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temerityb
- Banned!
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- Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2012 10:00 pm
Benyar Cheapie Clone: My Wrist Feels Funny
I don’t know why, but I find the world of Chinese-made clone watches hysterically funny. First off, I love the broken prose they sell these things with. Secondly, it continues to amaze me – and I write this without reservation – how much of a better bang for the buck these things often are rather than cheesy TV brands like Invicta and Stuhrling Original, which sell for roughly six to ten times as much.
So all the recent talk about homage/clone watches led me to Amazon, which owed me 10 bucks because they can’t deliver packages to me at all, at a rate of one out of every two orders (which include orders shipped to their lockers, a track record that absolutely floors me). Serious: Amazon, at least in the NYC area where I live, has been beyond horrible since it went its own delivery scheme instead of UPS or FedEx. They leave packages on sidewalks or at wrong addresses. Many of them just disappear into the ether, and perhaps they feed wayward racoons and shifty squirrels. The pandemic has only made their overwhelmingly terrible delivery services that much worse.
So they were selling a watch for $29 bucks which sorta/kinda looks like one of my favorite Seamasters, and I had the 10 buck credit plus they were offering 20 percent off with a web coupon. Given the perameters, I clicked the button and orders (reprinted verbatim) “BY BENYAR - Stylish Wrist Watch for Men, Silicone Strap Watches, Quartz Movement, Waterproof and Scratch Resistant, Analog Chronograph Business Watches”
Here’s the watch I think they copped from:
There is nothing I enjoy in this hobby more than the hype blubs they sell these watches with. From Amazon:
Class and precision go hand in hand, and an accessory is the best way to get both together. A watch is more than just an accessory to an outfit. It's the essential detail that complements any smart-casual or formal attire. This luxury timepiece is something every modern man should own. Whether you have a classic taste or in need of sprucing up your look with the best watches for men, then this blue beauty from BENYAR is what you need.
Later on:
A Legacy: This timepiece is something you identify yourself in. It is something you want to pass down to your future generations. A watch has that emotional link in a time where you simply have commodities.
I have no idea what that last sentence could possibly mean. I turned to my wife and said: “You’re all I have. You’re quite the commodity,” which instantly led to a quick kick to the pills and a likely visit to the sofa circuit this evening.
I found this last hype line quite interesting:
Disclaimer: These watches are not Seiko, Rolex, Invicta, Gigandet, stuhrling or similar watches to other Timex Expedition watches
Gotcha, Benyar. I can’t tell if they don’t want to be associated with pure crap, or whether they do want to be associated with pure crap. I love this stuff.
Here’s some photos of my breathless unboxing, which was preceded, to be honest, by swabbing everything pictured with 70 percent alcohol wipes. I might be stupid, but I’m not a fool.
The luxury gift box:
The hype is even on the box itself. I mean, lean in.
The stuff that came with it. That cleaning cloth feels scratchier than my cat Bailey’s tongue. I wouldn’t used it on the “Hardlex crystal” that’s supposedly featured on the pending heirloom. And the type in the "manual" is about the size of a gnat's pinky toe.
On the back of a Thank You card: “I hope you’d enjoy it.” Notice all the logos at the bottom of the card, which would seem to mean all those brands are churned out of the same place. Just a hunch. Like the Invicta “Swiss factories,” I don’t think we’ll ever know.
Wow – a free MyPillow!
Ta da.
On the wrist:
The “stats”:
Brand, Seller, or Collection Name BY BENYAR
Part Number BY-5164
Model Year 2020
Item Shape Round
Dial window material type Hardlex
Display Type Analog
Case diameter 41 millimeters
Case Thickness 13 millimeters
Band Material Silicone
Band length Men's Standard
Band width 20 millimeters
Band Color Blue
Dial color Blue
Bezel material Stainless Steel
Calendar Date
Special features Shock resistant
Movement Quartz
Water resistant depth 30 Meters
My thoughts: It runs after having it for one one day. It keeps perfect time. Even the chrono pushers work, but it’s set up so weird that in no way is this a chronograph - you can't read the miniscule dials. The watch feels really funny on the wrist. I’m never taking the protective film off the back, because I don’t wanna catch any of those weird faux metal cooties out of China. I do NOT believe this is stainless steel; it’s not even close. The watch weighs nothing; this is mystery metal, and I bet when I get around to changing the battery, I’m gonna be in for an adventure just short of Jumanji. The movement is something called the PE902, manufactured by Sunon International Group Limited. Shockingly, the movement sells at Esslinger for like 17 bucks.
The band is oddball short; I’m only on the second hole, and I don’t have large wrists at all. It feels funny, and I can tell this “silicone” is going to dry out and fall apart just sitting in a drawer. I touch the bezel and I hear a creak. I did get it to rotate; it sounds like my old dog eating a Greenie. Yet, as someone who tried Invicta 12 or 13 years ago, this bezel experience is not new. Typical for the price point. I know I'm right about them trying to nip from the new Seamasters - the bezel font gives it away; the only difference is the "wave" pattern being vertical on this, while the Omegas use a horizontal pattern. The crown does not screw down. You'd be foolish to wash your socks in the sink while wearing this.
Yeah, this watch will likely not make it past a single battery change – yet, it is a far better value and easily the equal of Invicta quartz cheapies, but they cost 50 bucks and up. All in all, this is not as awful as I thought it would be. I can imagine at 500 paces, someone would think I had a Seamaster on my wrist.
That won’t happen, because this was research - it’s not something I could bring myself to wear in real time, you know, in front of people. It would be about as prestigious of walking around the gym locker room in Aquaman Underoos. However, I have seen a LOT worse for the money – usually hyped on TV. At least if you drop money on something like this, it's just a 20 spot. The Amazon rating: Four of five stars with 128 reviews. Seriously.
