# HERE WE GO AGAIN: LOREO SEAGULL MOVEMENT ROLEX HOMAGE REViEW



## casablancawatch

sorry...rotten LG cellphone pic of a great looking watch.

ok...i can hear the groanz. is someone reaLLy reviewing a $100 Chinese Rolex homage watch? ok...'homage' is a kinder term than some of you snobophiles out there might use.

anyway, yes. of course i need to state my seriousness as a person, that i've had new rollies i've purchased from Rolex, including a submariner a few years back. plus many other high end Swiss. that said, i do love interesting pieces, and lower spectrum pieces. heck, i always liked the original VW bug when it came out.

ok...so. i got my Loreo direct from China from ebay at $102 complete, shipping included. a bit lower than an almost equally good amazon price. why buy this? i already spent more than enough money on my Oris 1965, my Damasko über hard case DA46 and many other vintage pieces including Wagner 1939 Luftwaffe signed RLM pilot's watch, Steinhart vintage military one, blah, blah.

i love Rolex sub styling but do not need to have one these days, but wanted something fun. i'd also spent too much on Rolex homage pieces like Armida, Davosa, and in fact was sorry to find some QC issues involving scratches on the pieces...the Davosa being a pricey watch to receive bracelet installation scratches brand new, so i wasn't about to blow bucks on any more mid-price scratched up watches new from the manufacturer.

the Loreo seemed perfect. i also didn't want Rolex knockoffs with weird ebay names like 'corgeut', 'parnis', or any number of weird names that Chinese manufacturers think sound European, but sound more like indelicate body parts. at least the Loreo sounded like it cOULd be a real Euro watch (claims to be made in Germany...heheh). it also had excellent design in the pictures, better than Invictas with their mutilated case sides with an unwanted brand name on them. and if this was going to be a Rolex 'homage' (ok, ripoff), then at least make the case reaLLLy look Rolexy. which this did in the promo pics.

so i bit.

(ACTUAL REViEW STARTS HERE...) and what i got super surprised me. i won't belabor the box and packaging, which was better than most Seikos i get from overseas. but the watch itself, looked really as good as the promo pics. one variance was the magnified date, which isn't quite as magnified as those pics will suggest, but at least as magnified as some $500+ pieces i've purchased. so will give them a pass on that.

the one i purchased came with no bracelet (i remove them from the bracelets and put them on 3-piece leather bund straps, which i love) so i cannot evaluate the steel bracelet. the multicolored nato strap looked like something you'd need to pop $25 for on ebay and was very nice. the watch itself truly looked, yes, like a Rolex physically. but as you and i know, we could tell the diff...but it did look like many even Swiss made Rolex homage pieces from real swiss brands such as Grovana, which you'd be lucky to purchase for $500.

so cosmetically, to look at it even closely on someone's wrist, would suggest a high grade Swiss contemporary of Rolex with an homage style.

but we know better. some handling of the Loreo does not make it crash and burn. it is a nice operating piece. i love the smooth movement of the unidirectional bezel, which by the way aligns up perfectly...which is better than some $1000 Swiss pieces i've bought. the screw down crown is no worse than a $400 Seiko in smoothness clicking from setting position to setting position, or screwing down. the bezel is perhaps too delightfully easy to move for some tastes, tho i like it. there is a tiny bit of play if you try to test it, maybe 1/4 click, but then it snaps back after you push it.

the back is a see thru glass that looks as well constructed as any nominally costing Swiss diver that has such. the movement looks very nice thru the sapphire or mineral crystal (whichever it is), more pleasant than your Seiko 5's and their 7s36's and such. it's totally nice, no horror stories.

as for whether this is 200meter dive watch...even on amazon the ads disclaim that and state 5ATM...so like some promo material claiming 'German technology', i'd eat that with a rock sized grain of salt. but on my leather bund strap, i ain't going diving with it nowhere, no time anyway.

