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u/yo_rick_brown

r/IxdaoFans r/ChineseWatches
Image 1 — How I accidentally became an IXDAO obsessed collector
Image 2 — How I accidentally became an IXDAO obsessed collector
Image 3 — How I accidentally became an IXDAO obsessed collector
Image 4 — How I accidentally became an IXDAO obsessed collector
▲ 65 r/IxdaoFans

How I accidentally became an IXDAO obsessed collector

Before getting into Chinese watches during the 11/11 sale in 2023, I mostly collected obscure Rolexes like 6062s, mall-era Swiss quartz like B&M Shoguns, and somehow even more obscure JDM Citizens like 4-S82345s. Most Chinese watches last a few months before I dump them on eBay and move on to the next San Martin, Thorn, or whatever but IXDAO has been different.

First, the branding absolutely got me. I'm a huge Mongol history nerd, so naming the company after the Yisun Tsagaan Tug was basically engineered to activate my Jack Weatherford neurons. It feels like a reference buried between some minor Mongol prince torching a few Tangut cities, marrying into the Borjigin clan, and disappearing from history.

Second, I genuinely like how they make weird, hyper-specific stuff that feels like enthusiasm for the originals rather than just biting whatever is popular. They also constantly play around with dials, materials, movements, colors, and tiny production variations. Collecting IXDAO feels more like hunting than ordering Homage #17 from AliExpress while drunk.

Most worn:

  • Silver SW200 JD-X05S (E). The Genta 1832 has always been a grail but I could never stomach $15K for the IW328902 reissue. After four different Es, this is the keeper.
  • Black MOP 9015 JD-X13S (Warrior). Bought it on preorder day. Sleeker than the E, killer indices, insane dial without being obnoxious. Never selling it.
  • White/blue SW200 IPOSE-5303. Sold my Serica because IXDAO made a better bracelet and I no longer have to live with a Soprod timebomb. Still my favorite 5303 configuration.
  • Black enamel NH35 JD-X07S. The sleeper. I own four Seiko mini-turtles and this gets exactly what makes them good. Criminally underrated, go buy one.

Not pictured, because I've reached the "restoring Chinese watch cases" stage of the disease:

  • Green sword-logo silver/gold JD-X05S E. Replacing the PT5K with an elabore ETA 2824, getting the case/bracelet laser refinished, and getting the gold replated. Financially stupid but worth it to me. Will be a safe queen.
  • Green dial silver/gold NH34 6542. Also in the middle of being replated. I love it despite the cheese yellow gold and slightly sloppy bezel. The design gets what made the Bakelite GMTs special.

Incoming:

  • Space Warrior SW200 JD-X13S V2

Future:

  • Zeta dial JD-DZ09S once it hits the website.
  • JD-X10S Pilot with the non-"CHECK ALTITUDE" dial whenever one surfaces.

Sold/traded:

  • 2x PT5000 JD-X05S. Traded an unopened F1 for a rough condition green/gold sword-logo dial E and sold my first white MOP E to help fund a Rolex 6556 restoration.
  • 2x PT5000 JD-X02T, black DLC and bronze. Just like my original Pelagos I thought I was missing, these just didn't click with me.
  • 1x NH34 6542 Batman. Apparently there is such a thing as too many NH34 GMTs in my watch boxes.

Grails:

  • Silver/gold iridescent blue-green MOP JD-X05S V1. Saw it on Taobao for a few weeks, my Superbuy agent was too slow, and it vanished forever. Never hit AliExpress, never seen one for sale, and all I have is one potato-quality photo proving it existed.
  • Basically any of Frank's special dials. Frank, stop displaying the imperial treasury and release some of it to the peasants.

There are Chinese brands with better finishing, bracelets, QC, movements, whatever. IXDAO is just the one that hits the right combination of Mongol-brain branding, obsessive details, oddball variants, and small-team energy that makes me keep the watches instead of flipping them six months later.

Also, special shout-out to Anna for continuing to answer my deranged emails over the years.

u/yo_rick_brown — 6 days ago
▲ 437 r/ChineseWatches

My wife reacts to every Chinese watch brand name I can find

We were on vacation for a week and she kept asking about the watches I was looking at. Eventually, I started pulling up every Chinese brand I could find and writing down her reactions in my notes.

