Been on a affordables consumption bender lately and jumped on the Lobinni sale at Aliexpress a few weeks ago. It's maybe been mentioned at random on occasion here and a few were wondering what the quality is like (albeit months/years ago).
This Calatrava "homage" (re-cased from possible replica Patek Calatrava cases) offers the SL3000/ST21 (Liaoning Peacock or Sea-gull based 2824) for about $150 USD shipped. Not a bad deal.
Quite a nice dial although I suspect the seller sent me the wrong dial but I can't be sure since the available real photographs do not show the brown/cream dial. Overall the applied markers and hands are surprisingly decent for $150 watch with a Chinese 2824 version which are known to be quite a solid automatic and relatively cleanly assembled according to Lysanderxiii's many tear down reviews.
Everything lines up well enough and front and back crystals installed neatly and no one side sticking out slightly. Water resistance claimed to be 50m and I've run it through the tap and let it sit in a sink of water. No condensation visible inside even after heating front and back surfaces up so 50m claim seems to hold on the one I received. Looked through the entire watch with a loupe and was surprised at how well the printing is done. Maybe all this is really easy stuff nowadays. In fact the case work is rather brilliant but on the thin and flimsy feeling side. It is a slim and petite watch (not by dress watch standards though) at roughly 38.5mm diameter, 9mm thick without accounting for domed crystal and about 12mm accounting for the dome. If they avoided the cheap plastic movement holder and used a dense metallic one instead, I think this watch would feel more substantial and higher quality. It could use the extra weight but I understand many will prefer it light and comfy, which it truly is on a nice strap. The strap it came on is better quality than the usual business but the deployment is one of those butterfly type stuff that bulks up the clasp side - not a personal favourite.
Crown signed with a "Lobinni" L motif embossed pretty nicely. Feels light and cheap though with the usual ST21 action. Front crystal sapphire and back is mineral. Loveliest aspect of this watch is the design, thanks to Patek but how many are insane/wealthy enough to blow over $30K USD on a wristwatch :roll: (I'll take 100 various watches instead thanks :-d). The movement and price are rather appealing too.
I'll let some pictures do the rest of the talking.
This Calatrava "homage" (re-cased from possible replica Patek Calatrava cases) offers the SL3000/ST21 (Liaoning Peacock or Sea-gull based 2824) for about $150 USD shipped. Not a bad deal.
Quite a nice dial although I suspect the seller sent me the wrong dial but I can't be sure since the available real photographs do not show the brown/cream dial. Overall the applied markers and hands are surprisingly decent for $150 watch with a Chinese 2824 version which are known to be quite a solid automatic and relatively cleanly assembled according to Lysanderxiii's many tear down reviews.
Everything lines up well enough and front and back crystals installed neatly and no one side sticking out slightly. Water resistance claimed to be 50m and I've run it through the tap and let it sit in a sink of water. No condensation visible inside even after heating front and back surfaces up so 50m claim seems to hold on the one I received. Looked through the entire watch with a loupe and was surprised at how well the printing is done. Maybe all this is really easy stuff nowadays. In fact the case work is rather brilliant but on the thin and flimsy feeling side. It is a slim and petite watch (not by dress watch standards though) at roughly 38.5mm diameter, 9mm thick without accounting for domed crystal and about 12mm accounting for the dome. If they avoided the cheap plastic movement holder and used a dense metallic one instead, I think this watch would feel more substantial and higher quality. It could use the extra weight but I understand many will prefer it light and comfy, which it truly is on a nice strap. The strap it came on is better quality than the usual business but the deployment is one of those butterfly type stuff that bulks up the clasp side - not a personal favourite.
Crown signed with a "Lobinni" L motif embossed pretty nicely. Feels light and cheap though with the usual ST21 action. Front crystal sapphire and back is mineral. Loveliest aspect of this watch is the design, thanks to Patek but how many are insane/wealthy enough to blow over $30K USD on a wristwatch :roll: (I'll take 100 various watches instead thanks :-d). The movement and price are rather appealing too.
I'll let some pictures do the rest of the talking.