the look of the dial is surprisingly sharp. in person there were no marker alignment problems as i have had with $400 Seiko divers of late. the logo and script (no, this is no chronometre as the type says) looks as nice as midrange Swiss divers i've purchased. the glow markers do in fact glow nicely. when i had my new Rolex sub back around 2000 and datejust a few years later, they would have lost out to this watch. tho nowadays, a Seiko will burn brighter. the bezel is old fashioned aluminum, which is classic old school and ok. the one drawback is no lume pip. in fact i just noticed this while writing this review. if it really bothers one, replacement bezel inserts with pip would be available for this size bezel on ebay for about $20.

the hands however, are superb.

nOw...for the final judgement...the movement...

i know it's some sort of Seagull Chinese movement, and i'm sure someone reading this is more expert than i as to what's in here.

wHAT i expected was some Miyota 8015 clone that would have a stutter seconds hand when shaken briskly because of the well-known non-direct drive attachment of the that hand. i also expected no hacking from the movement (except for the old Seiko trick of turning the crown backwards slightly to stall the movement whilst setting).

to my surprise was a fully hacking movement with NO stuttering seconds hand when i shook it. i have an 8215 in my new Citizen cool looking diver, and can stutter that seconds hand at will with enough of a shake. not so this Loreo movement. upon some research on the internets (as people facetiously call it, made infamous by W. Bush) there was info that what's in this Loreo is a Seagull version of a 2824.

whether that's true or not, i do not know. the beats are more like an NH35, meaning some 21,000 bpm or thereabouts. many renown Swiss movements beat that LOw...so no horror. no stuttering, no variation in ticks beyond what might be in an NH35 (that i could notice).

wHAT i did notice after 24 hours versus my mac AND android phone, was that it lost 2.5 seconds in that time period, out of the box. that was with a very minimal 5-10 winds, and about 16 hours of low activity computer wear, and 10 hours face up. i've posted many times that Seikos routinely beat my 2000 brand NEW Rolex sub, which was about 10 secs a day off, which is outside of its chronometre status. so, i can say i'm pretty pleased with the last bit of this watch to be reviewed...the engine.

ALL iN ALL...this is clearly an acquired taste. like a wine aficionado being able to enjoy 2 buck chuck from Trader Joe's.

but for me it filled a few needs...getting a really ace looking Rolex sub homage with decent qualifications, even if Chinese, at a decent price. WiTHOUT some dopey name like 'corgeut' or 'parnis' on it, sounding like a foreign swearword. i also was curious to have an actual Chinese movement watch and see how it performed...kind of like a novelty. i'm very impressed with this novelty.

as an acquired taste, or niche one-off purchase, or if you like fun low end watches, this is certainly for you. it not only does not crash and burn, it pleasantly surprises. if you're going down to battle sharks...no. otherwise...you might like it. maybe love it.


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## UofRSpider

I can't understand the attraction to a watch that simply copies another's design.


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## casablancawatch

UofRSpider said:


> I can't understand the attraction to a watch that simply copies another's design.


as an artist myself, i'd say design is the key. if you look at Rolex watches today, they've 'modernized' their design to beef their cases up, kind of a Breitiling-ization of Rolex. i am uninterested in that, as many people are not. there is a beauty and purity to the Rolex sub of the early 60s/late 60s that is independent of wanting a status symbol. the entire history of watchmaking, or anything for that matter, is taking/sharing/evolution of design. so if i love a particular type of watch design, i can enjoy it done well by any manufacturer, at any price level. not talking about purely knockoffs with a fake Rolex name, etcetera. while the Loreo could clearly put a Rolex name on their watch and be a knockoff, they don't, and their logo and inexpensive yet impressive rendition of a sub style, along with an inexpensive but curious and interesting Chinese Sea Gull movement, makes this a very interesting and fun/inexpensive piece.

all artists know that it isn't who has their name on a design, it's the design. Steve Jobs liked to refer to Picasso's quote: 'Good artists copy, great artists steal.'

i'll go with that. especially since Loreo brashly just created an inexpensive, but interesting in its own right, virtually stolen submariner design. Loreo may not be a 'great' watch company, or by some standards they may. i find their piece more true to the submariner pure design, with the cool Sea Gull movement twist, and perhaps more interesting than many Swiss $2000 homage's out there, that change perhaps a crown guard to be 'their own'. i love the design, whether it's an old Rolex, or a new inexpensive rendition. i'm also a big pilot watch collector from ww2, and if you try to find the difference between some of them you might be hard pressed to do so. though i'd never say i couldn't understand the attraction to one over the other because they've all pretty much copied each other.

appreciate your comment...hope that helps.


