Sekonda Watches Reviews: The British Budget Standard

The Swiss and Japanese watch industries are so strong that we often forget that other countries have their own watch brands too! And when it comes to British watch brand, we just shrug our shoulders!

Even hardcore watch enthusiasts can’t name too many British watch brands.

So, let’s talk about a British watch brand today. Many great watch brands are coming from this historic land like Arnold & Son, Graham, Roger Smith, or the latest, Bremont.

These are great brands indeed, but we’d focus on a more budget-friendly segment. I can’t think of a better name than Sekonda fitting to that title.

Let’s not waste any more words and jump to the Sekonda watches reviews.

IMAGE PRODUCT DETAILS  rating price
Best OverallSekonda Men's Contemporary Midnight Blue Sekonda Men’s Contemporary Midnight Blue (1634E.27)
  • Movement: Japanese Quartz Chronograph
10
Sekonda Men's Watch Aviator 3347.27 Sekonda Men’s Watch 3347.27
  • Movement: Japanese Quartz
10
Sekonda Men's Bracelet Sports Watch 1624 Sekonda Men’s Bracelet Sports Watch 1624
  • Movement: Japanese Quartz
10
Sekonda Men's Watch 1224 Sekonda Men’s Watch 1224
  • Movement: Japanese Quartz
9.5
Sekonda Men's Quartz Watch 3847.27 Sekonda Men’s Quartz Watch 3847.27
  • Movement: Japanese Quartz Chronograph
9.5
Seksy Women's Swarovski Crystal Bracelet Watch 2372 Seksy Women’s Swarovski Crystal Bracelet Watch 2372
  • Movement: Japanese Quartz
10
Sekonda Women's Quartz Watch 2144.27 Sekonda Women’s Quartz Watch 2144.27
  • Movement: Japanese Quartz
9.5

Sekonda Watches Reviews: History and Where Is It Made?

The name Sekonda might not suggest you but it’s actually a British watch brand. Yes, the name “Sekonda” seems odd as the word comes from the Albanian language. It roughly translates to “Seconds” in English.

I think Sekonda used such a name for branding and marketing purposes to establish a Russian flavor!

Why Russian?

The brand started journey in 1966 and they sourced all of their watches from the watch factories from USSR. That’s why, they used a foreign name to create a hype among the buyers.

Sekonda came to the industry with high quality mechanical watches made in the USSR. Back then, ten separate facilities supplied the huge demand for watches to the market.

In the 80’s, Sekonda became a very popular name in the UK. In fact, they became the best-selling watch brand in the UK in 1988.

Sekonda claims that they are still holding the title of the best-selling watch brand!

However, that’s not the truth!

More: Seiko SNZF17 Review: The Best Budget Bond Watch 

After the dissolution of the USSR, things changed a lot. Sekonda stopped sourcing watches from the Russian plants and sought for new suppliers in the Asian countries.

Of course, they saw new opportunities after the invention of quartz movement. Since 1993, all of the Sekonda watches are made in their Hong Kong facility.

Along with the Sekonda line-up, they started a separate line-up named Seksy in 2004 and Xpose.

In 2013, Sekonda launched their Editions line-up.

Top 7 Best Sekonda Watch: Sekonda Watches Reviews

Sekonda Men’s Contemporary Midnight Blue (1634E.27) – Best Overall

Sekonda Men's Contemporary Midnight Blue

First comes the most popular model from Sekonda – the Contemporary Midnight Blue. It’s a multifunctional chronograph model that shows day, date, and 24-h display.

The striking part of the watch lies within the design philosophy.

Polished gun metal finish with the stunning blue sunray dial gives the watch very premium looks.

Overall, it’s a fine-looking dress watch with satisfactory build quality.

 Product Specification

  • Movement: Quartz Chronograph
  • Case Diameter: 45mm
  • Case Thickness: 12mm
  • Band Width: 21mm
  • Case Material: Alloy with Gun Metal Plating
  • Bezel Material: Alloy with Gun Metal Plating
  • Band Material: Leather
  • Crystal: Glass
  • Water-Resistance: 50m. (165 feet)
  • Average Weight: 2.29 Oz. (65 gram)

Notable Features

  • Striking midnight blue and black color combination
  • Gun metal plating on the case and bezel
  • Chronograph multifunctional features with three separate subdials
  • Day/date display
  •  24-hour display

Pros

  • Elegant and fashionable design
  • Superior finishing quality
  • Chronograph features
  • Durable build quality
  • Budget-friendly

Cons

  • Lacks illumination/backlight

Sekonda Men’s Watch Aviator 3347.27 – Best Aviator Watch

Sekonda Men's Watch Aviator 3347.27

Sekonda’s take on the vintage aviator design comes alive with the Sekonda Men’s Watch Aviator 3347.27.

The watch focuses on being minimal and having a distraction-free design.

However, Sekonda blatantly copied the design of the famous Seiko SNK series here. The dial, the fonts, the form factor – everything seems like a copy.

