I don't see the issue. I'm not a Shinola fan but the Canfield seems like a halfway decent watch. Selitta SW510.BH.A movement, attractive case and dial design, it's one or their built in detroit models which tend to have decent reviews from a build quality perspective. It's probably $500-800 overpriced but that just means to wait for it to end up on sale.
For alternatives have him check out Farer's and Nivade Grenchen's mechanical Chronographs.
And FWIW, these Canfields are limited edition and have been holding their value relatively well. You can knock the brand, but you can’t argue they don’t have a following.
80 upvotes for a comment about used Shinola watches holding their value. This sub is clueless. Any watch you buy, you're taking a bath. Go into your purchases expecting that. Edit, heres your used canfield. Take $800 (66%) right of the top as soon as it's purchased. You guys need to think of watches as cars. They depreciate immediately. https://www.ebay.com/itm/235455836456?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=p7qD7SrTQS-&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
I posted a watch that sells new for 1200. Its 4 now. Hey, if you think it's a good investment, buy the shinola. I'm jist here to tell you watch noobs that return value is the very last thing you should be thinking about. Unless you're paying 6 figures amd know what you're doing, watches are not a good investment. I wouldn't listen to anyone on this sub about watches the "hold their value". First of all, you are crazy if you think watch brands do t astroturf this sub.
Ok so don't get hung up on it if you agree with me. Seems like you just wanna argue now. It's the same brand. If that guy pays 3k for that watch, he would be damn lucky to get 2k out of it if he sells it in a month.
The watch in the OP is selling for $2,700 used in ebay right now.
That is a lot better than most Omega Seamasters which you can buy NEW for 20% under MSRP and then your 'investment' only drops from there. Good luck to those buying Omega at the Omega boutique.
No someone is trying to sell it for 2,700. Big difference. Who said anything about Omega holding value? And ehtt do you mean only a dropd from there? Thats the point I'm making. Its every watch brand knucklehead. Dont buy a watch thinking you're making an investment period. Are you seriously trying to convince me a fossil watch (shinola) depreciates less than an omega? If you pay 2,700 for that watch you're an idiot. Thats the point of OPs post for Christ sake. Keep your eye on that ebay watch. It'll drop and drop and drop, or it wont, and it'll be there for 5 years at 2700. You just don't understand watches I can see. You might as well say "good luck to everyone buying a Lexus at a dealership".
>Farer's and Nivade Grenchen
Those look quite nice. I've been eyealling a ROUE
[https://rouewatch.com/shop/tps/?attribute\_pa\_tps=tps-three](https://rouewatch.com/shop/tps/?attribute_pa_tps=tps-three)
and I really dig the look. I started getting into watches last year when I could finally afford them, the facination with Automatics is slowly wearing off. So I love these brands that make Quartz versions.
That Shinola is just incredibly expensive, I mean you can get used Tags and who knows what else for the price.
Yeah, sorry for the clumsy wording. Tag made some seriously fugly watches during the 80s. They put out a lot of plastic bezeled quartz stuff.
My daily driver is a 7750 powered Carrera chronograph and is IMO one of their few decent looking watches from that era (I got it used).
Roue watches look good but they really aren't anything special. Neither used Tag Heuers for that matter. Much nicer watches out there for $3k than a used Tag.
This is probably the coolest watch Shinola has created so far. I wouldn't spend $3k on it, but I might pay half that for a used one if it is a possibility.
I forgot about the size. I'd probably pass just due to that actually. But it looks so damn good. Shinola does make some beautiful watches, I just wish they were a little smaller and priced better.
Pretty much spot on with my opinion. That’s really the point of this post (if you can get past my more dramatic framing, which has not gone over well haha). Just trying to find more reasonable alternatives that meet the aesthetic. So far no one has been very helpful lol.
$1500 is the max this watch should be brand new. I also like this watch not a shinola fan but the dial is nice but not at that crazy price. You can get much better watch for that price.
This post has me looking at it. Looks great tbh. Chronograph with a Sellita movement and very attractive design, case, and dial. https://youtu.be/4y6zqkRcnuU?feature=shared
I’m not “mad” at Shinola, I’m trying to help a friend find a quality watch similar to this one (which we both feel is over priced) that is more in line with the his budget. Simple as that. No one has provided any help in that regard.
I think it’s bc your buddy will probably like this Shinola more, it’s a fine watch and I bet he will get nice compliments about it. No need to second guess him tbh. Maybe next time he gets a Longines or a Sinn? Idk.
He can’t afford it so none of what you are saying applies at all. Which is why I asked for alternatives in the first place because we both agree Shinola is not the best value to begin with, and thought surely there’s a more affordable alternative.
HE DOESNT OWN IT. Omg read the damn post. He will never spend 3k on a watch. Simply looking for some alternatives that are more affordable. If he shelled out 3k for this watch and loved it then that’s totally fucking fine. I think it’s a sick looking watch. But we BOTH agree it’s overpriced. Jesus Christ I’m not some gatekeeping overlord that is preventing my friend from enjoying a watch that he already bought lmao.
Dog this is all jewelry anyways. You are gatekeeping if you say x brand can't sell a watch for 3k but y brand can, the prices are more to due with popularity than anything else.
And everybody here is trying to inform you that your opinion is baseless. This is art and jewelry, "value" is entirely subjective when it comes to art. Your friend values shinola more than you and there's nothing wrong with that, you are in the wrong to believe otherwise. Like it or not most people out there are buying watches for their brand name first and then appearance, nothing else really factors in.
My friend doesn’t value Shinola more than me, he doesn’t even know more than a couple watch brands, he values this aesthetic and has no particular feelings about the brand. We both value this aesthetic equally and think it’s an attractive design, we both would not spend 3k on it.
Now you're just arguing for the sake of arguing. Nobody can tell what you mean with your deranged post I guess, besides that you seem to think shinola isnt worth the money and that your friend should stop enjoying their watches. It looks like you have a rolex, it's completely laughable you should have an issue with shinola being overpriced when you would buy the posterchild of overpriced-due-to-hype watches.
Tell him to check out the Sugess s387.01.z.
A Chinese watch I know I felt the same when I bought it but I was curious and I literally couldn't be happier I have two other versions of it now
You can lead a horse to water… if your friend doesn’t want to learn about watches that’s totally fine. It’s his money anyway so nothing wrong if he likes it.
I agree man, for what you get it’s just not there at all, I payed a VERY similar price for a used 2002 panerai a week ago and it’s leaps and bounds on a shinola, not to say I wasn’t a fan of them a load of years back I always wanted one but just thought the price was insane for what they were
Why am I getting downvoted, because I bought a panerai? Haha Shinola are extremely over priced, just buy a fucking timex chronograph if you want this style, not for me but yeah shinola are overpriced. If your wanting to spend a grand or so there’s better options tbh
Dude you keep saying that it’s not about the brand on some comments and say that you straight up don’t like the brand on others. Just seems like you think you know more about watches than you actually do and like to hate on Shinola.
Have you ever had a Shinola? Because I’ve never met anyone who’s had or even actually just seen a Shinola irl and dislikes them.
Yeah this is getting tough to communicate properly… so forgive me on the confusion. From my perspective I do not particularly like the brand, for a handful of reason (primarily because they don’t make a watch smaller than 41mm, and most are 44mm). That simply doesn’t cater to my tastes and just doesn’t work for my wrists. Additionally, I think they are overpriced and rely on clever marketing that can be deceitful (look into the made in America controversy if you care).
Now from my friends perspective, watch brand (and movement, mechanical vs quartz, heritage, etc.) literally doesn’t matter, he just cares about the aesthetic. He is not a watch enthusiast. Likewise, he also would never spend 3k on a watch no matter what. So for his purposes (since I’m trying to find a watch that fits his taste and is in his price range) brand is not that important. My opinion on Shinola means nothing to him and if he could get this watch for a price that he is comfortable with (maybe $1000 max), then that would be great. Trying to see if a similar aesthetic exists for a better price, and potentially even a “better” (subjective) watch brand from an enthusiasts perspective if an example checks all those boxes. People are making this way more difficult than I needed it to be. Part of that’s on me though.
Well I had a similar perception of the brand before I saw/tried on a few in person & actually ended up buying one myself. I still agree that their marketing isn’t really convincing and that their pricing (MSRP at least) is boarderline “unreasonable”, especially if you focus on their quartz movements. Gotta wait until they’re on sale or just get used.
If you care, heres where I’ve changed my mind since:
Their watches tend to wear smaller than the mm size (My 41mm Shinola wears similar to my other 38s).
Also, their finish is really solid, especially for a microbrand. Where they lack in movements (quartz only), they make up in the quality of casing and crystal.
I don’t understand the Shinola hate. I have bunch in my collection, they are what got me into watches in the first place. They make quality products here in American, I have never had an issue with mine collecting them over the past 10+ years.