San Martin: That sounds like an Epstein island. [It is considered one of the best Chinese watch brands.] I don't care, that logo is so ugly.

Watchdives: That sounds like a website that sells diving watches, not a watch brand. [It is also their brand.] So, Amazon Basics for watch guys.

Pagani Design: Sounds like a car company. [Pagani is a car company.] Is it related? [No.] So they stole the name? [They added Design.] That is not a defense.

Addiesdive: Who is Addie, and why is she diving? [I show her the logo.] That looks like the patch you get after passing beginner swim lessons.

Eniton: Printer company. The kind that jams only when somebody important is waiting.

Englemaan: German ski resort where everyone is having an affair.

Baltany: Sure. A tiny European country created for a Netflix Christmas movie.

Sugess: Suck-Ass? [Sue-guess.] That sounds like a food delivery app.

Seestern: Another German name. [It means starfish in German.] Okay, that is actually clever.

IXDAO: Why are you saying it like that? [IX is nine in Latin, and nine is pronounced jiu in Chinese.] Nine is pronounced jiu. [That is what I said.] No, you said Joe. Listen: jiu-dào. [Joe Dao.] Now he sounds like some guy who goes by Joey Dao. [People also call it Ex-dao.] Why? [I show her the explanation on the company website.] Whatever, can I see the watch? [I showed her the Warrior.] At least Joey Dao makes pretty watches.

Cronos: A budget airline that only flies to Athens and charges extra for the seat.

Steeldive: Why is everyone diving or German? Also, why is it Steeldive instead of Steeldives?

Thorn: Fine, I have to admit that name is suspiciously good.

Militado: Military Dorito. Potato. Pass.

Proxima: Cough medicine brand. [Showing website.] I don't think you should buy a watch with a unicorn on it.

Tactical Frog: Named by an eight year old who just watched his older brother play Fortnite.

Octopus Kraken: Why can't it just be Kraken? Why Octopus AND Kraken? [I show her their logo.] Gross, what is that? [It is an o with tentacles.] You are going to make me say it, aren't you? [What?] That looks like an asshole.

Heimdallr: Marvel movie character. [It is also a watch brand. See?] Why is their shark cut into deli slices?

Specht & Sohne: Okay, what does that mean? [Woodpecker and Sons in German.] Are all the watch guys in China trying to be German? [The brand even has a fake backstory about two brothers.] That is next level gweilo scamming. They created lore just to take your money. Good for them.

Hruodland: No. [What?] After Joey Dao, I do not trust you to pronounce Mandarin. [It is named after a Germanic king.] More Chinese men with fake German names.

Farasute: Expensive water in a Vegas hotel minibar.

Escapement Time: One of those YouTube channels you start watching before coming to bed.

Mysterious Code: A body spray scent used by teenagers who think they'll get laid by using it.

Boderry: Body odor. Uses Mysterious Code.

Berny: Do they love Bernie Sanders? [Google says it means brave as a bear in German.] Yet another Chinese man with a German fetish...

Sea-Gull: I know this one. They make grandpa watches.

Tandorio: Indian lunch buffet.

Cadisen: Allergy medication.

Phylida: Also medication, but for STDs.

Merkur: More German but makes me feel like they're Eastern German.

Parnis: Too close to penis. That is pretty bad.

Corgeut: The worst one yet. It sounds like somebody choking on a baguette.

Bliger: Actually, this is worse. It is one typo away from being a slur.

Rmalti: Wow, is the next one going to somehow be worse than this one?

Rdunae: You are fucking with me, right? [No, here is their website.] Not only is it real but everything is sold out?

Chameri: Mall kiosk perfume between phone cases and eyebrow threading.

Lobinni: Handbags sold exclusively at Marshalls.

Seakoss: An energy drink for men who only wear polarized sunglasses.

Milifortic: Military Dorito Potato Pro Max. Just awful.

Red Star: Finally, one that is not diving or pretending to come from a German village.

Wishdoit: Something a five year old yells immediately before urgent care.

Pierre Paulin: A snooty French man who corrects your pronunciation of croissant.

