Class Act
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| Review Date: December 26, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Alan Smithee, SRQ |
I am a novice watch collector, however I have one major rule - the watch must be below $500. This is not only because I am not Mr. Deep Pockets, but also I have issues with spending money. You could say I am a VALUE novice watch collector.
I have been wanting a Sub-mariner watch for some time, sure the Rolex is the CROWN (king of the hill) - but to meet my rule ($500) - it would seem that Rolex is not going to make the cut. There are many Sub-mariner look-alikes.
Now comes the value - it's not just about looks, it's about substance. Sure - the Invicta 8926 or other similar watches have the looks, but what about the substance.
Think about this - Rolex is more than just looks, the name equates to quality and substance. From the movement, crystal, to workmanship.
My goal was to find a Sub-mariner - that HAD the Rolex QUALITY! Finding the looks was easy, finding the quality - well that was the hard thing to do.
After doing tons of research - Invicta 9937 not only had the looks - but the quality for the price is very surprising.
Let's break it down.
1. Movement (9937 - Swiss Movement) - many people don't even think about movements, they are just interested in the looks - there is nothing wrong with that, but there is a difference. Many Sub-mariner look-a-likes run on Quartz (battery operated) - there are some excellent quartz movements out there, but this review is about findings a watch that meets the standards of the Sub-mariner (of which Rolex has set the stage).
First, the watch is an automatic (traditionally watches come in 3 varieties - hand wind, automatic, and quartz) - the Sub-mariner is a traditional automatic (or self-winding watch). The movement in the 9937 is a 26 jewel ETA 2824, a popular Swiss movement in many high-end Swiss made watches. For the 9937 to have such a movement at the cost is a darn good deal. The second hand moves in a quick-ticking fashion. If you have ever seen a Japanese automatic movement, while very nice - they seem to make a more jerky beat - this is because they have fewer beats per second, not that it is bad - but it is noticeable. The Invicta 8926 uses the Japanese movement - if you look at them side-by-side you notice the difference, which is seen by the movement of the second hand.
2. Crystal - the 9937 uses a Sapphire crystal, rather than hardened mineral crystal. This is another big treat which you would only find on the high-end Sub-mariner watches by Tag, Rolex, or Omega. The use of a sapphire crystal is almost scratch resistance compared to hardened mineral. Additionally the raised Cyclops magnifier is no small affair - it stands prominent at the 3 o'clock marker over the date.
3. FACE /BEZEL - if you are looking for the Rolex Sub-mariner - this is as close as it gets. The hour markers are raised has silver surrounds around the luminescent markers - this separates the 9937 from many other imitators that just paint in the luminescent and shows an extra thought in the production. Of course the Invicta wing logo appears and the second hand has the Invicta logo at one end. Invicta - while making their own version of the sub-mariner has no problem showing off their product with pride. So that does reflect a difference - but a positive one in my book. Additionally - Swiss Movement is written along the bottom to indicate that it's ticking with real Swiss precision - not just any movement. The bezel insert only has the minute hash marks for the first 10 minutes - something also more distinctive with the sub-mariner line. The numbers are done in the traditional block fashion. The serrations on the bezel are not as sharp as the Rolex version - but are found in this model. Note - many imitators use a scalloped edge instead of serration. Again - the 9937 pays homage to the sub-mariner.
4. CASE - the case on this watch is thick and heavy - it's solid, with a combination of brushed and polish. But what really stands out - more so than even the Rolex, is the clear back on the watch - you can see the movement and engraved INVICTA in the weight that moves (to automatically wind the watch). The back is a class act affair. It is stamped "Pro-Diver 200 Meters", "Sapphire Crystal", "Stainless Steel 316L", " Swiss Movement", "Invicta", "Model 9937" - inside the clear case it is stamped 26 jewel Swiss made. There is no doubt the pride they took in making a solid watch front to back.
5. Bracelet - Here is where the Invicta actually surpasses the Rolex it pay homage too. The bracelet seems more solid and heavier than the Rolex. Granted I don't own a Rolex, but have tried them on and compared them - so this is just an observation. You FEEL this bracelet and it's solid. The clasp is SOLID stainless steel - not a pressed-stamped out clasp. It's very nice.
So what do you get?
For just over $300 you get a very solid watch, sapphire crystal, Swiss movement, solid stainless steel construction and bracelet. The Invicta 8926 is nice (for $100) it has the looks - but not the quality. You know you are wearing this watch.
