What do you get for $48.00 ?

[normanduke]

First of all, purists, experts, afficianados : Hold your nose or have your barf bag ready. But all information is good and here are the results of a purchase from Hooheng ( .com ).

I saw a Sea Dweller for sale. Wildly inaccurate but very thick and hefty case with a high bezel and crystal and extra CG material, a good base for a first mod experiment. Only $ 48 plus $35 shipping and only $5 shipping for another watch so I chose a Summer Blue, also $48.

The watches came fast. Very fast, 4 days from Malasia by UPS to Ct. ( Collector/suppliers, take note ! )

Feedback was good from Lay Huat, though I did get my tracking # just by looking at my order, not by e-mail.

I did NOT recieve the weirdo Franken Sea Dweller I ordered, but a standard size sub case albeit with gas escape valve and rather tall crystal ( mineral glass...no mag ). The Blue sub is identical with a different bracelet.

The rehauts are conical and shiney but not "wok" like, thank you, as I wouldn't want a wok like sub at all, hence, the dials are smaller than my excellent Beginmariner which I got last week. Also the hour markers have a larger dot. Dial print appears to be good. Crisp, clear.

The crowns are small, not well cut, but there are IMHO refined looking CG's, more delicate than Josh's.

The Blue sub's mag is well placed, correctly placed, though I'd say only 2X.

The font is acceptable, not drawn heavily, with open 6's and 9's. The glass crystals are evenly placed, though the " Sea Dweller " ( lol ) is set tall. Unfortunately it's a standard crystal perched up so that the bevel appears as if cut on a corner.

The movements are keeping good time for the few hours I've had them. The sweep is really the same as Josh's. I have no idea what's inside as the backs on the cases wouldn't budge with rubber gloves. And they're the shallow style back so that the watch doesn't sit on your wrist as high.

These watches do not have the same heft as Josh's, though they have solid center links...they need them !

The bracelets are quite nice, flexible and the finish on the links is very good but the clasps leave much to be desired. There is a diver's link, but it's just a swing-out affair. The bracelets are rattley, but in fairness, they haven't been oiled. The end links are curous. They appear to be solid, but there's sort of a roll to put the pin through. Nonetheless, they look authentic from the front.

Both of the watches look good. The Summer Blue has a good dial and bezel, lovely irridescent blue. Both bezels sit just slightly recessed, but the black one is too shiney. The teeth are OK, decent. The pearls, well I am a zero expert, but they are convex and not flat. There is lume...we shall see as Josh's stays lit up for a couple hours after I go to bed. No, you can't read by it.lol

The verdict ?

If Josh's Beginmariner weren't available for a paltry $108, shipped, I'd be mildly satisfied. If I knew nothing about the reps ( and I know very little ), I'd be satisfied. The watches are not junk. At a glance, the watches look as good.

They're not. They lack the weight and feel, absolutely.

But now I really do have a " beater", two of them. I'd never use Josh's watch for a beater. It's way too nice, especially the movement.

I did get a Summer Blue, cheap which would have been a luxury for me.

I did satisfy my addiction ( yes, I've got it bad ) for more watches.

Would I do it again ?

No. It lessens my appreciation for the Beginmariner by having 3 subs. Or maybe it makes me appreciate it's quality more.

At any rate, the watches were only $48 each.

Just my 2 cents, fellas, for what it's worth. But Hooheng is worth looking at. They deliver and I found them trustworthy.

Low,low prices. Decent quality. Not for afficionados.

[2005SUBMARINER]

dam that guy is cheaper than silix $48 for an asian seadweller

[Ozzy]

I know a dealer based in Malaysia which I have been using for some time. I have bought watches off this dealer and they match up to the pictures. The dealer which i'm talking about seems to have the same pictures as the one discussed here. Not great build quality, but really cheap. Rolexes including shipping are

[vardan33]

I know a dealer based in Malaysia which I have been using for some time. I have bought watches off this dealer and they match up to the pictures. The dealer which i'm talking about seems to have the same pictures as the one discussed here. Not great build quality, but really cheap. Rolexes including shipping are

[normanduke]

Thank you, Ozzie.

I checked your site and indeed they are cheap. Looks like I could have gotten the same $48 watch ( plus shpg. )for $40 shipped.

I felt a little foolish after I posted this even though I made a disclaimer at the beginning for the purists. But the truth is that there are many of us who like watches and lack the resources for paying $200 t0 $300 per watch yet want to enjoy ourselves and buy something presentable.

Really, the longer I have the two " inexpensive " ( lol ) watches, the more I like them.

They are both keeping excellent time and minor discrepancies aside, look very good, certainly for their price.

BTW, I weighed the watches at work tonight.

The results :

Josh's Beginmariner : 4.7 oz., 133 gr.

Hooheng Summer Blue sub : 4.5 oz., 128 gr.

Hooheng Black " Sea Dweller " : 4.4 oz., 125 gr.

[Mark Eleven]

My friend bought his SD from this same guy at Malaysia's auction site, lelong for only RM90 (approximately USD27) including shipping. The delivery is very fast, he got his watch the following day after payment. The seller also communicates well on his email too.