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## pearcyy

I don't see why people are so bothered about homages, people seem to be fine with buying a Steinhart for $450 as it has an ETA movement...


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## cuevobat

casablancawatch said:


> View attachment 11947234
> 
> sorry...rotten LG cellphone pic of a great looking watch.
> 
> ALL iN ALL...this is clearly an acquired taste. like a wine aficionado being able to enjoy 2 buck chuck from Trader Joe's.


Thank you for the review. Based on the reviews I am reading, this is no Rothschild Opus 1; but, I think this is more like the grocery outlet $5.00 wine. Sometimes you can find a good wine for $5.00 at the outlet store. Sapphire and waterproof is a huge improvement for most Chinese watches.

Oh and duly noted, its its a cheap Chinese someone will whine (wine) about it being a clone; but if it cost $1000.00 its fine German engineering or something. Just ignore them and their dogma which will not improve anyones happiness.


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## casablancawatch

cuevobat said:


> Thank you for the review. Based on the reviews I am reading, this is no Rothschild Opus 1; but, I think this is more like the grocery outlet $5.00 wine. Sometimes you can find a good wine for $5.00 at the outlet store. Sapphire and waterproof is a huge improvement for most Chinese watches.
> 
> Oh and duly noted, its its a cheap Chinese someone will whine (wine) about it being a clone; but if it cost $1000.00 its fine German engineering or something. Just ignore them and their dogma which will not improve anyones happiness.


thanks for understanding. right now i'm wearing my $2400 list price all swiss all ceramic swiss movement diver watch which i adore, but as you imply i can also enjoy 2 buck chuck (now $3?) when it's not bad. i did get the Loreo as kind of an experiment, curious about the movement. but mainly because the rolex look is more right on than any homage piece i've ever seen. better than my german/swiss Steinhart (which i love).

at 5 sec slow a day continuously, this beats all my swiss watches. hacks. winds. (i believe it's actually a clone of the miyota 8215 but with hacking added). looks so good. i suppose most of all, i really enjoy slapping it on. which is pretty much why people who have fine wine taste don't mind picking up some 2 buck chuck from trader joe's. you can like both. your comments appreciated.


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## UofRSpider

pearcyy said:


> I don't see why people are so bothered about homages, people seem to be fine with buying a Steinhart for $450 as it has an ETA movement...


Nope, will not wear one of those ****ters either.


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## cuevobat

Got me some Two Buck Chuck!










Its pretty well built. The crystal is quite clear and nice. The green is pretty cool too. How it will hold up, I don't know. The size is perfect for me. The dial is sharp and the markers are aligned well. Mine came with a bracelet for $79.00. I walked indoors after a few hours in the sun and the markers glowed pretty well, the hands not as much. I hoped to use it for modification; but, alas I like the green one so much I think I will keep it in tact, at least for now. Maybe I will buy a black one for modification.


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## StufflerMike

WOW, a superlative chronometer officially certified ? A certified downright lie.


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## James Haury

I need to work on my Coregut.They say a strong coregut is essential for overall fitness






. I have two ALPHA Sub homages (ones a milsub)












and like them a lot.I also have a SOKI sub homage or I did.Three direct sub homages is too much so i put a plain bezel on it that i got from Meranom.


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## finn-berlin

so after reading many posts here, this is my first post - i got myself a loreo! now i have a couple of questions: what's the name of the seagull movement in my loreo? do i need to be worried about lubrication (of the movement of course!)? what's your guess on the water resistance of these watches? so far, i love my loreo, it's within 5-7 seconds fast, out of the box, per day. the date cyclopse seems to be slightly crooked - but hey - i've read a ton about the same issue on the 9000$ original... so hey, i'm a happy camper!


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## StufflerMike

With 5-7 sec/24 hrs fast it is out of the chronometer norm defined by COSC. But I already mentioned it is a farce.
But hey, if you‘re happy with it.....


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## finn-berlin

dear mike, i paid 79$ with shipping from china... and yeah: i'm happy!


