Wristwatch Review: Auriol GMT-style Quartz Watch

Hands-On With a LIDL Watch

The German discount grocery chain, LIDL, has an interesting business model that centers around low grocery prices in small footprint neighborhood grocery stores. The chain also offers other goods on an occasional or "special buy" basis. One watch that they offered was from their house-brand Auriol had the look of a GMT-watch. However, it did not have actual GMT functionality. I found one in a Georgia thrift store so we can take a closer look at it.

Auriol GMT-Style Watch from LIDL

LIDL Watch Features

The Auriol GMT style watch has a rotating bezel with 24-hour markings. However, it doesn't have a dedicated fourth hand to provide GMT time keeping. The watch has hour markings similar to those of a classic timepiece and the case protrudes to protect the crown.

Auriol GMT-Style Watch

LIDL Watch Dimensions

This watch isn't too little. The case is about 43mm in diameter and 45mm if you count the crown. The case is 12mm thick. Lug-to-Lug measures about 50mm. 

At 12mm, the Auriol GMT-style watch isn't too tall

The bracelet fits my 7 and 3/4 inch wrists without adjustment or link removal. I has a little rattle when you shake it. But, the bracelet looks pretty solid.

The LIDL Auriol watch metal bracelet

LIDL Watch Construction

The LIDL watch is made in China and appears to have a stainless steel case with a matching bracelet. The case has a shiny finish. The interior links of the bracelet are shiny and the exterior links have a flat metal finish. The brand claims 5 atmospheres of water resistance. For a non-name brand watch, I suspect that a bit. Still, the watch seems pretty solid and well-constructed for an inexpensive timepiece.

The caseback of the Auriol LIDL watch

LIDL Watch Overall Impression

This watch seems pretty solid and in keeping with the quality standards of sub-$50 watches. It's also a comfortable watch to wear. The main drawback seems to be the lack of an actual GMT function. Since I bought it for about $10 at a thrift store, I'm very pleased with it as a find. I think it would be a good deal up to about $35. Overall, this is an interesting addition to my collection.

The Auriol LIDL watch is a nice beater watchc

 

TGIF: The H. Moser & Cie Venturer - A Dream Watch on Amazon

We've been hitting the budget watches hard on this blog lately. Perhaps it is because my personal budget is super tight. But, sometimes it is nice to dream and look at the watches most of us can only imagine. One such watch that I recently stumbled across on Amazon is the H. Moser & Cie Venturer. It's a minimalist, manually-wound, watch with small-hands seconds. While it's a luxury timepiece, it's not dainty. This watch is 43mm in diameter. The H. Moser & Cie Venturer is a classy watch with an eye-watering price tag.

The H. Moser and Cie Venturer Manually-Wound Watch (Amazon photo)

It's amazing to see a high-end timepiece with a minimalist look. Somehow, even without accoutrements, extras, and even brand labels, it looks out of this world in comparison with everyday timepieces. Perhaps it is the Kudu leather strap? The exotic leather is sourced from sustainably managed African antelope. If you'd like to purchase this fine timepiece, it is available from my affiliate link here on Amazon.

Watch Spotlight: The Bulova Accutron II Surveyor

One of the cool watches that I did see on my trip to the pawn shop last week was this Bulova Accutron II Surveyor (below). The Accutron II series of quartz watches commemorates the original Bulova Accutron product line. The Accutron brand name was a combination of Accuracy and Electronics. The line was introduced in 1960 as the world's first fully electronic watch series. The original Accutron watches kept time via a tuning fork that vibrated at 360 hertz. It offered 2-second per day accuracy. The Accutron II line was introduced in 2014 as a quartz watch line. It uses the ultra-high frequency Bulova Precisionist movement.

Bulova Accutron II Surveyor (Model 97B133)

This particular watch (Model 97B133) appears to have a rose-gold plated case and a blue dial that can appear brown in certain lighting due to a gradient affect. It has a great vintage look with what appears to be a gold-plated case.  The crown is canted to nearly 4 o'clock and the date window at 6 o'clock is quite readable. I feel a bit drawn to this Bulova due to the vintage look and the gold look. It was priced reasonably at just over $200 at the pawn shop. I may check on it in a few weeks.