Phorcydes: That does not sound right. [For-si-deez. It is Greek.] Why are all of the numbers raised up so much? [I explain the lume blocks.] You will take any excuse to spend money, won't you?

CIGA Design: Inoffensive. [I show her the logo.] A credit union next to an AutoZone. [They win design awards.] Then I don't trust watch design awards.

FIYTA: The last tier of a Pokemon's evolution. [They sent a watch into space.] Who cares? [Omega built an entire brand around space and James Bond.] You understand that buying a watch because James Bond wore it in a movie doesn't make you James Bond, right?

Beijing Watch Factory: At least they are honest. It sounds like bland where watches were made after the Revolution.

Shanghai Watches: Another real place. This is the strongest naming streak so far.

Peacock: Bird. Easy. Can I see a watch? [I show her one with a guilloche dial.] Okay, that is very much a pretty bird. Why do you keep buying boring watches if you can get something like this?

Guanqin: Just show me. [I show her the website.] Gwah-chyun. [Gwan-chin.] I am not doing Ex-Joey-Nine-Dao again. Next.

Sanda: Aww. Santa's fake Cartier is so cute.

Agelocer: More like ace loser. [They also win awards.] That just proves watch awards do not matter at all.

Behrens: Expensive furniture for houses with no televisions.

Qin Gan: Not doing this, phone. [I hand her the phone.] Chin-ghan. These look expensive. [They are.] Finally, a name expensive enough to survive your pronunciation.

Atelier Wen: Now that sounds really expensive. [They are, look.] Watches can be this pretty and you keep buying ones that all look like office clocks...

Jianghun: No, stop. Show me. [I hand her the phone.] Jang-hoon but it does not matter because these are all very ugly. Why does the bracelet have warts? [They are the upscale sister brand of San Martin.] Then buy a San Martin and stop creating problems.

Winner: At least they believe in themselves. Somebody had to.

Benyar: Makes me think of a guy with a unibrow and a podcast.

OLEVS: Are you trying to say olives? [I show her the website.] Watches for people who think bottle service is a personality.

Poedagar: That is a Pokemon. [I show her the logo.] A Pokemon wearing a fake Ferrari badge.

Naviforce: A GPS company that sponsors paintball tournaments.

MINI FOCUS: A camera setting for people who cannot afford full focus.

NIBOSI: Pasta brand in a bag with no English instructions.

NORTH EDGE: Costco hiking clothes for men who go car camping.

SYNOKE: Temu Star Wars villain.

Welly Merck: That is not real. [They go by WM now.] That sounds like the unemployed son of a pharmaceutical billionaire.

Didun Design: Did not Design. [That is actually a constant joke.] They printed the punchline on their product.

PAGRNE DESIGN: You already said that one. [No, that was Pagani Design. People think this is a Pagani reseller using a different spelling.] And Pagani Design already copies other watches? [Mostly.] So this is a screenshot of a screenshot.

WWOOR: Stop it. [It is real. Look.] That sounds like Danny DeVito saying whore through a mouthful of food.

YAZOLE: An energy drink with flames on the can.

Rossini: Pasta sauce for special occasions.

Lucky Harvey: A divorced man who owns a speedboat. [They make a relatively cheap chiming watch.] Why does anyone want that? [Because it is neat, and they usually cost five times more.] This is a stupid fake hobby, I hate everything I find out about it. Doesn't any of this ever annoy you?

Oumashi: A sushi place that gives you the runs but still has four stars on Yelp.

Steel Bagelsport: That is not real. [I'm wearing one right now, see?] Just, why? [I don't know what to tell you other than because it is a Steel Bagelsport.] These are popular? [It is a defunct brand with a nostalgia following. They sell for hundreds on eBay now.] You paid hundreds of dollars to wear a Steel Bagelsport? [It depends on which Steel Bagelsport is up for sale, some are impossible to find now.] Why didn't you tell me any of this before we got married? [You never asked and I didn't think you'd want to know about Steel Bagelsport.] Just Steel Bagel would have been enough. [But they were named Steel Bagelsport.] Can you please stop saying Steel Bagelsport?

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u/yo_rick_brown — 26 days ago