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## casablancawatch

weLL...cosc accuracy is 4-6 seconds, so just a second off ;D

but yeah, i do understand there's more to cosc standards than that. still, pretty impressive. most of my eta 2824 swiss made divers, and i have a few, average 10 to 14 seconds fast. but i did buy it for fun. it's like a kit car that looks just like a ferrari, but with a vw engine under the hood. still fun.


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## casablancawatch

hey, this is exactly the one i have...the one i originally posted a photo of had a bezel issue, but this one is as good as any seiko i have...bezel wise. looks great on the nato!


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## finn-berlin

i've brought it to my local watchmaker around the corner, he's testing water resistance... my parnis already passed with flying colours... CHECK 10 atm PASSED! i'm looking forward to the results of my loreo/corgeut and also my citizien diver & ecodrive (both over 10 years old) ...


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## finn-berlin

thx casablancawatch - i agree: i think it looks stunning on the nato... i have more natos coming my way, i‘m impressed with the prices on .........s... even leather natos for around 3-4$... i‘ll keep you posted!


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## Mtech

I got my $79 less $3 coupon Loreo day date sub last week. It's running about +10 secs/24 hours right now. I had thought that getting the back off would be easy, but Loreo uses a larger RLX type die than I had, the largest RLX type case back die I have is 29.5mm diameter. So I had to scrounge in my Dog's collection of toys for a squishy ball to remove the back. It worked!

The Loreo is equipped with a ST16 movement (or TY2806) from Seagull. I'll see how well I can manually regulate it, usually takes 3-5 attempts.

My observations so far:
The build quality is okay, I have some Parnis type subs that cost $25 more that present a better tactile feeling. Lume is not bad, lasts all night long but it's not Seiko bright at all.
The hand winding is exceptionally nice, this is common for the ST16. The screw down crown is just as good as any, except my Deep Blue 1000m sub or Seiko OM.

Bezel action is noisy and doesn't align perfectly. 90 click bezel. Slightly loose in the left-to-right shove, not more than 0.10mm play, but not something I have seen in other bargain subs from Parnis or mainstream brands. Aluminum painted insert for bezel, no ceramic here folks! No lume pip at 12 either.

The date on mine switches over at 12:00am exactly, not off by a minute! this shows some attention by the person installing the hands at Loreo.
No dust or debris on dial, and indices are well positioned so that the minute hand hits all the markers correctly - helps with my OCD.

Bracelet is comfy and uses pins to adjust. The design is common to the genre but Loreo has selected a side profile that is not RLX inspired, kudos to them. Clasp is plain fold over with flip lock, no blatant copies of RLX here, Seiko or Orient must have been inspiration. No extension feature for wearing over wet suit, not that anyone would expect such.

Conclusions: I think this day date sub with the green dial and bezel is a good deal. Sapphire, some WR, nice smooth sweep, evidence of care at assembly. What stands out is how Loreo has tried to incorporate their own ideas into the sub genre without making a semi-replica. My choice of the day date version was for two reasons: 1. I like this format. 2. it makes it clear that this is not a RLX wanna bee.


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## casablancawatch

thanks for your investigation of the piece. the one i have is very rolex subby...it looks like an almost exact version of the one just prior to the thicker latest (ugly imo) redesign...so a bit perplexed by your comment it does not have the side profile of the rolex. might be different views we have on that...BUT curious if you saw evidence it had been lubricated VS. being sent dry as has been the knock on these movements when sold by some parnis sellers on ebay...i'd like to think LOREO does NOT do that. my accuracy has been as good as any swiss on my piece...THANKS ahead of time for info on the 'if oiled' issue.


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## Mtech

casablancawatch said:


> .so a bit perplexed by your comment it does not have the side profile of the rolex.


My observation of the side profile was limited to the stainless steel bracelet! The links of the bracelet when viewed from the side are slightly different than the RLX or wanna bees. The Loreo bracelet links look - to me - like baked bread loaves ) sorry if I gave you the impression I was talking about the watch case...which IS virtually exact copy of RLX per standards of this type of watch.