But honestly, what you pay is what you get,.... when I compared with my noobmariner, the quality of noobmariner is much better, particularly on the bracelet parts - end links and diver's extension portions. As for the engine, I presume they're the same 21j Asian movement.

Nonetheless, for the amount paid, I'd say it's well worth spent. I understand from my friend that his SD is running abt +20 sec/day and has gone thru swimming, mountain climbing, and is still functioning well. Where else you can get one fairly decent SD with that price.

Edited July 8, 2007 by Mark Eleven

[david-aussie]

I tend to agreed... instead of a perfect rep at $ 300 to $ 400 range.. we need a price point of $ 100 best bang

per dollar.... sort of like the noomariner where the average non watch person wouldnt tell the difference......

[Ozzy]

Wow thats cheap. Do you know what movement and the bpm of it? Does it still run well, and keep good time?

I have a sub I ordered a year ago. I have been using it alot as a beater and comparing it to my digital clock it is about a minute out (slow) from when I set it 2 days ago.

Although, the one problem i do have with this dealer is that the postage is really quite slow and takes 21 days, usually. So you have to be patient.

[normanduke]

My friend bought his SD from this same guy at Malaysia's auction site, lelong for only RM90 (approximately USD27) including shipping. The delivery is very fast, he got his watch the following day after payment. The seller also communicates well on his email too.

But honestly, what you pay is what you get,.... when I compared with my noobmariner, the quality of noobmariner is much better, particularly on the bracelet parts - end links and diver's extension portions. As for the engine, I presume they're the same 21j Asian movement.

Nonetheless, for the amount paid, I'd say it's well worth spent. I understand from my friend that his SD is running abt +20 sec/day and has gone thru swimming, mountain climbing, and is still functioning well. Where else you can get one fairly decent SD with that price.

Mark Eleven:I'm unfamiliar with auction sites, but $27 is an amazingly low price for the SD they have pictured. It has the larger dot hour markers like the ones I got from Hooheng.

Yes, the end links are curious. They look to be cut from sheet metal rather than the cast SEL but they look really the same as the SEL from the front.

I don't care if they short you on the diver's link. It's superfluous anyway.

What bothers me about these cheapo watches is the heft and weight that they are short of, not their physical errors.

And the feeling you get wearing them...not the same.

But they are great, convincing beaters and the guy who got one for $27 gets the gold star shopper award.

[normanduke]

I have a sub I ordered a year ago. I have been using it alot as a beater and comparing it to my digital clock it is about a minute out (slow) from when I set it 2 days ago.

Although, the one problem i do have with this dealer is that the postage is really quite slow and takes 21 days, usually. So you have to be patient.

Ozzy:

The problem I have with her is not waiting three weeks. I'd gladly wait three weeks to get that smashing ( ! ) Planet Ocean chrono ( quartz ) for $60 ppd.

But she doesn't take Paypal or ccds. I got a form e-mail from her, tho' it says she uses Paypal on her site.

Your lucky. You live in England. If she doesn't come through for you, you can drive out to her place of business and spit in her eye. lol

[normanduke]

dam that guy is cheaper than silix $48 for an asian seadweller

Thanks, 200 ( aka Van Halen fan )

I'm liking the cheapo Seadweller more. Keeps VG time and the case is a bit larger than the STD. But it weighs less than even it's Summer Blue brother. One thing they did get right is that there's a little edge of bezel raised around the outside edge of the insert. Something the modders here get by milling down their inserts.

[normanduke]

I tend to agreed... instead of a perfect rep at $ 300 to $ 400 range.. we need a price point of $ 100 best bang

per dollar.... sort of like the noomariner where the average non watch person wouldnt tell the difference......

Thanks, David.

There really IS one super buy out there for $100.

Jos's Beginmariner. I have one and I recomend it. It is beautiful !

Also, some of us have " the disease ", but can't part with $300 every time we want a new watch.

[Ozzy]

Ozzy:

The problem I have with her is not waiting three weeks. I'd gladly wait three weeks to get that smashing ( ! ) Planet Ocean chrono ( quartz ) for $60 ppd.

But she doesn't take Paypal or ccds. I got a form e-mail from her, tho' it says she uses Paypal on her site.

Your lucky. You live in England. If she doesn't come through for you, you can drive out to her place of business and spit in her eye. lol

That's a shame. I was thinking about ordering another one myself this week, but the whole no paypal thing is quite a blow. I think she was a dealer effected by the paypal crackdown. What I

[normanduke]

That's a shame. I was thinking about ordering another one myself this week, but the whole no paypal thing is quite a blow. I think she was a dealer effected by the paypal crackdown. What I’m aware of that she herself doesn’t live in England, it's just part of her family and she gets you to forward the checks there. Never a great idea to give a direct address when dealing with counterfeit goods especially if they are helping you by cashing your checks. Anyway, last time i talked to her she gave the impression that her the children are based in Malaysia.

Thanks, Ozzy.

Yes, really a shame. Such bargain-basement prices and the watches looked GOOD.

We'll keep an eye on her. Maybe she'll be " re-instated." I wish her well.

I've been all over the net looking for similar deals from Malaysia, but no luck.

BTW, you seem amazingly grown up for 16.

You're well on your way to a successful life.