Relic ZR77224 - SS Automatic - $60! - Full Review

[DynamiteBids]

Well, I was walking through JC Penny with my wife the other day and I spot what appears to be a skeleton watch with an automatic movement. So I ask the lady behind the counter if it was an automatic (expecting the usual "auto-what?" response) and she said "yes it is". I was dumbfounded because even mall-grade jewelers like JBR and Kay typically don't sell watches with automatic movements, let alone a department store. The closest mall store competitor would be the $300 Bulova Men's 96A109. Well I ask to see it and the tag price was $60! I examine it thoroughly and was impressed at the quality of the design and movement for the money. It looked more like a $300+ watch. The movement finishing touches were well above sub-par or even average; it is surprisingly good actually. Blue anodized screws, polished components, etched design marks, and a concerted effort to make much of the movement exposed through the front and exhibition case-back crystal. The movement looks prettier than some luxury movements. (Puts the original Panerai Brookland Bridge movement to shame, but then again, anything does ) All in a polished SS case with a unique, stepped dial design that makes the face appear larger than it really is. The caseback is etched with a 50 meters / 165ft water resistance claim. The strap is embossed leather, a little on the thin side, but decent with plenty of adjustment holes. And get this, it comes with a 12 year warranty! ($10 shipping charge) But you really wouldn't even need the warranty because JCP has a lifetime return policy as long as you keep the receipt and tag.

Well needless to say, I bought it. It seems to be keeping good time, within 5 to 10 seconds per day, and has a reserve of 38 hours. The advantage of the skeleton movement is that you can see the exposed spring barrel and can tell roughly how much reserve is left. Details on the movement are unknown but it is shared with other more expensive brands. It seems to be a variation of the common Seagull automatic movement, which is a Chinese clone of an ETA design. One great feature is it has a hacking second hand when adjusting the time, not commonly found on cheap movements. I would say the weakest point of the watch is the horrible lume. It only gives a couple minutes of glow on a typical charge. The watch came with a nice tin can case that could very well be used to display it.

So this is not your typical watch review but I thought it was worth a look nonetheless. This Relic very well could be the most affordable automatic available (legally) in the US. If your Rolex’s are like your cars and are garage queens (or winder queens), this would make a unique daily beater that will get stares and compliments for next to nothing.

Pros:
Unique skeleton design
Nice movement details
Hacking second hand
Good weight and feel
Excellent price point / Most affordable automatic
Great warranty and return policy

Cons:
Lackluster lume
Semi-thin strap
Harder to quickly read hands