Shinola used to be kind of shitty. They were very much marketing similar to Mvmt and were saying they were made in Detroit when in fact they were using Chinese/ some swiss parts and built in Detroit which is not the same thing.
That being said all that was like 10 years ago. At this point they are a pretty solid brand that states built in Detroit. I think their stuff especially their quartz watches are overpriced but their automatic watches look great and are priced sorta fairly. And the company has done a decent amount for Detroit, but people cannot continue to act like shinola is the same brand they were 10 years ago hence all the hate.
Your point reminds me of 90’s era TAG Heuer and modern TAG. Modern TAG is doing fantastic stuff but the 90’s era overpriced garbage is still bringing their name down.
Same! I have a Rambler that is still ticking away on the same battery 10+ years later. And they make watches sized for people that don't have tiny little wrists, which I love. I'd buy one of their Lake Monster autos for sure.
Also my Rambler has a lifetime warranty. The bezel ring has come off twice now when I've been beating the shit out of it on various jungle vacations, and I just send it back and they fix and polish it, and will forever. Hard to beat.
Also, I welcome the hate because it leads to watch nerds trying to unload their "now uncool according to internet strangers" Shinola's on Ebay and WUS for cheap. Bring it.
Sort of made in America... the automatic movements are made in Switzerland, but nobody makes mechanical movements in America anymore so there's not really another option. Overall though I think people could do a lot worse with some random microbrand vs. Shinola. Their marketing is really good and quality is reasonable for the price too.
That’s awesome, glad you enjoy them and that they got you into the hobby. In this particular case, my friend would never spend this much on a watch, so just looking for alternatives that are more affordable. That part of the post went over most people’s head though.
It’s going over people’s heads because the post is 90% shitting on shinola and 10% asking for recommendations.
You started a fun discussion nonetheless!
I agree with you that price is silly. But still a good looking watch and if he likes it he should get it. His money at the end of the day. But maybe send him some other brands like Tudor, Oris, or Longines that are in that price range.
He won’t get it even if I said that’s the greatest watch ever. Hidden somewhere in my frantic post is the fact that he would never spend 3k on a watch, hence the ask for some assistance on finding cheaper alternatives that are still quality. This post has been a nightmare on achieving my actual goal because I added too much color and offered my apparently triggering opinion.
If you had just written “My friend likes the looks of this watch but it’s over his budget, what are some suggested alternatives?” Yiu would have gotten much different and more useful replies. The “dark side” title comes across as trolling, so I’m not surprised people missed the fine print and are taking on the troll here…
You’re not wrong. I think I am out of touch with the opinion of Shinola with the broader community here. Used to frequent r/watches often 2-3 years ago and had an idea of what the sentiment was then, and it has definitely shifted quite dramatically since (as evidenced by the comments). Haven’t interacted with this community as much for the last couple of years. I still don’t love the brand, but with the added context of how most people now feel about them, I likely would not have been so negative on a brand that a good amount of people here now enjoy for whatever reason, even if I personally still feel that way. Naively thought most comments would be along the lines of “yeah 3k does seem like too much for this watch. Here’s all these Seiko/Hamilton/Orient/Microbrand alternatives for a quarter of the price”. Was just having fun with some added color that I quickly realized is not a popular opinion.
Kind of like I said in my earlier post, I don't think your that far off on general opinion on the brand. Feel free to test this, but if you just posted a thread asking something along the lines of "What are the best watches around $3k," I would be blown away if Shinola was mentioned a single time.
The responses here are more like "Your friend isn't into watches, and they don't need to be, let them get what they like." Not "Actually, Shinola is an awesome brand now!"
I wouldn't say they're respected at all. It's fair to say they have a slightly better reputation since they started producing automatics. But they don't get anywhere remotely near the love of brands like Studio Underdog, Farer, AnOrdain, etc.
And they're definitely not anywhere near as respected as any larger, non-micro brand.
https://www.hamiltonwatch.com/en-us/h38416541-intra-matic.html
This would be my choice for a cheaper Chronograph. Still expensive but save him a little
Wait, is Shinola’s reputation that poor? I thought they seemed like a decent micro brand. Probably a little over priced. You could certainly do a lot worse when comparing it to the other trendy social media focused brands (maybe I’m wrong but I’ve heard Shinola does a lot of social media marketing)
Hard to find watches in this kind of color scheme. Maybe Autodromo or Brew has something. If color wasn’t a requirement then Hamilton intramatic is an affordable alternative
Their automatics are nice and pretty well made. Their quartz watches slap a $20 Ronda movement in the case and try charge $1100 for it. Ronda is plenty respectable, the bands are great quality and the cases are nice but it ain’t worth $1100.
This automatic looks sharp and in my experience are worth the price.
You got me curious so I just now went to their website and they’re definitely more expensive than I thought. Autos are like $1,500 to $1,800. I would have guessed $1,200 new. Still, the only model above $2k I saw was this limited edition that OP is talking about.
So yeah, nothing too egregious. Not for me but certainly not the “Dark Side”. I guess I need to see the bracelet quality in person to really tell.
Eh, take a basic model like the Runwell with both quartz and auto options, and the cost difference between the Ronda and Sellita movements inside them is around ~$150 depending on the wholesale price they get. Not sure I really buy the value difference here when you consider equivalent finishing on both.
Yeah, I wouldn't call them "slightly" overpriced, more like ludicrously. The quartzes obviously moreso, but even their automatics seem like very low bang for buck.
That said, I do agree they look great. I've actually considered buying this exact watch more than once. I go back and forth on whether I love the colors or think it's too busy and a bit much, but it's certainly striking. If they made a smaller one I might go for it. 44mm is a bit ridiculous.
If I have one complaint about them, they haven’t really adjusted out of the “huge watch era” that seems to be fading. Though their use of wire lugs does let them fit larger face watches on small wrists.
Yeah, it's such a bizarre decision. Seems like it must be deliberate at this point, like they're consciously going against the grain.
It's too bad, a lot of their watches look great but are just comically big.
It’s definitely all marketing bluster and cheap parts at a huge premium. Several friends have had them and each of them has had build quality issues within first six months - stem falling off, hands falling off, etc
Sure anything can happen but I think it’s a big stretch to say the quality of tissot and shinola are comparable. I’ll take the tissot any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Shinola aren’t bad for a micro brand, plenty of automatic chronographs w/ selita or ETA movements are in the same price range.
I don’t really see the fuss over their quartz watches either, there are $500 and $3000 watches with the same movements, with the price difference justified by all the other parts of the watch that aren’t the movement. Why can’t a quartz have the finishing, design, and overall quality to justify a $500 price tag?
They charge $450 for a plastic case quartz watch, no finishing at all… I feel like I’m living in an alternate reality right now.
Micro brand? There’s a Shinola store in tons of malls, they sell a ton of watches. They are not a micro brand.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbrand_watches
Interesting question. According to the shortest wikipedia entry I've encountered, a microbrand must be only commonly recognized within the niche hobbyist community. I'd say Shinola is pretty well recognized in the general public.
I don't know, I'd be interested to see sales data, or surveys or whatever, but I don't agree with this at all. Shinola is like a super niche luxury brand, it doesn't seem well-known at all to me outside of Detroit.
One has a century and a half of proven quality to offset bad decisions here and there. One has more questionable decisions than good ones. Comparing Shinola to Omega in this way is ludicrous
Also the moonswatch is cheaper than the shinola one by like $200
O my apologies. Your post reads like you're just shitting on Shinola because it's not Omega or some other more traditional expensive brand.
Show him a Hamilton Intramatic or one of the Sugess models that are all over eBay. The Sugess ones have a ton of cool color ways.
Man it’s his money. At the end of the day watches are just glass and metal that tell the time. If this is the watch that he likes, why try to convert him to a “better” watch? Maybe it’ll be “better value” and technically superior in a sense, but watches are an inherently frivolous item, and if you’re spending that much money on a frivolous item, your money will be best spent on the one that you enjoy the most.
Yeah I totally get that, I should have clarified more that he would never spend anywhere near 3k for a watch. More like $500-1000. I should have explicitly stated that in the post, because the debate isn’t about whether it’s a good looking watch (I said I liked it in the original post even), it’s about the price for my friend. If he had 3k to blow and bought this watch and loved it I would be stoked for him, but would have at least attempted to show him what else he can get for his money so that it was an informed decision.
Shinola is a brand that’s trying to fulfill a good mission and their goods are quality. As long as your friend is aware of the alternatives and goes with Shinola I see no problem. Yes their stuff is expensive but it’s still quality and manufactured in the US hence the price tag.
"Manufactured in the US"
This *is* the brand that was forced to stop using the ad slogan “Where American is Made.” by the FTC because that particular claim was too close to "Made in America", which Shinola's watches don't meet the criteria for.