Rolex ($5000 plus) - Their own movement, Sapphire Crystal, Stainless Steel.
Invicta 9937 ($300) - Swiss ETA movement, Sapphire Crystal, Stainless Steel, Clear Back, Solid Bracelet.
Invicta 8926 ($100) - Japanese movement, Mineral Crystal, Stainless - stamped bracelet.
I took it to our local jeweler - who caries Tag, Rolex, Omega, etc. for resizing of the bracelet. He gave it back to me and asked what I paid for it. I said it was a gift - but it was a little over $300. He said that it was easily a $1500 watch and would give his Tag, Rolex, or Omega a solid run for the money. He winked and said - don't tell anyone about it - because it will hurt my business. If that doesn't tell you this is a steal for the price - I don't know what does.
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Invicta 9937
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| Review Date: January 19, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Richard Beemer, Carson City, Nv by way of Baton Rouge LA United States |
| I own Rolex Submariner, and Omega Seamaster this watch is on the same level as far as quality good looks and durability I will own another Invicta possibly the Sub Aqua, This was an EXCELLENT BUY. |
Invicta Sub Mariner
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| Review Date: January 15, 2007 |
| Reviewer: J. Ross, Houston, TX |
| This is a great watch for the money... I work in the Oil Industry and wear it to work daily, not only does it get lots of comments but it takes a beating and keeps on... |
Invicta 9937, 26J Coin Edge Bezel
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| Review Date: December 27, 2006 |
| Reviewer: David Mazzei, Merced, CA. |
I received my 9937 Invicta three days after ordering. It's everything I was expecting and more. Great looking bracelet. Heavy watch with a well made look that is keeping perfect time so far. It came well packaged with no problems.
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BEST VALUE AROUND!!!
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| Review Date: April 22, 2009 |
| Reviewer: David, |
This is an excellent watch for the money.
I thought I had it all when I first bought my 8926.
This watch has a Swiss 26 jewel movement which runs very smooth as compared to the 21 jewel Miyota movement.
Sapphire crystal is a huge bonus also, it will resist most scratches opposed to the Mineral crystal on the 8926 which got some really deep scratches for moderate use.
The bracelet on the 9937C is entirely different. It is much thicker and it actually has solid end links, a major bonus for me. The clasp is improved as well. I had my middle links "brushed" to have it look more like a rolex. The polished middle links scratched too easily.
I prefer the coin edge (Rolex Style) bezel, it has a far better grip compared to the scalloped bezel (Omega Style)...Although I own an Omega ("Bond" Seamaster 300M, Quartz) and love it.
Overall, This is a solid and elegant watch that is well worth the money spent. I would buy another one should something happen to mine.
Omega Seamaster 300M - 2221.80.00
Invicta Prodiver 8926
Invicta Prodiver 9937C
Invicta Speedway 7029
ESQ Tournament - 07301081
Wenger Swiss Army Battalion III WR72328
Seiko SGF523
Tissot PRC-200 - T17.1.586.52
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the famous 9937 coin edge
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| Review Date: December 15, 2007 |
| Reviewer: huggie bear, glen burnie md |
| finally purchased this much talked about time piece from invicta . almost bought this watch last year but went with the invicta 3076 scuba which is another famous sought after watch. well with that said i have no regrets with either purchase. this 9937 is probally the most reviewed talked about watch on the internet . now i see why ! i have personally been in high end jewerly and watch stores and have tried on the rolex submariners. that watch is probally my dream watch to own , but in all reality its just that a dream watch at least for now anyway. however i must say when i recieved my 9937 and looked at and held it in my hand i can say my dream watch in a way has become a reality . i have seen alot of watches and came across a few that matched the rolex submariner as far as watches that had the same look or style. but without a doubt this invicta 9937 is the closest thing i have ever seen to being in that level. this invicta 9937 watch without a doubt lives up to its reputation to being the next best thing to owning a rolex submariner. actually with the price i paid which was only 330.00 i actually think its a better watch than the rolex which retails for 4,500.00 to 5,000.00 dollars. i mean hey if u can afford that God bless ya , but if ur a little shy on the clams why bother when u can buy this much sought after almost as famous if not more famous time piece. i looked long and hard to find the 9937 with the coin edge bezel and finally found it and bought it . my only suggestion to anyone interested in getting the 9937 is to get the one with the coin edge bezel. i think it adds to the value of the watch since its so rare and hard to find. again another great purchase of one of the best diver watches made by invicta. i love it and it lives up to its name and reputation. if u can find this much talked about watch and can get it dont hesitate there are not many of them out there especially with the coin edge bezel. a must have in ur collection!!!! |
A really high end feeling watch
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| Review Date: January 24, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Al Kamieniecki, Nutley, NJ USA |
I bought this watch even though I had the Japan movement version already and have had it for two years. This watch is visually very similar to the Rolex Submariner, in fact other than the name on the dial it looks practically identical, without trying to be a replica.