For lubrication, yes mine was lubed on the most important area (balance). Keep in mind that if you can see oil on the pivots without 5x or 10x loupe - it can be evidence of too much oil. Too much oil is worse than none. I'd not be too worried about oiling, the lifespan of this ST16 engine should be around 15 years and the cost of replacing the engine is far cheaper than servicing.


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## casablancawatch

thanks for the write back and opinion on the lubrication...nice to know. as for the side view, glad to know we agree as it looks super like a rolex...i take the bracelets off my divers and put them on 3 piece bund straps so wasn't on top of the bracelet look, tho it did seem a nice one, especially at that price point. certainly better than the NON-solid link ones seiko frustratingly puts on their seiko 5s!


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## oceanfan

Oddly enough I came across this brand by accident and from what I have read. I have not seen anything that states “made in Germany” though the words “German Technology” certainly caught my eye and not really sure where that comes from. I will order one none the less.


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## Jmadams71

Hi all, I recently pick one of these up from @#$zon for $55.00. For the money I'm impressed it's running about + 4 seconds a day. The only bad thing is is the bezel supposed to be blue and it's more purple. The lum is about on par with my Squale 1545 20 Atmos.


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## eco-drive

@Jmadams71 - Where can I get one for $55?


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## astrum3d

I cannot understand how individuals cannot understand why people want copies or homages of more expensive watches. My guess is they actually do understand, there's just some other cognitive, id, ego, and super ego stuff getting in the way. Homages are evinced in car design, fashion design, architecture, and (God forbid) watch design. I think a deeper and more multivariable analyses of homages in any design form will yield they are not just common today, but across time.


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## MikeOL

casablancawatch said:


> View attachment 11947234
> 
> sorry...rotten LG cellphone pic of a great looking watch.
> 
> ok...i can hear the groanz. is someone reaLLy reviewing a $100 Chinese Rolex homage watch? ok...'homage' is a kinder term than some of you snobophiles out there might use...


Hello all
Great review and topic.

I have had 3 loreo watches for a year
Green with this theme, White shark series (it's best for me) and a chronograph with a gray dial (I do not like quarc because I do not like it).

I have a problem with the Green submariner because in my copy is a too short key and hi get out of the crown...
The watchmaker glued the whole thing a second time but I can not peel the date.
Where can I buy parts to repair my most-used watch?

@Mtech wrote that:
"... The Loreo is equipped with a ST16 movement (or TY2806) from Seagull. I'll see how well it takes 3-5 attempts ..."
is the most useful info on my case, do you know sellers selling parts?

In addition to these watches I have an old orienat and a few seiko 5 including superior carbon 
However, in Chinese I have sapphire glass and that's why I all timeb use them

ps.sorry for my anglish I use a google translator


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## No1VIPER

Jmadams71 said:


> Hi all, I recently pick one of these up from @#$zon for $55.00. For the money I'm impressed it's running about + 4 seconds a day. The only bad thing is is the bezel supposed to be blue and it's more purple. The lum is about on par with my Squale 1545 20 Atmos.


How long does the lume last roughly?

Sent from my BLA-L09 using Tapatalk


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## casablancawatch

hi...like with vostok basic watches, the watches are so inexpensive i'd recommend just getting another one as a donor watch. luckily vostok sells parts, but even with fairly expensive swiss watches that have an integral bracelet or other unique qualities, i've gotten a spare entire watch when they've been on sale. for the loreo's i'd definitely get a donor or 2...get it off of ebay from a good seller, or even amazon...you should be able to find them for $100 or thereabouts, and you'll have every part you'll need, even a case if you smack the case and dent or scratch it bad.


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## casablancawatch

i'd get one from a reputable dealer and pay the extra...probably $100. i've gotten different quality loreo's, like one where the bezel broke very quickly. got one from another dealer and it was an entirely different quality the way the bezel was put together. you get what you pay for, even with low cost watches. still, probably on ebay you can find one for less and hope for the best.


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## casablancawatch

alas, sorry to say not too long in the one i got. but they may be doing better these days. i will say i got a swiss diver recently, mathey tissot, automatic, where the lume lasted even less well than my loreo...so there you have it. you can always replace the bezel insert from ebay with a good glowing pip, and relume or replace the hands with better glow on them. cheap way to take care of that issue...the dial markers are not really needed to see the time in the dark if the hands and pip glow well. be nice, but not necessary.