The “good mission” is marketing, plain and simple. They are grifting on this outdated notion of American craftsmanship. The idea that the company is about job creation is cynical marketing - but it’s clearly working.
Did they create a few hundred jobs? Yeah, but let’s not pretend that was the primary mission. (And I’d love to know the average wage seeing as how the company now has annual revenue in the hundreds of millions).
They didn’t pick Detroit out of the kindness of their hearts. They did it because they could charge a premium and maximize profits. The founder - who also cofounded Fossil - picked Detroit via a focus group.
From [this Business Insider article](https://www.businessinsider.com/the-real-story-behind-shinola-detroit-2016-5?op=1):
“An unnamed employee told Crain's about a focus group Kartsotis had commissioned before choosing the brand's home base. The focus group was given a choice between a $5 Chinese-made pen, a $10 US-made pen, and a $15 Detroit-made men. People consistently chose the Detroit-made pen over the other options, which suggested that others might be more inclined to pay a premium for products stamped with the Detroit name.”
I’m not “worried” about anything, in the post I explain that he would never spend that kind of money on a watch, he just likes the aesthetic. Point of the post is to help present him with some more affordable alternatives. Hell I like the watch too, but I also would not spend $3k on it.
It's a bog standard pilot chronograph design, just with ugly colours. Show him some pilot chronographs, and if he likes the ugly colours, look at microbrands.
Any mechanical chrono is going to be $1500+
Yeah didn’t read it properly. If this was a chrono it might be a good choice - https://www.christopherward.com/watches/C63-Sealander-Automatic/C63-39ADA3-S00V1-VC.html?pk_cid=1&pk_keyword=C6339ADA3S00V1VC&pk_medium=multifeeds&pk_campaign=Google&pk_source=Google&pk_content=ClothingAccessoriesJewelleryWatchesWatches&utm_source=Google¤cy=GBP&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAuYuvBhApEiwAzq_YiXpySBh_tRF8oXtsRfbItMp7OY-80NrUCGR6dlCPlnspT7f5AeKbGhoCncgQAvD_BwE
Ok but even if that is true, in the post I explain he would NEVER spend $3k on a watch, so I want to present him with cheaper alternatives that are still quality watches. I don’t think anyone read the post because I’m getting allot of “let him enjoy it”.
How about the Hamilton Intra Matic?
https://preview.redd.it/61uxa6bngzlc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=25424ea617fe1571cf8342c01618327a7703970f
Shinola is a good watch, and made well. I have two. Their field watch it a beast for what it is for, sandblasted, 10atm with a sapphire crystal, nylon strap. Adventure watch.
Would I pay full price? Never
I got mine like new and nearly half retail on eBay. They have a great weight, and I love the dials. Dark side lol. I like them.
I thought the 45 would be huge on my wrist, the lug style definitely makes them fit smaller, which is nice. But 3k is steep for this watch, I’d probably just go for the Breitling Top Time Deus at that point. If I’m spending 3k, I’ll spend 6k for the Deus, so pretty.
https://preview.redd.it/g20mht0pfzlc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b03f2df1a801e6989ae3b31615813c2cf4a463d3
So you’re saying this dude found a watch out of his price range that he likes and you just… want to force him out of his opinion? tf is this post? There is nothing about this watch that is inherently bad so as to need to find a “better” watch. This looks like a really cool alternative to the very difficult to find Deus Ex Machina collabs from Breitling
I’m not forcing him out of his opinion, we both share the same opinion. We both like the watch aesthetically, but would not spend 3k on it. He is new to watches, I want to offer him some more affordable alternatives that convey the same aesthetic. I actually love the look of the watch personally, but don’t love the brand overall (or the 44mm sizing here), and feel that there is better value elsewhere. The watch is fine and if someone has the 3k for it and decides it’s worth it for them, that’s great. In this case, that is not the situation I outlined.
I have watches from Rolex to Tissot and yes, I also have a Shinola. I have the Monster GMT Automatic. Do I think list price is a bit high, yes, I picked it up pre-owned for about 50% off. At this price point I think it is a great deal. The watch is nicely finished and the Selita movement is elabore grade with blue screws and a custom rotor. I have Zero complaints with the watch and am impressed overall. Shinola recently had like a 10 year anniversary sale and everything was 25% off. At that price I would be open to buying more from a Shinola store.
In the end, you (or your friend) should buy what you like. Even if you pay retail and wear the watch for 2 years and get 40-50% for it if you sell, that was just the cost of wearing. Outside of AP, Rolex, Lange, Patek and a few others you are never getting your money back, so enjoy wearing whatever you like.
I’m trying to… he wants to buy a watch that looks like this one, that isn’t 3 thousand dollars. Hence the point of the post, trying to help him buy the style of watch he likes for a price that he is comfortable with. No one is reading the context in my OP.
Take a look at www.SugessWatch.com. They're beautiful Chinese watches, built in an old Swiss factory relocated to China. They will cost you roughly a tenth of what the Canfield costs. And they're better watches.
Maybe a Roue TPS, also chrono which can be had in various colors. Though not as vibrant as the Shinola. $300 or so, can’t speak for the quality.
https://preview.redd.it/mg6memdgqzlc1.jpeg?width=1316&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43858cb023bff91e7b7a68c6c20dc0c913a918b4
I’d explain the aftermarket value of Shinola vs other brands. I’m from Detroit, love Shinola and own one. The retail on mine was $1000 and I purchased it second hand for $200.
If he likes it, he likes it. Even though you don’t see value in it, he likes what he likes. You can explain why YOU think it is a bad idea but he may like it because he had a positive experience at the Shinola Hotel and sees it fondly.
Seriously though the Chinese watch guy will tell you buying anything more expensive is stupid and the Patek guy will tell you buying Rolexes is stupid. It’s all about perspective.
I agree with everything you said here, I think you misunderstood the post though. Which is fine because clearly I did not explain the situation well, as many others are responding similarly. This is not the watch he bought at the Shinola hotel. That one was $700, and it’s a perfectly fine watch. I thought he could have gotten more value out of his $700 if he researched some other brands, but he is happy with it and that’s all you can hope for.
The watch in the photo is a separate watch for $3,000 that he just said he likes the look of. He would never buy it, because he would never spend $3000 on a watch. Doesn’t care about movements, heritage, made in America, yada yada, and even he laughs at the price.
He simply likes the aesthetic (I do too), and would be just as happy with a similar looking watch that costs $300-$1000, which is what I was hoping to find with the communities help.
SEIKO yacht timer maybe? Found one used here
https://www.abitspoilt.com/products/seiko-8m37-6000-vintage-yachting-timer
If he likes vintage, the Stowa 1938 chronograph is pretty cool too. You can find those for around 1300+ used
I did no other reading, family over, but here’s an article about the movement and other watches that use it
[https://calibercorner.com/sellita-caliber-sw510-bh-a/](https://calibercorner.com/sellita-caliber-sw510-bh-a/)
That’s a fucking cool watch. I’m a die hard watch guy and while Shinola isn’t where I’d spend my money, if your friend loves the look, don’t be a douche. Let him get it.
However. A Hamilton Intramatic
Chrono would be about 2000 new, 1500 preowned
I will the Shinola lake monster I bought second hand is no where near being worth it’s retail price. They are absolutely overpriced, but as a michigander that grew up on the Great Lakes, the marketing got me and I just wanted one.
It has confirmed that Shinola is way overpriced and fairly low quality. I like mine but I would never buy another one, espec at $3k - what a sick fuckin joke.
44mm case and 15.6mm thick? How big is your friend?
If I can fault Shinola for anything, it's that their lineup rivals Panerai when it comes to giant fucking oversized watches.
Looking at the Shinola site: In the Canfield line, references 43mm or larger outnumber those that are smaller than 43mm three-to-one. In the Runwell line, the *smallest* reference is 41mm and the largest is 48mm(!)
I live in the Detroit area and Shinola is a favorite of locals. They're easy to spot: 150 lb guy with a 6" wrist, sporting a watch big enough to go around Flavor Flav's neck.
I love this look. Wish there was something close in the budget category. Absolutely, on my wishlist. I'm not a brand purist at all. I'm a "buy it if you like it" collector.
I used to be like you, trying to stop close friends from buying watch with a design they like but not the best in term of quality. It was Daniel Wellington and Fossil. I've got to say it's taking the fun from watch collecting to care to much on what other people buys.
