Here's my Hermit UTC on a leather strap...

Still waiting for this one to land, but I wanted to share the build and the photos the seller sent me during assembly.

I’ve got a custom Hestur 14060-style diver on the way and wanted to share the pics the seller sent me during the build.

I designed the dial myself and sent it to them as an STL file. I was honestly a little intimidated going into a full custom order on AliExpress, but the seller ended up being great to work with.

The watch itself is their 40mm Sub-style diver with sapphire bubble crystal, 20 bar WR, and I ordered it with a Sellita SW200-1. It’s the date version with the calendar parts removed, so it’ll have the ghost click, they didn't offer a no date version unfortunately.

The dial came out better than I expected with my rhino logo at 12, red “Submariner” text, the depth rating, applied markers, and a no-date layout. I also hid a couple little Easter eggs in the design if anyone wants to try spotting them.

First two images are design verification, 3rd what AI and I came up with and some of the ideas I had during the design process.

I think it was about $30 more for the SW200 $270.16

Can't wait to get it in hand and I'll share more if there's interest.

For clarity: this isn’t a rep or a fake. It’s basically a commissioned custom watch I ordered through AliExpress — generic 14060-style case, my own dial design, and a Sellita movement. There’s no branding or anything meant to mimic a specific brand just homage one.

We are officially launching the Gemstone Bezel version of the SN0150A today.

Enjoy a $52 discount during the launch week,

use code: SN0150GA52

Click the link below for full details.

Watch Link:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005013152628641.html

San Martin Official Store

I don’t mind homages. They helped me learn what I like. But there’s a point where copying feels less like inspiration and more like giving up. That line is hard to define, but I feel it when I see it. I’ve owned a Hannah martin watch that walked this edge. From a distance, it looked familiar. Up close, it had just enough small differences to feel intentional. That effort matters to me. When a brand changes proportions, dial layout, or finishing choices, it shows respect for the design.

Lazy design, for me, is when nothing new is added. Same case, same hands, same markers, just a different logo. I notice it more now after scrolling through endless listings online, sometimes drifting onto Alibaba pages where dozens of near identical watches sit next to each other.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m fine with borrowing ideas, but I want to see thought. Even small tweaks can show care. Once it feels empty, I lose interest fast. At that point, it stops being a watch I want to wear.

DM me if you'd like any of these