I’m left with an oddball thought: I wouldn’t tell you to buy one of these, but I’d rather see you buy this than a freakin’ Bolt.
So all the recent talk about homage/clone watches led me to Amazon, which owed me 10 bucks because they can’t deliver packages to me at all, at a rate of one out of every two orders (which include orders shipped to their lockers, a track record that absolutely floors me). Serious: Amazon, at least in the NYC area where I live, has been beyond horrible since it went its own delivery scheme instead of UPS or FedEx. They leave packages on sidewalks or at wrong addresses. Many of them just disappear into the ether, and perhaps they feed wayward racoons and shifty squirrels. The pandemic has only made their overwhelmingly terrible delivery services that much worse.
So they were selling a watch for $29 bucks which sorta/kinda looks like one of my favorite Seamasters, and I had the 10 buck credit plus they were offering 20 percent off with a web coupon. Given the perameters, I clicked the button and orders (reprinted verbatim) “BY BENYAR - Stylish Wrist Watch for Men, Silicone Strap Watches, Quartz Movement, Waterproof and Scratch Resistant, Analog Chronograph Business Watches”
Here’s the watch I think they copped from:
There is nothing I enjoy in this hobby more than the hype blubs they sell these watches with. From Amazon:
Class and precision go hand in hand, and an accessory is the best way to get both together. A watch is more than just an accessory to an outfit. It's the essential detail that complements any smart-casual or formal attire. This luxury timepiece is something every modern man should own. Whether you have a classic taste or in need of sprucing up your look with the best watches for men, then this blue beauty from BENYAR is what you need.
Later on:
A Legacy: This timepiece is something you identify yourself in. It is something you want to pass down to your future generations. A watch has that emotional link in a time where you simply have commodities.
I have no idea what that last sentence could possibly mean. I turned to my wife and said: “You’re all I have. You’re quite the commodity,” which instantly led to a quick kick to the pills and a likely visit to the sofa circuit this evening.
I found this last hype line quite interesting:
Disclaimer: These watches are not Seiko, Rolex, Invicta, Gigandet, stuhrling or similar watches to other Timex Expedition watches
Gotcha, Benyar. I can’t tell if they don’t want to be associated with pure crap, or whether they do want to be associated with pure crap. I love this stuff.
Here’s some photos of my breathless unboxing, which was preceded, to be honest, by swabbing everything pictured with 70 percent alcohol wipes. I might be stupid, but I’m not a fool.
The luxury gift box:
The hype is even on the box itself. I mean, lean in.
The stuff that came with it. That cleaning cloth feels scratchier than my cat Bailey’s tongue. I wouldn’t used it on the “Hardlex crystal” that’s supposedly featured on the pending heirloom. And the type in the "manual" is about the size of a gnat's pinky toe.
On the back of a Thank You card: “I hope you’d enjoy it.” Notice all the logos at the bottom of the card, which would seem to mean all those brands are churned out of the same place. Just a hunch. Like the Invicta “Swiss factories,” I don’t think we’ll ever know.
Wow – a free MyPillow!
Ta da.
On the wrist:
The “stats”:
Brand, Seller, or Collection Name BY BENYAR
Part Number BY-5164
Model Year 2020
Item Shape Round
Dial window material type Hardlex
Display Type Analog
Case diameter 41 millimeters
Case Thickness 13 millimeters
Band Material Silicone
Band length Men's Standard
Band width 20 millimeters
Band Color Blue
Dial color Blue
Bezel material Stainless Steel
Calendar Date
Special features Shock resistant
Movement Quartz
Water resistant depth 30 Meters
My thoughts: It runs after having it for one one day. It keeps perfect time. Even the chrono pushers work, but it’s set up so weird that in no way is this a chronograph - you can't read the miniscule dials. The watch feels really funny on the wrist. I’m never taking the protective film off the back, because I don’t wanna catch any of those weird faux metal cooties out of China. I do NOT believe this is stainless steel; it’s not even close. The watch weighs nothing; this is mystery metal, and I bet when I get around to changing the battery, I’m gonna be in for an adventure just short of Jumanji. The movement is something called the PE902, manufactured by Sunon International Group Limited. Shockingly, the movement sells at Esslinger for like 17 bucks.
The band is oddball short; I’m only on the second hole, and I don’t have large wrists at all. It feels funny, and I can tell this “silicone” is going to dry out and fall apart just sitting in a drawer. I touch the bezel and I hear a creak. I did get it to rotate; it sounds like my old dog eating a Greenie. Yet, as someone who tried Invicta 12 or 13 years ago, this bezel experience is not new. Typical for the price point. I know I'm right about them trying to nip from the new Seamasters - the bezel font gives it away; the only difference is the "wave" pattern being vertical on this, while the Omegas use a horizontal pattern. The crown does not screw down. You'd be foolish to wash your socks in the sink while wearing this.
Yeah, this watch will likely not make it past a single battery change – yet, it is a far better value and easily the equal of Invicta quartz cheapies, but they cost 50 bucks and up. All in all, this is not as awful as I thought it would be. I can imagine at 500 paces, someone would think I had a Seamaster on my wrist.
That won’t happen, because this was research - it’s not something I could bring myself to wear in real time, you know, in front of people. It would be about as prestigious of walking around the gym locker room in Aquaman Underoos. However, I have seen a LOT worse for the money – usually hyped on TV. At least if you drop money on something like this, it's just a 20 spot. The Amazon rating: Four of five stars with 128 reviews. Seriously.
I’m left with an oddball thought: I wouldn’t tell you to buy one of these, but I’d rather see you buy this than a freakin’ Bolt.
“Jewelry isn’t really my thing, but I’ve always got my eye on people’s watches.” – Clive Owen