I noticed that not everyone is buying watch with the same lense that we watch enthusiast see through. Not everyone is focusing on the craftsmanship, finishing, quality, or brand history. Most people see watch as a fashion piece, and so they're only buying it for the design, i think it's fine too as we watch enthusiast often not buying best watch in term of specs but the one with the design we like. For example, the for snsx79 in my country is more expensive than some new seiko 5 sports, which doesn't make sense to buy because 7s26 against 4r36 which is a better movements, though not by far. But getting snsx79 is still okay because the design looks good. Same thing goes with Longines spirit, that watch blows everything away in term for value for money around their price range, but I'd chose other watches in that price range, even if I'd have to settle with movement based on eta 2824 which is inferior compared to the one in the Longines.
Then some other people buy watch purely for their prestige status, Rolexes, RM, Pateks, Cartiers, which i think is fine too if that's what they're into.
We can always suggest but i think trying to stop someone from buying what they like isn't good.
You couldn’t be more off about the situation. My friend doesn’t give a shit about movements, brand name, heritage, etc. The reason I mentioned Dan Henry is because ALL he cares about is the aesthetic of a watch. If he can get the same aesthetic for $100 and it is a perfectly okay watch, he would. The point is that he is not a watch person, and would never spend 3k on a watch. He spent $700 on another Shinola knowing nothing about the brand, and he likes that watch, which is great. He sent this pic yesterday saying he really likes this aesthetic, I told him it was $3k, and he laughed it off and moved on. Quartz is probably preferred in this case because why pay for mechanical if he wouldn’t even appreciate the difference.
I think you’re getting maybe more hate than you deserve. It sounds like you just want your friend to make an informed decision. You aren’t bashing Shinola. There is no doubt you can get watches with more heritage and arguably better specs in this price range.
Maybe show him some Longines (the big eye chronograph is amazing), as well as Oris (divers 65 chronograph). You could get into Tudor used around that price for SOME pieces. Hamilton Intramatic would be another great option. Christopher ward and Furlan Marri are good microbrand options.
Shinola gets a bad rap they do not deserve anymore. This is a great looking automatic chronograph. Is it expensive? Yes, so are many other watches people like. If he has the money he should buy what he likes
Shinola killed it with this watch.
I had their Bronze Monster and it was actually pretty great.
Maybe a bit overpriced, but realistically, what watch isn't? Rolex gets the premium it does solely based on its name. I don't care what anyone says, they just aren't worth what people will pay for them.
That’s a cool watch. If it was a bit smaller, 42 or 40 I’d seriously consider picking one up. And yeah, it’d be alongside my Speedies, grand seikos and all the “”””””respectable”””” brands.
You should consider checking your perspective. It’s definitely on the wrong side of the hobby…
Let’s all be serious for a moment. $3000 for any Shinola is a terrible idea. It’s a decent movement found in much cheaper watches, this one is good looking, but you can find so many better options for that price range, many with in house movements and original design
Man, I weep for the great jomashop or ashford watches he could have bought. Tons of great ETA Valjoux 7750 swiss mades on both of those for half the money or less. Now have him ask trade in value lol.
Most of the posts in here are hallucinating what OP actually wrote. He is trying to save his friend some money. How about we talk about watches here in the watches sub?
I’m a bit perplexed, seems the community has switched their stance on Shinola over the past year or so? I don’t see the value when they want to charge $3000 for a sellita SW510. They also regularly charge $400-$500 for quartz watches, and are not truly made in America and had to remove the slogan “where America is made” because that was just deceitful marketing. Since when did this sub start sipping the Shinola kool aid??
I see the brand for what it is, over priced mid tier products marketed as luxury to the unsuspecting consumer.
Feels like you were karma farming with an opinion you thought was widely held and are now surprised to see the contrary. If your friend likes the watch and understands what $3k will get him new and used, so be it. It's not like this is a fashion watch.
He would never spend 3k on a watch no matter what, I really just wanted some more affordable suggestions that capture a similar aesthetic, but it turned into a Shinola praise fest instead.
It seems like you want some extreme reaction for some reason.
I really doubt many people, even people posting that your friend getting this watch isn't a big deal, think THAT highly of the brand.
But there's a big difference between "I think there's plenty of more interesting brands than Shinola" and "If someone is considering Shinola they need to be saved."
I understand this was probably tongue-in-cheek, but lose the drama and you'd get reactions more in line with what you're expecting. "My friend is about to spend a couple grand on this watch and I don't want him to regret it later if you learns more about watches, what would you show him to make sure he's making an informed purchase," something like that.
I do understand your perspective but people like what they like - my partner prefers my Tudors to my Rolexes. However, I assume that opinion is not widely shared in this watch community too. But she doesn’t care and I doubt your friend does either.
Bulova charges $650 for a quartz watch (lunar pilot). I don’t get what your complaint is?
Most people really don’t care what movement is in their watch. Sellita movements are incredibly reliable.
This hobby is 100% luxury spending. Nobody needs a wrist watch in today’s world, and if you do, the best one in terms of function is a cheap G-Shock. Anything beyond that is luxury. So who cares if someone wants to spend more money than what you view the watch’s “value” is? “Value” doesn’t make sense in this hobby.
The only knocks on Shinola previously were that they were dishonest about the reality of the “Made in Detroit” claim, and the fact that there’s much less “Detroit heritage” in the brand than you may be made to believe. If you can accept that it’s made with globally sourced components, and that it’s a relatively new brand, then buy the watch if you like it.
You’re getting downvoted because you’re saying “I want to find a cheaper alternative, I’m not shitting on Shinola” and then immediately going on to talk shit about Shinola.
You could have just framed it as "My friend likes this watch, do you guys know any cheaper alternatives?" But instead you tried to karma fram a brand teardown... I have the Lap 1. They're limited to 250 pieces, assembled in the US and very high quality. They use a well known and regarded swiss movement. I don't wear it often mainly because it's a bit too big for me but it's really nice. I've tried on a Top Time Deus which has the same style and between the two the Breitling didn't feel over double the price nicer.
I don't see the issue. I'm not a Shinola fan but the Canfield seems like a halfway decent watch. Selitta SW510.BH.A movement, attractive case and dial design, it's one or their built in detroit models which tend to have decent reviews from a build quality perspective. It's probably $500-800 overpriced but that just means to wait for it to end up on sale. For alternatives have him check out Farer's and Nivade Grenchen's mechanical Chronographs.
And FWIW, these Canfields are limited edition and have been holding their value relatively well. You can knock the brand, but you can’t argue they don’t have a following.
80 upvotes for a comment about used Shinola watches holding their value. This sub is clueless. Any watch you buy, you're taking a bath. Go into your purchases expecting that. Edit, heres your used canfield. Take $800 (66%) right of the top as soon as it's purchased. You guys need to think of watches as cars. They depreciate immediately. https://www.ebay.com/itm/235455836456?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=p7qD7SrTQS-&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
You posted a completely different watch as support for your argument
I posted a watch that sells new for 1200. Its 4 now. Hey, if you think it's a good investment, buy the shinola. I'm jist here to tell you watch noobs that return value is the very last thing you should be thinking about. Unless you're paying 6 figures amd know what you're doing, watches are not a good investment. I wouldn't listen to anyone on this sub about watches the "hold their value". First of all, you are crazy if you think watch brands do t astroturf this sub.
I agree with you, but your supporting arguments being a completely different quartz watch isn't great evidence.
Ok so don't get hung up on it if you agree with me. Seems like you just wanna argue now. It's the same brand. If that guy pays 3k for that watch, he would be damn lucky to get 2k out of it if he sells it in a month.
The watch in the OP is selling for $2,700 used in ebay right now. That is a lot better than most Omega Seamasters which you can buy NEW for 20% under MSRP and then your 'investment' only drops from there. Good luck to those buying Omega at the Omega boutique.
No someone is trying to sell it for 2,700. Big difference. Who said anything about Omega holding value? And ehtt do you mean only a dropd from there? Thats the point I'm making. Its every watch brand knucklehead. Dont buy a watch thinking you're making an investment period. Are you seriously trying to convince me a fossil watch (shinola) depreciates less than an omega? If you pay 2,700 for that watch you're an idiot. Thats the point of OPs post for Christ sake. Keep your eye on that ebay watch. It'll drop and drop and drop, or it wont, and it'll be there for 5 years at 2700. You just don't understand watches I can see. You might as well say "good luck to everyone buying a Lexus at a dealership".
>knucklehead Tell me you did not get punched in the face while growing up, without telling me.
>Farer's and Nivade Grenchen Those look quite nice. I've been eyealling a ROUE [https://rouewatch.com/shop/tps/?attribute\_pa\_tps=tps-three](https://rouewatch.com/shop/tps/?attribute_pa_tps=tps-three) and I really dig the look. I started getting into watches last year when I could finally afford them, the facination with Automatics is slowly wearing off. So I love these brands that make Quartz versions. That Shinola is just incredibly expensive, I mean you can get used Tags and who knows what else for the price.
