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The Rare Deal – Under $200, 200m, no logo… auto.

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MWC Submariner PVD “Bond Strap” Automatic – $199.00

This seems like a pleasantly strange combination for under $200 shipped:

  • 21 Jewel Automatic Movement
  • Classic Submariner styling with a color twist
  • 200m water resistance
  • 20mm lugs, so a pretty common strap width
  • Black PVD Case that looks even better on the MWC website
  • No branding on the dial.  None.


42mm without the crown, 45mm with.  Description says it’s “brand new” and is available through MWC with a plain black strap.  Go with Need Supply Co where it ships free.  Got one on the way for an in person.  You a fan of the no-logo here?  Or is a watch like a car (hood ornament), and the lack of branding here looks slightly empty to you? 
Top Photo Credit: naotaekm

Comments

  3. Almost bought this with the black/red strap. Went with the Martac mid instead due to the movement. The Miyota is tried and true. But for 200? I might still order this one. Besides, Im a huge fan of dive watches and this sucker is identical to the Rolex Sub. Thanks in advance for the future review!

  6. Information not provided: Is this a sapphire crystal? Is this a hacking movement? where is the movement made? where is the case made?
    Looks like an interesting watch, though…

  7. Seems like a good deal for submariner homage. It’s not for me as I’m not a fan of Mercedes hands. I do like the clean design with no logo.

  8. I don’t know. I think it looks a bit bland with no branding of any sort. Also, don’t love the Mercedes logo on the hand. Not for me.

  10. Most likely not a sapphire crystal (if they don’t say it), and it is a Chinese movement most likely a clone of the Miyota 8215 (non hacking auto), the reputation of this watch brand is “some what” spotty if you spend anytime on the watch forums.

  11. i think the sans logo look is better. takes away the stigma and leaves you with a good looking watch.

  12. Love my mid size Countycomm pilot’s watch, 1st time my bro saw it on my wrist he thought I bought a Bell & Ross, plus Countycomm watch bands (maratac) are the gold standard for durability if you like “Nato” style bands (just not a tone of multi color straps).

  18. Nice. The only possible downside I can see, on the Parnis, is that they don’t advertise it as being 200m water resistant. they don’t give a number at all…only that it is “Water resistant”. Then again, who here is really going to go diving with their Rolex homage?

  19. I agree… I was thinking the whole time, “Maratac, Maratac, Maratac…”

    Although… wouldn’t hurt to check this one out…

  20. IF… you can get one. Big fan of that design and the crown. Also really cool that they’ve got two sizes now. But they’re in stock for what seems like a week, then out of stock for months. Jealous of you guys who got one…

  21. Seiko for quality, name brand, reliability and a bit of originality. Seiko is highly respected for their automatic watches.

    Parnis for price, and maybe a bit better reputation.

  22. I would advise against the Parnis. Seems like a hit or miss based on watch forums. With today’s sales/marketing being more service based, it is wiser to buy from a company who will service or replace the watch if anything should happen to it.

  24. I see what you’re saying, but even so – seems to be a bit much to me. To blatant a copy on the submariner. I’d prefer a solid filled in circle I think.

  25. Hmm, maybe it’s just me but I see it as looking clunky and bloated. I’ll be honest I’m not normally a fan of submariner style watches anyway, but I see the hour circles being too big, the casing being massive and the black on black making it look even further bloated.

  26. Exactly. Asking too much for a Chinese 21 jewel movement and a Rolex replica case with a sterile dial. You can get this for under $100 with a stainless steel bracelet.

  29. Totally fair. But there’s something worthwhile/comforting to me, about buying from a solid retailer. Same goes for a watch that’s got a 200m rating. And the no-logo thing appeals to plenty. Guessing I’m also slanted because I’ve been looking for a PVD/Black watch for awhile.

  30. Apparently MWC doesn’t get unanimous love on watch forums either, but I’m with you 100% on buying through a reputable retailer. I just can’t buy new (or used) goods off ebay that’s getting shipped in from the ends of the earth with no option to return.

  31. I’m a noob to watch-snobery, but the watch forums aren’t very kind to Invicta. They are known for being really cheap. Theior water resistance claims may also be a bit inflated.

  33. I’d stay away from Invicta. They may look nice from a distance, but they are throwaway watches. Better off spending a little more on a Seiko.

  34. Heh. I don’t like to gamble with $80 (you’ll find me at the $5 craps tables not moving a lot of chips around). Appreciate the much, much cheaper alternative though.