While the watch pays homage to the vintage aviator models from WW2, it lacks innovation.

Product Specification

  • Movement: Japanese Quartz
  • Case Diameter: 42mm
  • Case Thickness: 10mm
  • Band Width: 20mm
  • Case Material: Stainless Steel
  • Bezel Material: Stainless Steel
  • Band Material: Nylon
  • Crystal: Mineral Crystal
  • Water-Resistance: 50m. (165 feet)

Notable Features

  • Vintage German aviator style design
  • Solid stainless-steel case with nylon strap (perfect for NATO strap replacement)
  • Illuminous dial
  • Date display on 6 o’clock marker

Pros

  • True aviator design
  • Simple and minimal
  • Very durable build

Cons

  • Copies the design of Seiko SNK series watches
  • Water-resistance rating is relatively poor for a military-grade watch

Sekonda Men’s Bracelet Sports Watch 1624 – The Rolex Submariner Homage

Sekonda Men's Bracelet Sports Watch 1624

These days almost every entry-level watch manufacturer has variant of the Rolex Submariner. The idea is simple, all the brands want to pay homage to the legendary watch and people can buy high quality replica.

The best part of the Sekonda Men’s Bracelet Sports Watch 1624 is the pricing. Among all the Rolex homages, this one sits on the lower end.

You can get this masterpiece at around $50!

Product Specification

  • Movement: Quartz
  • Case Diameter: 39mm
  • Case Thickness: 11mm
  • Band Width: 19mm
  • Case Material: Stainless Steel
  • Bezel Material: Stainless Steel (Rotating)
  • Band Material: Stainless Steel
  • Crystal: Mineral
  • Water-Resistance: 50m. (165 feet)

Notable Features

  • Rolex Submariner homage
  • Complete stainless steel build
  • Red-blue color scheme

Pros

  • Budget-friendly
  • High-quality Rolex homage
  • Impressive build quality

Cons

  • 50m. Water-resistance is really bad for a diver class watch; most other homages offer 200m. resistance

Sekonda Men’s Watch 1224 – Best Minimal Watch

Sekonda Men's Watch 1224

Sekonda Men’s Watch 1224 screams of being a great minimal watch. The watch doesn’t offer you any extra features. But you’ll fall in love with the design choices.

Two-tone silver finish on the case and the bracelet and the blue sunray dial looks mesmerizing. Sekonda has gone for the baton markers instead of numerals to give the watch more premium and simplistic looks.

Minimalism at its best!

Product Specification – Sekonda Men’s Watch 1224

  • Movement: Quartz
  • Case Diameter: 40mm
  • Case Thickness: 10mm
  • Band Width: 19mm
  • Case Material: Stainless Steel
  • Bezel Material: Stainless Steel
  • Band Material: Stainless Steel
  • Crystal: Mineral
  • Water-Resistance: 50m. (165 feet)
  • Average Weight: 3.29 Oz. (93 gram)

Notable Features

  • Two-tone silver finish on the body
  • Blue sunray dial with batons as the hour markers
  • Day/date display at 3 o’clock marker

Pros

  • Clean and minimal looks
  • Superior finishing quality
  • Satisfactory build strength

Cons

  • Lacks features

Sekonda Men’s Quartz Watch 3847.27 – Best Chronograph Model

Sekonda Men's Quartz Watch 3847.27

If you are looking for a feature-rich watch for formal occasions, Sekonda Men’s Quartz Watch 3847.27 might just be the best option.

On the outer part, you’re getting case and bezel made of brass with polished rose-gold finish. The crocodile-embossed leather band only complements the looks and color scheme.

The silver sunray dial features a three subdial chronograph, a day display, and a tachymeter.

It’s a classic premium option.

More: Check our detailed review of Glycine Combat Sub here

Product Specification – Sekonda Men’s Quartz Watch 3847.27

  • Movement: Quartz Chronograph
  • Case Diameter: 42mm
  • Case Thickness: 13mm
  • Band Width: 26mm
  • Case Material: Brass (PVD Rose Plating)
  • Bezel Material: Brass (PVD Rose Plating)
  • Band Material: Leather
  • Crystal: Mineral
  • Water-Resistance: 50m. (165 feet)
  • Average Weight: 5.92 Oz. (167.8 gram)

Notable Features

  • Chronograph movement three subdials
  • Date display at 4 o’clock marker
  • Luminous hands
  • Silver sunray dial with tachymeter
  • Brass casing covered with PVD rose-gold plating

Pros

  • Premium design with top-tier functionality
  • Superior material choice
  • Comfortable

Cons

  • Slightly expensive

Seksy Women’s Swarovski Crystal Bracelet Watch 2372 – Best Ladies’ Watch

Seksy Women's Swarovski Crystal Bracelet Watch 2372

Those of you who have deep affection for crystals and jewels, will fall in love with Seksy Women’s Swarovski Crystal Bracelet Watch 2372.