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## Homo Sapien X

Your watch looks great for that price. 
As long as you like it, others view doesn’t matter. It’s your money not theirs.
Homage watches are viewed as a ripoff. To many Rolex sub owners, they are insults. To some extent I agree, those guys spent thousands on those metals and it is disgusting to see others spent much lesser that looks almost similar but without the crowns (of course except those replicas).
I personally love to own a Rolex watch like a sub, but then again, i would not part my money on hyped up watches created by speculators or marketers.
Rolex sub is simpler to copy, no complication. 
If you want a real Rolex sub, just wait for the next financial crisis, you may get one at a great bargain.


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## firepower9966

Anyone know the movement used in Loreo Day and Date complication submariner dive. I dont like date model with cyclops and dont like Mercedes style hands.
thinking of buying day date model and changing hand style to sword or bars style.


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## firepower9966

Anyone know the movement used in Loreo Day and Date complication submariner dive. I dont like date model with cyclops and dont like Mercedes style hands.
thinking of buying day date model and changing hand style to sword or bars style.
View attachment 13497415


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## Cheap Watch Guy

firepower9966 said:


> Anyone know the movement used in Loreo Day and Date complication submariner dive. I dont like date model with cyclops and dont like Mercedes style hands.
> thinking of buying day date model and changing hand style to sword or bars style.
> View attachment 13497415


I reviewed that watch in the Chinese Mechanical section, I too prefer no cyclops. I think it's a Seagull movement, mine's a bit jerky when setting, but I still like it a lot, wear it all the time.

https://www.watchuseek.com/f72/review-loreo-submariner-day-date-l9201-4683545.html


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## firepower9966

After more search found this info

Loreo Date movement is TY2806 info and has hand size info too.
https://www.esslinger.com/chinese-3...ent-ty2806-date-at-3-00-overall-height-7-6mm/

Loreo Day Date movement may be this one. Needs confirming I just searched for chinese movement with day date.
https://www.esslinger.com/chinese-3...03-day-and-date-at-3-00-overall-height-7-7mm/

Hands to suit Loreo Movement 
https://www.esslinger.com/watch-han...e-size-1-00mm-and-hour-hand-hole-size-1-50mm/

Alixepress PARNIS and BLIGER hands should fit Loreo all use same movement.
MIYOTA 8205 8215 821A ST1612 TY2806 Automatic Movement Watch Needle H22


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## fandi

Anyone got this Loreo 9202. I need some real life pics of it. Thanks.


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## joepac

finn-berlin said:


> so after reading many posts here, this is my first post - i got myself a loreo! now i have a couple of questions: what's the name of the seagull movement in my loreo? do i need to be worried about lubrication (of the movement of course!)? what's your guess on the water resistance of these watches? so far, i love my loreo, it's within 5-7 seconds fast, out of the box, per day. the date cyclopse seems to be slightly crooked - but hey - i've read a ton about the same issue on the 9000$ original... so hey, i'm a happy camper!
> View attachment 12792533


If it's a 8215 clone with hacking, it is likely a DG2813 or TY2806. I have a few watches I modded with this movement and they are OK for their price. Seconds sweep stutter is prominent especially around 1 to 3 o'clock but overall mine have been reliable. These are cheap watches and you get more than the money you pay IMO but let's not pretend they are on par with even the ETA clones. And sorry OP but "Loreo" is no better than "Corgeut" et al... Well maybe "Parnis" lol.

Bottom line: Enjoy the watch! Who cares what people think.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk


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## pwk

fandi said:


> Anyone got this Loreo 9202. I need some real life pics of it. Thanks.
> View attachment 13499695


I have this exact one. Very good quality for the price.


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## Mtech

My Loreo has convinced me that I was ripped off. Last November I replaced the original movement with a $35 CAD replacement, got it running pretty accurately, and today the bezel ratchet pin snapped off.

The Loreo uses a pretty old tech single pin on a spring to act as the ratchet on bezel, the tip of this pin is about 0.5mm diameter and not robust. Next thing to start failing is the screw down crown tube, threads are starting to go - the watch is not 1 year old!