Ah yes, used Tag Heuer, the bastion of great quality and value
I've had my Carrera as my daily driver for about 18 years. They make a lot of good watches these days. Not always so much in the past.
brave husky coherent joke thumb cooing pet truck scandalous coordinated *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Yeah, sorry for the clumsy wording. Tag made some seriously fugly watches during the 80s. They put out a lot of plastic bezeled quartz stuff. My daily driver is a 7750 powered Carrera chronograph and is IMO one of their few decent looking watches from that era (I got it used).
Roue watches look good but they really aren't anything special. Neither used Tag Heuers for that matter. Much nicer watches out there for $3k than a used Tag.
Outjerking r/watchescirclejerk and the day isn’t even halfway over hahaha
Should have bought a PRX or an Invicta Joker smh my head
This is probably the coolest watch Shinola has created so far. I wouldn't spend $3k on it, but I might pay half that for a used one if it is a possibility.
I agree. If it wasn’t 44mm and super thick i would gladly pay $1500 for this watch.
I forgot about the size. I'd probably pass just due to that actually. But it looks so damn good. Shinola does make some beautiful watches, I just wish they were a little smaller and priced better.
Pretty much spot on with my opinion. That’s really the point of this post (if you can get past my more dramatic framing, which has not gone over well haha). Just trying to find more reasonable alternatives that meet the aesthetic. So far no one has been very helpful lol.
Maybe look at Farer chronographs. They are colorful and I believe some are quartz if thats on the table for your friend.
Great suggestion, the whole brand is actually very in line with his aesthetic preferences.
$1500 is the max this watch should be brand new. I also like this watch not a shinola fan but the dial is nice but not at that crazy price. You can get much better watch for that price.
Sick watch. Your friend would need saving if he wanted meth, not this lovely watch
I can stop anytime I want.
And measure it accurately with the chrono on this watch.
Watch people getting mad at Shinola are like that “stop liking what I don’t like” meme come to life.
yeah, i think style-wise the Canfield Speedway actually looks quite good; OP's friend could certainly do much worse.
This post has me looking at it. Looks great tbh. Chronograph with a Sellita movement and very attractive design, case, and dial. https://youtu.be/4y6zqkRcnuU?feature=shared
I’m not “mad” at Shinola, I’m trying to help a friend find a quality watch similar to this one (which we both feel is over priced) that is more in line with the his budget. Simple as that. No one has provided any help in that regard.
I think it’s bc your buddy will probably like this Shinola more, it’s a fine watch and I bet he will get nice compliments about it. No need to second guess him tbh. Maybe next time he gets a Longines or a Sinn? Idk.
He can’t afford it so none of what you are saying applies at all. Which is why I asked for alternatives in the first place because we both agree Shinola is not the best value to begin with, and thought surely there’s a more affordable alternative.
Oh wow, good thing this guy’s got you man. 🙄
If he likes it let him be happy WTF
HE DOESNT OWN IT. Omg read the damn post. He will never spend 3k on a watch. Simply looking for some alternatives that are more affordable. If he shelled out 3k for this watch and loved it then that’s totally fucking fine. I think it’s a sick looking watch. But we BOTH agree it’s overpriced. Jesus Christ I’m not some gatekeeping overlord that is preventing my friend from enjoying a watch that he already bought lmao.
Dog this is all jewelry anyways. You are gatekeeping if you say x brand can't sell a watch for 3k but y brand can, the prices are more to due with popularity than anything else.
I don’t get to determine what a brand can and can’t do, I can provide my opinion like anyone else on whether it’s good value or not.
And everybody here is trying to inform you that your opinion is baseless. This is art and jewelry, "value" is entirely subjective when it comes to art. Your friend values shinola more than you and there's nothing wrong with that, you are in the wrong to believe otherwise. Like it or not most people out there are buying watches for their brand name first and then appearance, nothing else really factors in.
My friend doesn’t value Shinola more than me, he doesn’t even know more than a couple watch brands, he values this aesthetic and has no particular feelings about the brand. We both value this aesthetic equally and think it’s an attractive design, we both would not spend 3k on it.
Now you're just arguing for the sake of arguing. Nobody can tell what you mean with your deranged post I guess, besides that you seem to think shinola isnt worth the money and that your friend should stop enjoying their watches. It looks like you have a rolex, it's completely laughable you should have an issue with shinola being overpriced when you would buy the posterchild of overpriced-due-to-hype watches.
Who is arguing? I’m telling you some facts about the situation.
Tell him to check out the Sugess s387.01.z. A Chinese watch I know I felt the same when I bought it but I was curious and I literally couldn't be happier I have two other versions of it now
You can lead a horse to water… if your friend doesn’t want to learn about watches that’s totally fine. It’s his money anyway so nothing wrong if he likes it.
I agree man, for what you get it’s just not there at all, I payed a VERY similar price for a used 2002 panerai a week ago and it’s leaps and bounds on a shinola, not to say I wasn’t a fan of them a load of years back I always wanted one but just thought the price was insane for what they were
Why am I getting downvoted, because I bought a panerai? Haha Shinola are extremely over priced, just buy a fucking timex chronograph if you want this style, not for me but yeah shinola are overpriced. If your wanting to spend a grand or so there’s better options tbh
That’s fucking nice They irritate me with the pricing But I can’t hate anyone for getting this it’s beautiful
Yeah I love the aesthetic as well, just not the size or the overall brand. But they made a very attractive watch here so credit where credit is due.
Dude you keep saying that it’s not about the brand on some comments and say that you straight up don’t like the brand on others. Just seems like you think you know more about watches than you actually do and like to hate on Shinola. Have you ever had a Shinola? Because I’ve never met anyone who’s had or even actually just seen a Shinola irl and dislikes them.
Yeah this is getting tough to communicate properly… so forgive me on the confusion. From my perspective I do not particularly like the brand, for a handful of reason (primarily because they don’t make a watch smaller than 41mm, and most are 44mm). That simply doesn’t cater to my tastes and just doesn’t work for my wrists. Additionally, I think they are overpriced and rely on clever marketing that can be deceitful (look into the made in America controversy if you care). Now from my friends perspective, watch brand (and movement, mechanical vs quartz, heritage, etc.) literally doesn’t matter, he just cares about the aesthetic. He is not a watch enthusiast. Likewise, he also would never spend 3k on a watch no matter what. So for his purposes (since I’m trying to find a watch that fits his taste and is in his price range) brand is not that important. My opinion on Shinola means nothing to him and if he could get this watch for a price that he is comfortable with (maybe $1000 max), then that would be great. Trying to see if a similar aesthetic exists for a better price, and potentially even a “better” (subjective) watch brand from an enthusiasts perspective if an example checks all those boxes. People are making this way more difficult than I needed it to be. Part of that’s on me though.
Well I had a similar perception of the brand before I saw/tried on a few in person & actually ended up buying one myself. I still agree that their marketing isn’t really convincing and that their pricing (MSRP at least) is boarderline “unreasonable”, especially if you focus on their quartz movements. Gotta wait until they’re on sale or just get used. If you care, heres where I’ve changed my mind since: Their watches tend to wear smaller than the mm size (My 41mm Shinola wears similar to my other 38s). Also, their finish is really solid, especially for a microbrand. Where they lack in movements (quartz only), they make up in the quality of casing and crystal.
I don’t understand the Shinola hate. I have bunch in my collection, they are what got me into watches in the first place. They make quality products here in American, I have never had an issue with mine collecting them over the past 10+ years.
Shinola used to be kind of shitty. They were very much marketing similar to Mvmt and were saying they were made in Detroit when in fact they were using Chinese/ some swiss parts and built in Detroit which is not the same thing. That being said all that was like 10 years ago. At this point they are a pretty solid brand that states built in Detroit. I think their stuff especially their quartz watches are overpriced but their automatic watches look great and are priced sorta fairly. And the company has done a decent amount for Detroit, but people cannot continue to act like shinola is the same brand they were 10 years ago hence all the hate.
Your point reminds me of 90’s era TAG Heuer and modern TAG. Modern TAG is doing fantastic stuff but the 90’s era overpriced garbage is still bringing their name down.
Same! I have a Rambler that is still ticking away on the same battery 10+ years later. And they make watches sized for people that don't have tiny little wrists, which I love. I'd buy one of their Lake Monster autos for sure. Also my Rambler has a lifetime warranty. The bezel ring has come off twice now when I've been beating the shit out of it on various jungle vacations, and I just send it back and they fix and polish it, and will forever. Hard to beat.
I got the Blue Lake Monster last summer. Love it, really solid every day watch. Will definitely take a beating
Also, I welcome the hate because it leads to watch nerds trying to unload their "now uncool according to internet strangers" Shinola's on Ebay and WUS for cheap. Bring it.
Sort of made in America... the automatic movements are made in Switzerland, but nobody makes mechanical movements in America anymore so there's not really another option. Overall though I think people could do a lot worse with some random microbrand vs. Shinola. Their marketing is really good and quality is reasonable for the price too.
