Every passing day I respect Jody/Just One More Watch less because of how much bootlicking he does for the Aliexpress brands. I don’t necessarily hate brands like San Martin and Pagani Design on their own, but how much he insinuates that you’d be better off with Ali brands’ (admittedly very well made and affordable) copies over the genuine article doesn’t sit right with me for some reason. While Jody is right from a completely logical and financial perspective, I don’t think he realizes that collecting watches is kinda illogical in of itself. People who can afford them WANT expensive watches because it makes them feel special and cool, and getting something that merely apes the look of a desirable watch when they could afford the real thing simply doesn’t do it for a lot of people.
For example, he straight up says in his most recent 11/11 video that you’d be better off with an Aliexpress copy of a Doxa than an actual Sub 300 because he couldn’t discern how the real thing would be any better. Given Doxa’s reputation for making capable, well-crafted diver’s watches that were able to stand up to the rigors of military operations, I sincerely doubt this. I also find it very hard to believe his claim that San Martin will become a legitimate threat to other affordable brands’ sales, especially when 1. San Martin’s sales are practically dwarfed by how many mall watches Seiko and Citizen sell, and 2. Their whole shtick and success is inherently contingent on either copying other people’s homework, or otherwise producing original designs that range from generic to gaudy.
I respect Jody and like his content, and I don’t mind his and many other people’s affection for the Ali brands, but I have a hard time believing that some tried and true watch brands are shitting their panties because some niche hobbyists are buying homages of their watches.
It is true that most of Jody’s reviews are on sub-$500 watches, which is exactly where the Aliexpress brands reign supreme. My issue with Jody is not merely him reviewing them; it’s more a conflict of interest. Coming from a journalism background, I find it interesting that Jody is an Aliexpress affiliate that explicitly makes money off people buying watches via the links in his videos’ descriptions, while simultaneously showering praise upon the Aliexpress brands. While I’ve heard mostly good things about the popular Ali brands, I feel like Jody’s reviews in particular are indicative of him drinking the Kool Aid. It makes sense for him to be as positive as possible about Aliexpress watches in particular, because the more viewers he convinces to buy San Martins, the bigger the commission he gets. While Jody’s reviews are usually nuanced and well-considered, I can’t help but put two and two together when he says he’s an Aliexpress affiliate and that a Seestern is objectively better than a Doxa in the same video.