Piece of ...... Never again for this brand.


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## Mtech

deleted, double post.


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## JakusBravo

UofRSpider said:


> I can't understand the attraction to a watch that simply copies another's design.


I understand I am late to the party on this response...

Admin edit, from our rules: 9. _No discussions or pictures of replica watches, or links to replica watch sites unless previously approved by a Moderator or site Administrators. In general, any posts that involve the discussion, encouragement, or solicitation of any kind of illegal activities, whether watch-related or not, is strictly prohibited._ 

I'm hoping this homage will give me the look and feel I want without the cost.

Admin note: a watch with a falsely branded dial is not an homage, it is a fake/replica/counterfeit.


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## MrKermy9282

casablancawatch said:


> View attachment 11947234
> 
> sorry...rotten LG cellphone pic of a great looking watch.
> 
> ok...i can hear the groanz. is someone reaLLy reviewing a $100 Chinese Rolex homage watch? ok...'homage' is a kinder term than some of you snobophiles out there might use.
> 
> anyway, yes. of course i need to state my seriousness as a person, that i've had new rollies i've purchased from Rolex, including a submariner a few years back. plus many other high end Swiss. that said, i do love interesting pieces, and lower spectrum pieces. heck, i always liked the original VW bug when it came out.
> 
> ok...so. i got my Loreo direct from China from ebay at $102 complete, shipping included. a bit lower than an almost equally good amazon price. why buy this? i already spent more than enough money on my Oris 1965, my Damasko über hard case DA46 and many other vintage pieces including Wagner 1939 Luftwaffe signed RLM pilot's watch, Steinhart vintage military one, blah, blah.
> 
> i love Rolex sub styling but do not need to have one these days, but wanted something fun. i'd also spent too much on Rolex homage pieces like Armida, Davosa, and in fact was sorry to find some QC issues involving scratches on the pieces...the Davosa being a pricey watch to receive bracelet installation scratches brand new, so i wasn't about to blow bucks on any more mid-price scratched up watches new from the manufacturer.
> 
> the Loreo seemed perfect. i also didn't want Rolex knockoffs with weird ebay names like 'corgeut', 'parnis', or any number of weird names that Chinese manufacturers think sound European, but sound more like indelicate body parts. at least the Loreo sounded like it cOULd be a real Euro watch (claims to be made in Germany...heheh). it also had excellent design in the pictures, better than Invictas with their mutilated case sides with an unwanted brand name on them. and if this was going to be a Rolex 'homage' (ok, ripoff), then at least make the case reaLLLy look Rolexy. which this did in the promo pics.
> 
> so i bit.
> 
> (ACTUAL REViEW STARTS HERE...) and what i got super surprised me. i won't belabor the box and packaging, which was better than most Seikos i get from overseas. but the watch itself, looked really as good as the promo pics. one variance was the magnified date, which isn't quite as magnified as those pics will suggest, but at least as magnified as some $500+ pieces i've purchased. so will give them a pass on that.
> 
> the one i purchased came with no bracelet (i remove them from the bracelets and put them on 3-piece leather bund straps, which i love) so i cannot evaluate the steel bracelet. the multicolored nato strap looked like something you'd need to pop $25 for on ebay and was very nice. the watch itself truly looked, yes, like a Rolex physically. but as you and i know, we could tell the diff...but it did look like many even Swiss made Rolex homage pieces from real swiss brands such as Grovana, which you'd be lucky to purchase for $500.
> 
> so cosmetically, to look at it even closely on someone's wrist, would suggest a high grade Swiss contemporary of Rolex with an homage style.
> 
> but we know better. some handling of the Loreo does not make it crash and burn. it is a nice operating piece. i love the smooth movement of the unidirectional bezel, which by the way aligns up perfectly...which is better than some $1000 Swiss pieces i've bought. the screw down crown is no worse than a $400 Seiko in smoothness clicking from setting position to setting position, or screwing down. the bezel is perhaps too delightfully easy to move for some tastes, tho i like it. there is a tiny bit of play if you try to test it, maybe 1/4 click, but then it snaps back after you push it.
> 
