Inception
It was just a regular day like any other until I opened Instagram that day. The first post on my Instagram feed was a watch I had been yearning to have for a very long time. I didn’t know if a watch with that exact design and colour already existed, but I had the image of it in my mind for quite some time.
For my next watch, there were a few things I had been thinking about in the back of my mind. Having started appreciating Chinese microbrands, I wanted a watch from China with Chinese numerals, and I also wanted to have a deep crimson/ruby red dial in my collection.
Combining these two would have been enough to make the watch I was thinking of adding as my next watch to my collection. But the watch I saw that day had something more. It also featured a very beautiful Chinese ingot motif embossed on the dial.
The Chinese ingot, known as sycee or yuanbao, has significant cultural importance in China. These precious-metal ingots were traditionally hand-cast and used as high-value money for taxes, trade and other large transactions. Over time, the yuanbao form became a symbol of wealth, prosperity and good fortune.
These three incredible details which were deeply related to Chinese culture, along with the exact colour I was looking to add to my collection, immediately made me pull the trigger. I didn’t even see what movement it had or what the bracelet was like. The dial was enough to justify my decision.
Introduction of the Brand: AddiesKIN
ADDIESKIN is the premium sub-brand of the Chinese microbrand ADDIESDIVE, offering refined designs, premium materials and premium Miyota 9 series movement.
Both ADDIESDIVE and ADDIESKIN are known for making some really good watches and offering much more value for the money. However, I have seen mixed opinions about the branding. The names Addiesdive and Addieskin remain very debatable in the watch community. But it is hard to ignore the value proposition the brand offers for the money.
Addiesdive sells directly through its website. For India, US and Australia, they also have warehouses from where they ship without any additional duties or customs charges. On their Chinese website, they offer Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) for an additional $10, which means the watch will be delivered to you without you having to pay any duties. I really liked this DDP option as it prevents any surprises during delivery and makes the ordering process much easier.
If you want to place an order, feel free to use the link to get a 5% discount.
The Delivery
I ordered directly from their website, which ships from China, and the watch took about 19 days in total to arrive at my doorstep. They first ship the watch to their Indian warehouse in Delhi and then ship it through a local delivery partner. I ordered two watches, and the first time the delivery was done by Amazon Shipping and the second time it was done by Delhivery.
Since they ship it first to the Indian warehouse, you cannot track the package until it is dispatched from the Indian warehouse, which took about 16 days in my case. After 16 days, I received the order-shipped email, and then it was delivered in just 3 days.
Unboxing and First Impression
The watch came in a very basic cardboard box with a simple Addieskin logo printed on it. Inside was a black, hard-shell zip case with the Addieskin branding in yellow, with the watch secured inside with a soft cushion.
It is evident from the packaging that Addiesdive/AddiesKIN treats their watches as a tool/accessory and not jewellery.
Along with the watch, I received a one-year warranty card, a link-removing tool and a watch manual. There was nothing fancy about the packaging, and it is clearly designed to do one job and one job only, protect the watch during shipping.
The watch itself was just at the opposite end of the spectrum compared to the packaging. The watch looked exactly as displayed in their renders on their website. During the waiting period, I was quite sceptical and was not sure whether the watch was going to look the exact colour or not. But fortunately it did.
The Dial
The dial is the highlight of the watch. Although Addiesdive is notorious for making homage watches, this is one of their original designs. However, to some people, it may look a bit similar to the San Martin SN0144-CG, but it is quite different from the San Martin.
The dial has a repeated Chinese ingot motif, which is a deliberate detail and, as far as I know, makes this the only watch in the world with this particular pattern. The choice of seal-script numerals for the odd hours and batons for the even hours is also a brilliant one, as it gives them the 6 o’clock position for the date window, which they have executed seamlessly.
The applied indices are filled with white BGW9 lume and framed in silver. The choice of thick indices gives a very nice 3D effect and perfectly matches the texture of the dial.
