We bought this watch from Ali Express in our quest to find cheap timekeeping for the masses, because sometimes that’s all you need for everyday wear. Save the Swiss watches and Seikos for Sundays and special occasions maybe?

OK, so what we have is a basic 42mm watch with a white dial and grey/black chapter ring. It looks a little bit like a slimmed down Ingersoll/Triumph pocket watch from the 60s, with a bold red second hand plus a date window at 6pm.

The steel case feels smooth, well polished and has the TPW logo on the back. Looks easy to pop the tab on the caseback when it’s time to change the battery too.

The crystal is raised slightly above the bezel, which makes the watch look a bit more finished, more designed, than the average sub-tenner basic watch.  The TPW is about 11mm thick in total, so it sits neatly under a shirt sleeve.

A faux leather strap completes the budget look and at £6.50 including shipping from China, yes six pounds fifty pence, this has to be one of the better looking cheap-as-chips chinese watches NWC mag has road tested.

There’s no box or paperwork so you can’t fob off an annoying relative by buying them this watch for their birthday and pretending it cost twenty notes. Nah, not that we would ever do that.

VERDICT; A winner at this money.