Anyway when I opened the box and compared it to the 100.00 Japanese version the differences were astonishing. I have read a review somewhere on this watch, (maybe on Amazon)where the reviewer states that it is more polished, well made, and substantial than the Rolex. Having seen the Rolex and now this watch, I would not disagree. It is simply beautifully made. I have seven or eight watches and usually switch off every day but since I got this watch I have worn it constantly.
It feels like a piece of jewelry and the finish is flawless. Also it keeps very accurate time, and does indeed have a Swiss movement as far as I can see. Very nice box also. |
Pierre
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| Review Date: August 18, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Pierre, Los Angeles, CA |
| I love this watch. It is great looking and has that feel of quality. Best of all no battery to deal with. |
Best accurate automatic watch ever
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| Review Date: March 19, 2009 |
| Reviewer: T. Le, |
OK, this is my third review for this watch, first, I gave it 1 star, and then I changed mind mind and give it three stars, but now, I will give it 5 stars rating. Since I start to like this watch so much due to the accuracy of the movement.
Pro:
1) good value for a Swiss automatic movement with a saphire crystal watch.
2) The best accurate automatic watch so far that I've ever seen. This watch is running about +2 seconds/day in the first two weeks, but now it run within 1 second/day. I was shocked to see an automatic movement that the accuracy is as same as quartz. While my Oris, Rado, Longines, Raymond Weil, Tissot are within +5 to +12 seconds/day
3) Oris has been using SW200 movement in their watches, so I guess the SW200 movement is not bad after all, it beats all of my watches with ETA movements in term of accuracy.
4) The watch band looks solid and durable.
Cons:
1) The detail and the finish of the watch are terrible. This is where Invicta needs to improve on most of their watches.
2) The Lugs stick out too far and rub against the watch band - bad design
3) The crown may pinch your wrist easily and make your wrist feels uncomfortable because of its sharp edge.
4) The bezel is a little bit difficult to turn, but It is not that bad
Overall, this is a good looking watch at a distance, but look closely, it is a little bit lousy and a poor quality made watch. I only paid $224 on worldofwatches when it was on special sale. At first, I didn't like the finish of the watch, but the accuracy of the movement has changed my mind to give it a five stars rating. |
This is a very nice watch
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| Review Date: June 11, 2009 |
| Reviewer: J. C. Burns, Troy, MI |
| I've owned one watch for 24 years, a Rolex GMT Master, and it is my most prized possession. I never even really wanted another watch, except another Rolex, the Submariner. Well, in today's economy, plunking down $4,000 to $5,000 for a watch just seems a little irresponsible. I ran across the 'little brother' of this watch, the Invicta 8926 Pro Diver with Japanese automatic movement, one day on a shopping channel for $89 and thought why not? It sure looks like a Sub. When I got it, I was really blown away by the quality. Then I started researching and discovered there is a Swiss movement version of the Invicta Pro Diver, the 9937. Since I always considered myself a bit of a watch snob, I wanted the best, so even though the 8926 was absolutely great, I ordered the 9937. As previous reviewers have mentioned, it is worth the extra money. The crystal, the cyclops, the nicer band and heavy duty clasp and of course the Swiss movement all added up to a really beautiful piece of fine jewelry. I actually prefer the way it feels on my wrist to my older Rolex, it's just a bit heavier, feels very solid, and the case is a bit thicker. The band actually surpasses the Rolex band, quite surprising. The movement is quite nice and the accuracy is on par with the Rolex. No automatic watch will ever be as accurate as a quartz, but + or - a few seconds a day really isn't that big a deal to me. I'm not crazy about the engraved 'Invicta' on the side of the case (of all Invictas), but frankly, it's hardly noticeable. I found this watch on sale for about $265. It's easily worth much, much more IMHO. Buy it, you'll like it. An if you're on a budget, grab the 8926, you can find that for under $100 if you look around |
This Is An Awesome Watch
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| Review Date: June 4, 2008 |
| Reviewer: REM, CT |
This is a great, no...no...this is an awesome watch for the price. It truly rivals the quality of the Rolex submariner for a 1/3 of the cost. You will not be disappointed.