The Chinese numerals are from seal script, an ancient style of Chinese calligraphy that evolved during the Zhou dynasty and was standardised during the Qin dynasty. The story of seal script is, in many ways, the story of China. And there could have been nothing better than seal script for the numerals on my Chinese numeral watch.
I wish they had chosen the same for the date. The date remains in Arabic numerals, but I would have loved it even more if they had included a date disc with Chinese numerals.
Addiesdive is also notorious for their busy-looking logo, but the Addieskin logo on K011 looks very neat. Keeping just the logo rather than adding any text to the watch dial looks really nice and helps keep the dial clean.
The hour and minute hands are faceted and filled with white BGW9 Super-LumiNova, which glows blue in the dark. The white indices and white hands create the perfect contrast with the deep red dial and look really good.
The minute hand reaches exactly to the tip of the batons. The same is the case for the arrow-shaped seconds hand, which feels almost the same length as the minute hand, or about 0.5mm longer.
One of the coolest details is the rear portion of the seconds hand. It is sized in such a way that it trails the curvature of the logo. The divider on the faceted minute hand is also at the same length and trails the curvature of the logo.
These are tiny details, but they show that a lot of thought has gone into the design.
The red dial loves the light, and the textured ingot pattern reflects light differently when viewed from different angles. From one angle, the vertical ingots become shinier while the horizontal ones remain matt, and from another angle, the horizontal ingots become shinier while the vertical ones turn matt. It creates a very interesting effect, and I can honestly stare at the dial for hours.
The dial remains very clean and lets the beautiful texture and seal script numerals do most of the talking.
The crystal is flat sapphire and remains almost level with the bezel, protruding hardly 0.5mm. The clarity remains very clear, although fingerprints show much more than on my other watches with sapphire crystal. It could be due to the dial and how the light reflects from it, but the fingerprints are definitely more noticeable than my Swiss watches. The crystal does not have an AR coating. The watch is not overly reflective because of the texture on the dial, but at certain angles, it does reflect quite a lot of light.
Update: After using the watch for a while, the fingerprints started to annoy me all the time, and it made me realise that not all sapphire crystals are the same. Sapphire itself is primarily valued for its hardness and scratch resistance, but the surface treatment also plays an important role in the overall experience. Many watch crystals are treated with an oleophobic coating, which helps repel oils and fingerprints and makes the surface easier to keep clean. This crystal seems to either lack an effective oleophobic treatment or have one that is not particularly effective, as it is very prone to grease and smudges and requires frequent wiping to keep it clean. It made me realise that simply calling something a “sapphire crystal” is not sufficient to describe its quality; how the crystal is treated matters as well.
The Case and The Crown
The case is 316L Solid Stainless Steel, 38mm in diameter and 45mm lug to lug, with a 20mm lug width. It is finished with a circular satin-brushed finish on the lugs and a horizontal satin-brushed finish on the sides, with an intermediate polished bevel running throughout the case.
The bezel is a slim polished bezel in perfect proportion to the dial and gives the watch a dressier appearance. The edges are chamfered and there are no sharp edges anywhere, which is nice.
The watch features a 6.3 mm screwed down crown, which is perfectly proportioned to the case size, and has a very nice grip. It is also marked with the Addieskin logo, and the logo remains completely horizontal when the crown is in its screwed position.
The Bracelet and Clasp
The bracelet is a five-link bracelet, with three satin-brushed links and two slim polished links, which gives it a dressier look. The bracelet feels very premium with 316L Solid Stainless Steel brushed and polished links. The brushed finish hides scratches really well. It tapers from 20mm at the lugs to 16mm at the clasp. The clasp is 18mm and feels very well proportioned with the watch.
The clasp is a folding milled clasp with two locking lugs. The clasp is a slight letdown for me. I feel the clasp is a little wobbly, possibly because of the less stringent tolerances around the locking lugs. On the positive side, it has five micro-adjustment positions, which are really useful since the bracelet has no half-links.