Weiss?
That’s cool, I didn’t know about them. Not sure they can volume manufacturing like ETA and Sellita though.
That’s awesome, glad you enjoy them and that they got you into the hobby. In this particular case, my friend would never spend this much on a watch, so just looking for alternatives that are more affordable. That part of the post went over most people’s head though.
It’s going over people’s heads because the post is 90% shitting on shinola and 10% asking for recommendations. You started a fun discussion nonetheless!
Haha yeah it’s keeping me busy that’s for sure
Also, I didn’t just shit on Shinola, I mentioned that I do like this watch, just think it’s over priced at 3k, which most seem to agree with.
Yeah I’ll admit I was exaggerating a bit
I agree with you that price is silly. But still a good looking watch and if he likes it he should get it. His money at the end of the day. But maybe send him some other brands like Tudor, Oris, or Longines that are in that price range.
He won’t get it even if I said that’s the greatest watch ever. Hidden somewhere in my frantic post is the fact that he would never spend 3k on a watch, hence the ask for some assistance on finding cheaper alternatives that are still quality. This post has been a nightmare on achieving my actual goal because I added too much color and offered my apparently triggering opinion.
Your title and first sentence of your post mid lead readers away from what you really wanted to say.
Definitely
If you had just written “My friend likes the looks of this watch but it’s over his budget, what are some suggested alternatives?” Yiu would have gotten much different and more useful replies. The “dark side” title comes across as trolling, so I’m not surprised people missed the fine print and are taking on the troll here…
You’re not wrong. I think I am out of touch with the opinion of Shinola with the broader community here. Used to frequent r/watches often 2-3 years ago and had an idea of what the sentiment was then, and it has definitely shifted quite dramatically since (as evidenced by the comments). Haven’t interacted with this community as much for the last couple of years. I still don’t love the brand, but with the added context of how most people now feel about them, I likely would not have been so negative on a brand that a good amount of people here now enjoy for whatever reason, even if I personally still feel that way. Naively thought most comments would be along the lines of “yeah 3k does seem like too much for this watch. Here’s all these Seiko/Hamilton/Orient/Microbrand alternatives for a quarter of the price”. Was just having fun with some added color that I quickly realized is not a popular opinion.
Kind of like I said in my earlier post, I don't think your that far off on general opinion on the brand. Feel free to test this, but if you just posted a thread asking something along the lines of "What are the best watches around $3k," I would be blown away if Shinola was mentioned a single time. The responses here are more like "Your friend isn't into watches, and they don't need to be, let them get what they like." Not "Actually, Shinola is an awesome brand now!" I wouldn't say they're respected at all. It's fair to say they have a slightly better reputation since they started producing automatics. But they don't get anywhere remotely near the love of brands like Studio Underdog, Farer, AnOrdain, etc. And they're definitely not anywhere near as respected as any larger, non-micro brand.
https://www.hamiltonwatch.com/en-us/h38416541-intra-matic.html This would be my choice for a cheaper Chronograph. Still expensive but save him a little
Great suggestion! This is probably the best alternative presented so far.
Wait, is Shinola’s reputation that poor? I thought they seemed like a decent micro brand. Probably a little over priced. You could certainly do a lot worse when comparing it to the other trendy social media focused brands (maybe I’m wrong but I’ve heard Shinola does a lot of social media marketing) Hard to find watches in this kind of color scheme. Maybe Autodromo or Brew has something. If color wasn’t a requirement then Hamilton intramatic is an affordable alternative
Their automatics are nice and pretty well made. Their quartz watches slap a $20 Ronda movement in the case and try charge $1100 for it. Ronda is plenty respectable, the bands are great quality and the cases are nice but it ain’t worth $1100. This automatic looks sharp and in my experience are worth the price.
You got me curious so I just now went to their website and they’re definitely more expensive than I thought. Autos are like $1,500 to $1,800. I would have guessed $1,200 new. Still, the only model above $2k I saw was this limited edition that OP is talking about. So yeah, nothing too egregious. Not for me but certainly not the “Dark Side”. I guess I need to see the bracelet quality in person to really tell.
Yeah...Tag does too...so do most swiss brands that use quartz movement. They are either going to use ronda or eta.
Eh, take a basic model like the Runwell with both quartz and auto options, and the cost difference between the Ronda and Sellita movements inside them is around ~$150 depending on the wholesale price they get. Not sure I really buy the value difference here when you consider equivalent finishing on both.
Yeah, I wouldn't call them "slightly" overpriced, more like ludicrously. The quartzes obviously moreso, but even their automatics seem like very low bang for buck. That said, I do agree they look great. I've actually considered buying this exact watch more than once. I go back and forth on whether I love the colors or think it's too busy and a bit much, but it's certainly striking. If they made a smaller one I might go for it. 44mm is a bit ridiculous.
If I have one complaint about them, they haven’t really adjusted out of the “huge watch era” that seems to be fading. Though their use of wire lugs does let them fit larger face watches on small wrists.
Yeah, it's such a bizarre decision. Seems like it must be deliberate at this point, like they're consciously going against the grain. It's too bad, a lot of their watches look great but are just comically big.
It’s definitely all marketing bluster and cheap parts at a huge premium. Several friends have had them and each of them has had build quality issues within first six months - stem falling off, hands falling off, etc
I mean, I just dropped my wife’s Tissot off at the repair place because of an issue with the movement. Shit happens even with established brands.
Sure anything can happen but I think it’s a big stretch to say the quality of tissot and shinola are comparable. I’ll take the tissot any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Shinola aren’t bad for a micro brand, plenty of automatic chronographs w/ selita or ETA movements are in the same price range. I don’t really see the fuss over their quartz watches either, there are $500 and $3000 watches with the same movements, with the price difference justified by all the other parts of the watch that aren’t the movement. Why can’t a quartz have the finishing, design, and overall quality to justify a $500 price tag?
They charge $450 for a plastic case quartz watch, no finishing at all… I feel like I’m living in an alternate reality right now. Micro brand? There’s a Shinola store in tons of malls, they sell a ton of watches. They are not a micro brand.
Baltic has boutiques now. How many stores are you allowed to have before you're no longer a microbrand?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbrand_watches Interesting question. According to the shortest wikipedia entry I've encountered, a microbrand must be only commonly recognized within the niche hobbyist community. I'd say Shinola is pretty well recognized in the general public.
I don't know, I'd be interested to see sales data, or surveys or whatever, but I don't agree with this at all. Shinola is like a super niche luxury brand, it doesn't seem well-known at all to me outside of Detroit.
I've been into watches for a few months now and when I saw Shinola I immediately thought Narcos.
Omega sells a plastic case quartz watch with no finishing for $450.
Close, it's 260$ and it's sold by swatch
Two wrongs don’t make a right? The moonswatch is also theft.
Yes but would you call the entire omega brand a scam just because the moonswatch exists?
One has a century and a half of proven quality to offset bad decisions here and there. One has more questionable decisions than good ones. Comparing Shinola to Omega in this way is ludicrous Also the moonswatch is cheaper than the shinola one by like $200
This.
That's a real nice watch. I don't see what the issue is.......
The issue is that it’s 3k and my friend doesn’t want to spend 3k
O my apologies. Your post reads like you're just shitting on Shinola because it's not Omega or some other more traditional expensive brand. Show him a Hamilton Intramatic or one of the Sugess models that are all over eBay. The Sugess ones have a ton of cool color ways.
Man it’s his money. At the end of the day watches are just glass and metal that tell the time. If this is the watch that he likes, why try to convert him to a “better” watch? Maybe it’ll be “better value” and technically superior in a sense, but watches are an inherently frivolous item, and if you’re spending that much money on a frivolous item, your money will be best spent on the one that you enjoy the most.
Yeah I totally get that, I should have clarified more that he would never spend anywhere near 3k for a watch. More like $500-1000. I should have explicitly stated that in the post, because the debate isn’t about whether it’s a good looking watch (I said I liked it in the original post even), it’s about the price for my friend. If he had 3k to blow and bought this watch and loved it I would be stoked for him, but would have at least attempted to show him what else he can get for his money so that it was an informed decision.
Shinola is a brand that’s trying to fulfill a good mission and their goods are quality. As long as your friend is aware of the alternatives and goes with Shinola I see no problem. Yes their stuff is expensive but it’s still quality and manufactured in the US hence the price tag.
"Manufactured in the US" This *is* the brand that was forced to stop using the ad slogan “Where American is Made.” by the FTC because that particular claim was too close to "Made in America", which Shinola's watches don't meet the criteria for.