  35. Even the logo’d version looks nice. I just think the plain face looks a bit bare. I prefer the stainless steel to the PVD finish. Noth these are pretty big though at 43mm without the crown

  36. I’ve had a leather strap quartz invicta for a few years that has treated me real well, but you’re dead on with the invicta “inflated” thing. Especially their prices. The suggested retail is laughable. I’m surprised they just don’t put “a bazillion dollars” then strike through that, only to follow up with $89.99

  38. The 8926OB is a very popular watch and generally is regarded as “bullet proof” by watch fans (ask Joe I am always pimping it), don’t pay more then $100.00 for it by the way. Invicta has been shipping the 8926 w/ a good Seiko auto movement recently vs. the Miyota movement (another good movement).

  42. Bought an MWC a while back (different model). Wore it for ten minutes and returned it. It was an ok watch, just not really what I was expecting for the money I paid.

    As far as the logo goes – not sure why it matters. A boring Rolex-alike without a logo, that copies possibly the most-copied watch in the world, is still a boring Rolex-alike that copies the most-copied watch in the world. Nobody with a basic knowledge of popular watch models is going to be more likely to think your watch is a Rolex, or less likely to think that it’s a “fake,” than if it had the maker’s logo on it.

  43. I hear you. But I did take a gamble on this sub homage and was glad I did:

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Men-Date-Display-Stainless-Steel-Automatic-Mechanical-Sport-Wrist-Watch-GIFT-NEW-/251062084413?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item3a7477633d

    Automatic, hand-windable, hacking movement, unidirectional bezel, screw
    down crown and stainless bracelet – All for $37. Word on the street is
    that some Chinese company copied the miyota movement and tweaked it to
    make it hackable and hand windable, and then stuck it in this thing and a
    bunch of other homages (who knows). I’ve had mine for about four months, wear it
    all the time and it’s still going strong. The clasp is a little flimsy
    but hey, $37 isn’t bad at all to have a decent looking automatic beater
    that I wont cry over if it dies tomorrow.

    I do like the sterile dial on the MWC.

  45. Maybe it is, but at least from picture (in person will always be different) the black casing eliminates any contrast with the black face, making it look like one big awkward piece.

  46. Well known to be crappy watches.

    MWC claims to sell to the military, but has never been contracted to do so. Some service members do buy them, but with the same logic Timex could plausible claim to sell to the military too. For the money stick with a Seiko, or Citizen (or even a Timex).

    Interesting discussion about them on the Military Watch Forum here http://www.mwrforum.net/forums/showthread.php?t=20047&highlight=MWC

  47. Honestly, and I’m probably in the minority here, I never considered their name to = they make watches for any branch of the US or other nation’s military. Seemed more like a branding and style thing to me.

    I’m a huge fan of Seiko: http://dappered.com/2011/06/in-person-the-seiko-5-snzj59-review/ and I’m waiting patiently for the day they dump more white-dial versions of those onto the market.

    Not personally against branding on watches, but I know plenty of guys who read the site hate logos of any kind. Was trying to offer them an option without a logo, had an automatic movement, and that black case looked pretty slick at first glance. The 200m water resistance and the fact that you could get it from a reputable dealer were also big pluses. But once it shows up, if it feels flimsy, when then yeah… that’ll stink to high heaven.

    Thanks for the heads up about the quality concerns voiced by the watch forum crowd. Don’t get to those myself.

  48. You’re doing a great job Joe. I enjoy what you’ve been doing here. Didn’t mean my comment to appear to be a criticism of you/your writing (or what you bring up for consideration). Should have been clearer in my writing. MWC are simply overpriced, but the lack of a logo is a nice feature.

    My comment on the “military” was actually in response to their website and the claims they make there. Lots of watch companies do similar marketing.

  50. For ~$200 I’d go with a Maratac Pilot watch. Pretty unbeatable value in this range. For dive watches under $200, stick with an Orient Mako or a Seiko.

    The sweet spot for me is in the $400-600 range. For Sub homage watches, I recommend a Steinhart Ocean DLC, Ocean Vintage Military, or a Christopher Ward C60 Trident. All great divers with solid Swiss movements, sapphire crystals, 2-5 year guaranties and tested to 300m depths.

  52. You know where I kind find out more information about that watch? For $37, I’m very tempted.

  55. No Invicta fan boy here! Can’t go wrong w/ the 8926OB – this is the watch that built the brand, if I have issues w/ a $100 or less watch most likely will just buy a new one so I don’t worry about their “service.”

  56. Parnis has nothing on Seiko.

    It is not so much a brand as a name used by a number of factories putting out the same watches. Their watches seem to come from different factories, and the quality of a piece often depends on who supplies it to you. Workmanship is hit and miss – dials might be slightly misaligned, or the numbers on the dials might not be stuck down properly, but to what extent this is an issue is totally dependent on how obsessive compulsive you are. There are accounts of loose screws within the case as well, but I’m sure that the majority of their watches work just fine. For a hundred-dollar watch though, I’d say it’s pretty good value for money.