The bracelet also comes with quick-release spring bars for easy bracelet swaps. But I feel the watch looks at its best with the OEM bracelet only, so I don’t think I will be making much use of this feature.
The Caseback
The watch has a see-through, screwed down caseback with flat sapphire crystal, which gives a clear view of the Miyota 9015 movement. The caseback mentions some of the watch’s specifications, including the 100-metre water resistance, sapphire crystal, Miyota 9015 and the Addieskin brand name.
However, the caseback does not mention any serial number, and the watch itself does not appear to have one. The only serial number I found was on the warranty card, but it cannot be linked to the watch, at least not from any of the visible places on the watch.
The Movement: Miyota 9015
The watch is powered by the Miyota 9015, which is one of the reasons this watch manages to remain just 10mm thick. The 9015 itself is an impressively thin movement at just 3.90mm, and that compactness is a big part of what makes it an obvious choice for slimmer watches.
Miyota rates it at -10 to +30 seconds per day, with a power reserve of approximately 42 hours. Mine has been running at around +10 to +12 seconds per day, which I consider fairly respectable for a movement with this specification. I haven’t done a proper full-power-reserve test, but on one occasion I left the watch unworn for an entire day and found it still running the following day, which is at least consistent with Miyota’s specification.
The 9015 is also a high-beat movement, running at 28,800 vibrations (4Hz) per hour. It hacks and can be manually wound. The hand-winding feels noticeably scratchier and produces a sharper, more metallic sound. Both of my Swiss watches wind very smoothly with a nice satisfying gear sound. The Miyota feels completely different. The first few times I wound it, the sensation was so unfamiliar that I actually wondered whether I was doing something wrong or putting unnecessary stress on the gears. Later, after reading through various forums, I got to know that the 9015 uses a fine-toothed winding system, which produces a relatively high-frequency, sharp metallic sound while winding.
What I particularly like about the 9015, however, is not just its specifications but how it looks. I have never been particularly fond of the finishing on Japanese movements like Seiko’s NH30-series movements. They are perfectly functional movements, but I have always found them rather plain and, honestly, not particularly pleasing to look at. One of the things I enjoy about owning an automatic watch is being able to appreciate the mechanical side of it as well. An automatic, in my opinion, is best enjoyed with an exhibition caseback, and in that case, a decorated and well-finished movement becomes absolutely necessary.
The Miyota 9015 in this watch does exactly that. It has 24 jewels and Geneva-striping decoration, giving the movement a much more refined appearance than the rather utilitarian look I associate with the NH30 series. The decoration isn’t haute horlogerie finishing, but at this level it adds a surprising amount of character.
The 9015 also comes with a date display and quick-set date function. One interesting characteristic, however, is that the date does not snap over instantaneously at midnight. On mine, the change begins at around 10 pm and completes at roughly midnight, so you can actually watch the date slowly make its way to the next day. Miyota’s documentation also cautions against using the quick-set date during the approximate 8:30 pm–2:00 am period because the calendar mechanism is engaged during those hours.
The Miyota 9015 features a unidirectional automatic winding system. The rotor winds the mainspring in one direction, while it is free to spin in the other. That free-spinning action is particularly noticeable when you hold the watch close to your ear. You can hear the rotor whizzing as it spins freely, almost like a tiny mechanical flywheel. It isn’t especially loud in normal use, and I don’t notice it unless the watch is very close to my ear. Sometimes I like watching the rotor free-spin, but at other times, the spec nerd in me wishes it had a bidirectional rotor.
One thing worth mentioning is magnetism. Miyota does not declare a specific magnetic-resistance rating for the 9015 in its published specifications, so there is no particular gauss figure that I can rely on. Exposure to strong magnetic fields can affect the movement’s rate and, in turn, its accuracy, so it is something that could potentially cause the watch to run differently over time. On the other hand, Miyota does equip the 9015 with Parashock, its shock-protection system designed to protect the balance staff from impacts.