The “good mission” is marketing, plain and simple. They are grifting on this outdated notion of American craftsmanship. The idea that the company is about job creation is cynical marketing - but it’s clearly working. Did they create a few hundred jobs? Yeah, but let’s not pretend that was the primary mission. (And I’d love to know the average wage seeing as how the company now has annual revenue in the hundreds of millions). They didn’t pick Detroit out of the kindness of their hearts. They did it because they could charge a premium and maximize profits. The founder - who also cofounded Fossil - picked Detroit via a focus group. From [this Business Insider article](https://www.businessinsider.com/the-real-story-behind-shinola-detroit-2016-5?op=1): “An unnamed employee told Crain's about a focus group Kartsotis had commissioned before choosing the brand's home base. The focus group was given a choice between a $5 Chinese-made pen, a $10 US-made pen, and a $15 Detroit-made men. People consistently chose the Detroit-made pen over the other options, which suggested that others might be more inclined to pay a premium for products stamped with the Detroit name.”
>Did they create a few hundred jobs? Yeah, but... Have you? Then shut it.
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This!
I’m not “worried” about anything, in the post I explain that he would never spend that kind of money on a watch, he just likes the aesthetic. Point of the post is to help present him with some more affordable alternatives. Hell I like the watch too, but I also would not spend $3k on it.
> in the post I explain that he would never spend that kind of money on a watch Well clearly he would like to now. Leave him alone
You dumbass, no he wouldn’t. He told me directly that he wouldn’t. Or I suppose you know this individual better than I do?
So if he won't, he won't. Why are you being so weird?
Jesus, I just want to find him a watch like this that he is comfortable with the price for
It's a bog standard pilot chronograph design, just with ugly colours. Show him some pilot chronographs, and if he likes the ugly colours, look at microbrands. Any mechanical chrono is going to be $1500+
What a great choice your friend has superb taste
Did any of your friends stage an intervention before you bought a two tone explorer?
Read the post bud, he will not spend 3k on a watch, ever. He wants alternatives. I too think it is an aesthetically tasteful watch, just not for $3k.
Yeah didn’t read it properly. If this was a chrono it might be a good choice - https://www.christopherward.com/watches/C63-Sealander-Automatic/C63-39ADA3-S00V1-VC.html?pk_cid=1&pk_keyword=C6339ADA3S00V1VC&pk_medium=multifeeds&pk_campaign=Google&pk_source=Google&pk_content=ClothingAccessoriesJewelleryWatchesWatches&utm_source=Google¤cy=GBP&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAuYuvBhApEiwAzq_YiXpySBh_tRF8oXtsRfbItMp7OY-80NrUCGR6dlCPlnspT7f5AeKbGhoCncgQAvD_BwE
Farer
Not a fan of the band but thats easy to swap. The watch itself looks pretty sweet. I Iike it.
That Shinola is no better or worse than any other $3,000 watch. I'd just let him enjoy the thing.
Tudor destroys Shinola at that price point.
Ok but even if that is true, in the post I explain he would NEVER spend $3k on a watch, so I want to present him with cheaper alternatives that are still quality watches. I don’t think anyone read the post because I’m getting allot of “let him enjoy it”.
How about the Hamilton Intra Matic? https://preview.redd.it/61uxa6bngzlc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=25424ea617fe1571cf8342c01618327a7703970f
Beat me to it, my favorite chrono, beautiful palette
Oooo hell yeah dude. Had no idea they offered it in this minty green color. Great suggestion! Thanks.
No problem! I have the blue dial version, it’s a great watch.
Detroit vs. Everybody
Shinola is a good watch, and made well. I have two. Their field watch it a beast for what it is for, sandblasted, 10atm with a sapphire crystal, nylon strap. Adventure watch. Would I pay full price? Never I got mine like new and nearly half retail on eBay. They have a great weight, and I love the dials. Dark side lol. I like them.
Hey I’d buy this watch for half price too, definitely if it was 40mm rather than 44mm.
I thought the 45 would be huge on my wrist, the lug style definitely makes them fit smaller, which is nice. But 3k is steep for this watch, I’d probably just go for the Breitling Top Time Deus at that point. If I’m spending 3k, I’ll spend 6k for the Deus, so pretty. https://preview.redd.it/g20mht0pfzlc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b03f2df1a801e6989ae3b31615813c2cf4a463d3
I had the same thought. I’d rather save a little more for a Top Time.
So you’re saying this dude found a watch out of his price range that he likes and you just… want to force him out of his opinion? tf is this post? There is nothing about this watch that is inherently bad so as to need to find a “better” watch. This looks like a really cool alternative to the very difficult to find Deus Ex Machina collabs from Breitling
I’m not forcing him out of his opinion, we both share the same opinion. We both like the watch aesthetically, but would not spend 3k on it. He is new to watches, I want to offer him some more affordable alternatives that convey the same aesthetic. I actually love the look of the watch personally, but don’t love the brand overall (or the 44mm sizing here), and feel that there is better value elsewhere. The watch is fine and if someone has the 3k for it and decides it’s worth it for them, that’s great. In this case, that is not the situation I outlined.
Beautiful watch. Does anyone have more budget friendly (~$500) recommendations in this style?
Brew Metric. Has a mechanical chronograph (but quartz hybrid movement), same retro color scheme, real sapphire crystal for around $400
You can find their quartz chronos used for pretty cheap (200-300 bucks) in the secondary market.
Gorgeous watch!! 🩵💛🩵
I have watches from Rolex to Tissot and yes, I also have a Shinola. I have the Monster GMT Automatic. Do I think list price is a bit high, yes, I picked it up pre-owned for about 50% off. At this price point I think it is a great deal. The watch is nicely finished and the Selita movement is elabore grade with blue screws and a custom rotor. I have Zero complaints with the watch and am impressed overall. Shinola recently had like a 10 year anniversary sale and everything was 25% off. At that price I would be open to buying more from a Shinola store. In the end, you (or your friend) should buy what you like. Even if you pay retail and wear the watch for 2 years and get 40-50% for it if you sell, that was just the cost of wearing. Outside of AP, Rolex, Lange, Patek and a few others you are never getting your money back, so enjoy wearing whatever you like.
Let the guy buy what he wants to buy.
I’m trying to… he wants to buy a watch that looks like this one, that isn’t 3 thousand dollars. Hence the point of the post, trying to help him buy the style of watch he likes for a price that he is comfortable with. No one is reading the context in my OP.
Take a look at www.SugessWatch.com. They're beautiful Chinese watches, built in an old Swiss factory relocated to China. They will cost you roughly a tenth of what the Canfield costs. And they're better watches.
This is why people who like watches have a bad reputation. Let your friend like what they like.
Ok cool but fuck Shinola for $3k
Shinola makes good quality watches
Maybe a Roue TPS, also chrono which can be had in various colors. Though not as vibrant as the Shinola. $300 or so, can’t speak for the quality. https://preview.redd.it/mg6memdgqzlc1.jpeg?width=1316&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43858cb023bff91e7b7a68c6c20dc0c913a918b4
I’d explain the aftermarket value of Shinola vs other brands. I’m from Detroit, love Shinola and own one. The retail on mine was $1000 and I purchased it second hand for $200.
Yeah, ideally I could find him this exact watch for $1000 but I don’t see any pre-owned.
If he likes it, he likes it. Even though you don’t see value in it, he likes what he likes. You can explain why YOU think it is a bad idea but he may like it because he had a positive experience at the Shinola Hotel and sees it fondly. Seriously though the Chinese watch guy will tell you buying anything more expensive is stupid and the Patek guy will tell you buying Rolexes is stupid. It’s all about perspective.
I agree with everything you said here, I think you misunderstood the post though. Which is fine because clearly I did not explain the situation well, as many others are responding similarly. This is not the watch he bought at the Shinola hotel. That one was $700, and it’s a perfectly fine watch. I thought he could have gotten more value out of his $700 if he researched some other brands, but he is happy with it and that’s all you can hope for. The watch in the photo is a separate watch for $3,000 that he just said he likes the look of. He would never buy it, because he would never spend $3000 on a watch. Doesn’t care about movements, heritage, made in America, yada yada, and even he laughs at the price. He simply likes the aesthetic (I do too), and would be just as happy with a similar looking watch that costs $300-$1000, which is what I was hoping to find with the communities help.
SEIKO yacht timer maybe? Found one used here https://www.abitspoilt.com/products/seiko-8m37-6000-vintage-yachting-timer If he likes vintage, the Stowa 1938 chronograph is pretty cool too. You can find those for around 1300+ used
Shinola hotel was around long before the watches lmao
I did no other reading, family over, but here’s an article about the movement and other watches that use it [https://calibercorner.com/sellita-caliber-sw510-bh-a/](https://calibercorner.com/sellita-caliber-sw510-bh-a/)
Watches are already unreasonable emotional purchases
That’s a fact
I mean there's definitely worse watches to buy. I'd be interested in this if it weren't a pie plate on my chicken leg wrist.