Ten Dollar Tuesday Watch: LN Lenqin Diver-Style Watch

The US economy is really rough these days. Lay offs stretch across the land and young people have trouble landing entry-level jobs due to foreign competition and the rise of AI. When young people are living 4-people to a 2 bedroom apartment, it makes luxury watches seem like a distant dream. However, there are plenty of inexpensive watches that can give you great watch looks on a low budget. One watch company that offers low cost watches in China's LN Lenqin. They currently have a diver-style watch for only $10.  It's normally a $20 watch and, as of February 16, 2025, it is 50% off. It's a nice looking Rolex Submariner homage at a very affordable price.

LN Lenqin Diver-Style Quartz Watch

There is a chance that this watch might be inspired by a classic dive watch. It has the dive watch look. The watch has a quartz movement, a date window, a silicone strap, and a mineral glass crystal. There are some complaints with the metal bracelets for this watch, but reviewers seem satisfied with the silicone strap. Water resistance is highly suspect with much of the Amazon copy cautioning against fully immersing the watch. Nevertheless, this watch is faithful to the classic dive watches of our dreams. It comes in several color and case variations. It is available with a date cyclops bubble to mimic the Rolex Submariner look. Overall, it gets 4.1 stars on Amazon. To check it out, visit it here via my Amazon affiliate link.
 

Wristwatch Review: Gosasa SKMEI Men's Quartz Chronograph Watch

This is a review of a Gosasa SKMEI quartz chronograph watch that I purchased off of Amazon for less than $10. In fact, it was on the Amazon Haul portion of the site with a clearance price of only $5.  But, don't le the low price fool you. This watch is surprisingly capable. The established watch brands should be quaking in their boots and thank their lucky stars that this watch was listed with the laughable name of "Gosasa Men's Elegant Quartz Watches Waterproof Big Face Date Analog Watch Dainty Business Dress Watches for Men Stainless Steel/Silicone Strap Gifts for Men." Few western men want a "dainty" watch.

Gosasa SKMEI Chronograph Watch

I'm not sure if Gosasa is a brand name or the Amazon store name. Chinese watch manufacturing can be pretty opaque. I've seen watches being sold with the SKMEI label in many outlets.

Gosasa Watch Features

The most surprising thing about the Gosasa Quartz Chronograph is that it actually has features. In fact, it has functional subdials that provide a 1/10 of a second timer at 12 o'clock, a second timer at 6 o'clock, and a minute timer at 9 o'clock. The watch also has the date in a window at 3 o'clock.

The subdials all work, but the 1/10 of a second time stops after 2 to 3 minutes. I think this may be intentional. Perhaps the designers think that after the first 3 minutes, wearers are no longer interested in 1/10 of a second times? This may be an intentional design as the product video shows the 1/10 of a second subdial stocking after just a couple of minutes. It does save some wear and tear on the watch.

This watch has traditional chronograph markings around the bezel. However, these are just for style since the large second hand does not work like a traditional stop watch. This isn't a strike against the watch design. Many watch manufacturers provide chronograph markings without chronometer functionality.

Gosasa SKMEI Chronograph

Gosasa Watch Style

This watch has traditional chronograph styling and comes is sometimes offered in a wide variety of colors. As of this writing, the only color being offered is a rose gold-tone case with blue dial and bezel. In terms of style, this watch hits the mark and sticks the landing it is a great looking watch.

Gosasa Watch Construction

The Gosasa SKMEI Chronograph looks like a pretty solid watch. The Amazon listing says that this watch has a zinc alloy case and a stainless steel caseback. It also has a mineral-reinforced glass crystal that is gently domed.

Gosasa SKMEI Men's Quartz Chronograph Caseback

If there is an area of cost cutting, it might be the bezel. It is made of a hard black plastic that actually looks very good. The Amazon copy claims that the watch is water resistant to 30 meters. The watch comes with a silicone strap, but it is also sometimes offered with a stainless steel bracelet. Overall, this watch is built at a quality level and materials level that is similar to other watches that cost less than $50.