This watch from ladies’ collection Seksy is embedded with hundreds of Swarovski crystals!

Also, the base of the watch has rose-gold finish throughout the body. It’s a very premium looking watch that every girl with rich taste will love.

Product Specification – Seksy Women’s Swarovski Crystal Bracelet Watch 2372

  • Movement: Quartz
  • Case Diameter: 26mm
  • Case Thickness: 9mm
  • Band Width: 15mm
  • Case Material: Ion Plated Alloy
  • Bezel Material: Ion Plated Alloy
  • Band Material: Ion Plated Alloy
  • Crystal: Mineral
  • Water-Resistance: 30m. (99 feet)
  • Average Weight: 2.33 Oz. (65 gram)

Notable Features

  • Rose gold plated and chrome color two-tone stone set case
  • Rose sunray dial with Swarovski stone set batons
  • Bezel is embedded Swarovski stones
  • Self-adjusting link bracelet with ladder clasp (jewellery)
  • The bracelet has over 200 Swarovski stones

Pros

  • Very luxurious looking watch
  • Great finishing quality
  • The ideal form factor for ladies’ wrists
  • Budget-friendly

Cons

  • Lacks durability

Sekonda Women’s Quartz Watch 2144.27 – Best Minimal Ladies’ Watch

Sekonda Women's Quartz Watch 2144.27

If the Swarovski stone-filled watch was a bit too much for you, you could always choose elegance and simplicity.

Sekonda Women’s Quartz Watch 2144.27 celebrates midnight blue and rose gold color scheme here. The dials and markers are very minimal.

However, the three Diamante stone (diamond imitation) on the 12 o’clock marker offers a hint of luxury!

More: Akribos XXIV Men’s Chronograph Watch Review: Stylish Budget Chronograph

Product Specification – Sekonda Women’s Quartz Watch 2144.27

  • Movement: Quartz
  • Case Diameter: 36mm
  • Case Thickness: 8mm
  • Band Width: 10mm
  • Case Material: Stainless Steel (Rose Gold Plating)
  • Bezel Material: Stainless Steel (Rose Gold Plating)
  • Band Material: Polyurethane (PU)
  • Crystal: Mineral
  • Water-Resistance: 30m. (99 feet)

Notable Features

  • Midnight blue sunray dial with a combination of rose gold
  • Three Diamante stone on 12 o’clock
  • Sleek design

Pros

  • Minimal yet elegant design
  • Diamante stones
  • Comfortable form factor

Cons

  • The strap is made of cheap PU that imitates leather

Is Sekonda Good Brand?

It’s a tough question, really!

Sekonda used to be a big player in the international watch market even a few decades ago. But the reputation of the brand started declining after the fall of USSR.

Rather than competing with others with high quality mechanical movements, Sekonda opted for quartz movement. To create an appeal, they even changed their marketing and branding strategies.

Now, they became a fashion watch brand who offer high quality quartz watches.

But Japanese giants like Citizen, Seiko, and Casio were dominating that market. Thus, Sekonda lost its identity since 1993.

In fact, most of the movements in the Sekonda watches are sourced from Citizen!

However, Sekonda is still known as a good brand among the users. Their strong build quality and 2-years international warranty speak for it.

More: Tissot PR100 Review: True Swiss Budget Champ

What Did We Like About Sekonda?

Yes, Sekonda is a ghost of its former self in 2020. Once it was the best-selling watch in the UK, and now, people barely know the name!

However, if you’re planning to buy a Sekonda watch, there’s some good news for you!

As a fashion watch brand, Sekonda very good in quality. The manufacturers have put great effort on the design section of the watches. All of their watches are trendy and fashionable.

Then comes the impressive build quality. You can clearly see the difference in build quality with the poorer brands or any Chinese brands.

Finally, I loved their pricing strategy.

With sub-hundred dollar price tags, these watches will offer you great bang for the buck!

More: Casio F 91W Review: The King of the Common Man’s Watch!

What Didn’t We Like About Sekonda?

Sekonda outsources most of the crucial inner parts of the watch. Most of their watches have Citizen Miyota movement. That’s how they can price these watches so aggressively.

Despite their rigorous marketing being a British brand, they don’t have any manufacturing or assembly plants in the UK.

They rely on plants in Hong Kong, China, Thailand, and even from North Korea!

So, in no way, it’s a true British brand.

More: Mulco Watches Review: Want to Make a Fashion Statement?

Conclusion

So, let’s get to the final point – what is the best Sekonda watch?

I would name Sekonda Men’s Contemporary Midnight Blue (1634E.27) as the best Sekonda watch of the bunch. The design and the finish quality of this model are striking.

Then, Sekonda Men’s Watch 3347.27 comes to the second position. You can’t deny the appeal of a well-built aviator watch.

Finally, Seksy Women’s Swarovski Crystal Bracelet Watch 2372 comes in my mind in the third place. This is the best ladies watch coming from Sekonda.

Which of the Sekonda watches do you like? Let me know in the comment section below.

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