When A San Martin Is Not A San Martin! JIANGHUN Wardrum Review 

I forgot to mention it in the video, but you should notice that the watch has a lot of reflection and glare. Which is to be expected with some domed crystals. But just be aware of that if you're looking at it seriously.

That’s a watch only a mother could love!

Thank you for your feedback. Regarding the strap issue, we have added an extended strap option, which fits wrists up to 21cm. We hope this resolves the inconvenience for some of our users. Cheers!

It looks like a Persian homage to Vostok.

I respect the attempt and your explanation helps with why it’s called the War Drum. This one definitely is not for me, but another reviewer showed some previews of watches they are working on, and I am looking forward to their future offerings. Maybe Grand Martin?🤔

Thoughtful critique Shane much appreciated

Great video as always. You can make any watch look way more interesting and intriguing than it actually is in real life.

Realized within 5seconds I had to have one. Reminds me of a globular bodied swatch irony from the early ‘90s. My favourite daily wear for about 20 years.

Very nice first look at this brand. I am liking it. Cheers!

The more I see reviews on this watch, the more it's growing on me.

Im liking the idea of more original designs. That one maybe not for me but its pretty cool and hopefully a sign of things to come. Totally agree with you regards the branding. Cheers 🍻

Shane thanks for the review! I received my purple War Drum a few days ago and I do like it! I like a different design! So many watches seem a bit boring. This one is sure not boring. And for me, I find the strap to be of high quality with the three row stitching. It is breaking in, and I don't plan on replacing it. Thanks again for making me aware of this strange one!

Saw this one pop up in a Reddit forum nearly two weeks ago. Overall design is pretty polarising but you gotta give Jianghun points for originality.

Looks like a normal watch that was inflated, like a pool toy. Some really cool aspects, but too much crammed into one watch. Agreed, that caseback is exceedingly cool.

I was one of the first buyers, a very beautiful watch and high quality

My Alpinist makes me happy enough!

I like the fact that SM try to be original but this one does not connect with me.

I think I love this watch. San Martin good show again. Unique shaped case.

Got one (in black), love it - excellent quality, running cosc, interesting design / dial, great lume, lovely crown, 200m water resist, low price (incl shipping costs being covered). Strap's stiff but might run in / can easily be swapped with lug holes (yay). SM doing something original, personally think Seiko & co. are on notice...

I really think it's an interesting take, though I'm not a fan personally. The leather strap, the case, it's all really cool. If it had a dive bezel to time stuff, I think it would be a great winter tool watch with the legibility.

Not a bad looker. It's actually more likable after watching your review than I thought it might be. It kind of reminds of the Helson Porthole, especially the lugs, which I always found to be one of Helson's coolest original watch designs.

Love the dial not sure on the rest of the watch.

Nice review 👍. I want to like this too, I've thought for ages the Chinese brands should be more proud of their heritage, so I like the branding. The dial and case body design look great, but I have to agree about the straight lugs and hands not fitting well, the crown also looks too large. This one isn't for me, but I hope they try a version 2 and I'm interested to see what comes next.

As a drum, design is spot on, i can even see these lugs as potential drum sticks and the crown as a cymbal. As a sports watch though...

Could you provide a link to the strap with the orange cutouts? Thanks!

I appreciate the risk being taken, but don’t like the choice of this watch for launching a new brand. Chinese watch manufacturers are making some awesome watches, I think they should have gone with a halo design to show the world they are a true contender. Great, honest review.

Looks cool in the dark because of the lume. It's way too round. Well they can't all be winners. Thanks Shane

I like it… 👍😊💥

Watches are subjective. Look at some of the oddball European designs. IMO, this is gorgeous and original. Beautiful details and build quality. Only critique is the hands. The minute and hour hands can be more sword themed for war motif. Seem some other hands that resemble swords that would look natural on this design. Overall, it's a hit. and I just ordered one. It's a bargain for this level of build quality.

I respect San Martin for the new brand and original design but going with my initial gut reaction...the lugs are not for me.

I really like the dial design and agree the lume and hands should be better. But I don't like the dial enough to buy the watch. I'm undecided about the brand name. I'm happy they're going with original designs with this name though and I'm happy they have their own website instead of AE. It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out and what their next watch releases are.

I don’t understand why a company known for steel finishing makes their first subbrand watch with a leather strap

I like some of the design elements individually, but the watch looks like it was created by blindly selecting leftover parts from a bin. Glad to see San Martin starting to move away from homages, but this attempt should have never left the drafting table IMO. Thanks for the video in any case!

Hated it first time i saw it BUT Ive been back half a dozen times and i like it better every time. Its definitely original. Just need an upgraded, high beat movement. Especially like the green and stainless bezels are really in now. 6/10.

Oh, and Mr Jones is having a huge sale. Picked up a 'Last Laugh' for $175 delivered.

