I purchased my first Chinese mechanical watch for a trip I was taking to a foreign country. I wanted something that wouldn't be sorely missed if it was lost, stolen or didn't last long. Amazingly, after six months that $18 watch continues to be accurate within 5 seconds daily. However, with subsequent purchases I have found  that about 50% of inexpensive Chinese watches are keepers. The remaining 50% are either (1) a minute or more fast/slow daily, (2) do not look good in person or (3) defective in some other manner, such as visible bits of dirt inside the crystal. In essence, the buyer serves as the quality control department, which isn't too bad considering the low prices and Amazon's free returns.

The example of the Classic Winner I received is a keeper. After three days, this watch is running about 20 seconds fast daily - acceptable for a $23 mechanical watch. I find that the watch is even more attractive in person. The face and hands compare well with watches in the $200 range. I was concerned the watch might look too small on my wrist, but it came in a 42 mm case rather than the advertised size of 40 mm.

At first, the rotor that facilitates automatic winding was very stiff and moved in tiny increments. After a few weeks it loosened and moves much more freely.

As expected, the band is a temporary, disposable piece that simply allows you to wear the watch until you find something better. Fortunately, better quality bands are available starting around $12, and a new band is a great way to personalize your watch.

In terms of longevity this watch comes with Amazon's 2 year Asurion warranty. In comparison, a watch with a quality Japanese movement will cost four times the money and offer a one year warranty. However, the Japanese watch has a good chance of lasting 20 years, whereas I would be surprised if a Chinese watch lasted 5 years.