[...] |
Buy the 9937 (C model, if you can)
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| Review Date: February 5, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Robert Darlington, Baltimore, MD USA |
| I have a 9937 Coin-edge bezel watch and the 8926 Coin-edge, as well, and the 9937 clearly outshines the 8926. The bezel on the 8926 barely moves, and the date magnifier is small and cheap looking. The watch feels light. The 9937 is a great looking, ultra-solid and accurate timepiece. It looks and feels like a very expensive watch. Grab the Coin-edge if you can -- they are still available. A Swiss automatic of this quality for around $350 is the best deal for a quality watch I've found, anywhere. Invicta made a reputation selling quality, inexpensive watches, like the 8926; but save your money and buy the 9937 -- you won't be sorry. |
Very nice watch
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| Review Date: February 12, 2009 |
| Reviewer: J. Perdue, |
| I am very impressed. This seems to be a very high quality watch. I don't know much about watches. Most of my information came from reading other reviews. For the money I believe this was a good purchase. It's nice now that I'm older to move to a more "adult" watch. I get a lot of compliments. It's heavy or solid. I get a real sense of quality construction. I've already scratched the band a little but I suppose it's unavoidable. I made the right decision and would buy this watch again. The quality is there. |
So far so good
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| Review Date: May 10, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Brian P. McLaughlin, Schoenaich, Germany |
| Good piece of gear. Arrived earlier than projected delivery date in a box that by itself is worthy of compliments. A colleague of mine noticed my watch and immediately compared it to his Rolex with the aim of letting me know how much better his Rolex is than my watch. I took this as a compliment of course. After trying to put down the Invicta by asking whether it was automatic or had Swiss movement, he finally broke down and said with an air of superiority, "well, my Rolex cost a lot more money". I am certainly not a watch expert, but I am quite pleased with my purchase. |
Perfect Service, perfect watch!!!
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| Review Date: February 27, 2010 |
| Reviewer: M. Goers, Germany |
I'm from Germany and ordered this watch from "My Watch World". Only 9 days later the parcel arrived at my home address.
So, thank you for fast shipment. |
Invicta 9937 26J Automatic watch
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| Review Date: July 21, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Watchawant, Carpentersville, IL United States |
| The Invicta 9937 is a great watch for the price. You get a swiss automatic movement with perpetual motion (no ticking). Love everything about the watch except for the glow in the dark feature. After it gets dark, the green spots don't show for more then an hour and then goes dark. However, the watch looks great and for the price, you can't beat it (unless you get the Rolex :). |
I'm still waiting to be impressed
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| Review Date: August 18, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Paul E. Gilbert, |
| I've owned my Invicta Swiss Diver since 10/07. After a "break in" period it kept losing about 25 seconds each day. I've owned Rolexes and thought of this as a replacement. It has very good jewelry quality but accuracy was very disappointing. I returned it for service in early July and haven't received it back yet. I'm hoping for a big improvement. I have owned a Brietling and the service when it stopped working after two years was $500.00 so I'm being patient but a little disappointed so far. |
somewhat disappointment
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| Review Date: September 24, 2009 |
| Reviewer: H. Jing, |
I bought this watch about a year ago for my father. He started wearing it recently. But he just told me that the watch becomes less accurate. about 3 minutes faster in a week. And the power reserve is a problem too. If he takes it off the wrist before going to bed, it will stop running the next morning!
I'm quite disappointed. |
Invicta watch review
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| Review Date: July 6, 2009 |
| Reviewer: J. Munsie, |
| Watch was promptly delivered and exactly as described. However, two weeks of using under normal circumstances and the watch had to be sent to Invicta for repairs at a cost of $20.00 (under warranty) plus insured shipping. Invicta indicates turn-around time on warranty repairs is 8-9 weeks or more. A replacement within two weeks should be their policy for products warranted and not abused; not to mention the 'warranty' handling and shipping fee. |
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