The dial design generally okay, but the dimension is game over

The design of this isn't really appealing to me, but I like the fact that a new brand is running to the logical extreme with a concept. If that bravery persists, gems may yet come out in the future. For what it's worth, I understand the desire to break with the San Martin brand. As I understand it is not only focused exclusively on original designs (like it should be), but also it is intent not to exist on AliExpress, thus further distinguishing it from that model too. Of course, knowing that San Martin have become known over time for the great build quality and finish of their low cost watches, it makes sense Jianghun would kick in the door by letting us know it comes from the San Martin home. But the stigma of copycatting runs deep and originality in San Martin has only barely become tangible. On that basis I'd probably be slightly more likely to buy a Jianghun that is clear about its origins and expresses that in its designs, than a 'just not quite (original) enough' San Martin. Still, my tastes are probably more conventional than this particular example, and thus there is upward potential in the San Martin brand too. From this first taster I would think they're aiming for a niche, unless I underestimate the appetite for this kind of thing in nonwestern markets. If so, it makes sense to do that under a new banner that has no relation to what that so very clearly is not.

The case is very similar or should I say inspired by Helson Porthole.

So, everybody DON'T Jianghun tonight.

It's definitely not going to be for everyone, including me, the movement dial and hands would be good for a mod project though.

Well if I had to choose between this watch and the Eagle 2 you were wearing during the review, I'd wear the Eagle. Not my favorite style of watch anyway. I don't think it's impossible for San Martin to pull off exactly what they are doing with a dedicated original design sub brand, but the name does indicate to me that maybe they might be leaning so hard into their own heritage that they alienate some western customers. I will say the San Martin in my collection that I enjoy the most is the original enough Skin Diver GMT they released after Seiko launched their GMT movement. And if I'm picking between the Seiko and the San Martin for a dive GMT, I'll wear the San Martin every time. It wears thinner, has a better bracelet, and for less money. I think they could do well out Seiko-ing Seiko these days and be successful at it.

Bruce Lee vs Captain Nemo!

🤔

I think you ascribe them too much of the meaning behind this design than they actually meant - it's just a drum, like you said initially

it's supposed to be a tiger, not a dragon on the caseback.

I have always said they need a new sub-brand for their original designs, but that watch is horrible

I agree about the new brand. There is no reason why they couldn't have made original designs under the more recognizable San Martin name. Unless they don't expect it to be a success and are trying to avoid association with it. As far as this design goes, it's hideous. It's something the Kurgan from the Highlander movie would wear. Unapologetically ugly. I couldn't see myself wearing it out in public. And I say this as I'm wearing a San Martin, so I'm not just blindly bashing the brand.

I like the design, but I hate the hands

At last, a decent sized watch. And an interesting design. So what do they do? Put a short strap on it and make it too "Chinesey". (I know, I'm aware of the irony.) Down here China isn't flavour of the month right now. And, as to the strap, if Casio can put a decent sized strap on a $40 dollar cheapie, then what gives with all these modern watches with short straps?

Glad they are trying something different just not my cup of tea

Uff thats off in so many ways

Not putting that thing on my wrist.

I’ve seen a couple of other videos on this watch. It’s just too much of everything. They took every element of the watch to 11 (or maybe even higher). They need to learn a bit of restraint. If they had used 2-3 of the unique design elements, they probably could have designed something with relatively wide appeal. But that just looks like a kitchen sink of design school ideas.

I really like how they're not pretending to be a european brand by hiding behind a made-up westernised name. Respect. Should be proud to be what it is.

deal breaker crown

Too big, L2L too long, I hate the lugs they look uncomfortable even if you don't feel them. They went for an old fashioned case and a really modern dial, which imho clashes too much. I like the case, like I appreciate the Vario cases but Vario have lovely enamel dials and are simpler and have two sizes. Plus, they have a clear purpose. This is awkward, neither classic nor modern. Really hate the lugs! And the War Drum name is too aggressive and too close for comfort, again imho. Thank you Shane for trying to like it. I tried too.

The Chinese identity of this watch must be fully assumed. The strap it is calling out for has a golden dragon writhing on it.

As far as the name is concerned, the vast majority of anglophones mispronounce Swiss brand names anyway

I don't think this will be a hit in the Western world. Chinese and Asian domestic markets, maybe. Personally, i wouldn't want it for free.

If it had hidden lugs or very short lugs I’d be all over it. Those lugs are way too long

Not my taste at all. Anyway, the brand name is a no go. Like a car comming from a manufacturer called Shidbax.

maybe with the name, their main target is the Chinese market.

I respect San Martin for bringing out this new watch brand to show that they can design their own watches. I am not feeling love or lust for any of their Jianghun watch models. I will never buy one. I don't have 3 hundred dollars to waste on this. On the other hand, I just bought my first San Martin watch which is a 62 mas homage on a rubber strap for only 158 dollars with an NH35a movement. San Martin needs to stay in its lane where it excels.

Yikes. They need to go back to homages.

it's one of the ugliest watches I've seen, period

Hard pass.

I really dislike the brand name. It sounds like a cheap Chinese trading company that sells knock off products. Everything from jewelry to power tools.

Awful!