First of all, I'm not a "watch guy." I don't do watch websites or magazines, and don't know the technical terms that watch geeks know. But I do know what I like, and this Invicta is a mixed bag.

Looks-wise, it's really nice - much nicer than in photos. The brown face is pretty unique and the treatment of both the bezel and the crown look great in person. The leather is extremely supple and the stitching doesn't irritate my wrist - something I've had problems with in the past. I've taken it in my pool repeatedly (chlorine), the ocean (salt) and shower with no decrease in flexibility and softness. Very nice.

The crystal appears to be very tough as well - I've banged it into any number of doorways and other items and it still looks crystal clear. As far as accuracy, it's pretty good. Mine does lose a bit of time, but minimal - seconds a week rather than minutes, so there's no real problem for me. Sure I'd like it to be perfectly accurate forever and ever, but I'm a realistic guy.

However, there are a couple of issues: first, the movement is a bit sloppy. Maybe it's the OCD part of my personality, but I like the second hand to move very tightly and to land right on the second hash marks. This watch doesn't lock up like that though. The hand rarely points directly to a hash mark, and worse, it's off by varying degrees. Sometimes it lands directly in the middle, sometimes close to one or the other side. And that, for me, is irritating.

Second, the glow-in-the-dark stuff they've put on the hands and face is useless. Unless you hold it directly under a lightbulb, it's extremely dim in the dark. After a bit of time, it's just invisible. Forget about waking up in the middle of the night and checking your watch - it's not happening.

But you have to take this stuff in context. At only $49 you can't expect Omega quality and craftmanship. What you get, though, is a nice, hefty watch with great feel, great looks, and a nice band. I'm certainly not complaining.