.×°ÉϺ£ÊÖ±í-ÌÔ±¦Íø and promptly gave it away. Whereas, ÉϺ£ÅÆÊÖ±í ÕýÆ·S910-2È«×Ô¶¯»úе±íÔ.×°ÉϺ£ÊÖ±í-ÌÔ±¦Íø at 10mm is OK.

[Les Wright]

I don't know if I am all that pleased with the two-piece faux-NATO band, and will likely get a proper NATO strap. I do like the style and the colour. The same seller also has the same military design in black and navy, but I prefer the green.