Gosasa Watch Dimensions

This Gosasa chronograph is a fairly big watch and it has some heft. It feels substantial. It has a 45mm diameter case. It's 46mm in diameter if you include the crown. The case is a bit thick at 15mm.  Lug-to-lug, I measure 47mm. This watch isn't dainty. 

Gosasa SKMEI Chronograph Profile

The black silicone strap is 18mm wide at the lug and tapers to about 16mm at the clasp.  The strap is generously long and fit my 7 3/4-inch wrist perfectly and doesn't have too much overhang. 

Gosasa SKMEI Chronograph Silicone Strap

The strap curves to conform to the round case, but it should be easy to replace since it is a conventional silicone strap.

Overall Impressions of the Gosasa SKMEI Chronograph

The Gosasa SKMEI Chronograph was a great buy. It looks good, seems solidly constructed, and works well. With this watch, I do miss being connected to a historic brand with an origin story and a legacy. Gosasa SKMEI is a fairly unknown entity to western watch purchasers. However, the Amazon store for this inexpensive fashion brand shows quite a few daring designs and they are all affordably priced. If I want to entertain myself with a watch purchase that doesn't break the bank, I'll look to Gosasa and SKMEI again. 

Where to Buy the Gosasa SKMEI Chronograph Watch

You can get a rose gold tone and blue version of this watch here via my affiliate link to Amazon.

Watch Deal Alert: Timex Men's 40mm Expedition Scout

If you are looking for a great deal on a field watch, check out the Timex Men's 40mm Expedition Scout with fabric strap. This is the traditional Timex Expedition watch that is familiar to many watch enthusiasts and outdoorsmen. I reviewed the leather strap version of this watch back in 2018, you can read my Timex Expedition Scout review here.

Timex Men's 40mm Expedition Scout

This Timex Expedition watch has Indiglo Backlighting, 50 meters of water resistance, and a NATO-style watch strap. It gets 4.3 stars among Amazon purchasers and they sell over 2000 watches per month. It's a solid choice for a beater watch that can stand up to everyday wear and outdoor activity.

The Timex Expedition Scout Amazon Deal

As of February 12, 2026, this watch is 14% off to bring it in just over $40. If you'd like to jump on this deal, you can find this Timex Expedition Scout here on Amazon.

The Best Timex Offerings on Amazon

I've collected some of the best Timex watches being offered on Amazon in one convenient page - Best Timex Watches on Amazon.

TGIF: Watch Shopping at a Local Pawn Shop

I had a chance to visit a pawn shop and look at watches last weekend. It was a first pawn shop visit for me as a watch blogger. The pawn shop was located in a suburban Atlanta location that sat between lower income, gentrifying, and not too far from well-off neighborhoods. 

What Kinds of Watches Can You Find at a Pawn Shop?

The watches for sale behind the glass ran the gamut from higher end names like Rolex, Breitling, and Frederique Constant to more attainable watch brands like Tissot, Bulova, Seiko, Invicta, and Pulsar.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust

Watch Prices at a Pawn Shop

Prices ran the gamut from $10,000+ for iced out luxury watches to $50 for a Pulsar watch. The shop had 3 Rolex Datejust watches for $7000 apiece without papers or boxes. A Breitling Aeromarine watch with some signs of wear was available for about $3000. I felt that prices were fair across the board and reflected the demand, value, and conditions of the watches well.

Breitling Aeromarine Watch

While all of the luxury watches had prestigious pedigrees, I found it a little difficult to envision buying any of them. Simply put, $6000 or even $3000 is quite a bit of money. It's enough for a nice family vacation, a used vehicle, or many other more practical purchases or investments. Thus, I found myself gravitating towards more affordable watches that instinctively felt more comfortable. I was quite surprised to find a great selection of affordable watch. The pawn shop had plenty of Bulova, Tissot, Invicta, and Seiko watch models under the glass. I'll highlight some of my favorites in future posts.