I'm so excited to share with you this new watch I got! I saw this Baltany W10 S2005 watch on Gary's I Like Watches channel a few months ago. At that time, it was still called Pouying. I put it on my Aliexpress wish list so I could wait for a sale.

However, I kept looking at it and I kept bothering other people, asking them "What do you think? You think I should get it?". In the end, I bought it immediately without waiting for a sale.

And so, here we are.

It didn't come in some fancy box, just a simple nylon case. It came with a nylon strap (pretty okay quality, nothing special), a cleaning cloth, a spring bar tool, and an extra black leather strap (which smelled strongly of rubber at first but the smell disappeared after a few days).

This Baltany watch is based on the W10 design which was used for the Royal Air Force sometime in the 60's and 70's. Similar to the flieger watches in 1940's Germany, it wasn't just one brand manufacturing the W10. Brands like Hamilton, CWC, and Smiths were producing the W10 for the Ministry of Defense. The broad arrow at the 6 o clock signifies that it's property of the British government.

This particular Baltany W10 S2005 watch is not an exact 1:1 copy of anything, it seems more like a combination of the Smiths W10 dial and the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical case.

But before we get into it, I have one request. If you found this review helpful and you want to get one for yourself, consider using my Aliexpress affiliate link below. Aliexpress will be giving me a commission when you buy anything using my link.

To buy the Baltany W10 S2005:

https://www.baltany.com/product/36mm-small-military-watch-s2005/14/

https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DEyiQLV (affiliate link)

*By using my links, I earn a little commission at no extra cost to you 

Now, moving on to the specifications:

  • Case Diameter: 35mm (listing says 36mm but I measured it at 35mm)
  • Lug to Lug: 43mm
  • Case Thickness: 11mm
  • Lug Width: 18mm

It has a boxy domed sapphire crystal, no anti-reflective coating. The description on Aliexpress said that it had anti-reflective coating but perhaps it's not sufficient since the crystal is still highly reflective.

The dial itself is matte black and the minute track and the hour markers are just printed on. It doesn't mention in the listing what kind of lume they use but the hour markers and the hour/minute hands are lumed.

The case is made with stainless steel which has a sand-blasted finish, similar to the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical. The hardware on the nylon strap and the leather strap also has a similar sandblasted finish.

It's powered by the Seiko NH35 which is a known reliable movement in this price point. It hacks and it hand winds.

It has a screw down crown, which is guess is part of the reason why it has a 100 meters water resistance.

First, let's go over the positives:

  • 35mm is a great size and you don't get that very often on Aliexpress as the trend there is 40mm and above. If you want to get a 35mm, you either go vintage or you pay more with other watch brands.
  • It's thick at 11mm it doesn't feel like 11mm, mainly because of how slim it looks on the sides. Most of the thickness is due to the domed crystal and case back.
  • It's good that they used the Seiko NH35, which is a known reliable movement. Right now, the Baltany brand seems to be new on Aliexpress so there's not a lot of experience from the watch community with this brand. By using the NH35 movement gives me peace of mind.
  • The lume is very good. Not as strong as the Spinnaker Cahill but still good and bright, especially with the hour and minute hands. After half an hour, I can still see the lume in the dark. It's not as bright anymore but it's still legible without me having to squint and strain my eyes.

Next, let's go over the negatives (things that may potentially be problems for some):

  • Because it uses the Seiko NH35 movement, there's a ghost date position. I don't really mind it but I know there are people who do mind it. 
  • The white border on the hands make it look kind of plasticky. It would have been better if it was left metallic.
  • The lack of information or branding on it in the front and at the back kind of bothers some people. Often we see watches having some information like the model number, serial number, water resistance rating at the case back. However, I also don't mind this because the case back isn't something I often see, especially when it's on a nylon strap.
  • The most annoying part about this watch, is the lack of AR coating. Previously, watches with no AR coating haven't bothered me and I guess understandably it's not a priority given the price point. However, with this one, because of the black dial and how the crystal is domed, I always see first my own reflection before I see the time. (Update: The Octopus Kraken Aliexpress store replied to my review. They said they put clear AR coating. However, perhaps even with it, the crystal is still highly reflective.)

So those are my thoughts on the Baltany W10 S2005 watch!

Overall, I love it. It looks great on a bunch of different straps and it wears nicely on me. I think it's a great budget watch for both men and women alike.

If you have any questions about this Baltany W10 S2005 watch, let me know in the comments!