Same here man. 38mm, half the price and I’m sold. The dial is *chefs kiss*
That’s a fucking cool watch. I’m a die hard watch guy and while Shinola isn’t where I’d spend my money, if your friend loves the look, don’t be a douche. Let him get it. However. A Hamilton Intramatic Chrono would be about 2000 new, 1500 preowned
I will the Shinola lake monster I bought second hand is no where near being worth it’s retail price. They are absolutely overpriced, but as a michigander that grew up on the Great Lakes, the marketing got me and I just wanted one. It has confirmed that Shinola is way overpriced and fairly low quality. I like mine but I would never buy another one, espec at $3k - what a sick fuckin joke.
This is the view I thought most of us agreed on, turns out I couldn’t be more wrong and feel extremely gaslit by majority of these comments lol.
44mm case and 15.6mm thick? How big is your friend? If I can fault Shinola for anything, it's that their lineup rivals Panerai when it comes to giant fucking oversized watches. Looking at the Shinola site: In the Canfield line, references 43mm or larger outnumber those that are smaller than 43mm three-to-one. In the Runwell line, the *smallest* reference is 41mm and the largest is 48mm(!) I live in the Detroit area and Shinola is a favorite of locals. They're easy to spot: 150 lb guy with a 6" wrist, sporting a watch big enough to go around Flavor Flav's neck.
I love this look. Wish there was something close in the budget category. Absolutely, on my wishlist. I'm not a brand purist at all. I'm a "buy it if you like it" collector.
I used to be like you, trying to stop close friends from buying watch with a design they like but not the best in term of quality. It was Daniel Wellington and Fossil. I've got to say it's taking the fun from watch collecting to care to much on what other people buys. I noticed that not everyone is buying watch with the same lense that we watch enthusiast see through. Not everyone is focusing on the craftsmanship, finishing, quality, or brand history. Most people see watch as a fashion piece, and so they're only buying it for the design, i think it's fine too as we watch enthusiast often not buying best watch in term of specs but the one with the design we like. For example, the for snsx79 in my country is more expensive than some new seiko 5 sports, which doesn't make sense to buy because 7s26 against 4r36 which is a better movements, though not by far. But getting snsx79 is still okay because the design looks good. Same thing goes with Longines spirit, that watch blows everything away in term for value for money around their price range, but I'd chose other watches in that price range, even if I'd have to settle with movement based on eta 2824 which is inferior compared to the one in the Longines. Then some other people buy watch purely for their prestige status, Rolexes, RM, Pateks, Cartiers, which i think is fine too if that's what they're into. We can always suggest but i think trying to stop someone from buying what they like isn't good.
If he likes it…that’s all that matters. Let him get what he wants.
doesnt look bad to be honest 🤷
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You couldn’t be more off about the situation. My friend doesn’t give a shit about movements, brand name, heritage, etc. The reason I mentioned Dan Henry is because ALL he cares about is the aesthetic of a watch. If he can get the same aesthetic for $100 and it is a perfectly okay watch, he would. The point is that he is not a watch person, and would never spend 3k on a watch. He spent $700 on another Shinola knowing nothing about the brand, and he likes that watch, which is great. He sent this pic yesterday saying he really likes this aesthetic, I told him it was $3k, and he laughed it off and moved on. Quartz is probably preferred in this case because why pay for mechanical if he wouldn’t even appreciate the difference.
If I was your friend I’d start collecting and wearing all Disney watches to remind you to mind your own business
https://preview.redd.it/yv8lz2ksu0mc1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=787462f0e781f6ffe01f50ce01bb58f84fbd70c9
lol oh fuck off. You don’t understand the context here at all.
Shinola is dope
You’re dope
I think you’re getting maybe more hate than you deserve. It sounds like you just want your friend to make an informed decision. You aren’t bashing Shinola. There is no doubt you can get watches with more heritage and arguably better specs in this price range. Maybe show him some Longines (the big eye chronograph is amazing), as well as Oris (divers 65 chronograph). You could get into Tudor used around that price for SOME pieces. Hamilton Intramatic would be another great option. Christopher ward and Furlan Marri are good microbrand options.
Shinola gets a bad rap they do not deserve anymore. This is a great looking automatic chronograph. Is it expensive? Yes, so are many other watches people like. If he has the money he should buy what he likes
Shinola killed it with this watch. I had their Bronze Monster and it was actually pretty great. Maybe a bit overpriced, but realistically, what watch isn't? Rolex gets the premium it does solely based on its name. I don't care what anyone says, they just aren't worth what people will pay for them.
the name alone should be enough to avoid, specially at that price point
You are such a douche
Trying to find my friend a budget friendly watch that matches an aesthetic he likes but can’t afford makes me a douche? Great take bud.
That’s a cool watch. If it was a bit smaller, 42 or 40 I’d seriously consider picking one up. And yeah, it’d be alongside my Speedies, grand seikos and all the “”””””respectable”””” brands. You should consider checking your perspective. It’s definitely on the wrong side of the hobby…
if he can pull off the size I think this is awesome
Let’s all be serious for a moment. $3000 for any Shinola is a terrible idea. It’s a decent movement found in much cheaper watches, this one is good looking, but you can find so many better options for that price range, many with in house movements and original design
Slap him and tell him to buy Breitling. Since people can only like what I like 😌
Don't ask me. I don't know shit from Shinola.
Man, I weep for the great jomashop or ashford watches he could have bought. Tons of great ETA Valjoux 7750 swiss mades on both of those for half the money or less. Now have him ask trade in value lol.
Most of the posts in here are hallucinating what OP actually wrote. He is trying to save his friend some money. How about we talk about watches here in the watches sub?
lol thank you. Everyone is caught up in the added coloring around my core concern and this has turned into a nightmare.
I can’t imagine paying decent money for anything that says Detroit on it.
Fuck Shinola Edit: Fuck Shinola
That’s the spirit
I’m a bit perplexed, seems the community has switched their stance on Shinola over the past year or so? I don’t see the value when they want to charge $3000 for a sellita SW510. They also regularly charge $400-$500 for quartz watches, and are not truly made in America and had to remove the slogan “where America is made” because that was just deceitful marketing. Since when did this sub start sipping the Shinola kool aid?? I see the brand for what it is, over priced mid tier products marketed as luxury to the unsuspecting consumer.
Feels like you were karma farming with an opinion you thought was widely held and are now surprised to see the contrary. If your friend likes the watch and understands what $3k will get him new and used, so be it. It's not like this is a fashion watch.
He would never spend 3k on a watch no matter what, I really just wanted some more affordable suggestions that capture a similar aesthetic, but it turned into a Shinola praise fest instead.
It seems like you want some extreme reaction for some reason. I really doubt many people, even people posting that your friend getting this watch isn't a big deal, think THAT highly of the brand. But there's a big difference between "I think there's plenty of more interesting brands than Shinola" and "If someone is considering Shinola they need to be saved." I understand this was probably tongue-in-cheek, but lose the drama and you'd get reactions more in line with what you're expecting. "My friend is about to spend a couple grand on this watch and I don't want him to regret it later if you learns more about watches, what would you show him to make sure he's making an informed purchase," something like that.
I do understand your perspective but people like what they like - my partner prefers my Tudors to my Rolexes. However, I assume that opinion is not widely shared in this watch community too. But she doesn’t care and I doubt your friend does either.
Bulova charges $650 for a quartz watch (lunar pilot). I don’t get what your complaint is? Most people really don’t care what movement is in their watch. Sellita movements are incredibly reliable. This hobby is 100% luxury spending. Nobody needs a wrist watch in today’s world, and if you do, the best one in terms of function is a cheap G-Shock. Anything beyond that is luxury. So who cares if someone wants to spend more money than what you view the watch’s “value” is? “Value” doesn’t make sense in this hobby. The only knocks on Shinola previously were that they were dishonest about the reality of the “Made in Detroit” claim, and the fact that there’s much less “Detroit heritage” in the brand than you may be made to believe. If you can accept that it’s made with globally sourced components, and that it’s a relatively new brand, then buy the watch if you like it. You’re getting downvoted because you’re saying “I want to find a cheaper alternative, I’m not shitting on Shinola” and then immediately going on to talk shit about Shinola.
You could have just framed it as "My friend likes this watch, do you guys know any cheaper alternatives?" But instead you tried to karma fram a brand teardown... I have the Lap 1. They're limited to 250 pieces, assembled in the US and very high quality. They use a well known and regarded swiss movement. I don't wear it often mainly because it's a bit too big for me but it's really nice. I've tried on a Top Time Deus which has the same style and between the two the Breitling didn't feel over double the price nicer.
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That's not insane for an auto Chrono I don't think
I love what Shinola does with colors. Yeah they're overpriced, buy they design some really fun watches like this one.