The Wearing Experience
The watch wears very comfortably and is not at all heavy. It weighs 118 grams with four links removed for my wrist size.
With the compact case, 45mm lug-to-lug and female end links, the watch drapes really nicely on the wrist. The caseback also sits flat and comfortably against the wrist, which adds to the overall comfort. The proportions feel very well balanced, and it sits naturally on the wrist without feeling too large or awkward.
Quality Control
Considering it is a Chinese microbrand, the one thing I was worried about was quality control issues. The major dealbreaker in my mind was dust particles on the dial. Thankfully, the dial was clean without any issues.
However, I found two small QC issues, which are not deal breakers, but I would have preferred to not face them at all. There is a small fingerprint mark on the movement, which is not very noticeable but remains visible if you look carefully through the see-through caseback.
The other issue is a bit more noticeable. The hour marker is not perfectly aligned and is about 3 minutes off. At the 12, 3 and 9 o’clock positions, the misalignment is not particularly noticeable, but at 6 o’clock it becomes much more apparent, especially because the date window makes the symmetry of the lower half of the dial more noticeable. Again, it is not a dealbreaker, but it is something I would have liked to see perfectly aligned.
Update: The watch claims 100m of water resistance, but I faced a major condensation issue after exposing the watch to nothing more than light drizzle. The crown and caseback were both completely screwed down, and I cannot think of any obvious entry point for moisture unless there was a leak somewhere in the case or crystal, possibly resulting from the assembly. This makes me question whether the watch was actually tested for water resistance or whether the 100m rating was simply stated based on the screwed-down crown and caseback. Either way, this is a serious QC concern and something I would not expect from a watch claiming 100m of water resistance.
The Wishlist
The wishlist for this watch remains relatively short, much shorter than I had expected. Apart from an on-the-fly micro-adjustment clasp, the watch offers almost everything I would want to make it a perfect watch. The other item on my wishlist is more of a personal preference. I would have personally liked the date disc to feature Chinese numerals as well.
If not for the thickness consideration, a Seagull movement would have made it a complete Chinese watch. But I really like the 10mm thickness and the way the watch wears, so I wouldn’t want to trade that just to have a Seagull movement.
The Final Verdict
Having bought one Addiesdive and one Addieskin watch, I do have to admit that Chinese microbrands are offering a serious value proposition. If you happen to find a brand in its nascent stage, you can get a very good watch at a significantly lower price, and Addiesdive is one such brand at the moment. They are bringing watches one after another, and the watches continue to offer a lot for the money.
The AddiesKIN K011 is an absolute beauty. The dial is easily its biggest strength, with the deep red colour, Chinese ingot texture and seal-script numerals giving it a character that is difficult to find at this price. The Miyota 9015, sapphire crystal, solid bracelet and overall finishing make the package even more compelling. The design is what made me buy this watch in the first place, and after spending time with it, that part of the watch has not disappointed me at all.
But my feelings about the watch are now somewhat mixed. The slightly wobbly clasp and the small QC issues I found would have been easy to overlook, and these are things that can happen even with more established brands. However, the condensation issue after exposure to light drizzle is much harder to ignore, especially for a watch that claims 100m water resistance. It has made me question my confidence in the quality-control process behind the watch.
So, while I still think the AddiesKIN K011 is an exceptional watch from a design perspective and a compelling value proposition, I can no longer call it a near-perfect watch without qualification. The watch itself is something I absolutely love looking at and wearing, but the water-resistance issue has left a significant question mark over its reliability. For a watch that gets so many things right, it is disappointing to see such a fundamental aspect raise doubts.
The K011 remains a watch I find beautiful, but it is no longer an uncomplicated recommendation.
If you want to place an order, feel free to use the link to get a 5% discount.
