Once upon a time, Ali Express automatic watches were cheap and cheerful. Indeed we bought a few here at NWC to review. Some were nice, others had some issues. But you can’ deny that overall the quality needed to be improved. Well, now it is happening, same deal as Chinese motorcycles basically, they get better and you pay more.

So this latest Tudor homage from Seestern/Sugess caught our eye on Ali Ex recently, with some nice details like the domed crystal, Seiko auto movement and steel bracelet. Only 100m of resistance, but still, it isn’t pretending to be a dive watch at 200 dollars.

Available with either brand name on the dial, it makes an interesting alternative to many other budget automatics on Ali Ex, or entry level stuff from Indie brands like Marloe, Christopher Ward, San Martin, Invicta, Vostok, Maen, Zelos, Aries and many more.

Yeah, the Seestern is slightly cheaper than many automatic rivals and it pulls off the Tudor styling nicely. But if you have got used to Ali Ex watches for under $100 pre-lockdown, then you’ll maybe wonder if they’re worth double the price three years later. It’s worth remembering that if you decide to sell a Chinese made watch, you’ll find limited demand once you start asking over $75. OK, you could lose a bundle more buying a new Rado, Hamilton or even a Longines, which then goes out of fashion quicker than Ashley Banjo’s comedy trousers, but it’s another factor to weigh up before you start collecting these things.

Like fashion brand watches from Boss, Kors, MVMT, Sekonda or many more, Ali Ex watches are best viewed as disposable consumer items, novelties to brighten up your wrist for a year or two.

More here.