> the back is a see thru glass that looks as well constructed as any nominally costing Swiss diver that has such. the movement looks very nice thru the sapphire or mineral crystal (whichever it is), more pleasant than your Seiko 5's and their 7s36's and such. it's totally nice, no horror stories.
> 
> as for whether this is 200meter dive watch...even on amazon the ads disclaim that and state 5ATM...so like some promo material claiming 'German technology', i'd eat that with a rock sized grain of salt. but on my leather bund strap, i ain't going diving with it nowhere, no time anyway.
> 
> the look of the dial is surprisingly sharp. in person there were no marker alignment problems as i have had with $400 Seiko divers of late. the logo and script (no, this is no chronometre as the type says) looks as nice as midrange Swiss divers i've purchased. the glow markers do in fact glow nicely. when i had my new Rolex sub back around 2000 and datejust a few years later, they would have lost out to this watch. tho nowadays, a Seiko will burn brighter. the bezel is old fashioned aluminum, which is classic old school and ok. the one drawback is no lume pip. in fact i just noticed this while writing this review. if it really bothers one, replacement bezel inserts with pip would be available for this size bezel on ebay for about $20.
> 
> the hands however, are superb.
> 
> nOw...for the final judgement...the movement...
> 
> i know it's some sort of Seagull Chinese movement, and i'm sure someone reading this is more expert than i as to what's in here.
> 
> wHAT i expected was some Miyota 8015 clone that would have a stutter seconds hand when shaken briskly because of the well-known non-direct drive attachment of the that hand. i also expected no hacking from the movement (except for the old Seiko trick of turning the crown backwards slightly to stall the movement whilst setting).
> 
> to my surprise was a fully hacking movement with NO stuttering seconds hand when i shook it. i have an 8215 in my new Citizen cool looking diver, and can stutter that seconds hand at will with enough of a shake. not so this Loreo movement. upon some research on the internets (as people facetiously call it, made infamous by W. Bush) there was info that what's in this Loreo is a Seagull version of a 2824.
> 
> whether that's true or not, i do not know. the beats are more like an NH35, meaning some 21,000 bpm or thereabouts. many renown Swiss movements beat that LOw...so no horror. no stuttering, no variation in ticks beyond what might be in an NH35 (that i could notice).
> 
> wHAT i did notice after 24 hours versus my mac AND android phone, was that it lost 2.5 seconds in that time period, out of the box. that was with a very minimal 5-10 winds, and about 16 hours of low activity computer wear, and 10 hours face up. i've posted many times that Seikos routinely beat my 2000 brand NEW Rolex sub, which was about 10 secs a day off, which is outside of its chronometre status. so, i can say i'm pretty pleased with the last bit of this watch to be reviewed...the engine.
> 
> ALL iN ALL...this is clearly an acquired taste. like a wine aficionado being able to enjoy 2 buck chuck from Trader Joe's.
> 
> but for me it filled a few needs...getting a really ace looking Rolex sub homage with decent qualifications, even if Chinese, at a decent price. WiTHOUT some dopey name like 'corgeut' or 'parnis' on it, sounding like a foreign swearword. i also was curious to have an actual Chinese movement watch and see how it performed...kind of like a novelty. i'm very impressed with this novelty.
> 
> as an acquired taste, or niche one-off purchase, or if you like fun low end watches, this is certainly for you. it not only does not crash and burn, it pleasantly surprises. if you're going down to battle sharks...no. otherwise...you might like it. maybe love it.


Whats the long range verdict? Has anything broken between your review and now? Is the bracelet removeable?


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## casablancawatch

MrKermy9282 said:


> Whats the long range verdict? Has anything broken between your review and now? Is the bracelet removeable?


thanks for the interest. i've actually not worn this watch much...it was more just a curiousity and impulse buy, but it still looks great, runs well with no breakage. most of my attention is turned these days to my Swiss diver pieces, but i'll say that the quality control on this has been better than almost all seiko divers AND microbrands i've purchased since. this included $500 microbrands like nethuns, aragon and even an invicta diver automatic. i'm really shocked and saddened as to what is sent out from not inexpensive microbrands today, as well as the typical alignment issues with seikos. compared to all that, this watch is really a wonder.


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